Chapter 58 Chanting in Prison——Li Rui and "Gentian Purple Collection"

Li Rui (1917-) was born in Pingjiang, Hunan.Participated in the revolution in his early years.Former Deputy Minister of Water and Electricity. After the "Anti-Right Deviation" Movement in 1959, he was isolated and imprisoned for 20 years, including eight years in Qincheng Prison. After the "Cultural Revolution", he was a member of the Advisory Committee of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.There are works "Gentian Purple Collection", "Lushan Meeting Documentary" and so on. Not long after the "Cultural Revolution" began, Li Rui, who had been isolated for a long time, had only gained some freedom of movement, and was detained again.

From 1967 to May 1975, Li Rui was imprisoned in Qincheng Prison again, and began to live in a single cell for eight years.His prison number is 67126.Li Rui said: "As far as I know, Qin Cheng's solitary confinement drove more than 20 people crazy." At first Li Rui thought he would be released from prison in a short period of time, but a year later, he saw a large crane coming to the prison yard, and the prison was about to be expanded.After thinking about it, he decided to face reality and prepare for long-term imprisonment.In order to keep himself physically and mentally healthy, keep his mind normal, and keep his brain power intact, he insisted on jogging in the small room every day and learning to make old poems.Li Rui introduced his process of writing poems in the preface of "Gentian Purple Collection".

In the first few years, Li Rui used some news in the newspapers, new people and new events as topics, impromptu oral interpretations, and he forgot as he wrote, only a very few of them remained in his memory.At that time, the author Yu Jiushi was a layman, and he couldn't even tell the difference between mediocrity and mediocrity.Due to the oppression and coercion of the special environment and conditions, this method of mental exercise was adopted as a last resort. At the end of 1973, the interrogator, after Li Rui's repeated begging, found more than 20 books from his library on Liupu Kang. "The abalone dried up and suddenly it rained", Li Rui was overjoyed, and his life has been much better since then, and the range of chanting has also expanded accordingly.

In 1973, when Li Rui was running and exercising one day, he accidentally fell and broke his hand.The nurse gave him a vial of gentian violet and some cotton swabs.Li Rui suddenly had a whim, and found that cotton swabs and purple syrup could be used as pens and inks.So, every day, I sat on a sentry to monitor the hole, held a book against the wall and pretended to read it, and secretly recorded poems in the blank space of "Selected Works of Lenin" (Volume 1 and 2) with cotton swabs.After doing this for more than a year, I have accumulated hundreds of poems.The language, the things and the people who complained too much have chosen alternative words and lingoes.Moreover, he specially wrote more than 200 five-character "Songs of Quotations" with one rhyme to the end, mixed in these poems as a cover.

Li Rui's creative activities seriously violated the prison regulations. He was discovered by sentries twice at the end of 1974 and the beginning of 1975. The "Selected Works of Lenin" and "History of Surplus Value Theory" with poems were confiscated successively.At that time, Li Rui was in a calm mood. He thought that no matter how severe the punishment was, he would be kept in prison. The content of these poems in prison mainly has two aspects: "eulogizing the revolution" and "recalling life".Li Rui believes that as a member of the Communist Party, it is natural to praise the revolution.But why take so much trouble to recall your own life?Li Rui said: "Because I think of my children, I always hope that they will have the chance to see these things in the future, and know that this father is not a 'ghost and snake spirit'." Therefore, Li Rui's poems are also an autobiography.Zhao Puchu spoke highly of this collection of poems, and once inscribed the words "Linjiang Immortal" for the collection: "Only through the end of calamities can the waves not be diminished, and the heart of poetry can pass through the iron wall. Don't compare this way to insects, blood coagulates gentian Purple, ivory red flowers."

The catalog of "Gentian Purple Collection" is divided into seven categories: The content of "Admiration and Remembrance" is to praise the leaders of the proletarian revolution Ma, En, Lie, S, Mao and Premier Zhou, Lu Xun, Chen Yi, Peng Dehuai and others, as well as friends Tian Jiaying and others. "Wenshu Reading Newspaper" mainly contains miscellaneous thoughts from reading and talking about newspapers, such as "German Ideology", "Family Private Ownership and the Origin of the State", the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, and the 26th United Nations General Assembly. "Oucheng" is mainly miscellaneous chants, such as chanting plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. "Thirty Years" recalls 30 years of fighting history. "Eight Years of Hydropower" is a memory of my life during my eight years as the deputy minister of the Ministry of Water and Electricity. "The North, the South" records the eight years of life since the Lushan Conference in 1959, when the "rightist" performance was labeled as a "rightist", and he was quarantined and labor reformed, "moving to Wusu in the north and Dabie in the south". "Chant in Prison" records the life in Qincheng Prison from November 11, 1967 to May 30, 1975. "Returning to Mozitan" is a poem written by Qin Cheng when he was released from prison and was in a labor camp on the farm.

Li Rui was formerly the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Water and Electricity, and made outstanding contributions to my country's water conservancy and hydropower construction at the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China.Around 1956, someone proposed to build a reservoir in the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. In June 1956, Mao Zedong wrote a poem "Shui Tiao Ge Tou Swimming": "The stone wall of the Xijiang River will be erected, the clouds and rain in Wushan will be cut off, and the high gorge will come out of the Pinghu Lake. The goddess should be safe. Shocking the world." It shows Mao Zedong's determination to build the Three Gorges Dam and transform the mountains and rivers.However, Li Rui moved against the trend. In the 5-6 issue of "China Water Conservancy" in 1956, he wrote the article "Discussion on Several Issues Concerning the Planning of the Yangtze River", opposing the construction of the Three Gorges Dam.In response to many people's accusations against him, he published a defense essay "Several Issues Concerning the Planning of the Yangtze River Basin" in the "Yangtze River Planning Special" of "Hydroelectric Power" Issue 9 in 1956.Mao Zedong summoned Li Rui twice to listen to his opinions.At the Nanning meeting, Li Rui and Lin Yishan (director of the Yangtze River Water Conservancy Committee) debated in front of Mao Zedong.Mao Zedong ordered them each to write an article and hand in the paper within three days.In the end, Mao Zedong decided to postpone the construction of the Three Gorges Reservoir.

Li Rui's article won Mao Zedong's praise.At the meeting, Mao Zedong pointed to Li Rui and said: "We must have such talents", "Everyone must pay attention to cultivating talents." Side by side as a part-time secretary.Zhou Xiaozhou (Secretary of the Henan Provincial Party Committee) jokingly said: "Li Rui, you won the number one prize." After Lushan, he was isolated and imprisoned for 20 years. The experience of the Lushan Conference was also written into "Gentian Purple Collection" by him.This is the first climb, second climb and third climb in "Lushan Yin", which records the situation of being summoned to Meilu three times by Mao Zedong.

Living in the mountains does not know the appearance of the mountains, and the clever sentences can be understood after the event. The two eyes are limited to the cliff barrier, and the whole body is often in the mist. The sunset is loving the fairy cave, and the showers are swirling to the Wulaofeng. The situation on the mountain is often changeable, so how can we blame the Lord of Heaven. When Li Rui worked part-time as Mao Zedong's secretary, he had a deep relationship with Mao Zedong's secretary Tian Jiaying.Li Rui often visited Liulichang with Tian Jiaying, collecting calligraphy and paintings.The two had a play date, and those who entered the soil later had the right to inherit their calligraphy and paintings.

The ancient willow Anxiang surrounds the seaside, the garden is deep in the courtyard, and the courtyard is in the garden. I don't see each other for a long time, and I come to talk about nothing. The world spans three thousand li in length and breadth, and spans five thousand years from ancient to modern times. After joking, I still remember that behind me, the sky is full of dusk again. In 1963 and 1964, Li Rui had already been quarantined and inspected. He secretly asked Tian Jiaying three times to talk with the director of the Drum Tower, Xidan Xinhua Bookstore, and Taoranting.Li Rui wore a big mask and the two strolled along the streets side by side, and entered the restaurant to talk.

The busy city hides its face, but the alleys are still feasible. There is much rain and dew in the world, and old friends are poetic. Look at the world with cold eyes, and show warmth to all beings. Why bother to sigh for Yanliang, and make the wine cheap. The last couplet of this poem is taken from the couplet poem with Tian Jiaying.Tian Jiaying's friendship nourishes the poet's heart like rain and dew. There are also poems about the situation in the officialdom: "If you don't meet Longmenzhen in a hundred years, you will go to the night stall at Xisi Pailou." In 1955 and 1956, Li Rui, Tian Jiaying, and Li Peng talked together until the night, and they went to the stalls on Xisi Street to drink. It started at two o'clock in the morning. If you don't want to move south again, it's hard to make peace with what you meet. Houhai Linyin synchronizes with the moon, and the wine and soldiers in the Drum Tower are waiting for the lights. There is nothing more caring than the affairs of the court and China, and it is difficult to stand by and watch. In the middle of the night, the west wall of the palace is in sight. I don't know when we will meet again. This poem recalls the scene of Li Rui being quarantined and inspected after the Lushan Conference, moved south to Mozitan Farm in Anhui for labor reform, and saying goodbye to Tian Jiaying. The most characteristic and moving part of "Gentian Purple Collection" is of course "Chant in Prison", which records the poet's experience and feelings in prison.Qincheng is China's "Bastille" famous for detaining a large number of senior party leaders and political prisoners during the "Cultural Revolution".Li Rui used gentian violet and cotton swabs to reveal a corner of this hell for us. speechless Maybe you can forget your old age by sitting alone, but in fact, you will gradually become dull without words. The watch case is called a pot cover, and occasionally thinks of self-sufficiency. (Author's Note: After Wang Ruofei was released from prison, he actually called the watch cover the pot cover.) Du Yu Partially teach Du Yu to cry in his ears, and to read Ji Zici alive at night. In the past fourteen years, whoever asked, when will it be either life or death? The poet's complex state of mind in desperation is unstoppably revealed in the poem: "Throw away the beautiful years like waste paper", "When you are a companion, you only have a quotation" (the only thing you bring is a quotation), "The sundial on the window moves Knowing Wuyou, one newspaper for one day" and "Excellent retribution for ten years of idleness, how much life is there to ask the sky." They are all poems reflecting the suffering of prison. The song "Witch Hazel: Feeling Time" concentratedly reflects the inner suffering and complex emotions: Can you not call Yusou.Five thousand dynasties, sitting alone without words, guarding the island empty.Lying on the couch sleepless all night, trying to kill the eternal day.The peeper was strange, and Shukong waved his hand.Dig out the heart and liver and spray hot blood, asking who knows is the most uncomfortable.Feel bad, don't look back. There is no need for personal grief. Don't you see that the foolish old man has billions of people, fighting to go upstream.China is so beautiful today, with mountains and rivers everywhere.It is still the leader of the wind and cloud.Glance at the changes in the world and the world, listen to the roar of Asia, Africa and Latin America, the songs are generous, and the books are golden. "Gentian Purple Collection" has several little poems in memory of my daughter, which are very kind and touching.Conveyed a heart full of blood and tears of fatherly love. Charming Poems (choose three poems) When I think of Yaowa, I feel emotional, and I sing with tears several times. Lingfeng Beilei should open up, and promise to understand the "ghosts and gods" with a childlike innocence. (Original note: written in 1970). Difficult to die hard to bury the hearts of parents, Xie Gongyin once a year. The charming girl of the Ming Dynasty was thirteen years old, and she was still holding her kiss in her dream. (Original Note: As of 1971). Female Yan Duodu dreams of the body, a glance hastily and Qichun. It is expected that it is vague and difficult to recognize the father, and two pedestrians meet on the street. (Original note: written in 1974). Yi Xiaomei Every Qingming opens half the window, every year the young swallows learn to fly. What does my son look like?Go to high school or go to the countryside? (Original note: written in 1975) After 20 years of suffering in prison, Li Rui finally got out of prison and was freed.His collection of poems in prison "Gentian Purple Collection" has also become an important work in the contemporary old style poetry circle in China.