Chapter 28 28. Mao Gong Meets Teachers

In 1935, under the leadership of the older generation of proletarian revolutionaries such as Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Zhu De, the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army went through hardships and hardships, forcibly crossed the Dadu River, captured the Luding Bridge, and climbed over the first snow mountain on the Long March—— Jinshan and the Red Fourth Front Army successfully joined forces in Maogong Dawei Township. Maogong (now Xiaojin) is a small county with hundreds of households at the foot of Jiajin Mountain, inhabited by Tibetan, Hui, Han and other ethnic groups.Surrounded by snow-capped mountains: Jiajin Mountain in the southeast, Shepi Liangzi in the south, Niutou Balang Mountain and Hongqiao Mountain in the northeast, and Mengbi Mountain in the north.On the river bank 300 meters east of Dawei Old Street, 35 kilometers away from Xiaojin County, there is a well-preserved small wooden bridge 13.6 meters long and 2.8 meters wide, running from northeast to southwest.It is the historical witness of the successful meeting of the two main forces of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, the First and Fourth Front Armies - the Dawei Meeting Bridge.Today, the bridge and the Catholic Church in Meixing Town, the county seat (the site of the Red Army's "Tongle Club"), have been designated as provincial-level cultural relics protection units and youth patriotic education bases by the Sichuan Provincial People's Government.

On June 12, 1935, the forerunner of the Red First Army, the Second Division and the Fourth Regiment of the Red First Army, overcame many difficulties and crossed Jiajin Mountain, and came to the half-hill slope that echoed the ancient town of Dawei. The seventy-fourth regiment of the twenty-fifth division met unexpectedly.At that time, the soldiers of the Red Fourth Regiment had just arrived at the foot of the mountain when they heard a burst of gunshots. Since the two armies were far apart, it was difficult to distinguish friend from foe for a while. The soldiers were watching ahead vigilantly, holding their weapons tightly, and preparing to charge forward. .On the one hand, Wang Kaixiang, the head of the legion, sent three scouts to find out the situation. The trumpeter first blew the liaison horn, and the soldiers then shouted loudly. The other party answered, but the distance was too far to hear clearly.As the distance between the two armies drew closer, a faint voice came with the wind: "We are the Red Army!"Suddenly, a long burst of warm cheers erupted from the foot of the mountain.In Muchenggou (now Jiajingou) in Dawei, the comrades-in-arms of the two armies after the rendezvous shook hands tightly, and tears welled up in their eyes.What an exciting moment this is. After many arduous battles, at the foot of this desolate snow-capped mountain, the two brother troops unexpectedly met here in victory.

The soldiers cheered and poured into Dawei Village, where the Red Fourth Front Army was stationed. The soldiers of the Red Fourth Front Army warmly welcomed the comrades-in-arms of the Central Red Army, made room for the brothers, delivered food, and greeted them.As early as many days ago, they learned that the Central Red Army was about to arrive, so they started to prepare to welcome the brothers. They mobilized the masses to raise supplies for the Central Red Army, and even knitted sweaters and sandals by themselves.The 31st Red Army alone sent 500 sets of clothes, 1,400 pairs of straw sandals, 500 pairs of wool socks, 100 blankets, 170 pairs of shoes, and 200 pairs of sock soles to the Red Army.Every piece of condolences made by everyone is permeated with the soldiers' brotherhood to the Red Front Army, making the Central Red Army in tattered clothes, hungry and cold feel warm.

On the wall next to Zagunao Street, a poster was posted, showing two tall Red Army soldiers shaking hands warmly.It is a symbol of the victory of the First and Fourth Front Army of the Red Army, and also expresses the joy of the commanders and fighters of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army looking forward to the arrival of the Central Red Army day and night. On June 14, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Zhu De led the Party Central Committee, the Military Commission, and the troops directly under them to cross Jiajin Mountain and enter Dawei. At the Dawei Bridge, they were warmly welcomed by the 25th Division of the Ninth Army of the Red Fourth Front Army.

Before the Red Army reached the bridge, the sound of passionate slogans had already rang out. "Welcome to the Central Red Army!" "On the one hand, the big brother of the army has worked hard!" These plain and simple slogans were heard in the ears of the soldiers who had traveled thousands of miles and suffered hardships.Everyone burst into tears.These simple children of workers and peasants from all over the world were strangers to each other, but today, in the depths of their hearts, an indescribable cordial and profound brotherhood was aroused. In order to celebrate the victorious meeting of the two main forces, the Red Army held a celebration meeting of the victory meeting on an open field in front of the Lama Temple on the hill behind Dawei Ancient Town.At night, the raging bonfires reflected the sky red, and the faces of the soldiers shone with joy.When Mao Zedong, Zhu De, and Zhou Enlai came to the venue, "Long live the Communist Party of China!" "Long live the Red Army of Workers and Peasants!" "Long live Chairman Mao!" "Long live Commander Zhu!" The cheers of the main forces joining forces in victory" came one after another, and the atmosphere was very warm and full of affection from comrades-in-arms.Afterwards, the troops performed wonderful entertainment programs, including Sichuan folk songs, Xingguo folk songs, dances, and dramas... one after another; the Soviet sailor dance danced by General Yang Shangkun's wife Li Bozhao was warmly welcomed, and everyone repeatedly asked her to do another one.The soldiers of the Red Army were elated and applauded endlessly, warmly celebrating this historic victory.

The first red army and the fourth front army Maogong joined forces. The commanders and fighters were all elated, and everyone sang "The Song of the Meeting of the Two Main Forces" loudly: Subsequently, on June 16, under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, the Central Red Army stationed in Maogong, and was warmly welcomed by the Fourth Red Army led by Li Xiannian in the Mao troops.Mao Zedong and other leading comrades of the central government live in a French-style Catholic church. On the evening of June 18, in the East Wing of the Catholic Church, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Zhang Wentian and other leaders of the Central Committee and the Military Commission met with Li Xiannian, political commissar of the Thirty Red Army, and had a cordial conversation with him. The situation fully affirmed the achievements of the Fourth Front Army, and expressed the central government's deep concern and condolences to all the commanders and fighters of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army.Undoubtedly, Mao Gong's meeting has great historical significance.

In 1961, the local government built a monument above the bridge head of the Dawei meeting - "Monument to the First and Fourth Front Army of the Red Army's Long March to Dawei".It is still located in Dawei today, witnessing everything that happened there. Mao Gong's reunion is not only the meeting of the two main forces of the Red Army, but also the beginning of a relationship.The husband and wife Liu Bocheng and Wang Ronghua met during the meeting.1. After the Fourth Front Army joined forces, the Party Central Committee sent a delegation to condolences to the Fourth Front Army. By the Zagunao River, soldiers of the Red Fourth Front Army lined up neatly to welcome the Central Delegation.

Among the more than 10 members of the delegation, there is a person who wears glasses and has a military look, which is particularly eye-catching.In the welcoming queue, there was an 18-year-old girl named Wang Ronghua from the Dabie Mountains. Seeing the extraordinary temperament of this soldier, she couldn't help but be impressed.She hurriedly asked Comrade Chen Mingyi who was standing beside her, "Who is that man wearing glasses?" Chen Mingyi told her, "He is Liu Bocheng, chief of staff." "Ah! He is Liu Bocheng!" Wang Ronghua couldn't help but look at Liu Bocheng more After a few glances, when Liu Bocheng walked past her, Wang Ronghua blushed and lowered his head.Perhaps, without knowing it herself, Cupid's arrow had struck her.Then they cultivated their feelings during the 25,000-mile journey. Around the Mid-Autumn Festival in 1936, the whole army was immersed in the joy of the three main forces who were about to join forces. The flower of love that Wang Ronghua bloomed in the baptism of blood and fire also bore fruit.Their wedding was extremely simple, without flowers and sumptuous banquets, without brand-new bedding, and without red candles in the new house, but they felt so happy.The love between the two is like the bright moon in the sky, shining dazzling light through thousands of miles of wind and clouds on the Long March.