Chapter 65 our five children

In the "Beijing Evening News" on January 8, 1964, there was a very moving report titled "Although they lost their parents", it was about Zhou Tongshan, Tong This is the story of how the five brothers and sisters Qing, Tonglai, Tonghe, and Tongyi received love and care from the party, the government, and everyone around them after losing their parents.When this report came out, there was a sensation in Beijing.The threshold of the five orphans was almost broken by more people who want to do their part for them!Immediately afterwards, on January 11, the "People's Daily" published a report on "Orphans Are Not Alone" and a section of "Editor's Notes".With the rapid delivery of "People's Daily" across the country, the whole country is also a sensation.Mail from all over the country: letters, packages, and money orders, flew like snowflakes to the residences of five orphans on Xibo Street in East Tang, Beijing.Some of these letters and gifts came from the Xinjiang Plateau, some came from the front lines in Fujian, and some came from Shaanxi, Gansu, Jilin, Jiangxi, Guangdong...Some of the mailers were workers, some were soldiers, some were cadres... more were children who were about the same age as the orphans.

Each of these letters is full of encouragement and comfort, full of enthusiasm and love.Every letter written by an adult has a painful history of his own past, and in the many letters written by adults and children, there are similarly deep memories of today's socialist motherland, our own party and government. Much gratitude and love.These letters, these presents, and the people who came to visit and extend their warm helping hands made these orphans dazzled with surprise, as if they were suddenly swept into the vortex of warm current.No wonder when we asked them to come to play on Sunday, they smiled and showed embarrassment, saying: "We can't leave on Sunday. Many uncles and aunts came to visit us, and many children came to help us. We study, we do housework, and besides, we have many letters to answer!"

Things like "Orphans Are Not Alone" were not too unusual after liberation.In our new society, this new trend of helping others can be said to happen every day, everywhere.Why did the five orphans in Xibo Street, East Tang, Beijing become the center of national care for a while?That's because after the story was published in Beijing and national newspapers, everyone knew about it.Our working people all had their own miserable past before liberation. Now, remembering the bitterness and thinking about the sweetness, with the excitement of being grateful to the party, Chairman Mao, and the government, they all want to do their best for these orphans. power.I always think that many new people and new things in our new society are like a garden full of flowers.When people come into the garden, they can't take their eyes to see a large area of ​​gorgeous flowers. Only when two of them stop by a certain kind of flower and admire it in surprise, a large group of people gather around to carefully observe it. After watching the comments, the characteristics of this flower were publicized, and since then it has become the center of attention of the general public. The flower "Orphans Are Not Alone" was first discovered by two reporters from "Beijing Evening News".They obtained the original material from an article praising Chen Yuzhen, the director of the Beijing Ciqikou service station, for helping others.A thorough investigation of a good person and good deed will lead to many good people and good deeds.Our brand-new society is such a rich and treasured mine!

We started with the visit of "Mine Seedlings" and met Chen Yuzhen, the director of Ciqikou service station. This cheerful middle-aged woman met us despite her busy schedule.She let us sit down and said with a smile, "This is not a great thing, so I have to start from the beginning. When the street activist Tian Shuying brought the five children to make cotton clothes, I was not in the station. The people's congress went, and Aunt Liu, who was in charge of tailoring, took over the work. When I came back, I heard people in our station talking enthusiastically, saying that these cotton padded clothes belonged to five children who had no parents. The office of Tiyuguan Road, Chongwen District The cadre Tian Maiqin bought the cloth, and Tian Shuying, who lived in the same courtyard as the orphans, brought the children and asked us to drive them away. When mentioning orphans, each of us has our own feelings in our hearts. The tragic situation of orphans in the old society, The party and the government are so concerned about them, and the people in the offices and streets are so helpful, can we not contribute our strength? So a few of us cut and sewed, and were busy. One night. In order to save a few feet of cloth, I made one of my undershirts into a cotton-padded lining for my children. Sha Xiuqin, Xue Meilian, and Li Peiyun in our station said that if you have cotton-padded clothes, you should also have cotton-padded shoes. I brought a few more pairs of cotton shoes for the children. When the children came to pick up the clothes, they were very happy to see the new cotton clothes, cotton shoes, and the leftover cloth. After doing this, I forgot about it. I don’t want the uncle of a colleague in our station, who is also a worker, to hear his sister-in-law come home and mention this matter, he thinks that the people in our station and I are very active in serving the people, so he wrote a paragraph It was published in the "Beijing Evening News", and within a few days, a reporter from the "Beijing Evening News" came to investigate and interview.

"Ever since I made cotton padded clothes for those children, I have always been unable to let them go. A few days before the Spring Festival, I went to their homes to have a look, and packed 14 more clothes that needed to be unpacked and mended. I thought to myself, although the children are required to dress neatly during the Spring Festival, the work in the station is also very busy before the Spring Festival. Standing at the station, everyone really asked, which company is doing so much work? As I unpacked the package, I said: 'It's our five children's. 'As soon as everyone heard it, without saying a word, they all got busy again. One person washed it, nine people mended it, and it was finished and sent away quickly..."

Ever since I left this service station, Chen Yuzhen's strong grasp has always remained in my hand, and the strong and clear voice of "our five children", who is affectionate and responsible, has been ringing in my ears.This voice gives me infinite encouragement and strength. Before I met Tian Maiqin, the cadre of the Tiyuguan Road Office in Chongwen District, from what I heard about this comrade's thoughtfulness and care, and the association caused by his name, I always thought that this was a female comrade, and I didn't want to leave. The person who came in to shake our hands was a tall man in his thirties with a square face and bright eyes!

This young and capable cadre told us that there are 30 residents' committees under this office, which are in charge of the health and welfare of the residents in this area.The old, weak, sick, and disabled in these households have been taken care of by the government since liberation.There are three orphan families in this district, and a neighborhood committee he manages has more than 1,400 households.At this time, I couldn't help but think that there are residents' committees in other districts in Beijing besides Chongwen District, and there are also residents' committees in all parts of the country. Weak, sick, disabled!Since the liberation of China, the sun of the party has been shining on the earth like this.The vast majority of our people are all grasses under the sunshine of spring.Now I have fully and truly understood the meaning of "Whoever speaks an inch of grass will repay three springs"... My mind wandered, and when I saw the smiling eyes on the other side staring at me, I hurried She nodded with a smile and asked him to continue.He said: "Chongwen District has always been a place where working people live. Before liberation, poor people who pulled carts, repaired shoes, and picked up rags lived here. Their lives were precarious. Zhou Yongshou, the father of five orphans, was one of them. One. He picked junk during the day and sold junk at night at a "ghost market" stall. His life was very hard. After liberation, he joined a scrap company, got a fixed salary, and his life settled down. In 1959, he He was transferred to a coal factory to work as a coal delivery worker. The child's mother joined a paper box factory in the street, and life improved day by day. The four younger brothers and sisters at the foot of Zhoutong Mountain were all born after liberation.

This hard-working couple had just tasted the sweetness of a happy family. Unfortunately, in 1961, the mother of the child suffered from cholecystitis. In 1962, Zhou Yongshou himself died of blood pressure.In a smooth and happy environment, the five children who have suddenly become orphans feel grief and panic like the sky is falling!At that time, the eldest child Zhou Tongshan was only fifteen years old, and the youngest brother Tongyi was only three years old.They cried and cried helplessly, feeling that the most miserable situation in the world had fallen on their heads. "At this time, the neighbors gathered around, comforting one and hugging the other. The factory manager Han of the coal factory where Zhou Yongshou worked came and sent five hundred yuan for the funeral and support. For the funeral, I called the office and entrusted us to take care of these children frequently before going back to the factory with peace of mind.

"When I received the call and came running, the children were already being caressed by the neighbors. At the office meeting, we decided that in addition to not charging rent, utilities, the state would give the children free schooling, medical expenses, Stationery is also provided by the state, and they are also given monthly living expenses. I discussed with Tian Shuying and other neighbors in their hospital how to help the children arrange their lives.” At this point, there was a trace of uncontrollable emotion in the corners of his eyes Smiling, "These children who have been under the care of their parents really don't know how to live. They received a monthly fee, and the first two months were spent before the end of the month. Zhou Tongshan also took a deposit and bought Some unnecessary decorations, such as bookcases, wall charts and gramophones, etc. Aunt Tian in the same courtyard scolded him in anger. We and the people in the neighborhood also continued to help them, educate them, teach them to keep accounts, see See where the money is spent, and teach them to calculate carefully. Zhou Tongshan was still in middle school at the time, and he suddenly felt overwhelmed by the burden of taking care of his family. He thought it was better to drop out of school to find a job because the burden of taking care of his younger siblings was too heavy.

I advised him: You have already reached the second year of junior high school, what a pity to leave it behind.Your parents wanted to study but couldn't do it!Taking myself as an example, before I went to Beijing as an apprentice, I only studied for four and a half years. At that time, the Japanese army occupied my hometown - Shulu. We could only teach in the cemetery, using the land as slate, even Never seen a pen.Today, your conditions are so good, if you don't study hard, it will be too late to regret in the future.In this way, he gave up the idea of ​​dropping out of school.After graduating from junior high school, he was admitted to work as a substation worker. He was originally assigned to a factory in the eastern suburbs. We discussed with the chairman of the labor union of this factory. Everyone thought that the eastern suburbs were too far away from his home and it was inconvenient to commute, so they sent him He was transferred to another factory in the city, and he was also assigned a five-good model worker master who had attended the National Heroes Meeting.Now he can go home every day, spend time with his younger siblings, and work very hard. He has joined the study group and is applying to join the Youth League.Tongyi, the youngest brother, was also sent to the nearby Dongting Kindergarten and returned only on weekends.so.The four brothers and sisters are more able to concentrate on their studies. At this point, he laughed again, "However, there are times when you can't pick them up, because when the parents of other children in the kindergarten come to pick up their children, they often pick up little Tongyi too.For example, Wang Guilan, a medical worker in a factory, took Tongyi and her child away last week.She bathed Tongyi, cut his hair, washed his clothes, made dumplings for him, and then sent them back to kindergarten together.There are many more such things.The neighbors take care of their children with great care.What vaccinations and anti-epidemic medicines should I take in spring? When the weather is cold, it is time to add clothes and quilts, and close the windows and doors. The elders and ladies in the same courtyard have never forgotten them.Everyone in the street residents' committee, if they don't do something for the children, it seems that something has been lost.Everyone rushed to unpack and wash the children's clothes, and those who didn't rush said, "If you don't let me wash, use my soap." '"As for making cotton-padded clothes for the children and taking care of them during the holidays, the newspapers have publicized them. These are tasks entrusted to us by the party and the government. We haven't done enough, and we need more Redouble your efforts." At this time, he looked at his watch and said, "Let's go and see Tian Shuying. It's time for the children to leave school, so it's good to see them."

At No. 5 East Tang Xibo Street, where the 14 families live in a tidy courtyard, we first visited Tian Shuying, an activist of the residents' committee.This Aunt Tian, ​​who has had an old friendship with Zhou Yongshou and his wife for more than 20 years, brims with simplicity and enthusiasm, talking to us about the changes of Zhou Yongshou's family before and after liberation. "Zhou Yongshou is a poor boy. He has been picking up junk since he was a teenager. Every night from twelve o'clock to three or four o'clock, there is a small stall selling junk at the door of his house. At that time, he couldn't take care of the next meal. Zhou Tongshan was an older sister. , the next younger sister died of pneumonia because of a rash, unable to take medicine. In 1958 after liberation, Xiao Tonghe and Xiao Tongyi also developed rashes at the same time. Zhou Yongshou's company came People, put down ten yuan, and criticize Zhou Yongshou, saying that he should not rush to see a doctor for his children. You say how much the world has changed! Without the leadership of the Party and Chairman Mao, would the poor have such a good life? Just say When Zhou Tongshan’s mother was sick, she still had the same thoughts as before, saying that my illness was troublesome, and seeing a doctor was a matter for rich people, and she didn’t even dare to think about staying in a hospital. In the end, someone from the organization came up and sent her to Tongren Hospital , lived for more than a month, and paid seven to eight hundred yuan for her. Zhou Yongshou had high blood pressure, and he also stayed in the Fourth Hospital for more than two months before his death. Now these children are all taken care of by the state. It is better to have masters and teachers in factories, schools, and kindergartens than when you have parents! I often say to my children, "You really can't imagine the hardships of the old society. Even the hardships of your parents in the past , you don’t even know, let alone other things. There used to be an old man in our yard, single, we got up early one day, we found him crawling in the snow at the door, dead, someone came from the patrol cabinet, pulled him out I don’t know where it was buried, but it was fed to the dogs! There was also a child in this yard who was abducted when he went out to play. Do you think we had no sympathy at that time? In the world of cannibalism, you can’t even care about your own life, can you still care about others? If your parents died before liberation, you five brothers and sisters, you don’t know where you are now! Those who have been kidnapped, sold, tortured to death, who cares? Thank the party, thank Chairman Mao, forget these, your dead parents will not allow it.'” She mentioned that Zhou Tongshan didn't know how to organize his life at the beginning, and after spending money on random shopping, she said to Tongshan, "You are the eldest brother, especially you must learn well. Think about the hardships your parents have suffered, and then think about today's situation." Sweet, how happy you are to live in this society. You are not an orphan without your parents. Now you have to think carefully about what you do and what money you spend. What I say may not be right. You should also ask the teacher , ask the uncles in the office, ask the ladies and gentlemen in the same courtyard..." At this point, she laughed, "There is also that little fellow who is smart and mischievous, and often quarrels with the children on the street. , I didn’t concentrate on studying, I also said it when I saw it, and sometimes I cried them. But after a while, they came again and said, "Auntie, don't be angry, your words are right, we will definitely listen to them." "Speaking of these children, they are really good and willing to learn. Little Tongqing has learned how to make dough and cook, and little Tong will gradually help his brothers and sisters. Tong Shan can also mend clothes and sew socks by himself. Speaking of mending clothes, a comrade from the People’s Liberation Army came that day. He was wearing a woolen overcoat. He must have been an officer. He talked with the children for a long time in the room. He opened the coat and showed the children the military uniforms he had mended inside. He advised the children: mend clothes as soon as they are torn; , There were a lot of people who came to visit the children, and what everyone said was educational for them. On January 8, the children's affairs were reported in the newspaper, and a visitor came at noon on the 9th, and he said that he I have been out since 7:00 in the morning, and it was only then that I found the children’s residence. As soon as he entered the door, he wanted to cut the children’s hair. He said, “My lover is an orphan. He was given to someone since he was a child. I secretly ran to the moat to cry. We both read the newspaper last night and were very excited. We thought that everyone has a share in caring for orphans. We have nothing to give. I am a barber, so I will give to the children. Let’s get a haircut.’ He was weeping while cutting the children’s hair. We were watching, and it was really uncomfortable! There is also a worker...” At this time, there was a sound of children laughing and laughing in the yard, and Aunt Tian looked out the window , said, "Tongshan is in the factory, Tongyi is in the kindergarten, and only Tongqing and his brother come back at noon. Let's go and sit in their room." We took the children's hands and walked into a south-facing room together, with warm sunlight shining through the large glass windows.The room is flat and the bedding on the bed is clean.The walls are covered with photos and New Year pictures, and the table is full of books.In the middle of the wall is a hanging portrait of Chairman Mao. His deep eyes seem to be kindly watching the children working, studying and sleeping in this room all the time, and also watching the children in this room kindly. Those who come here, make dumplings for the children, send Lantern Festivals, hang lanterns, and give New Year pictures to everyone.His kind eyes are watching all the exciting happenings in this room! We sat down on the bed chairs and pulled the baby close to us.These children all had lovely smiling faces, and when they talked with us, they all seemed very intimate and natural.At this time, a large group of children were crowded inside and outside the windows. The eldest sister Tongqing sang a section of "Sing a Folk Song for the Party" at everyone's request.Singing "Mother only gave birth to my body, the glory of the party shines on my heart" When I was singing, I looked at her smiling and excited little face, and felt that her singing voice was more emotional than the voice of this song I had heard before.Who has a deeper understanding of this song than her? When we met for the first time, Xiao Tong, who was usually very lively and mischievous, was shy now.The enthusiastic little Tonghe has been holding our hands tightly, showing us many gifts they have received, and insisting on keeping us for dinner. When she knew that she couldn't keep us, she was still reluctant to part with Brothers and sisters together, sent us to the door, waving with smiles and shouts, please come often! Before visiting them, I thought about it: Since the newspapers reported their affairs and posted their photos, the radio station invited them to give a speech, and many agencies, units, and schools invited them to participate in the Spring Festival Gala, let them see it. Dramas, movies, books, candies, New Year pictures... Will these "glory" and "opportunities" spoil them and make them special? After I talked with office cadre Tian Maiqin and street activist Tian Shuying, I felt that my worries were unnecessary! When I visited the leaders of the children's factories, teachers in schools and kindergartens, and read many letters—especially letters from children and teenagers, I thoroughly felt that our leadership under the leadership of the Party and Chairman Mao The broad masses of the people know how to care for the growth of our successors. The first time I saw Zhou Tongshan was in the reception room of his factory.This smiling young man couldn't help but thank Comrade Yang, the factory party committee sitting next to us, and said how he cared about everything about his life and study.He also praised how the members of the group who studied with him often came to his house to help him with some housework.He especially likes Master Sun Quande who is only ten years older than him. In his own words: "Our relationship is very good!" Tongqing's teacher, Zhang Shaohua, the fifth-grade director of Wenchanggong Primary School, has cared for her since the death of Tongqing's mother.Because nine-year-old Tong Qing had to take care of her sick father, Teacher Zhang specially arranged for her to go home and take care of her father during the fourth class.She also arranges a good study group to come to her home to help her study, buy vegetables, and cook.Under the education of Teacher Zhang, Tong Qing's classmates and other students also showed special concern for Tong Qing.During a spring outing, brigade committee member He Jingfen paid Tong Qing the money her parents gave her for drinking soda and buying popsicles. While visiting the garden, although she was thirsty and hot, she held Tong Qing's hand and felt an indescribable joy in her heart.There are also a few male students in this class who are not ashamed to deal with female students. During this Spring Festival, they also jointly wrote a New Year's letter to Tongqing and secretly inserted it in her book. .During the Spring Festival, a few male classmates came to her house to help with something. Seeing that there were too many people, a classmate nicknamed "Big Man" found that there was no thimble in Zhou Tongqing's sewing bag, so he quietly gave it to her Bought a thimble and two needles to give away.Xiao Tongqing's classmates cared for her in many ways. They provided supplements to her material deficiencies, and gave positive opinions on her shortcomings. They developed a real friendship of mutual help. Comrade Cui Chengjing, the director of the fourth grade of Dongtang Xibo Street Primary School, is the teacher of the sensitive and mischievous little Tong, and he is a particularly careful educator.When he taught a Chinese lesson "Memories of an Orphan", he called his colleagues aside in advance and told him how orphans in the old and new societies were different.Under the care of the party and the government, orphans and children with parents will grow up equally happily.On the one hand, he educated the fellow students to do more to help and care for them.Once, there was a get-together in the class, and a little classmate kept an apple that was allotted to him, and quietly stuffed it into the arms of the classmate.Tonglai is an active child, he often loses concentration in class, and his homework is sloppy. In this regard, Teacher Cui is very strict with him, and also tells him not to waste books and notebooks, saying that the country has a penny , are all obtained by the people's labor and cannot be wasted casually.After the child's story was published in the newspaper, he told Xiao Tonglai, saying: "The 'glory' in the report is not yours. It should belong to the party and Chairman Mao. Without New China, there would be no you. You should study hard and make progress every day. .” Comrade Li Heping, a 20-year-old youth, is the director of the second grade of Fahuasi Primary School and the teacher of Xiao Tonghe.After graduating from high school, she volunteered to work in the countryside, but she was assigned to be a primary school teacher, which she readily accepted.She was very concerned about Xiao Tonghe, and she was afraid that she would not be able to do her homework when she went home, so she stayed in school to study after school every day, and sent her home at night.The weather was cold, and she didn't forget to buy a mask and facial oil for Xiao Tonghe.She couldn't keep her eyes off Xiao Tonghe.Xiao Tonghe, who likes to act like a baby, always revolves around Teacher Li.In this small school, who doesn't love this lively little girl.Zhou Xiuwen, the first-grade teacher last year, gave her medicine and made noodles when Tong He fell ill.The old school worker at the gate, among the children who came in, watched carefully to see if Xiao Tonghe had arrived. He didn't see her for a day, as if he had a disease in his heart.With so many people's love and attention, it's no wonder that there is no trace of orphan sadness on this little face! Little Tongyi has a pair of more charming dimples than his elder brother and sister on his smiling face!When the teacher of Dongting Kindergarten gently lifted the quilt and showed us the resting little face of Tongyi, he opened a pair of big eyes and smiled at us. People's kind dimples will remain in my memory forever from that day on!The teachers in the kindergarten believe that caring for little Tongyi means caring for the other four children.They took over the burden of caring for children from the shoulders of their brothers and sisters. They and the parents of many classmates in the kindergarten took turns to provoke this happy burden. This is a culture that is neither heavy nor light. The burden of successors of doctrine! I read hundreds of letters received by the orphans, and I was moved to tears more than once.The most touching thing here are the letters from the children.From these letters, I have seen the results of our party's education for the next generation, and I have seen the future and hope of our motherland and all mankind!These teenagers spoke words of sympathy and encouragement from different angles, and at the same time expressed the common vow in their hearts. Li Shuling, a child in the third class of Beijing No. 23 Middle School, her father is in poor health and cannot work. The family of eight has also received all kinds of care and care from the party and the government. Her feelings are the deepest and most sincere. She wrote: Remember that today's happy life is not easy to come by.Let us cheer loudly "Long live the Communist Party, long live Chairman Mao", let us join hands, work hard to build our great motherland, and be the successors of the red. The letter from all the members of the No. 2 and No. 4 Squadron of the Beijing Girls' No. 15 Middle School said: The fact that "an orphan is not an orphan" told him that he dared not bow his head in front of this living fact! All the students in the first group of the second grade of Beijing No. 4 Middle School sent them a package of small but meaningful gifts. The letter said: Chairman Mao led us on a bright road—the broad road of communism.This needle of class friendship, this bright red thread connects us together, listen to Chairman Mao's words, always follow the party, always maintain the heart of our history, learn from Chairman Mao's good soldier, the great ordinary soldier - Lei Feng , serve the people, and fight for communism for the rest of our lives... We must know how our five children gratefully accept the love and care of the party, the government, and all the people around them, and how they are like a clear and crystal mirror, To reflect this warm sunlight and reflect it on the people around us, we can't just look at the thank you letters they wrote to people, we need to see how they take practical actions to show that they have lived up to the cultivation and care of the party and the government.Teacher Zhang from Xiaotongqing told me that at the beginning of the semester, everyone bought paper to wrap the book covers of new books.Tang Jinzeng, a relatively poor classmate in the class, did not have book wrapping paper.When Tong Qing found out, he quietly gave him some paper and wrapped it up for him.Tong Qing said: Although he is not an orphan, his father has no labor force, and there are eight people in his family. Life is very difficult. I should help him.She also encouraged Tang Jinzeng to apply to join the Young Pioneers.Recently, she also gave him four pencils and enclosed a letter, which said: "I hope you can join the glorious Chinese Young Pioneers on our own festival - June 1st." Last November, Zhou Tongshan In a store, he found a wallet. He saw the name and address of the owner in the wallet, so he hurriedly sent it back to her. After returning, the young man wrote this paragraph in his diary with passion. He said: They asked me where I lived and what my name was, and I said, "I live in Beijing," and ran back home.Because, in our capital, Beijing, and in the whole of China, there are too many people who are willing to help others. The children have run out of words, what more can I say?On the eve of International Children's Day, I would like to wish our five children grow up healthily and happily with all our successors! (This article was originally published in the June 1964 issue of "People's Literature".)