Chapter 59 Chapter 7: All eyes on Qingliang Mountain

In 1936, the Red Army arrived in northern Shaanxi after a 25,000-mile long march.Due to the strict military, economic and news blockade imposed by the Kuomintang, the Red Army was basically unknown. Therefore, no one, including the Chinese, really understands what the Red Army represents.What is Yan'an doing?People's only knowledge of Yan'an is learned from the propaganda reports of the Kuomintang.In people's minds, the Communist Party is a "communist bandit" and a "red bandit", and Yan'an is a place full of terror. The truth will eventually be reported.However, no one thought that the first person to report the truth to the outside world was an unknown American journalist named Edgar Snow.

Rather than saying that Snow is a reporter, it would be better to say that he is an adventurer and traveler.In the special environment at that time, to enter Yan'an meant taking risks.This is because, on the one hand, the Kuomintang adopted various methods to impose a strict traffic blockade on the red area, prohibiting people from contacting "communist bandits". It is absolutely impossible to break through the traffic blockade of the Kuomintang without certain wisdom.On the other hand, in order to incite people's hatred of the Communist Party, the Kuomintang has fabricated a large number of so-called "atrocities". Anyone who tries to get close to the Communist Party may be charged with "banditry" at any time. Copy and kill the whole family.Therefore, ordinary people dare not take this risk.

Edgar Snow was born in Kansas City, Missouri, USA in 1905. He was curious by nature, and his biggest dream in life was to travel around the world.After graduating from university, I started traveling around the world with my friends. At the age of 22, he came to China from Japan and started his career as a journalist. He lived in China for 13 years.In the past 13 years, he has developed a strong interest in this "great country of heaven", and has become fascinated by Chinese history and traditions, and has developed a strong interest in the Chinese revolution led by Mao Zedong, the leader of the Red Army.With a reporter's keen eyesight, he sensed that the revolution led by Mao Zedong might soon become one of the most unusual and far-reaching world-shocking events in history.Therefore, he decided to explore the CCP and the Red Soviet Area led by Mao Zedong.

Although the trip to Yan'an would be life-threatening, he was determined to visit Yan'an out of concern for the Chinese revolution and a journalist's attitude towards his profession.As his wife, Helen Snow, said: "Someone had to find out, but no one else could have made such a journey, nor would have made such a journey." In July 1936, Snow and an American doctor Ma Haide broke through the strict news blockade of the Kuomintang and traveled long distances, risking their lives, to northern Shaanxi.The arrival of Snow caused a sensation in northern Shaanxi, and was sincerely welcomed by the top leaders of the Communist Party.

Snow was deeply moved by this warm and simple atmosphere, and was even flattered.He wrote in his diary: "For the first time in my life, I was welcomed by all the cabinet members of a government, and it was also the first time I was welcomed by all the residents of a city. In such a small inland city surrounded by mountains, the sound of bugles breaking through the quiet valley, I can't imagine Such a warm welcome. It would be difficult for me to express my excitement if I were to speak under these circumstances." Mao Zedong believed in this American reporter who had the courage to break through the Kuomintang blockade. The next day, he received this guest from the other side of the ocean at his residence, a cave dwelling at the foot of Paolou Mountain.It was in this cave that Mao Zedong opened up for the first time and began his world-famous conversation.He talked about internal affairs, diplomacy, life experience, his true thoughts about joining the revolution at first, and even things that his wife He Zizhen didn't know.

Mao Zedong talked about everything, of course he had his considerations.He wants to entrust what he wants to tell the world to a trustworthy foreigner, and with Snow's pen like a rafter, to publicize and introduce the Chinese Communist Party, the Red Army, and the Soviet movement to the outside world. Snow admired Mao Zedong very much. In his eyes, Mao Zedong was a person with special leadership ability.He has deep nationalist characteristics and believes that the Chinese people have the ability to control their own destiny; he has Lincoln-type characteristics, working resolutely, diligently, voraciously thirsty for knowledge, easy-going with subordinates, and has no leadership airs.In short, among the leaders he met, Mao Zedong was a rare one.

As his wife Helen Snow said: "He has now discovered Mao Zedong, not only for himself, but also for the Chinese people. This is the real New World that has not been discovered. He finally faced the real China and knew the real China. China. This is the natural leader of 80 percent of the Chinese people, a man who has declared himself to play that role." In the months-long interviews that followed, Snow successively interviewed Zhu De, Zhou Enlai, Wang Jiaxiang, Zhang Wentian and a number of well-known CCP leaders.In Snow's eyes, these people are approachable and amiable, and their plain clothes can't hide their unique courage, vigor, and persistence. the spirit of".

During the four months of interviews, he found that all Yan'an people are simple, gentle, firm, and full of enthusiasm for the revolution, which gave him a sincere and warm feeling for the Chinese Communist Party and a correct and profound understanding of the Chinese revolution.He admired the vibrant and simple rural environment in the red Soviet area, which was completely different from the declining aristocratic life in Beiping, and also different from the crazy competition for fame and wealth in Shanghai.He felt that Yan'an was burning with a kind of enthusiasm, a kind of hope, and a kind of yearning.

After completing the grand feat of this trip to the Northwest, Snow quietly returned to Beijing, concentrating on writing his world-amazing work "Westward Journey".With the help of Snow's handwriting, some little-known heroic deeds of the Chinese Red Army and the great spirit of the Chinese Communist Party are presented to the world.The glorious images of Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and other leaders of the Communist Party of China are also vividly depicted. After the publication of "Westward Journey", it caused a sensation all over the world.As the American diplomat Xie Weisi said, "The book "A Journey to the West" 'opened a curtain for the whole world, allowing people to see the future of China for the first time'".

Although the U.S. Consul General in Shanghai, Goss, believed that Snow was pro-communist, he believed that "Snow provided the most comprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date information about the Soviet movement in China, which should be given full attention by the consulate and the U.S. embassy. Pay attention to". Regarding the publication of Snow's book, the Nanjing side obviously panicked, and unceremoniously labeled the foreigner as a "lying and deceiving person".To the Kuomintang's attack, Snow responded calmly: "A Journey to the West" "is just a fair and objective account of everything I have seen, heard, and learned during the days when I was with the Communist Party." Nonpartisan report".

After completing "A Journey to the West", Snow became more committed to propagating and reporting on China's revolutionary cause, and committed to letting people all over the world know the truth about a country that accounts for a quarter of the population.He has visited China many times and completed such influential works as "Far Eastern Front", "Fight for Asia", "Miscellaneous Notes on Red China", "Glory and Shackles", and "Journey to the Beginning". Snow's influence on the Chinese revolution is self-evident. Because of Snow, people in the world other than the Soviet Union knew Mao Zedong, Yan'an, China, and the Chinese Communist Party for the first time. After the publication of "Westward Journey", batch after batch of people flocked to Yan'an, the red center, to publicize the Chinese revolutionary cause to all mankind. The impact of the trip to Yan'an on Snow's life was also enormous.Since then, he has formed an indissoluble bond with the Chinese revolution, an indissoluble bond with the Chinese Communist Party, and a profound friendship with Mao Zedong. Even in the 1950s, when anti-communism was rampant in the United States, Snow did not stop reporting positively on Red China.Because of his comprehensive and truthful reporting on the Chinese Communist Party, he and his family were persecuted and slandered in the United States, but Snow did not give up his cause. In February 1972, Snow fell ill with cancer in Switzerland.After Mao Zedong heard the news, he was deeply saddened, and immediately sent Snow's old comrade-in-arms Ma Haide and the Chinese medical team to nurse him until his death.During Snow's serious illness, Huang Hua, the Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations, made a special trip from New York to Switzerland to watch over his bedside.As he was dying, Snow uttered his last words with the last strength of his life: "I love China." According to Snow's wishes, part of his ashes were buried in Peking University.This is the starting point of his expedition to the Northwest in 1936, and it is also the place where he compiled materials and wrote "Westward Journey" in 1937.