Chapter 81 Zeng Zhao became an "accomplice" of the "Zhang Luo Alliance"

Among the "six professors", apart from Qian Weichang, Zeng Zhaolun is also a natural scientist. Zeng Zhaolun's name left a deep impression on me.I entered the Chemistry Department of Peking University in September 1957, and I heard about the "Great Rightist" Zeng Zhaolun—because he was the former head of the Chemistry Department of Peking University. Zeng Zhaolun was born in Xiangxiang, Hunan in 1899, and entered Tsinghua Academy, the predecessor of Tsinghua University, in 1915.In 1920 he went to the United States to study and received a doctorate in 1926. Since 1931, Zeng Zhaolun has served as a professor and head of the Chemistry Department of Peking University.

At the beginning of liberation, he served as dean and head of the Chemistry Department of Peking University. In 1952, he served as Vice Minister of Education and Director of the Department of Higher Education. In the field of chemistry, when talking about Zeng Zhaolun, people always think that he is a eccentric person.On the contrary, Professor Yuan Hanqing, a chemist and "rightist", described Zeng Zhaolun quite truthfully in his article "Life of Virtue and Teacher and Friend——Remembering Professor Zeng Zhaolun". Yuan Hanqing wrote: Professor Zeng Zhaolun is a taciturn person. He seldom communicates with others. He just concentrates on his studies, and his energy is very concentrated, sometimes to the point of being obsessed. There are indeed many legends.Yu Dazhen, sister of Mrs. Zeng Yu Dayin, recalled: "I remember one day, when I came home from Peking University and passed by the beach, I saw Zhaolun standing in front of the red building, facing a telegraph pole, nodding, saying and Laughing, the passers-by were horrified. I approached him, but he ignored me and listened carefully to what he said. It turned out that he was talking about chemistry with the electric pole. Maybe he discovered something new and was proud of it. He used the electric pole as a People, I am announcing the good news to it." "Zhao Lun is very tight on time, and it is too troublesome to put on the socks. Usually, one is straight and the other is reversed. Once, several members of the Democratic League brought their children to visit, and a girl Suddenly he pointed to Zhaolun's feet and said, "Uncle Zeng, why are your socks dragging on your heels? It's so strange!" A member of the league said, "It would be strange if Uncle Zeng put his socks on properly!"" Fei Xiao Professor Tong and Professor Zeng Zhaolun have a deep friendship. Professor Fei also said: "Although we have been in contact for many years, when we meet on the road, unless he has something to tell me. Otherwise, he often turns a blind eye and passes by. I don’t know each other.” Mr. Zeng’s family members also talked about the following two things: one time when they were eating at home, Mr. Zeng was concentrating on a problem, and he accidentally took a coal shovel into the pot to serve the rice; another day, the sky was overcast and cloudy. .Mr. Zeng went out with an umbrella. Not long after he left, it began to rain.The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and his clothes were soaked.But he still walked on the road with an umbrella, and he didn't think of opening it until someone reminded him.

In 1957, as a member of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League, Vice Minister of Higher Education, Vice Chairman of the National Federation of Science and Technology, and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zeng Zhaolun was inevitably involved in the vortex of "speaking out and letting go". Yuan Hanqing wrote: In 1957, Professor Zeng Zhaolun, as the convener of the Central Science Planning Group of the Democratic League, actively participated in the formulation of my country's scientific research planning.In response to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China's call for non-Party people to help the Party rectify, he proposed to the State Council Scientific Planning Committee together with Qian Jiaju, Hua Luogeng, Tong Dizhou, Qian Weichang and other famous scholars to address some practical problems in my country's scientific research work at that time. A written opinion on the issue of my country's scientific system, and put forward constructive suggestions in five aspects: the protection of scientists, the division of labor and cooperation among the research institutes of the Academy of Sciences, universities and business departments, the leadership of social sciences and scientific research, and the cultivation of new forces. Views.However, after this "Opinion" was published in "Guangming Daily", it was regarded as "an anti-Party and anti-socialist scientific program" in the anti-rightist struggle. Professor Zeng Zhaolun was wrongly classified as a rightist, and the Ministry of Higher Education Undersecretary position.

In fact, this "Some Opinions on Issues Relating to my country's Scientific System" can still be found in the Guangming Daily dated June 9, 1957.There is no "poisonous juice" in this "opinion". The "Opinions" clearly puts forward the "protection of scientists": To strive to bring the most urgently needed scientific departments in our country closer to the world's advanced level within twelve years, we must "protect scientists", that is, to take specific measures to ensure that scientists, especially those who have achieved certain achievements, have sufficient conditions to engage in scientific work, and reverse the current trend of scientists being divorced from science. First of all, we must assist them to properly solve the problems of time, assistants, equipment, funds, and reasonable arrangements for use, so that they can really sit down and work with peace of mind...

The "Opinion" also emphasizes the importance of social science: Since liberation, due to the needs of the country's industrialization, the natural sciences have been raised to the most important position, which is entirely due and correct.Under the current situation in our country, social science can be lighter than natural science, but social science is not unimportant, and it should also develop accordingly. To develop social sciences, we must first change our attitude towards the old social sciences.Some people think that there is no social science in bourgeois society, because what was called "social science" in the past is unscientific.Social science in a socialist society has to be created from scratch, and there is nothing to inherit.There is only criticism, not acceptance, of bourgeois social science.The old social sciences are not reformed, but abolished.Therefore, since liberation, people who used to study social science in capitalist countries have been affected emotionally, and some disciplines were abolished after liberation, or did not become independent sciences.Many people who used to study sociology, political science and law changed their careers.Many courses in the past were canceled because the Soviet Union didn't have one.Some courses, such as the study of the political situation, political system, international relations, and international law of capitalist countries, were originally the main courses of the Department of Political Science, but they have not received due attention so far.We consider these practices inappropriate.The treatment of the old social sciences should be reformed rather than cancelled. Therefore, appropriate steps should be taken to recover those that should be restored, and attention should be paid to those that should be paid attention to.

The "Opinions" also raised "opinions" on "the person in charge of the government department": Another bias in social science is that policy measures or government decrees are often regarded as objective laws.For example, for some important financial and economic policy issues, if the person in charge of the government department has made a report, scholars can only do some propaganda and explanation work, which is not appropriate.Since the founding of the People's Republic, the principles and policies adopted in the fields of politics, law, finance and economics are basically correct, but it cannot be said that every measure, every stage or every link is without flaws.We believe that social science researchers should be encouraged to attach importance to investigation and research work, and provide opinions on government policies and decrees based on the spirit of seeking truth from facts. condition.Only in this way can the research work of social science be connected with reality and overcome the current state that theory lags behind actual needs.

This "Opinion", drafted by Zeng Zhaolun, was branded as a "big poisonous weed" in the "anti-rightist movement"!The charge was very scary, and it was called "anti-socialist scientific program". In addition to the "666" incident, Zeng Zhaolun was also included in a separate volume... On July 14, 1957, the Chinese Academy of Sciences held a meeting to criticize the Opinions, which was presided over by President Guo Moruo and Vice President Wu Youxun respectively.More than one hundred scientists attended the meeting.The protagonist who was criticized was Zeng Zhaolun.

Mr. Qian Jiaju, who originally participated in the drafting of the "Opinions", was forced to "counterattack" due to the situation.He questioned Zeng Zhaolun: "Is there an ulterior motive for engaging in scientific institutional issues?" The next day, "People's Daily" reported Qian Jiaju's speech as follows: "The NLD's temporary research group on 'scientific planning issues' is part of the Zhangluo League's conspiracy. But he, Tong Dizhou, and Hua Luogeng don't know how to set up this group. Zeng Zhaolun usually does not manage the work of the NLD Not much, but very enthusiastic about it.”

"People's Daily" also reported Hua Luogeng's speech.Hua Luogeng commented: "My sense of smell is very bad. I made a mistake. I am sorry for the people. I should use it as a lesson. From now on, I will work hard to study Marxism-Leninism, stand firm, and distinguish right from wrong." Hua Luogeng also said: "The rightists actually put forward the slogan of 'protecting scientists', which is a bloody slander." In addition, Qian Jiaju, Hua Luogeng, and Tong Dizhou also jointly published an article in the "People's Daily" entitled "We were also exploited by the rightists once":

In mid-May this year, Zhang Bojun and Luo Longji decided to establish a "party committee system for colleges and universities", "scientific planning", "employment and power", and "long-term coexistence and mutual supervision" without discussion and approval at the NLD Central Standing Meeting. There are four working groups, among which the scientific planning group is designated by Zeng Zhaolun, Qian Jiaju, Hua Luogeng, Tong Dizhou, and Qian Weichang to be in charge.At the time, they said, their political vigilance was low and they agreed without suspecting any conspiracy.Afterwards, this group held several meetings and drafted a "Several Opinions on my country's Scientific System Issues", but they did not fully participate in the meeting due to work or illness, especially Fei Xiaotong (who was not in the five-member group) ) The revised document was sent away without everyone's comments.It wasn't until the Guangming Daily published this document that they realized that some of the issues contained in it were wrong in principle.The main mistakes are: the words to "recover" and "value" were not in the original manuscript, and someone added them in at the end; it emphasized that "the people should be treated equally in terms of training opportunities, and all young people with a promising future should be treated equally. ", this seems to say that the country did not treat the cultivation of new forces equally in the past, or did not treat them equally, which is not in line with the facts; the formulation of "protecting scientists" is also inappropriate, which seems to mean that the party and the government do not protect scientists. It doesn't match the facts either.

In those days, Zeng Zhaolun lived a miserable life of "receiving criticism - confessing - being criticized again - confessing again". The old reporter who was famous for "Northwest Corner of China" and the editor-in-chief of Xinhua News Agency, Fan Changjiang, summed up Zeng Zhaolun's "confession" with a witty "formula": A big hat on the head (anti-Party, anti-socialism, crime), A pair of big shoes under your feet (a new life, a complete transformation), Tow a little tail (I will continue to explain), The stomach is empty. Under high pressure, Zeng Zhao had to admit against his will: "He is actually a general in the Zhangluo Alliance and their accomplice." Zeng Zhaolun was classified as an "extreme rightist", and he was also dismissed from the post of Deputy Minister of Education. On January 26, 1958, the 17th enlarged meeting of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League decided to remove Zeng Zhaolun from his position as a member of the Central Committee. On January 31, 1958, the Fifth Plenary Session of the First National People's Congress decided to revoke Zeng Zhaolun's qualification as a National People's Congress representative. Although Zeng Zhaolun was criticized for demanding "protection of scientists", Mao Zedong listened to Zeng Zhaolun's opinion! In Mao Zedong's view, construction cannot be carried out without natural scientists.Therefore, natural science should indeed be protected. Because of this, on September 8, 1957, Mao Zedong asked the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to issue "Instructions on the Struggle against the Rightists in Natural Sciences." The Directive says: Senior intellectuals in the scientific community are an important aspect of the bourgeois right and our seizure of leadership.Therefore, among high-ranking intellectuals in the scientific community, the anti-rightist struggle must be carried out seriously, and there must be no sentimentalism. However, it is necessary to distinguish between the different situations of social science and natural science, be more careful, and treat them differently.Especially for those natural scientists and technical staff who have made great achievements, except for those who are seriously unavoidable, the policy of resolute protection and clearance should be adopted. In the anti-rightist struggle, those who are in command and ignited should be exposed and criticized in depth. Those with high scientific achievements should not be easily classified as rightists. Those who must be classified should also be "fighted but not ruthless": for some people, " Talk but don't fight." For the old rightists, we should mainly judge them by the political standard of socialism, and not simply judge whether they were rightists in the stage of democratic revolution; For European and American students who strive to return to China after the Geneva Conference, it is generally necessary to "neither criticize nor fight". Obviously, Zeng Zhaolun and Qian Weichang belonged to the "persons whose individual circumstances are particularly serious and must be classified", so they are still classified as "rightists". However, due to the "Instructions" issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, relatively speaking, there are fewer "rightists" among natural scientists; even if they are classified as "rightists", the punishment is lighter. Later, even when it came to the "Cultural Revolution", when Mao Zedong formulated the "Decision on the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution" (the "Sixteen Articles") of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, he also specifically stipulated one article: "Contributing scientists and scientific and technical personnel should be protected." After being labeled as a "rightist", Zeng Zhaolun once hoped to return to the Chemistry Department of Peking University, but failed.He went to work in the Chemistry Department of Wuhan University. He was tortured during the "Cultural Revolution" and was not protected because he was a scientist.On December 8, 1967, he died in extreme hardship at the age of sixty-eight.