Chapter 5 5. Zhou Yang's Two Letters

The Spring Festival in 1953 came late, and February 14 in the Gregorian calendar was the first day of the first month. Before the Spring Festival, Ding Ling received a letter from Zhou Yang. "Comrade Ding Ling: I received your letter last year, thinking that you would come back soon, so I didn't reply to your letter immediately. Later, I heard that your illness was still not cured, and I couldn't come back for a while. I thought about writing to you every day. According to the present, you may have left Dalian by the time this letter arrives. How quickly the days go by!"

"The central government has decided to transfer Comrade Liu Zhiming to work in the Ministry of Culture. When he comes, he can take on the main administrative responsibility. I can spare time to do some work on research works. I hope you get well soon and come back soon. We all work hard to make the Cultural Association work Come up with a bright (famous) hall. Other associations also need to follow suit. We are considering the redeployment of cadres. Without cadres, we can’t talk about anything. When I first watched some samples of "Gate Six" with you, I felt that Very satisfied, the second time I watched the finished film, I felt that there were many shortcomings, and I was almost disappointed, so I made some suggestions for revisions. After watching the revised finished film for the third time, I am still satisfied, I am very happy. This film is better than "Ripe Grapes" It’s much better. I heard that Comrade Chen Ming is not in good health recently. I really miss it. The Film Bureau plans to hold a film creation meeting with the Cultural Association within this month. I hope you and Comrade Chen Ming can come back to participate in the chair.

"The former letter mentioned Zu Hui's study. I have always taken it to heart. I have also talked with Comrade Wei Zhi. I hope he pays attention. Of course, this is not just her personal problem. Now our entire art education (especially like dance) It can be said that it has not been on track. I originally wanted to talk to Zu Hui and ask her about her studies in detail, but she has already gone to study and investigate folk dances (folk art performances are being held in various places, and I heard it is very good. program)." The date of writing the letter is February 2nd.The letter was very kind.He not only greeted Ding Ling's body, introduced the work at home, but also talked about the movie "Door No. 6" adapted and created by Chen Ming, and talked about Ding Ling's daughter Jiang Zuhui's plan to study in the Soviet Union. It was a conversation between two old friends who knew each other very well.But Ding Ling did not reply to Zhou Yang's letter. Instead, she wrote to another deputy minister, Hu Qiaomu, reporting the treatment situation, and proposed to transfer to Tanggangzi Sanatorium near Anshan. The hot spring there is said to be very effective in treating low back pain.

Before Hu Qiaomu's reply came, Zhou Yang's second letter came again.This letter was written on February 16, the third day of the first lunar month. "Comrade Ding Ling: I sent a letter before, and I think I have received it. I saw your letter to Comrade Qiao Mu yesterday. I know that your body has not fully recovered. You want to go to Tanggang Hot Spring for treatment. I completely agree. Although the work here is urgently waiting for you Come back, but let’s get your body ready first, there’s no rush, you can rest and recuperate with peace of mind. "The central government has decided to transfer Comrade Liu Zhiming to the Ministry of Culture, and Comrade Quan Lin to the Cultural Association. This way, the work will definitely be strengthened. I can also spend more time on the work of the Cultural Association in the future. I have worked very hard in the past two or three years, and I feel painful about myself. I have made little progress in theory and working methods, and I have never been able to get out of the passive and busy state. But I am determined to rectify myself. I may not have many other benefits, but a little self-confidence is The good thing is that you are never negative or afraid of difficulties at work. In the past two or three years, I think you have made great progress. I also like your work energy. You are also very strong, but you are principled, general-minded, and Properness is much different from the personal enthusiasm of some comrades.

"I hope you get better soon and go back to work soon, whether it's creating or organizing work. But you still don't rush yourself." The letter was still written cordially, and revealed an important message: the central government decided to transfer Shao Quanlin to work at the Cultural Association. He was originally the director of education of the Central Propaganda Department. Since he was a cadre arranged by the central government, he must be the main leader. leaving vacancies.Judging from these two letters, Zhou Yang still placed his hopes on Ding Ling, hoping to come back as soon as possible to help him start the situation.

In all fairness, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Zhou Yang valued Ding Ling very much. In 1949, it was Zhou Yang’s insistence to keep Ding Ling in Beijing to lead the work of the China Cultural Association. Among several leading members of the cultural and industrial committee, such as Xiao San, Shakov, Chen Huangmei, and Zhao Shuli, Ding Ling was in charge.Ding Ling herself also said in her diary: "I know that he really wants me to work under his leadership. He knows that I am still somewhat principled. Among many old literary and art cadres, he is more willing to use me." (Diary on June 14, 1948) Zhou Yang said in a conversation in December 1951: "Ding Ling has made great progress. In the past two years, she has been very active in her work, strong in accepting new things, rich in social knowledge, general in general, and measured. Work hard.” Ding Ling also valued Zhou Yang’s praise to her very much. Jiang Zulin recalled that one day in the early autumn of 1952, Ding Ling came back from get off work with a happy face, threw her handbag on the sofa and said happily: “I was received again at the meeting today. Praise! Comrade Zhou Yang said that I have achieved success in my work and have a strong party spirit." At the same time, Zhou Yang has always been obsessed with Ding Ling's "political mistakes in the past."

So, why did Ding Ling bypass Zhou and write to Hu? In the Central Propaganda Department at that time, Zhou Yang was the deputy minister in charge of literature and art, Hu Qiaomu was the executive vice minister, and Xi Zhongxun, deputy director of the Culture and Education Committee of the Government Administration Council, served concurrently as the minister.Originally, the head of the Central Propaganda Department was always Lu Dingyi after liberation, but for a period of time from 1952 to 1954, Lu Dingyi was downgraded to vice-minister.Xi Zhongxun took over the work of the Central Propaganda Department halfway, and he was unwilling to take more control, so many things were decided by the executive vice minister Hu Qiaomu.There was an article saying that Hu Qiaomu and Zhou Yang had conflicts. Guo Xiaochuan said: "When Hu Qiaomu was in charge of the Propaganda Department, Zhou Yang couldn't enjoy it at all." Lin Mohan said: "The relationship between Qiao Mu and Zhou Yang is polite, not very friendly. "(Talking with Li Hui on March 12, 1994) Li Zhi said: "I don't see any contradiction between them. Of course, the two of them are quite different in character, temperament, style, as well as literary views and appreciation tastes. At the same time, each has their own characteristics and limitations given to them by their status and position. For example, Hu Qiaomu has a sense of propriety when dealing with others, and appears cautious in his words and deeds, unlike Zhou Yang who is as straightforward as Zhou Yang."

As far as Ding Ling's relationship with Zhou and Hu was concerned, she was more familiar with Zhou Yang, but she might be closer to Hu emotionally.A few years ago, Zhou Yang was negative and Qiao Mu was active on the issue of publishing. Without Qiao Mu, the book might not be published for a while, and it was also Qiao Mu's idea to transfer Ding Ling to the Literature and Art Department of the Central Propaganda Department. He replaced Zhou Yang with Ding Ling.Chen Ming talked with Xing Xiaoqun in February 2000: Hu Qiaomu talked to Ding Ling and said that Zhou Yang was no good and asked her to be the director. Ding Ling went home and discussed with me. Is it appropriate?I said that Qiao Mu has already said so, so you can do what you want!Zheng Hui, who used to be Hu Qiaomu's secretary, said: "Qiao Mu expressed his dissatisfaction with Zhou Yang when he talked with me, and felt that Zhou Yang was unfair to Ding Ling. When Ding Ling wrote it, he showed Chen Boda and Hu Qiaomu that they both I think it's good, but Zhou Yang has criticisms."

When it comes to the relationship between Hu, Zhou, and Ding, we must look at 1951, which was a delicate year.In the spring of that year, Ding Ling was transferred from the executive vice minister Hu Qiaomu to the Central Propaganda Department to replace Zhou Yang as the director of literature and art; but Zhou Yang encountered two "unlucky" things in a row that year: one was the criticism of " "Wu Xun Biography", one is the literary rectification at the end of the year.These two things are all over the sky, one was directly initiated by Mao Zedong, and the other was personally intervened by Mao Zedong.Zhou Yang made "mistakes" in these two campaigns and left "Maicheng".

The discussion on the film "The Legend of Wu Xun" was the first major struggle in the literary and art circles after liberation. In February 1951, "The Legend of Wu Xun" filmed by Shanghai Kunlun Film Company was released nationwide and caused a sensation. Zhou Enlai arranged to screen it in Zhongnanhai, and Zhu De and other old comrades agreed after watching it.Later, Mao Zedong and Jiang Qing watched it separately, and sharply criticized the film, and rewrote the editorial "We Should Pay Attention to the Discussion of the Film "The Legend of Wu Xun"" for the "People's Daily".The first to criticize "Wu Xun Biography" was the "Literary News" edited by Ding Ling. In April, it published a critical article, one of which was later reprinted by "People's Daily".

As a high-level leader in charge of literature and art, Zhou Yang participated in the review and approval of "The Legend of Wu Xun", so he is responsible for the grand release of this film. On May 15, he gave a speech at the first national propaganda work conference, talking about "Wu Xun Biography" and another film "Who Does the Honor Belong to?" said: "It is a great education for myself, because these two I have seen and reviewed the film myself, but I didn’t see its mistakes and passed without paying attention, and Chairman Mao saw it.” After analyzing the mistakes of the two films, he said: “That is What Comrade Hu Qiaomu said was really unbearable." He also praised the critical article published in the "Literary News". In late June, Xia Yan went abroad to visit and returned to Beijing. Zhou Yang hurried to him the next day. The first sentence was: Chairman Mao criticized "Wu Xun Biography", do you know?He also said that he had already made a self-criticism, and asked Xia Yan to write a self-criticism as soon as possible. Zhou Yang was obviously very nervous. On August 8, Zhou Yang published a long article criticizing "The Story of Wu Xun" in the "People's Daily". He said that after watching this film, he "did not fully understand and point out its serious political reactionary nature as soon as possible. ".This is a self-criticism, and it is a public self-criticism in front of the people of the whole country.Later, in September 1957, when Zhou Yang gave a report at the Chinese Writers Association’s Anti-Rightist Struggle Summary Conference, he said something like this at the beginning: I also made mistakes, didn’t I just not see the problems in "Wu Xun Biography"! Ding Ling was transferred to the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to replace Zhou Yang as director of literature and art, probably because of "Wu Xun Biography": one has meritorious deeds and the other has demerits. Also in 1951, at the end of the year, Hu Qiaomu presided over the rectification in the literary and art circles. This was the first major work that Ding Ling participated in after she became the Director of Literature and Art of the Central Propaganda Department.This rectification had a very important impact on the relationship between Zhou Yang and Ding Ling. Probably from then on, Zhou Yang felt that Ding Ling had posed a threat to him. She stood with Hu Qiaomu and became his powerful opponent, even endangering his status.