Chapter 59 1. Turning point: news brought by Zu Lin

In early April 1970, Ding Ling was guarded by the rebels and was reformed through labor in Team 21 of Baoquanling Farm in Heilongjiang Province.One night, she woke up from a deep sleep. The lights in the room were on, and a group of people in military uniforms surrounded the kang.She put on her clothes and went to the field. Two female soldiers came over and handcuffed her, and asked her to sign an arrest warrant issued by the Beijing Military Control Commission, which said "arrested and brought to justice."She was then put into a car. Late that night, Chen Ming, who was working in another production team, was also arrested at the same time.Since then, they have been cut off from each other and cut off contact.

In fact, they took the same road, took the same train, and went to the same place—Beijing Qincheng Prison. On May 20, 1975, when Ding Ling walked out of the gate of Qincheng Prison, she turned her head and took a deep look with some nostalgia.She did have some nostalgia for the single cell of seven or eight square meters, where there was a wooden bed, a flush toilet, and a small washbasin. She was nostalgic for the daily newspaper and the monthly "Red Flag" magazine there.The conditions here are indeed much better than those of Team 21 of Baoquanling Farm. She no longer has to do heavy labor, and no longer has to be insulted and scolded by the rebels. She has carefully read Mao Zedong's anthology and the complete works of Mann from beginning to end.

The day before, the Office of the Central Special Investigation Team gave her the "Conclusion of the Examination of the Traitor Ding Ling", saying: "Ding Ling is a traitor, and the nature of the problem is a contradiction between the enemy and us. Follow Chairman Mao's 'strict investigation, leniency in handling' and 'give a way out' 'policy, retain their citizenship rights, raise them up, and pay 80 yuan a month for living expenses." In addition to "anti-party group" and "rightist", she has another title: "traitor"!Probably, there is no hope of turning over in this life.

On the same day, Chen Ming was also told that he had decided to release him; that he would not decide on any questions, nor would he ask any questions; that he would restore his original rank and salary, and that he would be assigned work; that he would be repaid during his resignation; that his new work area would be in Changzhi, Shanxi Province, and that the specific work would be until Later. Later, Ding Ling one day earlier and Chen Ming one day later, they came to the suburbs of Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, and settled down in Zhangtou Village, Laodingshan Commune. The two had been separated for six full years, and when they reunited after the catastrophe, they were naturally filled with sorrow and joy, and were deeply moved.But they didn't cry or laugh. When Ding Ling saw Chen Ming, the first thing she said was: "Oh, this place is good!" Just one piece!" They were finally together again and had a "family" again.That year, Ding Ling was 71 years old and Chen Ming was 58 years old.They will spend the rest of their lives in a small mountain village under the Taihang Mountains.

Ding Ling and Chen Ming lived the days of two old people. They had their own small yard, lived next to farmers, and got along very well.Life is peaceful, like a slowly setting sun.I have resumed correspondence with my children, and I feel a little relieved knowing that they are doing well.Chen Ming wrote a poem describing Ding Ling's life and mentality: "A full head of silver hair is better than a young man, the medicine is always sweet, the pace is strong when Mount Tai is on top, and the sunflowers are brighter in the sun. The Xiangnan tree at the foot of the Taihang Mountains is full of spring. Countless ups and downs, a happy old age.” After smashing the “Gang of Four”, for quite a period of time, their situation did not change fundamentally, and the short-lived joy soon died down. "It's probably going to be like this in this life," Ding Ling sometimes thought sadly.

But the overall political situation is slowly changing. On April 5, 1978, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China approved the United Front Work Department and the Ministry of Public Security's "Report on Removing All Rightist Hats", which is the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (1978) No. 11 document. In early June, the Laodingshan Commune Party Committee conveyed the main contents of this document to Ding Ling. On July 16, the secretary of the commune party committee came to inform Ding Ling: According to the instructions of the Shanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, it was decided that the local party organization would remove her rightist hat from her. On July 18, the Party Committee of Laodingshan Commune held a meeting to remove Ding Ling's label as a rightist.Ding Ling spoke at the meeting, expressing her "full support and heartfelt thanks." At the same time, she asked the party to "clean up and review my life, especially several key issues related to my political life, and draw corresponding conclusions."

At this time, Ding Ling was no longer satisfied with taking off her hat. She wanted to thoroughly investigate the "anti-Party group", especially the so-called "historical issue", and make a new conclusion. She wanted to regain her innocence.Because she has got some news from "above". As early as late March, before the release of Document No. 11, Zu Lin came to Zhangtou Village.He returned to China in 1960 and was assigned to work in Shanghai. This time, he came here after a meeting in Beijing to deliver news to his mother.During his stay in Beijing, Zu Lin visited several classmates from the Yan'an era, and heard the news that the central government had begun to vindicate unjust, false and wrongly decided cases.He also heard that the rehabilitative work is under the control of the Central Organization Department, and the head is Hu Yaobang.

Ding Ling and Chen Ming got a little excited, Hu Yaobang, they knew each other well in Yan'an, he is a warm, fair and good comrade!During the War of Liberation, Chen Ming experienced life in the fourth column of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Field Army where Hu Yaobang was the political commissar. Yaobang took great care of him and asked him to help revise the soldier literacy book written by Comrade He Guyan. After being labeled as a rightist in 1958, when they ran into Yaobang while walking on Wangfu Street, he was stunned for a moment, then shook hands with them without saying a word, with regret and sympathy flashing in his eyes.Ding Ling and Chen Ming remembered that look very clearly.The hope of solving the problem was suddenly ignited in their hearts, and they decided to file a complaint with the Party Central Committee immediately.

Some of the things that happened more than 20 years ago can't be remembered clearly. They rummaged through the boxes and chests, and found a piece of "People's Daily" dated August 7, 1957 from the items returned from the Beidahuang Farm. The anti-Party group” message, there is also a notebook of Chen Ming, and a copy of Shao Quanlin’s criticism of Ding Ling’s summary speech at the enlarged party group meeting of the Chinese Writers Association.Based on these materials, with the help of Chen Ming, Ding Ling wrote to Hu Yaobang to report her grievances. "Comrade Hu Yaobang: I am very pleased to see from the newspaper that you have been entrusted by the Central Committee to preside over the work of the Central Organization Department. I wish you success in your work and good health! Recently, I wrote a material on the facts related to my personal political life. Now, please refer to the Trial Office. Considering that you and your comrades have heavy tasks and time constraints, and there must be many similar or more important issues, my materials should be as short and concise as possible. as a supplement.

"The purpose of writing materials this time is only to explain the facts to the party, and to clarify political issues on the basis of a complete and accurate grasp of Mao Zedong's ideological system, so as to relieve the heavy mental burden of more than 40 years, especially the past 20 years. , so that in the twilight years, with the help of the party's leaders and comrades, in the great struggle to realize the four modernizations of our country, we can better study and reform, work for the party better, and strive to make up for the mistakes caused by the past. I have brought losses to the party. I am definitely not looking for personal responsibility. The responsibility is that I made a mistake first and concealed important plots of historical issues from the party. Later, in major political movements, I sometimes failed to face up to history and had many worries. Said something too much."

In the materials attached to the letter, Ding Ling "declared to the party the facts of several key issues concerning my personal political life: (1) the issue of traitors; (2) the issue of the Ding-Chen anti-party clique in 1955; ( 3) Classified as a rightist issue in 1957." On April 20, Chen Ming took Ding Ling's appeal to Beijing.Su Luye, Zu Lin's classmate at the Yan'an Academy of Natural Sciences, who was then deputy director of the Science and Technology Cadre Bureau of the State Council, provided assistance and made some suggestions.Chen Ming found Hu Yaobang's home in Fuqiang Hutong, Naiz Mansion, but Comrade Yaobang was not at home, so Chen Ming left the appeal materials.That day was April 29, and the atmosphere of the May Day festival filled the city of Beijing.After the festival, Chen Ming received a notice that the Organization Department of the Central Committee invited him to go. On May 6, he met Comrade Curry at the Organization Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Curry told him that Comrade Hu Yaobang had arranged this. Comrade Yaobang read Ding Ling's statement and was very concerned.During his stay in Beijing, Chen Ming also visited Wang Zhen, who also expressed concern about Ding Ling's affairs. On May 8, Chen Ming returned to Shanxi. Hu Yaobang did attach great importance to Ding Ling's affairs.The Organization Department of the Central Committee issued a report to Vice Chairman Wang Dongxing in the document "Zhongzu Zi No. 94", saying: "Ding Ling wrote to Comrade Yaobang, raising the issue that the Central Special Investigation Team would designate her as a traitor. In 1955, the Central Propaganda Department designated Ding Ling, Chen Qixia's anti-Party clique and her being classified as a rightist request to reconsider, verify the facts, and draw a correct conclusion. In addition, Ding Ling also pointed out that she was resettled in Laodingshan Commune, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province in 1975 with the approval of the Central Committee. We hope that she will be allowed to return to Beijing to live in Beijing. We have studied Ding Ling’s problem and suggested that the Central Propaganda Department be in charge of reviewing it. Since Ding Ling is old and sick, she and her husband Chen Ming can be allowed to live in Taiyuan without returning to Beijing. If you agree, we will report to the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee. Please give instructions if it is satisfactory." The report also attached Ding Ling's letter to Hu Yaobang and the appeal materials.The signing date of this report is April 29, which is the day when Chen Ming sent the materials to Hu Yaobang's home.Hu Yaobang read it on the same day, approved it on the same day, and implemented it on the same day. It was really vigorous and resolute. One month later, on May 30, Wang Dongxing wrote in this report: "I agree with the Central Organization Department's opinion." On June 5, the Organization Department of the Central Committee sent a letter to the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee: “We are forwarding the copy of Vice Chairman Wang’s instructions on reviewing Ding Ling’s issue together with my complaint. Notify the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee." A week later, several comrades from the Personnel Bureau of the Revolutionary Committee of Changzhi City came to Ding Ling’s home in Zhangtou Village. A responsible comrade told Ding Ling: The Organization Department of the Provincial Party Committee had forwarded a notice from the Organization Department of the Central Committee, saying that according to the instructions of the Central Committee, Ding Ling Chen I arranged to live in Taiyuan tomorrow, and now I am preparing a house. The date of the move will be announced later. If you feel unwell, you can go to the Jinci Rest Center in Taiyuan to recuperate. It is the best place in Shanxi. But Ding Ling is unwilling to settle in Taiyuan.She and Chen Ming considered that they were old and in poor health. In the long run, they still wanted to live with their children and have a care. The next day, on June 13, Ding Ling wrote to the "Organization Department of the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee and please transfer to the Organization Department of the Central Committee" and said: "I sincerely hope and earnestly request that the party, on the basis of a complete and accurate grasp of Mao Zedong's ideological system, First of all, check the historical facts realistically and without adding any extraneous elements, and review the political conclusions made to me at that time, so as to allow me to return to the revolutionary ranks, assign work within my ability, and give specific tasks. As for the issue of relocation, I hope According to my age and health, I am allowed to live with my son or daughter according to the policy, so that I can be taken care of in life and have spiritual comfort." On the same day, Ding Ling wrote to Zu Lin again: "Naturally, the living conditions and political conditions in Taiyuan are better than here. Maybe it is to solve the living problems first, improve a little bit, and then talk about other things. Maybe it means putting me in Taiyuan." "Going to Taiyuan, we think that when we come Say, it's temporary because our goal is to be with our children." On July 6, the Office of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee replied to Ding Ling, saying: "Comrade Ding Ling: I have received your letter. The comrades in the central leadership already know about the problem you are complaining about. Please wait for it to be dealt with. Regarding your question about living with your son, In our opinion, we can temporarily live in Taiyuan according to the arrangement of the Organization Department of the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee.” The letter was forwarded to her by the Organization Department of the Shanxi Provincial Party Committee.Then obey the arrangement of the organization, let alone "temporary residence", she and Chen Ming agreed. When Ding Ling was trying to solve her own problems, she saw an article by Lin Mohan in the fifth issue of "People's Literature": "The Ideological Struggle on the Literary and Art Front Seventeen Years After Liberation", which was published on December 29, 1977. Lin Mohan made a speech at the symposium on exposing and criticizing the "black-line dictatorship of literature and art" held by the editorial department of "People's Literature" on the 12th.The article said: "The Ding-Chen Clique and the Hu Feng Clique are two anti-Party and counter-revolutionary cliques that have been hidden in the revolutionary ranks for a long time. One is hidden in Yan'an, the revolutionary base, and the other is hidden in the Kuomintang-controlled area. They echo each other from afar." Are you still playing the old tune of 1957?The one who played the tune was again the person who had participated in the manipulation of her in 1957!Ding Ling was very angry after reading it. At this time, what does it mean to write such an article?Do you still want to keep pressing me down to prevent me from turning over?In a long letter to Zu Lin, she said: "Vice Minister Lin's few words are to designate me as a hidden counter-revolutionary like Hu Feng, so as not to implement the policies of the Party Central Committee and not to liberate Ding Ling." excuses and reasons.” “After reading the full text of Vice Minister Lin’s speech this time, I think he is very bold and authoritative, and his hat is bigger than that of 20 years ago, but it is very empty and lacks specific facts. I also plan to write After reading it." Ding Ling was very worried that this article would bring new obstacles to her implementation of policies to bring justice to justice.You have oppressed me for twenty years, and still won't let me stretch my waist to see the sun!