At the end of August 1972, when He Xiangning was seriously ill and dying, he held ***'s hand tightly and said in a trembling voice:
"Prime Minister, please don't burn me, don't.
And *** was so grief-stricken that he replied with tears in his eyes"Don't worry, don't burn, I understand your wishes. ”
After her dying wish was fulfilled, He Xiangning passed away peacefully.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, everything was in ruins. To save arable land, let"The dead make way for the living"., ** advocated the abolition of burial and the implementation of cremation, ** leading cadres set an example and took the lead in signing the cremation proposal.
Therefore, in the social background at that time, the people of the whole country were practicing cremation, and He Xiangning, as a leading cadre in the party, was a loyal patriot, why was he reluctant to choose cremation?
What was her dying wish?
In 1878, Ho Xiangning was born in a wealthy merchant family in Hong Kong, and her living conditions were very good since she was a child, and she was regarded by her parents as the pearl of her palm.
He Xiangning's father was originally a farmer, and later made a fortune in Hong Kong by selling tea and investing in real estate.
But He Xiangning's parents still have patriarchal thinking in their bones, believing that boys in the family should study more to inherit the family industry, and girls should be pampered in the boudoir and abide by feudal etiquette.
But He Xiangning has been extremely assertive since she was a child, she loves to read, and she is very repulsive to feudal etiquette.
When it was time to bind her feet at the age of five or six, He Xiangning clearly told her mother that she didn't want to bind her feet, but in the society at that time, everyone had to bind their feet, and the smaller the feet, the better they would be able to marry in the future.
In order not to affect He Xiangning's future marriage, her mother still made up her mind and let her subordinates bind He Xiangning's feet. The subordinate took out a long white cloth, bent He Xiangning's toes, wrapped them tightly layer by layer, and then sewed them with dense needles and threads, which was considered to be the end of wrapping his feet.
In the middle of the night, He Xiangning only felt that her feet hurt unbearably. She secretly took the scissors and cut through the layers of bandages.
After being discovered, He Xiangning was reprimanded by her mother, not only took away the scissors, but also ordered someone to bind He Xiangning's feet again, and this time the bandages for the feet were tighter.
He Xiangning saw that crying was useless, and at night, she once again found a way to untie the footcloth.
Father also came to persuade He Xiangning to say:"You are shouting that you don't wrap your feet now, but you will regret it in the future, the matchmakers in Hong Kong, I'm afraid that no one dares to give you such a pair of big feet to say matchmaking, I'm afraid that it will be too late for you to regret it. ”
The pain of broken bones and the life of parents have not been able to wear down the will of a five or six-year-old girl, and after repeating this several times, the mother is really distressed and helpless, and finally, the father shook his head helplessly and said a word"Let her go".and no longer bound her feet.
He Xiangning fought again and again with blood and tears, and finally won a pair of free feet for herself. He Xiangning's deviance is not only reflected in not binding her feet, but also in her desire to learn.
Although He's father was very fond of her, due to social influence, her father felt that girls were "virtuous if they were not talented", so he never arranged for He Xiangning to study. And He Xiangning was very envious every time he watched his brothers go in and out of the school hall freely.
Later, in order to learn knowledge, He Xiangning privately bought books to learn Xi, and sometimes sneaked outside her brothers' classrooms to eavesdrop on her husband's lectures.
He Xiangning is very studious, and when she encounters something she doesn't understand, she writes it down first, and when the brothers are free, she hurries to ask for advice, and sometimes sends a maid to ask the teacher for advice.
In this way, He Xiangning learned a lot of knowledge through her own efforts, she was not bound by feudal etiquette, but was more eager for freedom and knowledge.
It's a pity that no one wants to marry such a strange woman, but when she reaches the age of marriage, because of her big feet.
The father and mother were very anxious when they saw their daughter who couldn't get married, but He Xiangning didn't care. She just wants to rely on her big feet to find a like-minded relationship for herself.
When He Xiangning reached the age of 18, her marriage was still unsettled, which really upset her father and mother.
Because at that time, the daughter of someone else's family got married at the age of 14, but He Xiangning didn't get married until she was 18 years old, and these big feet really became a stumbling block on her blind date as she said at the beginning.
Because no one was willing to come to the door to propose marriage, He Xiangning's parents had to go out to ask the matchmakers to say goodbye, but as soon as the matchmakers heard that the daughter of the He family was a big-footed girl, they all sighed and did not want to be matchmakers.
Some matchmakers also reminded He Mu to say:"Only those maids who are not from a good background and want to work for a big family, or a girl who is poor in the family and doesn't even have a cloth to wrap their feet will be bigfoot, this Miss He is a rich daughter, how can she be a bigfoot girl?No rich man would be willing to marry a bigfoot girl, and it's really hard to say. ”
Hearing that the matchmaker didn't say this, it made He Xiangning's parents sad, but He Xiangning, who heard the matchmaker's words, didn't care, and said with a smile:
"I don't believe that all men in the world are looking for girls with bound feet, if it is really because a pair of big feet can't be married, then Miss Ben won't marry. ”
It is said that there is a fate to meet thousands of miles away, and there is really such a man in the world who vows not to marry a girl with bound feet, he is Liao Zhongkai.
Liao Zhongkai was born in San Francisco, USA, and is only one year older than He Xiangning. When he was 16 years old, after his father died of illness, he followed his mother from the United States to Hong Kong to join Liu Zhongkai's uncle, Liu Chuk-gang.
Liao Chugang was the director of the Hong Kong Merchants Bureau and the Hong Kong Telegraph Bureau at that time, and was very famous in Hong Kong.
In 1896, Liao Zhugang also began to be anxious about Liao Zhongkai's marriage. When Liao Zhugang asked Liao Zhongkai what kind of girl he liked, he only put forward one condition:
"The future wife must not bind her feet, she must be a woman with heavenly feet. ”
In the old society at that time, hundreds of years of feudal Xi required women to bind their feet from an early age, and women all took "small feet as beauty", and three-inch golden lotus was very popular.
But why did Liao Zhongkai go the other way and find a Tianzu woman who didn't have bound her feet?
It turned out that Liao Zhongkai's ancestral home was Guangdong, and although he was in Hong Kong, he was an authentic Hakka.
The Hakka people have long been separated from the central area of Jianghuai, and the custom of foot binding has not been transmitted to the Hakka, and the Hakka people have always required women to work in the field, so there is no custom of women binding their feet at home.
Moreover, Liao Zhongkai has been deeply influenced by Western culture since he was a child, he opposes feudal dross, and believes that small-footed women are the product of feudal society, so he is resolutely unwilling to partner with small-footed women with bound feet.
After learning of Liao Zhongkai's idea, his uncle Liao Zhugang did not object, but found a suitable girl for him according to his nephew's wishes, although the Liao family was very prestigious in Hong Kong, but it was difficult to find a girl who was right and had not been entangled at that time.
So Liao Zhugang could only send out a marriage notice looking for a "Tianzu" woman. Soon after the news was sent, a matchmaker came to Liao's house excitedly, and shouted loudly at the gate:
"Congratulations to Master Liao, congratulations to Master Liao, it's really a strange fate in the world, the daughter you are looking for without foot binding has finally been found, it's really a good match!”
He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai met because of "foot" in this way, and found the love of their lives for each other.
These two people are really a match made in heaven, and one has to be found"Bigfoot daughter-in-law"., a person who does not marry a bigfoot daughter-in-law does not marry, this paragraph"Heavenly Foot Edge"., but also for later generations to talk about.
In 1897, 19-year-old Liao Zhongkai and 18-year-old He Xiangning got married.
After getting married, Liao Zhongkai does not have much economic **, so the husband and wife can only live in Liao Zhongkai's brother's house, Liao Zhongkai's brother's home has an attic, although the area is not large, but the two people with similar interests read books, chant poems and paint in the attic, and their lives are very sweet and comfortable.
The husband and wife named the building"Shuangqing Building"., He Xiangning also wrote an inscription for this building:"May every year and night, people and months be clear".
He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai respect each other like guests and love each other well, as if they were fairy couples. And this marriage also brought He Xiangning a different life, and in the days to come, they were both partners and revolutionary comrades.
Soon after He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai got married, Liao Zhongkai had the idea of studying abroad, when the country was in the depths of imperialist aggression, and Liao Zhongkai hoped to go abroad to find a way to save the country and save the people.
He Xiangning's support for Liao Zhongkai is not only reflected in thought, but also in action. She did not hesitate to sell the jewelry she married, and the money she raised was used to help Liao Zhongkai study in Japan.
After marriage, although He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai live a happy life of you and me, there is always a fire in her heart, because in addition to love, she also pretends to be the country and the people in her heart.
After everything was ready, in 1903, He Xiangning decided to study in Japan with Liao Zhongkai.
It was also in Japan that the husband and wife met Mr. Sun Yat-sen, and since then, He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai have been firmly following Mr. Sun Yat-sen and embarking on the road of revolution.
After Sun Yat-sen organized the establishment of the League, the two joined the League, He Xiangning became the first female member of the League, and served as the liaison and service work of the revolutionaries.
He Xiangning in Japan seems to have changed as a person, she is no longer a daughter in the boudoir, but a passionate revolutionary.
He Xiangning knew that if you want a revolution, you must be prepared to shed blood and sacrifice. When Liao Zhongkai secretly returned to China to participate in revolutionary activities, she did not cry and scream to stay, but wrote poems to encourage her husband with a manly spirit, she hoped that her husband would remember the hatred of the country and the family, and even if he lost his head, he would leave a good reputation in history.
That's true"Who has not died in life since ancient times, leaving Dan to take care of the sweat!”
Soon after the victory of the Xinhai Revolution, the fruits of the revolution were stolen by Yuan Shikai. In desperation, He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai went to Japan again to assist Mr. Sun Yat-sen in reorganizing the Chinese Revolutionary Party, and later returned to China with Sun Yat-sen to continue the revolution and reorganize the Kuomintang.
In 1924, the First National Congress of the Kuomintang was held, at which it was established"United Russia, United Communist Party, and support for peasants and workers."The three major policies, since then, He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai have firmly followed this policy guideline.
After the First National Congress was held, Liao Zhongkai insisted on cooperating with the Communist Party to support the peasant movement and the workers' strike, and it was precisely because of this that Liao Zhongkai became a thorn in the side and a thorn in the flesh of the rightists in the Kuomintang.
In 1925, after Mr. Sun Yat-sen died of illness, Liao Zhongkai spared no effort to realize Mr. Sun Yat-sen's three major policies, but he also attracted the disaster of death.
Only five months after the death of Mr. Sun Yat-sen, the right wing of the Kuomintang could not wait to extend their poisonous hand to Liao Zhongkai.
They chose to assassinate Liao Zhongkai and He Xiangning when they went out for a meeting in the car, and when Liao Zhongkai and his wife got out of the car, two killers suddenly appeared, raised their guns and shot at Liao Zhongkai, and after a few gunshots, Liao Zhongkai fell into He Xiangning's arms.
He Xiangning witnessed the whole process of her husband's killing, and from the moment she joined the revolution, she had long been ready to shed her blood for the revolution, but when faced with her husband's death, she was very sad.
She is determined to fulfill her will to be Sun Yat-sen for her husband and herself, and firmly pursues the three major policies unwaveringly.
After Liao Zhongkai was killed, He Xiangning turned her grief into strength, she did not immerse herself in the pain of losing her lover, but carried her lover's will on her shoulders, she not only continued to oppose the rightist policy in the Kuomintang, but also gave a public speech at the provincial and Hong Kong strike conference, she told everyone with a sonorous and powerful voice:"If you want to fight imperialism, you have to be friendly with the Communist Party, let alone the most revolutionary class of workers and peasants. ”
At the Second National Congress of the Kuomintang, He Xiangning stood up again and said:"We must cooperate with the Communist Party and work together to defeat imperialism and achieve the success of our revolution. ”
Although He Xiangning was defending the three major policies with his own actions, he still failed to prevent the Kuomintang from turning its guns on the Communist Party.
At this time, He Xiangning not only stood up to protect the Communist Party, but also supported her son to quit the Kuomintang and join the Communist Party.
He Xiangning never stopped fighting against the right wing of the Kuomintang, and in order to show his determination, in 1928, He Xiangning resolutely issued a public statement saying:Resigned from all positions within the Kuomintang
After making a public statement, she left for France, even though she was in a foreign country, but she always cared about the country and the people.
In 1931, after the September 18 Incident, He Xiangning returned to Shanghai as soon as possible, despite the obstruction of friends, held calligraphy and painting exhibitions, and widely invited famous calligraphers and painters across the country to donate works to raise funds for the anti-Japanese soldiers.
After the Battle of Songhu, He Xiangning not only mobilized women compatriots in Shanghai to set up a comfort team and an ambulance team to support the 19th Route Army, but also founded a hospital for wounded soldiers with Song Qingling, organized a national disaster ambulance team, and sent ambulance personnel to the front line to support the Northeast Anti-Japanese Volunteers.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, He Xiangning never cared about her own safety, either rushing to the front line to comfort the soldiers, or organizing a women's federation behind the front line to support the anti-Japanese national salvation movement.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, He Xiangning traveled to several places in order to win the victory of the revolution, and her life was very difficult, but she always devoted herself to supporting the anti-Japanese movement with great enthusiasm.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, He Xiangning still unswervingly supported the Communist Party's peaceful and democratic propositions and supported the convening of the Political Consultative Conference.
When the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang was established in Hong Kong, He Xiangning was elected as a member of the Standing Committee and actively responded to the call of the Communist Party to convene a new CPPCC consultative meeting within the party.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, He Xiangning gave full play to his light and heat and contributed his own strength to the construction of New China.
Although He Xiangning is old, she has always loved her country and her work.
Until 1970, 92-year-old He Xiangning had pneumonia, although he was hospitalized and turned into a safe person after some rescue, but since then his health has deteriorated.
In 1972, He Xiangning was hospitalized again for pneumonia, and this time, she was very sick.
Knowing that the end is approaching, she has only one wish, that is, to be with Liao Zhongkai in this life"Life is the same, death is the same hole".
So there was the opening scene, He Xiangning sent a request to Prime Minister *** "Don't burn me" before his death.
On September 1, 1972, He Xiangning died of illness in Beijing at the age of 94.
After He Xiangning left, ** immediately set about completing her wish, and after ***'s instructions and **'s approval, the joint funeral was finally decided.
To this end, the prime minister even personally issued an order to set up a special work leading group to be responsible for the joint burial of He Xiangning and Liao Zhongkai.
In 1925, after Liao Zhongkai was killed, the Kuomintang decided to give him a state funeral in view of his high reputation in the party, that he had always been one of the most loyal followers of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and that he had been fighting for the revolution all his life. Liao Zhongkai was buried in the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, accompanied by Mr. Sun Yat-sen.
After being separated from Liao Zhongkai for 47 years, He Xiangning finally got her wish to be by Liao Zhongkai's side again.
So far, ever"The Tomb of Mr. Liao Zhongkai" is "The Tomb of Liao Zhongkai and He Xiangning".Since then, Liao Zhongkai and He Xiangning have been buried in the Sun Yat-sen Cemetery, and they will always accompany and follow Mr. Sun Yat-sen.
He Xiangning has dedicated her life to the country and people she loves, and she has been striving for the prosperity and rejuvenation of the Chinese nation all her life.
The Si people are gone, but the spirit lives on.
History has forever engraved her name, and her deeds deserve to be inherited and praised by future generations.