In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, ** mysteriously took a person to meet ***, claiming that he was a master of the Qing Dynasty, hoping that *** could be entrusted with important tasks. ** looked at this person carefully, and said with a smile: "He doesn't look like a general who has fought on the battlefield." ”
However, despite this, ** respectfully shook hands with him and arranged for him to work as an adviser at the PLA Artillery Command. So who is this person? Why does it get so much attention from *** and ***?
Zaitao, the seventh uncle of Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, was born in the line of Prince Alcohol, enjoyed royal treatment since childhood, was named a second-class general of Zhenguo when he was young, and was promoted to the eight-point auxiliary prince, and entered the army noble school at the age of 17 to study military affairs.
In 1908, his fifth brother Zaifeng's eldest son Pu Yi ascended the throne, and Zaifeng became the regent of Jianguo. As a brother, Zaitao was entrusted with the important task of commanding the Praetorian Guard and protecting the safety of the capital.
He immediately put forward a specific plan for the formation and training of the Praetorian Guard, selected outstanding non-commissioned officers, recruited some children of the imperial family as the backbone, and formed a force loyal to the emperor in a short time.
It was this descendant army that helped Zaifeng successfully thwart the usurpation ambitions of the last Prince Gong, Pu Wei.
Zaitao, an important figure at the end of the Qing Dynasty in China, studied in France, specializing in cavalry combat. After returning from his studies, he served as the Minister of Military Advisory, equivalent to the current Chief of Staff.
However, at this time, the Qing Dynasty was already in internal and external difficulties, with the threat of Yuan Shikai inside, the resistance of the revolutionary party outside, and the indecision of the regent Zaifeng and the constraints of the Empress Dowager Longyu, the Qing Dynasty was already in decline.
At this difficult moment, Zaitao was strong, and he didn't want to see his ancestor's foundation ruined. So, he and Liangbi, Zaixun and other royal children formed the Zongshe Party, trying to fight to the death with the revolutionary army in the south.
However, the Qing Dynasty's qi was exhausted and could not be redeemed by personal strength. With the Empress Dowager Longyu pressing the jade seal on the "Edict of the Abdication of the Qing Emperor", China's more than 2,000 years of feudal imperial system officially ended.
Whether it is military power, nobles, or county kings, they cannot stop the wheel of history. In the years that followed, although Zaitao and others had relied on the "Preferential Conditions of the Qing Family" to live, with Feng Yuxiang's forced palace in 1924, this treaty also became a piece of waste paper.
The life of the last emperor, Puyi, was turbulent, and he could only make a living by stealing and selling the treasures of the Qing court. And as Pu Yi's seventh uncle, Zaitao's life has become more and more difficult.
Since the Qing Dynasty entered the customs, the emperor did not allow the children of the Eight Banners to make a living on their own, and only relied on state finances to support them, which was originally intended to maintain the martial style of the Manchus, but as a result, it gave birth to the style of the children of the Eight Banners.
In desperation, Zaitao sold his Baylor Mansion and lived at No. 2 Shanlao Hutong and raised horses at No. 14 Yangwei Hutong. Opposite the old alley is the mansion of Princess Gulun Rongshou, there is an open flat land in the house, Zaitao is very comfortable here, and when the weather is fine, he rides and trains horses here.
Although Zaitao was born noble, he was naturally interested in horses, and his riding skills were exquisite, and his study of horses was also very in-depth. In the Second Zhifeng War in 1924, Zhang Zuolin and Zaitao raced horses, and Zaitao won the competition with his superb equestrian skills.
In addition to equestrianism, Zaitao is also a fan of Peking Opera, not only can he sing long and short fights, but monkey opera is his specialty, and even insiders are full of praise for him. His representative repertoire has been passed on by the Peking Opera master Li Wanchun, who even called Zaitao "Teacher".
In the days in the Hutong, Zaitao did not spend his days lazily because of the worry of training troops without governing the country, but often performed on stage to bring joy to his neighbors. His performance was wonderful, one moment was the Monkey King who slayed demons, and the other time was Yang Guifei who "looked back and smiled", which attracted thunderous applause from the audience.
However, some people can't help but wonder: as the last Baylor, how can Zaitao maintain his life without income? In fact, from then until the eve of liberation, Zaitao had two opportunities to go out of the mountain, but he resolutely refused.
The first time was in 1932, when Pu Yi established the puppet state of Manchukuo with the support of Japanese imperialism and became the puppet emperor of the world. Many members of the former Qing imperial family took refuge in the puppet state of Manchukuo and took up a half-official position.
During this period, Pu Yi sent people to Beijing to persuade Zaitao to go to the northeast to take up a post. However, Zaitao firmly said: "I will not be a slave of the country!" "He still has the backbone of Aixinjue Luo in his body, and no matter when and where, he will not serve Japan, which invaded our country.
On the eve of the surrender of the Japanese army, when the puppet regime in North China was crumbling, Zaitao's old friend Wang Yitang found him, hoping that he could go out to the mountains to help. However, Zaitao declined the invitation.
He knew that the situation of the Japanese was getting worse and worse, and if he came out to help, he would probably be used as a backstop. Therefore, he firmly told Wang Yitang: "Don't make fun of me when you are old, I am not used to sitting in a car, and it is more comfortable to ride my bicycle." ”
Zaitao resolutely refused to become a slave of the country, and chose freedom and dignity, which makes us deeply admire him.
After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Zaitao, the last prince, could only let go of his noble identity and become an ordinary person. Although his family used to have a rich family property, now he has no choice but to sell it.
From the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War to the eve of the liberation of Beijing, Zaitao's family has been living in a stretched stretch, plus he lives with 5 sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, nannies, housekeepers, and nearly 30 people.
A few years before the founding of the People's Republic of China, prices in Beijing were soaring, and the life of Zaitao's family was in trouble. In order to solve this problem, he first quit the bookkeeper at home, and handed over the bookkeeping to his third daughter-in-law, and he had to take care of it himself.
Zaitao is meticulous in his reconciliation and does not allow even a penny to be wrong. One night, Zaitao gave his wife money to go shopping. In the evening, his wife came back to report the expenses to Zaitao, but found that the money and items did not match, and a bag of MSG was missing.
Zaitao asked, "Did you buy MSG, or did you lose the money?" The wife replied, "I am old, and my memory is not as good as before, so I can't remember." ”
Zaitao insisted that his wife recall it carefully, and his wife knew that if she couldn't find the money for this bag of MSG, she would definitely not be able to get a good night's sleep tonight. So she had an idea, took two dimes out of her pocket, and said with great surprise, "Look, it's here!"
I almost forgot. Zaitao said happily: "Pay attention to it in the future!" This matter passed like this, and Zaitao was able to go to sleep with peace of mind. The next day, the wife found the bag of MSG in her clothes pocket, and it turned out that after she had bought something, she put it in her pocket and took off her coat when she got home.
So, when she reconciled the accounts in the evening, she forgot about it completely.
As time went on, Zaitao realized that saving alone was not enough to sustain his daily expenses, and he began to look for a new solution. By chance, he heard the sound of playing "small drums" in the alley, so he found people who walked the streets and alleys to collect old clothes, and sold the clothes he didn't use for money.
The contact with these appraisers gave him a new idea, and he decided to set up a stall. From then on, every night, Zaitao would rummage through his room, pick out items that he thought were of little use or temporary use, packed them, and rode his bicycle with his wife to the small market outside Desheng Gate to set up a stall the next day.
At first, Mrs. felt a little embarrassed to set up a stall, so Zaitao encouraged her and said, "We sell our own things, there is nothing to be ashamed of." Although she was a little reluctant, Madame went with him.
You have to get up early in the morning market, otherwise it will be difficult to occupy a good position and you will not be able to sell. It's fine in the summer, but it's very cold in the winter. In order to make a living, Zaitao, who was close to his sixtieth birthday, had to grit his teeth and insist on going out to set up a stall every day, and for a long time, he did this almost every day.
Zaitao set up a stall in a small market and was very familiar with the vendors. Once, he accidentally sold a Ming Dynasty porcelain as ordinary porcelain, and the buyer picked up a big bargain.
After the news spread, Zaitao's stall became lively, and people came to watch and buy. Although he deeply regretted it, he understood that this experience had also allowed him through the most difficult years.
Later, Zaitao made a living by arranging small carpets, and although there was no such "miracle" again, his business was still booming.
In June 1950, in the second year after the founding of the People's Republic of China, Li Jishen sent an invitation to Zaitao to the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which was approved by Zaitao, and Zaitao participated in the second meeting of the first National Committee.
During the meeting, ** expressed his apologies to Zaitao, forgetting that he was a representative of hundreds of thousands of Manchu people, and asked him to put forward a proposal to help ** improve his work.
Although Zaitao has been out of politics for more than 30 years, he finally decided to use his strengths and put forward a bill on horses.
Zaitao is an avid equestrian enthusiast whose equestrian skills are unrivaled. After much deliberation, he made a proposal for a military horse. Li Jishen and others spoke highly of this suggestion and happily accepted Zaitao's invitation, and they signed their names on the motion.
**Take this suggestion very seriously and immediately give it to *** for review. **After watching it, he nodded frequently, from which he could see Zaitao's deep patriotism.
Soon after, the first instruction was given to establish a military horse bureau to ensure the production and management of military horses. ** Instructions were also issued: "The Ma political situation should be under the leadership of the Artillery Division, and in order to strengthen national defense construction, we should pay attention to the military and horse ......."As a result, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) began to formally prepare for the establishment of the Ma political body.
On August 10, 1950, Chairman ** signed a special letter of appointment, appointing Zaitao as an adviser to the Ma Political Bureau of the PLA Artillery Command. This is an honor that Zaitao feels extremely honored for the rest of his life.
He used to be the Qing Dynasty's adviser to the Xuantong Army and the training minister of the Janissaries, but now he is a member of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. On the day he received the letter of appointment, Zaitao's heart was full of contradictions and feelings.
He couldn't believe that he would be qualified to be an advisor to the People's Liberation Army, and at the same time, he was deeply impressed by the greatness and understanding of the chairman. In the days after the founding of New China, Zaitao had three things that made him extremely excited.
First of all, I received a letter of appointment from the chairman. Secondly, he received a big red invitation with the national emblem on it. Finally, he was invited to go to the Tiananmen Tower on the National Day in 1957 with Chairman *** for the military parade ceremony.
These things make Zaitao feel very honored and proud. Overall, this letter of appointment is not only a recognition of Zaitao personally, but also a recognition of his family and history.
He became a member of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, which is a supreme honor. At the same time, he also deeply felt the greatness and understanding of Chairman ***, which made his life after the founding of New China more meaningful.
** It has been said that the sign of his political rebirth is two things, one of which is that he has been taken care of by the state in his life. It was 1952, and Zaitao had to ride his bicycle every day to work at the headquarters headquarters dozens of miles away.
When the leader learned of this, he was shocked. After all, Zaitao is 65 years old, and if something happens on the road, what can he do? So, on December 13, 1952, ** sent a telegram that read: "Consultant Zaitao, considering your age, it may be a little unbearable to work in the Ma Political Bureau every day.
In order to take care of your health, we have decided to let you stay at home from now on, and you will not have to go to work during normal work. If there is something significant, we will notify you. ”
After Zaitao received this letter, he deeply felt the care of the party and ** for himself. Soon after, he became a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and began to study at the CPPCC.
In 1954, ** met with Zaitao and said with a smile: "Mr. Zaitao's bookish anger is too strong, and he doesn't look like a general who fights on the battlefield." ”
Although Zaitao was the commander of the Praetorian Guard, this was only a title, and he did not lead troops to fight. Therefore, whether it is in terms of appearance or temperament, Zaitao does not look like a person who fights on the battlefield.
**Shook hands with Zaitao cordially and asked him how his life was in Beijing. If Zaitao regards the proposed appointment as the kindness of *** to himself, and the above as the organization's care for himself, then *** took out his own manuscript fee to repair Zaitao's house, which made him feel ***'s deep friendship with him.
One day, ** was in a meeting, and suddenly received a call from home**, saying: "Zaitao, come back quickly, our north house has collapsed a big hole, you hurry back to repair!" ”
Zaitao was shocked when he heard this, he didn't know why the house had collapsed into a big hole, and he didn't know how to repair it. When Zaitao returned, the comrades asked him with concern: "What happened?" ”
Zaitao said very humorously: "Heaven is not beautiful, my house has collapsed, let me go back to repair it!" I don't know how to repair the house, and even if I do, I can't afford to fix it! ”
Although the house collapsed, Zaitao's humor and optimism won everyone's praise.
Zaitao was in financial difficulty, and after the founding of New China, he took 6,000 yuan to buy a house and used part of the funds to buy national construction bonds and donations. Soon after, ** learned of this and decided to take out 2,000 yuan from his manuscript fee to help Zaitao repair the house.
Receiving this generous gift, Zaitao was moved beyond words, and he was deeply grateful for the greatness of ***. In order to express his gratitude, Zaitao immediately wrote a letter to ***.
On October 19, 1956, Zaitao was concentrating on filling out a form, and his family asked him what he was doing, and Zaitao happily replied: "I want to join the Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang!" ”
The lady asked suspiciously: "What are you doing when you join the Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang?" Zaitao proudly said: "I want a revolution too!" In 1969, Zaitao was bedridden after hemiplegia, and his family carefully served him at his bedside, feeding him soup and medicine.
Members of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and the State Ethnic Affairs Commission were very concerned about Zaitao's illness and often sent people to visit him at his home, asking him what difficulties and demands he had, and helping him solve medical problems.
On September 2, 1970, Zaitao passed away at the age of 83. Since there was no memorial service at the time of Zaitao's death, a simple and solemn farewell ceremony was held.
Zaitao's body was sent to the Babaoshan Crematorium for cremation, and the ashes were placed in Room 8 of the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery.
Zaitao, a member of the Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang who was once the last emperor's uncle, died of illness on September 2, 1970 at the age of 83. He did not indulge in the glory and wealth of the past, but insisted on poverty and maintained innocence.
When the country needed him, he did not hesitate to contribute his strength and showed noble righteousness. His spirit lives on forever, and let us always remember this great gentleman.