Chen Bui of Xuedou Temple, formerly known as Xun En, the word Yanji, and the pen names Bu Lei and Wei Lei, is a figure that has attracted much attention in modern China. During his tenure as Chiang Kai-shek's chief attendant, he wrote many articles that inspired the national aspirations with his outstanding pen skills, and was praised as the "leader of the Kuomintang" and the "president of the think tank", and thus won the title of "the first pen of the Kuomintang".
However, his career has not been smooth sailing and has often been controversial. Chen Bui committed suicide in Nanjing on November 13, 1948. His books include "Collected Commentaries on Fearing Bases", "Memoirs of Chen Bui" and "Collected Works of Chen Bui", which are still widely loved and studied by readers today.
Chen Bui was born in the Chen family of Cixi Wang, and his grandfather began to switch from farming to tea merchants, accumulating family business, and was a wealthy local family. As the only son of the Chen family, although he is not luxurious, he has a worry-free life and is surrounded by many slaves.
Chen's father wanted his son to become a Chan, enlightened Chen Bui early, and a year later invited the talented Yuan Xingen as a teacher, so that he could get in touch with Confucian classics. After several years of hard study, Chen Bui stood out in the government examination and was sent to Cixi County Middle School.
In 1906, after graduating from Cixi County Middle School, he transferred to Ningbo Fu Middle School to continue his studies. He was then admitted to the Zhejiang Higher School (the predecessor of Zhejiang University), graduating in fourth place in 1911.
In the same year, he married Yang Pinxian, a gentle, virtuous and talented woman from a scholarly family. Chen Yang's two families are world friends, and the two got engaged when they were teenagers under the auspices of their parents.
Chen Bui is a well-known journalist and translator, and his pen name "Bui" stems from his talent and passion. His incisive prose and sharp views made him a well-known figure in the poster world, and his work had a profound impact on the society of the time.
Chen Bui was not only an excellent journalist, but also an active revolutionary, whose position and actions echoed those of the Kuomintang at that time, and they fought together to oppose the feudal monarchy and promote the spirit of the republic.
Every word in his pen is full of wind and thunder, and his essays, like his name, are full of power and charm.
Chen Bui played an important role in the propaganda activities of the Chinese Communist Party. Sun Yat-sen spoke highly of Shang Pao, believing that its propaganda achievements surpassed those of the Kuomintang-run newspapers.
Some of the current affairs commentary written by Chen Bui is in line with the CCP's claims, and even the "Guide" weekly sponsored by ***. Xiao Chunu praised the revolutionary spirit of the main writer, and Zou Taofen also praised Chen Bui's sense of justice and revolution, and his articles spoke for the people.
Therefore, Sun Yat-sen specially sent people to protect Chen Bui's safety and prevent him from being assassinated by the warlords. Chen Bui's talent attracted the attention of Chen Guofu, a KMT dignitary, who revealed the decision in the KMT's circle to Chen Bui.
The main writer does not eat lawsuits, and he is not a good main writer. Later, when he wrote "Five Years of Review and Prospects", he was well known in the press and confidently stated that he would devote his life to journalism.
This spring, he also received a photo of Chiang Kai-shek's military uniform, as well as Chiang Zhongzheng's humble sign-off, which strengthened his determination to engage in journalism.
1.In the spring of 1926, Chen Bui made several comments, emphasizing that the Chinese revolution could not be separated from the Kuomintang. This caught the attention of Chiang Kai-shek, who needed a pen who could help him draft his article.
And Chen Bui, who has a good reputation in the literary world, has become an ideal candidate. 2.In November of the same year, Chen Guofu conveyed Chiang Kai-shek's desire to seek talent, hoping that Chen Bui and Pan Gongzhan would go to Nanchang to meet him.
Chiang Kai-shek's eyes flashed with confidence and majesty, while Pan Gongzhan appeared stiff because of his nervousness. Chiang Kai-shek did not believe in Pan Gongzhan's physiognomy and was disgusted by his performance.
In contrast, although Chen Bui's appearance is simple, his answer makes people feel that he is a scholar who concentrates on learning, without a trace of tackyness. 3.When Chiang Kai-shek asked how to deal with the workers' movement in Shanghai, Pan Gongzhan immediately replied, saying that the commander-in-chief had his own clever plan.
However, such an answer was not appreciated by Chiang Kai-shek, who expected Chen Bui to give a more in-depth and strategic answer.
Chiang Kai-shek, dressed in military uniform, sat upright as if he were a Chen Bui, and replied humbly and politely: "Should I gather reliable troops, form a tiger out of the mountains, and then use the gang forces as the vanguard ......?"
Chiang Kai-shek nodded, agreeing with the two men's ideas. Pan Gongzhan returned to Shanghai in advance, while Chen Bui moved into the headquarters for further investigation.
He took part in the written examination, entitled "Letter to Whampoa's Classmates," which was written in the tone of the principal and commander-in-chief in accordance with Chiang Kai-shek's instructions. Chen Bui pondered for a moment, splashed ink, and did it in one go.
When Chiang Kai-shek saw the manuscript, he nodded approvingly. In the same year, he joined the Kuomintang. In March 1927, Chiang Kai-shek first appointed Chen Bui as the secretary general of Zhejiang Province, and then in May he was transferred to the secretary general of the Kuomintang Party Secretariat.
At this time, Chen Bui still retained the firm position of a literati. Although he admired Chiang Kai-shek, he really had no intention of getting involved in politics. So, they verbally reached an agreement, and Chen Bui returned to Shanghai to continue running his own newspaper; And when Lao Jiang needs some important manuscripts, Chen Bui will return to work with Lao Jiang.
Chen Bui, a senior staff member of the Kuomintang, was the deputy director of the Propaganda Department of the Kuomintang and a professor at Fudan University, and had a close relationship with Chiang Kai-shek. He once accompanied Chiang Kai-shek to Beiping to pay tribute to Sun Yat-sen, and drafted the article "Tribute to Premier Sun", which made Chiang Kai-shek the position of Sun Yat-sen's legitimate heir.
In 1931, in order to alleviate the internal contradictions of the Kuomintang, Chiang Kai-shek resigned as the chairman of the Kuomintang, and Chen Bui once again served as the director of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Education. During this period, Chiang Kai-shek repeatedly expressed his reliance on Chen Bui and his desire to keep him by his side.
After the September 18 Incident in 1931, Chiang Kai-shek returned to the post of Chairman of the Military Commission and pursued the policy of "first securing the interior before attacking the outside world", aiming to besiege the revolutionary base areas of the Red Army.
As Chiang Kai-shek's right-hand man, Chen Bui returned to Nanjing and published an article entitled "Hostile? Youhu: A Review of Sino-Japanese Relations", hoping that people would support Chiang Kai-shek's decision-making.
Although Chen Bui's writing reveals a strong determination, he himself is introverted, not good at words, and even a little melancholy. Although he was appreciated by many people, Chen Bui was not suitable for politics, and even this kind of "courageous" work made him even more depressed.
He longed to go back to his old life, to be a journalist or a teacher, and to live a simple and happy life. Although he was already in a high position, his heart always longed for freedom and tranquility, and he was unwilling to endure such a high political life.
Chen Bui, whose name is Bingbing, was the director of the Nanchang Camp Design Committee of the Kuomintang Military Commission and the chief attendant of Chiang Kai-shek. In a shadowy manner, he devoted himself to dealing with party and government secrets and writing letters and proclamations, making the mountains of documents coherent and concise.
The beauty of his writing made Chiang Kai-shek's proclamations and speeches come from his handwriting, and he has become Chiang Kai-shek's "royal" pen, "leader's courage" and "president's think tank".
His loyalty and dedication to Chiang Kai-shek can be described as loyal.
Chen Bui served as Chiang Kai-shek's private secretary, often became the chief operator of his important pen and ink, and was also the "chief of the general staff" in the cultural propaganda of the Kuomintang regime.
He participated in the drafting of ** articles and weaved lies for Chiang Kai-shek, among which "Xi'an Half Moon Chronicle" is the most typical.
On December 12, 1936, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng launched a "military admonition" in an attempt to persuade Chiang Kai-shek to abandon the policy of "fighting outside the country must first secure the interior" and instead join forces with the Communist Party to resist Japan.
However, Chiang Kai-shek rejected their suggestion and instead asked Chen Bui to portray them as rebellious in The Tale of the Half Moon in Xi'an. Although Chen Bui knew that Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng had no ill intentions, he still had to act according to Chiang Kai-shek's will.
He wrote in his diary: "Yu today's speech and thoughts, can not make their own opinions. The body and soul have become one with the other. This shows that he is frustrated by having to write according to other people's intentions.
After the outbreak of the Lugou Bridge Incident, on July 17, 1937, at the Lushan Talks, Chen Bui drafted a speech for Chiang Kai-shek entitled "The Last Moment", declaring: "The deduction of the Lugou Bridge Incident is related to the survival of the whole of China.
We want peace, not peace; Prepare for battle, but never seek war. We hope for peace until it is hopeless. The most famous sentence is, "If the war starts, then there is no distinction between north and south, no distinction between old and young, and no matter who has the responsibility to defend the land and resist the war."
This speech, like the "Declaration of the War of Resistance Against Japan", was widely disseminated among the whole people, and inspired the greatest determination of the whole people to hate the enemy and unite to resist the war. During the Anti-Japanese War, many of Chen Bui's articles were widely praised and had a significant impact at home and abroad.
Chen Bulei strongly advocated the Anti-Japanese War, supported his relatives to go to the front line of resistance against Japan, and tried to cover democratic progressives to facilitate Guo Moruo's smooth return to China. In"Seventy-seven"After the incident, if Guo Mo wanted to return to China to resist Japan, Yu Dafu asked Chen Bui to intercede on his behalf.
Chen Bui brought out Guo Moruo's academic works published in Japan, saying that Guo Moruo has not engaged in politics in recent years, and he mainly immersed himself in the study of the oracle bone inscriptions of Yin Ruins and the bronze inscriptions of Yin Zhou, and his academic achievements are very influential in the world.
After Chen Bui's intercession, Guo Moruo was able to return to China smoothly. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Chen Bui held a number of positions, including the national policy adviser of the ** government, the consultant and managing director of the "Declaration".
** Went to Chongqing for negotiations, 43 days of arduous negotiations, and finally reached the "Double Tenth Agreement", which determined long-term cooperation, avoided civil war, and built an independent, free and prosperous New China.
These were the two most important outcomes of the Chongqing negotiations, and the representatives of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party signed the "Minutes of Talks with the Representatives of the Communist Party of China" and published them publicly. **The chairman led a delegation of the Chinese Communist Party to Chongqing for 43 days of peace talks with the Kuomintang.
The people accept the basic policy of peaceful nation-building put forward by the CCP.
During the Chongqing negotiations, a photo of ** and Chiang Kai-shek was grandly launched on November 14 in the supplement of the private "Xinmin Evening News". The style of the word "Spring Snow in Qinyuan" is unique, the literary sentiment is rich, and the courage is unparalleled.
As soon as this word was published, it immediately caused a sensation in the mountain city, and for a time Luoyang paper was expensive, and it was recited in all directions. Chiang Kai-shek was extremely annoyed by this, and he found his "literary courage" Chen Bui and asked him to write a poem that could overwhelm "Qinyuan Spring and Snow".
Chen Bui thinks that the bearing of "Qinyuan Spring Snow" is extraordinary, swallowing mountains and rivers, and it is difficult for him to match it, let alone overwhelm it. However, Chiang Kai-shek was not satisfied with this, saying why they could not write such articles.
Chen Bui picked up the manuscript, a little frustrated, a little helpless, and a little rejected: "Other people's articles are written by themselves!" ”
In Qinyuan Spring and Snow", the calligraphy of ** was deeply appreciated by Chiang Kai-shek, but Chiang Kai-shek was embarrassed by Chen Bui's criticism. During the Chongqing talks, ** expressed his admiration for Chen Bui, but at the same time hoped that he could serve the whole of China.
However, in March 1946, Chiang Kai-shek tore up the Double Tenth Agreement and demanded that CCP representatives evacuate Nanjing and Chongqing, which dashed the hope of peaceful nation-building.
Chen Bui was depressed because of this, and he paced back and forth in the office, sighing for a long time. One evening, Chen Bui took a car around the Purple Mountain, and finally arrived at No. 17, Meiyuan New Village, where the CCP office in Nanjing is located.
During the peace talks between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, although Chen Bui was not an official representative, as the director of the chamberlain, he often participated in the negotiations as Chiang Kai-shek's personal representative. He has met with *** many times and has deep admiration for his personality, learning and character.
That night, the two of them talked upstairs for more than two hours, and it was almost midnight before they went downstairs together. They walked to the left corner of the garden in front of the building and continued to talk.
After talking for about half an hour, Chen Bui said goodbye to *** and sent them to the car, and said firmly and gently: "I will do your business, you can rest assured."
Chen Bui also said: "I hope you can come to Nanjing again, again." It turned out that Chen Bui had come to seek help for the private affairs of his son, daughter and son-in-law. He knew that his family could not escape the effects of this war and hoped that *** would help.
Chen Bui's beloved daughter Chen Lian and Yuan Yongxi were suspected of "communism" a month after they got married. Chen Bui was deeply anxious and decided to intercede with Chiang Kai-shek in person. In a text message to Chiang Kai-shek, he tearfully wrote: "Daughter Chen Lian and son-in-law Yuan Yongxi, who arrived in Nanjing from Beiping because of '** suspicion', are willing to accept punishment no matter what crime they have, and they have nothing to say." ”
Although Chen Lian and Yuan Yongxi ** were "suspected", in fact, the military commanders did not find conclusive evidence. Moreover, the two did not reveal their secret party membership after the first day, which gave Chiang Kai-shek a good excuse.
Later, after Chiang Kai-shek hosted a banquet for Hu Shih, president of Peking University, he talked to Chen Bui and said that he had sent someone to investigate the cases of Chen Lian and Yuan Yongxi, and found that they were not members of the Communist Party, but members of the "People's Youth," and that they could be brought back and strictly disciplined.
Chen Bui's daughter Chen Lian and son-in-law Yuan Yongxi were imprisoned because they were ** members. In order to save his daughter and son-in-law, Chen Bui came forward to bail and rescue them from prison.
Although Chen Bui only knew that his daughter and son-in-law's thinking was "left-leaning", and he had doubts about whether they were middle-class members, he was still satisfied with his son-in-law. After Yuan Yongxi was released from prison, Chen Bui invited relatives and friends to wash his dust and personally instructed him.
Half a year later, Chen Lian and Yuan Yongxi returned to Nanjing, restored contact with the party organization, and continued to actively engage in underground party work.
Nanjing - Jiming Temple.
5. Chen Bui served the country all his life, but after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, he saw the political darkness of the Kuomintang, the corruption of officials, the withering economy, and the loss of popular support.
The "anti-Japanese leader" and "national hero" in his heart became the target of public criticism, and he was surrounded by the whole people as an "enemy of the people". Although he was aware of all this, he still firmly believed in the idea that "a soldier dies for his confidant" and confused his contribution to the country with his allegiance to the leader.
Although Chiang Kai-shek trusted and respected him, Chen Bui still found it difficult to break free from the shackles of feudal thinking. He once likened herself to being "a married woman, who could not disobey her master."
Chen Bui watched the Chiang dynasty he had established about to collapse, and he was unable to reverse the situation, and his heart was full of disappointment. As a literati who was deeply influenced by traditional culture, he chose the common form of advice used by literati, hoping to influence decision-making.
He opposed the civil war and believed that his compatriots should be at peace and restored after years of war. He repeatedly suggested to Chiang Kai-shek that he would armistice and negotiate peace, but he was denounced as a "scholar misleading the country".
He was also dissatisfied with the corruption of the four major families, and once suggested that Chiang Kai-shek use the hidden US dollars for national construction and the improvement of people's livelihood, but suffered from Chiang Kai-shek's jealousy.
He felt hopeless, and his health deteriorated due to the pressure of a long period of work. He wrote in his diary: "I have seen so many sad things since this spring, my physical condition has become worse and worse, and my nervous breakdown has reached the extreme. ”
In late October 1948, Chen Bui's son Chen Guo was about to go to the United States to study, and Chen Bui was very depressed. In a low voice, he described it as withered, and told his son that the military situation at the front had reached the point of collapse, and that public opinion in the rear was changing.
At this time, the highest authorities asked him to write an article about the general war, which made him feel very confused and helpless. In early November 1948, Chen Bui suddenly asked his daughter and son-in-law to accompany him to visit Sun Yat-sen's mausoleum.
On the evening of November 12, Chen Bui called his assistant Yuan Yongxi to his side alone and instructed him: "Yongxi, politics is not easy to handle, you and Li'er must not get involved in this."
I have been engaged in politics for most of my life, and the mistake of my life is to enter politics without understanding politics, so that I can't extricate myself, and I regret it too late! Chen Bui seems to know the path chosen by his daughter and son-in-law, and from the bottom of his heart, he doesn't want them to take such a path.
However, the path Chen Bui himself chose ended up leaving him with no way out. His predicament and helplessness are undoubtedly a profound reflection and warning on politics.
On the night of November 12 at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, Chen Bui left 10 suicide notes before committing suicide, detailing his official and private affairs. In his will to his family, he made it clear that his body was not worth a penny and that he wanted to be buried simply so as not to waste financial resources.
In his suicide note to Chiang Kai-shek, he said that he had followed Chiang Kai-shek for twenty years, was deeply blessed by his knowledge, and was willing to bear any pain in return for his teachings. Since this spring, he has witnessed and heard many painful things that he believes are the reason why he chose to commit suicide, which he says is out of concern for his country and for himself.
In his suicide note, he expressed his deep concern for China and its people, and hoped that China would turn the crisis into peace, and that Mr. Chiang would take care of his health and take care of Tianhe so as to ensure the success of the Three People's Principles and protect 450 million compatriots.
On November 13, 1948, Chen Bui committed suicide at the age of 58 when he was "running out of oil and running out", and his burial place was in the east of Building 2 of the Shanghai Federation of Trade Unions Sanatorium in Jiuxi Community, Hangzhou.
The death of Mr. Chen Bui is regrettable. He foresaw the decline of the Chiang dynasty, which, combined with his own depression, eventually led to his death. This useless and sick scholar ended his life in a self-deprecating way.
Chiang Kai-shek was saddened by the death of Chen Bui and wrote it himself"Contemporary perfection"to show appreciation for him. However, in order to let the outside world know the cause of Chen Bui's death, Chiang Kai-shek concealed the facts, saying that Chen Bui died because of deep concern for the country.
However, it was only after Chen Bui's diary was published that people really understood his inner contradictions and struggles. Mr. Chen's life was full of contradictions, he admired Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary spirit and was grateful to Chiang Kai-shek's Corporal Lixian, but at the same time he hated the corruption and darkness of the Kuomintang regime.
This conflict between ideals and reality eventually crushed him, and he chose to end his life.
Chen Bui's Tomb: Remembering the demeanor and style of a generation of writers.