Nian Qi awarded the title: Army Commander Lieutenant General, Two Deputy Army Commanders Major General, Political Commissar Colonel.
Opening: In the first military merit commendation in the early days of the founding of New China, a unique story appeared: the 13th Army, which was known as a meritorious army, was awarded the title of general by its commander and deputy commander, but what is striking is that the name of political commissar Zhang Lixiong is closely linked to the rank of colonel.
It seems to be a conventional military rank setting, but it hides an extraordinary story. Let's lift the veil and explore why the political commissar of the 13th Army, Zhang Lixiong, has a unique military rank. This ill-fated young man, who was born in a peasant family, threw himself into the revolution at the age of 16 in the war-torn era.
Since the moment he joined the Red Army, his life trajectory has taken a turning point, not only accumulating rich combat wisdom in the experience of blood and fire, but also absorbing profound cultural and political theories in the red melting pot.
Every step was full of ups and downs, but every challenge made him more determined. This is Zhang Lixiong, a political commissar of the 13th Army who wrote a legend with his experience.
The experience of his youth made him deeply realize that cultural cultivation on the road of revolution is as crucial as actual combat training. To do this, he threw himself into his studies, quickly made a leap forward, and his outstanding talent was revealed in the team.
After graduating from the glorious chapter of the Red Army School, Zhang Lixiong won his first independent battle, which was a fierce conflict in 1933, when he occupied the commanding heights with lightning speed, successfully suppressed enemy fire, and helped his comrades break through the defensive line.
In 1934, when the heavy responsibility fell on his shoulders, leading only 800 cadets to cover the withdrawal of the main force from the Soviet zone, he did not flinch in the face of a well-equipped enemy ten times his size.
He gritted his teeth, clenched his gun, and fought fiercely with the Kuomintang army for three days and nights, buying invaluable time for the transfer of the main force. Subsequently, following the order of ***, he participated in the arduous 25,000-mile long march, and every step was full of tests and challenges.
After the end of the Agrarian Revolution, the flames of resistance against Japan and the war of liberation were repeated, and Zhang Lixiong always practiced the heroic spirit and made many military exploits with fearless courage and firm determination.
It stands to reason that at the ceremony of awarding the first batch of medals in the early days of the founding of New China, his honor should shine brightly. However, as fate would have it, some people raised questions about his experience of being separated from the army in 1937.
In that battle, he was heroically wounded, and shrapnel from artillery fire hit him in the left leg. Despite the pain of his wounds, he continued to fight until the guards forcibly sent him to the rear.
The Red Fifth Army was in a desperate situation, holding its position with tenacious will, and after the guards escorted Zhang Lixiong to bandage, they resolutely returned to the battlefield, but never returned. In the face of the silent gunshots, Zhang Lixiong pondered, dragged his injured leg in pain, and limped to the edge of the city alone, that tenacity and loyalty are legendary.
During the march, Zhang Lixiong met a fellow villager, and when he saw the wounded Red Army soldiers, he immediately showed deep concern and reached out in time to help. The Red Army's strict discipline and people-first spirit won the heartfelt support of the local masses.
The villagers revealed that the city had been occupied by the enemy, and they were searching for the remnants of the Red Army, and suggested that Zhang Lixiong take refuge in his home for the time being. In that cramped wall, the villagers selflessly shared their rations and spent three or four days with danger.
When the enemy search was lax, the townsman hid him under the weeds and horse manure under the wagon and escorted him out of the city. Despite the thrilling process, the fellow managed to get him out safely.
Although Zhang Lixiong's memory blurred the names of his fellow villagers, at the critical moment of the award, his heroic deeds were not confirmed. Therefore, before failing to find confirmation from his fellow countryman, ** decided to confer on him the rank of colonel and wait for the fair certification of history.
Friends are upset for Zhang Lixiong, because he is not only traumatized by the battlefield, but also deeply imprinted with psychological grief. In that battle, the Red Fifth Army was almost completely annihilated, and most of the comrades-in-arms who fought side by side with him were separated from him.
Despite this, in the face of only receiving the rank of colonel, Zhang Lixiong seemed indifferent, he thought that he was lucky compared to his comrades who sacrificed their lives bravely. How should the contribution of true heroes, such as those who died for the revolution, be measured?
In this regard, Zhang Lixiong is not obsessed, but he deserves more honors. After the unremitting tracking of the organization, six years later, he finally found the villager Chai Weiren who had saved him.
Chai Weiren's memory is still fresh, and after it was confirmed, Zhang Lixiong's military rank was promoted to major general. He longed to thank him in person, but Chai Weiren passed away before he could express his gratitude, which became an irreparable regret for his life.
In the 13th Army, Zhang Lixiong, as the political commissar, like the army commander Chen Kang, deputy army commanders Zhou Xueyi and Cui Jiangong, was brave and good at fighting, and his contribution to the revolution could not be ignored.
Chen Kang, an outstanding military strategist, his military exploits are like bright stars, which cannot be counted. In the decisive battle of Jianmen Pass, as the first captain of the death team, he led the whole battalion to conquer the fortified city in one fell swoop with his fearless courage and majestic momentum, and his courage was awe-inspiring.
In terms of tactics and strategies, Chen Kang is even more discerning. In 1937, in Qiqian Village, he relied on two exquisite ambushes to let the soldiers go deep into the enemy position for hand-to-hand combat, and only at a small price in exchange for a brilliant victory of more than 400 enemy troops, and captured rich booty.
In 1947, in the face of the well-equipped and large Kuomintang army, Chen Kang led his troops with his wisdom to maneuver around Funiu Mountain in western Henan to lure the enemy into depth. He used stratagem, sometimes pretending to set up an ambush, sometimes bluffing, successfully exhausted the opponent's energy, and finally annihilated more than 20,000 people of the Fifth Corps in the encirclement of Xiping County, showing extraordinary tactical skills.
Faced with capture, Commander Li Tiejun frankly admitted that the defeat of the Fifth Corps was partly due to fierce clashes and half due to protracted attrition. However, Deputy Army Commander Zhou Xueyi, like iron-forged loyalty, dedicated his life to the country and the people, and since he was a child, he has thrown himself into the torrent of revolution to fight against the dark forces.
His brother Zhou Bangyuan was the pillar of the agricultural movement, but he unfortunately died in the 412 countercurrent. Zhou Xueyi's revolutionary ideals sprouted under the example of his brother.
In 1929, he joined the guerrilla army, then joined the Red Army family, and in 1933 he was honorably admitted to the party. In the anti-Japanese beacon fire, he repeatedly performed miraculous feats, and the heroic deeds in the Hundred Regiments War were spread for thousands of miles, and finally, the medal awarded by Chief Deng personally witnessed his fearless exploits.
In the years of the Liberation War, Zhou Xueyi was like a sharp sword, leading the team to conquer Huangmei, and even outwitted the enemy general Wu Tinglin in the battle of Jiaxian, showing outstanding military talent.
Compared with Chen Kang and Zhou Xueyi's original revolutionary intentions, Cui Jiangong's experience is more tortuous, he was a member of the Kuomintang army, but under the inspiration of our army, he successfully turned around and became a firm force in the red ranks.
The "Popular Philosophy" and "Introduction to Dialectical Materialism" presented by Minister Tang Tianji are like a beacon, deeply imprinted in his world view, since then, his pursuit of knowledge has been hungry and thirsty, and the integration of practical practice and theory has made him grow rapidly.
In the brutal Battle of Shangganling, Cui Jiangong led the whole battalion of soldiers to hold on for many days in the midst of artillery fire, and his tenacity and wisdom were like a banner that did not fall.
In the face of the enemy's indiscriminate bombardment, six shells per second rained like a torrential rain, and our positions suffered a devastating blow in four days. Even the miscellaneous personnel and Cui Jiangong's cronies and guards stepped forward and joined the battle with flesh and blood.
In 43 days of tenacity, Cui Jiangong and his team held their ground with untold sacrifices and finally won the victory. Looking back on the past, even in the glorious years of 90 years old, General Cui Jiangong still fondly recalls the unforgettable battle in Shangganling.
Time flies, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China has passed, and many heroic ancestors such as Chen Kang and Zhou Xueyi have left us. In this generational inheritance, one of the only two founding major generals is General Zhang Lixiong, the political commissar of the 13th Army, and his figure still witnesses the glory of history.
To celebrate the birthday of the 100-year-old legend General Zhang Lixiong in 2023, ** specially sent dignitaries to Nanjing to send him ** affectionate blessings and high respect, expressing deep concern for the 110-year-old elder.
Despite the passage of time, the general's love for the motherland and concern for the people have never diminished. With practical actions, even when he entered the ancient world, he still cared about the country and supported the construction of the country with his own actions.
In 2016, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Long March, his children donated 100,000 yuan to set up a scholarship on his behalf. In August this year, he once again donated 1,236 books and 100,000 yuan in grants to his hometown of Shanghang County, Fujian Province.
In 1998, the 85-year-old Zhang Lixiong personally drew a detailed map of the route of the Red Army's Long March with extraordinary perseverance, and this precious memory was generously donated to the ** Soviet District History Museum.
The picture profoundly reflects his hardships and perseverance for the revolution, as well as his deep feelings and loyalty to the motherland and the people. Under his words and deeds, his children have emerged in their respective fields and won the honor of advanced workers and outstanding party members, and they are models of talents for the country.
Zhang Lixiong's daughter revealed that his original intention to set up the scholarship stemmed from his profound life perception - the importance of education to individual growth. Whether it is relatives or visiting leaders at all levels, all of them deeply admire and praise the spirit of General Zhang.
From General Zhang Lixiong to General Chen Kang, as well as countless recipients of the Order of the Republic, they have forged the glorious tomorrow of the motherland with their blood and sweat, and they are unsung heroes who illuminate the future.
As the descendants of Yan and Huang, in addition to our admiration and love for these great figures, we should internalize their heroic spirit in our hearts and externalize them in our actions. This is not only the imprint of heroes, but also the gene of our Chinese nation's tenacity and unyieldingness.
Let us learn and inherit this heroic sentiment together, and continue to be brilliant for the prosperity of our country.