Touching the Chinese figure Gong Quanzhen, who was once the wife of a general, but has been rooted in the countryside for decades and is now 99 years old.
In 2013, the list of "moving China" figures was announced, among which Ms. Gong Quanzhen attracted widespread attention with her unique charm. Gong Quanzhen is the wife of the founding major general Gan Zuchang, and her life trajectory covers many fields such as revolution, love, and faith.
In her award speech, she was described as a person with a big heart, full of enthusiasm and passion at all times, wherever and whenever she was. For her, the people's respect is the most beautiful medal of her life.
Therefore, her life experience and spiritual outlook are worthy of our learning and admiration.
Let's learn the story behind Gong Quanzhen, the "2013 Person of the Year Who Moved China". Born in a family of post and telecommunications workers in Yantai, Shandong, she loved reading since she was a child and had excellent grades, but due to family conditions, her father stipulated that girls in the family could only graduate from primary school.
However, Gong Quanzhen did not accept the arrangement of fate, she secretly signed up for Yantai Municipal No. 1 Middle School, and when she got the admission letter, her father had to let her continue to go to school.
After the Japanese army occupied Yantai in 1937, Gong Quanzhen was a "wandering student" while looking for the Eighth Route Army.
In 1945, Gong Quanzhen was admitted to the Department of Education of Northwest University, and in 1949, after graduating from university, she signed up for the People's Liberation Army and joined the Communist Party of China that year.
When she was a teacher at the Bayi Children's School of the Xinjiang Military Region, Gong Quanzhen met the most important person in her life - Gan Zuchang. Gan Zuchang is a veteran Red Army, joined the Communist Party of China in 1927, followed the Red Army to complete the Long March, engaged in logistics work for a long time during the war years, after the founding of New China, he served as the logistics minister of the Xinjiang Military Region, and made great contributions to Xinjiang's economic construction.
Understanding Gong Quanzhen's story allows us to feel her perseverance and pursuit of ideals, and we can also cherish today's happy life even more.
Gan Zuchang had already married and had a son before joining the revolution. But with the departure of the troops, the family was persecuted by the enemy, the wife remarried, and the children lived with their relatives. After learning of the accident in his family, Gan Zuchang felt pain and guilt in his heart, and no longer considered remarrying.
However, **, who was the acting commander of the Xinjiang Military Region at the time, approached Gan Zuchang in early 1953 and said that he would also worry about his marriage. Gan Zuchang laughed it off, believing that the matter of the reclamation troops was more important.
* Began to look for a partner for Gan Zuchang, and after investigation, he felt that Gong Quanzhen was kind-hearted, excellent in quality, and able to bear hardships and stand hard work, so he decided to introduce her to Gan Zuchang.
Under the introduction of **, Gan Zuchang and Gong Quanzhen met for the first time. Gan Zuchang told Gong Quanzhen frankly: "I am old, I only have a junior primary education, and my physical condition is not good.
He even mentioned his marital status and family members. Although Gan Zuchang talked about himself straight to the point"Cons:", but Gong Quanzhen deeply felt his humility and sincerity.
She realized that while Gan's age and physical condition might have been a problem, his contribution to the revolution made him deserve a happy second half of his life. Therefore, Gong Quanzhen decided to marry Gan Zuchang.
In March 1953, they held a simple but warm wedding, the school teacher prepared a bouquet of paper flowers for Gong Quanzhen, and Gan Zuchang prepared two tables of light meals for the leaders and colleagues in the canteen of the logistics department as a celebration.
Gan Zuchang and Gong Quanzhen stills In 1954, the army was preparing for the military rank system in 1955, and Gan Zuchang asked Gong Quanzhen at home: "What is your rank?"
Gong Quanzhen replied: "I am a company level. Gan Zuchang asked again: "Are you satisfied with this level?" Gong Quanzhen said: "I am satisfied, because the university teachers are all rated at the company level."
Gan Zuchang said: "The logistics department rated me at the division level, but I have an opinion on this, and I have written a letter to reflect it. Gong Quanzhen was taken aback when she heard this, and she asked her husband, "Which level do you think you should evaluate?"
Gan Zuchang said: "I think the battalion level is enough, and the regimental level will be at the top. Only then did Gong Quanzhen understand that her husband thought that her level was too high! After Gan Zuchang's opinion was reported to the General Political Department, the higher-level leaders believed that although he had been engaged in logistics work during the war years, he had performed well in his work, and his rank was not only not evaluated, but also lowered.
In the end, the General Political Department decided to set Gan Zuchang's rank as a quasi-military rank. In 1955, Gan Zuchang was awarded the rank of founding major general, and was awarded the Order of August 1, the Order of Independence and Freedom, and the Order of Liberation of the Second Class.
Although he became a general, Gan Zuchang was unable to work for a long time because of the sequelae of the brain, and he gradually had the idea of returning to his hometown to be a farmer, and submitted a report to the party committee of the military region three times to go home to farm, which was finally approved in 1957.
On the night the report was approved, Gan Zuchang said to Gong Quanzhen: "We are going back to our hometown in Jiangxi, and the report has been approved." I hope to leave early, you can go and go back to Jiangxi first.
Gong Quanzhen thought that he was just going home to visit relatives, but Gan Zuchang told her that this time he would go back completely and would not come back. Gong Quanzhen was surprised, but seeing her husband's resolute determination, she decided to respect his choice.
Gong Quanzhen is a native of Shandong, who once participated in the revolution and plans to dedicate his life to the frontier. But now, she needs to get out of here, which is undoubtedly a big challenge for her.
However, she thought that since she was willing to unite with Gan Zuchang in the first place, she should be by his side whenever and wherever he was. Thinking of this, Gong Quanzhen made up his mind and was willing to go back to his hometown with Gan Zuchang.
Mr. and Mrs. Gan Zuchang and Mr. and Mrs. Gong Quanzhen have contributed to the cause of education in mountainous areas, and they have demonstrated their respect and support for barefoot teachers with practical actions. Their stories inspire us to have passion and determination to contribute to society.
Gong Quanzhen said firmly: "Don't worry, he himself has resigned from the government and worked as a farmer, why won't he let me go?" The next day, Gong Quanzhen settled down at home, and then moved the bed to school.
At that time, there were only 3 teachers in Jiudu Middle School, and there was not even a decent dormitory, Gong Quanzhen was from Shandong, and she couldn't understand the students' Jiangxi dialect. But she persevered in overcoming these difficulties and soon became one with the students.
In that era of material scarcity, Gong Quanzhen often took out her salary and food stamps to subsidize those students and teachers from poor families to help them solve practical difficulties.
In 1961, the County Bureau of Culture and Education wanted to transfer Gong Quanzhen to Nanpi Primary School as the principal, but she was afraid of overkill, so she didn't expect to ask Gong Quanzhen's opinion, but she smiled and said: "As long as there is a book to teach, I am happy to work hard and tired."
After Gong Quanzhen arrived at Nanpi Primary School, he still lived and ate at school, and only returned home once a weekend, and he worked for 13 years. In 1974, Gong Quanzhen was transferred to Ganjia Primary School not far from home as the principal, but she was still old-fashioned, eating and living in school, and devoted herself to work.
It was not until 1976 that Gan Zuchang was in poor health that she left and went home to take care of her husband. Gong Quanzhen has a total of 4 daughters, but because she is dedicated to education, she does not take good care of the children.
Someone once asked Gong Gong Quanzhen's third daughter Gan Gongrong: "Why does your mother speak Mandarin so well, but you children speak Lotus dialect?" Gan Gongrong said: "When I was a child, I didn't spend much time with my mother, and for a long time, I didn't understand my mother, whether she was our mother or the mother of a student.
It is precisely because he owes too much to the children that Gong Quanzhen has always wanted to make up for it when they grow up. In 1980, the eldest daughter Gan Pingrong got married, Gong Quanzhen said to Gan Zuchang: "The child is married, the salary of the daughter and son-in-law is very low, and now it is difficult to buy some furniture and daily necessities.
Gan Zuchang said: "They have been working for several years, and we don't ask for their money, so these things should be handled by themselves." When we have raised them and fulfilled our obligations, how can we still take care of so many things?
Gong Quanzhen: "You are a good father, but it is difficult for me to be a mother!" I can't make people laugh, I have to help them a little. Neither of the husband and wife would give in, and finally Gong Quanzhen withdrew 700 yuan from the bank and gave it to her daughter.
When Gan Zuchang learned about it, he said angrily to his wife: "You are too accommodating to the children! My money is given by the state, and it should be used to meet the needs of the revolution. Leave it to your children and let them sit back and enjoy it, it shouldn't.
To change the traditional concept of only creating a comfortable nest for children, this is also a change of customs! "This is the only time the couple has had a financial displeasure. After Gan Zuchang's death, Gong Quanzhen felt that although she had retired, she still had a lot to do, she said: "I want to publicize the noble sentiments and character of Gan Zuchang, a true communist, and use this precious spiritual wealth to nurture our descendants."
So Gong Quanzhen began to form an extracurricular activity group, and he served as an extracurricular counselor to tell the story of the Long March to the children in a planned way. She also participated in the propaganda group of veteran cadres in the county, and went to schools, institutions, enterprises, and communities to tell stories about the revolutionary traditions and patriotism of the old Red Army.
1.Although Gong Quanzhen is old, in order not to cause trouble to her children, she took the initiative to apply to live in the Happiness Home, and as a volunteer waiter, she washed and sewed clothes for the elderly, tutored the children in their homework, and lived a fulfilling life.
2.After Gong Quanzhen retired, she would go to schools, towns, and institutions every year to give a report on revolutionary traditional education, and although she never asked for compensation, she still insisted on bringing her own steamed buns or bread for lunch, accompanied by boiled water.
3.After 90-year-old Gong Quanzhen made a report in Sanbanqiao Township, Lianhua County, she refused the township's invitation to lunch and insisted on taking the bus home.
With the increase of fame, in 2011, Gong Quanzhen established the "Gong Quanzhen Studio" to carry out revolutionary ideals and beliefs education and charity and volunteer activities in the community.
At the end of 2013, she founded the "Gong Quanzhen Love Rescue Association". Driven by Gong Quanzhen, the ** club has grown rapidly, and has raised 1.79 million yuan so far, spent 1.4 million yuan, and helped hundreds of people.
At the beginning of 2014, Gong Quanzhen participated in the 2013 Touching Chinese Character Award Ceremony of ** TV Station, and met Yao Houzhi, a moving Chinese character candidate from Chongqing.
Knowing that Yao Houzhi was sick and had difficulties in life, Gong Quanzhen immediately donated 2,000 yuan to let her buy nutritional products and take good care of herself. Gong Quanzhen also discussed with the two daughters present and decided to sponsor Yao Houzhi's two children to study until college for a long time.
Gong Quanzhen has done such a good deed many times. When asked why she chose to do this, Gong Quanzhen replied: "I don't want anything, the people overthrew the old regime with a small cart and gave us high honors, and we have no reason not to contribute to the happiness and prosperity of the masses."
As long as I am alive and can work, I will do my best to build a harmonious socialist society. Now, 99-year-old Gong Quanzhen is still in good health, and she firmly believes: "Time is running out, so I cherish it more, try to help those in need as much as possible, and do more good deeds." ”
At the end of this article, we once again express our deepest respect to General Gan Zuchang and the elderly Gong Quanzhen, and wish Gong Lao a long and healthy life!