In the torrent of the Chinese revolution, countless heroic sons and daughters dedicated their lives to the birth of New China. Among them, there is such a founding general, whose life legend is amazing. He came from a poor background, but with his talent and courage, he became a respected military commander. However, the trick of fate separated him from his biological daughter for a full 24 years. When the father and daughter finally reunited, the highly decorated general said something unexpected. Why did he want his daughter to be an ordinary person? What's the story behind this?
Xu Haidong: From a poor boy to a founding general
In 1900, Xu Haidong was born into a poor peasant family in Huang'an County (now Hong'an County) in Hubei Province. This remote mountain village was the starting point of his childhood. Since childhood, Xu Haidong has experienced the hardships of rural life. His parents worked from sunrise to sunset, working hard but still struggling to make ends meet. The young Xu Haidong often followed his parents to work in the fields, and his small body carried heavy burdens beyond his age.
In that turbulent era, reading became an unattainable dream for many children from poor families. Xu Haidong was no exception, he only attended private school for a few days before he had to drop out of school to help his family. However, this short experience of studying planted the seeds of knowledge in his heart and stimulated his desire to learn.
At the age of 13, in order to reduce the burden on his family, Xu Haidong left his hometown and came to work as an apprentice in a brick kiln factory not far from his home. The working environment of the kiln factory is harsh, with smoke and dust, and the high temperature is unbearable. The young Xu Haidong had to carry bricks and tiles weighing up to 100 catties every day, and had to endure the scolding and corporal punishment of the foreman. This experience made him deeply appreciate the hardships of working people, and also gave him the idea of changing the status quo.
During the 11 years of working in the kiln factory, Xu Haidong not only exercised his physique, but also cultivated a tenacious character. In his spare time, he taught himself to read and write, read progressive books, and gradually broadened his horizons and increased his knowledge. This experience laid a solid foundation for his later revolutionary career.
In 1925, Xu Haidong joined the Chinese Communist Party, which became an important turning point in his life. He took an active part in the underground work of the party, organized the workers' movement, and propagated revolutionary ideas. Under the cultivation of the party organization, Xu Haidong's political consciousness and organizational ability have been continuously improved.
In 1927, Xu Haidong participated in the famous Jute Uprising. Although the uprising failed, Xu Haidong performed well in the battle, showing outstanding military talent and leadership. After that, he was appointed commander of the 31st Division of the 92nd Army of the Fourth Front Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and began his military career.
During the Long March, Xu Haidong performed well. He led his troops to overcome many difficulties, crossed the vast grasslands, crossed the snow-capped mountains, and finally reached northern Shaanxi victoriously. This experience not only tempered Xu Haidong's military command ability, but also strengthened his belief in the revolutionary cause.
After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Xu Haidong was ordered to lead his troops to the anti-Japanese front in North China. He led his troops deep behind enemy lines to carry out guerrilla warfare and inflict heavy blows on the Japanese army. In one battle, Xu Haidong took the lead and personally commanded the battle, repelled the Japanese attack, and defended the safety of the base area.
During the Liberation War, Xu Haidong served as the commander of the Fourth Column of the East China Field Army. He commanded troops to participate in major battles such as the Huaihai Campaign and the Battle of Crossing the Yangtze River, and made important contributions to the liberation of the whole of China.
Family changes in the revolutionary career
Xu Haidong's revolutionary career was full of hardships and ups and downs, while his family life also experienced ups and downs. In 1928, at an underground party event in Huang'an County, Hubei Province, Xu Haidong became acquainted with Liu Xiuzhi, who was also a member of the Communist Party. The two were like-minded and soon developed a deep relationship. In that turbulent era, the love of revolutionaries was often accompanied by separation and sacrifice, but Xu Haidong and Liu Xiuzhi chose to work together and fight for the revolutionary cause together.
In 1929, Xu Haidong and Liu Xiuzhi held a simple wedding under the witness of the organization. There were no flowers and a wedding feast for this wedding, only the blessings of a few comrades. Soon after their marriage, the two threw themselves into intense revolutionary work. Liu Xiuzhi is not only Xu Haidong's wife, but also his comrade-in-arms and assistant. She assisted Xu Haidong in carrying out underground work, organizing the peasant movement, and contributing her strength to the revolutionary cause.
In 1930, Xu Haidong and Liu Xiuzhi welcomed their first child, Xu Wenjin. Xiao Wenjin's birth brought joy to this revolutionary family, but also added a responsibility to their lives. Despite the difficult living conditions, Xu Haidong and Liu Xiuzhi still do their best to take care of Xiao Wenjin and hope that she can grow up healthy.
However, the days of peace did not last long. In 1931, the Kuomintang launched an "encirclement and suppression" of the revolutionary base areas. In order to protect his comrades and family, Xu Haidong had to move frequently. During a transfer, Liu Xiuzhi and her young Xu Wenjin were forced to separate from Xu Haidong. At the time, no one could have imagined that the separation would last for 24 years.
Soon after the separation, Liu Xiuzhi was unfortunately arrested by Kuomintang agents during a secret mission. In the face of the enemy's severe torture, Liu Xiuzhi has always been loyal and unyielding, and has not revealed any secrets of the organization. In the end, she bravely died for the revolutionary cause. Liu Xiuzhi's sacrifice made Xu Haidong deeply saddened, but it also strengthened his determination to continue the revolution.
And Xu Wenjin, who was just over a year old, was sent to Xu Haidong's sister's house after his mother was arrested. Xu Haidong's sister took a huge risk to raise Xu Wenjin to adulthood. In order to protect Xu Wenjin's safety, her sister did not even tell her father's true identity. In this way, Xu Wenjin grew up in an ordinary peasant family and lived an ordinary and hard life.
Xu Haidong, who lost his wife and daughter, devoted all his energy to the revolutionary cause. He participated in the Long March and experienced countless trials of blood and fire. During this period, he often missed his daughter far away from home, but the needs of the revolution prevented him from seeing her. In the dead of night, Xu Haidong would think of his wife and daughter, but he knew that only the victory of the revolution could save more children from the suffering of war.
In 1934, Xu Haidong remarried during the Long March and married his comrade-in-arms Yang Dinghua. Yang Dinghua is not only his wife, but also his right-hand man on the battlefield. The two fought side by side and experienced the hardships and dangers of the Long March together. Despite having a new family, Xu Haidong has never forgotten his eldest daughter, Xu Wenjin.
After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Xu Haidong was ordered to lead his troops to the anti-Japanese front in North China. In this process, he sent people to inquire about Xu Wenjin's whereabouts many times, but due to frequent wars, it was difficult to transmit the news, and he never got the exact news. It was not until the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 that Xu Haidong finally had the opportunity to find his daughter's whereabouts again.
After 24 years of separation, Xu Haidong missed his daughter's entire childhood and adolescence. When he learned that Xu Wenjin had grown up safely, his heart was full of relief and guilt. He looks forward to the day when he will be reunited with his daughter, but at the same time, he is worried that his identity will cause unnecessary distress to his daughter. This complicated mood accompanied Xu Haidong until the moment when the father and daughter reunited.
Father-daughter reunion: surprises and surprises
In 1954, 24-year-old Xu Wenjin lived an ordinary life in a small village in Hong'an County, Hubei Province. She is married and has children and is a mother of three. Although she was not wealthy, she was still industrious and kind, and was a respected woman in the village. However, she never knew her true background, let alone that her father was a highly decorated founding general.
In the spring of that year, a fellow villager returned from Beijing with shocking news. He said he met a general named Xu Haidong in Beijing, looking for his long-lost daughter. The news caused an uproar in the village like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.
The old people in the village began to reminisce about the past, and some people remembered that more than 20 years ago, Xu Wenjin's aunt came to the village with a little girl. At that time, my aunt said that it was her niece, and her parents were separated in the war. Over time, this past was gradually forgotten until the news appeared.
After Xu Wenjin heard the news, his heart was full of doubts and expectations. She began to ask her aunt the truth about her origins. Faced with her niece's questioning, the aunt finally told the truth. She told Xu Wenjin that her father was indeed General Xu Haidong and that her mother had died for the revolution when she was very young. In order to protect Xu Wenjin's safety, my aunt has been hiding this fact.
After learning the truth, Xu Wenjin decided to embark on a journey to find his father. The decision was not easy, she left her husband and three young children behind and went to distant Beijing alone. The people in the village persuaded her to think twice, after all, Beijing was a strange and distant place for this rural woman who had never left her hometown.
But Xu Wenjin's determination has been decided. She packed her simple luggage, took her little savings, and set out on the road to find her father. This journey was full of challenges for Xu Wenjin. She had to change trains and cars many times, and she went through a lot of twists and turns. On the way, she kept thinking about the little information her aunt had told her about her father, hoping to recognize her father when they met.
After several days of arduous trekking, Xu Wenjin finally arrived in Beijing. At the Beijing train station, she looked out of place. Dressed in plain rural clothes and carrying simple luggage, standing in the bustling crowd, Xu Wenjin felt both excited and nervous.
With the help of a well-wisher, Xu Wenjin found the residence of General Xu Haidong. When she stood in front of that ordinary courtyard, the excitement in her heart was indescribable. She took a deep breath and plucked up the courage to knock on the door.
The one who opened the door was a middle-aged woman, who was none other than Xu Haidong's current wife, Yang Dinghua. When Yang Dinghua saw this strange young woman, he was a little puzzled at first. But when Xu Wenjin explained his intentions, Yang Dinghua immediately realized her identity. She warmly welcomed Xu Wenjin into her home and immediately notified Xu Haidong, who was in a meeting.
Soon after, Xu Haidong hurried home. When he saw Xu Wenjin standing in the living room, the whole person was stunned. Twenty-four years seemed to freeze at this moment, the father and daughter were relatively speechless, tears rolling in their eyes.
Xu Haidong took a step forward and carefully looked at the daughter in front of him. He found that Xu Wenjin's eyebrows and eyes were similar to his mother Liu Xiuzhi. This discovery made him even more convinced that this was his long-lost daughter.
The scene of father and daughter recognizing each other is deeply moving. Xu Haidong hugged Xu Wenjin tightly, and twenty-four years of parting and longing were released at this moment. Xu Wenjin finally found his roots, and the doubts and vacancies in his heart for many years were filled at this moment.
In the days that followed, Xu Haidong told his daughter about his experience over the years and listened to his daughter's living conditions. He learned that Xu Wenjin lived a poor but down-to-earth life in the countryside, and had his own family and children. This made Xu Haidong both relieved and distressed.
Rebuilding the Father-Daughter Relationship: Making Up and Growing
After the father-daughter reunion, Xu Haidong and Xu Wenjin are faced with a daunting task: how to rebuild their relationship after 24 years of separation. The process was full of challenges, misunderstandings, and joys, showing the unique dilemmas faced by a revolutionary family after the founding of New China.
After the excitement of meeting for the first time, Xu Haidong and Xu Wenjin began to understand each other's lives. Xu Haidong was surprised to find that his daughter was already a mature rural woman with her own family and lifestyle. He realized that he had missed the most important stage of his daughter's life, and that this regret could not be easily remedied.
Xu Wenjin needs to adjust to being the daughter of a founding general. Growing up in the countryside, she was both proud of her father's revolutionary journey and social status, but also a little overwhelmed. She didn't know how to get along with her father, whom she had never met, and she wasn't sure if she would be able to adapt to life in Beijing.
In order to make up for the lost time, Xu Haidong decided to invite Xu Wenjin's family to move to Beijing. This decision has triggered a series of changes and challenges. Xu Wenjin's husband and children have had to adjust to the dramatic transition from the countryside to the big city. They face differences in language, culture, and lifestyle, which puts a lot of pressure on the whole family.
Xu Haidong tried his best to create good living conditions for his daughter's family, but he also realized that material help could not fully make up for the lack of years. He began to spend more time communicating with Xu Wenjin, recounting his revolutionary experiences and explaining why he had to be separated from her. These exchanges helped Xu Wenjin better understand her father's choices and gave her a deeper understanding of the course of the Chinese revolution.
However, the rebuilding of this relationship has not been without its challenges. As a rural woman, Xu Wenjin felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable with her father's high-level political circle. She was often embarrassed because she didn't know some etiquette and rules. Xu Haidong sometimes misunderstands because he does not know his daughter's life experience. These cultural and class differences pose certain obstacles to their relationships.
In order to alleviate the situation, Xu Haidong encouraged Xu Wenjin to get an education. He arranged cultural courses for her, hoping to improve her cultural level and allow her to better integrate into the new environment. Although Xu Wenjin is already a mother of three children, she still studies diligently and strives to improve herself. This process not only enhanced the understanding between father and daughter, but also gave Xu Wenjin the opportunity for personal growth.
At the same time, Xu Haidong is also learning how to be a father. He began to pay attention to Xu Wenjin's daily life and participate in the growth of his grandchildren. He finds time to spend with his family, and despite his busy schedule, he struggles to balance his official duties with his family life. This kind of effort made Xu Wenjin feel the care and love of his father.
As time passed, the relationship between Xu Haidong and Xu Wenjin gradually became intimate and natural. They began to be able to communicate openly about their thoughts and feelings. Xu Wenjin also gradually adapted to life in Beijing and began to participate in some social activities to help others who had come to the city from the countryside.
However, this rebuilding of the relationship also comes with some unexpected challenges. Some began to question the special treatment of the Xu Wenjin family, believing it to be an unfair privilege. Xu Haidong and Xu Wenjin had to face these pressures of public opinion and try to keep a low profile and avoid attracting unnecessary attention.
On the other hand, Xu Wenjin's husband and children are also adjusting to their new identity. As the sons-in-law and grandsons of the generals, they face the expectations and pressures of society. Xu Haidong and Xu Wenjin need to work together to help their families find their place and not be bound by their special status.
In 1956, Xu Haidong retired from active service and began to serve as vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. This change has given him more time to spend with his family. He began organizing regular family gatherings, inviting Mr. Xu's family and other children together. These gatherings not only strengthened the relationship between the family, but also gave Xu Wenjin the opportunity to learn more about his father's other family members.
Father-daughter love: inheritance and influence
As time passed, the father-daughter relationship between Xu Haidong and Xu Wenjin became stronger and stronger, and the emotional bond between them became deeper and deeper. This belated father-daughter relationship not only affected the lives of the two of them, but also had a profound impact on the entire family and the people around them.
In 1958, Xu Haidong bought a house on the outskirts of Beijing as a place for family gatherings. It has become an important gathering place for the Xu family, and every holiday, Xu Haidong will invite Xu Wenjin's family and other children to come to reunite. In this house, Xu Haidong often told his children and grandchildren about his revolutionary experience and life insights. Although Xu Wenjin missed most of her father's life, through these family gatherings, she gradually filled in this gap and learned more about her father's personality and deeds.
Xu Haidong attaches great importance to the inheritance of the family's traditional values. He often stressed that as the descendants of revolutionary families, they should be more strict with themselves and contribute to the country and the people. This thought deeply influenced Xu Wenjin, and she began to actively participate in social work, with a special focus on the education and development of rural women. She used her experience and position to advocate for better living conditions for rural women.
In 1959, with the support of his father, Xu Wenjin founded a small training center for rural women. The aim of the centre is to provide rural women with basic education and skills training to help them improve their quality of life. Xu Haidong expressed his appreciation for his daughter's move, which he believes not only inherits the revolutionary spirit, but also reflects a sense of responsibility to the people.
However, with the development of the "Great Leap Forward" movement, the relationship between Xu Haidong and Xu Wenjin also faced new challenges. As a senior cadre, Xu Haidong had to support the movement, but he also saw some problems. Xu Wenjin has personally experienced the difficult situation in the countryside. The father and daughter had some disagreements on this issue, but they still maintained open communication. Xu Haidong encouraged Xu Wenjin to reflect the real situation in the countryside in a realistic manner, and this information provided an important reference for him to put forward some practical suggestions at the Central Committee meeting later.
In the early 1960s, the country's economic situation was dire, and Xu Wenjin's training center was also facing difficulties. Although Xu Haidong is in a high position, he insists on not using his power to seek personal interests for his daughter. Instead, he encouraged Xu Wenjin to find a way to overcome the difficulties on his own. Influenced by her father, Xu Wenjin showed perseverance, and she raised funds through various means, and finally got the training center through the difficulties.
In 1962, Xu Haidong was hospitalized due to illness. During his hospitalization, Xu Wenjin went to the hospital almost every day to accompany his father. She not only takes care of her father's daily life, but also often discusses national affairs and the future of the family with his father. During this period of time, the relationship between father and daughter became deeper. Xu Haidong told Xu Wenjin that his greatest wish is to see his children and grandchildren inherit the revolutionary tradition and contribute to the construction of the country.
After Xu Haidong's death, Xu Wenjin took on the important task of maintaining family unity. She organizes regular gatherings of family members to carry on her father's legacy. Thanks to her efforts, the members of the Xu family have maintained close ties with each other and helped each other. Xu Wenjin also actively participated in sorting out his father's relics and manuscripts, leaving valuable historical materials for future generations.
In 1966, the "Cultural Revolution" broke out. As Xu Haidong's daughter, Xu Wenjin was not spared. Her training center was forced to close and she was personally criticized. However, Xu Wenjin did not resent it. She always kept in mind her father's teachings, adhered to revolutionary ideals, and believed that the party and the country would eventually correct their mistakes. During this difficult time, Xu Wenjin showed extraordinary courage and perseverance, silently protecting her family while also trying her best to preserve some of her father's important documents.
After the end of the "Cultural Revolution", Xu Wenjin actively devoted himself to the work of redressing unjust, false and wrongly decided cases. She used her experience and observations to appeal for some old comrades who had been treated unfairly. At the same time, she also worked to restore her father's reputation, collating and publishing Xu Haidong's memoirs, so that more people could understand the deeds of this revolutionary ancestor.