In 1947, when the Liberation War entered a critical stage, a farmer led the way for the People's Liberation Army, during which he mentioned his brother, who had been missing for 18 years. When the People's Liberation Army heard the name, it immediately sent him to the headquarters, because his elder brother was Chen Xilian, the commander of the Third Column of the People's Liberation Army.
Chen Xilian left home when he was young, and even when he was the mayor and secretary of Chongqing, he rarely returned home for the development of New China.
Knowing that his mother was seriously ill and couldn't see the last face, he knelt down in front of his mother's grave many years later: Mother, I miss you so much. Mother, I'm here to see you.
So, what's the story? Let's talk about it today.
Chen Xilian's early revolution
Chen Xilian was born in Gaoqiao District, Huang'an County, Hubei Province in 1915, his father died when he was 3 years old, the pillar of the family collapsed, and his mother was pregnant and unable to work, so she could only sell her thin fields for some food to support her life.
At that time, Huang'an was a country with high mountains and waters, barren land, and life in the countryside was difficult and difficult, and Chen Xilian witnessed the embarrassment of his family and the hard work of his mother since he was a child. For as long as I can remember, the shadow of poverty has hung over this family, and there is not a day that has not been trapped by life.
In order to support the whole family, his mother spun cloth day after day, getting up early every day and greedy for darkness, and the sound of the spinning wheel became the deepest memory of Chen Xilian's childhood. He has two older sisters and a younger brother, and the family of five barely survives on an acre of thin land and his mother's labor.
Whenever there is a shortage of flowers, the whole family has to go out to beg, and hunger and cold are the norm. Due to the poverty of his family, Chen Xilian did not have the opportunity to go to school, so when he grew up, he began to help his mother work, and was later sent to herd cattle and work as a long-term laborer for the landlord's family.
Seeing children of the same age carrying schoolbags to school, he was full of envy, but more helpless. Life in the landlord's house was not easy, exploitation and abuse were the norm, and Chen Xilian experienced the suffering of the world early on.
Whenever there is a mistake, he will be beaten and scolded by the landlord, and even be punished by starvation, Chen Xilian went home with scars, and his mother looked at her skinny son, and held him in her arms in distress and burst into tears.
Despite this, his mother had to send him back to the landlord's house again, and Chen Xilian changed several owners in winter and spring, but his fate never changed, and his childhood was filled with endless labor and abuse.
Where there is oppression, there is resistance, and he gradually has a strong sense of resistance in his heart, and the changes in the social environment are also quietly affected.
At the end of the 20s of the 20th century, the tide of the Great Revolution swept across the country, and the peasants in the Huang'an area were gradually influenced by the revolutionary ideology.
After the defeat of the Great Revolution, Zhan Caifang returned to Huang'an to organize the peasants to carry out revolutionary activities in accordance with Dong Biwu's instructions, and soon organized a guerrilla force.
One day in the late autumn of 1928, a child came to the Red Army garrison and insisted on joining the Red Army, and this child was 13-year-old Chen Xilian.
Zhan Caifang saw that he was still young and refused, and he didn't explain much when the troops were about to move, and set off with the troops to a location fifty miles away.
When the troops were resting halfway through, Zhan Caifang suddenly heard a childish voice from behind him, and turned around to see that it was still Chen Xilian. It turned out that he followed the troops for dozens of miles and was bound to join the Red Army.
Zhan Caifang asked him why he had to join the Red Army, and Chen Xilian said that he had had enough of being bullied and wanted to join the Red Army to make decisions for the poor. However, Chen Xilian was too young, and a few days later, the troops returned to Huang'an, and Zhan Caifang personally sent him home.
The mother wept with joy when she saw her son, and in order to prevent him from running away to join the army again, she tied him with hemp rope every night before going to bed. Chen Xilian did not give up after joining the army for the first time, and continued to help his mother work while looking for an opportunity to join the army again.
In the spring of 1929, when the Red Army was active frequently in the Huang'an area, Chen Xilian once again had the idea of joining the army, did not tell his mother, quietly packed some simple luggage, and left home at night.
Zhan Caifang saw his unremitting determination and finally agreed to let Chen Xilian join the army, and at the age of 14, he officially became a member of the Red Army and began a magnificent revolutionary career.
Meet your mother
I have to say that Chen Xilian was born a soldier, although he was young, he was very brave, he always rushed to the front in battle, and the battalion commander Gao Hanchu even gave him the nickname "Little Steel Cannon".
In the days that followed, Chen Xilian followed the army through many battles and gradually grew into an excellent fighter.
Following the troops, they broke the enemy's four "encirclement and suppression" one after another, and then smashed the enemy's "three-way siege" and "six-way siege", and arrived in northern Shaanxi after a difficult long march.
During this period, he was wounded several times and escaped death, and gradually grew into an excellent commander of the Red Army through the training of the battlefield. After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Chen Xilian served as the commander of the 769th Regiment of the 385th Brigade of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army.
In 1937, he led the 769th Regiment to attack Yangmingbao Airport at night and blew up 24 Japanese aircraft. The victory of the night attack on Yangmingbao not only greatly encouraged the confidence of the people of the whole country in the War of Resistance, but also made Chen Xilian's name resounding throughout the country.
After that, he continued to lead his troops to carry out guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines, constantly harassing and striking at the Japanese army...... During the Liberation War, Chen Xilian had been promoted to commander of the 3rd Column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army, and led his troops to participate in many important battles.
In 1947, Liu Deng's army leaped thousands of miles into the Dabie Mountain, and Chen Xilian led the troops to break through the enemy's blockade and successfully enter the Dabie Mountain area after a difficult march.
He personally led his troops to reconnoiter the enemy's deployment and organized raids one after another, laying the foundation for the establishment of the Dabie Mountain base area.
In December of the same year, Chen Xilian was in the headquarters of Dabie Mountain when he suddenly received a message about his mother and younger brother. At first, Chen Xilian couldn't believe it, after all, he had been away from home for 18 years, and he didn't dare to confirm it after checking it again.
It turned out that the troops moved from western Anhui to Macheng to prepare for the Pinghan Campaign, and the soldiers found a local peasant as a guide during the march.
After inquiry, I learned that the peasant had an elder brother who had joined the Red Army 18 years ago and never returned.
The warrior curiously asked what is your brother's name? The peasants replied that it was Chen Xilian and hoped that the PLA would help find it.
The soldiers were taken aback when they heard this, could it be Chen Xilian, the commander of the 3rd column, and after a detailed inquiry, they learned that the peasants were Chen Xilian's younger brother Chen Xili, and then they took the mother and son to the column headquarters.
When Chen Xilian saw his mother who had been separated for 18 years, he had mixed feelings and tears, and hugged his mother tightly and was excited. Looking at her son, who has grown into a commander, the mother is both relieved and distressed, despite the fact that her love for her son has never diminished after many years of separation.
The mother and son talked for a long time, telling about their thoughts for many years of separation, and Chen Xilian, who was busy with military affairs, had to move the next day, so he could only say goodbye to his mother again and send her back to his hometown.
After separating from his mother, Chen Xilian commanded the troops to participate in the Huaihai Campaign, the Battle of Crossing the River, and finally marched to the southwest, and served as the first mayor of Chongqing and the commander of the Eastern Sichuan Military Region after the liberation of the country.
At that time, although there were many hidden spies and bandits, the situation was generally peaceful, and thinking that his mother had suffered after being away from home for many years, he wanted to send someone to take care of his mother after settling down for work.
But the old man was accustomed to the rural life, and he was uncomfortable without working for a day, and it was difficult to find anyone to talk to in the big city, and he didn't want to burden his son, so he soon returned to his hometown, and this parting was a farewell.
I didn't see my mother for the last time
When the Korean War broke out in 1950, China decided to send troops to aid the DPRK to defend national security, and Chen Xilian served as the commander of the PLA artillery and shouldered the important task of forming and training artillery units.
He personally went to the front to learn about the operational situation, actively coordinated Soviet assistance, and worked to improve the combat capability of the artillery units. On the Korean battlefield, the artillery unit commanded by Chen Xilian performed excellently and provided strong fire support for the volunteers.
In a number of key battles, the precision strikes of artillery effectively contained the enemy's offensive and ensured the victory of the volunteers.
In 1953, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea was about to be won, and it was at this time that he received the news that his mother was seriously ill and hurriedly asked the central government for leave to rush back to his hometown.
It's a pity that when he arrived, his mother had already died, and he kept muttering "Puqing" on his deathbed. The death of his mother has always made Chen Xilian feel deeply guilty, believing that his failure to fulfill his filial piety is a lifetime of pain and regret.
After that, he devoted all his energy to his work, actively participated in the construction and development of the country, and contributed to the prosperity and strength of New China.
In 1955, Chen Xilian was awarded the rank of general, and continued to work in different positions, maintaining a high sense of responsibility and dedication.
In 1997, Chen Xilian was invited to return to his hometown of Huang'an to participate in the opening ceremony of the Li Xiannian Memorial Hall, which was the first time he returned to his homeland after leaving his hometown for more than 40 years.
Chen Xilian, who is over 80 years old, stood on the land of his hometown with a lot of emotion, and even came to his mother's grave during the period.
He bowed to his mother's grave and said, "Mother, I have come to see you, but you can't hear me when I call you." I haven't been back for over 40 years, I'm sorry for you......"
Looking back on the past, Chen Xilian walked out of the poor peasant family to join the revolution, fought endlessly for the cause of China's liberation, and became famous in the heroic and fearless night attack on Yangmingbao in the war, but in the family affection, he felt deep guilt for his mother, and failed to fulfill his filial piety all his life.
During the war years, many soldiers were in a dilemma of loyalty and filial piety, and Chen Xilian and countless revolutionaries had to give up their small families for everyone, and their dedication made the peace and glory of New China, which is worthy of our admiration as future generations.
What do you think differently about this?
Reference: Chen Xilian: The affectionate call of the mother's grave touches the world - CNKI (cnki.net)
Chen Xilian Kneeling Mother - CNKI (cnki.net)