People in the world often say: "Look at the old at the age of three, see the old at the age of seven", but who would have thought that the beautiful girl who used to dance with knives and guns in the troupe would become a demon that terrified the people of Shandong? Her name is Zhao Yongling, but she is called Mama Zhao because of her age. In that era of war and chaos, she went from a drama to a prostitute, to a lady of the village, and finally became a heinous female bandit leader. There were thousands of outlaws under her command, who burned and looted everywhere they went.
However, what kind of experience makes a weak woman so cold-blooded and ruthless? Why did she do such a cruel treatment to innocent people? In that turbulent era, what kind of social reality did Mama Zhao's actions reflect?
In the seventh year of Guangxu (1881), in a remote village in the Yimeng Mountains of Shandong Province, a baby girl fell to the ground. This baby girl is the frightening Mama Zhao in the future, whose real name is Zhao Yongling. The Zhao family has been poor peasants for generations, and Yongling was born in the last years of the Qing Dynasty, when the national strength declined, the foreign powers invaded, and the people were struggling to make a living.
Zhao Yongling's childhood was spent in hunger and cold. There are many brothers and sisters in the family, and it is a problem to be able to fill their stomachs every day. In order to reduce the burden on the family, Yongling, who was only eight years old, was sent to a small local opera troupe to learn art. In the opera troupe, Yongling not only has to learn singing, but also various performance skills such as acrobatics and martial arts.
The life of the troupe was hard, but Yongling quickly made a name for herself in the troupe with her intelligence and hard work. She is not only good at singing, but also proficient in martial arts, dancing knives and guns and playing tigers and tigers. At the age of fourteen, Yongling has become a pillar in the troupe, but her meager income is still difficult to change the family's predicament.
When he was sixteen years old, a major drought swept through Shandong, and the Zhao family made matters worse. In order to support her family, Yongling had to make a painful decision - to become a prostitute in the Qinglou. In those days, this was a last resort for many poor women. With her outstanding appearance and the talent she learned in the drama class, Yongling soon became a red-card girl in the Qinglou.
However, the life of the Qinglou is not what Yongling imagined. Every day, she feels physically and mentally exhausted by the presence of all kinds of customers. It was then that fate gave her a turnaround. A bandit leader took a fancy to Yongling's beauty, and spared no expense to ransom her and bring her back to the cottage as a lady of the village.
For Yongling, this is an opportunity to escape the sea of suffering. She gladly accepted the bandit leader's offer and followed him to the bandit's den deep in the mountains. Here, Yongling felt a stable life for the first time. She quickly adapted to life in the cottage and even began to participate in some small-scale looting.
Soon after marriage, Yongling gave birth to three sons and a daughter one after another. However, the good times were short-lived. In 1922, Yongling's husband and three sons were killed in a fight between bandits, leaving her and her eldest daughter to survive.
Yongling, who lost her support, did not accept her fate. She married her eldest daughter to another bandit leader, Gao Qiang, and she defected to the new gang with more than a hundred of her men. However, fate played a joke on Yongling again. Soon after, her daughter and son-in-law were killed in another firefight with officers and soldiers.
At this time, Yongling was forty-one years old and was respectfully called "Mama Zhao" by her subordinates. Having lost all her loved ones, she was filled with hatred and despair. In these turbulent times, she decided not to trust anyone anymore, only the knives and guns in her hands.
In this way, Mama Zhao led more than 400 outlaws, occupied the mountain as the king, and set up her own door. With the connections she had accumulated in the opera troupe and the Qinglou, she soon established her own power in the southern part of Shandong. In just a few years, the bandits under Mama Zhao have grown to thousands of people and become a force to be reckoned with locally.
From a poor peasant girl to an actor, to a prostitute, and finally to a feared female bandit leader, Mama Zhao's life experience can be described as ups and downs. However, such an experience also made her lose her reverence for life and compassion for others. In the coming years, Mama Zhao will lead her team of bandits to set off one bloody storm after another on the land of Shandong.
In 1922, in the Yimeng Mountains in southern Shandong, a bloody battle changed the trajectory of Zhao Yongling's life. Her husband and three sons were killed in a bandit fight, leaving her and her young daughter to survive. This change made Zhao Yongling, who is over 40 years old, realize that in this world of the jungle, only by holding real power can he protect himself and his relatives.
Zhao Yongling, who lost her support, did not sit still. She quickly married her daughter to another powerful bandit leader, Gao Qiang, in order to find a backing for herself. At the same time, with the experience and connections accumulated in the bandits' den for many years, she led more than 100 loyal subordinates to defect to the high-level bandits.
However, fate once again played a merciless trick on Zhao Yongling. Soon after, her daughter and son-in-law were tragically killed in an encounter with the National Army. The blow completely destroyed Zhao Yongling's trust in others, and also inspired her deep desire for power. She realizes that only by holding absolute power can she survive in this turbulent era.
At this time, Zhao Yongling has been called "Mama Zhao" by her subordinates. Having lost all her loved ones, she decided not to be attached to anyone anymore, but to become a hegemon herself. She used the connections she had accumulated in the opera troupe and the Qinglou to begin to secretly contact other bandit forces, and at the same time recruited many outcasts and outlaws to join her team.
Mama Zhao knows that in order to stand out among the many bandit forces, it is not enough to have manpower. She began to orchestrate each raid to ensure that not only the benefits were maximized, but also the casualties were minimized. She also deliberately selected some talents with military backgrounds to join her core team to inject new vitality into the gang.
In the successful raids again and again, Mama Zhao's reputation gradually spread in the south of Shandong. Not only is she good at planning, but she also personally leads the team to participate in the action, often charging forward. This courageous and resolute style won the admiration and loyalty of his subordinates. In just a few years, the bandits under Mama Zhao have grown to thousands of people and become a force to be reckoned with locally.
The rise of Mama Zhao has aroused the vigilance of other bandit forces. In the spring of 1923, several local bandit leaders joined forces in an attempt to wipe out Mama Zhao's forces in one fell swoop. However, Mama Zhao, who had been prepared for a long time, not only successfully resisted the enemy's attack, but also took the opportunity to absorb some of the bandits who surrendered, further strengthening her strength.
This victory catapulted Zhao Mama to fame in the bandit circles of southern Shandong. She began to sit on an equal footing with other large bandit forces, and even some small groups of bandits volunteered to join her command. By the summer of 1923, Zhao Mama had become one of the most influential bandit leaders in southern Shandong, and was known as the two major local bandit forces along with the notorious Xu Dabi.
However, as her power expanded, Mama Zhao's behavior became more and more brutal. No longer satisfied with simple raids, she began to take bloody revenge against her village. In her view, it was only through extreme violence that people could be afraid of her name and thus consolidate their rule.
In early June 1923, Mama Zhao led her men to break through the polder in Dieyizhuang in Linyi District 2, killing more than 70 innocent villagers and setting fire to the entire village. This tragedy shocked the entire southeastern part of Shandong, and also made Mama Zhao's notoriety even louder.
However, Mama Zhao did not stop there. Her ambitions grew and she began to look further afield. She began to collude with bandit forces in other provinces in an attempt to expand her sphere of influence beyond Shandong.
Just when Mama Zhao's power was at its peak, an unexpected event shattered her plans. In mid-June 1923, four of her men were captured by villagers in Dongbalixiang Village, Linshu County. This seemingly insignificant incident became the fuse that triggered the subsequent tragedy, and it also became the most notorious page in Mama Zhao's bandit career.
On June 16, 1923, Dongbalixiang Village, Linshu County, Shandong Province ushered in a calm morning. The villagers began their day's work as usual, unaware of the impending catastrophe. Just three days ago, the villagers captured four suspicious people, and after interrogation, it was discovered that they were actually the men of the notorious female bandit leader Zhao Mama.
These four bandits were originally ordered by Mama Zhao to come to Dongbali Lane Village to step on the spot. Mama Zhao had already listed the village as the next target for raiding. However, their whereabouts were revealed, and they were captured by alert villagers and handed over to the local garrison. The news quickly reached Mama Zhao's ears, infuriating the brutal female bandit leader.
Mama Zhao immediately gathered her subordinates and prepared to take revenge on Dongbali Lane Village. She gathered nearly 1,000 bandits, carrying a large number of weapons and fire oil, and marched to Dongbalixiang Village in the early morning of June 16. At that time, although Dongbali Lane Village had certain defense facilities, it was obviously powerless in the face of such a well-equipped bandit team.
As soon as the sky dawned, Mama Zhao's bandit team had already surrounded the entire village. They first cut off the village from all contact with the outside world, and then began to launch a fierce attack on the village. The villagers rushed to the battle, but were at an absolute disadvantage in terms of equipment and numbers.
Mama Zhao personally led an elite army and breached the main fortifications of the village. Subsequently, she ordered a carpet search of the entire village, leaving no corner unturned. The bandits rushed into the homes of the villagers like wolves, killing people of all sight, men, women and children.
Some villagers tried to hide in cellars or barns, but were quickly found. Mama Zhao ordered all the villagers who were hiding to be dragged out and executed in public. She wants to use this cruel way to deter other villagers, but also to send a clear message to the surrounding area: whoever dares to resist Mama Zhao will be wiped out.
What's even more outrageous is that Mama Zhao doesn't even let go of the baby in swaddling clothes. Survivors later recalled that bandits snatched the baby out of the cradle and threw it to death. This kind of unconscionable behavior was rare even among the bandits at that time.
At the same time, another part of the bandits began to set fire to the village. They poured oil on the houses with pre-prepared fire oil and set them on fire. Soon, the entire village was engulfed in flames. Smoke billowed and flames soared into the sky, and the cries of the villagers and the laughter of the bandits mingled to create a hellish scene.
The massacre continued until noon. When Mama Zhao led the territorial bandits to evacuate, Dongbali Lane Village was already in ruins. According to incomplete statistics, more than 700 innocent villagers were killed in this tragedy, including a large number of women and children. Almost all the houses in the entire village were burned down, and the surviving villagers lost all their possessions.
The news of the Bali Lane tragedy soon spread throughout the entire southeastern part of Shandong, causing great shock and panic. People can't believe that a woman can do such a cruel thing. Mama Zhao's name has become synonymous with horror and brutality, and people shudder at the mention of her name.
This tragedy not only showed Mama Zhao's brutal nature, but also reflected the grim social security situation in Shandong at that time. In the context of warlord chaos and political turmoil, bandit forces like Zhao Mama have an opportunity to run rampant. The safety of ordinary people's lives and property is not guaranteed, and they may be innocently killed at any time.
After the Bali Lane tragedy, the local government and garrison finally realized the threat of Mama Zhao. They began to gather forces and prepare to encircle and suppress Mama Zhao's bandit team. However, Mama Zhao had already been prepared. She moved her men to more remote mountainous areas to continue her career as a bandit.
Although this tragedy made Mama Zhao's notoriety even louder, it also laid the groundwork for her future downfall. More and more people are paying attention to this brutal female bandit leader, and the government and military have also made her a priority target. In the coming days, Mama Zhao will face unprecedented pressure and challenges.
After the Bali Lane tragedy, Mama Zhao's evil deeds finally attracted the attention of the Shandong Provincial Government. At the beginning of July 1923, Qi Xieyuan, chairman of Shandong Province, ordered the assembly of military and police from all walks of life to launch a comprehensive encirclement and suppression of Zhao Mama and her gang. The operation was personally commanded by Zhang Zongchang, director of the Shandong Provincial Security Department, and nearly 10,000 troops were mobilized, divided into several squads, and advanced towards the Yimeng Mountains from different directions.
In the face of such a large-scale encirclement and suppression, Mama Zhao appeared extremely calm. She had long expected the government to take action, so she began to prepare after the Bali Lane tragedy. She divided the gang into several small groups and scattered and hid in various corners of the Yimeng Mountains. At the same time, she also sent a large number of spies to monitor the movements of government forces.
On July 15, 1923, the government army finally discovered the traces of Mama Zhao. A team of 500 people encountered Mama Zhao's main force in a valley in the northwest of Linshu County. The two sides engaged in a fierce exchange of fire, and with her familiarity with the terrain and flexible guerrilla tactics, Zhao Mama successfully broke through and inflicted considerable casualties on the government army.
After this encounter, Mama Zhao realized that the situation had become extremely unfavorable for her. She decided to lead her core members to flee to the border of Shandong Province in an attempt to move to Henan or Anhui. Over the next month, Zhao's gang fought dozens of battles of varying sizes against the pursuing government forces.
During this period of escape, Mama Zhao showed amazing survival ability and military talent. She is good at taking advantage of the terrain and often sets up ambushes in the mountains, causing a lot of trouble for the pursuers. On one occasion, she even led her men disguised as refugees to infiltrate a government army, taking advantage of their unpreparedness to launch a surprise attack and escape.
However, as time went on, Mama Zhao's situation became more and more difficult. The encirclement of the government forces is shrinking, and her men are suffering heavy losses in the constant fighting. By mid-August, there were less than 100 cronies left around Mama Zhao.
On August 20, 1923, Mama Zhao was besieged by government troops in a small mountain village in the south of Linyi County. This time, she was never able to break through again. After hours of heavy firefighting, most of Zhao's men were killed or surrendered, with only her and a few cronies hiding in a dilapidated farmhouse.
Government forces surrounded the farmhouse and demanded that Zhao surrender. However, this once powerful female bandit leader chose to resist to the end. She used her remaining ammunition to shoot at the besieging government forces, vowing to die. Eventually, government forces had to set fire to the farmhouse. In the smoke and flames, Mama Zhao's figure disappeared forever.
Mama Zhao's death marked the end of this encirclement and suppression operation that lasted for nearly two months. The government army annihilated nearly 1,000 members of Zhao's gang and seized a large amount of weapons and ammunition. At the same time, they also rescued hundreds of civilians who had been looted by Mama Zhao.
During the period when Mama Zhao was surrounded and suppressed, her evil deeds were further revealed. According to the recollections of the rescued hostages, Mama Zhao did not give up her brutality while on the run. She often looted food and belongings in the villages she passed by, taking brutal revenge on the villagers who resisted. At one point, she even ordered the entire burning of a village that refused to provide her with food, killing dozens of innocent villagers.
After the news of Zhao's death spread, the people in southern Shandong rejoiced. The haze that has hung over the land for years has finally lifted, and people have returned to normal life. However, the wounds left by Mama Zhao cannot be easily erased. For a long time to come, the name "Mama Zhao" remained a taboo that people avoided when talking about it.
The success of encircling and suppressing Mama Zhao has also won a lot of praise for the Shandong Provincial Government. Qi Xieyuan and Zhang Zongchang became famous as a result, laying the foundation for their future development in the political and military circles. At the same time, this operation also became a model case of the warlord government at that time to combat banditry forces, and was imitated by other provinces.
However, the fall of Mama Zhao did not completely solve the problem of law and order in Shandong. Soon after her death, new bandits emerged to continue to harm one party. This reflected the deep-seated problems of Chinese society at that time: in the context of warlord secession and political turmoil, it was difficult to fundamentally eliminate the breeding ground for bandits and bandits by relying solely on force to suppress them.
Although the fall of Mama Zhao brought temporary tranquility to the southern part of Shandong, her impact was far from dissipating. In the decades that followed, the story of Mama Zhao spread among the people in various forms, becoming a frightening and mysterious legend.
In the spring of 1924, a new folk opera "The Biography of Mama Zhao" began to circulate in the Linyi area of Shandong. This play is based on Mama Zhao's life, depicting her journey from an ordinary peasant girl to a feared female bandit leader. Although most of the plots in the play are fictional, they reflect the complex views of the people at the time about Mama Zhao. In the play, Mama Zhao is portrayed as a tragic character who is oppressed by social injustice and embarks on the road of crime, which to some extent reflects the contradictions of society and the psychology of the people at that time.
At the same time, various legends about Mama Zhao also began to spread widely in southern Shandong. Some people say that Mama Zhao did not actually die, but fled outside the gate to continue her career as a bandit. Others claim to have seen Mama Zhao's ghost wandering the night to atone for her crimes during her lifetime. Although these legends are absurd, they reflect the deep impression left by Mama Zhao in the hearts of the people.
In 1925, a writer named Li Deshan published the novel "The Female Devil Zhao Mama". This novel is based on the real experience of Mama Zhao, adding a large number of fictional plots, shaping Mama Zhao into a complex literary image. The novel is not only cruel and tyrannical, but also full of wisdom and leadership, and this contradictory quality has sparked widespread discussion among readers. Although the novel did not cause much repercussions in the literary world, it was a bestseller in Shandong and was even adapted into a comic strip, further expanding the influence of Mama Zhao's story.
Over time, the story of Mama Zhao began to intertwine with other local legends. In the Yimeng Mountains, there is an ancient legend that tells the story of a female goblin who did a lot of evil and was finally subdued. By the 30s of the 20th century, this legendary female goblin had been equated by many with Mama Zhao. People began to add elements of Zhao Mama to the original legend, which gave this local legend a new lease of life.
Mama Zhao's influence even extends to the field of education. In the 30s and 40s of the 20th century, some rural schools in Shandong would use the story of Mama Zhao to educate students. Teachers portrayed Zhao as a negative example and warned students not to take the path of crime. While the effectiveness of this approach to education is debatable, it does allow Mama Zhao's story to continue to circulate among new generations.
However, Mama Zhao's influence is not limited to stories and legends. In the area where she is active, many villages have set up special defenses to prevent attacks by bandits like Zhao. These facilities include watchtowers, secret sentinels, underground passages, etc., some of which have been used since the founding of the People's Republic of China. These defense facilities have become a tangible "legacy" left by Mama Zhao to future generations.
Mama Zhao's story has also had an impact on local folklore. In some areas of southern Shandong, a special ritual is held on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month (also known as the Zhongyuan Festival), which is said to dispel the soul of Mama Zhao. The ritual, which involves burning paper money and beating gongs and drums, has survived as a tradition, although few people now believe that it can actually dispel the soul of Mama Zhao.
Even in the 21st century, the story of Mama Zhao is still widely known in the southern part of Shandong. Some local tourist attractions even use the legend of Mama Zhao as a selling point to attract tourists to visit. Although most of the "ruins of Mama Zhao" in these attractions are made up by later generations, they reflect the new meaning that Mama Zhao's story has gained in modern society.
The reason why Mama Zhao's story has been circulated among the people for a long time is largely because it reflects the various social problems of that turbulent era. Bandits are rampant, the government is incompetent, and the people are not able to make a living, these problems are all reflected in the story of Mama Zhao. For future generations, Mama Zhao's story is not only a thrilling history, but also a window into that era.
Although Mama Zhao has been dead for nearly a hundred years as a real historical figure, her influence as a cultural symbol is far from subsiding. In southern Shandong, the name "Zhao Mama" is still used to refer to those who do evil, especially women who do evil. Although this usage is overtly sexist, it reflects the enduring existence of Mama Zhao in folk memory.