Everyone in the world knows that Pi Dingjun is a generation of famous generals of our army, but few people know that he has such a tortuous story with Babaoshan. On July 7, 1976, this highly decorated general was tragically killed while inspecting the coastal front line in Fujian and died heroically. It stands to reason that a founding hero like Pi Dingjun should be buried in the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing. Fifteen years later, however, his ashes were removed from this resting place. Why is that? Is it for some political reason? Or is there something else hidden that no one knows?
Pi Dingjun's life can be called an inspirational epic from the countryside to the battlefield, from the ordinary to the legendary. In 1914, Pi Dingjun was born into a poor peasant family in Jinzhai County, Anhui Province. When he was a child, he lived a life of herding cattle and farming, just like thousands of peasant children. However, the gears of fate are quietly turning, waiting for this teenager to embark on a grand journey to change himself and change the country.
In 1928, at the age of 14, Pi Dingjun joined the Chinese Communist Youth League. This choice laid the foundation for his subsequent life trajectory. In that war-torn era, the seeds of revolution took root in the heart of the young Pidingjun. He first served as the leader of the Township Scouts' Squadron and then rose to the rank of the head of the County Scouts, showing extraordinary organizational and leadership skills.
In December 1929, at the age of 15, Pi Dingjun resolutely joined the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. From there, he began a decades-long military career. In the army, Pidin showed outstanding military talent and indomitable revolutionary will. He started as an ordinary soldier and gradually rose to the rank of squad leader, platoon leader, and company instructor. This experience not only tempered his military qualities, but also gave him a deep understanding of the life and needs of grassroots officers and soldiers, and laid a solid foundation for him to become an excellent general in the future.
In May 1935, Pi Dingjun took part in the world-famous Long March. During this arduous journey, he not only experienced the difficulties and dangers faced by the Red Army soldiers, but also sharpened his military talents in one battle after another. After the end of the Long March, Pi Dingjun successively served as deputy section chief, battalion commander, regiment commander and other positions, and gradually grew into an outstanding military commander.
After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Pi Dingjun threw himself into the battle against the Japanese without hesitation. In this war related to the survival of the nation, he commanded his troops to engage in fierce confrontations with the Japanese army many times, and made many military achievements. He led his troops deep behind enemy lines, waged guerrilla warfare, struck at the living forces of the Japanese army, and protected large areas of liberated areas. In this process, Pi Dingjun's military talent was fully displayed and tempered.
During the War of Liberation, Pi Dingjun showed his skills. He successively held important positions such as commander, army commander, and brigade commander, and commanded many major battles. Among them, the most praised is the Central Plains Breakout Campaign. In this battle, Pi Dingjun led more than 7,000 people to deal with dozens of times the enemy, showing excellent strategic vision and command art. He used the tactics of attacking from the east to the west, successfully mobilized and pinned down a large number of enemies, won valuable time for the transfer of the main force, and finally succeeded in breaking out of the encirclement. This battle not only established Pidingjun's prestige in the army, but also laid a solid foundation for his future promotion.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Pi Dingjun's military talent was fully affirmed by the party and the state. In 1955, Chairman Mao Zedong made an exception to confer the rank of Lieutenant General Pi Dingjun, which was the highest commendation for his outstanding military contributions over the years. After that, Pi Dingjun was elected as a deputy to the Third and Fourth National People's Congress, and became a member of the Ninth and Tenth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, playing an important role in the country's political life.
Pi Dingjun's life has grown from an ordinary cattle herding baby to a powerful founding general, and is the epitome of countless revolutionary ancestors who worked hard for the country and the people. His legendary experience not only highlights his outstanding talents, but also reflects the changes of an era and the struggle of a nation. The life of General Pi Dingjun is undoubtedly a wonderful chapter in China's revolution and construction.
The Central Plains Breakout Campaign was one of the most glorious chapters in General Pi Dingjun's military career. This battle, which took place from June to August 1946, not only demonstrated Pi Dingjun's outstanding military command skills, but also became an important turning point in the early days of the Liberation War, when the Chinese Communist army shifted from passive defense to active offensive.
In June 1946, the Kuomintang army launched a full-scale offensive, and more than 60,000 people of the Central Plains People's Liberation Army were besieged in a narrow strip east of the Pinghan Railway, centered on Xuanhuadian. This area is about 200 miles long from east to west and about 50 miles wide from north to south, and it is in a very dangerous situation. In this critical situation, Pi Dingjun was ordered to lead the 1st Brigade to take on the important task of buying time for the main force to break through.
In the face of an enemy dozens of times his size, Pi Dingjun did not flinch. He resolutely adopted a suspicious tactic to attack the west. The core of this tactic is to create the illusion that the main forces of our army are moving in a certain direction through the frequent actions of small forces, so as to attract the enemy's attention and strength and create conditions for a real breakthrough.
In carrying out this tactic, Piddingall displayed a great command art. He first chose Wujiadian as a place to rest. This choice takes into account both the practical needs of the troops and the strategic importance. On the evening of July 3, Pi Dingjun led his troops to the vicinity of Wujiadian. By this time, after a week of continuous marching and fighting, the warriors were exhausted, their dry rations were exhausted, and their shoes were worn out.
In order to successfully occupy Wujiadian, Pi Dingjun made an ingenious plan. He sent two plainclothes squads armed with pistols into the village, posing as Kuomintang army agents. These plainclothes officers succeeded in stabilizing the personnel of the township office and bought valuable time for the movement of the main force. Subsequently, Pi Dingjun commanded other troops to stand by at the main junctions and hills around Wujiadian. When the large army approached, they acted quickly, took control of the township office, captured the enemy's weapons, and successfully occupied Wujiadian.
During the rest and recuperation period in Wujiadian, Pi Ding did not forget to care about the interests of the masses. He ordered the surrounding granaries to be opened to help the poor, a move that won the support and love of the local people. This not only embodied Pi Dingjun's feelings for the people, but also created favorable conditions for the follow-up actions of the troops.
However, recuperation is not a long-term solution. The Kuomintang troops soon set up pocket formations in an attempt to block the breakthrough of the 1st Brigade. Faced with this situation, Pi Dingjun made a quick decision and decided to rush across the Wei River from Mozitan overnight. This was a challenging decision because it was the flood season and the water was deep and fast, making it extremely difficult to cross.
In order to accomplish this arduous task, Pideon has made a series of elaborate arrangements. He first sent out a plainclothes reconnaissance team and with great difficulty found 5 small boats. Although this was far from enough for the entire army to cross the river, Pidejun did not give up. He ordered some battalions to cross the river first to ensure the safety of the crossing, and at the same time arranged for the escort of lesbians and children to cross the river first. More importantly, he instructed the troops to continue the search for new crossings.
With the help of local villagers, the troops finally found a ferry with a low water level that could cross the river on foot. Pi Dingjun immediately organized the tall warriors to jump into the river, arm in arm, and formed a wall, so that the short comrades-in-arms could climb their bodies and cross the river. It is worth mentioning that Pi Dingjun himself also joined this "human wall" and fought at the forefront with the soldiers.
This kind of behavior of taking the lead in demonstrating not only embodied Pi Dingjun's style of sharing weal and woe with the soldiers, but also greatly boosted the morale of the whole army. Under his leadership, the entire unit successfully crossed the Wei River, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent breakthrough operation.
After the successful crossing of the river, Pi Dingjun did not stop. He continued to lead his troops eastward, with the goal of crossing the Tianjin-Pudong Railway. This was the most crucial step in the breakout, because the Tianjin-Pudong railway was an important communication line for the enemy, and it was heavily defended along the line.
In the face of this difficulty, Pi Dingjun once again showed superb strategic vision and tactical ability. He adopted the tactic of breaking up into pieces, dividing his troops into small groups and taking advantage of the cover of night to quietly penetrate the enemy's lines. This approach not only reduces the risk of detection, but also increases the success rate of the breakout.
Under the command of Pi Dingjun, the 1st Brigade finally succeeded in breaking out of the encirclement and completed this thrilling breakthrough in the Central Plains. This operation not only preserved valuable revolutionary forces, but also won the initiative for the subsequent counteroffensive. The military talent displayed by Pi Dingjun during this operation won him the reputation of "Commander Pi Yong" and laid a solid foundation for his future military career.
July 7, 1976 was a sad day for the Chinese People's Liberation Army. On this day, Pi Dingjun, the founding lieutenant general who had repeatedly performed miraculous feats on the battlefield, was unfortunately killed while inspecting the coastal front line in Fujian and died heroically. This general, who once created a miracle in the Central Plains Breakout, finally fell to his post on duty in peacetime, and interpreted with his life the solemn oath of a Communist Party member to "be ready to sacrifice everything for the party and the people."
Pi Dingjun's last mission was to inspect the coastal front line in Fujian. At that time, the situation in the Taiwan Strait was tense and the confrontation between the two sides of the strait was severe. As an experienced general, the purpose of Pidingjun's trip was to inspect the combat readiness of the front-line troops and prepare for possible military operations.
On July 6, Pi Dingjun arrived in Fujian. Although he is over 60 years old, he still maintains his usual style, asking to go to the front line and be on the ground. He politely refused the rest time arranged by his subordinates and insisted that the inspection work should begin immediately. In the afternoon of the same day, Pi Dingjun arrived at an outpost on the coast of Fujian. It is located at the forefront of coastal defense and is an important base for monitoring the situation in the Taiwan Strait.
At this outpost, Pi Dingjun carefully inspected the fortifications of the troops, inquired about the living conditions of the officers and men, and personally inspected the maintenance of weapons and equipment. In particular, he stressed the importance of heightened vigilance and called on the troops to maintain combat readiness at all times. That night, Pi Dingjun also held a brief meeting to listen to the reports of the front-line commanders on the current situation and put forward specific opinions on how to strengthen the defense deployment.
In the early morning of 7 July, Pi Dingjun woke up early to continue his inspection work. On this day, he plans to go to an observation post closer to the coastline. Most of these posts are built on cliffs, the terrain is steep and inaccessible, but they are the best places to monitor the movement of the sea.
At around 9 a.m., Pidingjun boarded a military jeep and headed along a rugged mountain road to his destination. He was accompanied by several guards and local guides. The weather was not ideal, with clouds and a howling sea breeze, as if to foreshadow some kind of foregoing.
The convoy had just reached the halfway point of the mountain when it suddenly encountered a sudden landslide. A large amount of mud and rocks poured down the hillside, blocking the road in an instant. The driver tried to brake hard and turn the front of the car, but on narrow mountain roads, this was an almost impossible task.
At this critical moment, Pideon showed the decisiveness and bravery of an old soldier. According to the surviving guards, Pi Dingjun shouted: "Jump out of the car!" Immediately, he pushed open the door and tried to take the lead in jumping out of the car. However, at this very moment, another wave of even bigger landslides hit. A huge mudslide engulfed the vehicle and pushed it off the cliff.
The guards fought hard to find the body, but in the end only Pi Dingjun's body was found. This general, who once died in the rain of bullets, finally fell on the road of duty in peacetime. He used his life to interpret the boundless loyalty of a Communist Party member to the party and the people.
Pi Dingjun's sacrifice caused a huge shock throughout the army. Many of his old comrades-in-arms who had worked with him wept silently when they heard the news. They recalled Pidingjun's heroic performance during the war years and his tremendous contribution to army building in peacetime, and felt that this was an irreparable loss.
After learning the news, the Central Military Commission immediately made a decision to posthumously recognize Pi Ding as a revolutionary martyr and decided to hold a grand memorial service for him. At the memorial service, many high-ranking generals were present to pay their respects to the highly decorated general.
At the memorial service, an old comrade-in-arms who has worked with Pi Dingjun for many years said: "Comrade Pi Dingjun has struggled for the cause of the party and the people all his life. He was born and died during the war years, worked diligently in peacetime, and until the last moment of his life, he was still running for the cause of national defense. His spirit will always inspire us to move forward. "
According to the regulations, a founding hero like Pi Dingjun should be buried in the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing. Therefore, after the memorial service, Pi Dingjun's ashes were buried in Babaoshan. However, this is not the final resting place of Pidingjun. Fifteen years later, an unexpected decision will change all that, and Pi Dingjun's ashes will leave Babaoshan and embark on a journey back home. What is the story behind this decision? What kind of spirit does it embody? This requires further exploration.
In 1991, a seemingly ordinary but significant decision was made in Beijing: General Pi Dingjun's ashes were removed from the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery and sent back to his hometown of Huoqiu County, Anhui Province, for burial. This decision not only reflects respect for Pi Dingjun's last wishes, but also vividly interprets the deep affection between the people's general and the masses.
Before his death, Pi Dingjun expressed many hopes to return to his roots and return to his hometown, where he was born and raised. However, according to convention, a founding hero like Pi Dingjun should be buried in the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing. Therefore, after Pi Dingjun's death in 1976, his ashes were buried in Babaoshan.
Fifteen years later, Pi Dingjun's family and the people of his hometown have repeatedly applied to the relevant authorities to relocate Pi Dingjun's ashes back to Huoqiu. This request has been valued and supported by the Central Military Commission. After careful consideration, the decision was finally made to agree to the relocation.
On October 15, 1991, on a sunny autumn day, Pi Dingjun's urn was carefully removed from the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery. At the time, the staff involved in the process recalled: "We all felt a sense of solemnity and sacredness, as if we were fulfilling an important mission. "
The urn was packed into a custom-made mahogany box and escorted by Pi Dingjun's relatives and military representatives on the way home. Although the distance from Beijing to Huoqiu in Anhui Province is only a few hundred kilometers, it carries the expectations and respect of countless people.
At each major city along the way, the local government and military will send representatives to greet them. In Hefei, the leaders of Anhui Province personally came to greet them. A staff member who was present at the reception recalled: "The scene of that day was unforgettable, and although General Pi Dingjun had been dead for many years, people's respect for him had not diminished in the slightest. "
On October 17, Pi Dingjun's ashes finally arrived in Huoqiu County. When the news spread, tens of thousands of people spontaneously gathered on both sides of the main streets of the county seat, waiting to greet the hero of his hometown. Many elderly people held flowers in their hands and burst into tears. An elderly man in his 80s told reporters: "I met Commander Pi when I was young, and he was kind to our people. To be able to see him come back today with my own eyes, I am also dumbfounded. "
In the greeting procession, there is a special group of people who stand out. They were veterans who followed Pi Dingjun to participate in the revolution, and many of them were already in their old age. Some of them came from other places to see off the old leader for the last time. An old soldier trembled and said, "Commander Pi, you are finally home. We've been waiting for you for a long time. "
The burial ceremony was held in the Huoqiu County Martyrs Cemetery. It is not only a sacred place to commemorate the revolutionary martyrs, but also a place where Pi Dingjun expressed his hope for rest many times during his lifetime. In the cemetery, a newly built tombstone stands quietly, engraved with the words "Tomb of Comrade Pi Dingjun, the Founding Lieutenant General".
The burial ceremony was solemn. Amid the mournful music of the marching band, Pi Dingjun's urn was slowly lowered into the tomb. The people who participated in the ceremony stood in silence to pay their last respects to this hero who sacrificed his life for his country.
After the ceremony, many local people did not leave, but stopped in front of the tomb for a long time. Some people offered flowers, some bowed silently, and some whispered about their nostalgia for Pi Dingjun. A fellow villager said: "Commander Pi is back, and our village people will have a place to go in the future, so we can often come to see him and talk to him." "
The return of Pi Dingjun's ashes is not only a person's home, but also a return to history. It embodies the respect of the party and the state for the feelings of the masses at the grassroots level, and also demonstrates the deep feelings between Pi Dingjun and the masses.
In the days that followed, Pi Dingjun's cemetery became an important memorial site in Huoqiu County. Every year on the Qingming Festival and Pi Dingjun's death day, a large number of people spontaneously come to pay respects. The local government also uses it as a patriotic education base, and often organizes students to visit and study here.
The story of Pi Dingjun has been passed down in this way. His spirit is also alive and well in the hot land of his hometown. As one local cadre put it, "General Pi Dingjun's ashes returned to Huoqiu, but his spirit has been integrated into the land and has become a force that inspires future generations to move forward." "
The return of Pi Dingjun's ashes is not only a person's return, but also a spiritual inheritance. It shows us that even in times of peace, the spirit of our revolutionary forefathers can still inspire and inspire future generations. This spiritual power has far transcended the boundaries of time and space and has become an important driving force for social progress.
After General Pi Dingjun's ashes returned to his hometown, his spirit did not fall silent, but radiated new vitality in the hot land of his hometown. From 1991 to the present, the spirit of Pidingjun has been widely inherited and carried forward in Huoqiu, Anhui Province and even across the country. This inheritance is not only reflected in people's remembrance of him, but also in the understanding and practice of his spiritual essence.
The Huoqiu County Government has established the "Pidingjun Memorial Hall" around the Pidingjun cemetery. The memorial hall is different from the traditional exhibition hall in that it uses modern multimedia technology to vividly recreate the life story of Pi Dingjun. Through interactive displays, visitors can "experience" Pideon's hard years during the war years and feel his firm belief in the revolutionary cause.
In 2001, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of Pi Dingjun's birth, Huoqiu County held a series of commemorative activities. The local school organized students to participate in a speech contest with the theme of "Learning the Spirit of Pidingjun". In his speech, one of the high school students who participated in the competition said: "General Pi Dingjun taught us to closely link our personal ideals with the destiny of our country. In times of peace, we should study hard and contribute our own strength to the development of the country. "
In 2006, the Anhui Provincial Party Committee decided to carry out the activity of "learning from Pi Dingjun and striving to be an outstanding Communist Party member in the new era" throughout the province. This activity is not limited to party members and cadres, but also extends to the general public. In Huoqiu County, many rural grassroots party organizations have taken Piding as an example and actively carried out the work of helping the poor and the needy. A village party secretary said in an interview: "When we learn from General Pi Dingjun, we should always keep the interests of the masses in mind as he did. "
In 2011, in order to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Pi Dingjun's birth, the Central Military Commission specially approved the filming of the movie "Founding General Pi Dingjun" at Beijing Bayi Film Studio. This film not only reproduces Pi Dingjun's heroic deeds, but also focuses on his deep feelings for the people. After the film was released nationwide, it caused a strong response. Many viewers said that through this film, they have a deeper understanding of what a real people's army is.
In 2016, in the national promotion of "two studies and one doing" learning and education activities, the spirit of Pi Dingjun once again became one of the key contents of learning. Party organizations in various localities have thoroughly studied Pi Dingjun's revolutionary spirit and fine style by organizing visits to the Pi Dingjun Memorial Hall, watching documentaries, and holding special lectures. A young party member who participated in the event said: "By studying the deeds of General Pi Dingjun, I have a better understanding of my responsibilities and mission as a Communist Party member. "
In 2018, the Huoqiu County Government launched the "Pi Dingjun Spirit into Campus" activity. This activity aims to integrate the spirit of Pi Dingjun into the moral education of the school. Activities include inviting Pi Dingjun's descendants to give a report on campus, organizing students to visit the Pi Dingjun Memorial Hall, and compiling a reading book on Pi Dingjun's deeds. One of the teachers who participated in the preparation of the book said, "We hope that through these activities, the spirit of General Pi Dingjun will take root in the hearts of the younger generation. "
In 2020, during the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, the medical team of Huoqiu County specially carried a flag printed with Pi Dingjun's head when they rushed to Wuhan. A doctor said in an interview: "We carry the banner of General Pi Dingjun to learn from his spirit of not being afraid of sacrifice and dedication, and to charge forward on the front line of the fight against the epidemic." "
In 2021, on the occasion of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, Pi Dingjun, as a representative of the founding generals of Anhui, his deeds were included in the book "Anhui History of the Communist Party of China". This book has been widely distributed in Anhui Province and has become an important textbook for the study and education of party history.
In 2023, the Huoqiu County Government and the Anhui Provincial Military Region will hold a theme activity of "Inheriting the Red Gene and Promoting the Spirit of Pidingjun". During the event, representatives of outstanding veterans from all over the province gathered in Huoqiu to review the oath of joining the party, visit the Pi Dingjun Memorial Hall, and have a discussion and exchange with local youth. During the exchange, a retired soldier said: "The spirit of General Pi Dingjun is not only a precious wealth of our retired soldiers, but also an example that the whole society should learn from. "
The inheritance and development of Pi Dingjun's spirit is not only a commemoration of a person, but also the inheritance of a spirit. It embodies the fine traditions of the Chinese Communists and also demonstrates the vitality of the revolutionary spirit in the new era. This spirit is like a banner that guides future generations to continue to advance under the new historical conditions.
More than 30 years have passed since the ashes of General Pi Dingjun returned to his hometown in 1991. In the past 30 years, the spirit of Pi Dingjun has been continuously endowed with new connotations of the times, and has become an important spiritual force that inspires the Chinese people to strive for progress in the new era. Its inheritance and development is not only a respect for history, but also a choice for the future.