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In the summer of 1961, the scenery of Lushan was picturesque and full of greenery. Here, an important political meeting is being carried out intensely. Zhou Enlai, China's premier, dressed in a neat tunic suit, was in deep discussions with delegates from all over the country about the country's future. However, in the midst of this discussion about the fate of the country, Premier Zhou was interrupted by the unexpected news that he had discovered a long-lost relative near Lushan, who turned out to be his childhood playmate and cousin Wan Zhen.
During the break in the meeting, Premier Zhou decided to visit his long-lost relative. Fifty years have passed, what kind of ups and downs and changes have they experienced?
The childhood of Premier Zhou and Wan Zhen
In the summer of 1904, Zhou Enlai and his mother came to Qingjiangpu, Jiangsu, which was his grandmother's home. Qingjiangpu, a typical water town in the south of the Yangtze River, with winding rivers and stone bridges, is quiet and leisurely in every household. The arrival of Zhou Enlai brought new vitality to this peaceful town.
His cousin, Wan Zhen, was a lively little girl, two years younger than Zhou Enlai. Her skin looks extra dark from playing in the sun for long periods of time, which is why she is affectionately called "Kuroko" by her family. The two children soon became good friends who talked about everything, chasing each other in the fields, catching fish together by the river, and the happy childhood time flowed through their playfulness.
In those days, children in small towns had very few toys and most games were invented by themselves. Zhou Enlai and Wan Zhen are no exception, they often lead other friends to play games such as "playing house" and "hide and seek". Since Wan Zhen is a winning general in the game, the children gave her the nickname "Little Black General".
Premier Zhou's impartiality and persistence
In 1907, when Zhou Enlai began his traditional education in a private school, he noticed an inequality that was prevalent in his hometown. In this era, boys were taken for granted to study, while girls were not considered necessary to receive an education. Zhou Enlai's cousin, Wan Zhen, was denied this right because of her gender, although she had a keen interest in learning.
At that time, the boys would go to the private school every morning with their school bags on their backs, while the girls would stay at home to help with household chores or learn needlework. Wan Zhen watched Zhou Enlai and other boys go to school every day, but she could only embroider or help with housework at home, a difference that made Zhou Enlai feel unfair.
Against this background, Zhou Enlai decided to take action. He first tried to change this by having a dialogue with the elders in his family. He proposed to his grandmother that education should not be gender-specific, and Wanzhen should also enjoy the right to learn. The first few conversations did not change the grandmother's opinion, which insisted that girls did not need to study more and that marrying and doing housework was the right way to go.
However, Zhou Enlai did not give up. He used what he learned in private school, such as female heroes in history and praise of intellectual women in literature, to win the opportunity for Manzhen to learn. He explained to his grandmother the importance of education for personal growth, and even quoted the views of ancient literati to support his own claims, such as "a woman is virtuous if she is not talented", which is actually a constraint on women's potential.
Over time, Zhou Enlai's persistence began to affect the rest of the family. His mother was also gradually infected by his ideas and began to support Wan Jung's idea of receiving an education. The mother's attitude shifted and added new impetus to the discussion. Eventually, with Zhou Enlai's continuous efforts and support from within the family, Grandma began to reconsider her position.
After a series of family meetings and discussions, the grandmother was finally moved by Zhou Enlai's sincerity and reason, and agreed to let Wanzhen go to a private school to study.
Wan Zhen's growth and sacrifice
In 1910, when spring was getting stronger, Zhou Enlai's study plan had been decided, and he was about to leave Qingjiangpu and go to another country to continue his studies. In the spring of that year, Wan Zhen learned the news. Although her learning path was much more difficult than Zhou Enlai's, and her learning opportunities were relatively limited, she never stopped her pursuit of knowledge and has been helping to do some manual work at home to support the family.
When she learned that Zhou Enlai was about to leave home for a foreign country, Wan Zhen decided to make him a special gift - a pair of hand-knitted socks.
In the process of making socks, Wan Zhen is very attentive. She first wraps cotton threads around wooden spools and then carefully knits them with wooden needles. The stitches are even and tight, and each stitch and thread reveals her carefulness and patience. She opted for traditional knitting patterns to keep the socks warm and breathable, suitable for Zhou Enlai in different climates.
After the socks were finished, Wan Zhen carefully washed them with clean water, and after drying, she folded them neatly and put them in a small package. On the day before parting, Wan Zhen handed this small package to Zhou Enlai, although it did not describe Wan Zhen's psychological activities, but this act fully expressed her concern and blessing to Zhou Enlai.
Zhou Enlai left Qingjiangpu with this special gift, while Wan Zhen continued her life in her hometown. A few years later, under the arrangement of her family and matchmaker, Wan Zhen married a Jiangxi man. Life after marriage was not exactly what she wanted, especially when her desire to have children of her own did not come true. Faced with such a predicament, Wan Zhen and her husband made an important decision, they chose to inherit her husband's nephew as an heir in order to continue the family incense.
During the years when Zhou Enlai was studying abroad, although he had little contact with Wan Zhen, he always remembered the pair of socks that his sister gave him, as well as the warmth and affection of the family behind them. These socks have been one of his most prized belongings during his long journey to school. Although Wan Zhen lives in Jiangxi, Zhong Zezhu, who she and her husband raised together, has gradually grown into the hope of the family, continuing the wishes and responsibilities of two generations.
The years of reunion - Lushan in 1961
In August 1961, Zhou Enlai's political conference in Lushan was tense and busy. During a break, a staff member accidentally mentioned Wan Zhen's residence, which surprised Zhou Enlai to learn the whereabouts of his cousin, who had not been seen for many years. Fifty years have passed like a white horse, and from the carefree days of their childhood to the present, times have changed dramatically.
After learning the news that Wan Zhen lived near Lushan, Zhou Enlai immediately arranged time to visit. He rode to Wan Zhen's home, the scenery outside the car window changed all the way, and his heart was full of reliving the old family affection. When the vehicle slowly stopped in front of Wan Zhen's house, Premier Zhou's footsteps seemed unusually calm.
Premier Zhou walked into the foyer, and the first thing that caught his eye was the warm living room of Wan Zhen's house, although the furniture was simple, it revealed the warmth of home. Wan Zhen slowly walked out of the inner room with the support of her son, and the eyes of the two met at this moment, and the air seemed to be filled with the precipitation of the years and the emotion of reunion after a long absence.
Premier Zhou took a few steps forward and greeted softly: "Sister, I haven't seen you for many years, are you okay?" There was concern and warmth in his voice. His greeting was simple but straight to the heart, Wan Zhen listened to it, her expression was very pleased, and she responded: "Seventh brother, I didn't expect to see you here, I'm fine." Although the language is concise, it is enough to express her emotions and memories.
After a brief reminiscence, Premier Zhou asked Wan Zhen about her life and cared about her health and life details. He said: "Sister, if there is any difficulty or need help in life, just tell me. ”
Wan Zhen paid tribute to Premier Zhou for his political achievements and briefly shared his daily life, mentioning the family's garden and the growth of his grandchildren. After hearing this, Premier Zhou showed his appreciation for family life, encouraged Wan Zhen to continue to maintain an optimistic attitude towards life, and promised to visit him often.
The admonition and expectation of life
As the meeting drew to a close, the conversation between Zhou Enlai and Wan Zhen gradually lowered in volume, and a warm and slightly sad atmosphere filled the air. Premier Zhou stood up and prepared to say goodbye. He walked towards Wan Zhen, reached out his hand, and took her hand again. This handshake was more affectionate than the usual greeting, and his palm was warm and firm, as if he wanted to pass on his years of care and concern to this long-lost relative.
"Sister, you have to take good care of your body." Zhou Enlai's voice was soft and firm, and the corners of his eyes flashed with a moist light, which seemed extremely sincere. His fingers clenched slightly, as if to emphasize the importance of the sentence. This simple sentence is not only an ordinary concern for health, but also a deep concern and hope, hoping that Wanzhen can stay healthy and enjoy every day in the future.
Then, Zhou Enlai smiled slightly, trying to ease the heavy atmosphere of the imminent parting, and he continued: "If you have the opportunity, you are welcome to come to Beijing for a walk." The "if there is a chance" in this sentence is not only a politeness, but also a sincere invitation and expectation. He hopes that one day in the future, he will be able to spend more time with Wan Zhen in Beijing, the heart of the new China, so that she can witness the changes and achievements of this country.
After these words, Zhou Enlai once again held Wan Zhen's hand tightly, his eyes firm and affectionate. He slowly let go of his hand and gently patted the back of Wan Zhen's hand, as if to say silently, "Don't worry, everything will be fine." Then he turned and walked towards the door, his steps steady, each step feeling extra heavy.
At the door, Zhou Enlai glanced back and saw Wan Zhen standing in the center of the room, her figure looking particularly kind in the warm light. At this moment, although there are no words, the air is full of self-evident emotional exchange.
As the car door closed gently, the vehicle slowly drove out of the courtyard of Wan Zhen's house, and Zhou Enlai's heart was full of cherishing this brief reunion and looking forward to meeting again in the future. Although he has the responsibility of the country and the precious time, this family reunion made him feel the importance of family and the power of family affection again. He hopes that no matter how things change in the future, this family relationship can last forever and never change.
References:[1]Zhou Haibin. Zhou Enlai was strict with relatives[J].Communist Party Member,2012(7):64-64