"Articles to serve the country": a hundred years of looking back on "Ta Kung Pao"

1. The "Big Mac" in the "Dwarf Country"

In 1958, Mao Zedong said to Wu Lengxi, then editor-in-chief of the People's Daily, "Zhang Jiluan and these people have some ways to run a newspaper. Our newspapers have their own traditions, and we must maintain and carry forward the fine traditions, but other people's newspapers, such as Ta Kung Pao before liberation, also have their good experiences, and we must learn from what is beneficial to us. ”

What is the "good experience" of Ta Kung Pao? What kind of tradition has been left behind? In May 1931, Hu Shih wrote an article for the 10,000th commemorative issue of Ta Kung Pao, saying that Ta Kung Pao had become "the best newspaper in China" "only because he had fulfilled two minimum newspaper duties during these years: the first was to publish accurate news, and the second was to publish responsible commentary." One sentence accurately grasped the lifeblood of "Ta Kung Pao".

Since June 17, 1902, when Ying Yongzhi founded Ta Kung Pao in the Tianjin Concession, in 1926, Zhang Jiluan, Hu Zhengzhi, and Wu Dingchang joined hands to create a new situation in Ta Kung Pao, put forward the "four noes" policy, and opened up a "new path" for the century-old newspaper industry, and in May 1941, when it won the worldwide honor, Ta Kung Pao pushed the tradition of "literati discussing politics" of Chinese non-governmental newspapers to its peak, and became the "Big Mac" (Hu Shih's words) in the "Dwarf Country" and the "pillar" of public opinion (Fan Xudong's words). United States certificate from the University of Missouri School of Journalism said:

"During the long period when China was confronted with serious situations at home and abroad, Ta Kung Pao's coverage of domestic and international news was always full and concise, and its brave and sharp editorials had a great influence on domestic public opinion. Since its founding in 1902, the newspaper has always adhered to a liberal and progressive policy. During the long period, he has always been able to adhere to his tradition of positive journalism; Despite economic difficulties, inconveniences in opportunities, and external threats, it can still increase its prestige. …… Maintain its position as the most respected, inspiring and editorial among Chinese newspapers. The history of struggle since its founding has shed light in the history of Chinese journalism, and there is no one who can be stubborn. ”

"This is the only time that a Chinese newspaper has won the International Medal of Honor." Zhang Jiluan faced a huge honor and issued an editorial on the "Statement of the Fellow Society":

"In principle, China Newspaper is an organ for literati to discuss politics, not an industrial organ...... Taking this newspaper as an example, if this newspaper still has little value, it is that although it operates according to business, it can still maintain its original appearance as a literati in discussing politics. ”

In an "era of great turmoil," Ta Kung Pao has always "maintained the true face of the literati in discussing politics," tried to "use the power of public opinion to correct the mistakes, darkness, and crimes of this era," and constantly "made responsible comments." This is the tradition of the literati running newspapers since Wang Tao and Liang Qichao, and it is also the tradition of "Ta Kung Pao," and it is the key to the popularity of "Ta Kung Pao" in China in troubled times for several decades. Looking back over the past 100 years, we are still proud, excited, sad, and even depressed.

2. The "four noes" of the ancients

One hundred years ago, the "Ta Kung Pao" was founded at the beginning of Yingji, with the purpose of "opening up the atmosphere and cultivating the wisdom of the people", unveiling the banner of "Dagong", and was known for being unbiased and outspoken in the last days of the decadent and dark imperial dynasty. Xiong Shaohao pointed out in "The Story of Northern Newspapers in the Past 50 Years" that "at the beginning of the establishment of Ta Kung Pao, its purpose was pure, its remarks were fierce, and its reputation rose for a while.

He was bought by a certain party, and his business days were scattered, and his sales were declining. But its spirit of "speaking out" has long been remembered.

"It is not difficult to run a newspaper, it is difficult to last for a long time, and those who can carry forward it without moving can be especially difficult." In the history of China's newspaper industry, it has been able to go through vicissitudes and change hands several times, persist and carry forward, and should be the first to recommend "Ta Kung Pao" in several eras. On September 1, 1926, Ta Kung Pao finally resumed its publication after a one-year hiatus, publishing the "Purpose of the Society" (signed by "Ta Kung Pao Reporter of Xinji Company") written by Zhang Jiluan, putting forward the unprecedented "four noes" policy:

"No. 1 is not a party. The party is not contemptible. Every country has a party, and all countries have a party newspaper. Those who are not party clouds hereby declare that this agency has no connection with the rehearsal of various party lords in China. However, the non-party does not mean neutrality, nor does it mean that it is hostile to the party system. Now that the country is falling apart, the country is not a country, and we have room for neutrality? Since all parties are Chinese people, we are not a party, so in principle, we regard all parties as equals, and express our opinions purely as citizens, and there are no preconceptions or backgrounds. Whoever acts for the benefit of the country, we will support it; Those who harm the country will be corrected. Reluctantly adhere to the end of the discussion, in order to show the public of right and wrong, the wish of the mere is to carry on.

Second, it is not sold. If you want to be independent, your economy will be self-existent. Therefore, we declare that we do not trade words as a trade. In other words, it is not subject to all monetary subsidies of a political nature, and it does not accept political investment. It is my words that may not be limited by knowledge and feelings, and not by money. For the people of the whole country, except for the relationship between compatriots, everything is equal to a blank slate, and I hope that it will continue to grow and develop by relying on the sympathy of the public.

Third, selfishness. Our fellow employees have no selfish intentions other than being willing to be loyal to the inherent duties of the newspaper. In other words, the newspaper has no private use, and is willing to open it to the whole country and make it a public mouthpiece.

Fourth, not blind. Those who are not blind are not boasting of their own understanding, but of self-encouragement. The husband echoes the voice, which is called blind obedience; Half-understanding is blind faith; Moved by emotion, without seeking in detail, it is called blind movement; Fierce criticism and ignorance of the facts are called blind contention. I don't know what I do, and I don't want to be blind. ”

In the years when the wind and rain were like darkness and the roosters were crowing, and not long after the tragic murder of Shao Piaoping and Lin Baishui, with such a "four noes" commitment, it was possible for people to understand the "definite news" and read the "responsible commentary." This is a blessing in misfortune and a bright color of a nation that has suffered many disasters. It was precisely because of this that Ta Kung Pao quickly "turned from a local newspaper into a national organ of public opinion" (Hu Shih). Since the emergence of modern newspapers, neither Shanghai's "Declaration", "Shibao", "Xinbao", nor Beijing's "Morning Post" have had such a lasting and profound impact on China as Ta Kung Pao. Hu Zhengzhi, general manager and deputy editor-in-chief of Ta Kung Pao, as a non-governmental newspaper run by the same people, often said that they are "literati discussing politics" and "asking for life for the people", and speech has always been its lifeline.

"The first is 'public', which refers to selfless motives, and tries to put aside 'me' in the commentary of the issue and discuss it objectively. The second is 'sincerity', which refers to sincerity, doing one's best in research, knowing the number of benefits and losses, and making sincere remarks for the country. The third is bravery, which refers to the courage to publish, including the two meanings of 'not afraid of power' and 'not flattering fashion'. Pay attention to the responsibility of politics and the responsibility of social support. ”

Ta Kung Pao's actions are, in fact, a fruitful attempt by Chinese newspapers to become the "fourth power." Today, when we re-read those comments that have excited an era, we will still be infected by their selflessness, sincerity and courage, in their view, this is "the duty of modern newspapers", which embodies their interest in "serving the society", in their own words, that is, "deeply cherishing the ambition of serving the country with articles", and there is no pursuit of personal self-interest, Zhang Jiluan's article "Selflessness and Selflessness" makes it very clear "Fundamentally, newspapers belong to the public, not to 'me'. For example, when you make a claim, of course, you advocate for the sake of the claim, and do not mix it with your own reputation or interests. Moreover, we must avoid our own likes and dislikes, loves and hates, and do not let our feelings dominate our opinions. He not only practiced but also directly influenced the later Ta Kung Pao people, and now "Ji Luan Wencun" and "Yunsheng Wencun" have long become classics.

3. From Zhang Jiluan to Wang Yunsheng

Needless to say, Zhang Jiluan's three "scoldings," his protest against the massacre of young people, and his clear opposition to the KMT's "ruling the country with the party." After "September · 18", he published an editorial entitled "Hope for the Great Enlightenment of All Parties, Military and Political Parties" and said sharply - "The country has suffered such a strange humiliation today, and the people have suffered such a strange calamity. On May 5, 1932, the Kuomintang authorities were forced to sign the Shanghai Armistice Agreement with Japan, and two days later the "Ta Kung Pao" published an editorial entitled "May the People Ask Themselves at Night" directly pointing out that "all the sins of the upper class" were "the sins of the upper class": "The people who are in power today, those who have been engaged in revolutionaries in the past, are able to reflect on themselves and work together with the people, fortunately." Otherwise, it is hoped that the majority of the people will do their own thing. …… The real cause of saving the country must be accomplished by the people themselves in the end. As for those who are now in a superior position in society, if they do not work quickly, they will be eliminated. ”

After 1944, Wang Yunsheng began to severely criticize current affairs in Chongqing's "Ta Kung Pao", and on December 4, the day before the Japanese invaders occupied Dushan, he published an editorial strongly criticizing the Kuomintang government, opposing "exchanging space for time", and advocating a thorough political reform...... accommodating non-Party members to participate in State Affairs and Policy ......"; 2. "Declare that the party question has been resolved on the general principle of democratic unity, unity, and the War of Resistance"; 3. "Announce further cooperation with allies who are enthusiastic about helping me". At the same time, he called on Chiang Kai-shek to personally go to Guiyang to supervise the war. In the editorial "Chao Cuo and Ma Tan" on December 22, he put forward the idea of "removing the power minister" and "killing the defeated general", and the spearhead was directly aimed at Kong Xiangxi and He Yingqin.

Over the past 20 years and more, Ta Kung Pao has never given up the consciousness of supervision by public opinion and has maintained its original features of "literati discussing politics." Even in December 1935, Tianjin's Ta Kung Pao published the sensational travel newsletter "The Northwest Corner of China" by the young Fan Changjiang, and the newsletter "Chongqing Hundred Notes" written by the female journalist Peng Zigang for Guilin's Ta Kung Pao, vividly exposing the darkness of society and the shady scenes of officialdom. As early as April 11, June 6, 1930, and March 12, 1931, Ta Kung Pao objectively reported the Red Army and distributed short commentaries praising the Red Army's discipline. On September 2, 1945, Ta Kung Pao reporters reported on the signing ceremony of the surrender of Japan on the Missouri, which was also different from other newspapers. At the end of the ceremony, although shrouded in a frenzied atmosphere of victory, Xu Yongchang, director of the Kuomintang government's military command, told reporters in a "heavy tone" and with emotion: "Today, both Japan and the surrendered countries should repent. ”

On November 22, 1945, Shanghai's Ta Kung Pao, which had just resumed publication, truthfully reported a manifesto of cultural circles signed by intellectuals such as Li Jianwu, Jin Zhonghua, Zhou Jianren, Xu Boxin, Ma Xulun, Tang Tao, Xu Guangping, and Fu Lei, calling for the immediate abolition of the censorship system, the prohibition of all illegal confiscation of books and periodicals, and the restoration of complete freedom of speech and publication. On July 8, 1948, the Kuomintang brazenly seized the 20-year-old non-governmental newspaper "Xinmin Bao" in Nanjing, and on the 10th, Shanghai's "Ta Kung Pao" published an editorial written by Wang Yunsheng entitled "Xinmin Bao Suspends Publication and Discusses the Publication Law". Subsequently, he published a paper by 24 people from the press, culture, and legal circles, including Mao Jianwu, Cao Juren, and Hu Daojing, entitled "Opposing the Government's Unconstitutionality and Destroying Press Freedom, and Protesting Against the Suspension of Nanjing Xinmin Daily." During the great turmoil of the late 40s of the 20th century, Ta Kung Pao reported almost all the bad acts of violating human rights and preying on the people, and openly expressed its attitude (such as "Don't Lose the Hearts of the People" and "Appeal for the People of Jiangsu and Zhejiang" and other comments).

IV. "Independent Personality" and "Independent Voice"

Such remarks and reports not only often offend the powerful and the imperial court, but also have been fiercely criticized by the Communist Party.

In 1930, because of its objective coverage of the Central Plains War, Ta Kung Pao was not tolerated by the warlords of the south and the north, and was detained in the south of Chiang Kai-shek (because on April 7, it published in full a telegram led by Lu Zhonglin, a general of the Feng and Yan factions, to persuade Chiang Kai-shek to go to the wilderness, which included the sentence "The commentator said that the good words are finished by the gentleman, and the evil deeds are exhausted by the gentleman"), and was "warned" in Pingjin, which was controlled by Yan Xishan. To this end, Ta Kung Pao issued a public notice on April 24, announcing the contents of the "warning" and declaring: "This newspaper will never change its independent and impartial stance, and will never accept bribes and subsidies from any quarter." Although the local government decree is willing to be obeyed, it is only natural for the government to understand it or not. The next day, he published an editorial entitled "The Public Suing the Public", once again emphasizing the theme of "not selling", and its reputation was shocked, and in less than half a year, the circulation rose from 30,000 to 50,000.

On December 3, 1935, Zhang Jiluan published an editorial "Don't Promote the Split of the Country", which unceremoniously criticized Song Zheyuan, which angered the number one person in Pingjin who held great power, and was suspended from posting. Nanjing and posters commented in solidarity, but it was not lifted until December 12.

In February 1943, when Wang Yunsheng published a tear-jerking editorial entitled "Looking at Chongqing, Reading the Central Plains", Chiang Kai-shek was furious and ordered Ta Kung Pao to suspend publication for three days.

On June 23, 1946, Gao Ji, a reporter for Ta Kung Pao, was beaten and injured in the "Xiaguan Massacre".

In 1947, eight reporters of the Chongqing edition of Ta Kung Pao and their families, Tang Zhenchang, a reporter of the Shanghai edition, and Chen Fan, a special correspondent in Guangzhou, were arrested one after another.

This was the inevitable outcome of Ta Kung Pao's insistence on "literati discussing politics", reporting "definite news", and publishing "responsible comments", and finally even Wang Yunsheng was scolded in an editorial in the Kuomintang "Central Daily" on December 30, 1947 for publishing an editorial sympathetic to the student movement. In July 1948, he successively published editorials such as "The Privileges of the Opposition Party" and "Wang Yunsheng's Third Investigation", accusing Wang Yunsheng of being "the echo worm of the Xinhua News Agency".

Guilin's Ta Kung Pao declared war on corruption, and the authorities came to the newspaper several times to arrest people, but Xu Zhucheng said that he wrote the article and would arrest him if he wanted to.

Hu Zhengzhi said: "He is our man, and I am responsible for publishing the article in our newspaper." "I didn't tell a word afterwards.

This is how Ta Kung Pao calmly confronts power.

Ta Kung Pao has long adhered to the state-centered theory, and its choice has forever been recorded in the annals of the National War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression at a critical juncture when foreign enemies invade and the nation lives and dies. From 1931, when Tianjin's "Ta Kung Pao" made the decision to "fight a war of shame and religion" and published a long series of Wang Yunsheng's "China and Japan in the Past 60 Years," to December 14, 1937, when Shanghai was reduced to an "isolated island," Ta Kung Pao refused to submit it for inspection, categorically suspended publication, and at the same time published two resounding commentaries entitled "Farewell to Shanghai Readers" and "On Non-Surrender": "We are Chinese, we run a Chinese newspaper, and we will not surrender and we will not be humiliated. ”

From Zhang Jiluan's series of shocking and influential editorials published in Wuhan's Ta Kung Pao to December 13, 1941, on the eve of the fall of Hong Kong, Ta Kung Pao bid farewell to its readers and promised to "keep Dan's heart and sweat". Hu Zhengzhi even said that we should eat arsenic and poison the tiger to avenge the country.

Wang Yunsheng said, "As the spokesperson of a non-governmental newspaper, I must maintain my independent personality, so that I can have an independent right to speak, I can be qualified to tell the truth, and I can laugh and scold the Kuomintang." At the same time, it has always been my principle that both the KMT and the CPC must be treated the same. Although Ta Kung Pao was full of hope for the KMT-CPC negotiations in Chongqing, and Wang Yunsheng wrote enthusiastic editorials such as "Mr. Mao Zedong is here," calling them "a great reunion" and a "great happy event," as soon as the results of the negotiations were announced, his attitude became very calm -- "After reading it, his thoughts rose and fell, and although he had mixed feelings, he could not say for a while, whether he was satisfied or disappointed, and he only felt great hope, and there was no need to make a light judgment." On October 25, 1945, he published "Anxious for Traffic", and on November 20, he published an editorial entitled "Quality of the Communist Party". The next day, Xinhua Daily published an editorial entitled "Discussing the Matter of the State with Ta Kung Pao," which was severely refuted. On April 16, 1946, Ta Kung Pao published "The Shameful Battle of Changchun", criticizing the Communist Party from the standpoint of a third party, while Xinhua Daily published "Shameful Ta Kung Pao Editorial"-for-tat.

At the same time, we must not ignore the fact that under the strict censorship system of the Kuomintang, Ta Kung Pao has long insisted on "not using the words 'communist bandits' and 'bandit army,' but only 'communist party' and 'communist army,' and it recognizes that the Communist Party is the opposition party of the Kuomintang, not 'bandits.'" "For example, sending Cao Gubing to the Soviet Union for interviews and Fan Changjiang to the northwest for interviews were rare measures back then.

As a major newspaper with national influence, it insisted on criticizing the authorities and the revolutionary party, and even in 1948, when the defeat of the Kuomintang was certain, it reaffirmed the "faith of liberals" and proposed a "third way." These are completely independent options. Li Chunqing, who was both a Ta Kung Pao person and an underground member of the Communist Party of China, recalled: "First, no matter whether it was news interviews or comments, I did not know that a single word came from instructions, hints, or manipulations outside Ta Kung Pao. I asked my former colleagues in Ta Kung Pao, and they all said the same. After Wu Dingchang left Ta Kung Pao, "he no longer cared about Ta Kung Pao's policies and personnel management." "Second, there is not a single Kuomintang organization in Ta Kung Pao, and Kuomintang members are never allowed to operate within the newspaper. …… Recruiting new recruits must be non-partisan and non-factional. …… Ta Kung Pao's claim that it is a non-partisan and non-factional newspaper is not a disguise, not only is it independent in speech, but its organization is also worthy of its name. Although there were underground Communists in Ta Kung Pao, there was no organization. ”

Although the editorial motto of "Ta Kung Pao" published by Hu Zhengzhi in 1943 only had two articles: "no selfishness" and "no blindness", it did not mean that he had given up the pursuit of "not being a party" and "not selling"; they had always refused to accept political allowances, maintained economic independence, and "served the country with articles" was their consistent ideal. Even Hu Zhengzhi's two most infamous "stains" ,—— buying 200,000 US dollars in foreign exchange at the official price and being forced to sign in the National Assembly could not hide the shining light of Ta Kung Pao's "literati discussion of politics".

5. The initiative of the "Weekly Paper".

Some people say that together with editorials, news newsletters, and news headlines, they constitute the "four major characteristics" of Ta Kung Pao, which is the original creation of Ta Kung Pao, and on January 1, 1934, Ta Kung Pao published a special notice of this newspaper, inviting famous people from outside the newspaper to write about it every Sunday. Zhang Jiluan put forward this idea, first, to reduce the burden of writing editorials, and second, to strengthen ties with the cultural and educational circles. From that day until May 1949, in the 15 years that even under artillery fire and bombardment by enemy aircraft, a total of 750 articles were published, and more than 200 authors were published.

At first, there were only 8 writers, including Ding Wenjiang, Hu Shi, Weng Wenhao, Chen Zhenxian, Liang Shuming, Fu Sinian, Yang Zhensheng, and Jiang Tinghuang. Since then, Ren Hongjun, Zhang Xiruo, Wu Jingchao, Liang Shiqiu, Ma Junwu, He Lian, Wu Qichang, Chen Hengzhe, Zhu Kezhen, Taixu, Fan Xudong, Jiang Baili, Shao Lizi, Mu Rongchu, Sun Ke, Chen Lifu, Lei Haizong, Guo Moruo, Mao Dun, Lao She, Fei Xiaotong, Cai Shangsi, etc. have continued to join. It is mainly university professors and celebrities from all walks of life, but also includes some military and political dignitaries, and people of all colors on the left, center and right (this is similar to the situation of the editors and reporters of Ta Kung Pao, who are mainly liberal intellectuals without party affiliation, and at the same time are inclusive, and many leftist reporters have become famous in Ta Kung Pao). The first is "Newspaper Texts Should Be Entirely in the Vernacular," published on January 7 of the same year. From 1934 to 1935, Ding Wenjiang, Zhang Xiruo, Hu Shi, and others debated on the question of dictatorship and democracy, and some of these articles also appeared as "Weekly Papers".

On October 8, 1944, Ta Kung Pao published Laski's "Some Thoughts on China's Prospects for Victory", and from this day on, the "Weekly Papers" that have always been written by scholars from home countries will be "made public to scholars from all over the world." He then published papers by four United Kingdom scholars and translated a paper by a Japanese. This is Ta Kung Pao's attempt to "move to the stage of world public opinion."

It is worth mentioning that on May 17, 1942, Wu Qiyuan, Li Shuqing, Shen Laiqiu, Lin Liangtong, Zhang Dechang, Fei Xiaotong, Yang Ximeng, Bao Juemin, and Dai Shiguang ...... These professors of economics and sociology from Southwest Associated University jointly published "Our Opinions on Current Price Issues"; On May 16, 1944, Yang Ximeng, Dai Shiguang, Li Shuqing, Bao Juemin, Wu Qiyuan and others jointly published "Our Renewed Appeal for the Price Problem" (not published as a "weekly paper"); On May 20, 1945, the "Weekly Papers" republished "Prices and Economic Problems at the Present Stage" jointly signed by Dai Shiguang, Bao Juemin, Fei Xiaotong, Wu Qiyuan, and Yang Ximeng, proposing to "eliminate the power of 'vested interests' groups"; On February 24, 1945, Fu Sinian, Ren Hongjun, Wang Yunwu, Zong Baihua, Chu Anping, Wu Shichang, Chen Mingde, Zhao Chaogou and other 20 people published "Our Protest against the Yalta Secret Agreement"; On January 6, 1946, ten professors without party affiliation, including Sha Xuejun, Chu Daxue, Ren Meiyi, Tang Chongli, Gan Feng, Lu Fu, Jiang Mengyin, Zhu Bokang, Wu Feidan, and Cheng Shi, jointly published "On the Existence of the Country Today", putting forward a nine-point political proposition, calling for "the return of the Kuomintang (including military power) to the people", "the return of the Communist Party to the army (including governing power) to the country", "the implementation of democratic politics and national reunification", and "the realization of peace and the beginning of the founding of the country". These remarks are aimed directly at the powerful groups, expressing their independent views on major issues such as politics, economy, and diplomacy, and do not necessarily represent the position of "Ta Kung Pao," but they are the ideal of the "Ta Kung Pao" literati to run a newspaper; the newspaper attaches great importance to speech, and the editor-in-chief mainly focuses on speech, and he himself has never stopped writing; Zhang Jiluan continued to discuss the writing of comments with Wang Yunsheng when he was dying.

Hu Zhengzhi said in 1936, "Newspapers have a better understanding of society than colleges, are in contact with reality, are detached and fair, and have insight into the overall situation." Only in this way can newspapers become social guides and authorities of public opinion. "We have always advocated academic freedom, and within the limits of political permission, various schools of thought can coexist, express their own opinions, and discuss with each other; For the sake of national rejuvenation, seek common ground while reserving differences. Our editorials and the Weekly Papers, as they are, do not all conform to the intentions of the authorities. It is precisely because we are not a government agency that we do not eat and receive money, we are objective and fair, and we can give full play to our free thinking. ”

These remarks are not only Hu Zhengzhi's personal views, but also the beliefs that Ta Kung Pao has always adhered to,—— objectivity and fairness, detachment and independence, freedom of thought, academic freedom, coexistence of a hundred schools of thought, and the expression of their own opinions. In fact, it is to pursue freedom of speech and the press, so as to realize their "aspiration of serving the country with articles".

In 1935, Wu Dingchang joined the cabinet as an official, publicly resigned from the post of president of "Ta Kung Pao", and left "Ta Kung Pao". On September 6, 1941, Zhang Jiluan died in Chongqing. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Ta Kung Pao blossomed everywhere even in the extremely harsh war environment, and was published in Wuhan, Chongqing, Hong Kong, and Guilin, with a circulation of more than 60,000 copies in the Guilin edition and more than 90,000 copies in the Chongqing edition. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Ta Kung Pao was simultaneously published in Shanghai, Chongqing, Tianjin, and Hong Kong at the same time, with a circulation of 200,000 copies.

On April 14, 1949, Hu Zhengzhi died in Shanghai. As the second-generation writer of Ta Kung Pao, Wang Yunsheng quietly left Shanghai in early November 1948. In February 1949, Tianjin's Ta Kung Pao changed its name to Progress Daily, and on June 17, Shanghai's Ta Kung Pao published the New Life Declaration, marking the official end of the era of Xinji's Ta Kung Pao. In 1957, after Chu Anping of Guangming Daily and Xu Zhucheng of Wen Wei Po became rightists, Wang Yunsheng escaped only because of Mao Zedong's words, and he died of illness in Beijing on May 30, 1980.

As we all know, the success of Ta Kung Pao is inseparable from Hu Zhengzhi's management, Zhang Jiluan and Wang Yunsheng's articles, and Wu Dingchang's capital, but as the boss of Ta Kung Pao Guo Gen said, "This is certainly a success factor, but it is not the whole story." I think most of the success of Ta Kung Pao lies in the soundness of the middle-level cadres. In the case of newspapers in the country, none of them have as high-quality backbones as Ta Kung Pao, both in-house and out-of-house. "Among the figures in the history of the newspaper industry, we have seen countless Ta Kung Pao people, no matter what road they finally embarked on, but they all made their own unique contributions - Xu Zhucheng, Zhang Qinnan, Fan Changjiang, Meng Qiujiang, Cao Gubing, Jin Chengfu, Li Zikuan, Xu Ying, Peng Zigang, Xiao Qian, Yang Gang, Wang Wenbin, Zhang Gaofeng...... It's a long list. Today or tomorrow, we should not forget them.

With the passage of time, most of these Ta Kung Pao people who once "served the country with articles" have now passed away (many of them ended their precious lives by suicide, such as Yang Gang, Fan Changjiang, Meng Qiujiang, etc.), and Hong Kong is the only one left in Ta Kung Pao. In the bustling hustle and bustle of the distant south, looking back at a hundred years, through the dust of a whole century, the era of Yingzhi, Zhang Jiluan and Hu Zhengzhi have all been fixed in the yellowed historical picture, but no one can erase the footprints of these ancestors, whether it is sad or happy, singing or crying, all of which make future generations fascinated.

Text/Fu Guoyong