On November 11, 1954, a special funeral procession appeared on the streets of Beijing. From the rehearsal site of the General Political Art Troupe outside Xinjiekou to Babaoshan in the western suburbs, this team has attracted the attention of passers-by. In the crowd carrying the coffin, Premier Zhou Enlai could be seen taking the lead, followed by Peng Dehuai, He Long, Chen Yi, Nie Rongzhen, and Ye Jianying. In addition, there are two vice chairmen, Peng Zhen and Chen Shutong, as well as Wu Yuzhang and Xu Teli in the "Yan'an Five Elders". This high-profile funeral ceremony, known in ancient times as "Zhiqi", is the highest way to show respect for the deceased.
With so many national leaders and founding fathers gathered together, why would they be in charge of a deceased person? Who is this deceased? What kind of contribution did he make to the establishment of New China in order to receive such a noble courtesy? What is the little-known story behind this special funeral?
1. Yang Lisan's early experience
In a small village on the outskirts of Changsha, Hunan, on November 18, 1900, a baby boy named Yang Lisan fell to the ground. His parents were poor peasants, and his family was destitute. Yang Lisan has experienced the hardships of life since he was a child, but he was not defeated by the difficulties, but instead stimulated his thirst for knowledge.
In the countryside at that time, it was a luxury to be able to go to school and study. Although Yang Lisan's parents value education, the family really can't afford to pay for him to go to school. Fortunately, Yang Lisan's desire to study was supported by relatives and friends. With their sponsorship, the young Yang Lisan finally had the opportunity to step into the door of a private school.
Life in a private school is not easy. Yang Lisan had to get up before dawn every day and walked several miles to the private school. Under the dim oil lamp, he earnestly recited the "Three Character Classic", "Hundred Family Names" and "Thousand Character Text". Although the conditions were difficult, Yang Lisan enjoyed it, and his bright eyes always flashed with a thirst for knowledge.
As he grew older, Yang Lisan's academic performance got better and better. Not only did he master basic literacy skills, but he also developed a keen interest in poetry and poetry. Mr. Private School often praised him as a good student for reading. However, the family's financial situation did not improve because of Yang Lisan's excellence. In order to reduce the burden on his family, Yang Lisan decided to drop out of school and started the road to earn a living.
In 1920, 20-year-old Yang Lisan joined the Hunan Army. Since he had a certain cultural foundation, he was arranged to be a clerk. This job gives Yang Lisan the opportunity to be exposed to more information and knowledge. He used his spare time to read various books and newspapers to enrich himself. Later, he also served as regimental chief and quartermaster, and these experiences laid the foundation for his future performance in logistics.
In 1925, an opportunity to change Yang Lisan's fate came. He had the privilege of attending the Peasant Movement Training Institute presided over by Mao Zedong. There, Yang Lisan listened to Mao Zedong's speech and was deeply inspired. For the first time, he systematically understood revolutionary theory and saw hope for China's future. This experience completely changed the trajectory of Yang Lisan's life, and he resolutely decided to join the revolutionary organization and contribute his strength to the cause of China's liberation.
In 1927, the Nanchang Uprising broke out. Subsequently, at the "87 Conference" held in Hankou, Mao Zedong put forward the famous idea of "power comes out of the barrel of a gun". The conference decided to hold the Autumn Harvest Uprising, which was an important turning point in the history of the Chinese revolution.
On the eve of the uprising, Mao Zedong found that our army was still missing a symbolic flag. He stressed that the Autumn Harvest Uprising should "fly our flag high." The heavy task of designing the military flag fell on Chen Shuhua, He Changgong and Yang Lisan.
In the hall of the Xiushui County Chamber of Commerce, the three of them sat around a dim kerosene lamp and began the design of the military flag. He Changgong proposed to borrow the elements and styles of the Soviet Red Army flag, and soon, a preliminary plan was formed: the bottom of the flag was red, symbolizing the revolution; The five stars in the center of the flag represent the party, and the sickles and axes in the five stars represent the workers and peasants.
Yang Lisan not only participated in the design, but also personally wrote the words "The First Division of the First Army of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army" on the white culvert on the left side of the flag. His handwriting is vigorous and powerful, which complements the majesty of the military flag. When Mao Zedong saw this designed military flag, he praised it repeatedly.
This military flag, designed by Yang Lisan and others, became the first military flag of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. Although the style of the military flag has been modified several times, the basic elements of Yang Lisan and others' design—the five-pointed star, sickle, axe, and bright red background—have been retained.
2. Important contributions during the period of the Red Army
With the continuous development and growth of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, Yang Lisan's talent in logistics support work was gradually revealed. He successively served as the head of the Quartermaster Depository Division, the director of the General Hospital of the Red Army, and the head and political commissar of the Military Station Department, and made major contributions to breaking the enemy's blockade and consolidating the revolutionary base areas.
During his tenure as head of the Quartermaster Depository Division, Yang Lisan's biggest challenge was how to ensure the supply of basic supplies for the Red Army under conditions of extreme scarcity. He innovatively proposed the strategy of "using local materials" to make full use of the natural resources and folk crafts of the base. Under his leadership, the Quartermaster Depository organized the local people to collect wild plant fibers, weave straw shoes and straw hats, and solved the problem of shoes and hats for Red Army soldiers. At the same time, he also organized and carried out small-scale production of military supplies, such as making cloth shoes and sewing military uniforms, which not only met the basic needs of the Red Army, but also provided employment opportunities for the local people and strengthened military-civilian relations.
During his tenure as director of the Red Army General Hospital, Yang Lisan faced the greatest difficulty in the extreme shortage of medical supplies. In order to solve this problem, he boldly put forward the idea of "integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine". He organized the Red Army medical staff to learn from the local old Chinese medicine doctors, collect herbs, make traditional Chinese medicine, and combine it with limited Western medicine, creatively solving the problem of shortage of medical supplies. Under his leadership, the General Hospital of the Red Army not only provided timely and effective treatment for the wounded and sick, but also trained a number of military doctors with the characteristics of integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine, which laid the foundation for the later development of the Red Army's health work.
As the head of the military station department and political commissar, Yang Lisan's proudest achievement is the invention of the word "饻". At that time, the economy in the Red Army base areas was very difficult, and many military workers were facing difficulties in their lives. In order to solve this problem, Yang Lisan proposed an innovative plan: issue a special bill that can be circulated within the base area and used to purchase daily necessities. The name "饻", which means "hunger", not only expresses the difficult situation at that time, but also implies the hope of solving the problem of hunger.
The creation process of the word "饻" is quite legendary. It is said that Yang Lisan spent a whole night and repeatedly scrutinized, and finally created this new word. The character "饻" is composed of three parts: "gluttony", "dryness" and "money", which means "solving the problem of eating with food and money". This character is not only vivid, but also easy to recognize, and soon spread widely in the base areas.
The issuance of "dumplings" has greatly alleviated the living difficulties of military personnel, and at the same time stabilized the economic order in the base areas. This initiative not only demonstrated Yang Lisan's wisdom and innovative spirit, but also demonstrated the adaptability of the leaders of the Red Army under extremely difficult conditions.
In addition to the invention of the word "饻", Yang Lisan also has many innovations in munitions management. He established a set of scientific management systems for military supplies, including material classification, coding, storage, and distribution, which greatly improved the efficiency of military supply support. He also promoted the principle of "saving in wartime and reserving in peacetime" to maximize the combat effectiveness of the Red Army under the conditions of limited resources.
Another important contribution of Yang Lisan was the establishment of a complete military supply network. According to the operational characteristics of the Red Army, he designed a set of flexible and mobile supply routes to ensure that the front-line troops could receive supplies in a timely manner. This supply network included not only the transportation of supplies, but also the transmission of intelligence and the transfer of the wounded, which greatly enhanced the mobility and sustained combat capability of the Red Army.
During the Long March, Yang Lisan's talents were fully utilized. In the face of the encirclement and interception of the Kuomintang army and the harsh natural environment, he led the logistics troops to overcome many difficulties and ensure the basic survival needs of the Red Army. He organized logistics staff to collect wild vegetables, catch game, and maximize the use of resources along the way. While crossing the snowy mountains, he came up with a way to increase friction by wrapping straw ropes around his shoes, helping the warriors successfully climb the snow-capped mountains.
Yang Lisan's contributions during the Red Army period were not only reflected in the specific logistical support work, but more importantly, he cultivated a large number of outstanding logistical personnel. He often stressed that logistics work may seem ordinary, but it has a bearing on the combat effectiveness of the entire army. He demanded that every logistical personnel should have the spirit of dedication of "tightening the front and eating tight at the rear" and treat logistics work as an important part of the revolutionary cause.
It is precisely because of the silent dedication of logistics workers like Yang Lisan that the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was able to survive under extremely difficult conditions and continue to grow and develop. His work laid a solid material foundation for the victory of the Red Army, and also accumulated valuable logistical experience for the later War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the War of Liberation.
3. Logistical support during the Anti-Japanese War
In 1937, the all-out war of resistance broke out. In the face of the large-scale invasion of the Japanese army, the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army led by the Communist Party of China quickly plunged into the torrent of the War of Resistance against Japan. In this war related to the survival of the nation, Yang Lisan once again demonstrated his excellent logistics support ability and made important contributions to the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan.
At the beginning of the Anti-Japanese War, Yang Lisan was appointed deputy director of the logistics department of the Eighth Route Army. He is well aware that in the special environment of guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines, the traditional mode of logistical support can no longer be adapted. To this end, he put forward the idea of "self-sufficiency behind enemy lines" in logistics support, which played an important role in the War of Resistance Against Japan.
Yang Lisan first set out to establish a complete set of munitions production system behind enemy lines. He organized the soldiers of the Eighth Route Army and the local masses to use the resources of the base areas behind enemy lines to carry out small-scale and decentralized production of munitions. Under his guidance, a number of munitions factories were set up in various base areas to produce military uniforms, shoes and hats, ammunition, and other materials. These factories not only met the basic needs of the Eighth Route Army, but also provided employment opportunities for local people and strengthened military-civilian relations.
In terms of weapons and ammunition, Yang Lisan put forward the strategy of "nourishing war with war." He organized troops to capture the enemy's weapons and ammunition during the battle, and set up repair shops to repair and modify captured weapons. Thanks to his efforts, the weapons and equipment of the Eighth Route Army have been significantly improved, and its combat effectiveness has been greatly enhanced.
Medical security is an area of particular concern for Yang Lisan. He is well aware that in the environment behind enemy lines, the treatment and rehabilitation of the wounded and sick have a direct bearing on the combat effectiveness of the troops. To this end, he put forward the medical policy of "using local materials and integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine". He organized medical staff to learn from local old Chinese medicine practitioners, collect herbs, develop traditional Chinese medicine, and combine it with limited Western medicine, creatively solving the problem of shortage of medical supplies.
At the initiative of Yang Lisan, the Eighth Route Army also established a number of "stretcher teams". These teams, made up of local young adults, were responsible for rescuing the wounded during the fighting. They not only provided timely and effective medical assistance to the Eighth Route Army, but also disseminated health knowledge among the masses and improved the overall health level of the base areas.
Food supply is one of the greatest challenges in guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines. Yang Lisan put forward the food security strategy of "integrating military and civilian affairs and combining agriculture and warfare". He organized the troops and the masses to carry out a large-scale production campaign, opened up large areas of wasteland on the enemy's blockade line, and cultivated grain and vegetables. At the same time, he also instructed the troops to build a number of underground granaries to store grain in a dispersed manner, effectively avoiding the enemy's sabotage and plunder.
In 1940, the Japanese army launched a large-scale "sweeping" operation in North China in an attempt to completely destroy the base area of the Eighth Route Army. In the face of this grim situation, Yang Lisan proposed a logistical support strategy of "mobile operations, scattered and concealed." He scattered and stored large quantities of military supplies in caves, cellars and other hidden places, and organized the masses to secretly transfer and keep them. This strategy not only protected valuable military supplies, but also effectively disintegrated the Japanese army's "mopping-up" operation.
In the later stage of the Anti-Japanese War, Yang Lisan creatively proposed a "mass guerrilla warfare logistics support system." He organized the masses in the base areas to set up "stretcher teams," "transport teams," "sewing teams," and other front-line organizations, forming a huge mass logistical support network. This network not only greatly enhanced the combat effectiveness of the Eighth Route Army, but also greatly strengthened the military-civilian relations and consolidated the anti-Japanese base areas.
Another important contribution of Yang Lisan during the Anti-Japanese War was the establishment of a complete logistics management system. He formulated a series of rules and regulations, including detailed regulations on the management of materials, the use of funds, and the treatment of the wounded and sick. These systems not only improve the efficiency of logistics, but also effectively prevent waste and corruption.
In addition to specific logistics work, Yang Lisan also attaches great importance to the cultivation of logistics talents. He often emphasized that logistics is a science that requires the accumulation of professional knowledge and practical experience. At his initiative, the Eighth Route Army established a number of logistics training courses and trained a large number of outstanding logistics cadres. These cadres later became an important backbone force during the War of Liberation and the construction of New China.
Yang Lisan's logistics work during the War of Resistance not only provided a strong guarantee for the anti-Japanese struggle of the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army, but also laid a solid foundation for the logistics system of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. The spirit of "self-reliance and arduous struggle" advocated by him became a fine tradition of the Communist Party of China and the people's army, and played an important role in the later war of liberation and socialist construction.
Fourth, logistics innovation during the War of Liberation
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War in 1945, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party fell into civil war again. Faced with the superiority of the Kuomintang army in equipment and supplies, Yang Lisan once again exerted his logistical genius and made a great contribution to the victory of the People's Liberation Army.
In the early days of the Liberation War, Yang Lisan was appointed as the head of the Logistics Department of the North China Military Region. He is well aware that in order to win this war, which will determine China's fate, there must be a new breakthrough in logistical support. To this end, he put forward the logistical idea of "general mobilization of the whole people and all-round support for war," which played a key role in the war of liberation.
Yang Lisan first set out to establish a complete wartime production system. He organized the workers, peasants, and intellectuals in the liberated areas to carry out large-scale production of munitions with limited resources. Under his guidance, a number of military factories were set up in the liberated areas to produce guns, ammunition, explosives, and other weapons and equipment. These factories not only met the needs of the front, but also laid the foundation for industrial development in the liberated territories.
In terms of weaponry, Yang Lisan put forward the strategy of "repairing the old and reusing the waste, and combining the local and the foreign." He organized technicians to transform and upgrade the captured Kuomintang weapons, which greatly improved the performance and service life of the weapons. At the same time, he also encouraged invention and creation and supported the development of weapons and equipment suited to China's reality. With his support, the PLA has developed a variety of new weapons, such as home-made mortars and improved hand grenades, which have played an important role on the battlefield.
Medical security is an area of particular concern for Yang Lisan. He put forward the public health policy of "putting prevention first and combining prevention with prevention". At his initiative, the PLA has established a complete field medical system, including front-line first-aid stations, field hospitals, and rear rehabilitation centers. He also organized medical personnel to go deep into the rural areas to carry out mass sanitation campaigns, which greatly improved the overall public health level in the liberated areas.
In the War of Liberation, Yang Lisan creatively proposed the "mobile logistics support system for the operation of the large army". According to the characteristics of the PLA's large-scale mobile operations, he designed a flexible and mobile supply network. This network includes mobile supply depots, temporary warehouses and convoys, which can move quickly with the army and ensure the timely supply of front-line troops.
In 1948, the People's Liberation Army launched three major campaigns: Liaoshen, Huaihai and Pingjin. These campaigns of unprecedented scale pose a huge logistical challenge. Yang Lisan put forward the slogan of "the whole people support the front" and mobilized the masses to participate in the logistics support work. He organized hundreds of thousands of people to form a front team, which was responsible for transporting supplies, rescuing the wounded, repairing weapons, etc. This huge civilian logistics contingent has not only solved the PLA's logistical problems, but has also greatly strengthened military-civilian relations and become an important factor in the PLA's victory.
In the Huaihai Campaign, Yang Lisan creatively proposed the scheme of "trolley transportation". Faced with the air blockade of the Kuomintang troops, he organized hundreds of thousands of people to transport military supplies in small carts. This team, known as the "army of small carts", shuttled through the vast battlefield and continuously delivered supplies to the front line, becoming one of the key factors in the victory of the Huaihai Campaign.
In the Pingjin Campaign, Yang Lisan put forward a logistical support plan for "tunnel warfare." He organized the masses to dig a large number of tunnels outside the city of Beiping for storing supplies and transferring the wounded. These tunnels not only effectively avoided the enemy's aerial bombardment, but also provided strong support for the PLA's siege operations.
In addition to specific logistics work, Yang Lisan also attaches great importance to the study and summary of logistics theory. He often organized logistics cadres to exchange experiences and study theories, and constantly improved the scientific and standardized nature of logistics work. Under his initiative, the PLA formed a complete set of logistical theoretical systems, which laid a theoretical foundation for army building after the founding of New China.
In the later stage of the Liberation War, Yang Lisan also began to prepare for the economic construction of New China. He organized the logistics department to conduct investigations and studies on industrial and agricultural production in the liberated areas, which provided an important reference for the formulation of the economic policy of the new regime. At the same time, he also organized and trained a large number of economic management personnel, and reserved valuable human resources for the economic construction of New China.
Yang Lisan's logistical work during the War of Liberation not only provided a solid material guarantee for the victory of the People's Liberation Army, but also laid the foundation for the economic construction of New China. The idea of "general mobilization of the whole people and all-round support for war" advocated by him became an important experience of the Communist Party of China in leading the people's war, and continued to play an important role in the subsequent socialist construction.
5. Contributions to economic construction after the founding of the People's Republic of China
On October 1, 1949, the People's Republic of China was founded. With his rich experience and outstanding ability accumulated during the war years, Yang Lisan was appointed vice chairman of the Central Financial and Economic Commission, responsible for the economic reconstruction of New China. In this new historical period, he devoted his talents and energy to the country's economic construction.
At the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, there was a lot of waste waiting to be rebuilt Yang Lisan first set out to formulate a complete set of economic recovery and development plans. He put forward the economic policy of "stabilizing prices, restoring production, and balancing finances," which laid the foundation for economic recovery in the early days of New China.
In terms of price stability, Yang Lisan put forward the strategy of "taking grain as the key link". He organized relevant departments to vigorously purchase grain and establish national grain reserves, which effectively curbed inflation. At the same time, he also promoted the establishment of a unified national price management system, which created favorable conditions for the stable development of the economy.
In terms of resuming production, Yang Lisan put forward the policy of "taking into account both public and private interests, and benefiting both labor and capital." He encouraged private enterprises to resume production while actively developing the state-run economy. Under his promotion, a large number of important industrial and mining enterprises resumed production, making important contributions to the recovery of the national economy.
In 1950, the Korean War broke out. In the face of the economic blockade of United States, Yang Lisan put forward the economic construction policy of "self-reliance and hard struggle." He organized relevant departments to formulate a series of countermeasures, including adjusting the industrial structure, developing domestic resources, and strengthening international economic cooperation. These measures have effectively alleviated the economic pressure caused by the blockade and ensured the sustainable development of the national economy.
On the fiscal front, Yang Lisan has promoted a series of important reforms. He presided over the formulation of the first unified state budget in New China and established a unified national fiscal revenue and expenditure system. At the same time, he also promoted the reform of the tax system, established a new tax system with industrial and commercial tax as the main body, and raised a large amount of construction funds for the country.
In 1953, China began to implement its first five-year plan. As one of the main architects of this plan, Yang Lisan proposed the strategy of "prioritizing the development of heavy industry". In his opinion, the modernization of the country can only be achieved by building a strong industrial base. Under his promotion, China began large-scale industrialization, and a number of important industrial projects were launched one after another.
During the first five-year plan, Yang Lisan also actively promoted Sino-Soviet economic cooperation. He led delegations to visit the Soviet Union on many occasions to discuss economic assistance with the Soviet side. Thanks to his efforts, the Soviet Union provided China with a large amount of technical and equipment support, and made important contributions to China's industrialization.
In 1956, Yang Lisan put forward the economic development strategy of "agriculture-based and industry-led". He realized that the all-round growth of the national economy can only be achieved through the coordinated development of agriculture and industry. Under his initiative, the state has increased investment in agriculture and promoted agricultural mechanization and science and technology, providing a solid foundation for industrialization.
In terms of the economic management system, Yang Lisan put forward the idea of "unified leadership and hierarchical management." He believes that in order to fully arouse the enthusiasm of localities and enterprises, it is necessary to appropriately delegate economic management authority. Under his promotion, China began to reform its economic management system, laying the institutional foundation for subsequent economic development.
In addition to specific economic work, Yang Lisan also attaches great importance to the study of economic theories and the cultivation of talents. He often organizes academic discussions among economic experts to encourage innovative economic ideas. At the same time, he also promoted the establishment of a number of economic research institutes and economic disciplines in colleges and universities, and trained a large number of economic management talents for the country.
In 1958, the Great Leap Forward began. In the face of some unrealistic economic policies, Yang Lisan adhered to the attitude of seeking truth from facts, and made suggestions to the central authorities on many occasions, advocating the adjustment of economic policies. Although his suggestions were not fully heeded at the time, he always adhered to his professional judgment and accumulated valuable experience for subsequent economic adjustments.
During the "Cultural Revolution", although Yang Lisan was shocked, he always cared about the country's economic development. After the turmoil subsided, he once again devoted himself to economic work and made new contributions to economic construction after reform and opening up.
Yang Lisan's contributions to economic construction after the founding of New China are not only reflected in specific economic policies and measures, but also in the theoretical and institutional foundation he laid for New China's economic construction. Many of the economic ideas and management methods he advocated were further developed and applied in the later reform and opening up, and became an important part of the socialist economic theory with Chinese characteristics.