Zhao’s daughter talks about her father: How did Zhao die?
70-year-old Zhao Xuefen retired from the position of deputy secretary-general of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Kuomintang in 1997. She was only two years old when her father Zhao passed away 68 years ago. At the age of two, she could not have any real memory of her father, but her respect and memory for her father made her pay attention to collecting it for decades
Legends during her lifetime: "Cut off the head of the Japanese with a big knife"
Zhao, a native of Heze, Shandong, is 1.90 meters tall and is truly tall. He only attended a private school for two years. When he was 13 years old, he studied under the famous local boxer Zhu Weishi. After three years of hard training, he developed such good martial arts that a dozen people could hardly walk. When he was 16 years old, Zhao, his brother Zhao Dengyao, and two friends walked more than 900 kilometers and worked as an unpaid deputy soldier in Feng Yuxiang's 16th Mixed Brigade in Lintong, Shaanxi Province. During a training session, Feng Yuxiang heard that Zhao was very powerful in martial arts, so he wrestled with him. As a result, Zhao competed with Feng Yuxiang three times in a row. Feng Yuxiang, who "made a fool of himself" in public, was overjoyed and asked Zhao to be his guard. Later, under Feng Yuxiang's military training and training, Zhao was promoted from squad leader, platoon leader, company commander, battalion commander, regiment commander, and brigade commander, and became a division commander at the age of 30. In the Central Plains War that broke out in 1930, Feng Yuxiang's Northwest Army failed and was reorganized into the 29th Army by Zhang Xueliang. The 25th Division stationed in Zhao was demoted to the 109th Brigade, and he was also "demoted" from division commander to brigade commander.
As the commander of the 109th Brigade, Zhao ushered in the Battle of Xifengkou, which made him famous in one fell swoop. In March 1933, the Great Wall Anti-Japanese War broke out. On March 9, Zhao led his troops to rescue Xifengkou and launched a fierce battle with the Japanese Army Mu Division. After three days of fierce fighting, Xifengkou changed hands several times, and both sides suffered heavy casualties. Zhao's left leg was also injured by an enemy shell. In order to weaken the Japanese army's weapon superiority, Zhao wounded three death squads on the night of March 11. Armed with machetes and grenades, he attacked the Japanese artillery positions and camps in two groups at night. He arrived at the enemy camp at three or four o'clock in the middle of the night and killed 500 Japanese soldiers. The remaining people. The victory of the Xifengkou night attack made Zhao and his sword team famous far and wide. At that time, in recognition of Zhao's outstanding achievements, the Chinese government awarded him the highest medal, expanded the 109th Brigade into the 132nd Division, and was once again "promoted" to division commander and awarded the rank of lieutenant general. Mai Xin, a musician far away in Shanghai, was moved by the bravery of Zhao Dadao's team and composed the famous anti-Japanese song "March of Dadao". From then on, the saying "Behead the Japanese with a big sword" spread throughout the country.
Zhao Xuefen has always kept two reproduced photos of Zhao during the Battle of Xifengkou: one is a photo of his left leg in full military uniform with a white bandage, and a small note on the left: "After the left leg was injured, , volunteered to attack Zhao Dengyu on the left wing at night. "On his right, there is a famous saying by Zhao: "Body injury is a small memorial, but only death on the battlefield is a big memorial." Zhang is a half-length military uniform photo, with the words "Zhao Xin, Commander of the 109th Brigade of the 37th Division, promoted to Commander of the 132nd Division" written on it. It was a commemorative photo taken just after he was commended and promoted.
Zhao has always insisted on a tit-for-tat struggle with the domineering Japanese invaders. In the summer of 1936, several Japanese agents kidnapped Xuan Jiexi, director of the Political Department of the 29th Army. After discussing with Zhao's other two teachers and Liu Ruming, they believed that the Japanese were too arrogant to dare to arrest our senior generals, and we must not show weakness to them. So they called the pro-Japanese faction, and Zhao Rang sent a message to the Japanese side: "To the Japanese.
On July 7, 1937, the Japanese invaders used the excuse of searching for a missing soldier. Attacking Marco Polo Bridge. The Chinese army rose up to defend itself and the Anti-Japanese War at Marco Polo Bridge broke out. On the order of Commander Song, Zhao rushed to Nanyuan and took charge of the defense of Peiping in the early morning of July 28. The Japanese army concentrated 3 infantry units, 1 artillery unit and more than 30 aircraft to attack Nanyuan. Zhao led his troops to fight the Japanese army for six hours and suffered heavy casualties under the bombardment of enemy aircraft and artillery. At noon, Song ordered Zhao's troops to attack Dahong. When Zhao's car reached the Dahongmen Bridge, it was suddenly shot by a Japanese machine gun. Zhao was shot several times and was covered in blood. He said to the messenger beside him: "I will not get better." It is a soldier's duty to die in battle. Nothing to feel sad about. It’s just that my old mother is too old and can’t stand being frightened. Please arrange it for me. Other than that, I have no other ideas. "After saying that, a generation of anti-Japanese generals stopped breathing. He was only 39 years old.
The sad glory is behind me: endless time will always have great memories.
After Zhao died, he was first buried by the Peking Red Cross Society. A few days later, the monks from Longquan Temple in Taoranguan took out Zhao's body, placed it in an exquisite coffin, and temporarily placed it in the temple. People respected Zhao's patriotic spirit and often painted the coffin over and over again to make it as bright as new. Zhao Xuefen’s only memory of her father was that one day, about a few months after his death, she and her family were taken to see his coffin. A pair of shiny black coffins were parked on two large wooden benches, and the whole family was crying in front of the coffins.
Zhao’s coffin stayed in Longquan Temple for nine years. It was not until July 28, 1946, after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, that the Peking City Government held a public memorial in Zhongshan Park and buried him at Xidaokou, about 1 km west of Marco Polo Bridge. Also in this year, at the suggestion of the Peking Municipal Council, a street east of Baita Temple in Peking City was named "Zhao Dengyu Road" to commemorate this national hero who died in the Anti-Japanese War.
On July 31, 1937, the third day after Zhao's sacrifice, the then government issued a commendation order and posthumously awarded Zhao the title of Army General. One day in 1952, Zhao Xuefen, who was 17 years old and studying at a heavy industry school, accidentally saw an honor and disgrace sign signed by Chiang Kai-shek at home. She felt it was not good to keep them after liberation, and it seemed inappropriate to throw them away. Not knowing what to do, she called the civil affairs department and told her about the incident. A few months later, the relevant departments issued her family a "Glorious Memorial Certificate for the Families of Soldiers Who Married in the Revolution", numbered "Beijing 000 No. 80." The content of the certificate is "Zhao Zhao Comrade Deng Yu's glorious sacrifice in the revolutionary struggle. His great achievements will be immortal and his family members should be respected by society. In addition to the pension paid by the Central People's Government, the "Interim Regulations on the Compensation for the Death of Revolutionary Soldiers" In addition, this certificate is specially issued as a souvenir. "This certificate is signed by Mao Zedong and is dated "June 11, 1952."
Zhao's sacrifice was a terrible blow to his family. His mother is nearly 70 years old and is preparing to experience the pain of losing a child in old age; his wife Ni Yushu was only 27 years old when she became pregnant in July and lost her husband in China. His 4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter are still confused about where you are going, separated from their father. The death of her husband made Ni Yushu shed tears all year round. Eventually, she fell into a trance and was unable to run the household. Fortunately, Zhao's cousin Zhao Dengshun inherited his brother's legacy and helped the orphan and widowed mother wander in the war.
Zhao Dengshun is the machine gun company commander under Zhao Dengyu. Once he asked for leave to go back to his hometown in Shandong, but failed to come back. Foul. Zhao's mother knew that her son was very strict in running the army and would punish his younger brother severely, so she interceded for him in advance, hoping for a lighter punishment. Zhao was unmoved and ordered Zhao Dengshun to be beaten with 40 sticks in accordance with military law and announced that he would be relieved of his military duties. After that, when he returned home, Zhao knelt down to his mother and said: In 1949, after Beijing was liberated, Zhao Xuefen returned to Beijing with her mother, brother, and sister. Later, Zhao Xuefen and her brother Zhao went to a heavy industry technical secondary school, and her sister Zhao Xuefang went to a hydropower school. After graduation, Zhao Xuefen was assigned to teach at Miliangku Primary School in Xicheng District. Bu Xuefen's mother did not work due to mental illness and lived on the rent of the house left by Zhao.
During the Cultural Revolution, Zhao’s tombstone was destroyed and Zhao Road was renamed Baitasi East Street. After the Cultural Revolution, Zhao Lu returned to his original name. In 1980, Zhao's tomb was rebuilt with white marble at its original site in Xidaokou, Fengtai District, Beijing. Zhao's wife Ni Yushu also received government care and enjoyed living subsidies and free medical care.
In 1992, the leaders of the United Front Work Department talked to Zhao Xuefen and transferred her to the Kuomintang Revolutionary Committee in Beijing as deputy secretary-general. In 1997, Zhao Xuefen retired. In 2001, Zhao Xuefen's mother Ni Yushu died of illness. This woman who suffered countless hardships due to the Japanese royal family's invasion of China died at the age of 91.
Now in Beijing, in addition to Zhao Tomb and Zhao Road, there are also Zhao Street in Tongzhou District and Zhao School in Fengtai District, all of which are Zhao's physical memorial halls.
Endless regret: No one knows better than Zhao.
"If your father was born in the era of cold weapons, with his outstanding martial arts, he must be an invincible hero!" I feel for Zhao Xuefen.
"It's already very good. He became a teacher at the age of 30!" Zhao Xuefen's wife on the side interrupted.
"You may have only seen one side of my father. He was an outstanding martial artist and brave in battle, but he was more than just a warrior. Zhao Xuefen told me about the father she knew The other side of Zhao's filial piety to his mother is well known in the military.
Because his father died early, he gave all his filial piety to his mother. No matter how busy he is with military affairs, he always greets his mother first when he comes home every day. In the Twenty-Four Filial Piety School, there was an old man who always deliberately played all kinds of childish tricks to please his parents. Zhao will always be an "old bastard" in front of his mother. One year, Song's mother celebrated her birthday, and Zhao gave her a gift with a painting on it with his own inscription, which shows that "filial piety" has the highest status in his mind.
"I'll find a copy of the letter and show it to you!" Zhao Xuefen rummaged through the drawer, only to find a copy of a letter instead of the letter. "Look at this letter!"
This letter was copied by Zhao Xuefen from the Beijing Archives. On the vertical letterhead was Zhao's handwriting: "The one who set off, my division was stationed in the north of the Great Wall, and the one who captured the Qingshan Temple. Recently, I got two fire foxes in the mountains. Because it is inconvenient for our teacher to raise them, and I am afraid that he will be hurt. Life is long. Unfortunately, I always read the list of various animals in your garden for tourists to visit. I hereby send my adjutant Shan Yongan to take them to you.
When I first saw this letter, my heart was shocked, not by Zhao's awareness of caring for animals, but by the power of his calligraphy. It is by no means inferior to some calligraphers today. It is hard to believe that this is the hand of a man who has only studied in a private school for two years, and this man's hand is famous for "cutting off Japanese heads with a big knife"
"My father's hand was like it happened. Hearing that his antique collection was broken, he repaired it himself. "Zhao Xuefen said, with a proud look on her face.
"It's hard to imagine! incredible! "I sighed repeatedly. This is indeed a person with great contrast. It is difficult for anyone to combine such contrasts into one person, but Zhao is indeed such a person.
After interviewing Zhao Xuefen, I can't help but think that if Zhao Dengyu died, Zhao Xuefen would be older and remember more wonderful things about Zhao, but no one would know them anymore.