This old man is Zhang Xueliang, one of the protagonists of the "Xi incident" that shocked China and foreign countries.
By this time, he had been imprisoned by Chiang Kai-shek for 40 years. Perhaps the elegiac couplet he gave Chiang Kai-shek can sum up their grievances. What does it say?
This couplet of 16 is a true portrayal of their complex relationship. Of course, some people say that the feud between them is far from 10.
Zhang Xueliang, who used to be Chiang Kai-shek's right-hand man, was imprisoned by Chiang Kai-shek for half a century after the Xi incident.
If Chiang Kai-shek was humiliated because Zhang Xueliang launched the "Xi incident", then he wanted to deal with Zhang Xueliang because his anger was still there.
Then why did many people around Song Meiling and Chiang Kai-shek persuade him to release Zhang Xueliang many years later, but he didn't agree and told Jiang Jingguo not to release Zhang Xueliang?
On his deathbed, Chiang Kai-shek finally gave the reason why he didn't want to release Zhang Xueliang.
Hearing this, Song Meiling couldn't hide his sadness. After all, she promised that Zhang Xueliang would let him go. She failed to keep her promise until Chiang Kai-shek died.
1946 10 months, it has been 10 years since Zhang Xueliang was imprisoned by Chiang Kai-shek.
According to the judgment of Nanjing Military Court, he has served his sentence. He felt it was time to get the freedom he had been looking forward to, asking people about the situation everywhere, hoping to know when he would be released.
Finally, Zhang Xueliang and others came to meet his plane. However, when the plane took off, he realized that the plane was not flying to his long-lost hometown, but was flying in the opposite direction to his hometown-Taiwan Province Province, China.
From then on, Zhang Xueliang spent 13 years in Inoue Hot Spring in Hsinchu, Taiwan Province, which is also the place where he was imprisoned for the longest time. He hated Chiang Kai-shek's reneging and realized that he might never return to his native land.
As the son of "King of Northeast China" Zhang, Zhang Xueliang yearned for military life since childhood. After graduating with honors from Jiangwutang, he served as the head of his father's army.
1June, 928, Zhang was killed by the Japanese army. Zhang Xueliang inherited his father's footsteps and became the most powerful local force in Northeast China, with hundreds of thousands of troops.
After the change of flag in Northeast China and the Central Plains War, Zhang Xueliang and Chiang Kai-shek had a very close relationship and later became "brothers".
However, the Xi incident completely broke their relationship.
Due to Chiang Kai-shek's non-resistance policy, the three northeastern provinces fell. For the sake of national justice, Zhang Xueliang and General Yang Hucheng detained Chiang Kai-shek who came to Xi 'an to urge "suppression of the Communist Party" on February 12, 2002, forcing him to stop dealing with the Red Army and unite against Japan.
After Chiang Kai-shek was detained, the Nanjing government immediately became a mess.
At the emergency meeting, there were two opinions within the Kuomintang on how to deal with this matter: why did the military and political minister advocate a crusade and send planes to bomb the nunnery to force the mutineers to surrender; Song Ziwen and Song Meiling advocated a peaceful solution and actively planned ways to rescue Chiang Kai-shek.
Song Meiling decided to fly to Xi himself. Prior to this, Zhang Xueliang had twice sent telegrams inviting Song Meiling to Xi 'an. It is said that they have a good personal relationship.
The Nanjing government thought that Song Meiling's trip was tantamount to a trap, but when she got off the plane, she didn't find any soldiers with guns. Zhang Xueliang, who came to meet him, was respectful and enthusiastic.
Through negotiations with Zhang Xueliang, Song Meiling promised that if Chiang Kai-shek agreed to their demands, Zhang Xueliang could personally escort Chiang Kai-shek back to Nanking, and he would ensure Chiang Kai-shek's safety.
"I guarantee your personal safety with my personality", perhaps this sentence of Song Meiling gave Zhang Xueliang a reassurance.
Despite the strong opposition from people around him, Zhang Xueliang set out to escort Chiang Kai-shek to Nanking without informing Zhou Enlai and others.
When the plane landed in Nanjing, Chiang Kai-shek immediately changed his face. Because Song Meiling had promised to ensure the safety of Zhang Xueliang before, it was not appropriate to start work now, so Chiang Kai-shek played the role of missing and sent someone to send Zhang Xueliang to the Nanjing military court.
As a result of the trial, Zhang Xueliang was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.
Song Meiling was very dissatisfied with the verdict. Under her mediation, Zhang Xueliang did not go to prison to serve his sentence, but was forced to start his 54-year imprisonment career.
In order not to expose the place of detention, Zhang Xueliang's residence is often changed. From Nanjing Fenghua Huangshan to Pingxiang Chenzhou Ruanling, then to Xiuwen Guiyang Kaiyang, and then to Chongqing via Tongzi.
Frequent "moving" makes Zhang Xueliang's life very turbulent, and his residence is desolate and remote.
After the Anti-Japanese War, Zhang Xueliang, who thought he was free, was not released, and even almost killed by Chiang Kai-shek. Zhang Xueliang was sent to Hsinchu to continue serving his sentence.
Compared with General Yang Hucheng, another protagonist of the "Xi Incident", Zhang Xueliang is undoubtedly lucky. Although he was not free, at least he saved his life.
Zhang Xueliang wants to thank one person, and that person is Song Meiling.
Zhang Xueliang said in an interview in his later years: "I am not dead. It was Mrs Jiang who helped me a lot. Then Mr. Jiang will shoot me. "
Song Meiling has been working hard for more than half a century for his original promise.
When Zhang Xueliang first went to prison, his wife Yu Fengzhi spent the most difficult time with him.
And all this should be thanks to Song Meiling. Without Song Meiling fighting for him, Zhang Xueliang would face countless lonely days alone.
After Zhang Xueliang was imprisoned for four years, Yu Fengzhi developed breast cancer. If he wants to live, he must go abroad for treatment. Zhang Xueliang had no choice but to ask Song Meiling for help.
Song Meiling word, immediately arrange Yu Fengzhi leave confinement, to the United States for treatment.
Song Meiling did this mainly because she felt that her promise to Zhang Xueliang had not been fulfilled. She can only do her best to give Zhang Xueliang enough help in life. As long as she can, she will try her best to meet Zhang Xueliang's requirements.
After Yu Fengzhi went to the United States for medical treatment, only his secretary Zhao Yidi accompanied him. Due to the inconvenient transportation and insufficient materials in remote areas, Zhang Xueliang and Zhao Yidi had to farm their own land to solve the problem of food and clothing.
The young marshal who once had an army of 300,000 became the commander of chickens and ducks. Zhang Xueliang no longer cares about the general trend of the world, but goes to see if the old hen has laid eggs every day.
1950, when Song Meiling met with Zhang Xueliang in Daxifu, he hinted that he believed in Christianity. Zhang Xueliang was studying Buddhism at that time. Song Meiling advised him not to go the wrong way and said that God would arrange freedom.
Zhang Xueliang trusted Song Meiling very much and began to study the Bible after he came back.
Later, Song Meiling hired an English teacher for Zhang Xueliang, sent a Christian to guide him to become a devout Christian, and let him and Zhao Yidi settle in Taipei on the grounds of facilitating Zhang Xueliang's access to Christian churches. This means that Zhang Xueliang has returned to the high-level vision of the Kuomintang in Taipei and has also obtained religious protection.
Everything shows that Song Meiling is helping Zhang Xueliang to regain his freedom slowly.
On the morning of June 5th, 1960, a service was held in the chapel of Chiang Kai-shek's official residence.
When he left, Song Meiling rarely shook hands with a bald old man, which surprised the Kuomintang officials present.
Because Song Meiling usually doesn't shake hands alone on this occasion, and most people don't recognize who the old man is.
This old man is Zhang Xueliang, a young marshal whom I haven't seen for 23 years.
Most of these Kuomintang officials have worked with Zhang Xueliang, and the reason why they can't recognize him is mostly because years of prison life have greatly changed a person's appearance and seriously damaged a person's mental state.
Song Meiling has never forgotten her promise to Zhang Xueliang. From Zhang Xueliang's diary manuscript and more than 65,438+000 letters from Song Meiling, we can see that she is very concerned about Zhang Xueliang's life and always tries her best to take care of Zhang Xueliang.
After Yu Fengzhi went to the United States for treatment, Song Meiling gave Zhang Xueliang a camera, which made the lives of Zhang Xueliang and Zhao Yidi more colorful. From the photos they left behind, the world also gained insight into Zhang Xueliang's situation at that time.
These photos left many scenes of Zhang Xueliang and Zhao Yidi's life. In a remote place where no one has set foot, it seems to be a paradise for two people. Although not free, being with your lover is full of romance.
In a photo of many people, except for women and children, the rest are Zhang Xueliang's guards. Under the constant supervision of people, their two-person world seems to have changed.
At first, there were more than 65,438+000 gendarmes guarding Zhang Xueliang. Until he regained his freedom, there were four tables with Zhang Xueliang at dinner.
Zhang Xueliang, who lost his freedom, knew little about the outside world. In order to let him know more about the outside world, Song Meiling gave him a radio.
I don't know what Zhang Xueliang heard on the radio for the first time, but we can see from the photos that Zhang Xueliang didn't show joy, but looked heavy.
The outside world is wonderful, and Zhang Xueliang in the house is helpless. He can't get out of the confinement, and the freedom he has been looking forward to is always from full expectation to endless disappointment.
Chiang Kai-shek, who made him unable to be free, didn't want to let him out until he died.
Song Meiling has been planning for Zhang Xueliang, and Zhang Xueliang himself has done his best to make Chiang Kai-shek forgive himself and regain his freedom.
Zhang Xueliang gave in to Chiang Kai-shek several times, and his Northeast Army and Northwest Army also repeatedly asked Chiang Kai-shek to release Zhang Xueliang.
But Chiang Kai-shek told them, "Zhang Xueliang volunteered to study in the place where he was imprisoned, and he didn't want to be disturbed by others." Obviously, this is an excuse and a lie made up by Chiang Kai-shek.
Later, Zhang Xueliang pleaded with Chiang Kai-shek through Dai Li, hoping to release him.
Chiang Kai-shek gave Zhang Xueliang a retractable fishing rod, which meant that he hoped Zhang Xueliang would behave himself. After all, it's a piece of cake for him to kill Zhang Xueliang. You'd better be honest if you want to live.
Zhang Xueliang knew that what happened that year made Chiang Kai-shek angry, so he temporarily dismissed the idea.
Twenty years later, on Chiang Kai-shek's birthday, Zhang Xueliang asked someone to send a watch, suggesting that Chiang Kai-shek "has been detained for a long time, so it's time to calm down."
Unexpectedly, Chiang Kai-shek gave him a calendar of 1936, apparently reminding him that "don't forget what you did in those years, and I won't forget it until I die!"
As early as after the war of liberation, our party made a lot of efforts, hoping that Chiang Kai-shek could release Zhang Xueliang.
Later, Chiang Kai-shek took Zhang Xueliang to Taiwan Province Province, where he always held the actual rights, and Zhang Xueliang was not free until his death.
From 65438 to 0975, Chiang Kai-shek was terminally ill and Zhang Xueliang seemed to see a glimmer of hope.
At this time, the opinions on where Zhang Xueliang should go in the Kuomintang were divided into two factions again.
One faction advocates the release of Zhang Xueliang, thinking that Zhang Xueliang has been detained for so long and is over 70 years old, and has lost his ability and strength to make waves; Another idea is house arrest. If you don't give him a chance, it's foolproof.
Chiang Kai-shek foresaw that his time had come. What should he do with Zhang Xueliang?
After Chiang Kai-shek became seriously ill, he had made a plan for his eldest son, Jiang Jingguo, to succeed him. At the last moment of his life, he didn't forget to tell Jiang Jingguo that "a tiger in a cage can't be released".
In his mind, Zhang Xueliang's power has not completely disappeared.
Once released, with his influence in the Northeast Army and the whole country, it is bound to be unfavorable to the Chiang family dynasty.
As the eldest son, Jiang Jingguo heard that his father had been worried about his future safety until his death. He was sad and moved, and he could only answer with tears in his eyes.
1April 5, 975, Chiang Kai-shek died.
When Song Meiling heard her husband's last words, she couldn't help crying.
It's been almost forty years, and Song Meiling has been rushing about this matter for so many years.
She didn't expect that Chiang Kai-shek would not release Zhang Xueliang until his death, and his original promise to Zhang Xueliang has not been fulfilled so far, which made her feel embarrassed as the "first lady".
Guilt for Zhang Xueliang and hatred for Chiang Kai-shek, as well as helplessness for oneself, all kinds of complicated emotions are intertwined, which makes Song Meiling, a woman who has reached the age of death, unable to let go for a long time. ...
The death of Chiang Kai-shek was unexpected by Zhang Xueliang. Chiang Kai-shek's last sentence left Zhang Xueliang speechless.
Anyway, now that the Sri Lankan people have left, Zhang Xueliang wrote an elegy to Chiang Kai-shek.
Chiang Kai-shek refused to forgive Zhang Xueliang until his death, but in the elegiac couplet, he expressed his gratitude for Chiang Kai-shek's care by "caring for each other."
As for "political debate is like enmity", it was forced by the situation at that time and had to be done.
Zhang Xueliang has always wanted to be forgiven by Chiang Kai-shek, and now Chiang Kai-shek's sudden death has left him with no chance to achieve his wish. Being over 70 years old and still not free naturally makes Zhang Xueliang feel uneasy.
In order to be free, Zhang Xueliang can only hope for Jiang Jingguo again and show the Chiang family and the outside world through various channels that he has lost interest in politics.
Zhang Xueliang even repeatedly said in the chat with other guests that he didn't want to be Zhang Xueliang anymore, but just wanted to be an ordinary person.
Jiang Jingguo naturally understood Zhang Xueliang's good intentions and that Zhang Xueliang could not make waves now.
But his promise to his father before he died forced him to respect his father's choice, and he could only continue to imprison Zhang Xueliang.
Only five months after Jiang Jingguo took office, Song Meiling left Taiwan Province Province for the United States because she and Jiang Jingguo had different political views.
This is a great event for Zhang Xueliang. If Song Meiling leaves Taiwan Province, will his promise still exist? Will he be imprisoned to death?
So after Song Meiling left Taiwan Province Province on 1975, he didn't ask about Zhang Xueliang?
1 June 9901,this day may be just an ordinary day for most people. For Zhang Xueliang, this is unusual. This is his first birthday after he regained his freedom.
This year, Zhang Xueliang was 90 years old.
On his birthday, he said that he had wasted 90 years and that so many people were ashamed to celebrate their birthdays. Between words, people can't help feeling that this once-beautiful young marshal is now old and has spent most of his life in solitary confinement.
199 1 One day in August, Zhang Xueliang met Song Meiling at a church in China Taipei Shilin Kaige Hall. This is the first and last time since Zhang Xueliang regained his freedom.
At this point, Zhang Xueliang knew that after Song Meiling left, he was entrusted to Zhang Qun. No wonder after Chiang Kai-shek's death, Zhang Qun has been running around for his freedom, which was originally entrusted by Song Meiling.
Zhang Xueliang was deeply moved. In subsequent interviews, he repeatedly mentioned that Song Meiling had helped him a lot. Because of Song Meiling, he won a gold medal to avoid death. Song Meiling's persistence for more than half a century has also made the world see her responsibility and responsibility.
Song Meiling wrote in Memoirs of the Xi Incident that the purpose of Zhang Xueliang's detention of Chiang Kai-shek was simple, that is, to resist Japan.
As long as Chiang Kai-shek agrees to his request, he will be sent back to Nanjing, where he will apologize to Chiang Kai-shek.
Later, when Zhang Xueliang was interviewed at 199 1, he also confirmed this point. He said: "I am opposed to civil war and don't want to fight it. I always talk about foreign countries. "
However, Zhang Xueliang paid the price of being imprisoned for 54 years in order to resist Japan.
As an iron-clad Northeastern, it was worse than killing him in the Northeast War of Resistance Against Japan in 14. Being imprisoned, he has an empty heart to serve the country, but he has no power to serve the country, which has become a lifelong regret.
Another thing that made Zhang Xueliang sad was that he didn't go back to his hometown in Northeast China until his death.
Lin, Zhang Xueliang's housekeeper in Taiwan Province Province, later recalled that after he settled in Hawaii, he once asked Lin if he was free while walking. Then he pointed to China's direction and said to Lin, "I'm going there, please accompany me."
Lin sympathized with him after hearing this.
Zhang Xueliang mentioned to Lin three times that he wanted to go back to his hometown in Northeast China. It's a pity that he was 90 years old when he was free. Due to health and other reasons, he didn't return to his haunted hometown until his death.
Zhang Xueliang was placed under house arrest 13 days, and Chiang Kai-shek imprisoned him for 54 years.
It is great to sacrifice one's life for righteousness, but it is also worth remembering to save the nation from danger with freedom.
Zhang Xueliang once said: "My business is that after I am 36 years old, there will be no more."
Actually, no.
It was the self-sacrifice of Zhang Xueliang and others that brought about the common resistance of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and also contributed to the final victory of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
As Premier Zhou commented on Zhang Xueliang, he is our "national hero and eternal hero".
His life deserves to be celebrated, and it should also be celebrated.