Liu Hezhen’s deeds

Category: Education/Science gt; gt; Science and Technology

Analysis:

Liu Hezhen (1904-1926), female, was born in Nanchang, Jiangxi.

Liu Hezhen was born in poverty, and developed a hard-working, studious and progressive character since childhood. In the autumn of 1918, she was admitted to Nanchang Women's Normal School with excellent results. On the eve of the May 4th Movement, she was influenced by revolutionary thoughts and often read progressive books and periodicals such as "New Youth". She realized that new women shouldered the responsibility of transforming old China and the old system, and actively devoted herself to anti-imperialism and anti-feudalism. in practice. After the May 4th Movement broke out, Ruo ignored the obstruction of the school authorities and organized her classmates to take to the streets to give speeches and fight against Japanese goods, thus beginning her revolutionary career.

At that time, Nanchang Women’s Normal School had strict school rules. She and her progressive classmates contacted the Nanchang Student Union and established the Women’s Normal Student Autonomy Fund. The school was forced to cancel the unreasonable school rules, and one of the leaders Liu Hezhen was punished with a "major demerit". In 1921, Liu Hezhen continued to lead her classmates to declare war on the feudal forces and initiated women's hair cutting in Jiangxi. The female teacher quickly started a hair-cutting scandal, and no fewer than a hundred people had their hair cut within three or two days. The school authorities believed that she "initiated hair-cutting, which was offensive to morals," and was ordered to drop out of school. In the winter of the same year, Liu Hezhen and others initiated and organized the progressive group "Jueshe" in Nanchang, and edited the monthly magazine "Times Culture" and "Female Teachers Weekly".

In the autumn of 1923, Liu Hezhen came to Beijing from Jiangxi and took the preparatory course of the National Women's Normal University in Beijing, and was later promoted to the English Department of the Women's Normal University. During her studies, she often went to Peking University to attend courses such as "Sociology" and "History of the Feminist Movement" taught by Li Dazhao, which became widely known after returning to school. She is also a loyal reader of Mr. Lu Xun's works. Because of her progressive thinking, excellent grades, and ability to unite classmates, she was deeply respected and trusted by her classmates. She was elected as the president of the Women's Normal Student Association.

Yang Yinyu, the president of the Women's Normal University, aroused dissatisfaction among progressive teachers and students because of her efforts to maintain feudal ethics. In November 1924, the expulsion movement broke out. This was the famous Women's Normal University trend in the history of the women's movement in my country. Liu Hezhen, as the president of the Women's Normal University Students' Autonomous Association, was the main organizer and participant of this movement. She was entrusted by her classmates to draft a declaration to expel Yang, and wrote an article to expose the reactionary literati Chen Xiying's denial of rape, which was reasonable, powerful, and measured. Under the instigation of the Director-General of Education Zhang Shizhao, Liu Baizhao actually led the military police into the school, hired more than a hundred female gangsters to beat and injure students, and cut off power, water, and food to force students to leave school. On August 10, the Ministry of Education issued an order to close the Women’s Normal University.

After the "cessation" of the Women's Normal University, with the support of Lu Xun and other famous professors, classes continued to be held in Zongmao Hutong in the Western Regions. More than 20 people, including Liu Hezhen, jointly submitted a petition to the Beijing District Procuratorate to prosecute Zhang Shizhao and others. people. The revolutionary movement in the north continued to be tense. Duan Qirui and important officials fled Beijing one after another, and Zhang Shizhao also fled to Tianjin. After hard struggle, the Women's Normal University returned to its former site on Shifuma Street and the students returned to school in groups from Zongmao Hutong. Classes officially started on December 11. Under the chairmanship of Liu Hezhen, more than 300 people held a meeting to celebrate the victory of the struggle.

On March 12, 1926, a Japanese warship sailed into our country at Dagukou for provocation, and then gathered the great powers to issue an ultimatum to the Chinese Communist Party and make unreasonable threats. People from all walks of life in Beijing were extremely indignant. Liu Hezhen said: "To resist foreign power and to eliminate national traitors at home, you must have guns"; "If the warlords are not overthrown, education will not be successful. After the warlords are overthrown, it will not be too late for me to become a teacher again."

At about 8 a.m. on March 18, Professor Lin Yutang received a call from Liu Hezhen, requesting permission to suspend classes for one day in the name of the Student Government Association. On this day, Liu Hezhen was suffering from flu and vomiting from time to time. Regardless of her illness, she carried out mobilization and organizational work. She distributed the slogan flags to the students, delivered a short but passionate speech, then held the school flag high and led the team to set off. Students from the Women's Normal University came to Tiananmen. The National Congress had not yet convened, and on the rostrum hung the bloody clothes of the representative who was stabbed the day before. After the meeting, at 12 noon, more than 2,000 people began to protest. Liu Hezhen served as the commander of the Women's Normal University team.

Duan Qirui in Iron Lion Alley *** The guards in front of the gate were armed with live ammunition, as if facing a formidable enemy. Several soldiers pointed at Liu Hezhen who was holding the school flag. Aiming the evil gun at Liu Hezhen. Gunfire rang out, and a premeditated massacre began. In an instant, Liu Hezhen was shot several times and lay in a pool of blood. Zhang Jingshu and Yang Dequn, who were also there, rushed to help. She said, "You should leave quickly. I can't survive anymore. Leave me alone." She was still caring about her classmates with such gentleness. A row of bullets came over, and Zhang Jingshu and Yang Dequn fell beside her. The brutal soldiers rushed over and hit Liu Hezhen hard with wooden sticks...

Martyr Liu Hezhen was only 22 years old when he died.

After attending Liu Hezhen’s memorial service, Mr. Lu Xun personally wrote the article "In Memory of Liu Hezhen." Reminiscent of this "kind-hearted student who always smiled"; mourned the "Chinese youth who died for China"; praised the "courage of Chinese women" who "despite their loss of life." Martyr Liu Hezhen is a good daughter of the Chinese nation and the pride of Beijing Normal University!

(Originally published in "Blood Splattered in Beijing" Beijing Normal University Press, 1986, the article has been slightly modified)