The story of a patriot

Deng Shichang

Deng Shichang: "We joined the army to defend the country, and we have long ignored life and death. What happened today is just death!"

Deng Shichang (1849- 1894) His original name was Yongchang and his courtesy name was Zhengqing. A native of Panyu, Guangdong. In 1867, he entered the first driving class of the Mawei Shipbuilding Academy and graduated with honors in 1874. He was awarded the fifth-grade military merit by Shen Baozhang, the Minister of Shipbuilding, and was appointed as the shipping assistant of "Chenhang". The following year, he served as the commander of the gunboat "Haidongyun". At that time, Japan sent troops to invade Taiwan. He was ordered to patrol Penghu and Keelung and was promoted to the rank of Chief Thousand Commander. Later, he was transferred to the "Zhenwei" gunboat commander and acted as the "Yangwu" clipper commander. He was recommended as a conservative reserve officer and was given the title of Chief of Staff.

In 1880, Li Hongzhang recruited talents for the construction of the Beiyang Navy. Because Deng Shichang was "familiar with management matters and a hard-to-find talent in the Navy", he transferred him to the Beiyang subordinates and successively served as "Feiting" ", "Zhennan" mosquito cannon ship pipe belt. In the winter of the same year, the two cruisers "Yangwei" and "Chaoyong" ordered by Beiyang in the UK were completed. More than 200 officers and soldiers of Ding Ruchang Navy went to the UK to pick up the ships, and Deng Shichang accompanied them. It arrived safely at Dagukou in November 1881. This was the first time that the Chinese navy completed the North Atlantic-Mediterranean Sea-Suez Canal-Indian Ocean-Western Pacific route, which greatly enhanced China's international influence. Deng Shichang was imprisoned by the Qing government for his meritorious service in piloting a ship. He was awarded the title of "Boyong Batulu" and appointed as the "Yangwei" ship commander.

In the spring of 1887, Deng Shichang led a team to Britain to receive the four cruisers "Zhiyuan", "Jingyuan", "Jingyuan" and "Laiyuan" ordered by the Qing government from Britain and Germany. He was to return to China at the end of the year . On the way back, Deng Shichang arranged fleet drills with his disciples. Due to his meritorious service in taking over the ship, he was promoted to deputy general, received an additional military rank, and was appointed as the commander of the "Zhiyuan" ship. In 1888, Deng Shichang was released as a general soldier and given the title of admiral. In October of that year, the Beiyang Navy was officially established as an army, and Deng Shichang was promoted to the rank of deputy general of the Chinese Army's Central Battalion. In 1891, Li Hongzhang inspected the Beiyang Navy. Deng Shichang was awarded the title of "Gersabatulu" for his meritorious service in training.

In the Battle of Dadonggou on September 17, 1894, Deng Shichang commanded the "Zhiyuan" ship to fight bravely. Later, under the siege of Japanese ships, the "Zhiyuan" was injured in many places and the whole ship caught fire. tilt. Deng Shichang encouraged all the officers and soldiers on the ship: "We served in the army to defend the country, and we have long ignored life and death. What happened today is just death!" "The Japanese ship relies exclusively on Yoshino, and if it sinks this ship, it will be enough to take away its energy." He resolutely The ship rammed into the starboard side of the Japanese battleship "Yoshino" at full speed, determined to perish with the enemy. The officers and soldiers of the Japanese warship were shocked when they saw this, and concentrated their artillery fire on the "Zhiyuan". Unfortunately, a shell hit the torpedo tube of the "Zhiyuan" ship. The torpedo in the tube exploded, causing the "Zhiyuan" ship to sink. After Deng Shichang fell into the sea, his entourage offered him a lifebuoy to save him, but he refused and said: "I am determined to kill the enemy and serve the country. Now I die in the sea. It is righteous. Why should I live!" His pet dog "Taiyang" also swam there. Next to him, holding his arm in his mouth to save him, Deng Shichang vowed to fight for life or death with the warship, and resolutely put his dog's head into the water. He also sank in the waves, and died heroically for his country along with more than 250 officers and soldiers on the ship.

After Deng Shichang's death, the whole country was shocked. Emperor Guangxu wept and wrote a couplet: "On this day, the world is crying with tears, and there is a man who can strengthen the power of the navy." He also gave Deng Shichang the posthumous title of "Zhuangjie Gong" and the posthumous title of "Prince". "Shaobao" was enshrined in the Zhaozhong Temple of the capital, and the emperor personally wrote a sacrificial inscription and an inscription. Li Hongzhang expressed his merits in the "Request for Compassion for the Deaths of Members of the Dadonggou Navy", saying: "...and the contributions of Deng Shichang, Liu Buchan and others are also indispensable." The Qing government also gave Deng's mother a large plaque with the words "Teaching Children Properly" made of 1.5 kilograms of gold, and allocated 100,000 taels of silver to the Deng family as a token of compensation. The Deng family used this money to build a tomb for Deng Shichang and the Deng family ancestral hall in Panyu, Guangdong, where he was originally from. The people of Weihai felt their loyalty and built a shrine to Deng Shichang's statue on Chengshan Mountain in 1899 to pay homage to him forever. On December 28, 1996, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy named the new ocean-going comprehensive training ship "Shichang" to commemorate it.

Deng Shichang had three sons and two daughters. The eldest son, Deng Haohong, inherited the official position and served in the Guangdong Navy. He died in 1947; the second son, Deng Haoyang, died young; the third son, Deng Haoqian, was a posthumous son and served in the Navy Department of the Republic of China. He passed away in Wuxi in 1969.

Guan Tianpei, a famous anti-British general in the Opium War. The courtesy name is Zhongyin and the nickname is Zipu. A native of Shanyang, Jiangsu (now Huai'an). In 1803 (the eighth year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty), Zhongwu Xiucai was awarded the title of Commander-in-Chief. Later, he was promoted to general.

In 1826 (the sixth year of Daoguang reign in the Qing Dynasty), the Qing government began to organize grain shipping. Guan Tianpei escorted more than a thousand grain ships to Tianjin safely and was promoted to deputy general. The following year, he was promoted to general soldier. In the spring of 1832, he acted as the admiral of Jiangnan. In 1834, he was transferred to Admiral of Guangdong Navy. In 1838, the Jingyuan Fort was built between Zhenyuan and Weiyuan Forts. Western bronze cannons were installed for the first time, and two rows of chains were erected in the water channel on the east side of the rung. In 1839, Lin Zexu, the imperial minister, went to Guangdong to ban smoking, assisted in arresting cigarette dealers, confiscated opium, and commanded the navy to engage in many firefights with British ships.

Guan Tianpei

Guan Tianpei (1781～1841.2.26), a famous anti-British general in the Opium War. The courtesy name is Zhongyin and the nickname is Zipu. A native of Shanyang, Jiangsu (now Huai'an). In 1803 (the eighth year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty), Zhongwu Xiucai was awarded the title of Commander-in-Chief. Later, he was promoted to general. In 1826 (the sixth year of Daoguang reign in the Qing Dynasty), the Qing government began to organize grain shipping. Guan Tianpei escorted more than a thousand grain ships to Tianjin safely and was promoted to deputy general. The following year, he was promoted to general soldier. In the spring of 1832, he acted as the admiral of Jiangnan. In 1834, he was transferred to Admiral of Guangdong Navy. After taking office, he surveyed the geographical situation and changed the Shajiao and Dajiao forts at Humenkou into Xin forts. On the line of Shanghengdang Island, he rebuilt the Nanshan fort (renamed Weiyuan), rebuilt the Hengdang and Zhenyuan forts, and added Yongan and consolidated the forts. , control the east-west waterways; at the bottom of Humen, rebuild the Dahushan Fort. Another 40 cannons weighing more than 6,000 kilograms were cast and placed in various forts. At the same time, we should pay close attention to training and formulate spring and autumn exercise regulations. In 1838, the Jingyuan Fort was built between Zhenyuan and Weiyuan Forts, Western bronze cannons were installed for the first time, and two rows of chains were erected in the water channel on the east side of the rung. In 1839, Lin Zexu, the imperial minister, went to Guangdong to ban smoking, assisted in arresting cigarette dealers, confiscated opium, and commanded the navy to engage in many firefights with British ships. In 1840, the Opium War broke out. Qi Shan, the imperial envoy, went to Guangdong. He was determined to advocate peace and was devoted to defense. On January 7, 1841, the British launched the Battle of Humen in an attempt to force Qishan to surrender by force. They dispatched more than 10 ships to capture the Shajiao and Dajiao forts. On February 26, the British army used 10 warships and 3 steamships, coupled with landing troops, to storm the 6 forts on the Hengdang Island. Guan Tianpei, the commander of the Jingyuan Fort, resisted tenaciously and personally fired cannons to bombard the enemy. He was wounded and died in battle. His memorials and official documents concerning the coastal defense of Guangdong were compiled into "Chouhai Village Collection".

Xu Beihong. (1895-1953), a modern painting master and art educator who drew on the strengths of both Chinese and Western art. Xu Beihong was born in a rural area and his family was poor. His father, Xu Dazhang, was a village school teacher and was good at painting flowers, birds and figures. Xu Beihong began studying at home school at the age of 4, and he became interested in painting at an early age. He studied painting with his father at the age of 9, and by the age of 10 he was already working as his father's assistant. During the busy farming season, he also did farming, and his poor working life enabled him to develop a diligent, simple style and an honest and upright character from an early age. When he was 13 years old, he encountered a period of great famine and traveled around the world with his father, making a living by selling calligraphy and paintings. When he was 17 years old, his father became seriously ill and the family situation deteriorated. The burden of life for a family of eight fell on Xu Beihong's shoulders. He worked as a painting teacher in primary and secondary schools, and also made a living by selling paintings in Shanghai and other places. When he was 19, his father passed away and his family became increasingly poor.