Tell me about your feelings for Zhang Side.

(1September 8, 944)

Mao Zedong

Our * * * production party and the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army led by the * * * production party are revolutionary ranks. Our team is completely for the liberation of the people and works thoroughly for the interests of the people. Comrade Zhang Side is a comrade in our team.

People always die, but the meaning of death is different. In ancient China, a writer named Sima Qian said: "People are inherently mortal, either heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather." (2) To die for the benefit of the people is more important than Mount Tai; It's as light as a feather to work for fascism and those who exploit and oppress the people. Comrade Zhang Side died for the benefit of the people, and his death was heavier than Mount Tai.

Because we serve the people, we are not afraid of being criticized for our shortcomings. Whoever it is will point it out to us. As long as you are right, we will correct it. What you say is good for the people, so we will do as you say. The idea of "better troops and simpler administration" was put forward by Mr. Li Dingming (3), a non-party person; His suggestion was good and beneficial to the people, so we adopted it. As long as we stick to what is beneficial to the people's interests and correct what is harmful to the people's interests, our team will surely prosper.

We all come from all corners of the country and come together for a common revolutionary goal. We must go this way with most people in this country. Today, we have led a base area with a population of 91100,000, but this is not enough, and it needs to be bigger to realize the liberation of the whole nation. When our comrades are in trouble, we should see the achievements and the light and improve our courage. The people of China are suffering, and it is our duty to save them. We must work hard. If you want to struggle, you have to sacrifice. Dead people often happen. But we are thinking about the interests of the people and the suffering of most people. If we die for the people, it is a fair death. However, we should try to reduce those unnecessary sacrifices. Our cadres should care about every soldier, and all people in the revolutionary ranks should care about each other, love each other and help each other.

In the future, no matter who dies in our team, whether it is a cook or a soldier, as long as he has done some useful work, we will hold a funeral and a memorial service for him. This should become a system. This method should also be introduced to the people. Everyone in the village died, and a memorial service was held. Only in this way can we mourn and unite the whole people.

To annotate ...

This is Mao Zedong's speech at the meeting of the Central Guard Corps commemorating Zhang Side.

[1] Zhang Side, a native of Yilong, Sichuan, was a soldier of the Central Guard Corps. /kloc-joined the red army in 0/933, experienced the long March and was injured. He is a party member who faithfully serves the people. 1On September 5th, 944, he burned charcoal in the mountains of Ansai County, northern Shaanxi, and died because of the collapse of the charcoal kiln.

[2] Sima Qian, a famous writer and historian in China during the Western Han Dynasty, wrote 130 Historical Records. This quotation can be found in "Zhi Ren Shu" in "Biography of Sima Qian in Han Dynasty". The original text is: "People are inherently mortal, and death is heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather."

Li Dingming (188 1- 1947), an enlightened gentleman from Mizhi, Shaanxi. 194 1 year1kloc-0/month, he put forward the proposal of "better troops and simpler administration" at the second Senate meeting of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia border region, and was elected as the vice chairman of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia border region government at this meeting.

4. This refers to the total population of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region and the anti-Japanese base areas in North China, Central China and South China at that time.