In his spare time, Chairman Mao Zedong liked to appreciate and copy the inscriptions of famous writers, and he was very accomplished in calligraphy. His approach to grass is bold and unrestrained, free and easy, and he is in a style of his own.
Once, Chairman Mao heard that Mr. Huang Yanpei had collected an authentic work by Wang Xizhi, the great calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. He was very excited and couldn't wait to borrow it. Of course, Huang Yanpei could not lend out the original work easily, but Chairman Mao wanted to borrow it, and he was embarrassed to refuse, so he made an agreement with the Chairman: he would only borrow it for one month and return it when it was due.
After the copybook was lent out, Huang Yanpei kept thinking about it. You know, Wang Xizhi’s authentic works are rare in the world!
After a week, Huang Yanpei called Chairman Mao’s guard room and asked if the Chairman had finished reading the copybook. The guard on duty politely told him not yet.
Two days later, Huang Yanpei called again to inquire. The guard told him that the chairman was still reading it and would send the copybook to him immediately after reading it. But Huang Yanpei always felt uneasy.
A few days later, Huang Yanpei couldn't bear it anymore and called the chairman directly. On the phone, he first talked about other things, and after going around in circles for a long time, he said: "Chairman, I...that copybook by Wang Xizhi...have you read it?"
Chairman Mao finished answering the phone , couldn't help laughing, and said to the people around him: "He has a quick temper. Don't you still believe me? We agreed to return it within one month. If I don't return it by the time, it will be a breach of trust on my part; but the deadline has not yet come. If he comes to ask for it, then he is not keeping his word."
Having said that, Chairman Mao actually understands the feelings of scholars who love books as much as their lives, and he himself also takes great care of books. During the war, Chairman Mao fought in the north and south and abandoned many items, but he was reluctant to throw away his collection of books. Therefore, he didn't mind Huang Yanpei's urging for copybooks.
When the one-month deadline came, Chairman Mao wrapped the copybook with his own hands and asked the guards to deliver it to Huang Yanpei, and warned: "It must be delivered to Mr. Huang as soon as possible."
< p> As for Huang Yanpei, he was a little uneasy about his previous actions, so he called again and said: "If the chairman still wants to see it, you might as well see it for a few more days."The guard immediately took Mr. Huang Tell the Chairman. But Chairman Mao said: "To thank him for his kindness, I'd better send him the copybook! If you agree, it will last for one month. You must be trustworthy in everything you do."