Zhou Enlai
Reading for the Rise of China
When he was 12 years old, Zhou Enlai left his hometown and came to Northeast China. At that time, Northeast China was the focus of competition among imperialist powers in China. He got off the bus in Shenyang. The uncle who came to pick him up pointed to a prosperous and lively place and said to him: "Don't go to that place to play if you have nothing to do!"
"Why?" Zhou Enlai asked confused.
"That is a foreign concession. It will be bad if it causes trouble. There is no way to deal with it!"
"Then why?" Zhou Enlai broke the casserole and asked.
"Why? China is sluggish!" The uncle sighed and said nothing more.
Soon, Zhou Enlai entered Dongguan Model School. He could never forget what his uncle said when he picked him up. He often thought: "What does the concession look like? Why can't Chinese people go there, but foreigners can live there? Isn't this Chinese land..." A series of questions This puzzled Zhou Enlai, and his curiosity drove him to see what happened in person.
On a sunny Sunday, Zhou Enlai carried his uncle on his back and made an appointment with a close classmate to break into the concession. Hey! This area is indeed very different from other places: the streets are bright and lively, and the people walking on both sides of the streets are mostly foreigners with yellow hair, white skin, big noses and arrogant patrol police.
While Zhou Enlai and his classmates were looking around, they suddenly found a group of people gathered in front of the patrol station, shouting something loudly. They rushed over and saw a ragged woman in the crowd crying and complaining about something, while a big foreigner stood proudly aside. After asking, she found out that this woman's relative was run over by a foreigner's car. She had expected the Chinese police station to support her and punish the foreigner. Unexpectedly, instead of punishing the foreigner who caused the trouble, the Chinese patrolmen scolded her. The Chinese people watching clenched their fists. But who dares to do anything in foreign concessions? I can only advise the unfortunate woman. Only then did Zhou Enlai truly understand the meaning of his uncle's "China's sluggishness".
After returning from the concession, classmates often saw Zhou Enlai deep in thought alone, and no one knew what he was thinking. It wasn't until I listened to Zhou Enlai's speech in a self-cultivation class that I solved this mystery.
In the self-cultivation class that day, Principal Wei asked the students a question: "Why do students study?"
The students answered enthusiastically. Some say: "Read to understand reason." Some say: "Read to be an official." Others say: "Read to make money." "Read to eat."...
Zhou Enlai sat there quietly and did not rush to speak. Principal Wei noticed it, gestured for everyone to calm down, and called his name to answer. Zhou Enlai stood up and answered clearly and firmly:
"Read for the rise of China!"
Principal Wei was heartened after hearing this! He never expected that a twelve or thirteen-year-old child would have such ambition and ambition! He opened his eyes wide and asked again: "Tell me again, why are you studying?"
"Study for the rise of China!"
Zhou Enlai's sonorous and powerful words won the Principal Wei's applause: "Great! For the rise of China! Those who are determined should be Zhou Sheng! Hahaha!"
Yes, the young Zhou Enlai had already realized at that time that if the Chinese wanted to If we are not bullied by imperialism, we must revitalize China. Reading should be aimed at this.