Novel and film “Jin Guang Da Dao” (The Golden Light Avenue) tells the story of China’s rural socialist transformation in the 1950s, showcasing Chairman Mao’s call for farmers to “organize themselves” into mutual aid and cooperative movements, to restrict and eliminate the bourgeoisie economy, and the struggle against Liu Shaoqi’s black line of “consolidating the new democratic order” and developing capitalist forces in the countryside. In “Jin Guang Da Dao,” the young Communist Party member Gao Daqiquan implements Mao’s revolutionary line. Every comrade who has watched “Jin Guang Da Dao” is moved by Gao Daqiquan’s dedication to the poor and lower-middle peasants, and is impressed by his selfless, altruistic communist morality. He established mutual aid groups to prevent the “transformed” households from reverting, working three days and nights without sleep to haul manure for group members; when class enemies incited Gao Elin (Gao Daqiquan’s brother) to cause a family split to “disrupt the transformed households and scatter Gao Daqiquan’s focus on socialism,” Gao Daqiquan issued a steel vow: “It’s just a family split, but it’s a bomb that could blow this family apart. After I return, the adults and children will be gone, but I will still continue the revolution and march forward.”
This hero, Gao Daqiquan, was not fabricated out of thin air; his prototype is Wang Guofu, the revolutionary leader of the Jinxing Production Brigade’s Dabai Building Production Team of Hongxing People’s Commune, Daxing County, Beijing. After Wang Guofu’s death from illness on November 6, 1969, the People’s Daily published his revolutionary deeds.
“Drive the revolution cart without loosening the harness, until communism”
—Remembering the outstanding proletarian fighter Wang Guofu
Wang Guofu, nurtured by Mao Zedong Thought and an outstanding proletarian fighter and Communist Party member, dedicated his brilliant life to the great proletarian revolutionary cause. On November 6, 1969, Wang Guofu passed away from illness. In his final moments, he looked up at the portrait of the great leader Chairman Mao and, to the cadre and old poor peasants guarding him who had shared the hardships of life with him, he intermittently said: “Must listen to Chairman Mao, … struggle hard, … continue the revolution, … strengthen the Party, and hold onto power.”
Wang Guofu, leader of the revolutionary leadership group of the Dabai Building Production Team of Hongxing People’s Commune, Beijing, loved Chairman Mao deeply, always remembered class struggle, and was committed to consolidating the proletarian dictatorship. With the great ideal of communism, he held power for the revolution for seventeen years, loyal and devoted, saying: “Drive the revolution cart without loosening the harness,” and “Be the ‘ox’ for the proletariat and the masses, bowing and dying for them.”
Steel bones, people who raise the red flag
Born in 1922 in Wenshang County, Shandong Province, Wang Guofu came from a poor peasant family that worked three generations to carry loads. With twelve mouths to feed, they relied on elm bark, radish tops, and poplar leaves for food. During the cold winter, the family huddled under a tattered cotton quilt. His father, drained of sweat and blood by landlords, died wrapped in sorghum stalks. Wang Guofu begged for food from a young age, ran away to Beijing at twelve to become a long-term worker, saved by Chairman Mao and the Communist Party from the sea of suffering.
He harbored deep class hatred, as deep as the sea, and his revolutionary will was as strong as steel. Wang Guofu firmly believed Mao’s words: “Only socialism can save China.” He continuously revolutionized as a cadre for seventeen years, leading poor and lower-middle peasants along the socialist road guided by Chairman Mao, forging ahead courageously!
In 1952, Wang Guofu led two poor households, using manual plows and small donkey carts, to organize the first mutual aid group in the township.
In 1955, Wang Guofu, together with poor and lower-middle peasants, repelled a small group of class enemies and capitalist spontaneous forces who stirred up the “withdrawal from the collective,” consolidating the socialist position and achieving a bumper harvest after collectivization. That year, Wang Guofu proudly joined the Chinese Communist Party. Under the red flag, he looked up at the savior Chairman Mao, tears in his eyes, and swore: “I am loyal to Chairman Mao, and I will never turn back in the revolution!”
From collectivization to the commune movement, every step forward required smashing resistance to continue progressing. Wang Guofu led the poor and lower-middle peasants of Dabai Building to forge ahead, throwing all obstacles behind him.
In 1965, the revisionist forces of Hongxing People’s Commune, following the black orders of counter-revolutionary revisionists like Peng Zhen, went to a production team against the fierce opposition of local poor and lower-middle peasants and revolutionary cadres, selling the traitor, spy, and worker Liu Shaoqi’s “Three Self and One Guarantee” black goods, creating a set of “contract to the team, land to the individual” black experience. The old Beijing Municipal Party Committee’s anti-revisionist group quickly proclaimed it a “red flag.” Black winds and waves surged, claiming “learning from Dazhai is not visible, learning from this red flag is most convenient.” That autumn, Wang Guofu was “ordered” to visit that production team. As he walked and observed, he grew angrier. A team leader asked him: “What do you think of their experience?” Wang Guofu angrily replied: “From big to small, from small to household, is this not a dead end? We must never go down this road!”
After returning to his village, the revisionists in the commune, seeing his indifference to their black experience, repeatedly ordered him to lead the whole village cadres to “learn from” that production team. Wang Guofu firmly declared: “I will listen to Chairman Mao, hoist the banner of Dazhai, and follow Dazhai’s path!” He did not send anyone.
The revisionists were furious, exerting pressure, criticizing him at meetings, and talking to him individually. They accused him of “not learning from advanced models,” “lack of organization and discipline,” “loss of party spirit,” and “losing the stance,” piling on many “hats”. Wang Guofu was unafraid and resolutely said: “I will listen to Chairman Mao, hoist the banner of Dazhai, and follow Dazhai’s path!”
The revisionists, in a rage, sent people to the village to forcibly implement their black experience. The villagers of Dabai Building launched a fierce struggle. Wang Guofu firmly believed that Mao’s words had the highest authority and greatest power. He organized the villagers to study Mao’s teachings on “never forget class struggle,” learn from Dazhai’s experience, recall the bitterness of individual efforts, and think about the sweetness of collectivization. At a village meeting, Wang Guofu asked loudly:
“Should we divide the land of our team?”
“No!”
“Can we divide the livestock and tools?”
“No!”
“Should we learn their set of practices?”
“No!”
Wang Guofu said firmly: “Yes, we will not follow their set! We will not go back, not suffer twice, and must go all out towards socialism. The path Chairman Mao pointed out, we are determined to follow!”
He told the cadres: “The poor and lower-middle peasants of Dabai Building are wholeheartedly committed to socialism, and do not do evil or crooked things. You can go back now!”
The fierce class struggle continued, round after round. The revisionists opposed Mao’s policies of “self-reliance” and “hard struggle,” and kept trying to sell their “Three Give” black goods (investment, loans, and voluntary labor). Wang Guofu countered: “Our development of collective production depends on Mao Zedong Thought and the hardworking spirit of everyone. We do not rely on investment, loans, or voluntary labor!” He spoke about the “Three Not to Eat” at meetings, on the beds of peasants, and in the fields, making everyone understand.
People relied on Mao Zedong Thought and their diligent hands to build a new socialist countryside. The poor and lower-middle peasants praised Wang Guofu: “He is an iron backbone, a person who raises the red flag!”
With the start of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, Wang Guofu was determined to further temper his loyalty to Mao and always hold power for the poor and lower-middle peasants. One late night, Wang Guofu read from Mao’s quotations: “Our responsibility is to be responsible to the people… If there are mistakes, they must be corrected, and this is called being responsible to the people.” His heart was warm, and he gently woke his young son, pointing to the words “extreme enthusiasm” and asking how to explain it. After understanding, he passionately drew a red sun next to the word “enthusiasm” with a red pencil.
Wang Guofu was infinitely loyal to Mao, closely following Mao’s strategic deployments, and enthusiastically solicited opinions from poor and lower-middle peasants house by house. He told the villagers:
“I serve the people, have done a hundred things, ninety-nine are correct, and one is wrong; I should also check. Your feedback helps me serve the revolution better.”
A small group of class enemies colluded and desperately struggled, inciting bourgeois factionalism. Wang Guofu “stood aside,” but his spirit of continuous revolution never “stood aside”; he always remained on the front line of struggle. The broad masses of poor and lower-middle peasants stood with him, confronting the class enemies. At a village meeting, Wang Guofu listened enthusiastically to criticisms from the villagers. When the meeting ended, he asked everyone to wait, saying: “I still have some things to say about the work of the team.” At that moment, a troublemaker jumped out and shouted: “Who do you think you are, standing aside!” The peasants loudly said: “We want to hear him speak!” Wang Guofu offered many valuable suggestions for village work. The villagers praised: “Guofu is ambitious, he can’t be measured!”
He also enthusiastically helped other cadres, encouraging them to actively participate in the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, and to see the world through hardships. He said: “Our cadres must withstand tests; we must not loosen the harness of the revolution!”
Wang Guofu’s heart was bright and his fighting spirit was strong. Considering that most of the villagers in Dabai Building came from Shandong and Hebei fleeing famine, he repeatedly told the masses: “Poor and lower-middle peasants from Shandong and Hebei are one family; landlords from Shandong and Hebei are class enemies.” He exposed the conspiracy of a small number of class enemies trying to use hometown kinship to stir up class lines and muddy the waters, helping the two factions of revolutionary masses quickly realize revolutionary united front. The entire village of poor and lower-middle peasants unanimously elected Wang Guofu as the leader of the revolutionary leadership group of the production team. With fighting spirit, he declared: “Everyone trusts me, I will pull the revolution cart without loosening the harness, all the way to communism!” The peasants praised: “Our team leader is clear-minded; he understands that as long as there is proletarian power, there is everything for the working people.”
The fierce flames of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution further tempered Wang Guofu’s unwavering loyalty to the great leader Mao. He raised the great red flag of Mao Zedong Thought high, led the revolutionary masses in a more fierce attack on the class enemies, and uncovered hidden landlords and counter-revolutionaries, strengthening the proletarian dictatorship.
Wang Guofu listened to Mao’s words, continued to revolution, and thoroughly revolutionized; he “pulls the revolution cart without loosening the harness,” and the wheels roll forward!
Living in a “Long Worker’s House,” with a global vision
Mao taught: “Without a firm correct political direction, the work style of hard struggle cannot be inspired; without a work style of hard struggle, the correct political direction cannot be implemented.” Wang Guofu “pulls the revolution cart without loosening the harness,” as a cadre for seventeen years, always adhering to the correct political direction and maintaining a work style of hard struggle. The poor and lower-middle peasants of Dabai Building will never forget his touching deeds of living in the “Long Worker’s House” and having a global vision.
There is a “Big White Building” of landlords in Dabai Building, which has long since collapsed; now, the “Long Worker’s House” under it is a witness to the exploitation and oppression of farmers by landlords in the old society. Twenty years after liberation, Wang Guofu helped the poor and lower-middle peasants build new houses, but he himself continued to live in that “Long Worker’s House,” never forgetting class suffering, remembering blood and tears, and always thinking of his class brothers and revolutionary cause.
The “Long Worker’s House” where Wang Guofu lived was built with mud bricks, thatched with straw, without a single rafter, with only a few wooden sticks for windows; less than seven feet wide, over a yard long, with a dirt kang (heated bed) and a stove occupying most of the space. He hung a portrait of Mao Zedong on the wall. The red sun shone into the “Long Worker’s House,” making it bright inside and out.
The poor and lower-middle peasants in the village, seeing Wang Guofu and his family of six cramped in that small “Long Worker’s House,” all urged him to build a new house. Wang Guofu always smiled and said:
“Enduring a bit more hardship won’t hurt. Living in a new house would be comfortable, but if it rains, I might forget my class brothers.”
One summer night, a storm with rain, thunder, and lightning hit. The floodwaters in Dabai Building, where the “Big White Building” once stood, covered the land, filled the ditches and trenches. The “Long Worker’s House” where Wang Guofu lived was leaking constantly. He remembered his class brothers still living in broken houses, got out of bed, rushed out into the rain, waded through water, checked each house. Peasant Chen Ruiling had set up a “canopy” on his kang, and the family was anxiously busy. Wang Guofu pushed open the door, hurried to help drain water. Old peasant Guo Laoda, over sixty, was sick in bed, and his house was leaking so badly there was nowhere to sit. Wang Guofu ran into her house, grabbed her hand, and said: “This place is unlivable, come with me!” The old woman was moved to tears, saying: “Team leader, you came out again in this heavy rain, don’t get soaked!” Wang Guofu said “Let’s go!” and carried her to a family with a new house. Later, he used plastic sheets from the team’s rice seedling nursery to cover the roofs of those in broken houses. Finally, even the plastic sheet he wore was used to cover a peasant’s roof. The next morning, the team leaders checked the rain situation and saw that some leaking houses in the village were covered with plastic sheets, but Wang Guofu’s house still leaked. It turned out he had not gone home all night and had organized villagers to drain water in the morning.
Many nights of heavy rain, Wang Guofu was tirelessly patrolling the village.
Most of the poor and lower-middle peasants in Dabai Building had fled from famine in Shandong and Hebei before liberation, with no land or houses. They had lived in dilapidated mud-brick houses assigned during land reform, unable to shelter from wind and rain. Wang Guofu had long aimed to change this impoverished situation. He led the masses to develop agriculture and animal husbandry, planting twenty thousand trees for timber, and persuaded villagers to change their old customs of big spending and drinking when building houses, promoting mutual aid and cooperation, and exchanging labor for building houses. As collective production developed, the village saw great changes: new houses rose, and dilapidated mud-brick houses gradually disappeared.
Wang Guofu also served as the director of the village brick factory for two years, helping many poor and lower-middle peasants build new houses. But he himself never bought a brick, never thought of building a new house for himself.
His sister’s family was an old poor peasant household in the village, living in a small, dilapidated mud-brick house, eager to build a new one. Wang Guofu repeatedly advised: “Our team has few laborers; you should build your house first, and it won’t delay others. Let others build first, and live in broken houses for a few more years; it’s the same in the revolution.” His brother-in-law and sister listened to his advice and postponed building their house for several years. When his eldest son got engaged, someone advised him: “Now it’s your turn to build a house, right?” He smiled and said: “Only after all poor and lower-middle peasants in the village live in new houses will it be my turn!”
One night, old poor peasant Wang Yuandao, who had moved into a new house, came to Wang Guofu’s “Long Worker’s House,” saw his several children crammed into a small kang, and said with concern: “You think only of serving the people and building houses for us, but you should also take care of this family and build your own house quickly!” Wang Guofu took a copy of the Little Dazhai book, pulled Wang Yuandao over, and said: “Chairman Mao told us to learn from Dazhai; we must learn well, like the poor and lower-middle peasants of Dazhai, to be loyal to Mao, contribute to the country; we must not be extravagant or show off!”
By spring 1969, all thirty-one poor and lower-middle peasants in the village had moved into new houses, except Wang Guofu, who still lived in that small “Long Worker’s House.”
Seeing the new houses in the village, the piled-up straw in the yards, the groups of fat pigs in the pigsties, the increasing surplus grain in the granaries, and still seeing Wang Guofu living in that small “Long Worker’s House,” the villagers’ concern for the old leader grew stronger. They approached him again: “Old team leader, you have been wholeheartedly dedicated to the ‘public’ cause, building houses for us. Now it’s your turn to build your own house, right?” Wang Guofu, living in the “Long Worker’s House,” with revolutionary ideals in his heart, never forgot class suffering, never forgot the Chinese revolution and world revolution. He replied:
“As a cadre, I must pull the cart without sitting on it, pull the revolution cart without loosening the harness. Many laboring people in the world are suffering; once Taiwan is liberated, I can build my house then!”
Wang Guofu “pulls the cart without sitting on it!” He aims to “be the ‘ox’ for the proletariat and the masses.”
Wang Guofu “pulls the revolution cart without loosening the harness!” He aims to “serve the Chinese people and the people of the world completely and thoroughly.”
“The goal is not to suffer twice, but to reach communism”
Wang Guofu, having been a cadre for seventeen years, is wholeheartedly for the public, spotless. He is like a pine tree in Dabai Building that has weathered many “winds and rains.”
The revisionists aggressively promote the counter-revolutionary revisionist line of traitor, spy, and worker Liu Shaoqi, often giving bonuses, gifts, banquets, and trying to corrupt cadres. Wang Guofu refuses corruption and never indulges. Once, the revisionists distributed fish caught from the commune pond to cadres. Wang Guofu saw a five-jin fish sent to him and asked: “Do the peasants have any?” The reply was: “Only for cadres.” He angrily said: “This is special treatment; I don’t want it!” One day in 1962, Wang Guofu received a notice for a “meeting” of the team. When he arrived, he saw tables of chicken, duck, fish, and white wine. He angrily said: “Giving sweets to cadres and promoting capitalism, this is daydreaming!” Turning around, he left. He went home, uncovered a pot, and took a piece of paste cake, then went to work with the peasants.
One day, Wang Guofu took a handful of straw from the yard to bundle the pig feed. He found the accountant and said: “Weigh it and record it.” The accountant laughed: “Huh! How much is a handful of straw worth? Why record it?” Wang Guofu said seriously: “A collective’s straw cannot be taken casually.” Watching the accountant record, he left. On that ledger, there was another record of Wang Guofu’s: on the morning of July 7, 1968, Wang Guofu carried a basket of wheat bran from the yard, and again told the accountant: “Weigh it and record it.” The accountant said: “What’s the rule for that? Others don’t record using wheat bran…” Wang Guofu said sternly: “The collective’s benefits cannot be taken advantage of!” The accountant had to weigh it: eight cents per jin of wheat bran, and Wang Guofu’s fifteen jin was recorded as one yuan and twenty cents.
When he saw someone embezzling public property, Wang Guofu fought resolutely. In summer 1962, a cadre passing through Dabai Building’s melon field ate a melon. Wang Guofu went to criticize: “What example are you setting for the peasants!” The cadre hurriedly said: “Pay the money, pay the money!” Wang Guofu said: “This little money is not enough for me to buy a big-character poster! It’s not about a few cents; cadres must set an example everywhere!” The cadre immediately made a self-criticism. Later, someone told Wang Guofu: “Why are you so stubborn about this?” Wang Guofu said:
“A melon is a small matter, but it’s like a steelyard, it can weigh a person’s selfishness. Some people turn bad starting from small things. As cadres, we must see every handful of grass!”
Wang Guofu was a tough man who never asked for help from the team or borrowed money. During his illness, the production brigade saw his difficulty and sent him fifty yuan. The severe pain did not make this revolutionary soldier complain or shed tears; instead, seeing the money sent by his class brothers, recalling the suffering of the old society and the happiness of the new society, he was overwhelmed with tears and said: “The days now are much better than the old society; what difficulties are there? The team’s money is the blood and sweat of the peasants, every penny must be used for collective production.” He forcefully shoved the fifty yuan into the hand of the visitor and refused to accept the team’s subsidy.
“Corruption and waste are the greatest crimes.” “Save every penny for war and revolution.” Wang Guofu often used Mao’s teachings to educate cadres and peasants to practice thrift. Once, he found a nail and told the cashier: “Think about saving, keep your eyes open for things, pick up nails as you go. A nail can be used later!” One day, he saw the cashier using a new abacus and asked: “Where did that come from?” The cashier said: “It’s old and not working well…” Wang Guofu said: “The quality of accounts depends on the mind, not the abacus! We must think about saving, save every penny, and split a penny in half!” The peasants praised: “Guofu, as a cadre, never took a single straw from the collective, never ate an extra grain, and never wasted a cent. He always works first in heavy labor, last in sharing, truly representing the ‘public’ character of Dabai Building!”
Wang Guofu is selfless, dedicated to the revolution and the collective, with no regard for himself. His wife was seriously ill and bedridden for years, but he never let household chores interfere with his revolutionary work. One autumn day in 1962, his wife pointed to their little daughter and said: “Dad, stay at home and look after the children. Today, I feel especially unwell, and I’m anxious.” Wang Guofu explained: “Your mother, the team is harvesting rice, and we can’t let household matters delay the work!” He arranged the household chores and went out. In the evening, people called him back from the field, and his wife had already passed away. His four children, the oldest twelve, the youngest less than one, were left. He continued working and caring for the children without a single complaint or word of bitterness. Someone advised: “Don’t be a cadre anymore, raise the children first!” The brigade cadres also discussed and planned to transfer him to another job. But Wang Guofu never forgot that in the evil old society, his three brothers under ten years old had all died unjustly within a year: the eldest was killed by a landlord’s sheep; the second was poisoned by a landlord; the third was starved to death. Wang Guofu told his class brothers: “In the old society, every poor and lower-middle peasant loved their children, but how many children survived? That’s because we had no power! The new society’s children are happy, thanks to our power. As long as the poor and lower-middle peasants trust us, I will never give up the fight because of personal difficulties.” His sister also asked him: “What do you want from being a cadre?” He boldly said:
“Being a cadre, I aim to prevent the poor and lower-middle peasants from suffering twice, and to aim for communism!”
Wang Guofu was wholeheartedly loyal to the revolution. He served as a cadre for seventeen years, combining revolutionary spirit with diligent work and hard work. When it rained, he led the peasants to work hard in the fields, saying: “Let it rain, we do our work; a few drops of rain don’t matter!” During the busy summer, he despised fatigue and said:
“What’s that! We are not afraid of fatigue; we are not afraid of losing flesh in the revolution!”
He always worked with his hands, never leaving his shovel, working wherever he went. The villagers affectionately called him “Ten-thousand-year labor.” The whole village knew he went to bed late and got up early, never taking a nap, and always checked the pigsties and yards at night.
“Ten-thousand-year labor” Wang Guofu, tirelessly working for the collective, sometimes so exhausted that he dropped his chopsticks and spilled porridge on his lap. He led the peasants to fight nature, control alkali and nitrate, cultivate rice scientifically, and raise pigs intensively. The once poor and saline-alkali land of Dabai Building, with saltpeter and waterlogging, now has pigs in pens, trees in rows, and fragrant rice. Grain yield per mu rose from a few dozen jin at the start of liberation to 725 jin in 1969, with an average household producing over ten thousand jin and each person over two thousand jin. The team now has reserves, and each household has surplus grain. The team’s collective pig-raising averages four and a half pigs per household, and private pig-raising reaches one pig per person. The glorious light of Mao Zedong Thought illuminates the bright socialist road, and Dabai Building races forward swiftly.
“As long as I have a breath, I will read Chairman Mao’s books”
“As long as I have a breath, I will read Chairman Mao’s books and defend Mao’s teachings!” Wang Guofu, with deep proletarian feelings for Mao, practiced his shining oath with a strong fighting spirit.
After the latest instructions from Mao about “in rural areas, the most reliable allies of the working class—the poor and lower-middle peasants—should manage schools,” Wang Guofu enthusiastically promoted and resolutely implemented them. He and the peasants cut down the old willow tree at the village entrance, made a simple table, and piled some mud bricks. In a low, earthen house, the primary school of Dabai Building was born! Wang Guofu gave the first lesson: “Never forget class struggle.” Using his own tragic life as a beggar child and a long-term worker, he recounted hardships and sweetness to the children. He excitedly said:
“Today, you can read without leaving the village, all thanks to Mao’s grace. We must not forget the pain of old wounds, but study Mao’s books well in this ‘mud hole,’ and pass Mao Zedong Thought from generation to generation!”
Wang Guofu also used this “mud hole” as a base to promote Mao Zedong Thought among all the villagers. On New Year’s Eve 1969, he invited all villagers to the “mud hole” to eat bitter rice and relive Mao’s teachings of “hard struggle.” He said:
"Now that everyone lives in new houses, eating rice and flour, we must not forget our roots. We are living happily beside Mao; we must follow Mao’s revolution and struggle hard for a lifetime."In the spring of 1969, he sent his eldest son Zhengqiao to join the army, and gathered his three decades-ago fleeing relatives, using rice husks, rice bran, and radish tops to make a meal of remembrance, recalling hardships and sweetness. He told Zhengqiao: “Bring out the notebook, I say a sentence, you write it down.” Wang Guofu, with tears in his eyes, spoke of class suffering, blood and tears of revenge. Born and raised in the new society under the red flag, Zhengqiao listened, took notes, and wiped tears. In that dark and sunless old society, “Old Tigers in the East Mountain eat people, and Tigers in the West Mountain also eat people.” Throughout the year, many poor people broke their bones and starved their intestines, selling their children and daughters to escape famine. Wang Guofu worked as a long-term laborer, doing ox and horse work, eating pig and dog food. He formed a group with poor comrades, calculating exploitation accounts with rich farmers, fighting for the right to survive, resilient and unyielding. One snowy and windy day, a rich farmer drove him out. The stamp was not in the hands of the poor, where was the place for judgment? Since then, he lived a苦难生活 of “spring firing硝, summer打草, autumn捞鱼, winter跑, a year of that torn cotton jacket.” It was Chairman Mao and the Communist Party leading the working people to pick up guns and overthrow the country, enabling him to turn over and be liberated. He repeatedly told his son: “Listen well to Chairman Mao, never forget class struggle. As long as we still have breath, we must defend Chairman Mao. Grasp the gun tightly, fight to the end against imperialists, revisionists, and counterrevolutionaries!” On July 26 of that year, Wang Guofu was invited to Jin Xing Middle School to share his understanding of Chairman Mao’s theory of continuing revolution under the dictatorship of the proletariat. As he spoke, he suddenly vomited large amounts. Teachers and students anxiously asked what illness he had and whether he needed hospital treatment. He smiled and said: “It’s okay, my stomach is not good, I can hold on.” He vomited again and again, continuing to speak with astonishing perseverance. No one expected that stomach cancer was threatening the life of this outstanding proletarian soldier! On August 4, Wang Guofu received a notice from the brigade to listen to the latest combat orders from the Central Committee with Chairman Mao as the leader and Vice Chairman Lin as deputy. Just as he was about to leave for the brigade headquarters a few miles away, his eight-year-old daughter pulled his collar and said: “Dad, you haven’t eaten anything for three days, I won’t let you go!” For these three days, his stomach pain was especially severe, and he vomited whatever he ate. But as a Communist Party member, he could go without food, but he could not be without the spiritual nourishment of Mao Zedong Thought. Gently patting his daughter’s head, he said: “Good child, obey, go to school quickly. Dad wants to listen to Chairman Mao.” Wang Guofu pressed his stomach, sweat pouring down his head, and staggered into the meeting hall. Comrades saw this and were shocked, kindly urging him to rest at home. He shook his head and said: “I want to hear Chairman Mao’s voice!” Enduring severe pain, he persisted until the meeting ended. On the way back, before reaching home, he collapsed in the wheat straw stack at the village entrance. That day, people sent the unconscious Wang Guofu to the hospital. He woke up from coma, looked at his class brothers who came to see him, and the first words he said were: “Has Chairman Mao’s latest combat order been implemented?” After surgery, Wang Guofu, able to get up, supported himself against the wall, step by step to the window. He looked at the distant golden rice paddies and begged the doctor: “Please tell the village to send a big cart to take me back!” The doctor said: “You’re not well yet, any movement will tire you out.” He said: “I can’t work, but walking around and looking can also help the folks.” The doctor firmly refused his discharge. In the hospital, Wang Guofu studied the “Little Red Book” and promoted the “Little Red Book” every day. He knew little about characters, humbly sought advice, and marked many passages in the “Little Red Book” and Mao’s quotations. At his initiative, patients organized Mao Zedong Thought study classes, electing him as leader. He supported himself against the wall, moving from ward to ward, organizing everyone to study. He told a young patient who liked reading leisure books: “Young people are vigorous and in their prime, you must read Chairman Mao’s books well, this is fundamental.” The young man picked up the “Little Red Book.” Wang Guofu’s condition worsened, he could no longer get out of bed, but still earnestly instructed a patient in the study class: “Studying the ‘Little Red Book’ cannot be interrupted for a day. If I can’t go on, you continue, lead everyone to study well.” Death was threatening Comrade Wang Guofu, beads of sweat like soybeans kept flowing down his thin face. He clenched his teeth without a sound. The doctor wanted to give him medication to ease his pain, but he weakly said: “No need, save the precious medicine for class brothers!” He often opened the shining “Little Red Book” tremblingly, singing Mao’s quotations: “Decide firmly, fear no sacrifice, …” “Old squad leader is gone!” The news reached Dabailou Village, and the broad poor and lower-middle peasants were anxious and didn’t know what to do. Many rushed to the hospital in the dark, looking at the sweaty old squad leader with heartache: “Old squad leader, you can’t leave us!” Wang Guofu pressed his stomach, endured the severe pain of stomach cancer, and as usual, started talking about the team matters as soon as he opened his mouth. Every word and character was already very difficult, but he still urged everyone to raise good pigs and harvest the rice. Wang Guofu’s revolutionary spirit of “pulling the revolution cart without loosening the harness” shines forever! An old poor peasant held back tears: “Such a good old squad leader! Always thinking of the collective, not mentioning family matters at all.” He couldn’t hold back and asked: “Do you miss any child? I will bring him to see you.” “Children of the new society are very happy, I am relieved! From now on, you must manage tightly.” “Should we send a telegram for Zhengqiao to come back?” “No need, the military mission is urgent… You call Dong Shikui for me!” At this moment, the old poor peasant quickly turned his head, tears streaming down uncontrollably. He understood that the old squad leader wanted to find the old branch secretary to discuss the rectification of party building. In his last moments of life, Wang Guofu still thought of the Party and the proletarian revolutionary cause! The next day, the old branch secretary Dong Shikui and others returned to the village from the hospital, all with red eyes. The members, with tears in their eyes, gathered silently, expecting: what did the old squad leader last instruct? “Always listen to Chairman Mao, … struggle hard, … continue the revolution, … strengthen the Party, hold the power.” This was the most precious last words of the outstanding proletarian soldier Wang Guofu to his class brothers. The poor and lower-middle peasants of Dabailou Village will forever remember the old squad leader, Comrade Wang Guofu, who will always live in the hearts of revolutionary people. Local poor and lower-middle peasants mourn him, learn from him, and stand solemnly in front of the “Longgong House” where this outstanding proletarian soldier lived during his lifetime, expressing their firm resolve: always listen to Chairman Mao, like Comrade Wang Guofu, “pulling the revolution cart without loosening the harness, all the way to communism!”
Beijing Revolutionary Committee Investigation Team
Reporters from “Beijing Daily”
Xinhua News Agency reporters
