1932: Playing with the Japanese Communist Party with a doll

She felt that even though women in Yan'an lived happier lives than women in other parts of China, they still suffered from various forms of criticism and "silent oppression"...

Objectively speaking, some of the phenomena pointed out in this article do exist - whether it's the leaders' love of dancing, changing wives, being uneducated, or gossiping about women;

In this article, Ding Ling's words asking women to "use their brains and be determined to endure hardships" are also very reasonable and are something that both men and women should learn from;

However, Ding Ling's perspective was focused only on women themselves. She blindly asked men to give up power to women and asked them to "see the faults of these women as being related to society" rather than blaming women themselves, but she completely ignored the social background at the time.

At that time, the primary task facing all Chinese people (especially the CCP) was to resist aggression and establish a stable regime, not to make a big deal about the issue of gender.

In order to achieve its goal of survival, the CCP must widely mobilize and organize the rural population and rely on rural male farmers as the main combat force and core of the army;

The CCP and even the whole of China were in the most difficult and cruel period of resisting the Japanese invaders. Most of the martyrs who fought and died on the battlefield were men.

At this time, launching a "women's liberation movement" and encouraging women to rebel against men would undoubtedly lead to dissatisfaction among relatively conservative rural male farmers, which would in turn trigger rural conflicts and affect the main line of resisting Japan and seizing national power.

In fact, this situation had already occurred at that time - some women workers could only blindly shout slogans, blindly favor women and even encourage the suppression of men, causing some men to be unable to bear this "rebellion" and angrily surrender to the enemy.

Given this situation, when faced with gender issues, the CCP (including high-ranking female CCP officials such as Cai Chang and Deng Yingchao) made the following choices:

It only encourages women to actively participate in economic production activities and recognizes their contributions in the economy and military, but remains silent on the slogan of "liberating women from traditional constraints."

In this way, women will actively participate in production labor in the rear and contribute to the revolution, while more men can be liberated and take up arms to fight against invaders and reactionaries on the battlefield.

In other words, women's liberation should be achieved by allowing them to participate in economic production, gain family and social status through economic production activities, and then gradually transition to more "high-end" aspects such as political rights.

In the words of the instructor:

"Increasing women's role in the economy and production will win the sympathy of men and will not conflict with their interests. Starting from this point, and guiding it towards political and cultural activities, men will gradually agree."

It can be said that the Communist Party of China was already a relatively mature political party at that time. This approach is realistic, useful, and will not cause unnecessary conflicts. It is also the strategy currently adopted by Fujiwara no Kaneki.

However, Ding Ling didn't care about all this at all. Her mind was full of "women's liberation". She rashly asked men to give power to women and demanded the full liberation of women, trying to deconstruct the structure of the relationship between men and women that was most suitable for the national conditions at that time.

Furthermore, Ding Ling's article exposed two things that stung many people:

1. Some leading cadres change wives under the pretext that their wives are "too backward," forcing many women to take birth control pills to avoid being "backward" (so as to avoid being considered "backward" if they become pregnant and "return to the family").

2. Some women, while enjoying the various benefits that come with marrying a leader (such as a full-time nanny, two pounds of meat per month, millet to eat, etc.), secretly call their husbands "country bumpkins."

The result is:

Li Desheng and other high-ranking CCP officials felt that Ding Ling had absolutely no political awareness or sense of the overall situation, and had forced matters that had been tacitly agreed upon by all parties to be discussed publicly, thus causing unnecessary conflicts.

The officers and soldiers felt that while they were bleeding and sacrificing their lives on the front lines, the women in the rear, while enjoying their protection and preferential treatment as military dependents, and even receiving "martyr's allowances," were calling them "country bumpkins" and looking down on their lack of "artistic accomplishment."

Some leaders think, Ding Ling, you are so bored that you are dissing my family affairs. My marriage and divorce are none of your business. Why are you talking nonsense?

The fairies think that those words and things should be discussed privately. Sometimes they are just jokes and should not be taken seriously. Why did you publish them publicly?

In other words, Ding Ling not only undermined the CCP's overall strategy, dampened the combat and production enthusiasm of the vast majority of commanders and soldiers, offended many leaders, but also exposed the secrets of many young women...

So, starting with Marshal He Long rushing to Ding Ling's residence and scolding her, she was bombarded with criticism, forcing her to make a self-criticism and also laying the groundwork for her to be persecuted after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

A year later, when Sister Cai Chang published an editorial article entitled "Welcoming the New Direction in Women's Work" in the "Liberation Daily", she criticized Ding Ling harshly without naming her, which shows how bad the influence of her article was.

(Of course, Ding Ling's persecution was triggered by more than just this. Like Kang Sheng, she concealed some things that happened during her arrest and escape from prison—such as writing notes to the Kuomintang and accepting subsidies.)

(Whether it was genuine or a pretense, she firmly denied this when asked about it during the 1940 political review. However, the ironclad evidence was later uncovered, and Zhou Yang used this incident to suppress Ding Ling, forcing her to remain silent for decades.)

(After the Cultural Revolution, Ding Ling spent her entire life trying to restore her reputation to the time before the political investigation in 1940, but the Party Central Committee never agreed, which shows the problem.)

how to say?

Compared to those truly useless fairies in later generations, Ding Ling, as the first famous writer to go to Yan'an to participate in the revolution, live and eat with her comrades, and fight on the front lines, is undoubtedly not a "gender narrative dog";

But she could not get rid of the inherent problems in herself - the petty-bourgeois style of subjectivism, formalism and non-mass perspectives caused by being divorced from reality and the masses.

In this regard, it is similar to some trash who clamor on Bilibili that "Jiu Ge's novels are all garbage without any literary literacy, so readers who like it are also garbage who don't understand literature."

In short, it is a bit of an exaggeration to say that Ding Ling is a "trash female boxing fairy", but it is not an exaggeration to say that she is "seriously out of touch with reality, seriously out of touch with the masses, and looks down on the people."

This is a very typical "progressive woman" at this stage, whose mind is full of revolution but who does not know how to bend down and truly carry out the revolution and truly serve the people.

After hearing Ding Ling's words, Fujiwara Kanezane's expression finally turned completely cold. He stood up, and the other party only then realized how tall he was.

"Education? Freedom? Why don't you ask the tens of millions of people in Northeast China whether they want the freedom you talk about, or do they want a strong and great country, social stability and harmony, and a happy and fulfilling life?"

"them..."

"What do they know? They know a lot!" Fujiwara Kanezane scolded.

"You are an unrealistic person who has no experience in physical training, no knowledge of grain, and no understanding of our country's laws, yet you rush here to speak nonsense. What qualifications do you have to criticize and educate our people?"

"If you don't like the laws that the people like, the culture that the people like, the activities that the people like, the society that the people like, and the country that the people like, who do you think you are?!"

"good! !!"

I don't know who started it, but the venue was suddenly filled with thunderous cheers and applause, especially from the soldiers who came to attend the meeting. The loyalty and sincerity in their eyes were almost overflowing.

Ding Ling and her male companion were pale, and the latter's body was even trembling slightly, but the former still stood there firmly, facing the storm, unmoved.

If she were a teacher, she might have called this woman, who claimed to be a "disciple of Lu Xun, a famous left-wing writer, and a progressive person," to give her some advice and education, and put her on the right path, but Fujiwara no Kanezane had no interest in wasting time on such talk.

It is no exaggeration to say that he has no "good feelings" towards almost all writers, literati and so-called artists at this stage, or in other words, he does not care about them at all.

Writing from day to night, from night to dawn, can you make your country strong? Can you make the invaders give in? Can you make all the reactionaries kneel down and beg for mercy?

If one day the situation forces us to send people to the battlefield to die in vain, any rational decision-maker will choose these "liberal arts students" first.

Science students are not qualified to drive Kamikaze.jpg

When the atmosphere cooled down a bit, Fujiwara Kanezane raised his hand, quieting everyone down for a bit, and then he said to Ding Ling, who looked stubborn:

"Madam, I agree with what you said, 'people's spirit and body are free,' but people's responsibilities and rights must also be equal, not just rights without responsibilities. I hope you will think carefully about this."

After saying this, he left the venue with his entourage, and the public trial ended.

No one cared about Ding Ling, and no one bothered her.

His Highness said that in the remote Northeast, as long as you don't curse the emperor or create and spread rumors, you won't be easily punished for your words.

However, there will definitely be mocking and contemptuous looks.

"Bingzhi, are you okay? What should we do now?" Ding Ling's current husband Feng Da asked in a low voice, but the latter shook his head: "It's okay, we will continue to look for the person we are looking for." Was Ding Ling touched after hearing these words today? The answer is, not at all.

If she could be persuaded so easily by just a few words, she would not be the same Ding Ling.

"Let's go! Go to the place that person said!"

438 New Culture Movement

Ding Ling and Feng Da came to Northeast China because they received a letter from someone:

Lu Xun.

Yes, Lu Xun not only brought his entire family here, he also wrote letters everywhere inviting friends and some progressive people in the cultural circle to come to the Northeast to take up positions or work. Ding Ling was one of them.

Regardless of what others thought after receiving the letter, Ding Ling felt that this was treason, but she was unwilling to believe that Lu Xun, a leading figure of the Left-wing Alliance and a renowned patriot, would be a traitor.

She believed that Lu Xun was forced to write the letter because he was persecuted by the Kuomintang and had to flee to the Northeast for refuge/was forcibly detained by the Japanese invaders.

For this reason, Ding Ling was very dissatisfied with Lu Xun: Why did you run to the Northeast?

Why should we surrender to the Japanese invaders? The worst that can happen is death!

But Lu Xun's status in the literary world was there, so even if Ding Ling was dissatisfied, she could not publicize the matter. She even had to find ways to keep it secret until the matter was confirmed.

If Lu Xun became a traitor, the morale of the entire literary world and even the entire Chinese nation would collapse!

In addition, Ding Ling also felt very strange:

Why didn't the Japanese take advantage of such a good opportunity to strike the Chinese?

Forget it, let’s meet the person first and figure out what’s going on!

Not long after, Ding and Feng successfully met Mr. Lu Xun according to the address in the letter.

Just as she had imagined, Lu Xun was much darker (due to the sunburn from all the research) and much thinner (due to being too busy with work recently). There were also soldiers watching him (for his safety). Ding Ling immediately confirmed her suspicions:

As expected, it was the Japanese who forcibly detained Mr. Lu Xun and forced him to write letters everywhere!

"Lu...Mr. Lu Xun!" "Ah...are you...Ding Ling?" "It's me!"

Seeing that the soldiers outside did not follow in, Ding Ling crossed her arms and looked angrily at the man she once admired:

"I rushed here as soon as I received your letter!" In fact, Lu Xun and Ding Ling were not particularly familiar with each other.

They met for the first time at a meeting of the League of Left-Wing Writers of China in May 1931.

In Ding Ling's own words, "I didn't run up to greet him, nor did I have the chance to say a word to him. Maybe he didn't even see me."

Later, the two sides gradually became familiar with each other because of the League of Left-Wing Writers and writing, but most of the time they communicated through letters, and since Lu Xun had gone to the Northeast, they did not meet or communicate many times.

But this did not prevent Ding Ling from acting familiarly and persuading her friend: "Sir! How could you surrender... How could you submit to the Japanese!"

Ding Ling originally wanted to say the word "surrender", but considering that Lu Xun was coerced by the Japanese to write the letter, she changed her words.

"Submission?"

Lu Xun had anticipated this scene and shook his head calmly:

"No, I wrote it clearly in my letter. No one coerced me. I came to Northeast China on my own initiative. I also wrote this letter to you on my own initiative. I sincerely hope that you will come to Northeast China to take a look around and then confirm..."

Ding Ling didn't listen to the rest of the words. After the sentence "no one coerced her", she was completely stunned.

Active... proactive?

In other words, Lu Xun really became a traitor!

This man with a proud character actually destroyed his own pride! Is Lu Xun still Lu Xun without his pride?

Lu Xun is dead!

Ding Ling's heart was instantly filled with extreme disappointment, contempt, and anger, but on the surface she remained calm, her tone as cold as iron:

"Mr. Zhou, you are so disappointing."

"Why didn't you listen to me..."

Before Lu Xun could finish his words, Ding Ling, who had been at his residence for no more than a minute, had already stood up, slammed the door and left. Lu Xun understood her choice, smiled bitterly, and did not chase after her to argue.

This wasn't the first time he'd encountered this kind of situation, and he was already used to it. Even though Ding Ling wouldn't listen to his explanation, at least she didn't yell at him like some of his friends did, right?

After a while, a man cautiously poked his head out from the inner room and asked, "...She's gone?"

"Well, I'm leaving. I probably won't be coming back."

Lu Xun regained his composure and even had the energy to tease his friend with a smile: "Xuefeng, are you so afraid of seeing your ex-girlfriend?" "How dare you still have time to laugh at me!"

Feng Xuefeng, who had once fallen in love with Ms. Ding Ling, a married woman, and had a mental breakdown caused by her magical manipulation and ran away on his own initiative, glared at his friend unhappily.

Since getting married, Feng Xuefeng has never contacted Ding Ling again. On the one hand, this was to avoid causing misunderstanding to his current wife, and on the other hand, he really didn't want to recall those painful and absurd days.

"Before you laugh at me, think about your reputation and your position. Do you really want to live your life as a traitor?"

"...You don't believe I'm a traitor?"

"Of course I don't believe it. If you had become a traitor, China would have been destroyed long ago, and I, Feng Xuefeng, would have been dead without a burial place."

Although Lu Xun left Shanghai and came to the Japanese-controlled Northeast China and even served as the Director of Education of the Ministry of Education of this "Republic", Feng Xuefeng still firmly believed that Lu Xun must have his own ideas and was definitely not a traitor.

This time, he ventured to the Northeast just to find out what was going on. However, as soon as he arrived and before he had time to ask, he almost bumped into his "ex-girlfriend".

"You..."

Seeing his friend trust him so much, Lu Xun felt warm in his heart. Just as he was about to say something, the other party reached out his hand:

"So, you have an explanation, right? What is it about this place that attracts you? Show it to me."

"...This is it."

Lu Xun took out a book from the bookshelf behind him. The latter took it and took a look. It was a small picture album with the scent of ink and exquisite workmanship.

"Five-Star Oriental Republic Compulsory Education Textbook Chinese Language for Elementary School Grade 1, Volume 1?"

It turned out to be a textbook.

Feng Xuefeng flipped through the picture album in silence and soon discovered some differences between this textbook and the textbooks of the National Government Primary School.

First of all, the book's layout is not the common vertical layout, but horizontally from left to right, which is very strange;

Secondly, the first lesson of this book is not an article, but some slightly strange "English letters";

Again, all the Chinese characters in this book seem to be "full of mistakes", such as "嫣" and "妈";

Finally, compared to government books that only contain textbook content, this book also has "reflection and homework" after each lesson.

These are just the differences that Feng Xuefeng found after a cursory glance, and there are certainly more differences.