Unforgettable Mu Qing

Author: Zheng Dejin Mu Xiaofeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Upright and Honest, Nothing Else Expected — Remembrance of Comrade Mu Qing by Nan Zhenzhong
On October 10, 2003, in Room 812 of Beijing Hospital, I stood by the bedside of Comrade Mu Qing, who was undergoing emergency treatment. The respirator covered his gaunt face, and his blood oxygen saturation fluctuated between "80" and "84," never reaching the normal value of "95." Late at night, Comrade Lu Wei, the Secretary-General of Xinhua News Agency, came early to relieve me, as I still had to work at the Editor-in-Chief’s office the next day. Slowly, I the bedside and left Room 812, returning to the headquarters. The rain poured heavily, and the lonely Chang’an Street was battered by the wind and rain, as if striking my heart. On that very day, Comrade Tian Qingming, the Editor-in-Chief, asked the attending doctor, "Will Comrade Mu Qing wake up?" The doctor replied, "Unless a miracle occurs." Hearing this harsh yet straightforward answer, we still couldn’t believe that Comrade Mu Qing would leave us like this. We silently hoped for a "miracle." I told the driver that before starting work on the 11th, I would go to Beijing Hospital. Never could I have imagined that just over four hours after leaving the hospital, at 3:20 a.m. on the 11th, the beloved "Old Mu" really left us.
Since Comrade Mu Qing fell ill, I couldn’t help but ask about his condition every few days. During the National Day holiday, I hadn’t seen him for several days. On October 6, I called his home from my office to check on his condition. His family told me that he looked fine. But truly, "the heavens have no fixed plan," as on the afternoon of the 9th, Comrade Mu Qing began to run a fever, experienced chest tightness and shortness of breath, and was admitted to Beijing Hospital. At 7:35 a.m. on the 10th, he suffered acute respiratory failure, and his condition deteriorated rapidly. Upon receiving the hospital’s urgent notice, Comrade Tian Qingming and I divided our tasks: he was responsible for reporting to the central leadership at the headquarters, while I rushed to Beijing Hospital immediately. By then, the experts had already conducted a consultation, and after obtaining the consent of his family, they decided to use a respirator for emergency rescue.
P8 Since last November, the gravely ill Comrade Mu Qing was admitted to the hospital several times, each time narrowly escaping death, as his indomitable life force sustained him. It was a "war" between a strong elderly man and the disease. Whenever his condition stabilized slightly, Comrade Mu Qing would display an optimistic attitude, offering comfort to his family and colleagues with a smile. Now, that scene will never return. What remains with me is only a photograph pressed under the plastic board of my desk—a calligraphy piece given to me by Comrade Mu Qing: "Upright and Honest, Nothing Else Expected." Through his life, Comrade Mu Qing embodied the noble qualities of a truly great person. This calligraphy piece is a reflection of that spirit.
Comrade Mu Qing was skilled in calligraphy, and my long-standing wish had been to ask him for a piece. However, I only made the request after he fell ill. One sweltering day in the summer of 2001, Comrade Mu Qing called me to pick up the calligraphy. I entered his study and saw him examining a piece of calligraphy with great care. Comrade Mu Qing said with joy, "After writing for so many years, this one is finally satisfactory. You should take it away quickly. If you don’t, I’ll really regret it." He added, "Writing calligraphy is like writing an article—it requires passion and inspiration, a 'divine touch.' 'Upright and Honest, Nothing Else Expected'—none of these eight characters are wrong." Knowing how much Comrade Mu Qing cherished this piece, I had it photographed and enlarged into a 12-inch print, using