Old Books, New Editions: My Life

Author: Feng Yuxiang / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-04-01
Features: That very night, I took a train to Xinminfu to meet General Wang Huadong. Upon arriving at the camp gate, many people congratulated me. When I met General Wang, to my surprise, he said the very first thing, "Just now, the commander-in-chief sent a telegraph order to execute the bandits on the spot, keep the captured weapons and horses for the camp's use, and reward the meritorious personnel with five hundred yuan as encouragement." Then he asked me, "When do you plan to deal with him?" I replied, "I've already dealt with him." General Wang was astute and efficient. Hearing this, he exclaimed repeatedly, "It is indeed necessary to execute him, but you should have sought approval first. You shouldn't have acted on your own. Fortunately, the commander-in-chief's order is such, so don't make a sound. Don't make a sound. Later, send a telegraph to the commander-in-chief, saying that the order has been followed and the execution has been carried out." With this, the case was settled, and our regiment commander could finally rest assured.
Returning from Xiaobai Mountain, we were ordered to move to the east suburbs of Xinminfu to construct camp buildings. Meanwhile, we received news that the 24th Battalion had failed in its campaign against bandits. The battalion commander was Che Zhen, with four companies stationed independently: one at Heishanzi, one at Heitun, one at Baituchangmen, and one at Siliutun. The company commander of the Heishanzi detachment was Du, known as "Little Du." Once the company commander was stationed independently without the oversight of the battalion or regiment commander, discipline immediately deteriorated. There was no fixed schedule for meals or rest, and drills were not conducted on time. One afternoon, a villager reported to Little Du's company that bandits were in the nearby village and urged the troops to quickly suppress them. Du immediately assembled the troops for departure, but some soldiers had already fallen asleep. After a half-day of gathering, only a dozen or so soldiers came out. After counting them, he ordered them to march ahead, led by the villager to prevent the bandits from escaping. By the time the second group of soldiers was assembled and ready to depart, they were already ten minutes late. Unluckily, the first group took a shortcut, while the second group took the main road, resulting in a delay of another four or five miles. The first group, having been spotted by the bandits, was fired upon and several soldiers were killed, including Chu Leiping, whose head was chopped off. The bandits seized the new weapons and escaped. The next day, an inspection revealed the loss of several weapons and casualties of six or seven soldiers. It was a disheartening defeat for the well-trained New Army.
At the time, the battalion commander, Che Zhen, was on sick leave. He discussed the matter with General Wang Huadong and agreed to entrust the troops to me, giving me full authority to pursue the bandits. By then, the bandits had already fled. I led the cavalry, with Captain Zhang Zhijiang as the commander. One day, as we reached the back of a mountain, scouts reported that the bandits were in the front. Captain Zhang Bingxian led the troops forward. Zhang Bingxian was a notoriously fat man, with a protruding belly that trembled as he walked. The mountain path was rugged, and after just a few steps, he was panting heavily. The more he panted, the more anxious he became, and the more anxious he became, the more he panted. Unable to proceed, he had two soldiers prop his buttocks with their rifles. When they finally reached the summit, scouts reported that the bandits had already escaped. The soldiers then started shouting, saying that Zhang Bingxian was so scared of the bandits that he couldn’t move, making him a laughingstock. In reality, Zhang Bingxian could not move because he was too fat, not because he was afraid of the bandits. When he heard people laughing at him, he was extremely annoyed but couldn’t refute it. It wasn’t until 1913, during a campaign against bandits in Suiyuan, that Zhang Bingxian regained his reputation. He stood tall and said, "This time, I must restore my former fame." From then on, his reputation was restored.
The most important thing in the military is a strong physique. Without physical strength, even the greatest abilities are useless, and people won’t appreciate them. Additionally, mountain warfare must be practiced extensively. If only drills are conducted on flat ground, once on a mountain, one will be helpless. When scouts reported that the bandits had already fled, it turned out they had only gone a short distance, hidden in a ravine ahead. We then deployed troops to block the four key points and sent soldiers to climb the mountains to surround them. On the eastern route, a cavalry company commander named Li was in charge. At that time, the weather was extremely cold. At night, the soldiers couldn’t bear the cold and started a fire for warmth. The bandits spotted the fire from a distance and fired a volley before sneaking away. Thus, soldiers’ inability to endure cold and hardship was extremely dangerous. Starting a fire at night, when the enemy sees you but you don’t see them, is always a disadvantage. Lack of emphasis on night combat training is also a major flaw.
From Baoji to Fengxian, we passed the historically famous Qinling Mountains, the southern range of the Zhongnan Mountains. Stretching over 800 miles from Gansu into the territory, it includes peaks such as Chencai, Taibai, and Shangshan. Han Yu’s poem "Clouds cross the Qinling, where is my home?" and "Snow blocks the blue pass, horses cannot advance" reflects the terrain. That very night, we set up camp on the mountain. When climbing, we wore light jackets, but at the summit, the cold was unbearable, and even cotton jackets were insufficient. "Wear cotton at night, wear silk at noon, eat watermelon by the fire" truly captures the unique climate of this place. From here, we passed Fengling, marked by the inscription "One man can guard the pass, ten thousand cannot break it," another extremely rugged location. About ten miles from Liubai, there is Zhipai Mountain, where the Liu Liu Temple is located. In the past, after Emperor Gaozu of Han consolidated his rule, he enfeoffed his meritorious ministers. Zhang Liang’s contributions were the greatest. Emperor Gaozu offered him many places, but he refused them all, asking only for Liubai. The land had no flat areas within three li and no sunny days for three consecutive days, yet it was extremely poor. Zhang Liang said, "I want this place because no one will compete with me for it." I once visited the temple and was struck by its tranquility. Surrounded by high mountains, the place exuded an ancient and serene atmosphere. I realized that Chinese temples possess a unique, peaceful, and quiet charm that cannot be found elsewhere. Later, I often sought refuge in secluded mountain temples to pursue my studies, inspired by this experience.
In the main hall of the Liu Liu Temple, there is a clay statue of Zhang Liang, exquisitely crafted, its spirit vivid. I was so moved that I carved a pair of couplets in wood (later replaced with stone):
"Heroes are long gone,
Yet the green mountains endure,
And the Zhipai trees remain fragrant.
Reflecting the loyal scholars and officials of ancient times,
Their legacy endures for eternity.
Sacred mountains are rare in antiquity,
If Huangshi reappears,
And the red pine is encountered again,
In this heavenly realm of bliss,
I would gladly roam at will for a lifetime."
To the left of the main hall, there is a crystal-clear spring. It is said to flow year-round without ever drying up. Standing by the spring, watching the fish swim, I reflected on the life of Zhang Liang two thousand years ago. He originally sought revenge for the, enraged by the tyrannical rule of the Qin Emperor, and planned the bold act at Bolangsha (now in Yangwu County, Henan). Later, he assisted Emperor Liu Bang in overthrowing the Qin and Chu dynasties, establishing the Han dynasty. Among the Han dynasty’s meritorious ministers, he was undoubtedly the most outstanding. Yet, after his success, he retreated to the depths of mountains and marshes, abandoning wealth, honor, and luxury. His pure heart and intentions were truly admirable. Compared to his contemporary, Han Xin, he had a different demeanor.
After admiring the temple, I returned to the inn and ate a bowl of vegetarian noodles. As I left, I gave the innkeeper three silver dollars. The innkeeper was very polite and gave me a copy of the Su Shu. The preface was written by Zhang Shangying of the Song dynasty, who stated that the Su Shu was the very book that the Yellow Scarf Elder gave to Zhang Liang at the bridge. "Many people believe the San Lüe is the true classic, but it is due to the error of those who passed it down. During the Jin dynasty, a thief dug up Zhang Liang’s tomb and found this book in a jade pillow." The book consists of six chapters, filled with aphorisms on philosophy and life. Zhang Shangying also provided examples, such as how Zhang Liang persuaded Emperor Gaozu to enfeoff Yongchi, using the phrase "Do not forgive minor grievances, for great grievances will inevitably arise." When Zhang Liang declined an enfeoffment of thirty thousand households and chose only Liubai, he used the phrase "The greatest blessing is knowing when to be content." While the connections may be somewhat forced, it is still quite interesting. The book was not widely circulated, so I mention it here.
Beyond Liubai lay the burned by Emperor Gaozu after entering Hanzhong. Today, this path no longer exists, and travelers take the steep and treacherous Jitou Pass instead. The road is perilous, with one side towering over cliffs and the other dropping into deep valleys. From Liubai to Baocheng, the terrain is filled with such dangerous paths. The mountains are dense, and streams rush swiftly, presenting countless obstacles. This road is sparsely populated, with almost no signs of human presence. The reason is that in the past, whenever troops passed this way, they would seize local villagers to carry the wounded and officers, even stripping them of doorframes. Eventually, villagers would flee to the mountains to avoid the troops, resorting to passive measures like clearing the fields. When our troops passed this way, the villagers had already fled two days earlier upon hearing the news. Near the stone gate of Jitou Pass, there are two historical sites: "Jade Basin" and "Rolling Snow." The Jade Basin is a bend of clear spring water, deep green with stones resembling jade. It is located in a valley upstream from the stone gate. The Rolling Snow legend tells of Cao Cao’s accidental fall from his horse during a snowstorm. Inside the stone gate, there is a calligraphic inscription in clerical script, known as the Shimen Song, which is widely circulated.
"Your vision is too short-sighted!" said Gaoqiao furiously. "I’m not surprised people say you incited this trouble. Everything you’re saying is biased in favor of those thugs." "They are acting out of patriotism and righteous indignation. If you say I incited this, I’m actually delighted. Since you don’t listen to my advice, then do as you please. I can’t do it." They argued for a long time, neither yielding. I said, "Since it’s like this, Mr. Gaoqiao, please find another solution. There’s no need for us to waste our words on this. Let’s talk about something else. I’m currently settling the matter of the two batches of prisoners from your country that I handed over to you. Please return three prisoners for my interrogation." Mr. Gaoqiao jumped up and said, "How can you mix this up with today’s issue? It’s already settled!" I replied, "These are all matters that need to be addressed. The affairs of the present are no longer relevant. Discussing them is pointless. You can’t have such a poor memory. When I hand over prisoners, I’ll explain that I need to interrogate them at any time. How can such serious cases be settled so carelessly?" "Feng Military Commissioner, you’re too difficult to deal with! Too difficult!" Gaoqiao said, standing up to leave. Then he sat down again and negotiated with me once more. This time, he proposed that we compensate half the losses as repair costs. I said, "For your own sake, I cannot pay a single cent. If I compensate them, the local people will be angry, and they will likely smash your shops again and again. You’re willing to suffer greater losses, but I don’t want to deal with the trouble!" After more haggling, he proposed compensating a quarter of the repair costs. I told him that there was no money for repairs, but I could invite local elders and students to talk with them, urging them to show leniency toward the Japanese merchants and prevent further destruction of shops. As the local official responsible for public order, I would ensure the safety of the Japanese merchants and post guards outside their shops to prevent any further incidents. Beyond that, I had no other options.
Standing up to bid him farewell, I sent two deputy commissioners with Gaoqiao to demand the release of the Japanese prisoners. Gaoqiao and the other representatives were at a loss, whispering and discussing for a while. Finally, they accepted what I said. After they left, I posted guards outside each of their trading companies for protection. When Chinese people came to buy from their shops, the guards would first question them before searching them thoroughly, maintaining strict vigilance. For several weeks, the Japanese trading companies were deserted, with no customers. Then Gaoqiao came to me again, asking me to remove the guards, saying that without them, they couldn’t do business and would suffer greater losses. I replied, "You demanded a guarantee that there would be no further incidents, yet you refuse to reconcile with the local people. Naturally, I can only do this. The guards cannot be removed. If they are removed and something happens again, I cannot bear the responsibility." Gaoqiao grew frantic, apologizing repeatedly on both sides, only begging me to remove the guards. He said that the people were now very kind to them and no longer needed protection. I said, "If you insist on removing the guards, you can write a statement declaring that I am not responsible for any future incidents. That’s your choice." With this, the great turmoil was finally resolved.