Biography of Lin Feng

Author: Mu Xin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: The author has known Comrade Lin Feng for a long time, and most of their direct interactions began in the late 1950s. From 1937 to 1945, I worked in areas led by Comrade Lin Feng in the southwestern and northern regions of Shanxi Province. Although we didn’t have frequent direct contact at that time, his unique qualities—his overall perspective, calm and resolute demeanor, down-to-earth and non-hypocritical spirit, as well as his simple and approachable style—left a deep impression on me. After Japan’s surrender, Comrade Lin Feng led the cadre team northward through Yuguan and fought in the White Mountains and Black Waters. Shortly after, I followed the army south to Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan, reaching the southern frontier of our motherland, where we had little chance to meet for a long time. After the founding of the People’s Republic, I arrived in Beijing. From 1957 to 1967, I worked at the Guangming Daily. This newspaper primarily targeted intellectuals as its readership and focused on promoting the Party’s cultural and educational policies. At that time, Comrade Lin Feng was in Beijing, serving successively as Director of the State Council’s Cultural and Educational Office, Director of the State Council’s Education Committee, and President of the Central Committee’s Higher Party School. Starting in March 1957, he was also a member of the Central Committee’s Cultural and Educational Working Group. Comrade Lin Feng has always valued the role of public opinion and paid attention to using newspapers to guide work. The writing of this book was prepared years ago. In his youth, Comrade Lin Feng engaged in underground work under the white terror, followed by a long period of war life. Many materials related to his early activities were scattered or destroyed in the flames of war. During the "Cultural Revolution," Comrade Lin Feng suffered cruel persecution from the Lin Biao and Jiang Qing counter-revolutionary group, with his body and mind severely damaged. All his documents, materials, and collected books were completely destroyed. At the same time, the materials collected by the author since the War of Resistance against Japan, including several volumes of recorded conversations with Comrade Lin Feng, have endured decades of storms and hardships. Some were destroyed in the flames of war, while others were lost to human misfortune, leaving only a tiny fraction surviving.