Perilous: A Chronicle of the Five Secretaries of the CCP During Turbulent Times

Author: Li Manzhong, Liu Jianhua (Editor-in-Chief)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: "To cross the river in midstream and ride the waves to catch the boat" - Mao Zedong, who loved swimming, nearly lost his life while swimming in the Xiang River. Mao Zedong enjoyed many sports, such as cold baths, climbing, hiking, and swimming, and swimming was his favorite throughout his life. In the postscript to "Qin Yuan Chun · Changsha," Mao Zedong noted: "To cross the water: to swim. At that time, I was a beginner. In the height of summer, the water level rose, and I nearly drowned several times. A group of us finally persisted until the depths of winter, still swimming in the river. There was a poem at the time, which I have forgotten, but I remember two lines: 'Confident in life for two hundred years, I will surely ride the waves for three thousand miles.' In the summer of 1956, Mao Zedong, already 62 years old, swam across the Yangtze River for the first time. In the turbulent waters, he swam as effortlessly as if strolling, sometimes swimming on his back, sometimes sideways, sometimes diving into the water. Sometimes he lay flat on the water's surface, his hands crossed over his chest; or he placed his hands behind his head, as if resting in bed, chatting and laughing with the lifeguards around him. Sometimes he would light a cigarette, smoke leisurely while playing in the water. This confidence and ease were just like what he later described in his poem: 'Crossing the vast Yangtze, the view of Chu stretches endlessly. No matter how the wind blows or the waves hit, it's better than strolling in a courtyard. Today, I feel at ease.' Later, Mao Zedong swam across the Yangtze River many more times. In 1957, Mao Zedong crossed the Yangtze River for the fourth time, and he sighed, saying, 'The Yangtze River is said to be very large, but in fact, size is not something to be afraid of. The United States Imperialism is not very large, right? We faced it, and it didn't matter much. So, in the world, some large things are actually not something to be afraid of.' Who would have thought that as a young man, a single swim nearly cost Mao Zedong his life. That was a Sunday summer when Mao Zedong was studying at the Changsha Provincial Normal School. Before dawn, while hundreds of students in the school were still fast asleep, Mao Zedong, as usual, woke up early, put on his clothes, took a towel, and came to a well platform next to the bathhouse to start his daily morning routine—the cold bath. He used two buckets on the well to draw water from the well, pouring it over his naked body, and then rubbed himself vigorously with a towel. He alternated between pouring and rubbing for over ten minutes until his skin was warm before stopping. After finishing his cold bath, Mao Zedong dressed and did a few simple exercises in the open space next to the well to warm up his body before heading to the study hall for morning reading. Anyone who knew Mao Zedong well knew that he cherished Sundays very much. He often used Sundays to swim, climb mountains, attend academic lectures, or visit places. This Sunday was particularly beautiful after several days of heavy rain, so Mao Zedong decided to swim in the Xiang River. At about 4:30 in the afternoon, Mao Zedong gathered several close friends, such as Cai Hesen and Chen Shaolin, and came to Nanhe Port on the Xiang River. The riverbank here was slightly curved, the water was deep and wide, with clear waves, making it an excellent place for swimming. A long wooden raft was moored at the shore, bobbing in the water. In the distance, the Xiang River was dotted with sails, and gulls flew in the sky, the scenery was very beautiful. However, because of the heavy rain for several days, the river had risen