Ceaseless Quest for Study

Born in a poor family, Chen Yun lost his parents when he was little and he was raised by his uncle and aunt. The hardship of life polished his strong and calm character, which made him stand out from his peers.

Former Residence of Chen Yun – No. 18, Xiatang Street, Liantang Town

Chen Yun entered a private school when he was eight, starting to learn the Three Character Classic and Hundred Family Surnames and practice calligraphy at the same time. Mr. Liu Min’an, Chen’s teacher, liked him very much for his earnestness and devotion. In addition to careful academic guidance, Liu also told him stories of historical figures and ways to conduct after school. Liu encouraged Chen Yun to become a pillar of the country in difficult times just as Yue Fei, Qi Jiguang and many other patriotic generals did. In nearly two years, as Chen studied hard, he also developed profound friendship with Liu and his family.

After formative education, Chen Yun entered Yishan Primary and Middle School at the City God Temple of Liantang Town. Since the school was founded only less than 10 years ago, there were not many students, who were divided into four grades. Based on the entrance assessment results, Chen Yun went straight to Grade Three. He devoted himself to the study of Chinese language, math and other courses and he worked hard to figure out every question he met.

As Chen Yun’s uncle (Liao Wenguang) struggled to support the poor family with a small restaurant, Chen Yun helped with housework every day after school. Even so, he never delayed his homework. His uncle’s home was between a river and a street. Pedestrians could always see a thin little figure sitting at the table through the window paper. That was Chen Yun, writing in the dim light of an oil lamp. At dawn, he sat on the threshold of the small restaurant, reading ancient prose. The tender voice echoed across the quiet ancient street through the morning breeze. Moreover, Chen Yun also helped classmates who fell behind in the study.

Little Chen Yun was the most popular kid in the town. All the parents asked their children to learn from Chen Yun and be a diligent, sensible, aspiring and persevering person like Chen Yun. After Chen passed away in 1995, the 84-years-old Mrs. Shen Fubao, his former neighbor, still called him “big brother” just as she did when they were little. She cried and said that Chen had always remembered the fellow villagers. Every time he returned to the hometown, he brought them together and asked how they were doing.

After primary and middle school education, Chen Yun said goodbye to his beloved school for the financial difficulties of his uncle’s family, even though he was still eager to learn more. Back home, Chen Yun became a diligent little helper in the restaurant. He ran very smooth with stoking, washing vegetables, sweeping, laundry, serving dishes and other chores. Instead of hanging out, Chen Yun chose to review lessons with the old textbooks and practice calligraphy in free time. Calligraphy later became his lifetime hobby and a way of keeping healthy. During that time, Chen Yun also studied at Liyizhong Commercial School in Qingpu County, but eventually left after a month due to the poor economic conditions of the family.

One day, a special guest came to the restaurant, slim and handsome. Dressed in a long gown with a pair of glasses, he looked gentle with a stick in his hand. Liao Wenguang greeted the guest immediately, wiping the table, and asked: “Still stir-fried eel shreds and lentils?” The guest nodded with a smile as he sat down. He seemed to be a frequent customer. Liao’s eel shreds and lentils were quite popular in the neighborhood.

After the dishes were served, the guest savored his spirits without a word. A moment later, Chen Yun, who was helping around, came to fill up the cup. Coincidentally, this smart little boy with bright eyes caught the guest’s attention. The guest was surprised to find him behave decently and talk in an elegant manner despite his young age. When being asked about what he had learnt, Chen Yun said in a confident but humble voice. “Great!” the guest was impressed and praised Chen to himself. He also carefully reviewed Chen Yun’s writings on a stack of paper at the counter, and then made up his mind.

The guest asked Liao Wenguang about Chen Yun, especially his study at school. He learnt that Chen lost his parents when he was young and was currently out of school, but he still worked hard to teach himself at home. The guest decided to help bring him back to school.

It turned out that the guest was Du Hengbo, an enlightened person and then Principal of Yan’an Primary and Middle School, a local public school. To meet the needs of the times, he took Confucian classics including the Four Books and Five Classics out of the courses and added practical abacus, handcraft and other courses. The outstanding performance of the school made him a prestigious figure in the local area.

Du drew Chen Yun closer and asked, “What do you think of going back to school, little Liao?” (Chen Yun and his sister were raised by uncle Liao Wenguang after their parents passed away. Chen took the family name Liao and retained his own name Chen Yun.)

Staring at the guest with clear eyes, Chen Yun said nothing but bit his lip and nodded as hard as he could. “Great! Come to school tomorrow and I will take care of everything. Tuition free!” said Du to Liao Wenguang.

Thus, Chen Yun entered the senior department of Yan'an Primary School. The learning tasks were much more than before. Abacus, fine arts, handcraft and other courses were added to the existing courses, but Chen worked even harder. He came out top at the school. His certificates were plastered on the walls at home. His uncle and aunt were also proud to see the progress he made.

The old site of Yan'an Primary School in Liantang Town – the senior elementary school Chen Yun attended

Chen Yun never learnt by rote. He learnt about the “Qingpu Missionary Case” that occurred a few decades before in the local area from the elderly and had a preliminary understanding of the humiliating and disaster-ridden modern history of the Chinese nation. After finishing his homework at night, Chen Yun also liked going to the local story-telling house with his uncle. He admired the anti-oppression and anti-exploitation heroes in the stories. At school, Chen Yun learnt about Jintian Uprising led by Hong Xiuquan, which had convulsed most of China, as well as the story of “Gongche Shangshu” movement (a political movement in late Qing Dynasty, seeking reform and expressing opposition to the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895) led by Kang Youwei and the heroic sacrifice of the “Six Gentlemen of the Hundred Days' Reform” (A group of six Chinese intellectuals whom the Empress Dowager Cixi had arrested and executed for their attempts to implement the national, cultural, political and educational reform movement.)

What is the right path to save the nation and the people? Chen Yun immersed himself in deep thoughts. At the same time, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping and many other people in China were pondering the same question. Back then, they could never imagined meeting each other and later becoming close comrades-in-arms for decades.

On May 4, 1919, to protest the traitorous Beiyang Government at Paris Peace Conference, the patriotic youth in Beijing initiated the May Fourth Movement. Soon, this wave of patriotism featuring anti-imperialism and anti-feudalism spread throughout the country. On May 11, schools in Qingpu County started to show their support for patriotic students in Beijing. Teachers and students of Yan'an Primary School also joined. Chen Yun, who was never seen without a book in hand, resolutely put aside his textbooks and devoted himself to this patriotic movement. His strong organizational skills, good eloquence and calm, mature character made him stand out from his classmates. He became the youngest core organizer of the action.

First, he organized Boy Scout and the 10-person Salvation Corps to raise fund at the school and in the town. He also initiated a foundation for saving the country. They used the money raised to buy paper, flags and leaflets for publicity. A massive team went out of the school to give speeches and performances to satirize the traitors and promote patriotism. Chen also organized parades of students with resounding slogans such as “Down With Traitors!”, “Never Give In!”, “Restore Our Lost Territories!”, “Wake Up, Sleeping Lion!”, “Stand Up, Chinese!” and “Abrogate Treasonable Treaties!” The 14-year-old teenager polished his thoughts and ability in this patriotic movement, which also educated many poor villagers who used to slave away in the farm field. People in Qingpu County started to refuse foreign goods for the first time. The seed of progress was sown in this campaign, blossomed and yielded fruit when Chen Yun devote himself to the revolution and came back to his hometown to organize peasant movement eight years later.

In June 1919, Chen Yun graduated from the senior department with outstanding performance, marking the end of the school days in his boyhood. The bumpy path of study did not wear down his ambition. Despite the hardship of life, Chen Yun had always worked hard to be a useful person. The end of a learning phase means another beginning. Chen had held such idea for a lifetime.