“My Real Name is Liao Chenyun”

Former Residence of Chen Yun in Liantang Town, Qingpu County, Jiangsu Province

(Liantang Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai)

Bedroom

During his miserable childhood, Chen Yun lost his father and mother at the age of two and four. When he was six-year-old, his grandma passed away. He, together with Chen Xing, his sister who is two years older, was brought up by his uncle Liao Wenguang. Liao, a mild and downright dutiful tailor, spent all day hunching over threads and needles; his gentle and capable wife helped out with family expenses by sewing up stuff for others. Since they were married for years but had no children of their own, they dearly loved Chen Yun, their nephew. Liao treated Chen Yun as his own son and changed his name to Liao Chenyun to tick one item on the bucket list of Liao’s mother. In retrospect, Chen Yun said that, “my real name is Liao Chenyun. The surname of Liao is from my uncle. Chen is from my biological father. Back then, my uncle didn’t have his own son and treated me like his son instead. Therefore, I got the surname of Liao. I was born in Liantang Town, Qingpu County, Jiangsu Province.”

When Chen was 11-year-old, his aunt gave birth to a son. The arrival of the baby brought joys to the family and also increased burdens. The uncle and aunt were left with no choice but to give up their crafts and opened a small tavern that offers several simple cold dishes (beans, fried preserved fish and salted eggs), pastry, congee, and spirits and wines. The meager profits were used to support the family. Chen Yun and Chen Xing were very sensible and thoughtful, and always tried to help with housework. The dishes offered in the tavern were all prepared by Chen Yun’s aunt. Simple as they were, they tasted quite delectable. What impressed customers the most would be “hammered beans”. It was made by flattening the white broad beans with a hammer-shaped tool after the beans swell in the water; then frying the beans in hot oil till they turn slightly gold; finally, ladling out to a plate and sprinkling with seasoning. The beans tasted crispy and palatable, and smelled appetizing. When Chen was a kid, he often helped his aunt prepare the dish and was praised for hammering the beans into thin and round chips.

Liao Wenguang, Chen Yun’s Uncle and Mrs. Liao, Chen Yun’s Aunt

Chen Yun was eager to take education. Despite the disadvantaged background, Liao still decided to send the 8-year-old Chen Yun to an old-style private school owned by a local named Liu Min’an. There, Chen received traditional elementary education including Sanzijing (Three Character Classic), The Hundred Family Surnames and others. Chen was the youngest but also the most diligent and hard-working student in the class. A year later, Chen became a third grade student in Yishan Primary Compulsory School and was fascinated about courses like Chinese, mathematics, handicraft and physical education. He listened to each teacher’s class meticulously and finished his assignments as required. Even though he became a student, he would still do housework, help with the family after school, and become absorbed in books the moment he got time. Moreover, Chen would get up early and light up oil lamp to read books and learn new words. His diligence and hard work not only comforted his uncle and aunt, but also received wide acclaim from neighbors. Before long, Chen dropped out of school due to financial difficulties. Though he envied those kids who can continue schooling, Chen understood that his uncle and aunt had done their best. Later, Chen worked as a waiter in the tavern and helped with everything he can, such as chopping firewood, washing vegetables, and cleaning diapers and the house.

Just when Chen felt lost about his future, a good-hearted man came along and changed his life once again. Du Hengbo was a regular customer in the tavern. He was the principal of Yan’an Primary School and also a progressive educator who used to study in Songjiang Prefecture Middle School. In a bid to meet the needs of the times, he abandoned classics, added Chinese Zhusuan (knowledge and practices of arithmetic calculation through the abacus), handicraft, and made “Qin” (Diligence) and “Cheng” (Honesty) as the school motto, delivering impressive performance in education. Once, the principal saw the scraggy Chen Yun sitting on a small stool and tending the kitchen fire. When talking with Chen Yun, he was impressed by Chen’s intelligence, fluency, retentiveness and how he responded to questions about textbook knowledge without any hitch. Du believed that the child will make something of himself. After inquiring Liao about the reason behind Chen’s dropout, the principal thought it would be a shame to have such a clever boy stay at home and he promised to recommend Chen Yun to the most famous Yan’an Primary School for tuition-free education. Therefore, Chen had another chance to go back to school. Since then, he studied even harder and was awarded Excellent Student for consecutive years for his outstanding academic performance. In Yan’an Primary School, Chen met Zhang Xinggong, a teacher who had a significant impact on Chen’s life. It was the teacher who introduced Chen to work as an apprentice in the Commercial Press through his younger brother Zhang Zihong who also worked there. Chen said to her daughter Chen Weilan on his deathbed that the trip from Qingpu to Shanghai forms an important part of my whole life. I finally had the chance to know the Communist Party of China and had this life after I took the step.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Chen Yun became one of core leaders of the Party and the country. He was always against preserving former residences and building personal memorials. During his lifetime, he was very concerned about the wellbeing of the masses and repeatedly reiterated in the letters that his former residence should not be closed empty. Otherwise, it would be a huge waste. Instead, it could be used as community offices or a home to local residents with housing problems. In accordance with his instruction, his former residence was turned into a community office and an office of an industrial company in town in 1982. It was later renovated in 1984. In 1990, the Qingpu Revolution History Memorial centering on his former residence was erected. In 2000, the Chen Yun Memorial and the once-again restored Former Residence of Chen Yun officially opened to the public. Today, Former Residence of Chen Yun is listed as a historical and cultural site protected at the municipal level of Shanghai.

Chen Yun and his sister Chen Xing in Hangzhou in the spring of 1985

Chen have left us though, the items in his former residence at No. 95, Xiatang Street were preserved intact, presenting a vivid picture of Chen studying diligently and struggling with his life during his childhood.