This is how President Dong Ze's "serving the people" came into being.

September 5th this year is the 60th anniversary of the sacrifice of Comrade Zhang Side, a brilliant model of serving the people. September 8th is the 60th anniversary of the publication of Serving the People by Comrade Mao Zedong. Several comrades in Zhang Side's army dug up fresh historical materials, collected and wrote-

On the eve of the 60th anniversary of Comrade Zhang Side's sacrifice, I interviewed Zhang Side's comrades before his death and visited the place where Zhang Side fought. More than 60 years later, people still remember Zhang Side's deeds.

Walking into a guard division camp in Beijing garrison, surrounded by pine and cypress, a tall bronze bust stands out under the bright red flag. He is Zhang Side, the hero of President Mao Zedong's famous speech of serving the people 60 years ago.

1In August, 933, the Fourth Army of the Chinese Workers and Peasants Red Army liberated Zhang Side's hometown-Liuhe Township, Yilong County, Sichuan Province, which is now Side Township. In Liuhe Township, the Red Army set up a Soviet government, which led the villagers to overthrow the local tyrants and evil gentry, divide the fields equally, and divide the grain equally. The villagers who turned over were in high spirits and beaming. Young people in Shili Baxiang enthusiastically signed up for the army. Among these young people, there is an orphan aged 65,438+08 named "Gu Wazi", and he is Zhang Side.

After Zhang Side took part in the revolution, he was brave and made meritorious military service, and was affectionately called "Little Tiger" by his comrades. /kloc-in the winter of 0/933, in the battle to seize the gateway beam, he volunteered to lead the "sharp knife class" around the mountain road, set up a ladder, climbed over the wall and entered the village, and rushed into the enemy's lair like a "magic soldier descending from heaven" to destroy the stubborn enemy. /kloc-in the spring of 0/935, on the eve of crossing the Jialing River, the Red Fourth Front Army, led by Commander-in-Chief Xu, camped in Jiangdong and stood by, trying to build and find ships to cross the river. On a dark night, Zhang Side swam to the other side alone with good water quality, quietly cut off two cables with a sickle, and dragged back two boats, which made great contributions for the later troops to cross the river at the Taziya ferry in the south of Cangxi.

On the way to the Long March, Zhang Side was the monitor of the communication camp. Half a month after entering the grassland, the troops began to run out of food, and all the mules and horses rode by the chief were killed to satisfy their hunger. The soldiers' belts and gun belts were also cooked and eaten, and finally they could only rely on finding non-toxic wild vegetables to satisfy their hunger. The seemingly beautiful grassland is actually covered with poisonous weeds, which may cost you your life if you are not careful. Therefore, every time he picks wild vegetables, Zhang Side always wants to taste them first. One day at noon, Zhang Side found a kind of wild grass that was very similar to radish, so he picked a piece and chewed it in his mouth. Very sweet. But after a while, my stomach hurt, and then I vomited a mouthful of water. He just felt very dizzy. He hurriedly shouted to his comrades around him: "Quick, this dish is poisonous, so don't pick it." Then he lost consciousness.

Serving the People is an impromptu speech made by Chairman Mao at the memorial service for Comrade Zhang Side. Why does an ordinary guard soldier leave such a deep impression on the party leaders, and what kind of revolutionary friendship do they have?

Because of his outstanding performance in the Long March and previous battles,1In the early spring of 943, Zhang Side was assigned to the inner guard class of the Central Guard Corps to stand guard in front of Chairman Mao's cave. Zhang Side was so excited that he made up his mind to work hard and be a loyal guardian of Chairman Mao.

It is essential for him to change his sentry on rainy days; When he goes to work on snowy days, he always has to stand for an extra hour. Every morning, Zhang Side gently cleans the yard in front of Chairman Mao's cave. As long as there is a little pothole in the road that the chairman often walks, he will shovel the loess and smooth it and step on it. When the chairman goes out for meetings, Zhang Side always polishes the submachine gun and lanterns, puts them on the kettle and waits by the car early. He believes that every specific work of Chairman Mao is closely linked with the great cause of the China Revolution.

Chairman Mao's black car was presented by Mr. Chen Jiageng, a patriotic overseas Chinese, with a large body and pedals for guards to stand on. In order to ensure Chairman Mao's safety, every time he leaves the car, comrades should stand behind the car as guards. Zhang Side "grabs" the alert position under the pretext of "I like the cold wind blowing" every time. When the cold wind blows in winter, the water drops become ice. When he is on duty as required, he can put down the cap ear of the cotton cap, but he is worried that it will affect his eyesight and hearing, and he can't respond in time, so he refuses to put it down, so that frostbite grows on his ears. Chairman Mao advised him to keep warm many times with concern, and he always giggled.

Zhang Side joined the army 1 1 year. During the same period, some comrades who joined the army have become team leaders or even brigade commanders. Zhang Side never cared about his personal position. When the Guard Battalion of the Military Commission was co-edited with the Central Teaching Brigade, the leaders decided to change Zhang Side from a monitor to a soldier. He happily accepted: "Being a monitor is the need of the revolution, and being a soldier is also the need of the revolution." 1944, the superior organized a team to burn charcoal in Ansai, and Zhang Side was the first to sign up and was appointed as the vice captain. He told his comrades: "Burning charcoal is to defeat the enemy's blockade and win the victory of the Anti-Japanese War."

On September 5th, 1944, in order to produce more charcoal, Zhang Side joined the commando team and dug a new kiln with his comrades. At noon, due to the soft soil and the infiltration of rain, the cave to be dug suddenly collapsed. At the critical moment, Zhang Side struggled to push the comrades around him out of the kiln, but he was trapped in the kiln and died.

Zhang Side's sacrifice made Chairman Mao very sad and gave instructions on his funeral arrangements for many times. The reason is as stated in Serving the People: "Comrade Zhang Side died for the benefit of the people, and his death was heavier than Mount Tai."

When the bad news came, all the comrades in the internal security class burst into tears. Considering that Zhang Side is the bodyguard of leading comrades, Gu Yuanxing, the captain of the guard, decided to report the news directly to him.

"Chairman, Zhang Side passed away." Gu Yuanxing walked into Mao Zedong's office and saw that he was absorbed in reviewing documents. He opened his mouth several times, then stopped, and finally said it calmly.

After hearing the news, Mao Zedong was surprised to put down his pen and learn more about Zhang Side's sacrifice. Hearing this, he said silently and deeply, "Zhang Side is a good soldier. He stood guard and accompanied me out. He is very familiar with this. "

Chairman Mao lit a cigarette and stood by the window, looking at the Mount Ansai sacrificed by Zhang Side with deep affection. He asked, "Where is Zhang Side now?"

"It is still in the charcoal kiln, and people are being organized to dig it out." Gu Yuanxing replied.

Chairman Mao was obviously angry: "How did this happen? Dig it out as soon as possible. Stay alert. There are many wolves in the mountains. If the wolf eats you, don't be your captain. "

Later, the chairman lit another cigarette and counted his fingers to give Gu Yuanxing three instructions: "First, wash Zhang's side and put on new clothes; Second, make a coffin; Third, I want to hold a memorial service and I want to speak. "

After the comrades carried Comrade Zhang Side's body to the local village in Ansai, the comrades specially sent a car to pull the body to Zaoyuan.

On the afternoon of September 8, the sky in northern Shaanxi was gray. On Zaoyuan Square at the foot of Phoenix Mountain in Yan 'an, the memorial hall for Comrade Zhang Side was solemn. A tent was set up on the earthen platform of the meeting place, wreaths woven by comrades-in-arms with their own collected mountain flowers were placed on both sides of the rostrum, and a portrait of Comrade Zhang Side was hung in the center of the rostrum, with an elegy inscribed by Chairman Mao: "Salute to Comrade Zhang Side who sacrificed for the people's interests".

At one o'clock in the afternoon, before the memorial service began, comrades wearing octagonal hats and coarse cloth, accompanied by Li Kenong and Yang, walked out of Zaoyuan's residence. On this day, the chairman's footsteps were heavy and slow, and his once kind face now looked serious and solemn. After entering the venue, the Chairman held up the wreath with the inscription, placed it in front of the portrait of Zhang Side, and observed a long silence. Later, when Zhang Tingzhen, director of the Political Department of the Central Guard Corps, introduced Zhang Side's 29-year life story, Chairman Mao made this famous speech impromptu.

Knowing Zhang Side's experience, I was deeply touched by Chairman Mao's speech. The one-and-a-half-hour speech elaborated on the importance of serving the people, and all the comrades present were deeply educated and encouraged.

After the meeting, Chairman Mao's secretary sorted out the oral speech and presented it to the Chairman for review. After reading it, Chairman Mao thought about it, and then at the top of the article, the five Chinese characters "Serving the People" became the title of this famous speech and a banner of the people of China.

In the process of consulting historical materials, visiting historical experts and many witnesses who have heard the speech of "serving the people", we also learned some historical facts about "serving the people":

-1944 On September 2 1 Sunday, the speech "Serving the People" was published in the first edition of Yan 'an Liberation Daily in the form of a press release.

-1April, 945, the Seventh National Congress of the Party with important historical significance was held in Yan 'an. "Serving the people heart and soul" has been clearly summarized as the fundamental purpose of our party and army, and has been written into the seven major reports.

-1945 September, Comrade Mao Zedong wrote an inscription for Ta Kung Pao: "Serve the people".

-1953, "Serving the People" was officially written and included in the third volume of Selected Works of Mao Zedong.