The names and aliases used by Zhou Enlai

Zhou Enlai, a great man of a generation, was born in a scholarly family. According to the customs and traditions of the time, he had to take many names. Later, after engaging in the revolutionary cause, due to the needs of the struggle, some pseudonyms were used. These names have certain origins or interesting meanings.
 

According to the author for many years to collect, Zhou Enlai's name can be divided into three stages. The first stage is in his hometown Huai'an childhood, childhood. Zhou Enlai's name and characters were all given to him by his family or Mr. Jiasuxuguan. The main names are "Da Luan", scientific name "Enlai" and the word "Xiang Yu". The second stage is his study and early revolutionary period. During this period, he used "sheep feather", "sheep feather", "flying", "Wu Hao" and so on. Other names are basically in the third stage, that is, his pseudonym when he led the underground struggle, so there are more. Now we can know "Hu Gong", "Shaoshan", "Fei Fei", "Zhou Xiang", "Weisi", "Da Mei", "Zhao Lai", "Guansheng", "Guan", "Wu", "Hu Bicheng" and so on.
 

As far as Zhou Enlai's name in the first stage after his birth is concerned, since the Zhou family is a "family with deep feudal roots", the family pays special attention to the name of the boy, which is usually named by learned elders or respected elders in the clan, and also by Mr. Jiasuxuguan.
 

The family first gave Zhou Enlai his baby name (also known as nickname) "Da Luan". "Luan" is a kind of sacred bird in the legend of the Chinese nation. "Harmony between husband and wife" is a metaphor for harmony between husband and wife. Therefore, after the founding of New China, Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao often called themselves "Luan" and "Feng. Why did Zhou Enlai name his baby "Da Luan"? The former residence of Zhou Enlai in Huai'an has a record of Zhou Entao's son and Zhou Erqi, Zhou Enlai's nephew, signed on June 8, 1982. Although Zhou Erqi is one generation younger than Zhou Enlai, his father Zhou Entao is the eldest of the "En" generation of the same great-grandfather of the Zhou family, while Zhou Enlai ranks seventh. Therefore, Zhou Erqi is not much younger than Zhou Enlai. Moreover, Zhou Erqi's mother is from thousands of families in Qinghe (now Qingjiangpu District, Huai 'an City), only one generation younger than Zhou Enlai's mother. Zhou Erqi said in this transcript:
The origin of Enlai's name, I heard my mother and eight old ladies (referring to Zhou Enlai's first eight aunts Yang) say this: when Zhou Enlai's mother Wan was in labor, she dreamed that a divine bird such as a luan phoenix entered her arms and then gave birth to Enlai, so she took the nickname Daluan, which meant that luan phoenix was coming. The word "en" is arranged according to the family tree, so it is named Enlai.
 

Zhou Enlai was named after his father Zhou Yineng. What he pondered was: the benefactor, love. There is a saying in the Book of Songs: "Ennis Qinsi"; Gui Yiguang, a essayist in the Ming Dynasty, once said: "My parents are diligent and support me." The future, too. "The Analects of Faith" says: "The past cannot be admonished, but the comer can still be pursued." Zhou Enlai's name is based on these.
 

In addition, Zhou Enlai also took the word "Xiang Yu". That's because the Zhou family is a famous family. In such a large family, it is necessary to strictly distinguish between generations. As far as age is concerned, some younger generations are even older than their elders, but younger generations must not call the names of their elders, including their nicknames, otherwise they will be "guilty". Therefore, boys have to take a word or number early after naming, so that the younger generation can shout the elder's word or number, which is not "offending.
 

Zhou Enlai's handwriting should have been started by the teacher of the family school when he was 5 years old. the teacher expected his "divine bird" to soar in the universe, so he gave him the word "Xiang Yu". There are many materials and even some relatives of the Zhou family believe that Zhou Enlai's word "Xiangyu" was given to Zhou Enlai by his teacher Gao (Gao Yiwu, Gao Shouming, word plate) of Dongguan Model School in Shenyang (then called Shengjing) when he left Shenyang in 1913. The author thinks this statement is not very reliable, because Zhou Enlai's two younger brothers and one first cousin were both in Huai 'an at that time, thousands of miles away from Zhou Enlai. At that time, communication was underdeveloped, but they all followed the word "Yu": Zhou Enpu, Zhou Enshou's second brother, took the word "Boyu", Zhou Enshou's third brother, took the word "Tong Yu", and Zhou Enshuo's first cousin took the word "Pan Yu". Obviously, this is the word taken by the teacher of the home school when the Zhou Enlai brothers entered the home school one after another. If Mr. Gao gave Zhou Enlai the words in 1913, it is unlikely that Zhou Enlai's three younger brothers, who are far away in Huai 'an, will all follow Zhou Enlai's order.
 

Zhou Enlai's second stage was named and numbered during his study and early revolutionary period. In the summer vacation of 1912, Zhou Enlai graduated from the official Dongguan Model Second Primary School in Fengtian Province (now Liaoning Province). He was about to part with his classmate and good friend Guo Sining. At Guo Sining's request, Zhou Enlai inscribed for him "Work with one heart," The future of thousands of miles means the day. "Parting words. Zhou Enlai's signature on this inscription is "Sheep Feather Book". "Yang Yu" is Zhou Enlai's separation of the word "Xiang" in his word "Xiang Yu", and "Zi" is the laudable name of ancient men. According to Song Yanyu, the former principal of Shenyang No. 6 Middle School (Dongguan Model School is its predecessor), Zhou Enlai also used the signature of "Yang Yu" when he was studying in Dongguan Model School. Zhou Enlai's pseudonym "Feifei" was taken when he went to Tianjin Nankai School in his second year of study, and was derived from "Flying the Universe. At that time, he, together with his classmates Zhang Ruifeng and Chang Ce Ou, initiated and organized the professional music group meeting. He founded and presided over the publication of the meeting magazine "Dedication". In the column of "Changfei Man Mo" in the fourth issue of "Dedication" published in April 1914, Zhou Enlai published several articles such as "Comment on the Seven Laws of Yongyue Shaobao Temple" and "Comment on the Poems of Huaiyin Hou Diaoyutai". His pseudonym "Feifei" attracted the attention of school teachers and students.
 

In the winter of 1948, Chiang Kai-shek, who competed with the Communist Party for talents, hoped that Zhang Boling, the old principal of Nankai and the then president of the National Government Examination Institute, would go to Taiwan with him. Zhang Boling hesitated and received a message from Jinshan, an underground member of the Communist Party of China, to him: "Old classmate Feifei does not want the old principal to move". Zhang Boling knew that "Feifei" was Zhou Enlai, so he flew from Nanjing to Chongqing on the pretext that he still had some important classics to take to Taiwan together. In early 1949, Tianjin and Beiping were liberated one after another. Fu Zuoyi, the general of the Kuomintang uprising, was a good friend of Zhang Boling. He went to Nankai University in Tianjin to find Professor Zhang Xilu, the eldest son of Zhang Boling, to discuss the safety of Zhang Boling in Chongqing. Zhang Xilu believes that this matter can only be foolproof if it is reported to Vice Chairman Zhou. Soon, Fu Zuoyi called Zhang Xilu from Peiping and asked him to talk to Peiping. After Zhang Xilu arrived in Peiping, Fu Zuoyi told him that Vice Chairman Zhou had said not to let President Zhang go to Taiwan. At that time, Mr. Sun, the general manager of Zhongfu Bank, happened to be in Peiping. He was going to Hong Kong, so he asked him to find Wang Endong, the manager of Nanjing Bank. Because Wang Endong is also a student of Zhang Boling, please ask him to pass on Zhou Enlai's message that President Zhang will not go to Taiwan to Zhang Boling in Chongqing. Sure enough, a few days later, Zhang Boling received an anonymous letter from Hong Kong in Chongqing, with only one sentence: "old classmate Feifei won't let the old headmaster move." Zhang Boling was very moved by Zhou Enlai's two requests not to go to Taiwan in the name of "Feifei", so he stayed.
 

In 1919, shortly after Zhou Enlai returned from Japan, it was the climax of the May Fourth Movement. In order to unite the progressive youth forces in Tianjin at that time, Zhou Enlai organized the Tianjin Progressive Youth Group Consciousness Society together with Chen Zhidu, Ma Jun, Liu Qingyang and Li Yitao. The earliest members of the Consciousness Society were only 20. In order to represent equality between men and women, the 20 members are equally male and female. Moreover, in order to facilitate the communication and contact between the consciousness society and the safety and confidentiality of the revolutionary struggle, it was decided to set up 50 numbers. By drawing lots, the numbers drawn by each were used as their own codes, and the remaining 30 numbers were reserved for later participants. Results Zhou Enlai drew No. 5 and Deng Yingchao drew No. 1. This is the origin of Zhou Enlai's "Wu Hao" name, and Deng Yingchao later used the "Yihao" name, the same is true.
The name of Zhou Enlai's third stage was during the revolutionary struggle. When Zhou Enlai presided over the work of the central government and led the underground revolutionary struggle in Shanghai, he not only changed his residence frequently, constantly changed his image and decoration, but also took some names unknown to the society from time to time, so as to "hide and seek" with the powerful enemy at that time ". At that time, some of the pseudonyms he took were considered, while others were readily available.
 

In 1997, in order to commemorate the upcoming 100 anniversary of Zhou Enlai's birth, the author went to Beijing to meet Huang Xiran, a retired veteran cadre of the all-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and a former secretary of Zhou Enlai in the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee in 1928. After talking about related work, I once asked Huang Lao what pseudonyms Premier Zhou took when he led the underground struggle in Shanghai. At that time, more than 90 years old Huang Lao clear thinking, responsive. He told me: The Prime Minister took many false names during that period, and I cannot say it completely. But there are two I know: one is that when I was talking about work with him, I somehow got involved in his hometown. He said that his hometown Huai'an has no mountains and is an area with few mountains. Speaking of which, just as the document in his hand was about to be issued, he casually signed the name of "Zhou Shaoshan". In fact, the recipient could 100% recognize the document issued by Zhou Enlai only from his handwriting. In other words, no matter what name Zhou Enlai signs, or even does not write his name, the recipient will know that the document was signed by Zhou Enlai.
 

Mr. Huang also said: Another time, when I saw the Premier sign the word "Weisi" as his signature, I asked him casually: "Boss (when you engage in underground struggles, you don't call each other your positions), why do you sign the name 'Weisi again?" Zhou Enlai glanced at me and whispered, "For the victory of Marxism in China!" Then he lowered his face and said, "Don't ask these questions in the future!" Yes, in that era of white terror, it was a trivial matter to lose one's head if one was not careful, and it was even more distressing to cause disasters and losses to the party and the revolution. During that period, Zhou Enlai also used pen names or pseudonyms such as "Hu Gong", "Da Mei", "Fei Fei", "Zhou Xiang", "Zhao Lai", "Guansheng", "Guan" and "Wu. Huang Lao said: "Hu Gong" and "Da Mei" are because Zhou Enlai's beard grows very fast and has just been shaved. As long as it takes a week, the beard will grow very long and beautiful. This is how the names of "Hu Gong" and "Da Mei" come from. In December 1936, when Zhang Xueliang saw Zhou Enlai, he also praised and said, "What a beautiful bearded man!" "Zhou Xiang" is derived from "Xiang Yu", "Wu" is connected with "Wu Hao". As for "Guansheng" and "Guan", Zhou Enlai believes that the cause of communism is the most magnificent and beautiful cause of mankind, and the first great cause he strives for in his life.
 

Before the Long March started, Deng Yingchao suffered from tuberculosis, so on the Long March, Deng Yingchao has been making up the rest company to advance with the team. After the arduous 25,000 of the Long March, Deng Yingchao's body became weaker after arriving in northern Shaanxi. With the approval of the organization, Deng Yingchao disguised as a servant of American journalist Snow and was admitted to a civilian hospital in Xishan, Peiping. During her stay in hospital, Deng Yingchao met her roommate and progressive young woman Hu Xingfen. Deng Yingchao told her that her name was Li Yangyi and she had a husband Li Zhifan who loved her very much. After the July 7th Incident, a full-scale war of resistance broke out, and Deng Yingchao and Hu Xingfen hurriedly separated. Later, Deng Yingchao followed Zhou Enlai to Chongqing to negotiate with the Kuomintang. At this time, Hu Xingfen and his family fled from Beiping to Chongqing. Since she had learned that her former roommate "Mrs. Li Zhifan" was the famous Deng Yingchao of the Communist Party of China, she wrote the prose "Mrs. Li Zhifan", which was later published in the 8th edition of the "Women's Knowledge Series" published in Shanghai in May 1941. Published on "Two or Three Issues about Chinese Women. Due to the harsh living conditions and harsh environment, Hu Xingfen's illness worsened and he died in Chongqing in the second half of 1939. In view of the fact that Hu Xingfen is not only a young woman with ambition and talent, but also actively pursues progress. When she is seriously ill, she also asked Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao to join the Communist Party of China. Therefore, Zhou Enlai and his wife specially carved a stone tablet for her, which was inscribed by Zhou Enlai. The words "Li Zhifan and Li Yangyi stand together in the tomb of Ms. Hu Xingfen. Only Hu Xingfen knows who these two names refer. Later, due to the rapid changes in the current situation, this monument could not be erected in front of Hu Xingfen's tomb, but it left Zhou Enlai's "Li Zhifan" for the world.
 

In March 1947, when Chiang Kai-shek ordered Hu Zongnan to attack Yan'an, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Ren Bishi and others formed the Central Front Committee to lead and direct the national war of liberation in northern Shaanxi. At that time, they faced more than 200,000 troops led by Hu Zongnan, while the Northwest Field Army commanded by Peng Dehuai left in northern Shaanxi was only more than 20,000. In order to let the Northwest Field Army rein and release freely, the Central Front Committee was not organized with the Northwest Field Army, but acted alone under the escort of four guard companies led by Wang Dongxing. In order to confuse the enemy, they were called the "Nine Column" and the "Three Detachment" for a while, and the main leaders took aliases. Among them, Mao Zedong was called "Li Desheng" and Zhou Enlai was called "Hu Bicheng". In March 1992, when the author called on Zhou Enlai's guard Wang Huanshou in Beijing during the period when Zhou Enlai moved to northern Shaanxi, Wang Lao told the author that when he took a pseudonym at that time, the Premier said, I think the Chinese people's revolutionary cause led by the Communist Party of China must be successful, so I will call it "Hu Bicheng! At that time, one of his wooden boxes containing books and clothes also had the words "Hu Bicheng" written by Zhou Enlai obliquely with a brush. The large box was later exhibited in the Museum of the Chinese Revolution.
 

In March 1961, Zhang Shizhao, a famous patriotic democrat, returned to Beijing from Hong Kong and wrote a letter to Zhou Enlai. The letter said: "Hu Zhe (back then, some people called Yu Youren, a veteran of the Kuomintang and president of the National Government Supervision Institute, Zhou Enlai knew and was familiar with it as early as Chongqing. When the Kuomintang retreated in the mainland, Chiang Kai-shek forcibly took Yu Youren to Taiwan.) A recent letter to Mr. Wu Jiyu in Hong Kong said: 'This year is my wife's 80th birthday, but unfortunately I am not in the mainland. This year her birthday will be very cold. No one will pay attention to her. I am very sad to think of this!'" Mr. Zhang Shizhao said at the end of the letter, "I would like to ask the Prime Minister to understand the feelings of the beard."
 

After receiving Zhang Shizhao's letter, Zhou Enlai specially asked Luo Qingchang, head of the investigation department of the CPC Central Committee, to send a message to Yu Youren's son-in-law and then vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the National Revolutionary Committee, Qu Wu, to read the letter. He also conveyed Zhou Enlai's opinion that the premier wants you to take his son Qu Beida and his daughter-in-law Mei Jun to Xi 'an, and invite Zhou Bomin Xi 'an together. The United Front Work Department of the Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee came forward to give the old lady a lively birthday party. After the birthday party, Mrs. Yu's old wife, Ms. Gao Zhonglin, was very happy.
 

After Qu Wu returned to Beijing, Luo Qingchang contacted Qu Wu again, hoping that he could write to Taiwan to tell Mr. Yu Youren about his birthday. However, Qu Wu made a mistake when writing the letter: Premier Zhou Enlai arranged the matter from beginning to end, and he should tell Mr. Yu in the letter. But if the letter says "Zhou Enlai" or "Premier Zhou", the consequences for the old man would be unimaginable if it was checked by the spies; if the letter does not mention Zhou Enlai, how can it be worthy of Premier Zhou's affectionate kindness? Qu Wu consulted Shao Lizi when he was in a dilemma. Shao Lizi told Qu Wu that all you need to do is replace the three words "Premier Zhou" with the four words "Mr. Lianxi. Then, Shao Lizi explained that I lived with Mr. Yu during the Anti-Japanese War, and the two often talked about some historical celebrities. We both know that Premier Zhou is a descendant of Zhou Dunyi, the founder of Confucianism in the Northern Song Dynasty. In his later years, Zhou Dunyi was named Mr. Lianxi. At that time, when we talked about Zhou Enlai, we always called him "Mr. Lianxi" to avoid people's eyes and ears ". Therefore, as long as Mr. Yu sees these four words in your letter, he can know that he refers to Zhou Enlai. Sure enough, Yu Youren in Taiwan was very happy after receiving the letter from his son-in-law Qu Wu. He especially thanked Premier Zhou Enlai for his care for him and his wife. He immediately replied and asked Wu Jiyu from Hong Kong to express his sincere thanks to Premier Zhou. Therefore, "Mr. Lianxi" is another name of Zhou Enlai, who is not well known to people.

September 11, 2017 Source: Fujian Party History Monthly