After being pardoned, Pu Yi and Du Yuming went to Jiangnan for the first time. Why did they shed tears along the way?

In March 1964, according to instructions, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference organized the amnesty persons Pu Yi, Du Yuming, Shen Zui, etc., together with their family members and staff, and a group of 40 people to visit Jiangsu and other places. Indulge in the memoirs calls it "Visiting Group of Generals and Prime Ministers". The most eye-catching one is, of course, the last emperor Puyi.

In December 1959, Puyi was pardoned at the Fushun War Criminals Management Center and officially became a free citizen of New China. Also pardoned with him were former Kuomintang officials Du Yuming, Shen Zui, Wang Yaowu and others. After being reformed in prison, Puyi became friends with them.

In 1964, under the organization of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Puyi, Du Yuming, Wang Yaowu, Shen Zui and others visited Jiangsu and other places, which was called "Xia Jiangnan".

During the Qing Dynasty, two emperors, Kangxi and Qianlong, visited the south of the Yangtze River six times, leaving behind many popular stories. At that time, the Qing Dynasty was at its peak. A hundred years later, Puyi, the great The last emperor of the Qing Dynasty will also go to Jiangnan, but the world has changed. His identity is no longer an emperor, but an ordinary citizen of New China. Therefore, it has aroused the interest of many melon-eating people.

The first stop, Nanjing

At 10 a.m. on March 10, 1964, a special tour group set off. On the bus were Puyi and his wife Li Shuxian, and There were Pu Jie and his wife Saga Hao, as well as Du Yuming, Shen Zui, Wang Yaowu, Song Xilian, etc., a total of 40 people.

At 10:45 am on March 11, the special train arrived in Nanjing, and the person in charge of reception was Wu Zhongqi. Wu Zhongqi's father, Wu Zipei, had followed Sun Yat-sen and served as colonel during the Northern Expedition. Wu Zhongqi is a cadet of the 18th batch of Huangpu Military Academy. Before liberation, he was the commander of Jiangyin Fort. During the Battle of Crossing the River, Wu Zhongqi led his troops in an uprising and worked in the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference after liberation.

When getting off the train, Puyi held the conductor's hand and shed tears. He said: "I have lived here for many years and have never come out. Now I am truly liberated." In the past, the Japanese took me wherever they wanted me to go. They always walked in silence and couldn't see anything. Now I can see everything. I used to live a bat-like life, never seeing the sun or seeing people, but now I feel truly free to be Chinese. ?

From March 11th to March 15th, Puyi and others visited Nanjing for 5 days. During these 5 days, they went to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Yuhuatai, Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, Meihua Mountain, Linggu Temple, Confucius Temple, Presidential Palace and other scenic spots, as well as many companies in Nanjing, such as Nanjing Chemical Company, Youyi Garment Factory, Yixin Silk Factory, etc. at that time.

When visiting the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Puyi’s wife Li Shuxian couldn’t walk up halfway because of a bad heart. Puyi said, I will accompany you. If you don’t go up, I won’t go up either. . Wang Yaowu on the side reminded him: "Lao Pu, it's okay for others not to go, but you have to not go."

This sentence awakened Puyi, who quickly followed everyone to the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum to pay homage to Sun Yat-sen. Sun Yat-sen was a great revolutionary pioneer and the gravedigger of the Qing Dynasty. If Puyi did not go up to worship in person, he would be mistaken for being emotional and thoughtful, and would refuse to accept reform.

On March 16, Puyi and others left Nanjing for Wuxi and stayed at the Taihu Hotel.

In Xihui Park, seeing an imperial monument from the Qianlong period, Puyi turned to Wu Zhongqi and said: "Qianlong went to Jiangnan at that time, and there is no way to compare it with Jiangnan now." ?

Historical records: Qianlong's trips to the south of the Yangtze River lasted four to five months each time, accompanied by about 3,000 officers and soldiers, 6,000 horses, four to five hundred ships, and millions of silver taels. To Hangzhou, 30 palaces were built along the way.

More than two hundred years later, Puyi stood in front of the monument of his ancestors and sighed: "Now I am really proud to be a citizen of the Republic of China." ?

Pu Yi shed tears as he spoke. Whether these tears are tears of pride or tears of sadness, I am afraid only Puyi himself knows.