“Bloody orchid”, Wu Ruolan
2024-03-15
In the east parterre of Peilanzhai in Leiyang City, stands Zhu De and Wu Ruolan’s statue, engraved with a poem praising orchids written by Zhu De.
Love at first sight and jointly forging toward revolution
In August 1903, Wu Ruolan was born in the south of Leiyang City, who owned fearlessness of clan power, braveness of ripping down the old and throwing up the new as well as determination to resist foot binding from childhood. With a pair of big, free-growing feet, she went into an old-style private school at 8 and Leiyang Vocational School at 12 for study. In 1924, she entered Hunan Third Women’s Normal School and then took the road of revolution.
“Good news! Good news! The Workers’ and Peasants’ Revolutionary Army led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) has entered the city. Come out quickly to meet it!” On the early morning of February 16, 1928, the first division of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Revolutionary Army led by Zhu De, with the coordination of Leiyang Peasants’ Army, was divided into three parts to lay siege respectively from the south gate, the north gate and the west gate.
It was Wu Ruolan who spoke. She trotted all the way to the temporary office of Leiyang County Committee, Peilanzhai. At that time, Zhu De was attracted by the bright red couplets posted on both sides of the door, which were written by Wu Ruolan.
“Good couplets, good calligraphy,” Zhu De praised them repeatedly. The man beside him told that they were written by Wu Ruolan, a famous female scholar in the county. “Female scholar?” Hearing this, Zhu De asked curiously, “where is she?” Deng Zonghai, secretary of the CPC Leiyang County Committee, smiled and pointed to the back with his finger.
Zhu De was deeply impressed by what he saw when he looked back. Standing within walking distance was a beautiful girl, full of youthful vigor. Her eyes were bright and clear, with wisdom and firmness under her lashes.
After meeting the heroic General Zhu De, a current spread throughout Wu Ruolan’s body, with her cheeks flushing with shyness. At their first meeting, they fell in love at first sight.
Thanks to the go-betweens like Deng Zonghai et al., Zhu De and Wu Ruolan became a revolutionary couple in Leiyang at the end of February 1928. Both of them joined in the revolutionary struggle.
Sacrificing bravely and retaining fragrance forever
In April 1928, Wu Ruolan followed Zhu De’s troops to Jinggangshan, and served as the leader of the publicity team of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army. She led the team to go deep into the countryside to publicize and mobilize the masses. Wu Ruolan also had the ability to shoot with both hands, known as the “female general with two guns” by the army and people in the base area.
In February 1929, Mao Zedong and Zhu De led the Fourth Front Army to leave Jinggangshan and were attacked by the Kuomintang (KMT) troops led by Liu Shiyi on the way to the south of Jiangxi Province.
Zhu De led the guard regiment to break out and cover the troops’ breakthrough. The guard regiment was outnumbered, with the encirclement of the enemy getting tighter and tighter. The battle was getting increasingly intense. At a critical moment, through quick wits, Wu Ruolan led a squad of guard regiment soldiers to mount an attack from the enemy side, attracting the fire to their own. At dawn, the army leaders broke out of the encirclement and were out of danger.
While Wu Ruolan was unfortunately trapped into the enemy encirclement. When back to a rape field, she was shot in the leg and seized by the enemy.
The enemy sent her under escort to Ganzhou, where she was subjected to various cruel and inhuman tortures. However, she remained firm and unyielding. When the enemy saw that the hard approach did not work, he came to the soft one. Liu Shiyi lured by promise of gain: “as long as you turn yourself in, or publicly declare that you are divorced from Zhu De, your life will be saved. And you can also be an official in our government.” The pictures of a-year conjugal affection and fighting side by side flashed in the mind of Wu Ruolan.
Wu Ruolan held the determination to die. From the weak body issued a firm voice word by word: “there is no way for me to break away from the relationship with Zhu De or betray the Communist Party of China!” The powerful words left the enemy dumbstruck.
On February 12, Wu Ruolan was killed in Ganzhou.
Although Wu Ruolan sacrificed her life for the revolution, she would be like the fragrant and refreshing orchids in Jinggangshan, blooming in people’s hearts forever.
