Dongyang Folk Songs and Ballads

August Osmanthus Flowers Bloom Everywhere

"August Osmanthus Flowers Bloom Everywhere" (hereinafter referred to as the Osmanthus song) is a folk song from the Dabie Mountains in the EYA region, which is established by its tune. Because of this tune, Jinzhai County in Anhui, Hong'an County in Hubei, Shangcheng County in Henan and Xinxian County have all said that this revolutionary song was born in their own place, because the original folk song borrowed from this tune, "Eight Duanjin" (also known as "Little Carp Jumps Over Dragon Gate"), is a folk song that has been circulated throughout the Dabie Mountains. It is also because of the tune's locality that the old revolutionary areas of Jiangxi and Sichuan were eventually denied by the central party history department when they fought over the song's birthplace.

So what makes me so sure it was born in Xinxian? It's time, unchangeable time.

"The August laurel blossomed all over the place, and the bright red flag was erected. The lights and colors, the lights and colors, the lights and colors, the light and splendor of the new world. Dear workers, dear peasants, sing the Internationale to celebrate the Soviets. ......"

This is a song to celebrate the founding of the Soviets. It's a song about the soviets that were formed in August, originally called Celebrating the Formation of the Democratic Government of Workers and Peasants.

Flipping through the "Revolutionary History of South Henan" (Zhong***Xinyang Local Committee of the Party Historical Information Collection and Compilation Committee, edited by Dong Lei, Liu Xinmin), "Xin County Revolutionary History" (Zhong***Henan Provincial Committee of the Party Historical Information Collection and Compilation Committee) and other works of Party and revolutionary history, which are all clearly documented: In August 1929, the Guangshan County soviet government was proclaimed in Chaishanbao Dajujia (now belongs to the Chendian Township of Xin County). In August 1929, Guangshan County Soviet Government was proclaimed in Dajujia, Chaishanbao (now Chendian Township, Xinxian County), with more than 120 delegates attending the congress, which elected Chen Binghuang as the Chairman of the County Workers, Peasants and Democratic Government. This was the first county-level soviet regime established in the Soviet area of EYA. The people of Chai Shanbao were ecstatic, singing and dancing, passionately shouting: "Long live the Chinese **** Producers Party!" and "Long live the Red Army!" , "Long live the Red Army," and "Celebrate the establishment of the Workers' and Peasants' Democratic Regime!"

At the meeting, the celebrating people and the propaganda team organized by the government also sang many revolutionary songs. The song "August Laurel Blossoms Everywhere" was sung at this celebration. The people were so happy and the writer was so passionate! The tune was light and bright, and the lyrics were full of triumphant bravado! Therefore, once this song was sung, it was immediately accepted by the people, and loved by the delegates sent to observe it from various revolutionary regions, who recorded and copied it, and brought it back to the places where they did the revolution, to inspire the masses, unite them, and set off a new revolutionary climax.

The exciting moments are always the most memorable, and the earth-shattering events are like a carving knife that engraves the bits and pieces into the minds of the participants. Decades later, the details are still fresh in the minds of those who experienced them.

Fifty-one years later, Dai Jiying, one of the founders of the revolutionary base of the EYA, still clearly remembers: "The August Osmanthus flowers bloomed all over the place" was made by the local people in Chai Shanbao. I don't know who made it, but it didn't come from abroad. At that time, because we had to duplicate and oil-print the searched songs, several of us in the Special Committee took a look at them personally and changed them. Cao Xuekai, Dai Kemin and Zheng Weishan and I all took part in the revision." (Based on the material recorded by the Xinxian County History Editorial Team in May 1980, which is now kept in the archives of the Xinxian County Cultural Management Committee.) This upright and revolutionary old man, who was then serving as a member of the EYB Special Committee, personally participated in the founding of the Chaishanbao base area and witnessed the establishment of the Guangshan County Soviet regime. The scene was exciting, and the memories left in the old man's heart were deep and unforgettable. Even the details of who participated in the revision are remembered so clearly. Seeing this kind of record, we are almost in tears.

53 years have passed, the famous writer, revolutionary, then served as the propaganda minister of the provincial party committee of the EYA, Cheng Fangwu old-timer in May 1982 and returned to the new county, he walked into the office of the year, tears, and immediately wrote a poem: "three years of war in this place, after the disaster, no old man."

"How many heroes are exhausted, the mountains and rivers still show deep feelings." How many past events came to his mind. In the display room of the Xinxian Revolutionary Memorial Hall, he saw the handwritten songbook of the Land Revolutionary period displayed in the window, and saw the song "August Laurel Blossoms All Over the Place" on it, immediately recalled the lyrics of the song and said: "I remember that it was a Lenin Primary School instructor surnamed Wang who wrote it at that time. What was his name, I forget, he was from Shangnan or Anhui, I heard that he was the son of a landlord and capitalist, with a progressive mindset and a love of literature and art." (According to material recorded by visitors that year).

64 years have passed, in May 1993, the third China Xinyang Tea Festival, 46 years away from his hometown, General Li Desheng returned to his hometown of Chendian Township, Xinxian. He stood under the Muchengzhai, recalling the experience of participating in the revolution. Said: "In 1929, I participated in the children's corps, when the children's leader, holding red and black wooden sticks, standing guard. Especially when the local soviet was established, there were a lot of people coming, and it was very lively. They played drums carried by two people and sang self-made revolutionary songs. The song I remember most is "August Laurel Flowers Bloom Everywhere". Later, I joined the Red Army and went on a long march, and wherever we went, we sang this song there. This song, the best." (The author was personally involved in the reception that year and heard the general's recollections with his own ears.)

Seventy-two years have passed, and in July 2001, Yu Yingmao, a writer of Shangcheng nationality, came to Xinxian County, where he interviewed Zhou Fengshan, a 92-year-old lost member of the Red Army. Yu Yingmao asked her if she could sing the song "August Osmanthus Blossoms Bloom Everywhere", and if she still remembered the time and scene of the song. Zhou Fengshan said excitedly, "Yes, yes, yes! Will sing! Listen!" The old man then clapped his hands while singing: "August osmanthus flowers bloom everywhere, the bright red flag erect ah erect ......". After all, too old, Zhou Fengshan sang very slowly, singing later almost one word at a time. Yu Yingmao afraid of the old man tired, advised her not to sing, as if she did not hear, continue to sing, "...... sing a song of the Internationale to celebrate the Soviet." Zhou Fengshan also recalled to the interviewer that she was a propagandist when the local Soviet regime was established in 1929, saying, "At that time, I led the group to sing, and shook the mountains! Everyone sang, even the children ......." (For materials, see Zhengzhou Evening News, July 13, 2001, where the author also personally participated in the interview).

Time, time! People's memories are all pointing to a time, August 1929 (lunar calendar), the time when the osmanthus flowers bloomed, the time when the Soviet regime was established as the first county-level regime in the Soviet area of the EYW region.

"August osmanthus flowers" is not the usual poetic metaphor, and the song was later modified according to the time of the founding of the soviets.

The new county party history expert Chen Shinnong told the author, in March 1979, he went to the Kafang Commune to collect revolutionary historical materials, visited an 84-year-old party member Deng Yongyan, during the period of the Agrarian Revolution, Deng Yongyan served as the second township soviets of the Guangshan County, string west district (now the new county Kafang Township) sent members. Deng Yongyan recalled that when he established the soviets in the district and townships, he sang the song "August Laurel Blooms Everywhere", but the first line of the lyrics was modified to read "March Peach Blossoms Bloom Everywhere". Deng Yongyan said, "Because we established the township and district power in Chansi District in the second and third months of the lunar calendar in the 19th year of the Republic of China (1930), 'August Osmanthus Flowers Blossom All Over the Land' was sung in Chansi District (i.e., Chaishanbao area) when we established the townships, districts, and the Guangshan County soviets. Because they were established in the eighth and ninth months of the lunar calendar in the first year (i.e. 1929), the song was sung because the osmanthus blossoms were in full bloom at that time. At that time, osmanthus flowers were in full bloom, so they sang 'August osmanthus flowers bloom everywhere' to celebrate the establishment of the regime." Elder Deng Yongyan's recollections are specific and convincing.

Also, there are many other recollections that point to August 1929 as the time.

So who wrote the song?

Dai Jiying is quite certain: it arose in the local area of Chai Shanbao. Some old Red Army soldiers recalled that the song's lyricist was an old private school teacher named Dai Jueshen. Dai is Hubei Province, Hongan County, Tangshugang people, his children have participated in the **** production party, the eldest son Dai Zuoming or Huangma Uprising leader, Dai Juxian was also y affected by the revolution, and therefore fill in the lyrics created "Gui song.

Cheng Fangwu's recollection that is a Lenin elementary school teacher surnamed Wang, but he did not know the name. Now Shangcheng County, Henan Province, said with more certainty that the author surnamed Wang was Wang Jichu, a revolutionary martyr who loved literature and art in the county.

For this statement, I can not agree. Why? Or time, it is time to tell me that Wang Jichu can not be the original author of the song lyrics.

As long as we can't deny Dai Jiying and other revolutionary old men's recollection of the time of August 1929, as long as we can't deny the time of the founding of the Gwangsan County Soviet in August 1929, then Wang Jichu couldn't have composed this song.

Wang Jichu is a revolutionary martyr who loves literature and art. Wang Jichu collected and organized the creation of many revolutionary history folk songs. Wang Jichu should also have collected the song "August osmanthus flowers bloom everywhere". Because of his hobbies and specialties, he should also have contributed to the circulation of this song, but I still say he could not have created this song. Because at this time in August 1929, Wang Jichu had not yet joined the revolution.

But let's take a look at Wang Jichu's biography. Wang Jichu, born in 1893, died in 1932, he was a young master of the Wang family in the West Street, Shangcheng County. His great-uncle Wang Litang is the end of the Qing dynasty, Haicheng county magistrate in Liaoning province. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Wang Litang was recognized by Zhang Zuolin, who made him the governor of the four northeastern provinces to combat bandits. Wang Litang official career, but there is a regret, no children, so, set up his own nephew Wang Jichu as a stepson. Wang Litang also through the relationship and property, in the Northeast for Wang Jichu to seek a position as governor. But this Wang Jichu mind is not at all in the officialdom. He grew up like singing opera, even to the extent of obsession. In the Wang Litang for him to get the post of governor, take office at the juncture, he actually left without saying goodbye, to Beijing when the ticket friends sing opera. Wang Litang mad, sent from Beijing to find Wang Jichu, no matter how to scold, Wang Jichu is not to change the love of singing the original intention, and looking for an opportunity to escape from the Northeast, back to his hometown of Mall. Since then, Wang Jichu also organized a troupe to go out and sing opera, but also wrote an article on "art". December 25, 1929, the Red Army hit the city of Mall County. Wang Jichu out of the Wang family gatehouse, but also into the celebrating masses. But the Red Army locked up this big son. Locked up in the cell Wang Jichu but wrote a song in praise of the Red Army to take the city of song: "Republic of China eighteen spring, the Red Army hit the city of ......". At this time, the Red Army hit the city to establish the Soviet regime, the regime also needs cultural people, released Wang Jichu, mobilized Wang Jichu to participate in the revolution, and let him serve as the "Red Sun Theatre Troupe" leader.1932 October, Wang Jichu with the Red Army into Sichuan, soon after, for the revolution and sacrificed his life.

By Wang Jichu's life it is easy to see, in the Chai Shanbao area began to sing "August laurel flowers bloom everywhere" when Wang Jichu was not in Chai Shanbao, and has not yet participated in the revolution, no matter from his experience and feelings, it is impossible to write such a passionate song of praise to the Soviet Union.

Time, time, you are so merciless! I also want to find the exact author for the "Gui song", I also want to remember the martyr Wang Jichu sacrificed for the revolution, but I firmly believe in such a famous saying: "truth is beauty! I think if Wang Jichu know, will also agree with this sentence.

Osmanthus fragrance should be opened, "osmanthus song" will never fail. I wish that this folk song of the revolutionary history of the Dabie Mountains would be sung more and more loudly and would never die! I wish, the martyrs with blood for a new life better and better every day!