Good Things Come in Small Packages

By Gu Su

In 1978, the renowned Chinese writer Xu Chi delivered a lecture on news report writing techniques at a training workshop for young journalists. Xu Chi said,“Let me provide you a specific example.Our late Premier Zhou Enlai was a man who was extremely meticulous about everything.”

On October 14, 1949, after attending the founding ceremony of the People’s Republic of China,Madam Soong Chingling was about to board a special train to return to Shanghai. Zhou Enlai escorted her to the train station.When the train was pulling out of the station, Zhou Enlai walked alongside it on the platform,and as the train slowly picked up speed, Zhou Enlai’s pace became quicker and quicker and he even had to run at last. With the train moving faster and faster,Zhou Enlai ran on till reaching the end of the platform, and he kept waving at Madam Soong Chingling all the time. He didn’t leave the train station until Madam Soong’s train vanished out of sight.

“From walking to running with short and quick steps, those words have fully reflected Zhou Enlai’s mental activities,” said Xu Chi.

Later, the transcript of the report reached Liao Mengxing,daughter of the KMT party member Liao Zhongkai, through many hands. She mailed the transcript to Madam Soong Qingling at once.

Madam Soong was 85 at that time. After receiving the report,she picked up a black-ink pen and transcribed relevant paragraphs from seven sheets of paper.

Later, Madam Soong wrote a letter to Liao Mengxing in reply,“I was so delighted to receive your letter and the report by Comrade Xu Chi. Naturally, I was also deeply touched by everything that Premier Zhou arranged for me to guarantee my safety during that unforgettable trip.”