Marching on the road to romance
By Li Xing (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-10-10 06:43

Letters of love

During those days of hardships, Wang took the solace that she was going with the team under Liu's command. "When I dropped behind, Liu came and encouraged me to catch up," she said. "He also found time to teach me to read and write and tell me history stories."

One sunny day in spring, 1936, Wang received a letter from Liu. In the letter, Liu formally asked her if she would marry him.

Huang Xingzheng, Liu's bodyguard who delivered Liu's letter into Wang's hands, felt excited about his special assignment. That night, he shared the secret with Chen Mingyi, a staff officer under Liu's command, and told Chen that Wang flushed when she finished reading the first page.

The letter ignited the sparks of love between them, and Chen remembered seeing Liu and Wang taking walks together at the army's camping site.

Wang later recalled that during their heart-to-heart talks, Liu told her how his grandfather's career as a trumpeter deprived him and his father the chance to continue the imperial examinations for the officialdom in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), despite their excellent academic performance in earlier rounds.

"We left home to join the revolution because of poverty," Wang recalled Liu as saying. "Our union is out of our freedom in love Marriage is not built upon experiences or learning, but upon our mutual attachment, understanding and respect

"We tie the knots because we share the same ideals and the same life's goal" Wang quoted Liu as saying.

Around the traditional Moon (Mid-Autumn) Festival, when the three main forces of the Red Army celebrated their union and successful finish of the Long March, Liu and Wang tied the knot.

At the wedding, there were neither flowers nor banquet but heart-felt wishes from our comrades-in-arms, Wang recalled. The only belongings they had were simple luggage that they brought along on the Long March.

"However, we were happy and we felt our wedding meaningful because we'd gong through the thick and thin together," she said.

In the 50 years of their marriage, Liu made history in modern Chinese military affairs and education, by directing more battles that led to the founding of New China in 1949 and by establishing the Chinese Military Academy.

Throughout the years, Wang supported Liu's work and career with her passion, consideration and tenacity, Liu Meng said.

Meanwhile, they gave the utmost care they could to their six children, who studied either engineering or medicine and now serve in the army.

They also have five grandchildren. 


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