The year 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of New China and the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France。Look back on the past，Beijing Institute of Technology is the first science and engineering university founded by the Party，In the red genes of the school, which originated in the revolutionary mecca of Yan 'an，There's a red spark that's been moving for a hundred years.，It originated from the founding of the Party，Across Eurasia，Back and forth between Beijing and Yunnan，In the years of revolution，To save the nation from danger and to build a new China。This cluster of red spark is the underground party organization of Beijing Sino-French University, which was formed and developed at the beginning of the founding of the Party。In 1950, the headquarters of Beijing Sino-French University and the three departments of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry were merged into the Engineering College of North China University, which became one of the important predecessors of Beijing Institute of Technology。On the occasion of celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of New China, this exciting "red memory" is described to encourage teachers and students to always hold the "red fire", inherit the red gene, devote themselves to hard work, persistent development, and unremitting struggle!

In France, too, many work-study men organized the Communist Party, almost at the same time as the domestic organizations。”

——1936年，毛泽东在陕北与美国记者斯诺的谈话

In 1921, during the work-study movement in France, the early organization of the Communist Party in France was established。Since then, because of the patriotic struggle to defend their rights in France, a group of young revolutionaries who grew up in the baptism of the struggle, with a strong belief in Marxism, were repatriated。In 1922, under the guidance of Comrade Li Dazhao, they established an underground Party branch in Sino-French University in Beijing, becoming one of the earliest party branches established in the country after the founding of the Party。

The Sino-French University is located in the east Imperial City of Beijing

1950年，The headquarters and the three departments of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry of Beijing Sino-French University were merged into the Engineering College of North China University (the predecessor of Beijing Institute of Technology).，While laying the conditions for the development of "both science and technology"，It also integrates the glorious tradition and red blood of the Communist Party of China's revolutionary activities in France and Beijing into the red gene of our school, which originated in Yan 'an。

Study and work in France,Light the Red Revolution fire

In 1911, the Revolution of 1911 overthrew the decadent feudal system, but failed to achieve national rejuvenation and national prosperity. The domestic troubles and foreign troubles in Chinese society pushed the progressive youth to seek the truth of national salvation from the world。

"In a world without France, the darkness of today would be unknown."。In September 1915, Chen Duxiu expressed his desire to seek the salvation of France in an article entitled "France and Modern Civilization", which was published in volume 1, No. 1 of the magazine of Youth (later renamed "New Youth"), which he founded。

In 1920, Li Shizeng (Li Yuying), president of Beijing China-France University, issued a letter of introduction for Zhou Enlai, Guo Longzhen and other ferry tickets to France

In 1912, CAI Yuanpei, Wu Yuzhang, Li Shizen and others initiated and promoted the work-study movement in France with the purpose of "exporting world civilization to China"。From March 17, 1919, when the first batch of Chinese work-study students went to France, to December 15, 1920, when the last batch of students departed on the French cruise ship Chile, a total of 20 batches of 1843 Chinese students went to France for work-study。留法勤工俭学运动为中国共产党的创建和发展培养了周恩来、邓小平、蔡和森、陈毅、李富春、李维汉、聂荣臻、蔡畅等一大批革命先驱和早期领导人。Among them, Chen Yi, Xiao Ming (Xiao Zhensheng, also known as Xiao Ming), Yan Changyi and other students who went to France after returning home, became the backbone of the establishment and leadership of the underground Party branch of Sino-French University in Beijing。

Chen Yi (back row, first from right) poses with his classmates in France in 1920。In the front row, from the right, is his brother Chen Mengxi。(Photo provided by Communist Party of China News Network)

In March 1918, Chen Yi was admitted to the Preparatory School for Work-study in France established by the Chinese Work-Study Association in Chengdu。A year later, Chen Yi obtained a travel allowance of 400 yuan from the Sichuan Provincial government to go to France, and arrived in Marseille, France, in October 1919。In 1919, the "May Fourth Movement" broke out, Xiao Ming participated in the Xiangnan Student Federation and served as a standing committee。In the same year, Xiao Ming went to France for work-study。In July 1918, after graduating from Mingde Middle School in Changsha, Yan Changyi entered the preparatory class of Yu De Middle School in Baoding, Hebei Province, and arrived in Marseille, France, by boat with Nie Rongzhen and 153 other students in 1920。

In 1920, the Republic of China Daily recorded the list of work-study students who went to France on the Bordos, and Xiao Ming (Xiao Zhensheng) and Zhou Enlai went to France on the same ship

In 1920, Yan Changyi and other work-study students arrived in Marseille for a group photo

When they first arrived in France, the work-study students were full of boundless expectations for the future, but as they began to work and study in a foreign country, they became more deeply aware of the dark nature of capitalist society。Post-world War I Europe, with its economic depression and social unrest, prompted progressive students to ponder and learn to embrace Marxism and establish communist beliefs。At the same time, the difficult environment also honed their revolutionary will and headed for the road of revolution。"The capitalists, acting entirely for their own benefit, have no people, and I have come to know that the world of European capital is a pit of iniquity.。This is Chen Yi's feeling after carrying out a social survey in France in his spare time。

In 1920, CAI Hesen, Yan Changyi (second row from the left) and some other members of the Xinmin Society and the Association of Engineering Encouragement took a group photo in Mondal Dougie Park, France

From July 6 to 10, 1920, more than 20 people, including CAI Hesen, Xiang Jingyu, Li Weihan and Yan Changyi, held a conference in Mondarji。At this meeting, CAI Hesen, Yan Changyi and others put forward propositions in favor of believing in Marxism and taking the road of the Russian October Revolution。会后不久，蔡和森在给毛泽东的信中明确地提出，在各项准备工作之后，“明目张胆正式成立一个中国共产党。This was the first time that the Chinese revolutionary youth proposed the name "Communist Party of China"。

In August 1920, Yan Changyi, CAI Hesen and Xiang Jingyu also became the initiator and important backbone of the Engineering World Society (founded as the "Work-Study Promotion Association"), with members Li Weihan, Li Fuchun, Xiao SAN and so on。Subsequently, Chen Yi and Xiao Ming successively joined the Engineering World Society for the purpose of "believing in Marxism and implementing Russian-style social revolution"。

The struggle is in France,Firmly embark on the path of revolution

"There are more than 1,500 work-study students in France, and there are workers in the factory, but more than 300 people, and the remaining seven or eight out of ten, have waited for a few months and still cannot get a job.。This was the report of the "Declaration" on the work-study students in France at that time。France was in crisis after the First World War, and many students who had stayed in France to work hard were left without work。To make ends meet, the students carried coal, carried sulfuric acid, swept horse manure, ate potatoes, lived in tents, and slept on the floor。

In 1921, due to financial difficulties, the Paris Chinese Law Education Association could not help the work-study students, and called the domestic provincial education authorities to help the students

In this context, in 1921, the progressive students who stayed in France for work-study and the Northern warlord government launched a tit-for-tat just struggle in a foreign land。On February 28, 1921, CAI Hesen and Chen Yi led more than 400 students to petition the Chinese Legation in France for "the right to live", "the right to study" and "the right to work" because the Chinese Law Education Association wanted to "break the economic relationship with students".。From June to August, Zhou Enlai, Zhao Shiyan, Chen Yi, CAI Hesen and others launched a "refusal movement" in Paris, opposing the Beiyang warlord government to borrow large sums of money from France to buy arms with the "Yunnan-Chongqing Railway construction right" as collateral。On September 21, due to the refusal of work-study students at the Sino-French University of Lyon, the famous "occupation of the Sino-French University of Lyon" struggle broke out, in order to fight for the "admission right", more than 100 Chinese students organized into a "starting team" to occupy the Sino-French University of Lyon, and were arrested and imprisoned by the French government。

In 1921, the French authorities deported 104 students, including CAI Hesen, Chen Yi, Xiao Ming, and Yan Changyi, who had participated in the occupation of the Sino-French University of Lyon

On November 4, 1921, the New Current Affairs newspaper published a list of returning work-study students

As the backbone of the May Fourth Movement in China, Chen Yi, Yan Changyi and Xiao Ming were the backbone of progressive students during their stay in France, and they grew into firm Marxists in the struggle。At that time, in order to participate in the struggle, Chen Yi did not hesitate to lose his job, and took the initiative to undertake liaison and propaganda work, participate in the formulation of struggle plans, and repeatedly led the team to fight in the front line。In September 1921, in the struggle to "occupy the Sino-French University of Lyon", Chen Yi was not only one of the backbone students who led the "starting team", but also responsible for writing leaflets to expose the truth of the matter and win public opinion support。Chen Yi led the team into the university of France in Lyon, was suppressed and arrested。Yan Changyi not only took the lead in defending the rights of work-study students in France, but actively participated in petitions, marches and various protests。In the "occupation of the Sino-French University of Lyon" struggle, Yan Changyi and Xiao Ming are members of the "starting team", in prison, they not only launched a hunger strike, and angrily criticized the representatives of the northern warlord government, showing a firm revolutionary stance。In mid-October, the French authorities deported 104 work-study students, including Chen Yi, Yan Changyi and Xiao Ming, who had participated in the occupation of the Sino-French University of Lyon。

Return to the motherland,Establishment of the Party branch of Sino-French University

"...Look! Look! Look!Northwest half a day has been red, may this torch, warm your body frozen。Chen Yi, who was repatriated by the French authorities, expressed his feelings in "Returning to the Country · Miscellaneous Poems"。

On the way home, CAI Hesen and Li Lisan disembarked in Hong Kong。On November 23, 1921, Chen Yi led 77 students back to Shanghai, after several struggles, the Beiyang warlord government finally agreed to set up a special class in Beijing Sino-French University to receive these returned students, funded by the provincial government。Since then, Chen Yi has returned to Sichuan to continue to fight for the rights and interests of work-study students in France。Other students such as Yan Changyi and Xiao Ming went north to study at the Sino-French University in Beijing。

At this time, under the promotion of Li Dazhao and Chen Duxiu, Marxism has been spread in China。In July 1921, a major Party conference was held in Shanghai, announcing the birth of the Communist Party of China。In order to implement the "great" spirit of the Party, the Party Central Committee set up the Secretary Department of the China Labor Union in Shanghai。The overall work of the Party in the North and the work of the Northern Division of the Secretary Department of the Chinese Labor Unions were in charge of Li Dazhao。

In May 1922, CAI and Sen met Deng Zhongxia in Guangzhou and told him in detail about the revolutionary activities of the work-study students in France。Since then, through CAI Hesen's introduction, Xiao Ming and Yan Changyi, who have been studying at Sino-French University in Beijing, have timely contacted the Party organizations in Beijing and met the leaders of the Northern Party organizations such as Li Dazhao, Deng Zhongxia and Chen Ren。

Because Xiao Ming and Chen are the same Hunan three division alumni, and together to participate in the Xiangnan student Federation, already know each other。In the summer of 1922, Xiao Ming joined the Communist Party of China after being introduced by Deng Zhongxia and Chen Ren。In the same year, Yan Changyi was also introduced into the Party by Deng and Chen。

Chen Yi (first from left) and his classmates at Biyun Temple in Xiangshan in 1924

In the second half of 1922, under the guidance and support of Li Dazhao, the Xishan Branch of the Communist Party of China (renamed the Party Branch of Beijing Sino-French University in 1923) was established in Biyun Temple (the site of Xishan College of Sino-French University)。When the Party branch was established, Xiao Ming, Yan Changyi, Peng Jianhua, Wang Feiran, Liu Ruming and other more than 10 party members, Xiao Ming was the first secretary of the party branch。

The Party Branch of Sino-French University in Beijing is one of the first four party branches established by the Communist Party of China in the Beijing area, and the first Party branch in Haidian area, under the direct leadership of the Beijing Local Committee of the Communist Party of China。The establishment of the Party branch of Sino-French University in Beijing has also played a good driving role in the establishment of the party branch of other universities in Beijing。In October 1923, Chen Yi was "sent out of Sichuan" by the warlord authorities for criticizing the rule of the warlord in a newspaper, and also entered the Sino-French University in Beijing to study。In November of the same year, introduced by Xiao Ming and Yan Changyi, Chen Yi joined the Communist Party of China。From 1924 to 1925, under the arrangement of the Party organization, Xiao Ming and Yan Changyi went to Moscow to study, and Chen Yi took over as the secretary of the Party branch, which was also Chen Yi's first position in the party。

At the beginning of the establishment of the Party branch of Sino-French University in Beijing, the most important work of the members of the branch was to carry out united front work and publicize and mobilize the masses。Under the arrangement of Li Dazhao, Xiao Ming participated in the editorial work of the "Workers Weekly" and participated in the struggle of the Beijing-Han Railway workers' strike (also known as the "27" strike)。In 1922, Xiao Ming followed Deng Zhongxia and Chen Ren into the Changxin-dian railway workers for many times, actively organized inspection teams, investigation groups, lecture groups, etc., and directly participated in the organization and leadership of the Changxin-dian railway workers' strike movement。Yan Changyi was also personally selected by Li Dazhao as one of six railway inspectors to investigate corruption in the transportation system。During his studies at Sino-French University in Beijing, Chen Yi served as the chairman of the Student Union and the secretary of the Communist Party of China of the Beijing Students' Federation. He also gave full play to his literary talents, insisting on advocating revolutionary literature with Marxist-Leninist views, propagating revolutionary ideas, and inspiring young people to fight for revolution。After serving as the Party branch secretary, Chen Yi actively led the branch to carry out work inside and outside the school in accordance with the requirements of his superiors。

"On March 17, Chen Yi called a small number of us students to a meeting in the back street of Jingshan to prepare for '3.18 'demonstration, each student was issued a red death squad armband。Sixty years later, Zhu Jixi, who had witnessed the "March 18 massacre," recalled it this way。At that time, Zhu Jixi was a student at the Fuld College of Sino-French University in Beijing。

In 1926, the Sino-French University in Beijing organized a funeral reception for Mr. Sun Yat-sen。(The ninth person in the front row from the left is Chen Yi)

Under the leadership of the Party organization, the students of Beijing Sino-French University actively participated in the anti-imperialist patriotic struggle of the students of Beijing University and middle school, and dared to fight against the reactionary military and police。On March 18, 1926, in the "March 18 Massacre", Hu Xijue, a student of Sino-French University in Beijing, died heroically in resistance to imperialism and the rule of reactionary warlords, and more than ten other students were wounded。

It is under the leadership and call of the underground party organization of the school that many students follow the footsteps of Xiao Ming, Yan Changyi, Chen Yi and other Communists, and embark on the revolutionary journey from Beijing Sino-French University to contribute to the national liberation and the establishment of New China。

Endless life,The sparks of revolution gather and burn

"When we got there, we saw Deng Liqun。Deng and I have long known each other in Minxian Headquarters, he is the head of the organization of the headquarters, and I am in charge of the work of the third district team。Deng first talked about the situation of the national anti-Japanese national salvation movement, the Party's anti-Japanese national salvation program and the highest program, and Zhang Run and I both agreed with the party's program and were willing to fight for the cause of communism for life。Deng said that he accepted both of me as members of the Communist Party of China。In 1986, Chen Dadong, who had been a student at the Sino-French University in Beijing, recalled in his article how he had joined the Party in the cypress forest of Taimiao half a century earlier。

During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the patriotic and progressive students of the Sino-French University in Beijing, under the leadership of the Party organization, actively participated in the "129 Movement", organized and participated in the southbound propaganda group, and also established progressive organizations such as the "Sino-French University Students' anti-Japanese Salvation Congress" and the "Sino-French National Liberation Vanguard"。From 1939 to 1946, the Sino-French University in Beijing was forced to move south to Kunming, and some of its party members moved south in accordance with the requirements of their superiors and were called Party members of the Northern Department。During the school period in Kunming, there were also underground party members and progressive students who joined the Sino-French University, known as the Southern Party members。In the rear area, the young students of the Sino-French University in Beijing actively responded to the call of the Party organization and became the backbone of the patriotic democratic movement such as anti-civil war and struggle for democracy, and waged a resolute struggle against the Kuomintang reactionaries。

During the southern migration, according to the arrangements of the superiors, the Sino-French University in Beijing did not establish a party branch, and the members of the northern and southern departments strictly observed the Party discipline, and there was no contact between them, only political belief and the tacit understanding of the revolutionary struggle。After returning to Beijing and resuming school, in early 1947, with the approval of the Party organization, individual members of the Northern Department hid their identities and joined the progressive student organization led by the Southern Department Party Organization, better strengthening the "action coordination".。In August 1947, the underground Party branch of Sino-French University in Beijing was established again。In October, a second party branch was established among newly enrolled students。The underground party organization of Sino-French University in Beijing also established a party group in the Student Autonomous Association in order to effectively implement the Party's policy on the student movement, and set up a peripheral progressive student organization。

In the brutal struggle, the underground party organization of Beijing Sino-French University attaches great importance to party building, not only actively developing party members and expanding the organization, even under secret working conditions, the party branch and party group also insist on organizational life, and always put the discipline education and integrity education of party members in the first place。At that time, the two underground party branches of the school were set up in parallel, although there was a common superior, but the work was focused on each branch and the branch were not allowed to have horizontal contact, each branch also set up a number of party groups, and the party groups were strictly prohibited from contacting each other。In October 1948, according to the development of the revolutionary situation, the superior decided to merge the two parallel party branches to form the General Party Branch of Sino-French University in Beijing, with Hou Weicheng and Dong Zhibin successively serving as the secretaries of the General Party branch。

From 1946 to 1949，Under the strong leadership of the Party organization，Underground party members and progressive students of the Sino-French University in Beijing actively carried out revolutionary propaganda both on and off campus，We will unite and strengthen forces for progress，Do a good job in intelligence gathering and secret investigation，And the Kuomintang reactionaries and their followers launched a tit-for-tat struggle，Contributed to the peaceful liberation of Beiping。

Official letter from the Ministry of Education of the Central People's Government informing the Engineering College of North China University (the predecessor of Beijing Institute of Technology) to merge with Beijing Sino-French University

In September 1950, with the incorporation of the headquarters and the third Department of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry of the University of China into the Engineering School of North China University (the predecessor of Beijing Institute of Technology), Huang Fengren, secretary of the General Party branch of the University of China and the organizational relations of some party members were transferred to the General Party Branch of the Engineering School of North China University。

In 1950, part of the students of Beijing Sino-French University, which was incorporated into the Engineering College of North China University, took a group photo

remain true to our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind。On the journey of building a world-class university with Chinese characteristics，The workers of Beili will always remember the red flame from the beginning of the founding of the Party，Inherit the red gene，Carry forward the glorious tradition of "two firsts"，Work hard，Persistent development，To build a great modern socialist country in all respects，We will work tirelessly to realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation。

Character postscript

Chen Yi graduated from the School of Literature of Sino-French University in Beijing in 1925。In 1926, he was sent to Sichuan for revolutionary activities。In 1927, he became a political officer at the Central Military Academy in Wuhan。In the same year, he served as political instructor of the 73rd Regiment of the 25th Division of the 11th Army in Nanchang Uprising。He participated in and led the Southern Hunan Uprising。During the Agrarian Revolutionary War，He was the party representative of the First Division of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army，Party representative and division commander of the 12th Division of the Fourth Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army，Director of the Political Department of the Fourth Red Army, Secretary of the Military Commission，Political commissar of the Sixth and Third Red Armies，Secretary of the Gannan Southwest Special Committee of the CPC，Commander of the 22nd Red Army，Commander and political commissar of Jiangxi Military Region，Commander in chief of Western forces，Director of the Central Government Office of the Chinese Soviet Republic。After the Long March, the Red Army remained in the Soviet area of Jiangxi and led a three-year guerrilla war in the South。During the Anti-Japanese War, he was the commander of the first detachment of the New Fourth Army, the command of the Jiangnan headquarters and the Northern Jiangsu headquarters, and the acting commander and commander of the New Fourth Army。During the Liberation War, he successively served as commander of the Shandong Military Region, commander of the East China Military Region, commander and political commissar of the East China Field Army, deputy commander of the Central Plains Military Region and the Central Plains Field Army, and commander and political commissar of the Third Field Army。After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he was commander of the East China Military Region, mayor of Shanghai, and vice chairman of the People's Revolutionary Military Committee。He became Vice Premier of The State Council in 1954。He was also Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1958。He also served as Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of The State Council, president of China Foreign Affairs University, honorary president of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, vice chairman of the first to third National Defense Commission, and vice chairman of the third and fourth National Committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference。He was a member of the 7th and 9th CPC Central Committee and the 8th Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee。In 1955, he was awarded the rank of Marshal, the Order of 1st Class, the Order of Independence and Freedom, and the Order of Liberation。He died of illness in Beijing in 1972。

Yan Changyi, after leaving the Sino-French University in Beijing, went to the Soviet Union to study according to the arrangement of the Party organization, and entered the Soviet Red Army School to study military with Ye Ting, Nie Rongzhen and Wang Yifei, becoming one of the few outstanding military talents in the early years of the Party。After his return to China, Yan Changyi participated in the formation of the Central Military Department (later renamed the Central Military Commission), and served as a member of the Central Military Commission for a long time, leading military work in Hunan and Jiangsu, and assisting Zhou Enlai in leading the third armed uprising of Shanghai workers。Yan Changyi also served as a member of the enemy military Commission before the Nanchang uprising and did a lot of work for the uprising。Later, Yan Changyi participated in the establishment of the Second Division of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and the Marine and land Feng Suvier regime, and established the Dongjiang revolutionary base area。In 1929, due to betrayals, Yan Changyi and Peng Pai and other comrades died heroically in Shanghai。Yan Changyi was an important member of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China and an important military cadre in the early days of the Party, and made significant contributions to the Chinese revolution and the Party's military work。

Xiao Ming went to the Soviet Union to study in 1924 according to the arrangement of the Party organization。Two years later, Xiao Ming was ordered to return to China and take up positions in Feng Yuxiang's army and carry out political work according to the requirements of the Party organization。In 1927, Xiao Ming became the Party secretary of Weinan County under the pseudonym Peng Ming。In March 1928, Xiao Ming participated in leading the "Weihua Uprising" and established the first Soviet regime in Shaanxi, and later served as a member of the provincial Committee of Shunzhi Province (the old division of the Republic of China) and a member of the provincial Military Commission。In the 1930s, Xiao Ming was one of the main leaders and organizers of the "Beijing Special Committee" (Special Bureau) in North China。At the end of 1937, Xiao Ming was ordered to Yan 'an as a political teacher of the anti-Japanese Military and Political University。After 1945, Xiao Ming successively served as secretary of the Zhangjiakou Municipal Working Committee, chairman of the General Trade Union, member of the Beiping Municipal Party Committee, secretary of the Municipal Working Committee, vice chairman of the Municipal General Trade Union, and secretary of the Party Group。新中国成立后，萧明曾任中央人民政府政务院监察委员、全国总工会执委，北京市总工会主席、全国政协委员。Xiao Ming died in Beijing in 1959。Xiao Ming was the leader of the early workers' movement in our Party, the activist of the workers' movement and the pioneer of trade union work in China。

备注：

1.During the period of running Beijing Sino-French University, Beijing has changed its name to "Beiping" for many times, and Sino-French University also has related schools at home and abroad. For the convenience of expression, this paper collectively refers to our school as "Beijing Sino-French University".。

2.This paper made reference to the Beijing Institute of Technology School History Series, Study Times, Beijing Daily, Liberation Daily, Fujian Party History Monthly and other newspapers, Sino-French university archives (part of the movement in France originated from memoirs), Haidian District Party building events, Dongcheng District Party building events and other materials, as well as related reports on the Internet。The content about Xiao Ming and Yan Changyi comes from official media such as the Communist Party Member's network。

3.The information about Marshal Chen Yi is from the database of the Communist Party of China News Network。