In the cold winter of 1937, in the Eighth Route Army headquarters in Hongdong, Shanxi, Zhu Defu was sitting in front of a rudimentary wooden table, with a furrowed brow and a hesitant hand holding a brush. This commander-in-chief, who commands thousands of troops, is currently struggling to write a letter. This is a 'loan letter'. Zhu De's mother, who is over 80 years old and living in hardship in her hometown of Sichuan, had to write a letter to her fellow townsman friend Dai Heling for help. After hesitating for a moment, he carefully considered his words and dipped his pen in ink, writing: "I have not had any money for more than ten years, and I will continue to do so soon. I will raise two hundred Chinese coins from you as a friend and send them to Zhu Lishu at home for collection. I cannot repay you this amount, please make a donation." Zhu De, as the commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army, "has not had any money for more than ten years," which is truly puzzling. In the eyes of others, there were too many paths for Zhu De to seek personal wealth and prosperity at that time. With his qualifications and reputation in the Yunnan Army, as long as he is willing to nod, high officials and generous salaries are within reach; He holds a high position in the Eighth Route Army and holds great power. If he wants to seek personal gain, there are also many opportunities, not just two hundred yuan? Why do we need to borrow money? Zhu De's' having no money 'is not a lack of ability, but a firm and proactive choice of communists. We can find the answer in a letter he wrote to his ex-wife Chen Yuzhen in September of the same year. As for those who aspire to promotion and wealth, they should never come to my place; If you want to love your country and sacrifice everything, those who can endure hardship should come more often. ”Zhu De instructed Chen Yuzhen in the letter to convey this request to her younger family members. He explained, "Our military is treated equally, and I have been sharing the same joys and sorrows as the soldiers for more than ten years. I have never asked for a penny in order to maintain the good rules of the revolutionary army. Therefore, it is difficult for the government and I to entertain any idle personnel who come. This is the only way to carry out the revolution." Zhu De used "inhumane" language to refuse the defection of his relatives; With the belief of "maintaining good rules", one should have clear aspirations and not use their power to seek any personal gain. In the "loan letter", although there is embarrassment, it does not lose its righteousness; In the 'rejection letter', adhere to principles and never exceed the norm. It is precisely because of his adherence to the "good rules of the revolutionary army" that Zhu De spent his entire life in the military, with clean sleeves, and was worthy of the word "virtue". Before his death, he paid all of his life savings of over 20000 yuan in party dues. Zhu De's choice is not an isolated case. In Yan'an, Mao Zedong taught anti Japanese university students wearing military pants with two patches on the knees; Lin Boqu works in a cave dwelling and wears glasses with a broken leg tied with a rope; The vest worn by Peng Dehuai was modified from captured parachutes... From leaders to soldiers, they lived in simple cave dwellings, ate rice, and wore coarse cloth clothes, "eating and wearing the same things". These details together outline the collective portrait of revolutionaries - poverty is not poverty, but spiritual wealth. This spirit, tempered by revolution, has become a force capable of shaking mountains and rivers. In 1936, American Edgar Snow visited Yan'an and summarized everything he saw as an incredible "Eastern magic", asserting that this power was the "light of national rejuvenation". The "magic" and "radiance" discovered by Snow are the political qualities of Communist Party members who are honest and upright, and the key to their ability to unite the people and win wars in difficult environments. The words' borrow 'and' reject 'in the two letters still leave a lasting impression today. In the current era of extremely abundant material conditions, the situation of "having no money for more than ten years" for party members and cadres may no longer exist, but the power, interest, and family values contained in the letter still inspire us, and the proposition put forward is still profound: who grants power? What does it really mean? Is it a tool for personal gain or a responsibility to serve the people? At the symposium commemorating the 130th anniversary of Comrade Zhu De's birth held in November 2016, President Xi Jinping mentioned these two letters and said, "The commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army, who has made outstanding military achievements, is so poor and honest that it is admirable!" Adhering to the "good rules of the revolutionary army" and being a "respected" party member and cadre is not only a drawing of historical experience, but also a necessary response to reality, and a declaration for the future. A person stands upright with righteousness, and the path of doing things is far and wide. On the new journey, as long as the vast number of Party members and cadres adhere to integrity and self-discipline, clean use of power, and clean governance, truly do not forget the foundation of being a human being, do not change the heart of a public servant in governance, and do not seek personal gain in the use of power, we will not fear difficulties and obstacles, and always be full of strength to move forward towards our goals. (New Society)