讀書筆記

 I read the third article of the book ‘ The Good Deed’, “ Dagger in the Dark”. This article told the story of the CPC army assassinating a doctor who is respected by the people but didn’t thinking about politics.
1) In a small town Taipo in northern China, there was a Liang family. Each generation had been outstanding, and many descendants had gone to various parts of the world. In the town this family now, there was a famous traditional Chinese physician, Old Doctor Liang and his eldest son, Liang Yu. Liang Yu went to the United States to study surgery. After studying surgery, he returned to China to treat people with his father.
After the Lugouqiao Incident, 1937, Japanese troops occupied this town. The Liang family also take seriously the treatment of Japanese wounded soldiers, and therefore received the respect of the Japanese occupiers.
Shortly after Japan’s surrender, Old Liang passed away. Liang Yu also learned some knowledge of internal medicine of traditional Chinese medicine from his father. So he worked at both internal medicine and surgical diseases. After another year, Liang Yu's wife gave birth to twin sons. Liang Yu sent his two younger brothers to study in the United States, one studying medicine and the other studying pharmacy.. A year later, Liang Yu's wife gave birth to another daughter, and Liang Yu’s mother died of old age.
Then there was the Kuomintang Communist War. Many wounded soldiers from the Kuomintang came to the hospital, and later many wounded soldiers from the Communist Party. Liang Yu treated them same.
At this time, many wealthy families were afraid of the Communist Party and fled to Hong Kong. Liang Yu's wife also wanted to escape, but Liang Yu believes that he is a doctor, he  only cares about treating the sick and saving the people, whether they are the Kuomintang or the Communist. Liang Yu did not want to escape.
After the Communist Party entered the town, they treated the Liang family well. They didn't occupy Liang’s home. The commander went to see Liang Yu, affirmed his work, and invited him to join the Communist Party. But Liang Yu said he does not care about politics, just treating diseases.

2) One day, two non Communist wounded soldiers arrived, seriously injured, they were left behind by the Kuomintang Army retreat, requiring amputation. After treatment, the wounded soldiers said they should leave immediately, otherwise Liang Yu would be punished. But Liang Yu believed that he would not. Later, the Communist commander came and asked Liang Yu to hand over the two wounded soldiers of the Kuomintang army. Liang Yu refused. The commander said, " No more wounded soldiers of the Kuomintang Army shall be admitted in the future. Otherwise, the hospital will be confiscated.” Liang Yu replied, "Everyone here supports me. You dare not confiscate it.”  “Everyone in the world is a brother”。
In the following days, Liang Yu admitted several wounded soldiers of CPC party. One early summer evening, a man came and said that his father was seriously ill and asked Liang to go for treatment. Liang followed this man. When they went to a remote place , the man stab Liang Yu to death with a dagger.
These were seen by a woman passing by. She went to the Liang family and asked Mrs. Liang to take the children and run away quickly. Mrs. Liang took her children and fled to another city by boat. 
Then the villagers know. Someone wrote a letter to Liang's younger brother in the United States telling them not to come back! The Taipo people solemnly buried the Liang Yu.
3）I think:
A) There had been many assassinations in history, many of them for political reasons. For example, in 1946, the Kuomintang assassinated Li Gongpu (李公樸)and Wen Yiduo. (聞一多). In 1971, Lin Biao's (林彪）son attempted to assassinate Mao Zedong. Ruth sent me a paper”Brief Timeline Of America History” referring to the assassination in the United States: " 1865 Lincoln assassinated, 1963 JFK assassinated, and 1968 Martin Luther King assassinated”. I think: with social progress, towards democratic harmony, assassination will be less and less!
B) In times of war, treating the wounded equally, regardless of the enemy or ourselves, is ostensibly humane, but it is not practical. We should recognize the nature of war, support the just side, and oppose the aggressive side!