Nowadays, Guilin Park has become one of the "top ten must-see attractions" for foreign tourists visiting Shanghai.

The park is now not only filled with retired seniors who come for daily walks and gossip, but also with college students who enjoy the beauty of the Chinese gardens, and throughout the year, many young people wear old-fashioned clothing and bring their cameras here to take photographs.

But a hundred years ago, "Guilin Park" was not open to the public, and its name was the famous "Huang Family Garden".

Today, the four big words "Wen Xing Zhong Xin" engraved on the inscription of the four corner pavilions in the park were sent by Jiang Zhiqing, whose benefactor was also the former owner of the garden - Jin Jin Rong.

A generation of lord gold rong, once in the old Shanghai no one knows, no one knows, but in his funeral but only nine tables of banquets, a dozen former disciples for his secret funeral, compared to the glorious Huang family garden, is really saddening.

One of the "Three Tycoons" of Gold Wing

In the Republic of China themed films and dramas, the figure of "Du Yuesheng" often appears, as a dominant, mysterious and unpredictable gangster in the old Shanghai, making many viewers have a deep impression of him.

However, at that time there were more gangsters on the Shanghai Bund than Du Yuesheng, led by Jinrong, Zhang Xiaolin and Du Yuesheng, in that era of internal and external difficulties and constant chaos, the various forces competing in Shanghai had a variety of rogue gangs in the dark, they were the three strongest, but also the most influential, the largest name of the new gang leaders.

In those days, these three men were known as the "Three Tycoons" of Shanghai, and in their heyday, not only the local people of Shanghai feared them, but even the police did not dare to mess with them easily, and the forces led by the Three Tycoons roamed the city, but eventually, with the establishment of New China, these rogue gangs also received their due end, and went to the end of the road.

Du Yuesheng burned all the IOUs and died in Hong Kong; Zhang Xiaolin, who sold his country for glory and never dared to take off his iron undershirt, died at the hands of his bodyguard; and the head of the Qing Gang - Jin Rong, the only one of these three who died well in the mainland.

In 1949, a large number of Kuomintang people rolled away the gold and antiques and disappeared to Taiwan. Many of the black and evil forces who had committed crimes in the Republic of China also fled for fear of being sanctioned, while the famous gangster Du Yuesheng chose to refuse to go to Taiwan and went to Hong Kong with his family and others in advance.

Many people believe that Du Yuesheng chose Hong Kong because he had been suppressed by the Kuomintang during the liberation period and had poor relations with senior Kuomintang generals, so he did not dare to go to Taiwan or stay in Shanghai.

For many years, Zhang Xiaolin, who has a warlord background and went to school, has been dissatisfied with his own head by Du Yuesheng and Jin Rong.

After the fall of Shanghai in 1937, when Du Yuesheng left for Hong Kong and Jin Rong pretended to be sick at home, Zhang Xiaolin chose to actively cooperate with the Japanese in order to seek to make himself king on the Shanghai Bund, and he even wanted to be the "Mayor of Shanghai" and the "Governor of Zhejiang Province".

Because of Zhang Xiaolin's great influence in Shanghai, his defection and traitorous behavior directly influenced a large number of people and seriously interfered with our anti-Japanese and national salvation actions, the "traitorous action" and so on naturally targeted him.

In 1940, Zhang Xiaolin was meeting friends at home when he heard a constant noise from downstairs outside his window. The irascible Zhang then walked quickly to the window and cursed angrily downstairs.

Zhang Xiaolin and his other guards were not expecting it, at this moment the bodyguard standing downstairs, Lin Huaibu, suddenly pulled out a pistol and shot at the unsuspecting Zhang Xiaolin, his assassination went well, the bullet passed through his throat, Zhang Xiaolin died on the spot; one of the three tycoons, the first to fall because he defected to the enemy and betrayed his country.

Gold Rong's age is longer than Du Yuesheng, Zhang Xiaolin, but also earlier than the two of them, in Du Yuesheng is still just a bookkeeper, Gold Rong also valued his business acumen, once promoted, appointed him, but later as Du Yuesheng secretly bigger and stronger, naturally also out of the control of Gold Rong.

Gold Rong for Du Yuesheng had the grace to carry him, so before going to Hong Kong for refuge, Du Yuesheng had visited Huang Gong House, his purpose was to persuade Gold Rong to go with him.

As the three giants of the majestic Shanghai gang, the two naturally had a lot of gang conflicts between them, resulting in a rift, but at this time, the two were extraordinarily heartfelt, and for the last time sincerely bared their hearts to each other.

And this once everything to show their seniority, that they are the big brother of gold rong also understood Du Yuesheng at this time is from a sincere goodwill, but he still refused Du Yuesheng persuaded himself to go to Hong Kong together with the invitation.

Gold Wing said he had decided to do so, and is "never leave Shanghai in his lifetime."

Du Yuesheng still tried to persuade him again, and Jingrong, who was already showing his age, said that he had not asked about the world since he was 60 years old, and now his life was only about smoking cigarettes, taking baths and playing cards, and he had nothing else to do for the rest of his life.

Gold Wing also said that he could not quit smoking, to go to Hong Kong, he must be on edge all day, afraid of being caught, and secondly, he touched copper chess is also difficult to find a chess partner, and then Gold Wing worried that he is already more than eighty years old, there will be no place for him in Hong Kong, he believes in returning to his roots, no matter what, even if he dies, he will stay in his hometown.

Finally, Gold Wing also made an oath to Du Yuesheng, asking him to rest assured that he vowed not to be a traitor and not to corrupt the name of the Three Tycoons.

Finally, they were silent for a long time, before Du Yuesheng said goodbye and left thinking that this would become their last goodbye, or could not help but leave tears.

When Shanghai was liberated in 1949, Jinrong's choice surprised everyone. He neither chose Taiwan nor went to Hong Kong like Du Yuesheng, but unexpectedly stayed in Shanghai, he decided to live in Longmen Road, living in seclusion and spending his remaining years in peace.

Soon after Du Yuesheng left, there was an explosive scandal in Huang Gongguan that was enough to rock the Shanghai Bund - Li Zhiqing, the daughter-in-law of the first of the three rascals, took all the money of Huang Gongguan and absconded to Hong Kong with a huge sum of money.

The father-in-law did not leave, but the daughter-in-law ran away with the money.

For a while everyone turned their attention to this old man in Huang Gongguan, which made Jingrong once again stand in the limelight of public opinion, and everyone was expecting his reaction.

After the incident, as everyone would like, Jingrong's look is also extraordinarily bleak and sorrowful, and everyone will say that they never thought Li Zhiqing would give him such a hand.

Gold Rong also often sighs at length to outsiders that they are "rats falling from a sinking ship, the wall fell on the people push!"

He accused Li Zhiqing of being vicious and despicable, and lamented that he was an old and decrepit man who now had no family and no money and could no longer live.

But the Huang family garden, Huang Gong House, the first of the three rogue groups of gold rong, will really be daughter-in-law rolled away money after nothing, life is too miserable to live?

The most popular story at that time was that after Du Yuesheng in Hong Kong heard about the incident, he told Yao Yulan, "This is obviously a bitter plan of Jin Rong's brother, although it is a person and a fortune, but at least the fortune is preserved".

It is also said that Li Zhiqing was later brought money to defect to Du Yuesheng, an old friend of Gold Rong, both of them know that this is Gold Rong in a "back way" for himself; Gold Rong thief heart is not dead, still want to go abroad to live a rich and free life.

In the year of Shanghai's liberation, Jingrong was already 82 years old, the former lord could not resist time and injuries, and like other frail and sickly old men, he called himself an invalid.

There are also many people speculate that Jin Rong is the oldest, he is aware that his days are numbered, even if he escapes, it will be a bumpy road, there may also be many changes, so he made up his mind not to go and stay in Shanghai.

In Jinrong's heart, his life is always the same in response to changes, repeatedly turn the danger into success, he believes that even if he stays in Shanghai, with his age will not be what.

Youth gang boss sweeps the streets

In 1951, a photo caused a sensation, the former boss of the youth gang, Jingrong, was now sweeping the road with a broom in front of the "Great World", just like an ordinary worker.

Gold Wing dare to stay in Shanghai, also because he has a bottom in his heart, he knows the government will not be difficult for him.

Yang Hu, an old friend of Jin Rong and former commander of the Songhu police, established a secret connection with the CCP underground just before the liberation.

It is said that Yang Hu, according to the instructions of the underground party to stabilize the local gang leaders, has long been actively working on Jingrong, trying to let Jingrong stay in Shanghai and redeem himself.

The leaders responsible for the liberation of Shanghai believed that stabilizing local gang forces would also contribute to the stability of urban order in the early days of liberation, and would also serve as a deterrent to the remaining black and evil forces.

"The communist leaders know you and can let bygones be bygones and not come to catch you as long as you stop doing bad things."

For the restless Jinrong, what was more important was that he was given a special "little note", a promise that Yang Hu wanted him to deliver to the people in charge in Shanghai after liberation.

In order to stabilize Jinrong, Zhang Shizhao's wife also brought him a message: as long as he was no longer an enemy of the people, stayed in Shanghai, and did not act rashly, Jinrong would not have to worry.

After the purge campaign began at the end of 1950, the local masses in Shanghai once again remembered the once evil, arrogant and domineering Jin Rong, and the evil he had committed was not erased, and folk began to ring out the call to liquidate Jin Rong.

In the face of increasing public condemnation, gold rong naturally felt the pressure, and he now can no longer afford to suppress, the government also sensed the public's dissatisfaction with gold rong.

Soon, the Shanghai Municipal People's Government sent comrades Sheng Pihua, Mei Dajun and Fang Xing as representatives, summoned Jingrong and told him that although the previous policy remained unchanged, the fact of Jingrong's past crimes had been determined.

Now, seeing that he is now old and indeed ill, the government still hopes that Jinrong will write a "letter of repentance" to be published in the newspaper, so as to further explain to the people and bow his head to his mistakes and confess his sins.

One day in early May 1951, Jinrong was accompanied by his protégé, Chen Yiting, president of the Zhoushan Hometown Association, and his grandson, Huang Qingyu, who was called to come.

In the "self-repentance" written, in order to show sincerity, Jingrong and personally sent to the Bund Central Bank Building Military Administration, by the head of the Military Administration Su Yu and Vice Mayor Sheng Pihua to meet and lecture.

In the letter of repentance, Jingrong briefly described his life, counting his historical crimes, claiming to "surrender and confess", "merit atonement", "to be a new man" and so on.

He concluded by saying, "I dare to swear to the Shanghai Municipal People's Government and the people of Shanghai that I am too old to remember many things, and that my words may be inappropriate, but my remorse and shame and gratitude are sincere! It is not hypocritical!"

But in his confession, although the former Shanghai bully did admit his mistakes, Jinrong continued to play the same old tune, admitting that his sins were significant and willing to sincerely plead with the people, while also roundly pleading for leniency from the government.

The hand scroll of "repentance" written by Jin Rong on Xuan paper is well preserved and is now in the Shanghai Municipal Archives.

The letter of repentance of the youth gang boss Jin Rong immediately caused a sensation, after the public newspaper, not only in Shanghai caused widespread discussion, far away in Hong Kong, Du Yuesheng is also very sensitive to this, he urgently asked Wan Mo Lin to find the newspaper published with Jin Rong's letter of repentance, he wants to take a closer look himself.

At this time Du Yuesheng is also in the deathbed, all day long can only lie in bed, at this time he is difficult half lying, received the newspaper, the headline was Wan Mo Lin with a red pen circled out - "gold rong confession".

Du Yuesheng could no longer insist on reading, he felt stuffy and pale, and finally this newspaper was read out by Wan Mo Lin.

During the period Du Yuesheng just listened, did not say a word, only after listening to open his eyes again and asked Wan Mo Lin to read it again.

After listening to Du Yuesheng keenly aware that this fully public confession in the newspaper mentioned many people, but did not mention themselves, is this to protect themselves?

No, his own friendship with gold rong is not enough for this, and he knows better than anyone, this own former boss, old brother is more shrewd than anyone, this must have other reasons.

At the end of the story about Du Yuesheng's newspaper reading, there is only the monologue of the frail man sighing from his hospital bed: "I get it, I get it," and nothing more.

In this regard, many people's speculation is that this confession, on the one hand, is to give an account to the people who have been oppressed by the youth gang, so that the guilty will be brought to justice, in order to civilian anger.

On the other hand it was not that Jinrong was deliberately hiding the truth, but the confession was personally witnessed by the leaders in Shanghai and was a message from the mainland - welcoming Du Yuesheng back to the mainland and inviting him to participate in socialist construction as Jinrong did.

Gold Rong first confession was handed in, not in the first time to get through, but went through several revisions, until the Military Affairs Commission audit nod, Gold Rong was re-transcribed a copy, and finally this one to see the newspaper.

At that time, Pan Hannian and others were preparing for the unification of Du Yuesheng, and undoubtedly, Jingrong's confession was an important part of it.

This confession did play a role, which had a huge impact on Du Yuesheng at the time, reminding him of the point that Chinese people care most about - returning to their roots.

He is in exile in Hong Kong, he is also old, not a decent life, and the big brother even if he died, he also died in his hometown, died in Shanghai, and then how to look at it is also better than their own ah.

Unfortunately, Du Yuesheng's health declined rapidly after he arrived in Hong Kong, and eventually Du Yuesheng, one of the three former tycoons, died in Hong Kong on August 16, 1951, shortly after reading this confession, and his family eventually buried him in Taiwan.

Du Yuesheng's last words before he died were, "There is no hope for me, there is still hope for you, there is still hope for China."

The "poignant" funeral of the owner of Laurel Park

But in fact, at this time, gold rong's day is not easy.

After Jingrong's repentance was publicly published in the newspaper, the anger of the general public not only did not calm down the phenomenon, but more people became more enraged because of the knowledge of his former evil deeds, and more and more people demanded to sanction him.

In this regard, Jingrong was terrified, more afraid of a popular retaliation against him, or like Zhang Xiaolin himself inadvertently died, he could only spend the whole day behind closed doors, living in fear.

Some kind of situation, which worsened the physical condition of gold rong, plus gold rong used to live extravagantly, there is a vice of smoking cigarettes, the volume of obesity, and later is lying on the tai shi chair body can not stand up, it is unable to move the step.

After his daughter-in-law Li Zhiqing rolled away all the family's money, the old glorious tycoon's economic situation also fell into poverty, fear plus anger, although from the actual point of view and no one really difficult for him, but on the physical state of gold rong and his age, just barely before dragging nearly two years, finally gold rong fell ill and never got up.

Soon after the death of his good brother Du Yuesheng, on the morning of June 20, 1953, Jingrong entered into a state of mortality, and finally a nurse was sent from the nearby Yongchuan Hospital to give him a dose of cardiac injection, but it was also ineffective, and Jingrong stopped breathing that morning, at the age of 86.

Gold Rong's funeral by his former favorite disciple Chen Fukang for its master, his funeral is also extremely low-key, almost in the case of outsiders can not see the movement on all the simplicity of the finished.

The body was moved to the Liyuan Funeral Home for coffin on the 22nd of that month, and on the night of the coffin, the Huang family prepared nine tables of banquets at the residence of Huang Rong in Junpei Li No.1. The whole process of mourning, except for 17 of Huang Rong's favorite disciples who came, no one else.

The funeral of this tycoon, who enjoyed an extravagant private garden of 30,000 square meters and was once the leader of the youth gangs that the people of Shanghai feared and avoided, was a "bleak" one, with only nine tables and 17 people to mourn him.

But at the same time, Jin Rong's bad deeds did exist, and he ended up being the longest-lived of the "Three Tycoons", and the only one to return to his roots and die well in Shanghai.

In the fifth year after Jinrong's death, Guilin Park was opened and it was no longer a private garden, but a place where young and old alike could set foot.

Through this small bridge and water, strange stones and peaks of the manor, posterity can still vaguely glimpse the glorious past of the boss of the youth gang, but even the golden glory, but also can not compete with time and illness, perhaps so for him, is already a best ending.

Gold Rong does not have his own biological children, he and his wife had adopted an adopted son, but the adopted son died prematurely at the age of less than 20, and later he even got involved with his daughter-in-law Li Zhiqing, which was shameful.

There is very little information about his descendants. According to legend, the descendants of his wife Lin Guisheng now live in Taiwan and are engaged in politics, while the descendants of his second wife Lu Lanchun are said to stay in Shanghai and have two sons and one daughter, all of whom have stable jobs in the north and live the lives of ordinary people.

Reference

Pinnacle Ink. Illustrations of the Republic of China Wind and Cloud Characters Jianghu Volume: Kyushu Publishing House, 2018