The “Nantong Construction Iron Army” has earned worldwide acclaim, and its pioneering figure was Lu Xiugen—formerly the manager of Nantong City Construction Company, the predecessor of the group—and the veteran construction workers he led, collectively known as the “Old Eighth Route” of Nantong construction. In the 1950s, they first gained fame in the capital, Beijing, under the moniker “Iron Army.”

    In 1958, during Labor Day week, Premier Zhou visited the construction site of the Great Hall of the People to extend his greetings to the company’s employees.

Lu Xiugen was born in 1913 and in September 1938 In [month], he joined the Eighth Route Army and, in March 1940, was admitted to the Communist Party of China through the introduction of veteran revolutionary Han Nianlong. He subsequently fought on battlefields across North China, Central China, South China, and Southwest China. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, he transferred to the Nantong Municipal Construction Company, where he served as both company manager and deputy director of the Bureau of Construction Engineering. On one occasion, a leader from the Ministry of Construction reported to central leaders the exemplary deeds of Lu Xiugen, a “veteran Eighth Route Army soldier”: carrying his luggage and tools on a single shoulder pole, he moved from one construction site to another, working side by side with the laborers in the most arduous conditions, and thereby forged a highly capable and battle-hardened construction team. Upon hearing this, Marshal Zhu De, then Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, remarked with great satisfaction: “The New Fourth Army and the Eighth Route Army were both people’s armed forces under the leadership of the Party. The Nantong Municipal Construction Company has truly carried forward the ‘old Eighth Route Army’ style.” Shortly thereafter, Lu Xiugen was honored as a National Model Worker. Following Marshal Zhu De’s glowing praise for Lu Xiugen’s “old Eighth Route Army” ethos, he proposed holding a field conference in Nantong to encourage the national construction industry to learn from Nantong. The People’s Daily even lauded the Nantong Construction Company on its front page, stating that “politics and economy are seamlessly integrated.” Since then, Nantong’s construction industry has stood as a lasting banner for the entire country.

Lu Xiugen, the “Old Eighth Route Army” manager of the company in the 1950s

Lu Xiugen’s greatest source of pride throughout his life was leading 400 Nantong construction workers in the construction of Beijing’s Ten Major Buildings. In March 1958, In that month, Lu Xiugen received a notice from the Provincial Construction Department instructing him to select and lead 400 young skilled workers to Beijing to support the construction of the Ten Major Projects for the National Day celebrations. Lu Xiugen and his team subsequently took part in the construction of the Great Hall of the People, the Military Museum, the Palace of Nationalities, and the Overseas Chinese Hotel. The outstanding technical competence and relentless, hard-working spirit of these 400 Nantong builders won unanimous praise from authorities at all levels. Lu Xiugen and his fellow Nantong construction workers were fortunate to receive guidance and care from Premier Zhou Enlai and other Party and state leaders; thereafter, Premier Zhou met with him more than twenty times. The Premier’s approachable and affable demeanor remained indelibly etched in his memory, inspiring him to work even harder in his subsequent career. One morning in May of that year, Premier Zhou Enlai visited the construction site of the Great Hall of the People to inspect the work and offer words of encouragement to the workers. “This is Lu Xiugen, who has brought the ‘Old Eighth Route Army’ style to the construction front,” Li Chen, Director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Construction Engineering, said as he accompanied the Premier to the site. “The old…” Lu is the manager of the Nantong Construction Company in Jiangsu Province, and this time he had specially brought a team to Beijing to take part in the large-scale campaign for the “Ten Major Projects.” When the Premier arrived, Lu Xiugen was working alongside the laborers, his hands covered in dust, sand, and mud. Before Lu Xiugen could even wipe his hands clean, the Premier warmly extended his hand and shook with him. Smiling, the Premier said, “We’re both from Jiangsu—fellow provincials!” The Premier warmly inquired how many people Lu Xiugen had brought along and whether Xi was accustomed to life in Beijing. The Premier remarked that 400 personnel were enough to form a battalion, and that coming to support the capital’s construction projects was a glorious mission. He went on to say that Chairman Mao had once stated that the Great Hall of the People project was not a plan for the next century, but rather a “forever” undertaking—and that, as someone who had come to take part, Lu must ensure the highest standards of quality. Lu Xiugen replied with unwavering resolve: “Premier, I promise to see this task through!” At these words, the Premier broke into a hearty laugh.

On May 18, 1959, at the National Conference of Outstanding Representatives of Families of Martyrs and Fallen Soldiers, the Disabled, Demobilized Personnel, Veterans, and Transferred Military Personnel convened by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Lu Xiugen once again had the honor of meeting Premier Zhou. Although the Premier was extremely busy, attending to foreign guests at the time, he still made time to visit the delegates. Accompanied by Minister of Internal Affairs Qian Ying, the Premier proceeded to the CPPCC Auditorium, where he met with nearly forty representatives, including Deng Fanglan, mother of Huang Jiguang; Hu Wenxiu, mother of Liu Hulan; Dong Quanzhong, father of Dong Cunrui; and Lu Xiugen. delegates. On May 21, in the courtyard behind the Huairén Hall, Premier Zhou Enlai, Chairman Zhu De, President Liu Shaoqi, Vice Chairpersons Soong Ching-ling and Dong Biwu, Marshal Luo Ronghuan, General Luo Ruiqing, and all the delegates posed for a group photograph.

On October 26, 1959, Lu Xiugen attended the National Congress of Advanced Collectives and Outstanding Workers in Socialist Construction in the fields of industry, transportation, basic construction, and finance and trade. 10 On the 29th of the month, Liu Ning, Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, accompanied Premier Zhou Enlai, Chairman Zhu De, and President Liu Shaoqi to the Great Hall of the People. The Premier received Lu Xiugen and even recommended him for appointment as a member of the Presidium of the Congress. The congress lasted about twenty days. Around 9 p.m. on November 5, Lu Xiugen was reading the newspaper in the hotel library when a female attendant named Shu Xiang came in and asked, “Which one is Delegate Lu Xiugen? Please come out for a moment.” Lu Xiugen stepped forward, and Xiao Shu said, “Delegate Lu, please hurry to your room—Sister Deng has come to see you.” Lu Xiugen quickly made his way to his dormitory; as soon as they met, Sister Deng said with concern, “A cold air mass is about to affect Beijing, and the Premier is worried you might catch a chill, so he specifically asked me to bring you a wool sweater.” Lu Xiugen felt deeply embarrassed and hastily tried to decline, saying, “I’ve already brought a cotton-padded jacket.” Sister Deng smiled and replied, “This is a gift from the Premier—please accept it.” She then asked Lu Xiugen when he had joined the revolution, to which he answered, “In 1938, I enlisted in the Eighth Route Army in Rizhao, southern Shandong.” As they were parting, Sister Deng encouraged Lu Xiugen to continue upholding the spirit of the ‘old Eighth Route Army’ and to make further contributions to socialist construction. Holding the wool sweater presented by the Premier, Lu Xiugen was overcome with emotion. On November 7, Premier Zhou Enlai again dispatched a special car to take Lu Xiugen to the Music Hall in Zhongshan Park to attend the commemorative meeting marking the 42nd anniversary of the October Revolution in the Soviet Union. Attending the meeting were the Soviet Ambassador to China, several Soviet experts, and a small number of specially invited guests, totaling about forty to fifty people. Premier Zhou and Vice Premier Chen Yi were present; the Premier delivered a heartfelt congratulatory address on behalf of the Chinese government. In the evening, the Premier hosted a banquet for all the delegates. Lu Xiugen dined at the same table as leading figures such as Marshal He Long and General Wang Zhen. Shortly after dinner began, a delegate raised a toast to the Premier, and those seated at the same table urged him, “You should raise a glass to the Premier too!” Rumor had it that the Premier could drink immensely, so Lu Xiugen filled his glass to the brim and, filled with reverence, went to offer a toast to the Premier. The Premier’s seat was on the rostrum; upon seeing Lu Xiugen approaching to toast him, the Premier rose from his seat, descended from the rostrum, and raised his glass in mutual salute with Lu Xiugen. The richness of the wine and the sincerity of the sentiment left an indelible impression on Lu Xiugen for the rest of his life.

In 2001, after retiring, Lu Xiugen personally funded 40,000 yuan to build the “Eighth Route Army Pavilion” in front of his home in Yangkou Town, Rudong County. It serves as a place for local residents to relax and reflects the hope that people will carry forward the revolutionary spirit of the Eighth Route Army, remain true to their original aspirations, and forge ahead with determination. After her retirement, Ms. Lu Shengqun, daughter of Lu Xiugen, carried on and promoted her father’s glorious legacy as a “veteran of the Eighth Route Army.” At her own expense of more than 20,000 yuan, she built the “Qinggen Courtyard” on the foundation of the “Eighth Route Pavilion.”

(General Manager’s Office   (Compiled by Guo Qiyun)