That was many years ago, when the sky was bluer than it is now, and life was much more interesting (is this sounding a bit too preachy?). The boys in Chongqing didn't know what CS was back then, but they had far more exciting games. For half a year or so, they carried guns on their backs and hand grenades tucked into their belts—AKs, Type 38 rifles, semi-automatics—you name it, they carried them. They weren't afraid to carry bright bayonets either, and their guns were loaded with bullets that could really kill people (keep in mind, the PLA only carried five blank rounds for guard duty). They even used shoelaces to tie spare magazines to their belts—although no one really knew who they were supposed to shoot at or how many people they were supposed to kill. They walked around hunched over all day long, stealthily brandishing their weapons everywhere, looking like Japanese soldiers entering a village. Of course, they weren't Japanese soldiers; they had red armbands. And indeed, quite a few pretty young women from Chongqing were gazing at them with longing eyes!
The elders, upon hearing this, said, "This is great! They prefer arms to makeup!" Armed struggle has two benefits: first, it gives combat experience after fighting a war, and secondly, it exposes bad elements. ... Even if we fight for another ten years, the Earth will keep spinning, and the sky won't fall down. I'm not afraid of fighting; I actually get excited when I hear about wars. What's the big deal about Beijing? It was just cold weapon fights with a few shots fired. Sichuan was where the real fighting happened, with several ten-thousand people on each side, armed with guns, cannons, and even radios. This greatly encouraged the hotheaded youths, who went on to establish numerous factions. Although these factions operated similarly to bandit gangs in scale and conduct, their guiding ideologies were completely different.
Speaking of the great province of Sichuan, despite being known as the Land of Abundance, for some reason, it often faced food shortages in recent years. Supposedly, it started with rightists causing trouble, followed by capitalist-roaders creating disruptions, and later, counter-revolutionaries re-emerging, making the situation rather dire. In the eastern part of Sichuan, specifically Chongqing, problems had been particularly serious for half a year. This was the year 1967, roughly around the thirtieth anniversary of the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japan, and the summer in Chongqing was exceptionally hot.
With empty stomachs and heat-addled heads, the young people began arguing from the previous summer. One faction called itself "August 15," while the opposing side was named "Fight to the End." Both claimed to resolutely defend Chairman Mao. For some unknown reason (perhaps it was an issue related to Liu and Zhang, but let's not delve into that here), their disputes escalated from arguments to physical fights, using everything from steel rods and藤 hats to tanks and artillery, having a blast far more intense than playing CS. Future historians might want to thoroughly investigate what exactly caused such a division that led so many people to meet Marx prematurely.
Let me bring the story back to the events of 1967.
Back in the Qing Dynasty, Mr. Zhang Zhidong established an arsenal in Guangdong, which eventually passed through the hands of Sun Yat-sen, Chen Jitang, and Yu Hanmou. When Mr. Hanmou lost Guangzhou in 1938, the arsenal relocated repeatedly, finally settling in Chongqing. Due to its inferior background compared to the famous Hanyang Arsenal, Jinling Arsenal, and the local Sichuan Arsenal, it was relegated to a lower status, numbered Fifty. After liberation, it was renamed "State-Owned Wangjiang Machinery Factory" and continues to play a crucial role in our country's ordnance system to this day. Most of our navy's ships and army's small-caliber anti-aircraft guns, like the dual 35mm and dual 37mm guns, were products of this factory. These were the main guns on the 62-class patrol boats that fought fierce battles against the Kuomintang navy along the southeastern coast. Ships like the "Jiemen," "Zhangjiang," "Yongkang," and "Yongtai" have all been hit by shells produced by this factory. This factory specializes in gun production, and this fact must be made clear as a prelude to the subsequent narrative.
The location of this factory is quite intriguing—it's right at the entrance of Tongluo Gorge downstream from Chongqing on the Yangtze River. Throughout history, countless battles have taken place here, leaving behind the sorrowful spirits of countless unfortunate souls. In the canyon, where the sunlight is often blocked, the cries of apes can frequently be heard. The Yangtze River flows quietly, eroding the rocks at its bottom, unaware that it has washed away the glories of the world.