民族英雄——谢子长

This rubbing with the inscription “National Hero” contains powerful characters handwritten by Mao Zedong for the martyr Xie Zichang. Mao Zedong praised Xie’s revolutionary achievements through inscriptions on three separate occasions—a rare honor that underscores Mao's high regard and deep commemoration of Xie.

这张有着“民族英雄”字样的拓片，四个大字遒劲有力，是毛泽东给谢子长烈士的题词。毛泽东曾先后三次给谢子长烈士题字、题词，称颂他的革命功绩。这在毛泽东题词史上并不多见，足以看出毛泽东对谢子长的高度肯定和深切悼念。

Xie Zichang was one of the main founders of the revolutionary base areas in Northwest China and the Northwestern Red Army. He left teaching for the military in his early years, joined the Communist Party of China in 1925, and returned to Northern Shaanxi to promote the development of the revolutionary movement. He led more than 100 people in the troops of Northern Shaanxi warlords to join the Party and the League, and grass-roots Party organizations were gradually established. After Chiang Kai-shek betrayed the revolution, Northern Shaanxi fell into white terror. In accordance with the instructions of the Provincial Party Committee, Xie Zichang and others established the Shaanbei Military Commission and launched the Qingjian Uprising in October 1927. Though it finally failed with only over 300 people breaking through the encirclement, his fighting spirit remained undiminished.

谢子长是西北革命根据地和西北红军主要创始人之一，早年弃教从军，1925年加入中国共产党，回陕北推动革命运动发展，带动陕北军阀部队中百余人入党入团，基层党组织逐步建立。蒋介石背叛革命后，陕北陷入白色恐怖，谢子长等人遵照省委指示成立陕北军事委员会，于1927年10月发动清涧起义，虽最终失败，仅300余人突围，但他斗志未减。

Later, Xie Zichang traveled around Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia, formed guerrillas and established revolutionary base areas with Liu Zhidan and others. Adhering to the belief that "Communists are as endless as Maonao willows", all 26 members of his family devoted themselves to the revolution. In August 1934, he was wounded in the battle of Hekou but insisted on commanding until the battle was won. On February 21, 1935, Xie Zichang passed away in Anding County (now Zichang City) at the age of 38, and his death was kept confidential for a time. In the same year, to honor this significant leader of the Shaanxi revolution, Anding County was renamed Zichang County in memory of him.

之后，谢子长奔走陕甘宁，与刘志丹等人组建游击队、创建革命根据地，秉持“共产党人如毛垴柳树般生生不息”的信念，全家26人皆投身革命。1934年8月，他在河口战斗中中弹负伤，仍坚持指挥至战斗胜利。1935年2月21日，谢子长在安定县（现子长市）逝世，年仅38岁，其逝世消息一度保密。同年，为了纪念这位陕北革命的重要领导人,安定县改名为子长县以作纪念。

In 1939, the Martyr Xie Zichang's Tomb was built in his hometown Zaoshuping, with more than 3,000 people participating in the reburial ceremony. Mao Zedong inscribed inscriptions and a nearly 300-word epitaph for him. In 1946, the Xie Zichang Mausoleum was completed, and the Northwest Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China presented a elegiac couplet summarizing his life achievements.Though the hero is gone, his spirit endures, and the people will never forget our national hero—Xie Zichang!

1939年，谢子长烈士墓在其家乡枣树坪修建，3000余人参与移葬仪式，毛泽东为其题写题词及近300字碑文。1946年谢子长陵园落成，中共中央西北局敬送挽联概括其一生功绩。英雄虽死，精神永恒，人民永远不会忘记，我们的民族英雄——谢子长！