2. I received a letter from my son yesterday, he says
there is now famine in the countryside and this
may be the last time he can write. I worry for him,
for famine causes starvation and violence, but
there is little I can do here in the city, where there
is still little sign of famine.
I've predicted this to be on the horizon for awhile
now, as communal farms of the scale Mao has
requested are sure to be discouraging for all the
well-to-do farmers that are now on the same level
as the poorest peasants, which I suppose is part of
communism, though its logic is flawed as it means
that brains and hard-work have the same outcome
for oneself as slacking off. While the Great Leap
Forward had the right principles, the way it was
executed with the communes was certainly not the
way to go. Collectivization was implemented as
an attempt to speed up the growth of our
economy, but now I fear China can only maintain
or regress after our botched attempt to improve
things.
My son, Hua Qilin’s school photo
in 1953
3. I can respect Mao for his communist ideals, but he needs to see when things are out of
control and react accordingly, as well realize that communism isn't and never will be the
perfect system that Karl Marx envisioned it to be. Just because the farms that voluntarily
included a few families working together were a success, doesn't necessarily mean that
forcing large groups to work together will have the same effect.
Hopefully, the famine won't spread to the cities, but its hard to say if things don't start
happening beginning with the top of the food chain, Chairman Mao. He needs to quickly
realize his mistakes and adjust, although I suspect at least the larger cities will be kept well-
fed as more famine in the countryside would be much more desirable to the government
than urban unrest.
There's no telling what's going to happen to China in the coming years, but we can only hope
that the government makes the right decisions. The Great Leap Forward has failed and
now we must move on to the next phase in China's development, but I fear it may not
happen until the rumored famine is over and our country steps onto more stable ground.
Meanwhile, I will continue to hope for the health of my only son and wait with bated breath
for more news from my son, one of the only uncensored sources of information I still have
access to.
4. School has become a joke. A couple
weeks ago, half my students ran off
to another one of Chairman Mao’s
rallies in Tiananmen Square, and
since then they’ve been rowdy,
disrespectful and rebellious in
class. Yesterday, a member of the
Red Guard stared me down when I
asked him to be quiet, and I’m
beginning to fear what is to come for
the school and me, should this
continue. I’ve began to witness
violence in the streets and a
colleague of mine was beaten so
badly he can no longer see out of
one eye, just because he let slip to
his class that he wasn’t sure Mao
was always right.
Mao’s first Dazibao, ‘Bombard the Headquarters’, is first and foremost an attack on Liu
Shaoqi, but many have also the headquarters to represent any and all authority, like schools
and professors. If this continues to go on as I’m sure it will, I will have to quit my job as a
professor and hope to find another way to support myself as it has become extremely
dangerous to be a professor during these times.
One of Mao’s first Dazibao
5. Another reason I am becoming indifferent to teaching is that in school, I don’t so much teach material
anymore as much as I lead pro-Mao chants and have them write required essays on the virtues of
communism, the flaws of capitalism, or essays denouncing some character or another, including one
about Liu Shaoqi just two days ago.
Chairman Mao seems to be either oblivious to the violence going on, or, the more likely scenario, it’s
exactly what he has planned. No troops or party officials are making any effort to stop the violence; if
anything, they are adding fuel to the flame. What a lot of them haven’t seemed to realize yet is that it
wont be long before Mao and the Red Guards set their sights on the officials as well, purging any and
all officials that are suspected to be rightists in any way. It may be something they don’t want to think
about yet, but it is the inevitable.
I haven’t heard from my son in the years following the famine, but whether he is still alive or became a
victim of the famine, it may be better than him being in the cities now. As the son of a professor, he
would be singled out and the chances of him being unable to convince the angry Red Guards that he
is a supporter of Mao are high. He would likely lose his life, or at least suffer mightily on the whims of
the Red Guards.
I understand Chairman Mao’s philosophies on igniting this revolution, but it’s going to cost our
nation much blood and tears if it is allowed to go on for an extended time. For my sake and the sake of
the people of China, I hope this is a only a quick phase in our history, but I suspect that may be asking
for too much.
6. China is in turmoil. The other
day I was strolling down the
street with my old colleague
who didn’t happen to have his
little red book at hand. We
were stopped by Red Guards
that ordered us to produce our
books and when he couldn’t he
was beaten beyond recognition
and I fear for his life. Before
leaving, the Red Guards told
me that unless I wanted to end
up like him, I should stay away
from bad influences that don’t
support Chairman Mao. I was a
trembling mess inside, but I
was able to keep my
composure and tell them I was
unaware of his treachery and
bade them farewell with a
“long live Chairman Mao.”
A Red Guard rally that later turned violent.
7. The entire country is now living in fear of the Red Guards. Over the past month, one of my
neighbors has committed suicide and two old colleagues have gone into hiding. I’ve been
tiptoeing around the Red Guards, constantly in fear of my life, as intellectuals such as myself are
targets for persecution. Our school was shut down after the principal was beaten to death during
a mini-riot during which many of the Red Guards were intent on showing their support through
extreme violence.
The Red Guards aren’t only feuding with authority; they are also having mini turf wars amongst
themselves, where factions of Red Guards fight each other. Nobody is safe nowadays because of
it. It was a couple weeks ago that I saw a group of six Red Guards jump another one to send the
message that they have the power in this area. It becomes obvious things are out of control when
Mao’s ‘greatest weapons’ are fighting with each other.
Chairman Mao must stop this before the entire nation spins out of control. He is obviously aware
of the chaos that is ensuing, but he isn’t doing anything about it. I know this was a play to regain
his power, but his point is proven now and he must take control of the Red Guards, which is by
no means something that should be hard for him as they adore him and he has the army at his
disposal. The revolution continuing on like this will only mean the loss of more good lives and
Mao should soon start focusing on improving our nation rather than solidifying his power. As for
me, I’m content with keeping a low profile and pretending I’m fully supportive of Mao’s actions
until the situation with the Red Guards cool down.
8. The nation is in shock, though many have foreseen it
coming. The once revered Lin Biao is dead. The news
has rippled through the country like a shockwave and
shock is exactly what it has caused. That, and
uncertainty. Lin Biao was a hugely influential leader
and respected by many. Mao’s feud with him has cast
a shadow over the nation and for the first time, there
are many that are questioning the legitimacy of the
Cultural Revolution.
Lin Biao has been quickly climbing the political ranks
and was hungry for power. Those are not good
combinations in Mao’s mind, and thus these recent
events. We’ll never know what truly happened with
Lin Biao, but only the stories and rumors that are put
out by Mao, which may or may not be true.
Lin Biao and his wife were said by some to have
attempted to an assassination on Chairman Mao by
sabotaging his train, which failed due to a change of
route. His plane then crashed in Mongolia as he and
his family attempted to make their escape.Lin Biao’s picture released in the
newspaper after his death
9. No doubt, the ensuing months and years are going to be a time of anti-Lin Biao propaganda. Already,
anyone and everyone thought to be associated with him or close with him is being arrested. Party
officials, family members, army officials and anyone else who has ever been connected with him are
being hunted down and purged.
Along with the news of his death, came the expected criticisms of his actions and blemishing of his
image. Although it isn’t too widespread yet, Jiang Qing is already manipulating his image to make
him the scapegoat for some of the problems during the Cultural Revolution, and no doubt it will get
worse in the next few years. How exactly his death happened are still just rumors, as nothing official
has been released at this point.
Although Lin Biao’s death has stirred things up somewhat, China is certainly better off now than it
was during the most severe years of the Cultural Revolution. The Red Guards have been dismantled,
and our school has reopened, though it is led by the military. Still, many of the things we do are
influenced by Mao, but it is somewhat better than before. One thing that's somewhat bothering me is
the Down To The Countryside movement, which is sending many of China’s youth to do manual labor
in the countryside, a movement that I find to be pointless and unrewarding for either side. From what
I hear, it isn’t helping the peasants, but rather giving them extra mouths to feed, and the students are
such bad workers they don’t contribute very much. Students are students and peasants are peasants, I
don’t see why they must be brought together.
Now that things are starting to improve, I’m considering a trip to the countryside that would let me
learn what has become of my son, and whether he is still alive. Meanwhile, I’ll continue to teach and
expect to be having to assign lots of anti-Lin Biao essays in the near future.
10. No doubt, the ensuing months and years are going to be a time of anti-Lin Biao propaganda. Already,
anyone and everyone thought to be associated with him or close with him is being arrested. Party
officials, family members, army officials and anyone else who has ever been connected with him are
being hunted down and purged.
Along with the news of his death, came the expected criticisms of his actions and blemishing of his
image. Although it isn’t too widespread yet, Jiang Qing is already manipulating his image to make
him the scapegoat for some of the problems during the Cultural Revolution, and no doubt it will get
worse in the next few years. How exactly his death happened are still just rumors, as nothing official
has been released at this point.
Although Lin Biao’s death has stirred things up somewhat, China is certainly better off now than it
was during the most severe years of the Cultural Revolution. The Red Guards have been dismantled,
and our school has reopened, though it is led by the military. Still, many of the things we do are
influenced by Mao, but it is somewhat better than before. One thing that's somewhat bothering me is
the Down To The Countryside movement, which is sending many of China’s youth to do manual labor
in the countryside, a movement that I find to be pointless and unrewarding for either side. From what
I hear, it isn’t helping the peasants, but rather giving them extra mouths to feed, and the students are
such bad workers they don’t contribute very much. Students are students and peasants are peasants, I
don’t see why they must be brought together.
Now that things are starting to improve, I’m considering a trip to the countryside that would let me
learn what has become of my son, and whether he is still alive. Meanwhile, I’ll continue to teach and
expect to be having to assign lots of anti-Lin Biao essays in the near future.
11. He is dead. And with his death has
come nation-wide grief and shock.
Being the face of China for the past
eternity, few people still remember life
without Mao, and don’t count me
among them. The days the news came
out, I remember the various
expressions I saw on people’s faces,
including expressions contorted with
grief, blank with shock and some that
had wide, unbelieving eyes.
What is going to happen to China
now? Before we know that, we must
wonder who is going to take power.
Chairman Hua Guofeng is the leading
candidate for the right wing
politicians, while Jiang Qing and the
newly named Gang of Four are also
struggling to take power. One thing is
certain, however, whoever loses the
power struggle will also likely lose their
lives or be imprisoned.
Grieving neighbors after Mao’s death
12. I may travel to see his body in the Great Hall of the People, where an exhibition will be opening. I
have never been a loyal supporter of Mao, but nor do I think he was a horrible man, and in a way I
think it would be a good experience for me to see the man that has done so much for China. How
he is remembered will no doubt be influenced by propaganda, but in my mind, he was both a
monster and a genius.
I suppose only now will truly be the end of the Cultural Revolution. Although things have
somewhat returned to normal after 1969, the Cultural Revolution still raged in the hearts of many
Chinese, but it has died along with Chairman Mao.
Already, propaganda is being put out to ensure Mao’s legacy will be remembered forever. Hua
Guofeng and his followers are blaming all of the excesses and problems during the Cultural
Revolution on Lin Biao, Jiang Qing and the Gang of Four, leaving Mao’s legacy completely
unblemished by mistakes. In the end, it isn’t at all surprising, judging from the propaganda and
cover-ups of the past. A few years ago, Jiang Qing and her followers started the ‘Criticize Confucius,
Criticize Lin Biao’ campaign, that essentially blamed them for many of the problems that
happened during the Cultural Revolution. During that time, I had to assign countless essays and
projects to my students on how Lin Biao was horrible, how Confucius was wrong, how they weren’t
patriotic and many other things that made them look bad and Mao look good.
Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen to China now, but I believe we are done with the
revolution and can start to rebuild and grow again as a nation. In my trip to see my son a couple
years ago, I found that he had died of starvation during the famine as I had dreaded and I have
grown tired of these times of turmoil. I am glad these grim times are behind me, but their mark
will be with me until my dying day.
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Trueman, Chris. "The Cultural Revolution." History Learning Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2013.
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Trueman, Chris. "The Great Leap Forward." History Learning Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2013.
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“Ignoring The Past.” The Economist 20 May 2006: 29 – 30.
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