My loyal readers,

 

Over the past few weeks, I have been praying that you are all alive and well. China has been attacked by the ruthless Japanese and after seeing the aftermath of what they did to Nanjing, my heart broke. I fear for my life as well as the people of China. Despite my fear, I have taken a huge risk. My publisher assigned me the task to “investigate and try to determine why so many people from all over China and from many different backgrounds are flocking to Yenan to live in that desolate, poor corner of China.  What is it about life in Yenan/Yan’an that so many find so appealing?” At first, I thought she was crazy and that there was no way I would travel all the way to Yenan, especially during times like this. I then began to think about my readers as well as the promise I made to myself to report on what is going on in our country. So…against my best judgment, I traveled to Yanan.

 

On my way to Yenan, I was able to get my hands on an interview with Mao done by an American journalist by the name of Edgar Snow. Snow’s interview with Mao has given me greater insight into who exactly Chairman Mao was and why so many people followed him across the country to Yanan. After his interview, Snow said that “the influence of Mao Zedong throughout the Communist world of China was probably greater than that of anyone else” [Cheek, 185]. Snow believed that it was Mao’s personality that played a role in his rise to great influence in Communist China. Snow said that “the role of his personality in the movement was clearly immense” [Cheek, 186]. It was who Mao was that attracted people and not just what he stood for. But was Mao just another pretty face that could attract people to his cause because of his personality or was he attuned with what was needed to prevail? In the words of Thucydides, “the society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools,” but as it turns out Mao is driven to succeed and help the people of China. Snow commented that he is an “accomplished scholar of classical Chinese, an omnivorous reader, a deep student of philosophy and history, a good speaker, […] a man of tireless energy, and a military and political strategist of considerable genius” [Cheek, 185]. So after reading this interview and learning about Chairman Mao, I can begin to understand why people are flocking to Yanan to be around this great man. When I arrived in Yenan I was surprised to see what it was really like. Rich and poor alike live in the same conditions. Wealth and status have been washed away. Although I didn’t see Mao when I was there I heard that he lives in a cave with a paper wall, the same as everyone else. Despite the “poor” conditions, the people are all in high spirits and do what they can to help each other out.

 

In Yenan wealth, status, and where you are from don’t matter. Everyone is treated the same from the top down. And with the leadership of Chairman Mao, everyone is happy to be in Yenan.

 

Until next time,

ZENG YONGZHENG

Dear loyal readers,

Who could have anticipated China would be in an even worse place than it was when I last wrote? Since I last left you all those years ago, I traveled the long, arduous journey to Yenan in 1937, hoping to leave behind the Japanese imperialists in Beijing. A group of like-minded students and I were lucky enough to leave the city prior to the Japanese invasion! The trip was exhausting and dangerous. I doubted I would even make it through. Our group started with 25 and ended with 11 of us in Yenan [China: A Century of Revolution – China In Revolution]. I was determined to make it after reading Edgar Snow’s interview with Mao in 1936. I felt that the CCP in Yenan was the obvious choice in this time of chaos [Snow]. Reading the tales of his intellectual background, his novel ideals, and his lack of ego, Yenan seemed to be the only option [Snow 185]. Unfortunately, Yenan is not the utopia it was made out to be.

I risk my life even writing this. While there are many things that are favorable in Yenan, it is in no way a paradise. Do not twist my words; I would rather be here than anywhere else. However, I need to set the record straight for others who are about to make the deadly journey in hopes of finding a heaven on Earth that doesn’t exist. There are many great things about Yenan. In comparison to our former dynastic regimes and even Chiang Kai-shek’s leadership, there is an absence of megalomania and ego in Yenan that China has been due for [Snow]. Currently, Mao Zedong and his wife live in a humble dwelling just down the road from me [Snow 185]. 

Additionally, women are given far more opportunities for themselves [Johnson 66-67]. As someone who left their home to shed the gendered mold set for me since birth, I was naturally drawn to the CCP. In fact, one of my first friends in Yenan was He Manqiu, a female Red Army doctor with a similar background as me [Young 531]. Furthermore, Mao Zedong’s emphasis and value placed on the masses is something China needs! Two years ago, Mao himself said, “The masses are the real heroes, while we ourselves are often childish and ignorant, and without this understanding, it is impossible to acquire even the most rudimentary knowledge.” [LBR 62]. Despite all of my praise, there are a few drawbacks I believe the population of China needs to be made aware of before they risk their lives like I did.

I have a list of concerns. Firstly, despite the importance placed on the masses, there is a coercive nature to get us to think how the leaders think [LBR 65]. Mao’s plan, in his words, is as follows: “Take the ideas of the masses (scattered and unsystematic ideas) and concentrate them (through study turn them into concentrated and systematic ideas), then go to the masses and propagate and explain these ideas until the masses embrace them as their own” [LBR 66]. Although this is somewhat unproblematic, the issue lies with what happens when the masses don’t subscribe to their regurgitated thoughts [LBR 66]. Re-education or murder is commonplace in Yenan when this happens. 

Second, gender equality is commonly swept under the rug or outright ignored to placate the feelings of the large male peasantry [Johnson]. One of the reasons I admired the CCP was due to their progressive feelings towards traditional marriage practices in China [Johnson]. However, these ideas have been scrapped to pacify the worries of married peasant men who are fearful their bought wives will finally have the right to divorce them to increase CCP numbers and soldiers [Johnson 68]. Furthermore, women are given opportunities outside of the home, and it is only because the men are not here to do it themselves [Johnson 65]. Once again, history continues, and I find myself, my feelings, and my rights worth less than a man.

Lastly, I was worried and eager to hide my intellectual history and background when I arrived in Yenan. There is an air of anti-intellectualism here. In fact, my friend He Manqiu hid that she was literate for quite a while to prevent the party from mistrusting her [Young 540]. To be able to think differently is a threat to a party in its infancy, like the CCP. While I agree with most of the Party’s teachings, I sometimes find myself at odds with the Party due to my background as a woman and a student. There are little issues here if you’re a peasant simply trying to survive, but if you are like me, keep these issues in mind before you leave everything behind.

Good Luck,

Cui Shuli