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,
My own experience of the equity with which the Communists deal with the people of the territories they control has indeed been one of the most important aspects of my own time in Yenan. It is easily understandable why so many people hurry to join them.
My friend,
I am sad that I was not able to meet you on my trip to Yenan. I have seen everything that you speak of and am also somewhat in awe of what Chairman Mao has been able to accomplish with so little. This little corner of China will soon be the future of the country!