Hello, fellow intellectuals. I am in Yenan, a remote part of the northern Shaanxi province. I am here observing Mao along with his fellow leaders and revolutionaries who settled in this poor, mountainous region after the Long March. Yenan became the headquarters of the communist party for the second united front with the KMT against the Japanese. I believe a variety of individuals have been attracted to Yenan because of the new communist leadership and the Red Army.
Mao’s ideas have drawn a wide range of individuals to Yenan, peasants seeking refuge from oppression, intellectuals who resonate with communist ideology, and ardent anti-Japanese sympathizers all are drawn to this magnetic place. This convergence creates a distinctive, uplifting atmosphere that stands in stark contrast to the harsh realities faced by the Communist Party. The work here is demanding, and the populace resides in modest cave dwellings, all while the looming prospect of resuming hostilities with the KMT hangs overhead. A spirit of self-reliance and sacrifice for the greater good permeates Yenan. Leaders of the communist party live in Yenan and are not distant figures, but a part of the community, approachable and able to be seen in everyday life. Mao in particular is respected by all who reside here and lives a simple life. An exciting atmosphere simultaneously exists as widespread social change seems imminent. Yenan’s foundation firmly rests upon three pillars of cooperative labor: workers, peasants, and soldiers. Experimental ideas are actively put into practice such as the mass line and training centers are established for the education of party values. Those who did agree were forced to study Mao’s work extensively creating a strong, ideologically unified party that has the potential to unite all of China.
The livelihoods of peasants are superior to their nationalist counterparts. Peasants in Yenan pool all their resources, labor, and land, so they can achieve economies of scale, and increase agricultural productivity while reducing the risks associated with farming. In agricultural cooperatives peasants work collectively and share in the benefits of their labor. While gaining access to modern farming equipment and improved farming techniques.
Guerrilla warfare tactics that the Red Army employed are proving to be effective against the Japanese. Individuals with patriotism and a strong move here and join the Red Army, wanting to take up arms and fight on the front lines becoming a soldier of this impressive force. The Chinese especially those living in the northern and eastern parts of the country have had terrible experiences with the Japanese imperialists who follow the policy of “kill all, burn all, loot all.” and are sympathetic to the Communist Party which has always held the clear stance of anti-Japanese.
Women are encouraged to do agricultural work and workshops for textile and sewing as these techniques have been lost to time in rural Yenan. Women would also create things like clothing and blankets for the army while the men are fighting to contribute to the war effort. Women are a key part of this town and have a path to economic self-sufficiency. Yenan is conservative and has a traditional view on marriage. Combined with the male soldiers’ desire for the continuation of the old marriage law, marriage reform is a low priority.
The Communist Party has proven it can unite a variety of people under the same ideology, for the shared vision of a more equitable society. Yenan is proof of this. It is also a glimpse of what a communist China could become.
Take care not to let on that you are an intellectual in Yan’an; it did not go well for me! But you are right, the energy is invigorating at the camp. As you said, unity is what China needs to defeat Japan and rise back into greatness as a nation and people. Despite the great diversity in our large nation, communism encompasses and unites all people who share the ideology. I agree with the livelihood of soldiers here being superior to that of KMT soldiers. Despite the trying circumstances of our soldiers, the KMT ones are not treated well and are barely fed, which is why many of them are now at our camp after being captured or defecting; the communists look after their own.
Like you said, it is the Chinese mass that is able to create the change for themselves. Yes Mao played an important role in leading but it was the peasants, soldiers, and women who were able to put theory into practice. Yenan was a way for people to come together and fight back against the Japanese in an orderly fashion.
I would agree that the camaraderie at Yenan is amazing. every person there has a job to do and the whole camp relies on them doing their duties. Even women have their tasks, where prior, they might have only been trusted with taking care of their children and their house. Mao is sticking to his word that everyone can and will be used to further his movement.
As you mentioned, the atmosphere in the world where Mao’s policies were going to be tested, and the new China was about to become a new China would have created a unique, uplifting sense along with the harsh reality. It is incredible that Yenan became a place that attracted many people of different classes – peasants, intellectuals, and anti-Japanese sympathizers – and it is very interesting to think about what society was like at that time.