Author: Riko Hanada (Kuan Han)

 My 同士,

With the passing of our leader, Mao Zedong, I feel as if I have lost our emotional support. We have shown our contribution and loyalty to him in everything in our lives. And now that the politics of the Gang of Four is over, it feels like an era has ended. It has been many years since I started writing this blog, but as I look back into the past, the political stress on us has been immense. One of my friends told me that after the oppressive rule by the Gang of Four, her mother was sentenced innocent after the end of Gang of Four, but was never able to meet her. This is because she has gone to far places to protect herself instead of being with her mother and being suspected. I hope society will change and there will be no such sad farewells.

You are probably aware of the difference between rural and urban areas, which used to be very large, and the Cultural Revolution, which aimed to reduce this gap and produce a successor to the revolution. It was a political struggle that mobilized the masses, but it is ambiguous whether the goal of this Cultural Revolution was achieved. Because the sacrifices were too much, it was a movement that directly mobilized the Red Guards and changed established notions of what was possible. Today, I want to talk more about this movement. The cultural heritage related to religion was destroyed, and those with wealth, such as intellectuals and landowners, were expelled. In other words, the most peaceful people in this period were poor peasant families. Also, the Red Guards, who were ardent Maoists, were ordered to attend the Down to the Countryside Movement, in which they were instructed to go to the countryside and farm. This plan was an apparent failure. Some young people successfully learned the importance and difficulties of farming, but many ran away or died from the harshness of the work.

Our life at this time was fear and trembling, as we fell upon each other and were always on the lookout to avoid suspicion of treason. Even young people who were optimistic about such revolutions were sometimes considered traitors within a day. I was told that one young student, especially those whose fathers were suspected of being not loyal to Mao, were told by their classmates, “You sons of Reactionary Capitalist stinking intellectuals,” and their families were torn apart. (p. 51) In some cases, the mother was cut off to prevent harm to the whole family. At school, “Those students who had the right to wear the Pioneers’ triangular red scarf received much more praise than those who didn’t, no matter what their grades;” (p. 16). In a world where one never knows when one might be labeled an insurgent and face the worst possible consequences, there is always a sense of uncertainty. Under these circumstances, I do not fully agree that the Cultural Revolution was a success.

Thank you for reading,

Dear my 同士,

 

Today, I am writing something that can contradict everything I have written on my blog. Until now, I have been pessimistic about the current situation and have only criticized the party. However, my criticism has been wrong, and I apologize for that today. I realized I am guilty of this and may have confused you, my readers, and divided our opinions.

I had previously made statements, especially that the Party’s goals were too high and unrealistic at the expense of the people’s lives. But here I realized that I had neglected the fundamental objective of our leader, Mao Zedong. In the first place, Mao Zedong always put us, the people, first. We must learn from his unselfish and humble character. (LRB 75) How could he, who always puts the people first, arbitrarily endanger their lives?

Mao Zedong said that there will be sacrifices if you struggle, and people will always experience death. However, if we think about the interests of the people and the suffering of the majority, we can say that dying for the people has given us a place to die. Only we should make as few unnecessary sacrifices as possible. (LRB 76)”. In other words, the current situation was necessary to transform the old Confucian-centered society into a new world.

I was shocked by the severe situation in the countryside, and I realized that I had quickly criticized the Party without being objective, and I regret it very much. It is impossible for a Party with such a spirit. Revolutions are not as easy and peaceful as a dinner party. We should think about the interests and growth of the country instead of being easily pleased or saddened by the situation in some regions, as I have been doing.

I am guilty of confusing readers and making misguided objections to the Party by my actions. “To treat comrades like enemies is to go over to the stand of the enemy.” (LRB 25) I constantly criticized the party for its shortcomings, thus hindering our unity. By regretting my own mistake, I want to contribute to the progress of China into a new society led by the Party and Mao Zedong.

Dear my 同士,

 

　Today, I would like to convey the realities of the current situation in China. The country I live in now is challenging and chaotic. I moved to the countryside to learn more about the current situation and tell you about the case. My family is not in such a difficult situation because of its essential position in the Communist Party. Still, I would like to go to the most miserable places and report on the status. It is dangerous to note such criticism and consider my position because it seems Rightest.  The problem is too rapid a policy change and too high an ideological goal. Recently, the government assigned tasks to the peasants, such as steel production and the extermination of the four pests, and fined them if they failed to complete them. Thus, the peasants sacrificed their livelihoods to meet the government’s demands. This might cause a terrible situation in local areas. However, there was no way that rural villages in the region could have the technology to produce high-quality steel. The metal used for cooking pots and farm implements was also collected and melted. Of course, this steel was also unusable. In addition, since many farmers were mobilized for this movement, the farmland left unmanaged became desolate, and agricultural production was significantly reduced. In today’s society, once the government gives an order, almost the entire population is mobilized to follow the order. However, this has caused the following devastation.

　Mao is implementing the Great Leap Forward policy to grow the country faster. However, countless people suffer from famine, and the death toll is high. This is a tragic situation, more so than in any previous war. The famine is so bad that people suffer from unbelievable conditions in the countryside where I am now. Some people said they ate dirt because there was no food and their stomachs were empty. This has created severe health problems; many suffer from constipation, edema, and food poisoning. This also seems to be happening in cities, with large numbers of children suffering from rickets (a disease that causes weak and soft bones), a disease caused by malnutrition. Some sold their children to survive, and because of this shocking environment, many had mental illnesses. Also, the current situation is dire, especially for women. Many women suffered from hunger and exhaustion, which led to amenorrhea and uterine prolapse, the loss of the muscles that support the uterus. Young women were expected to work as much as men, sometimes subjected to sexual violence and humiliation. Grandmothers at home were also expected to care for their grandchildren, cook, and do all the household chores. 1959 was believed to be a good harvest and fertile year for our country. But imprisonment, endless political campaigns, and this severe hunger could be considered a “season of death.”

　The damage caused by drought and flooding is also severe. Is there any way out of this disaster-like situation? We can only hope for the Mao and the Communist Party.

Dear Readers,

 

The recent social movements in our country are significant. After establishing the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Communist Party first implemented land reform. The landowners’ land, livestock, farming tools, surplus food, and surplus houses in rural areas were all confiscated and distributed fairly to all, regardless of age or gender. Mao paid his attention to the masses, and so far, it feels like he is gaining control. Our country’s population is significant, and if he can unite them, the reforms he desires will proceed.

 Land reform would be a message to the masses as directed to them as a law promoting fairness and equality. Giving land to landless peasants or equal resources to citizens of all statuses sounds morally idealistic. However, from a woman’s point of view, there are better policies than this. Here, let me introduce the recent movement that happened about gender equality. Now, soon after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the law of engagement was improved. Primarily, it changes the traditional male-dominated trend. Features include: marriage is performed by free will; the rights of women, children, and the elderly are protected; and a system of fair procedures after divorce is clearly stated. The patriarchal trend remains, and although it is not as effective as it could be, the law is a step toward a revolutionary social change. Inadequacies can also be noted in land reform. This reform has indeed allowed women to own their land. However, they need to learn how to cultivate the land. They would be troubled if they were suddenly given tasks they had never been entrusted with. They are already busy with household chores, and a new responsibility and duty have just been added. As a result, the pressure on women is still intense, and it can be criticized as a policy that increases the workload of women in weaker positions. Frankly, one farmer told me that it is dangerous to look only at the positive aspects of the reforms, as there are rumors of 2 million or so casualties, sexual assaults, etc., but I don’t know if they are true.

However, I would like to point out that land reform has many good points. There are reasons for the choices made by Mao Zedong, and he should have analyzed the difficulties we are feeling and devised policies. For example, land reform provided an opportunity for the peasants themselves to determine their destiny. I believe this has inspired the peasants to take positive action to improve their lives. It is one of the outstanding achievements of the project to develop such awareness among those who would otherwise be considered of low status. As Mao Zedong said, our revolutionary activities still need to be completed. We must maintain the prevailing tendency throughout society to think that the revolution is somehow complete. This land reform is also a political transformation, and its outstanding achievement is that it has laid the foundation for the modernization of rural China to build a new society.

 

Thank you for reading.

Dear readers,

 

 It is now 1943, and our society is still mired in chaos. I am now going to Yan’an to document the current situation, although it is a different environment than before where I studied at a university with enough facilities. There are complicated reasons why I am in Yan’an, so I will explain today.

 Beginning this year, we have been traveling within China for extended distances and periods. Specifically, we are moving to Yan’an, which has long been a critical military location. However, Yan’an is very far away, and I am honestly worried about going there. I will keep moving on foot over long roads, primarily through the mountains and other rugged terrain, even through the winter. I am still young and healthy, but see pregnant women and young children walking together on this severe path. I heard that rumor has it that some pregnant women have left their children behind, and some have died. So why are we going through this severe pathway? Of course, there is a reason! Simply put, this is for our Chinese Communist Party to escape the encirclement of the Chinese Nationalist Party forces and move northward to develop an anti-Japanese front. Today, I will explain more about this anti-Japanese movement recently.

 Relations between our country and Japan are at their worst in recent times. Japan had victory over Russia in 1905 and has been gaining strength. For me, Japan has been getting carried away recently! Anyway, Japan is expanding its power more and more to dominate our country. Two years ago, Japan started the Manchurian Incident. The Japanese army blew up the railroad tracks in Manchuria and occupied them. Manchuria, because of its location in the northeastern part of China and its rich resources, was probably targeted by Japan. This is an act that cannot be humane! And the following year, they proclaimed they launched the country in Manchuria. They made Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the head of state. But it was clear that he had no power at all. For me, as a reporter, Japanese rule in Manchuria is the worst. This included severe human rights violations such as sexual assault and rape. These acts must have caused extreme fear and anxiety among the inhabitants and significantly destroyed people’s lives. Japan is gradually expanding its territory to control China. Anti-Japanese sentiment among us is hard to ignore, and many people sincerely want to fight Japan. 

 Recently, Mao Zedong, who is not yet a leader of the country,  said that we need to look not only at military power but also at the current conflicts in the world as cultural fronts. We need to unite to challenge this situation in our country! Mao was also concerned about the masses, whom no previous leader had paid attention to. His populist beliefs must have won the hearts and minds of the masses, and his charisma is beginning to attract overwhelming support. He must also be a strategically successful leader because most of his target, the farmers, comprise about 80% of our total population. Objectively, he has the ability to analyze the world well and guide people. Having overcome such a long road that we are moving to Yan’an, we want to change our society at its core! I feel that some completely new world will come by Mao’s innovative strategy after this severe movement. We must follow his charismatic lead and adapt new thinking and ideas to old systems and structures! China was originally the center of the world, and the Chinese people were culturally superior, but recently, our country has fallen entirely behind internationally. It humiliates us, and we must change the status quo!

 

Thank you for reading.

Dear readers, this is the first blog I will write. Today, I will write why we think the Chinese Communist Party can be the answer to this country’s issues. 

 Recently, our country’s situation has been chaotic because Chang Kaishek started ruling China differently. Our leader Mao said that this person began the economic system, which is like the US. It is critical to imitate other country’s systems, and it can bring new problems that cannot fit our society. I am unsure, but we have already had many issues to change. Now, when society cannot be said to be stable, it is the chance to change the basis of our country and tradition. I will pick up one of the most critical issues in our country. As a woman, I think gender issues should be considered more seriously in this society. The most severe example is footbinding. Before, I didn’t care so much about this custom because it lasted since the Manchus introduced to our country. But please rethink about this custom. Isn’t it cruel to bind children’s feet and avoid their growth? As our leader Mao said, this society continues a very “traditional” way of living. I do not have experience with footbinding. But I’ve heard that a girl’s feet are folded over, and her fingers are wrapped around tightly. I have never actually seen this with my eyes, but I have heard that many girls have to have their fingers cut off or become ill. Why only girls should follow this custom? I know that this custom is now decreasing, but there was the reality only women had to be hurt for following Confucian ideals.

 Even I, who can now study at university, feel a gender gap in many situations. In the past, we followed the rule of Confucianism, and our family system is a so-called patriarchal society. I respect my father, but sometimes, others look down on women. It is a hierarchical system in our community, but sometimes, it is from gender differences, not talent or ability. This kind of system and ideas are all old. This can regulate the possibility and future of our generation and women. We should change in some way to build a new and progressive world. However, I realized that I began to have this idea because of Mao. I didn’t have expressed this idea because it was new for me and China. I was surprised that Mao reminded me that there have been no leaders in the past who focused on this issue. This issue is more significant in the countryside or other social class people. Now, it is usual that many women are forced to marry men decided by their parents. I believe this is because people respect relationships between family, not the individual will. I want to say that our leader can give us revolutionary ideas that can improve our society and solve many future issues. Compared to Chang, Mao should be the leader of our country, and the communist party can improve our community.

 Lastly, I would like to share the book which I recently read. Do you know “A Madman Story”? When I read that for the first time, I was surprised at how chaotic it is. The main character is one man who gets paranoid and thinks everyone around him is trying to eat him. One day; he realizes that they are trying to eat him because of the old tradition of eating humans. I think this idea can be related to today’s situation. Our traditional customs, which allow the gender gap I mentioned above, are “old.” It is time to change this, as the author implied in this book.  I liked it, so if you have time, please read it! Thank you for reading my blog, and see you next time.

Hello, I am Kuan Han. I’m now 20 years old and am studying politics at university. Even though I am female, I am glad to have an education in this big city. My family lives in Beijing, and my father works as a cadre in the Communist Party. I have a two year older brother, who is also studying at university. Compared to other families, I think our family is relatively wealthier. My grandparents have already passed away, but I have heard that my grandfather was working as a politician. Our family is called one of the 紅五類, and I am proud to be.

I heard some people working as farmers are having a life wearing the same clothes and eating the same food for a long time. I haven’t been to those places before, but the lifestyles there differ entirely from mine. Compared to those people, I think I am lucky to have the opportunity to study at a university here.

This country has social disparities, and I am worried about if this situation can worsen.  I don’t know so much about other countries, but I am currently studying the policies that our leader is processing. By looking at his policies, I understood that our country is facing difficulties because we currently introduced a system that is not equal. I hope, in the future, we can change our world by shifting from old traditions and improving that social system. I wrote this blog to report what we must do to the public to improve our society.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!