Author: Yi Cheng Zhang (张艺诚）

From the countryside, where the majority of peasants live, I pen down this report with a heavy heart and a sense of responsibility. The People’s Republic of China, under the visionary leadership of the Communist Party and Chairman Mao, embarked on the ambitious journey of the Great Leap Forward in 1958. This initiative was conceived with the noblest of intentions – to propel our nation into an era of rapid industrialization and agricultural modernization. However, as 1962 dawns, it is evident that the path we charted has been fraught with challenges.

Central to the Great Leap Forward was the transformation of our agricultural sector. The establishment of the People’s Communes aimed to consolidate smaller farms into collective units, thereby harnessing the power of communal labor. Traditional farming practices, honed over centuries, were abruptly replaced with new methods. The push for deep plowing and close planting, though theoretically sound, did not yield the expected results on the ground. Local cadres, eager to demonstrate their commitment to the Party’s vision, often set and reported inflated grain production targets. This over-reporting, while showcasing short-term success, had long-term implications. The state, believing in these inflated figures, procured grain based on them. This left the actual grain production, which was much lower, insufficient to feed the local populace, leading to food shortages.

The Four Pests Campaign, an integral part of the Great Leap Forward, sought to improve hygiene and reduce disease by eliminating sparrows, rats, flies, and mosquitoes. However, the large-scale extermination of sparrows led to an unforeseen ecological imbalance. With their natural predator gone, locust populations surged, leading to widespread crop devastation.

The root of the violence and suffering can be traced back to a combination of overzealous policies, unrealistic targets, and a lack of understanding of agricultural practices. The commune system, which was introduced to consolidate land and labor, ended up disrupting traditional farming methods. Farmers were forced to implement deep plowing and close planting, techniques that were believed to increase yields but instead led to reduced production.

The pressure to meet grain quotas led local officials to over-report their yields. This over-reporting had catastrophic consequences. The central government, believing that grain production was high, collected more grain than was actually produced. This left little for the local population, leading to widespread famine.

The consequences of these policies have been devastating. Reports of malnutrition, starvation, and death are rampant. In some regions, the desperation has led to unthinkable acts of violence and even cannibalism. The exact number of deaths remains uncertain, but it is believed to be in the tens of millions.

The atmosphere in the countryside is tense. There are reports of violent clashes between desperate villagers and local officials. The mistrust and fear between the people and the local authorities have grown, with many believing that the officials are hoarding grain for themselves.

Hello readers, it has been a while since I last wrote but so much has happened since then. The Chinese Communist Party has not only survived but it has established itself as the core leadership group leading the newly founded People’s Republic of China. They have risen to this power by defeating the invading Japanese forces, expelled the Nationalists to Taiwan, and now lead the fight against the invading Americans in Korea. However, I will focus on reporting about the major domestic event taking place which is the mass land reform campaign. I have joined a work team and we traveled to a local village in the countryside to carry out the smooth implementation of the land reform campaign. I do believe that the work I am doing is spreading the message of the great chairman and we have redistributed land, but I have also seen sights and heard stories that I fear will not be shared that I feel must be reported.

I signed up to be a part of a work team because I wanted to travel to the countryside and help carry out the land reform campaign. I knew that my background of growing up in the countryside could help in understanding the dynamics of the countryside as I knew that it was much different than the big cities. I believe this reform is being carried out as a mass campaign because the peasants need to know who in their village to take land from for redistribution. I read an article that was specifically for teaching the peasants how to differentiate the classes in the rural areas and I think it was very helpful, although I could think of a few people and families from my own village that may not fit exactly into one of the classes. Also, carrying out the reform in a mass campaign makes it easier for the peasants to understand the objectives of the reform easier as slogans can be used that help simplify the goals of the campaign. These slogans can be used to unite the peasants so that they feel as though they are all striving for the same goals and to ignite the peasants to overthrow the enemy classes that are exploiting them. I have seen the benefits of this class division but I have also seen some negative aspects in dividing the peasants in such a manner.

One of the benefits for dividing the peasants into the different classes is it clearly identifies which people are in the landlord class so that work party members like myself can confiscate their excess land that they were using to exploit the poor and middle peasant classes for redistribution. The village my work party was sent to is an example of this benefit. When we arrived, we held a mass meeting in the makeshift town square asking the peasants to speak bitterness and identify who the landlords in the area were. No one stepped forward to speak but when we traveled to individual family homes, they were eager to speak bitterness and help us identify the landlord who was exploiting all the villagers. We quickly apprehended the landlord, staged a public trial where he was punished for his past crimes and his excess land was redistributed among the peasants. This event makes me proud to recollect and I imagine if I had been sent to my village and I could personally give my father his own land.

One negative aspect of the mass land reform campaign is the fact that in some scenarios, some people do not fit into a particular class or they do not fit the description of that class. In these cases, I have seen people that may not be in the landlord class still tried and struggled against. In the village my work team is in, after we got rid of the exploitative landlord, there was still not enough land for everyone so we needed to find more to distribute. However, even after the personal meeting in family homes, no one could identify a landlord or wealthy peasant. Unfortunately, a middle peasant that quite a few villagers disliked was dragged out and struggled against. Speaking individually with some villagers, they were very concerned to see the middle peasant struggled against as he was always helpful and lenient to the poor peasants and workers. I can remember a middle peasant like this in my own village. He had some extra land that he would rent out but he was a hard working man and was always lenient when rent could not be paid. I wonder what happened to him, I hope he is alright, he has helped and continues to help my family so much.

Hello readers. Nestled in the remote and rugged mountains of Shanxi Province, Yenan has emerged as an epicenter of hope, ideology and revolution in China. My editor has made me travel here to investigate why people of all backgrounds from all over China are flocking to this relatively obscure town. After being here for a few days, it is evident that Yenan has become more than just a geographical location; it symbolizes a vision of a different China and offers a unique appeal that attracts individuals from all corners of the country.

 

The greatest threat to Chinese people, both Communists and Nationalists alike, is the Japanese invasion. Although Japanese troops have occupied  Manchuria since 1931, they have progressively advanced south and west into mainland China. In 1937, the Japanese launched a full scale invasion of China, aiming to conquer the whole country. They have already captured vital cities such as Beijing, Wuhan, Shanghai and Canton. Along the way, the Japanese have been committing atrocities that are hard to imagine. I have spoken with two peasants who escaped to Yenan from a village that was ravaged by the Japanese. One described how her father was stripped naked and then tied in line with 10 other men. The Japanese burned and killed for three days and three nights and then they left. When the peasant went back, she found her father in a pit with several bullet wounds in his chest. The other peasant described how he was able to escape the village at night but when he came back to his house, there was nothing but silence. He remembers how he found his wife and three year old child dead in a well and found his parents and grandparents in a mass grave the Japanese made. He told me with tears in his eyes how he gave them all a proper burial.

 

With these atrocities in mind, Chiang’s response to the Japanese invasion has also left many Chinese people feeling irritated. In the beginning of the invasion, Chiang actually refused to fight the Japanese and even bowed to Japanese demands. It took him being kidnapped and returned to elicit a response to oppose the Japanese. When they did engage the Japanese, they were defeated handedly and pushed back from Nanjing to Chongqing. Contrary to this, Mao and the CCP have confronted the Japanese straight on. They marched to Yenan, which is not too far from Manchuria, to oppose the Japanese invasion. Their guerilla warfare tactics have also helped them to win battles against the Japanese, even though the Japanese have superior military weapons. There is a sense here in Yenan that the CCP -and not Chiang’s government- are the true soldiers fighting for China.

 

The other reason for the mass migration to Yenan is the improved life that many people are enjoying here. To start, Yenan offers a safe and stable environment for these peasants to begin their new life. Many have come here to escape the atrocities of the Japanese but they are also escaping corruption and lawlessness from government officials and landlords. The CCP’s effective governance and control over the region has created an environment where law and order prevail. An example of this order can be seen in The Little Red Book where Mao lays out the Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points For Attention. The people at Yenan not only accept but study Mao’s teachings. I think this is because they believe Mao is one of them. He lives modestly amongst the people and if someone had not pointed it out to me, I would have never recognized him among the people (he looks different in person than in pictures in my opinion). Through Mao’s teachings, peasants have also been able to receive an education. Mao is helping peasants to become literate and teaching the peasants how to write. For those that are unable to learn to read, Mao has called upon the artists to create pictures that can convey the same messages being taught. Everything that happens here is for the people. Mao and the CCP are first and foremost concerned about the people of China and this concern attracts many people to want to be here. 

 

Readers, I have only been here a few days but I understand why thousands of people are flocking to Yenan. The energy here is addicting. I do not want to leave. I want to stay and be a part of a new China.

In the midst of China’s turbulent period in the early 1930s, I find myself exploring the various perspectives that are shaping the nation’s destiny. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is gaining momentum as a significant contender in the political landscape, and it is essential to understand why many Chinese are looking towards the CCP as a potential solution to the nation’s myriad problems.

To grasp the appeal of the CCP, we must first consider the time leading up to the present time. The country has been ravaged by internal strife, foreign imperialism, warlordism, and poverty. The Republic of China, established in 1912, was struggling to unify the nation under a central government. Furthermore, the Republic has also struggled with combating against foreign nations gaining more Chinese territory. In this environment of chaos and despair, the appeal of a revolutionary party like the CCP has begun to grow.

One of the primary reasons for the increasing support for the CCP is their commitment to land reform and their resistance against corruption. In rural China, peasants face extreme exploitation and poverty under the traditional landlord system. The peasants are forced to pay interests by the landlords for many years in advance and the peasants are subject to violence if they do not pay. Moreover, regional warlords exercise control over vast territories. These warlords constantly fought among themselves but when they did, the peasants suffered the most. As a person I interviewed said “Lots of people were so scared. They just went and hid all the time. When the warlords got into a fight, people’s lives were completely devastated.” The CCP’s promise to redistribute land, bring an end to the lawlessness, and empower peasants resonated with millions who yearned for a better society. Land reform initiatives by the CCP in regions such as Jiangxi garnered widespread support as peasants saw their lives improve. To think my father could own the land he works on everyday is quite the thought. I look forward to that day. 

Amidst widespread poverty and inequality, the CCP’s ideology of social justice and equality struck a chord with urban workers and some intellectuals. I believe the greatest equality they are fighting for is regarding women. As Mao stated in The Little Red Book in the chapter titled Women, “These four authorities-political, clan, religious and masculine-are the embodiment of the whole feudal-patriarchal ideology and system, and are the four thick ropes binding the Chinese people…” Women are still subject to outdated practices such as foot binding and they had no right to decide who or when they would get married. I interviewed a woman who told me how a landlord came to her house, saw her 15 year old sister and took her to be his wife. The landlord also wanted her to be his maid. She was only 7 years old and in the end her father sold her as a child bride. The interview made me think about both of my older sisters. What would their life be like if they could decide for themselves? The CCP is also educating peasants, helping them to strengthen their minds. I am a living testament for what could happen if peasants had access to education. The peasants believe that the CCP can bring about a society where wealth was more evenly distributed and the masses had access to education.

These are exciting times but these are also dangerous times. Please everyone be careful and take care of themselves. The future has so much in store for the people of China, we must grab ahold of our future. 

大家好。我的名字是张艺诚。我五月二十四号，一九一零年出生在贵州省一个城市叫遵义。我的家庭都是农民，每天都在田里干活。我的爷爷和奶奶在我出生之前去世了。我爸爸和妈妈每天干农活来养我和我两个姐姐和弟弟。我的家很穷，所以长大的时候，我必须一边帮父母干活一边去上学。我非常爱学习和读书。每天不管多累，我都会找时间把作业写完。

我现在在广州上大学，学的专业是经济学。我有机会来广州上大学因为我成绩很好，但主要是因为我父母得到了足够的钱付学费当他们把我两个姐姐嫁给其他有钱的家住。我不在大学的时候，我会回家看我父母和弟弟。每次回家的时候，我会带一些书回去给我弟弟，希望他也可以跟我在广州上大学。我很少见到我两个姐姐因为他们都到北京了，但是尽量保次练习。

我要这一份工作因为我知道将来中国会有很大的改变，我希望帮祖国做贡献，记录我们伟大的历史。我也希望能提供跟多消息给农民们，让他们得到跟多消息。谢谢。

张艺诚

Hello everybody. My name is Zhang Yi Cheng. I was born on May 24, 1910 in a rural city called Zunyi in the province of Guizhou. I come from a family of farmers. My grandparents passed away before I was born. My parents are farmers and they work the land everyday to be able to provide for my two older sisters, my younger brother and I. Growing up, we were very poor, so I would have to help my parents work the land and also complete my studies. However, this was not an issue for me as I loved to read and learn new knowledge. No matter how tired I was after helping my parents, I would always finish my homework and find time to read.

Currently, I study at the university in Guangzhou, majoring in Economics. I have the opportunity to attend the university in Guangzhou  because I was the top of my class in Zunyi but the main reason I am able to attend is because my family had enough money to pay for my tuition after they sold my older sisters into marriages. When I am not at the university, I go back home frequently to visit my parents and younger brother. Every time I go back, I bring some books for my younger brother to read and learn new knowledge. I hope he joins me at the university in Guangzhou to study. I do not see my two older sisters very much because they have moved to Beijing with their husbands, but we try our best to stay in touch.

I took this job because I know that there are many great changes and reforms coming soon and I wish to contribute and play my part in our great nations history. I also took this job in order to better spread information to towns like my own to better inform the farmers of current events happening in our country. Thank you.

Zhang Yi Cheng