On the Ground in China

Dear Comrades, 

 

In my old age, I have been able to reflect back on my life not only as a journalist, but as a part of Mao’s revolution. During this crucial time for the people of China, it is important to reflect not only on the parties ideologies but also one’s views on how the revolution has gone up to where we stand in society today. Through my various interviews and sources I’ve been able to gather through the years, I have been able to learn the ins and outs of the CCP and the effects it’s had on society. As a neutral journalist, I have reported on real events happening within the party from the cities, all the way to Yenan and other rural areas. I have gone out of my way to acquire information in any way possible, even joining a commune and carrying out labor to put myself in the shoes of the masses. Though I have seen and reported on some misfortunate events as a result of the party’s policies, I have taken a second look at my own thoughts and words. I am repentful to speak of the dark days of the party, as those days don’t truly define what Mao has implemented in our society. The leadership of Mao that allowed China to escape the traditional confucianism and into the revolution is a great feat that no one else could lead. Before this revolution took place, peasants lived frantically and miserably. Without the work of the CCP, these people would have no opportunities to break the cycle of struggle that their families faced generation after generation. Though we aren’t completely out of struggle “He who is not afraid of death by a thousand cuts dares to unhorse the emperor” (Mao 27) this struggle is necessary to build up our society into socialism and communism. 

As a good Chinese citizen, I keep my Little Red Book in my pocket at all times and refer to it multiple times a day. At the beginning of my career in journalism, I was naive to overlook the words and only take a glance at the words of Chairman Mao. Now, I look for the correlations between the words Mao and those policies he implemented into society. I believe Mao is genius for this because it states his true intentions of what he wants China to be and his clear cut goals should be ingrained in the people of China. Although no policy can be perfect and not everytime will everyone support the goals of the leader, Mao demonstrates his best effort to create an equal and prosperous country in the eyes of the peasants. When leading this party, Mao explained how sacrifice and struggle was necessary to grow. He also suggests that it is a good thing to have disagreements as “if there were no contradictions in the Party and no ideological struggles to resolve them, the Party’s life would come to an end” (Mao, 27). This means it is necessary to have violence going on within the country and though it may not seem ideal, it keeps the country striving to be better. The CCP has proven it can unite a variety of people under the same ideologies which is the most important feature in a society. I may have mixed up my words when speaking of these policies in my earlier journals, but because I believe in Mao’s plan and the CCP I will be able to mend my mistakes. 

My valued readers,

For the last three decades, I have done my best to provide you with the most accurate, and honest opinion as to what has happened in our great nation. This incredible journey has taken me all across the country, from my home, to my time in school, to Yenan to observe the early Communist Party, and more recently to the countryside to report on land reform and the hardships of the recent natural disasters. I have tried to stay true to my roots when reporting. I know that I come from a more privileged background when compared to many of my fellow citizens, and this fact has not been lost on me. However, I’m afraid that it has caused me to make several grave mistakes in my reporting. Chairman Mao once said, “It is man’s social being that determines his thinking” (Mao, 96). I have spent the last weeks tirelessly studying the works of the Chairman, working out my wrongdoings, and understanding how I need to think and act better.

When reporting on land reform almost a decade ago, I contradicted the Party’s policies by voicing an opinion that I didn’t think that fairly achieved wealth should be taken away.  This was a mistaken opinion, as I should have put my faith in the Chairman and the Party, as they are the ones who dared to create positive change. As the Chairman said, “A revolution is not a dinner party” (Mao, 14). While I was at first taken aback by the violence, through reflection, I have come to understand how it was necessary in order to create the socialist society of the future. I hope that you all can forgive me for my transgressions, and see how hard I have worked to correct my thought to continue to bring the best possible reporting.

孙诚

6/10/1967

Hello All,

Mi Man Tian here again to address the situation of the red guard and the accusations many of my colleagues and I have been facing. My only intention in writing for the great newspaper that is “On the Ground in China” was to provide the masses with the most accurate and up to date information. I am willing to admit I have failed at that. I have been too preoccupied by the small setbacks that have been mere bumps in the road on the journey of glorious Chairman Mao, the great CCP, and the wonderful nation of China.

I have committed myself to improving my thoughts and decision making in ways of Chairman Mao. I have been devoting myself to his thoughts and policies by reading and memorizing his speeches from all these years ago.

I have criticized Mao in a few ways that I would like to clear up. Firstly, I once, many, many, years ago, condemned the party for the violence that the land reform campaigns could have possibly been responsible for. This is a complete misunderstanding. I should have known that these landlords and factory workers had it coming to them, and they should be punished for the way they treated people over their years. After all, Mao said, “it is only by the power of the gun that the working class and the labouring masses can defeat the armed bourgeoisie and landlords; in this sense we may say that only with guns can the whole world be transformed” (LBR 29) in 1938. I have now seen the way that Mao intended for these problems to be handled and I agree full heartedly. I have no idea what I was thinking!

While I am definitively guilty of crimes against the nation of China that I can only hope to repent for, I have also praised the chairman and the party or their policies and actions in the past. Years ago, I said in this very newspaper, “The Nationalist government’s inability to effectively address these pressing issues and unite the country under a single banner is what is leading to the popularity of the CCP. Its promises to not only fix the wrongdoings of the Nationalist party but also fix issues that have affected people in this country for generations”.

One again I would like to apologize for my transgressions against the nation. And can only hope for your mercy. I am so grateful to have a leader like Mao and a party like the CCP to run the nation I call home!

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 Tongzhimen,

I began my reporting career expressing to my readers the reasons the Communist Party could be the answer for bringing China great prosperity and returning the country to its former might. I prided myself on being a productive member of my work team, and now a teacher to the youth of Communist China. 

As I have participated in the Party’s mass campaigns, I have done my part to spread the ideals of the Communist Party throughout China. During land reform however, I am sorry to say that I allowed myself to question the policies of the Party. Through extensive self-reflection and reading my copy of the Quotations from Chairman Mao, I have realized the egregious error of my ways, and how my reporting during that time did not reflect my personal revolutionary values. I reported based on my experience in one village, rather than thinking about the socialist movement in China as a whole.  

I have always admired Chairman Mao and his commitment to equality for women, shown in many of his speeches and writings. The Chairman has fought valiantly for marriage equality, the right for women to work outside of the home, equal pay, and battled to change countless other inequities left from the old ways. As early as 1927 the Chairman, when organizing rural women’s associations, stated that “the opportunity has come for [women] to lift up their heads, and the authority of the husband is getting shakier every day” (LRB 130). He gave Chinese women the opportunity to “lift their heads” and rise up like never before. Chairman Mao has gone above and beyond in keeping his promise towards women, stating in 1955 that “men and women must receive equal pay for equal work in productive activity” (LRB 131). I truly regret expressing my concerns to the Party during the land reform campaign, and I have continued my work to right these wrongs. 

I am grateful to Chairman Mao and the Party for offering us the opportunity for self-criticism, because “conscientious practice of self-criticism is still another hallmark distinguishing our Party from all other political parties” and “as we say, dust will accumulate if a room is not cleaned regularly” (LRB 114). Please Comrades, accept my sincerest apologies and understand that I am dedicated to change, and dedicated to the Party. Long live Chairman Mao!

Dear fellow reporters and comrades, I am writing to you today with a message different from that of my usual dispatches. It is becoming increasingly clear to me that through bits and pieces of my reporting, my words have been nothing less than reckless. In the early 1950s, I published a piece in On the Ground in China that inaccurately described the goals of the great Chairman Mao’s Land Reform initiative. I claimed that Chairman Mao was engaging in theatrics as he set out to achieve the wonderful rewards that Land Reform would bring to the masses. Upon reflecting, however, I feel it is wrong for me to imply that the Chairman engages in theatrics. Chairman Mao is a man who sets out to achieve goals for the people, not to play around. I should have known from some of the Chairman’s most famous words that he was not here to engage in theatrics. He tells us, “Our stand is that of the proletariat and of the masses. For members of the Communist Party, this means keeping to the stand of the Party, keeping to Party spirit and Party policy.” [LRB 15] I have always understood the importance of standing with the proletariat and I hope that I can be forgiven for my remarks. 

Comrades, this is not the only place where I have made false claims. In my article about the Three Years of Natural Disasters, I wrote “I can only wonder who will claim responsibility for the devastating past few years.” I would never ever accuse the Chairman of causing three years of natural disasters. Surely that is outrageous. Of course, it is impossible for the Chairman to somehow cause terrible storms to ravage the countryside. Am I silly? Do I not know how the weather works? As I should know during these Three Years of Natural Disasters, many sacrifices were made. “Wherever there is struggle there is sacrifice, and death is a common occurrence” [LRB 82]. I understand the implications of my reckless comments throughout my reporting. I am wholeheartedly in support of the great Chairman, who I know will only bring our great country to new heights never seen before.

Comrade Leader and Fellow Citizens,

I stand before you today with a heavy heart and a humble spirit, acknowledging my grave errors and misguided actions. As a reporter, entrusted with the responsibility to convey the truth, I regrettably allowed my judgment to falter, leading me to speak out against the Communist Party of China, the very cornerstone of our great nation.

In my pursuit of truth, I lost sight of the collective vision that has guided our country towards prosperity and unity. I failed to recognize the unwavering dedication of our Party and its leaders, especially our esteemed Chairman Mao, whose wisdom has illuminated our path.

I now understand the gravity of my actions and the impact they have had on our society. My words sowed seeds of doubt, inadvertently creating divisions among us. I failed to uphold the principles of unity, harmony, and socialism that our Party stands for. For this, I sincerely apologize to all my fellow citizens and especially to the Party, which I hold in the highest regard.

Through self-reflection and the teachings of our Party, I have come to realize the errors of my ways. I have learned that true progress can only be achieved through unwavering loyalty to our Party and its leadership. I have been selfish, but now I realize “The people who have triumphed in their own revolution should help those still struggling for liberation” (Mao, August 8, 1963). My outspoken distaste with the Chinese Communist Party was not directed at the party per-say, but it was my content with my life that led me a stray from helping others with their revolution. 

I have committed myself to rectifying my thoughts and actions, embracing the ideology by following in the footsteps of Lei Feng and become more providing to the people that need it most.

I am grateful for this opportunity to correct my mistakes and reaffirm my allegiance to the Communist Party of China. I pledge to intensify my efforts in serving our nation, promoting the Party’s core values, and standing as a staunch defender of our collective ideals.

May my self-criticism serve as a testament to my dedication to the cause of socialism and the continued prosperity of our great motherland.

Yours humbly and faithfully,

Miao Bing Rong 

My dear readers, I have been writing to you for a long time. Starting back when our great leader Chairman Mao fought off the capitalist government that was doing their absolute best to ruin China. The building of the CCP in Yenan, Land reform, collectivization, and then most recently the great leap forward. However, I have led you astray as it is not my turn to repent and write a self-criticism for remarks I have made when I obviously wasn’t educated enough on Chairman Mao’s view to be giving an opinion let alone inform your opinion, dear reader.  

Long before Chairman Maos thought was so readily available to study thoroughly in the little red book I went home for the first time since the war against Japanese aggression and when I arrived I saw my first struggle session against the foul landlords who took advantage of the righteous people of China and I couldn’t help but question the violence that ensued with the beatings of rich families and the death of many landlords. 

This was a temporary lapse in judgment stemming from many scenes of violence and brutality etched into my mind from a time my new comrades did not experience and from a time before the availability of Chairman Mao’s thoughts. It was hard being in the trenches with Mao at Yenan and reporting on what was going on in the surrounding areas and the violence made me tired. However now with Mao’s thoughts written down in such a beautiful understandable manner I see that a nation’s struggle is indicative of a Class struggle and that violence is part of that struggle. I also understand that the peasants needed to rise up and fight their landlords in order to overthrow the mental shackles as the peasants had experienced years and years of mistreatment economically and politically. It is all thanks to the more recent distribution of Mao Zedong though that I now have dedicated myself to understanding things I was unable to comprehend before because our great leader Mao sees the whole picture of events in China where I have only seen the places I have been. All my simple questions have been answered by the concise chapters of the Little Red Book and Mao has enlightened me to be a better comrade than I ever have been before this point. 

My dear readers. When we last spoke China was moving forward under the leadership of Chairman Mao.

Although we continue to follow party policy in the hopes of not just moving forward but leaping forward. Things are bleak. I am still in Shaanxi with my family. I have not seen a smile in my house for years. We are all starving. My grandfather passed away after giving his food to my grandmother and now my grandmother is sick with malnutrition and most likely won’t make it. My father had to close his general store and is made to work in the fields. My mother who used to never leave the house now has to abandon my sick grandmother in order to tend to the children of the village. Once she tried to stay home to tend to my grandmother and was slapped by a party cadre for not showing up to the commune. The basis of our family has been broken by these party policies. I used to see my family every night for dinner but now we can only eat in the collective dining hall and it is not the same. 

I work in the fields with my sister where we work long days with little food and are encouraged to implement farming methods thought of by party officials who I believe have been misguided. While not everyone has been a farmer the party’s ideas for how to plant crops seem strange. The idea of deep farming and planting the seeds deep underground to make stronger plants is possibly counterintuitive to Chairman Mao’s harvest goals and anyone who is educated and most with general experience knows that this will just kill the plant before it gets a chance to sprout. 

We all follow these policies anyway because of our faith in Chairman Mao and his policies. He hasn’t led us astray yet and I hope this indescribable suffering is just in north China and that Chairman Mao is attempting to gather relief for us and replace our unreliable cadre as quickly as possible. We only wake up and get through the day because of the loudspeakers and posters showing us that these policies are working in other parts of China. The paper contained a photo of children standing on top of strong plants and we hope to achieve the same results if everything can run as Chairman Mao intends them. However, my confidence in these matters has been shaken. I wonder who approved these strategies for large-scale implementation. I am sure Chairman Mao is using China’s best and brightest to affirm his plans before the guidance is pushed to the peasants. 

I hope beyond hope for a miracle to happen although I have no idea what can be done so that people will feel the effects fast enough to stop the suffering. I hope this is just a problem in the north of China and that the party is trying their best to solve it however only time will tell. I hope you are all with your families and that you are having a better time than I. 

Dear Comrades,

I am writing to you today ashamed and remorseful for my previous writings criticizing our great Communist Party during our Great Leap Forward. My misguided statements came out of love and admiration for our party and our mission to bring China into a new, independent, and equitable future. In accordance with Chairman Mao’s belief that “we can get rid of the bad style but keep the good” (LRB, 114), statements are not the same as beliefs, and my statements are not in line with my absolute faith in our grand Communist Party, and our obviously successful Great Leap Forward.

Why should we throw the baby out with the bathwater? Why should I not be allowed to wipe dust away in my mind? Chairman Mao believes decluttering and dedusting our own minds is vital for our revolution (LRB, 114). This is what separates our great Party from others that are lesser and more capitalistic, like the failed Soviet enterprise. I need and will, find new ways to prove my faith in the Communist project that China has undertaken since we won the great Civil War of 1949. I will write emphatically in support of Chairman Mao, the Party, and our Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.

For those of you who question my former status as a defile elite, I say to you that I have enthusiastically rejected my position as a member of the landlord class. I broke off contact with my family during the Land Reform campaign. I easily rejected my kin because our great Party educated me on the horrific evils my family committed. I learned from the Party about my family’s previous errors, and I chose not to walk in their evil steps, just as Chairman Mao teaches us that “a person is saved when the surgeon removes the appendix.” (LRB, 115). The Party gave me strength to remove my appendix before, and I ask again for the comradery that will help cure me of my present sickness.

I acknowledge the shortcomings of my political writings and the mistakes that I made. No one is perfect, not even me. Chairman Mao teaches everyone that every good party member is “taught by mistakes and setbacks, and that we become wiser and [will] handle our mistakes better” (LRB, 117). I promise I will do what it takes to correct my past mistakes as a faithful Party member. I implore you to follow our great Chairman and impose reasonable remedies. I would forever be grateful.

Long live Chairman Mao! Long live the Party! Long live our great China!