李秀英’ s Journal: Growing Up in the Cultural Revolution

August 21st, 1966The Breaking of the Four Olds

We slam down the Four Olds with new ways!

August 21st, 1966

As I heard the teachers at school arguing anxiously, I realized my pale hands were clammy; I didn’t remember the moisture approaching or the process of sweating - I never do. I was either sweaty or not sweaty. I wasn’t supposed to be there, but the adults seemed really concerned about the “Proletarian Revolution” I’ve been hearing about. I don’t see why they worry. We are in good hands – I trust Chairman Mao Zedong, as we all should. Apparently the situation is getting more serious. The Proletarian Revolution is finally having some sort of effect. Mao is at last gaining the attention he deserves. People have been breaking the Four Olds. I didn’t know what that meant, but my Nai Nai told me that the Four Olds are old culture, old ideas, old customs, and old habits. She said that Mao is breaking what they were used to. So what? Change is good. There is never too much change.

There are counterrevolutionaries, as Mao has begun to call them, who have been upset with the Four Olds being broken. Why is it so wrong to change outdated terms? New ideas lead to better things! We should put higher quality systems into place. There is no point in keeping flawed systems simply for “cultural purposes”. I am so glad that there has been posters found on the hung up on streets of China, supporting the demolishment of the Four Olds. They read: “Sweep away all monsters and demons”. More and more Da Zibaos have been put up – they have been becoming more popular since the first on was written and Mao used them for his own purposes. Mao’s quotes and ideas have also started being published in the People’s Daily, the newspaper that is published for all of China everyday. We must be modernized, and if Mao agrees, then it must be true.

I joined a group called the Red Guards. We support Mao and the organization inspires others to support him as well. So far it is only made up of younger people in high school (like myself) and some college students. We have been helping others realize that the revolution is necessary and new ideas shape a higher functioning country. We have been doing this by confiscating and eliminating items from peoples’ homes that are related to the Four Olds. Some people protest, but it is simply for their own good. The belongings are old-fashioned and people should not be reminded of these obsolete objects, or it will stand in the way of our quickly developing society. The Red Guards take much pride in supporting Mao Zedong in this way. My biggest dream is to someday meet the Great Chairman Mao. My chest warms up just from the thought. He is our leader and our superior – to meet him would be the ultimate experience. How shaky my slender knees would be! He wouldn’t even have to shake my hand; it would already be shaking! Long live the Red Guards! Long live Chairman Mao!

September 15th, 1971The Lin Biao Affair

Lin Biao, the terrible man who attempted Project 571

September 15th, 1971

I cannot describe fear. Fear is when your heart beats fast and your knees start to shake. I inhaled fear and I exhaled fear; fear was pumping through my veins for days after the news came. I expect (and hope) that others were feeling the same pressure. Lin Biao is no longer alive; he died with his partners in crime. He was revealed to have been planning the overthrow of Chairman Mao Zedong! After all these years of supporting him during the revolution! I thought China could trust this man. I simply cannot believe that the man who stood by Mao’s side for so long could do such a treacherous thing. I must admit, however that this came as a shock to most of us. There has not been much opposition in a long while. Thankfully, him and his partners died in a plane crash in Mongolia. How angry and frustrated Mao must be. Our community shares those feelings. We thought he could be Mao’s heir. We hope he did not have anyone arranged to stay in China to do what he intended to. We are on high alert.

It is rumored that Lin Biao was simply jealous of Mao’s fame and power. Lin Biao was one of the few who were close to Mao that were never captured or arrested, after all. Mao never managed to have a loyal right-hand-man just as we thought Lin Biao was. Perhaps he was planning this through all of the events that we went through; the swimming in the Yangtze River, the impeachment of Liu Xiaoqi, the schools being closed, even the Down to the Countryside Movement! Lin Biao was at Mao’s side as his right-hand-man through all of this and still had the nerve to attempt “Project 517”! Was he plotting this through all of this? Did he also plan through writing the lies on paper before he stood on stage and expressed his “support” for the revolution? And we all acted like such simple fools, we cheered for him.

I wonder how many years he had been plotting for. How did he begin to get people involved? His son and his wife were on his team, as well as others – there must have been so many disloyal liars helping him. They crashed in Öndörkhaan, Mongolia. He was 63 years old but should not have lived as long. We are glad to have them out of China. Mao must be distressed; he has not had true loyalty in so long. I remember someone - a professor, I assume - who admitted in their journal that they wished for the death of Chairman Mao and wished Lin Biao had survived! How could one wish such a terrible thing for such a magnificent leader? He saved us, and these uneducated people do not understand! Everyone shamed him after hearing, obviously. We attacked him last night! How disrespectful he was! I hope Lin Biao is suffering in the underworld. This just proves how powerful Mao Zedong is. Mao cannot be conquered! He cannot be deceived!

The Gang of Four Being ArrestedOctober 7th, 1976

Jiang Qing, Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, and Wang Hongwen. These are the criminals who caused all the chaos!

October 7th, 1976

I can practically feel the shock and change in the air. Everyone is… not so much afraid as confused. What will we do? The Gang of Four guided us, until we decided that they were counterrevolutionary. We now just seem to be lost. Is the revolution over? Do we do something about this? The revolution was, after all, starting to lose its fire after the death of Mao Zedong. The Gang of Four was made up of four political figures that we worshipped, but then were revealed to have caused the chaos from the beginning of the revolution! These figures were Jiang Qing, Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, and Wang Hongwen. Jiang Qing was Mao’s wife, however she was not nearly as successful as him in the slightest. Supporters of the Gang were also arrested, however for some time, everyone was a supporter! This is a very different situation now, obviously. They have been shamed by almost everyone in China. They deceived us!

After Lin Biao died, the revolution died down. There were not many riots or events – there was not much change. Now that Mao has passed away and the Gang of Four have been arrested, the Cultural Revolution has no traction whatsoever. I can’t believe this happened! Mao suffered from a heart attack no more than a mere month ago, and this already. Mao would have been infuriated just as we are. Everyone in China was very angry, I remember, actually much of China was angry with the Gang of Four because they tried to overthrow Deng Xiaoping. We all wanted Deng Xiaoping as our leader after Chairman Mao passed away! They are all counterrevolutionaries who do not deserve leadership. They do not even deserve rights or freedom. I’m very grateful that others have become conscious of this as well. The Gang of Four is full of cons that are rightfully being taken to prison.

After Chairman Mao passed, we were all scattered and afraid. At first the Gang of Four was a blessing, but we slowly came to realize that they were counterrevolutionaries! I could hardly believe that Chairman Mao’s wife was so selfish and different from Mao! I attended the trial. Jiang Qing was very emotional and protested several times. If she were honest or at least slightly decent, she would not have protested. However, if any of them were honest or decent they would not have committed such inconsiderate crimes. She seemed to be the only one who was fighting. The others must have realized their crimes. Jiang Qing and Zhang Chunqiao were sentenced to life imprisonment and Yao Wenyuan and Wang Hongwen were sentenced for 20 years. They deserved it! They did something horrific and deceived China. That is all. We don’t know what happens now. All I know is that the Gang of Four is no longer in power, which is good. Hopefully China can become what Mao had in mind. I suppose this marks the end of the Great Proletarian Revolution.

Citations

"Gang of Four." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.

"Lin Biao." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.

"Menu." Anaemic On A Bike. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015.