Shadows of The Great Cultural Revolution

 

Shadows of The Great Cultural Revolution

My grandfather always said that the period of The Great Cultural Revolution was a terrible time in China and a horrible time for his family. In 1966, Mao Zedong, the chairman of Chinese government, wanted to develop communism and remove all capitalist influences. He believed that everyone should be equal, and individual property should not exist in Chinese society. If anyone disagreed with his opinion or looked forward to having capitalist lifestyle, such as doing private business, learning foreign culture, or having relationship with foreigners, they would be considered as betrayers. They would face the risk of losing all property, being arrested, or being sent to the farm and receive moral education. During this period, it was easy to falsely accuse and frame someone. My grandfather was falsely accused because he inherited a luxurious house from my great-grandfather, and someone was jealous of it. This house was built with the help of some overseas funds. In addition, my family had some relatives abroad at that time. The government believed that my family had some relationship with foreign countries, so my grandfather’s house was confiscated. It was lucky that my grandfather had not been arrested, only lost his house. He always comforted himself by saying this. However, I could feel his pain and sadness through his eyes when he told me this story. The Great Cultural Revolution made my family suffer a lot of difficulties. Even now, as the youngest generation, my siblings and I are still affected by its indirect influences.

My grandmother told me that my grandfather seemed to have aged ten years overnight after losing his house. He became reticent and was always smoking to relieve his depression. Losing the house meant losing everything for him. My grandfather not only lost his property, but also lost his spirit. This house was the only property his father left him. In addition, my grandfather and his children were all born there, so this house held many of their valuable memories. The value of this house could not only be measured by money. After living in a relative’s house for several months and avoiding being homeless, my grandfather wanted to build another house. He was poor at that time. Luckily, my grandfather’s relatives and friends were willing to lend him some money to build a house. My grandfather was grateful for their help and tried his best to earn more and pay back the money as soon as possible, as everybody had a rough economic situation. However, private business was not allowed during this period. The only source of income for most people was farming. My grandfather could only make some handcrafts secretly in a cave and sell them at the illegal market. Therefore, my grandfather had to farm during the day and try to earn extra money at night.

In addition, my oldest uncle, an eight-year-old boy at that time, suddenly became as mature as an adult. As the eldest child in the family, while his brother just knew playing with friends and his sister was a baby who couldn’t walk, he knew the influences of this revolution and the meaning of losing a house. Therefore, he wanted to protect and take care of his family as a man. He shared housework with my grandmother like feeding chickens and cooking. He also needed to take care of his youngest brother and sister. What’s more, my oldest uncle needed to help my grandparents build the house, as they didn’t hire others to save money. They built the house themselves. My oldest uncle’s job was to move building materials. It was hard work, but he never complained. At an age when he could play with friends without concern, he chose to take more responsibility with the family. In addition, because of the revolution, the education system became chaotic. In this period, many teachers and intellectuals were humiliated or arrested, so many students thought studying was not useful. My oldest uncle also thought so. In addition, considering the family economic situation and safety, my oldest uncle chose to give up his studies, so he could save more money instead of wasting it on studying. Then, he would have more spare time to take care of his family. He tried to struggle for a better life with his parents.

Born in a new era, when it is totally different from the period of revolution, my siblings and I carry the hope of my entire family. Nowadays, it is the age of rapid development with no more restrictions in China. As the youngest generation, we have more opportunities to create a bright future. The economic situation of my family has improved. The struggle of the previous generation has helped create a better living and educational environment for my siblings and me. We not only enjoy life and freedom but also cherish everything that is hard to win now. In addition, due to the loss, my grandfather had a lot of expectations for us. He believed that studying is the best way to fulfill a dream, so he always paid more attention to our studies. Under his supervision, my siblings and I never dared to be lazy in our studies. He also felt that he owed his children a lot, so he didn’t want his grandsons and granddaughters to face the same difficulties. He always tried his best to meet our needs. He hoped we can be happy and have a better future. I think we are moving forward on the path that my grandfather hoped for.

My grandfather’s previous house still stands at the same location, but the owner has changed. When I was in China, every time I went back to my hometown and passed by that house, and look at this house that my grandfather had been talking about all along, it seemed like I was sharing the same pain with my grandfather at that time. The impact of history is unforgettable and inevitable. What my family can do is put the pain down, learn from it, welcome a new life and struggle for a better future together.