Diary Entries from the Cultural Revolution

1. Professor’s Xu’s Diary

2. There is only one thing that everyone wants to talk about today. The amount of noise and talk today in our classrooms are
unbelievable. I can’t blame my students though. I myself am pretty excited too. What is it you ask? Well the answer is a book. However,
this book is not just any ordinary one that anyone comes across. It is the “Quotations of Mao”. Though today is the first day that this
book is out, everyone seems to already have it.
When I say everyone, I really mean everyone, even many of the farmers outside of town seem to be reading it or talking
about it. “The revolution, and the recognition of class and class struggle, are necessary for peasants and the Chinese people to overcome
both domestic and foreign enemy elements. This is not a simple, clean, or quick struggle”, is one of my favorite quotes. I could go into
even more depth into this book, but that probably would get boring and bland. However, what I can say is that this book does mirror
what I teach very well. From what I have read, there are writings and quotes for improvement, and to fix our past problems. Past
problems, well there are quite a few.
Only half a decade or so ago, things were quite different. People all around me were dying. My students gave even more
grave news on people dying or food shortage. This was thanks to the Great Leap Forward, which I was only alive for part of. During the
Great Leap forward, there was a call to industrialize, and mass production of steel. When I visited the countryside near the end of the
Great Leap Forward, I was a little disappointed at what I thought was succeeding. Instead, people were making steel in vain, and steel
that broke far more easily than the original iron and metal that they were made of. Why? The steel that the farmers made was made out
of cheap iron, and the furnaces, which were just backyard furnaces, were very primitive ways of making steel. The steel that was
produced was far lower quality and broke as easily as ice. In addition, since people were diverted to making steel, they were unable to
farm as much. As a result, famine spread along the countryside, but fortunately, in the cities, we were fed enough. I am sure that many
people feel the Great Leap Forward was a waste of time, and it irks me that it did not accomplish much. Though there is nothing that we
can do now. All we can do is just to recover from it
Well, no need for looking back, as Mao says. What I need to do is look ahead. The government also seems to be doing the
same. The industrialization process that the Great Leap Forward suggested has been put aside, at least for the time being. They say that
there are great plans for the future with communism and socialism. All we have to do is work and do our very best, and look forward.
Who knows what will be in store for the future? Only time will tell.
The Red Book that now, many people admire and
model after
Entry #1

3. The past few days, the things that I have seen are quite amazing. Only a few days ago, Mao was sending out the call for the
“Red Guards”, to come meet him at Tianamen Square, which is only 20 minutes from the school I teach at. These Red Guards are now the
police of the revolution.
Many of them are even are students of mine. I am very proud of them, to do something for our country. Mao called for these
Guards to meet him in Tianamen Square, and to start the “Revolution”. I can see that all of the Red Guards are very devoted. When I was
passing by Tianamen Square, what I saw was unbelievable. All around the square were Red Guards, and I was slightly confused for a
moment. There was still an entire day until our leader made his appearance, why did they want to be at the square so early. Later, one of my
students explained to me that he feared that he would not get a glimpse of Mao. Many students came from far and wide to just come here to
meet Mao in Tianamen Square, and due to that, people worried that there was no space, so nearly everyone arrived far earlier, and stayed up
all night, not knowing when Mao would come to see them
I wanted equally to see our leader, so I decided to see if I can stay around on that day to see our leader. Me and a couple of my
fellow teachers decided to stand around the outskirts of the square and see if we can get a glimpse of Mao. Sure enough, we got a short, but
wonderful glimpse of him. Though it only lasted for a couple of minutes, I am unimaginably happy for some reason. I could tell that many of
the Red Guards felt the same as me. When Mao made his appearance in his majestic uniform, I can tell that many of the Red Guards were
awed. Some were there, crying in joy, some were frozen, unable to believe, and some of them were able to cheer and chant to Mao. Mao
himself greeted the crowd around him, and welcomed the Red Guards, and to start the revolution.
“Destroy the Four Olds”, Old Habits, Old Customs, Old Ideas, and Old Culture. Our leader Mao, told the Red Guards to get
rid of Imperialism, and get rid of certain “Rightists” that opposed the Revolution and punish them.
Since only a day has passed since the rally, not that much has happened, but I am sure that soon, it is going to happen. Before
this rally though, there was plenty of talk about revolution going on. The couple of Red Guards that are my students are a good example.
They already have talked about the revolution, and the Red Book.
Now, the Red Book is now something in our daily lives. Everyday in class, we learn a small bit in the Red Book and in my
school, the students are expected to memorize what they have learned. Though the revolution hasn’t been extremely apparent so far, I am
sure that things are going to change quite rapidly as time goes on.
The Rally. Clearly seen is that there
are millions of Red Guards.
Entry #2

4. Maybe Mao was right, but maybe not. I can’t tell because I am not the one being forced to leave my home for the countryside. Most of my
brilliant and smart students, and the ones that were Red Guards are all gone. They all left for the countryside. Mao decided that, in the middle
of our revolution, that he decided to stop this and send the youth to the countryside.
Now they are all gone. They are now working with the peasants and some of the ones that I knew from my occasional visits.
Before this, all of the youth were teeming on the streets and talking about revolution. They were the leader and the spirit of the revolution,
taking out anyone that was suspected to oppose this revolution. Really, anyone. I learned that over the past few years. It could be the obvious
ones, the rich people that lived a comfortable life and watch over the poor farmers, but there were also some that were quite surprising to me.
Some of the teachers that I have worked with for the past few years were also accused. It was for numerous reasons, such as favoring a
student in particular, or forgetting to bring the Red Book to class one day.
No matter how loyal someone may have seemed, people were always seemingly finding ways to accuse them. For the first
couple of months, all was going well it seemed. They were finding the obvious targets, the hated landlords and the ones that did not support
Mao. However, as the revolution escalated, things turned even more intense. In my school, people were punishing students and teachers that I
personally thought were perfectly loyal and fine. People were picking out people for very interesting reasons, and things got out of hand. I
was even called on several occasions to give testimonies on some of the accused teachers. Sometimes, it was hard. Many of the teachers were
my friends, and to make up something on them was quite tough. If I didn’t I probably would have ended up the same way as those teachers.
In addition, people were talking about Red Guard “factions” that were fighting each other. Each of these “factions” were
claiming that in each of them were the true loyalists of Mao. In my opinion, I thought that they all were, but when they questioned me,
obviously I didn’t say that. If I did, it probably would have them accusing me of not being loyal to Mao. Things just got worse
as time gone on, and I guess, if I were the leader of this, I would think that I would have to stop this at some point. So Mao decided to send
the Red Guards and many other youth to the countryside and to learn from the peasants. Now, the school is pretty much deserted and closed
down now, and I don’t know what I am going to do now.
There are only a few youth that I can see around the city now, and when I try talking to them, they seem so distraught at the
end of the revolution. Though this was not an end that I foresaw, it certainly is not a pleasing one. Maybe someday, all of those youth can
return someday.
The many Youth and Red
Guards saying goodbye to the
city.
Entry #3

5. How did Mao change over the past few years? He is completely different than before. His great helper and right-hand man, Lin Biao, is now
dead. Presumably dead from a airplane crash. Well, how? There is no answer. Mao did not elaborate in the newspaper, nor do I expect him.
Lin Biao changed so much over time. Mao claims that Lin tried to assassinate him at one point. However, this leaves a big gap. Why was Lin
still in power after he tried assassinating Mao? That makes absolutely no sense. Mao is getting more secretive, and it is not good.
The past few years have been hard. My life has completely changed. There is no more school for anyone really. All of the
youth that have been in my classes are all gone. Working in the countryside alongside the peasants. Every once in a while, I would end up
near the outskirts of Beijing, and catch a glimpse of the peasants working. It sure looked like tiring work.
There was really nothing to do for the past few years, and it was also boring too. I worked on occasion in things like factories
in the city because otherwise, there was really nothing to do. On my free time, I read the Red Book, but I am beginning to doubt what it says.
Is Mao really that great of a leader? He caused so much suffering, and some that I have seen myself. The Red Guards are so devoted to him,
but are they the right ones? They were the ones that brought out the suffering, bringing out anyone that they did not think favored Mao.
What has Mao become? There was so much talk about him and how noble he was, but now I am wondering. His explanations
nowadays are so strange, and they are quite incomplete. I am beginning to doubt him. Can we be sure that he is telling us the truth? I cannot
say for sure. No doubt that if I say this in public, trouble would find me, but I cannot help but say something.
Back before all of this, before all of my beloved students left, the revolution was the heart and the face of China. Everyday,
there were great marches, songs, and propaganda on the revolution, and everything that was “undesirable” was destroyed in front of my eyes.
Anyone, the Imperial diplomats, everyone that opposed Mao and the Communist Party were denounced and humiliated. I will admit that I did
enjoy this for some time, but ever since my students left, I was beginning to have doubts and regrets. Now I am just lost.
Mao seems to be now the unopposed leader now, with no one that disagrees with him in any part of government of any sort.
Justice may have been rang, and the once ruling landlords are now working in the factories and working for their lives, rather than lived in
luxury. In that sense, it is good, but now that I think about it, what about the ones that were innocent. What about my fellow teachers, that I
myself disgraced? I now feel ashamed.
What can we do now? Mao is in power, and there is no one left to oppose him. Even if someone opposes him, he probably will
end up just like all of Mao’s other opponents. I hope something will change for the good, but I think that the future will be cloudy for quite a
while.
To the left, there is a anti-Lin Biao
strike, and the right picture is Lin
Biao with Mao.
Entry #4

6. I think that things may have turned for the better. Mao is dead, and his close followers, the Gang Four, are now arrested and done for. The
government seems to no longer have the spirit for the Revolution, which I am just fine with. The government, now lead by Hua Goufeng, has
started to work on reforming from the chaos that has came up from this Revolution.
The revolution that Mao has been promising has made things no better. He said that with the revolution, there will be equality and
change. What I foresaw was something completely different than the thing that happened. Instead, the Red Guards took to violence and went
around doing practically anything that they wanted to the people that they punished. Looking back from now, I don’t see how there was a
revolution of any sort. It was mostly people, sometimes people that made sense, but at times, I don’t know where did they go with this.
The last year or so, Mao has been sick the whole time. People, still loyal too Mao after this, were weeping and sad about him being
sick. The first time that I heard it from one of my fellow teachers from my school, I could not believe it. “Mao was sick! Maybe this turmoil can
end,” I thought As time went on, and Mao did not get better, I could feel my hopes rising. There was really nothing else to do. Many of the
factories were closed down in the city, and there was little food.
Even the people with money could not get food. When I went to the outskirts of the city, and talked to the peasants nearby, they
told me why. The many youth that were sent to the countryside were disappointing in their performance. While they did do work, they had trouble
trying to teach the youth everything, and as a result of so many people to feed, the food production was a lot lower. People in the countryside were
hungry too.
Last month or so, Mao died in the hospital sick. He died on September 9th, early in the morning. All around, there was a air of sad
in the city. Many people were distraught at the fact that they lost their leader, and some of the younger people on the streets were weeping.
Though I myself was sort of glad that he died. The revolution, which I now see nothing good about, is now over. Maybe the youth that were sent
to the countryside would one day return. That I can hold on to.
Only a few days after Mao’s death, he was given a memorial service. Almost everyone seemed to be there, saying goodbye to Mao.
I was there too, with mixed feelings. Mao did give suffering, but he still was our leader, and who would lead us now?
The Gang Four, the close followers of Mao, were arrested today, and they were trying to continue the revolution. They said that the
revolution was still going strong, but I think that everyone can see that it is over, and our country is in ruins from the fighting and the revolution. I
think that we must slow down now. The Gang Four has now been arrested, and blamed for the crimes of the Revolution, and Mao seems to have
been forgotten that he was the culprit behind the revolution. No matter what, the only thing that I wish for right now is for things to return to
normal. Hopefully, I can return to teaching.
Mao dead at the memorial service. Many
people around him are sad and weeping.
Entry #5

7. Bibliography
Lamb, Stefanie. "Introduction To the Cultural Revolution." SPICE. Standford, Dec.
2005. Web. 15 May 2013.
Quetin, David. "Quotations from Mao Tse Tung." 2000. Web. 15 May 2013.
"Discovering China: The Cultural Revolution." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation.
Web. 10 May 2013.
"China - The Cultural Revolution." China - The Cultural Revolution. Web. 8 May
2013.

8. Pictures
The Little Red Book. 2010. Photograph. 7 Oct. 2006. Web. 15 May 2013.
Cultural Revolution. Photograph. Beijing. 19 Dec. 2009. Web. 15 May 2013
Excerpt of Lin Biao. Photograph. 1 Feb. 2004. Web. 14 May 2013.
Fighting Against Lin. Photograph. Web. 15 May 2013.
Mao's End. Photograph. Web. 15 May 2013.
Say Goodbye to ShangHai. Photograph. China's Fifty Years of Communism.
BBC, 30 Sept. 1999. Web. 14 May 2013.