In recent years, the red songs and red dramas of the Cultural Revolution have been performed one after another, once making young people feel novel, thus triggering their strong interest in finding out what really happened back then. Due to the erosion of the years, some people have intentionally or unintentionally filtered the bitterness of history in their memories, thus making some memories more or less distorted. So much so that later people actually see the 10-year catastrophe as a great journey that is tragic and singable. For example, the section on the use of Chairman Mao’s quotations, most people only recalled its sacred and solemn side, but for other aspects are rarely involved. So much so that some people actually believe that it was a Time of unprecedented purification of people’s minds and souls, and aspire to it, and even hope to “do it again”. In order to enable people to have a more comprehensive understanding of the reality of the time, it will be personal experience of the fragment embellished into words for the benefit of readers.
“Mao Zedong Thought Propaganda Station” encountered embarrassment
In my hometown, southwest Lu, before the Cultural Revolution, the “socialist Education movement” late. To propagate Mao Zedong Thought for all the content of the “red ocean”, has been a starburst of the momentum. Among them, especially the activity of whether to recite and use Chairman Mao’s quotations skillfully was the most shocking. Because at that time, the attitude towards Chairman Mao’s quotations had been elevated to the frightening level of revolutionary or non-revolutionary; real or fake revolutionary or counter-revolutionary. The Culture of reciting quotations and using them for the sake of revolution or to express revolution, or even for self-protection, had flourished. At the same time, a kind of “Mao Zedong Thought Propaganda Group”, which expressed the power of Chairman Mao’s writings, i.e. how to apply Chairman Mao’s quotations to overcome difficulties and obstacles on the revolutionary journey, was also born. As a result, a large number of activists who “live and learn” have emerged. I was born foolish, and I never got the know-how of how to behave under the guidance of Chairman Mao’s quotations. At the critical moment when I was afraid of being abandoned by the revolutionary tide, my mind was finally saved: as I could still recite a number of quotations successfully, I was assigned as a member of the village (then called brigade) level “Mao Zedong Thought Propaganda Station”, probably in the autumn and winter of 1965. As the saying goes, people are unlucky to drink a mouthful of cold water also stuffed teeth. Soon after I became a “propagandist”, I encountered the first embarrassment of a lifetime.
At that time, there were three members of the “propaganda station”, one of whom was older than the others and came from a Family of cadres who had suffered a lot in the old society, and belonged to the “self-red”, and was the ex-officio person in charge. Our daily working hours were the same as those of the community members, we worked at sunrise and rested at sunset, but we had to rotate during lunch to ensure that two people were on duty at the same time. I should say that our work is pleasant and easy. Because, first of all, I felt that I was standing guard for Chairman Mao on the front line of anti-repair and anti-repair, and the pride of being highly trusted was born. Secondly, compared with manual labor, not only do not have to sweat a lot and earn a lot of work points. Of course, the latter feeling can only be hidden deep in the heart, but not to the outside world! It should be noted that in those years, although the class struggle became more and more acute and complicated, we were not responsible for reporting class enemies (at that time, the rich, the rich, the anti, the bad and the right were all marked with special marks on their shirts, so it was easy to distinguish them), nor were we responsible for exposing words and deeds that opposed Mao Zedong’s thought, but obliged passers-by to recite Chairman Mao’s quotations. If you can’t recite it, you must learn to recite it under the tutelage of the “propagandist”, otherwise, regardless of any important matters, are not allowed to pass. Since the temporary learning was easy to learn and remember (such as “not to one’s own advantage, but to the benefit of others”, “class struggle, a grasp of the spirit”, etc.), my friends and I were able to successfully complete the task every day, so we were in a very comfortable mood. What’s more, our task was to test other people’s attitude and level of learning Mao Zedong Thought, and we never dreamed that one day we would also be tested, so we gradually developed a certain sense of superiority.
Unfortunately, this feeling of superiority was broken in a short time. It was a clear, crisp afternoon, and I was leisurely looking east when I saw someone arrive on a shiny bike. When I got closer, I saw that it was a young man who looked like a cadre. Before we could signal him, he got off the bike of his own accord. Before his hands left the handlebar, he said in an extremely kind and sincere tone: “You want me to recite the quotations of Chairman Mao, right? Good! Now I will meet your revolutionary demands.” Just as we were overjoyed that the revolutionary authority of this site was being respected, the man recited a quotation of about a hundred words, which we had never heard of, and the meaning was so unfathomable. This made me feel ashamed, and I wished the reciter would finish as soon as possible. Unexpectedly, he looked at the three of us into the confused expression, and said in a sympathetic tone: you probably have not studied it? This is a paragraph from an important speech delivered by the great leader Chairman Mao on a certain day in a certain month in a certain year, for a certain matter. If you don’t believe me, please go Home and turn to the “Mao Selected” volume a certain page, you will be able to find it. If one is a little ashamed of one’s ignorance of the quotations one has chosen to read, one is simply embarrassed by the explanatory notes that follow. What is even more terrible is that, in the face of three “Mao Zedong Thought propagandists” of the wretched image, the man did not easily give up. And actually recited two big paragraphs in a row in my ears like a heavenly book of quotations, and made the same annotated explanation. Then, we smiled at each other and said “goodbye” and left. For a long time after that, I couldn’t shake the feeling of shame deep inside me. To this day, every time I recall that scene, I can’t help but think about the following: Who was that person? Were there other “propaganda stations” that were subjected to the same kind of questioning? Was he challenging the social atmosphere of that era in that particular way? Unfortunately, there is no one else to meet, so it is difficult to answer these questions.
The Alternative Use of Chairman Mao’s Quotations
By the winter of 1966, I had dropped out of school and was bored, so I wanted to go to Xinjiang to visit my relatives and look for opportunities in the haze. Of course, at that time, I also held a bit of selfishness, that is, I could take advantage of the great revolutionary situation of the Red Guards, and ride the train for free, which could not only reduce the financial burden of my family, but also avoid the pressure of opposition from my family. I chose to embark on a westward journey from Lankao, Henan Province. The reason for this is two: one, from the traffic conditions of that era, from the southwest to the northwest, from the Lankao railway station to take the direct express train from Shanghai to Urumqi, is indeed the best choice; second, their long-awaited wish is that they must personally visit Jiao Yulu Mausoleum for a visit, in order to comfort the feelings of reverence. I remember that after the visit was already late afternoon, when into a restaurant called “workers and peasants canteen” intended to eat, an amazing scene occurred. I had just put a bowl of noodles and a burrito on the table to enjoy, when I heard someone behind me shouting in my ear, “Supreme instruction! I turned around in shock, only to see a young beggar while forcing me with a serious look, while in the tone of the lecture me: “the great leader Chairman Mao taught us to say, not to benefit themselves, dedicated to benefit others. Give me your rice!” With that, he had put his dirty hand in front of me. Such a situation is really a dilemma. If I had the intention not to give it, it would be obviously against the leader’s teaching; if I gave it, it would be followed by starving myself. When I was confused, I was relieved by a diner at the same table. He said in a loud voice to the justified beggar: “The great leader Chairman Mao also taught us that we should do it ourselves and have enough Food. Do not give!” Said while waving his hand to drive the beggar away from the table. Perhaps because of the first encounter, since then, I have encountered many times “live and learn from Chairman Mao’s quotations” example, but not as impressive.
As far as I can remember, another slightly more creative “living and learning” was at a criticism meeting initiated by the revolutionary masses. The person being criticized was a petite woman who, with the “Red Book” in her hand, muttered: “Let’s fight in literature, not in arms”. However, it was useless to see a big man slam her down on the dueling platform, and then, slowly unbuckling the military belt around her waist, grabbing her hair with one hand and holding it high with the other, she recited the quotation with a fierce face: “As far as our own wishes are concerned, we do not want to fight even one day. However, if the situation forces us to fight, we will be able to fight to the end!” Before the words were out of her mouth, she was wielding a brass headband, which sent her tumbling to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. Other people, led by the presenter, chanted slogans, making people feel horrible.
In addition, there is still a “live and learn” example is also worth remembering, it is not my own experience, but from a friend of the year statement, but has full credibility. It is said that in a high bridge ramp somewhere, there is a car pulling up the slope of the man would like to have a stranger to give a helping hand. However, he was reluctant to put down his dignity to make a clear statement, only whenever someone passed by will recite aloud the quotation: “We are all from all over the world, for a common goal to come together, we should care for each other, love each other, help each other.” Obviously expecting someone to carry forward the spirit of helping others under the guidance of Chairman Mao’s quotation, but unexpectedly, no one responded late. Later, someone finally approached and stopped, but instead of helping to pull the cart, that person recited another quotation: “We are for self-reliance. We want foreign aid, but we don’t depend on it ……”
The reason for writing the above is not based on microaggressions. It is simply to show later generations that even in an era full of red classics like the Cultural Revolution, the attitude toward Chairman Mao’s quotes was not all worship and seriousness.
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