Communist Politics Continues On Also
Among so many comrades at my work unit, I most detested the woman director of our workshop named Shao. She was a former electric welder and served as a women committee member on our work team. Then suddenly she became the vise-director of our company. She won promotion with such high speed that it surprised us and made us ask, how could that be? She did not do serious work all day, but went everywhere with our company leader to flatter him. It gave everyone the same idea.
In 1975, when Deng Xiao Ping, the second highest Communist leader fell out of power, Shao came to our workshop section and said that Deng Xiao Ping will come back to power again. In 1977, this did in fact happen and Deng Xiao Ping was restored to his position as number-two man in China, but this time to Hua Guofeng who had succeeded Mao upon his death. She also came to our workshop section and said that if “The Gang of Four” had come to power, our heads would have been cut off. I did not know her point in making these political statements, but working with her made me feel sick on a regular basis.
I do not know if readers in the US are familiar with a certain kind of political leader. They are common in China and maybe all over the world. They often win promotions at high speed. They were winner forever. During the Kuomintang times, they were Kuomintang members. When the Japanese occupied China, they were honored as helping Japan and being traitors to China. Then when Communism came into power, they were communist favorites. They always had to be on the winning side and they always had a leadership position. This was especially troublesome during this time because the beliefs and goals of these three groups were not only different, but often in total opposition.
In 1978, during the later half of the year with Deng Xiaoping exerting his influence, the government began to reverse unjust verdicts of the past 30 years across the whole nation. Many of those purged during the Cultural Revolution were now considered “rehabilitated.” This especially happened for those, such as I, who were called rightists. The actions started from the ministry of public security, which now had several former rightists who had served their sentence in Qinghai province. Early on there was a typical Chinese attempt at saving face so only certain people had their verdicts reversed. They deliberately kept many as rightists to somehow show the correctness of the anti-rightist struggle. Of course, decisions were made to remove or continue the rightist label based not as much on what the individual thought or said, but rather on how much the person was needed in various areas of the job market. Along with the trend of the times and the desire of the people they could not keep one rightist in the end.
Although the central government was determined to completely and rapidly improve this state of affairs, the party organizations at the local level did not willing do things in a frank and straightforward manor. The reason was that all these “unjust verdicts” were originally made by them and they were now being told to go against decisions they were earlier told to make. It seemed to the local Communist leaders that they were being asked to slap themselves in the face. Some of the leaders would not appear in public. Some of them argued that if all the previously “bad” people were emancipated how could control of the country continue and what would then happen? It was also argued that these men could not be allowed to join the military or be asked to fight in a war because they could not be trusted to be loyal to Communism. Second, these rightists can not be made to do manual work or to till the land. They only can do harm to people. So many had not been trained in a worthwhile way to achieve a livelihood in the future.
Our company, at the end of 1978, had set up a rehabilitation team, but in the early stages they created all sorts of obstacles and difficulties. I tried wholeheartedly to understand thoroughly the true nature of the situation. The trend of the times how could you keep out the desire of hundreds of millions of people. My dossier finally at 1979 early reported to Xian court. Court comrade twice called up and put questions to me. He took out my material about half a meter high. Within all my self criticism, another inform against me and confession of my companion. And he took out my over 50 works and deeds my work summed up for me. (but 1972, when court pronounced me guilty only. Not at all saying three clauses). It gave me myself a start (No I have summed up four point for Mao). Some one were grave, such as, We had told over running away to People’s Republic of Mongolia, and these if talked about now I have not known, many words within it. I thoroughly could not remember, but all of it. I admitted, because I thought it would be not at all.
At least this comrade of court asked me, he need have my thoughts find out, he asked, “Do you on earth oppose the communist party?” I know he must put this question. Obviously, in so many my materials, he only could find, I only set a bad value on Mao, but speak highly of other party leaders. I said, “Communist is a lofty ideal is a highly idealism. What does communist wrong? If I want to found a party, sure to found the communist party. The heart of the matter is who will lead it? Who is the leader, “four men group”, “five men group” leading also. Was a communist party. Deng Xiao Ping lead communist party, a communist party too. (At that time I consider Ping is a good leader) “Oh! I have known,” he said, and added, “I may tell you any expression of one’s political views will do not make up a counter revolutionary.”
After several days, Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) was coming. This is our grandest festival of Chinese, also the longest vacation. Three days vacation plus the related Sundays to appoint there were 5 days long. The days the family reunites. We’ve been looking forward to this vacation for a year. Tomorrow will be year end, and have day off. Today go off work, first wash my work clothes in workshop, when finished it, the time got 8 o’clock. I felt tired, hop back room to lie down and rest awhile. Then have a dinner. Unexpectedly pushed door and in the room, I found a note on the ground. It is comrade of court, asking me to go to court next day 8 a.m. I arrived on time. This comrade asked me going around the street, fetching court verdict after half an hour. He might type it. So fast only several days. He complete it all. He said, “You did not reverse verdict, and omitted what you had said frankly. This would be omitted much time of ours, I asked you coming today. In order to have a happy spring festival for you. Listened it, I can’t refrain from tears. There is no lack of good person in the communist party. I have met some persons of it. Originally, their humanity would not sink into oblivion. The mishap is, their superior asked them to bad things they can do nothing but do. This is the spring festival, a happy day. Up to this year, 22 years of humiliating life draw to a full stop. I resumed my former title and wage. This was interesting. I was surprised at finding been my wage have been. Not increased in this 22 years but almost all intellectual wages also have not increased except very few had been increased at 1963, as to workers wages in this 22 years were only increased two or three times. Lost wage would not be reissued. I had gone to the rehabilitation team taking back my reflex camera amplifier and a little table, those were gone off when read, guard searched my house (only a bed) and confiscated my property. My property, only a camera amplifier and a little table. But they said all have been sold away 2 yuan every one. But I bought, these, have spent my living expenses of one year (my living expenses of only 20 yuan a month). They wanted to return me 4 yuan. What a nerve! No sense of shame! “Give my dear government as a present .” I turned around and would go away. They held me and said, “Can not handle”.
Be in jail at the same time and place with me, Zhou had gone off with Goo Yuan. Was been took graft, he asked them gave the name of grafter, they did not do. At that time, red guard searched house, went off with gold bar. All squeezed in their pocket. Another phenomenon in Shanghai at that time was, street cleaners often could find gold bars or jewelry in the dust- bin. This is afraid when search their house. Go off with gold bar or jewelry, for this suffer criticized and denounce to do with. In this 22 years, I had acted as electric worker, piping worker, scaffolder and building worker. From now on we (old friends) would get together at a public occasion. We were changed into human from ghost.