Hutong Town

Author: Gu Hua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The novel depicts the social customs of rural southern China from 1963 to 1979, exposing the harm of left-leaning ideology and praising the victory of the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee. When the three-year hardship period ended and the rural economy began to recover, Hu Yuqing, with the support of the grain station director Gu Yanshan and the team secretary Li Mangeng, set up a rice tofu stall in town, which thrived. In the spring of 1964, she used her saved money to build a house, but upon its completion, during the "Four Cleanups" campaign, it was seized by the "political pioneer" Li Guoxiang and the "movement root" Wang Qiushen as evidence of following a capitalist path. Hu Yuqing was labeled a "new rich peasant," her husband Li Wawa committed suicide, Li Mangeng was dismissed from his post, and Gu Yanshan was placed on leave for self-reflection. Subsequently, the Cultural Revolution began, and Hu Yuqing suffered even more humiliation. In despair, she found sympathy from the outwardly self-deprecating but inwardly pure and upright "rightist" Qin Shutian, and the two became a "black ghost couple." Qin Shutian was sentenced to labor reform, and Hu Yuqing was placed under labor control. One winter night, Hu Yuqing experienced a difficult childbirth. Gu Yanshan intercepted a car to take her to the hospital, where she underwent a cesarean section and gave birth to a healthy baby boy. After the Third Plenary Session, Hu Yuqing had her "rich peasant" label removed, Qin Shutian had his "rightist" and "bad element" labels removed and returned to Furong Town, Li Mangeng resumed his post, Gu Yanshan became the town head, and life returned to normal. Meanwhile, Li Guoxiang transformed herself, accusing the extreme-left line of labeling her a "harlot" and later marrying a middle-aged, widowed official from the provincial government. Wang Qiushen went mad, wandering the streets every day, mournfully shouting "class struggle, catch it and it works," becoming a tragic and lamentable echo of the era.