Sixties

Author: Yi Jianchang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: The novel is written in a chronological form, depicting the life experiences of a group of young people—Pituo, Cai Zi, Zijing, Xianglan, Baozi, and others—from 1960 to 1970. During these ten years, all major events in China, such as famine, the Cultural Revolution, armed struggles, and individual destinies, were closely intertwined, forming a unique youth story of that special era, radiating multiple hues of passion, absurdity, cruelty, and confusion. Those chaotic memories remain indelible to this day.
In 1960, sparrows were starving as the autumn harvest began. The team’s canteen served three meals a day, with thin, watery soup. Children watched, licking their fingers with saliva.
In 1961 and 1962, sweet wine, "vegetable and fruit substitutes": a locally flavored "communism." "With revolutionary slogans," hunger encircled the countryside, turning people’s minds astray, filling them with panic and indifference to kinship.
In 1963, high school teacher: "Fan Yuchi," "magnetic field lines," "firecrackers." The Chinese teacher could tell stories—about Jing Ke asking Fan Yuchi for his head, Fan Yuchi cutting it off and handing it to Jing Ke, his body still standing. It was truly terrifying and tragic.
In 1964, growing tension, road signs. In 1964, implementing the class line policy, teachers were like birds startled by a bowstring. Firecrackers, because he had once said that the power of one atomic bomb was equivalent to several tons of yellow explosive, became a parrot of Khrushchev’s. The math teacher, "offending the testicles," was sent to labor re-education.
In 1965, political review, university classmates marching leftward. The old university conducted political reviews, dividing candidates into four categories: "selectable for top-secret majors," "selectable for confidential majors," "selectable for general majors," and "not admitted."
In 1966, "academic discussions," public criticism, big-character posters, mass demonstrations, "rectification" rumors spread like bees and ants. Everywhere were students, all claiming to be rebelling, with workers joining in the chaos. Street big-character posters first resembled patches on clothes, later like Buddhist monks’ "robes." There was a group called the "Workers’ Red Guard," who painted a "three-trusts" slogan: "Resolutely trust the provincial committee, trust the municipal committee, trust the work team!" Middle school students added to the big-character posters, "drawing the snake to add feet": "Resolutely believe the provincial committee has problems, believe the municipal committee has problems, believe the municipal committee has problems, believe the work team has problems." The added words drew laughter from the streets. Many things seemed like child’s play at the time, but each side held its own group’s justice.