REPENTANCE FOR 2005 2005 . 4, . 4, THE DEATH OF LI JIE NO NO RIGHTS FORUM

BY CHINA

The crimes of the have

table while one of them stood behind her with his foot press- 45 taken their toll not only on the victims, but ing against her back, so the reporter could take a picture of “striking down the class enemy and putting the boot in.”After also on those who feel compelled to record the pictures were taken, the Red Guard kicked Liu Meide off the human tragedies of the time, and those the table to the ground. who feel they did not do enough to prevent 2) In 1966, the Attached Middle School gave birth to the famous couplet, “Hero father, manly son; those tragedies. reactionary father, blackguard son.”Wan Hong, a freshman student, was regarded as a “blackguard” because her father was I want to express my deep gratitude to Teacher Guan Qiulan for labeled a “Rightist” in 1957. One day,when some male Red her repentance and the encouragement it has given me. Guards in her class were trying to beat her, she ran into the ANCING SOCIAL JUSTICE V I knew from the outset that studying the history of the Cul- girls’ restroom to hide, and there encountered Peng Xiaomeng, AD tural Revolution would require strenuous effort. However, I one of the Red Guard leaders.Wan Hong pleaded to Peng never expected this study to cause such psychological pain. Xiaomeng, “You were received by Chairman Mao, you knew “Pain” may not be the proper word to describe my feelings, the policy.Please tell them to not beat me.” Peng Xiaomeng because it is not a clear or obvious kind of “ache” or “bitter- simply dragged Wan Hong out of the restroom.Wan Hong was ness,” but still makes me feel depressed and melancholy while ordered to stand on a stool while classmates beat her with cop- I am writing and for some time afterwards. per-buckled belts.Another classmate pulled the stool from The way I carry out my research is to collect written and under her feet so that she tumbled to the cement floor. photographic records from that period, in addition to inter- 3) On August 27, 1966, during the high tide of the viewing individuals who lived through the Cultural Revolu- “Destroy the ” campaign,1 from the tion. I have persisted in my research because I feel there are Peking University Attached Middle School ransacked the home many facts about the Cultural Revolution, especially the hard- of workers Chen Yanrong and Liu Wancai, who lived close to ships suffered by ordinary people, that have not been recorded the school.The students then abducted the couple and brought or reported. I am grateful to the many interviewees who have them to the school for a beating. Chen Yanrong, aged 37, died spent their precious time helping me with their recollections of his injuries that night, while his wife was left covered with and eyewitness accounts of the Cultural Revolution.They tell bruises.An elderly woman was also beaten to death that night. me about their experiences, and then I organize my notes from Chen’s body was taken out and burned. His ashes were not the interviews, recording each individual’s experience and the recovered, but his family was billed 28 yuan as a “cremation details of each event. fee,” which they had to borrow to pay.One can imagine the For instance, with regard to the Peking University Attached hardship subsequently experienced by Chen’s six under-aged Middle School, which was one of the birthplaces of the Red children.After the Cultural Revolution, the Communist Party’s Guard movement and the school where Guan Qiulan taught Peking University Attached Middle School branch paid Chen’s for 40 years, I learned of the following previously unreported family 2,500 yuan in compensation. Receiving the money, stories: Chen’s wife wept, “I have never seen so much money in my 1) In the summer of 1966, Liu Meide, an assistant principal whole life. But what good is the money to me? I want my hus- and teacher of chemistry,was labeled an “element of the evil band.” anti-communist and anti-socialist clique.” Her head was In the 30 years since, not one of the persecutors has ever shaved and she was beaten with a thick pole until it broke.At expressed an apology to the above three victims or their fami- that time Liu Meide was noticeably pregnant. One day,when a lies. reporter from Daily came to carry out interviews and take By hand and through the computer keyboard, I record photographs, the Red Guards forced Liu Meide to kneel on a these stories from the Cultural Revolution.These are powerful

historical documents, but they are deeply painful, even for Japanese man and had a child. Eventually the man left her and someone who is merely recording them.While recording the child died. During the campaign against “counterrevolu- these stories, I often became very depressed. tionaries” in early 1950s, Li Jie “confessed” this part of her I remember when I was visiting one of Wan Hong’s class- history and the authorities “closed the case.” She went to work mates, and she was telling me of how Wan Hong was abused, as a librarian at the Peking University Attached Middle School her 15-year-old daughter, sitting nearby,broke down in tears. I after that. cannot cry,but I often spend long periods inconsolable over When the Cultural Revolution began, Li Jie’s past was the darkness of humanity that I see. dredged up again, and she was severely beaten in the summer A friend of mine who has consistently supported my of 1966. Red Guard students ordered her to kneel inside a research into the Cultural Revolution once voiced concern for drawer so that she could not move, then they beat her with me. She said, “Aiya, how can you write these stories? It will kill iron rods that were used for cleaning stoves.The Red Guards you.” searched Li Jie’s home and found a document for her family’s I am very grateful for her caring and kindness. However, gravesite, which they insisted was a “land deed” that she was having started, I wish to continue, even as my heart is rubbed holding in wait for “a restoration of reactionary rule.”They raw by these stories. Fortunately this research, which seems beat her nearly to death.Two years later, during the movement simple, actually requires a great deal of time and energy and to “purify the class ranks,” the students beat Li Jie again. Rec- occupies my mind. In addition, at difficult moments I remind ognizing the severity of her condition, the school authorities myself of stories that are related but of a different nature. One sent her to Haidian Hospital, where she died.The medical cer- of these is the repentance of a teacher named Guan Qiulan. tificate stated her cause of death as a ruptured spleen. In the summer of 1997, while I was in Beijing, someone Teacher Guan told me that when she was in Squad told me that Guan Qiulan, a teacher of Peking University No. 2, the twelve of them were not only forced to do “reform Attached Middle School, had read an article of mine, “1966:A through labor,” but were also routinely beaten and abused. In Revolution of Students Beating Teachers,” and wanted to talk October 1966,Teacher Guan secretly went to the State Coun- with me. Of course I was more than willing to meet her. I had cil’s Visitors’ Reception Office, because she felt that the treat- heard of her while I was a student at Peking University in the ment of Laogai Squad No. 2 could not be in conformance with early 1980s. She was well known as an exemplary teacher, and the Communist Party’s official policy.She told the receptionist was said to be much loved and respected by her students. By about all she had experienced since coming to China from the time I met her, she had retired from the Attached Middle overseas, and also submitted a written document. School and was working as the principal of a private vocational school.Although she was no longer young, she was clearly still “I knew it was wrong to beat Li Jie, but I vigorous; she moved with agility,and her speech was frank and to the point. said nothing, and I allowed her to be The weather was sultry on the day we met, and I was beaten to death. I feel that I wronged her.” moved that an elderly person was willing to brave the heat to keep an appointment with me.Teacher Guan had grown up in The next day,Teacher Guan was reprimanded for lodging a Indonesia, but she came to Beijing in 1949 to pursue her sec- complaint at the reception office.The Red Guards were revel- ondary education, and went on to study history at Peking Uni- ing in their so-called “”; had written a versity.Her father had been a teacher in Indonesia, and Teacher letter of support to them on August 1, making particular men- Guan wished likewise to devote her life to what she considered tion of their leader, Peng Xiaomeng, and Mao’s wife “the most sacred vocation under the sun.” referred to them as “little suns.” Peng Xiaomeng had stood on Having come from overseas, she was placed in the “con- the rostrum of and made a speech that was broad- trolled use” category before the Cultural Revolution.After the casted live nationwide. However, as the striking range of the Cultural Revolution began, she was sent to the “laogai squads”2 Cultural Revolution expanded, the Red Guards gradually lost of the Peking University Attached Middle School, which were power.After the Cultural Revolution, Peng Xiaomeng pub- also known as the “forces of evil squads.”3 In August 1966, the lished articles about how she had been persecuted, yet she Attached Middle School had three laogai squads, which were never mentioned how she and her Red Guard friends had tor- differentiated according to the degree of their “crimes.” tured others—their teachers, their classmates and law-abiding Teacher Guan was in “Laogai Squad No. 2,” which included 12 residents near their school. teachers and staff members.The other two squads also Teacher Guan told me that when she went to the Visitors’ included more than ten people each. Reception Office, she had also brought up what was happen- Teacher Guan told me that Laogai Squad No. 2 included a ing to someone else in Laogai Squad No. 2, but she did not female staff member named Li Jie. I had heard this name previ- mention Li Jie by name. Li Jie was subsequently transferred to ously,and knew that she had been beaten to death during the “Laogai Squad No. 1,” where she was beaten to death.Teacher Cultural Revolution, but I did not know the details.Teacher Guan felt guilty. Guan said Li Jie told her that she had come to Beijing to escape I told Teacher Guan that it would not have helped if she had an arranged marriage when she was young.That was while reported Li Jie’s situation to the Visitors’ Reception Office, and Beijing was occupied by the Japanese army.Li took up with a it might have even made things worse. I told her that in the engaged in a keen moral pursuit. Her indelible memories of Herindelible memories engaged inakeen moral pursuit. was enthusiasticallywardly teacher plumpandcheerful Iwas happy toseethat thisout- phy andmoralstandpoint. conscience. norany burden ontheir They felt notensionintheirhearts, toreflect ontheirdeedsortorepent. felt noneedtoapologize, they sothey persecutedothersoutof “revolutionary idealism,” many peopleinsistedthat theCulturalRevolution, her.After their stonesat inindifference herorwatching asotherskilled throwing that person, and against” “struggle “expose” theneverybody else would“problem,” comeforward to apersonwas identifiedashaving a followed asinglepattern: analogy isforced ifapplied toLiJie’s story. andIdonotthinkthe containsaprofoundThis story truth, Everyonestone at her.” thendropped theirstonesandleft. casta lethimfirst “Hethat iswithoutsinamongyou, them, Jesus saidto were planningtostoneaprostitute todeath. tosomethingelse.she was referring Ibelieve shealready knew that; ButIdidnotsay it. with her. I wronged her.” Ifeel that andIallowed hertobebeaten todeath. said nothing, years before? squad andsavagely beaten for somethingthat hadhappened 20 anything wrong? Why shouldLiJiebeassignedtothe everybody makes mistakes –whocansay hehasnever done But me that sheactually knew was. what LiJie’s “problem” background.Teacher Guantold hada “problematic” Japanese, becauseofherrelationship withthe whileLiJie, “clean,” 2were allbasically other membersofLaogaiSquadNo. from standpointthiswas asuperficial becausesheandthe Shesaidthat Butin1966shehadnotspoken upfor LiJie. Jie. up LiJie’s sisterwiththeintentionofdoingsomethingfor Li Shesaidthat aftertheCulturalRevolution shelooked thought. made uptocomfort Teacher Guan. notsomethingI story, was atrue and diedindetention.This Huwas subsequently “segregated forcrime.” investigation” was regarded asa which “counterrevolutionary verdict,” “overturning aCulturalRevolution charged withanew crime, shewas aresult, documents.As and submitthenecessary Huhadgonetothereception toreportthematter office policy, believed thepersecutionwas notinaccordancewithofficial Becauseshe who was persecutedinthesummerof1966. University at BeijingNormal teacher MiddleSchool Attached a Ihadcomeacross oneHu Xiuzheng, course ofmy research, Before we parted,Teacher Guantoldmeofherlife philoso- Many thingsthat happenedtheCulturalRevolution during I suddenly people intheBible recalled thestory inwhich not I wanted totellherthat thefault was withthesystem, but I “Iknew itwas wrong tobeatTeacher LiJie, Guansaid, But Teacher Guanwas following adifferent trainof laogai 4 four of them. One was the late writer Onewas thelate writer Wangfour ofthem. Xiaobo. andfound that there was somethingconnectingthe spoke, towards herown actionswere ofthismoralpursuit. allpart herclearanalysis ofherselfandherpenitence pain ofothers, hersympathy for the the events oftheCulturalRevolution, big5/Comment_text2.htm http://humanities.uchicago.edu/faculty/ywang/history/ Chineseversion isavailableThe original ofthisarticle at Translated by Wang Ai dence. Herrepentance boostedmy courage andmy confi- goodness. She revealed tomethepower ofmankind’s towards struggle I recalled Teacher Guan’s words onthat hotsummerafternoon. whenever Ifelt depressed andmelancholic, Revolution stories, however, asIrecorded Cultural Inthedays that followed, Guan. puter beingunable new torun software. Putanotherway, itwould belike alow-grade com- hending it. Those whodonotenterthisstate willhave difficultycompre- Repentanceisamoral state. separate placesonthemoralscale. but hold and repent ofone’s actsare interrelated, actions.These apologize tovictims admitmistakes, tance tospeakthetruth, that. Notevery ofhisgeneration was writer like thetruth. learn Healsofeltsympathy. hehadtheresponsibility ofhelpingme class ranks.”Wang’s was memory clearandhistonewas fullof themovement during to the “purify after being “investigated” beaten by RedGuardsin1966andcommittedsuicide1968 namedZhangFang afemale teacher hadbeen Middle School, BeijingErlongRoad immediately toldmethat inhisschool, ofCulturalRevolutioning thehistory anditsvictims,Wang whenImentionedthat Iwas research- time Italked withhim, NOTES 2. MaoZedongcalledfor AtthebeginningofCulturalRevolution, 1. 3. .Wang Xiaobo(1952–1997)was particularly known for hisdepictions 5. John 8:3–11. 4. I found similarqualitiesamongsomeotherswithwhomI Thank you,Teacher Guan. I wishI’d tospeakmore with hadanopportunity Teacher impor- itisofcrucial In regard totheCulturalRevolution, orOd eehrse,detainedorkilled. Four Olds were harassed, intellectualstargeted aspersonifications ofthe Inaddition, destroyed. and burned with China’s were culture and history ransacked, many thingsconnected aresult, OldHabits and OldIdeas.As ture, OldCul- were which OldCustoms, ofthe the destruction “Four Olds,” Niugui sheshendui Laogai of life during theCulturalRevolution.of life during asteachers. such assigned to erence totheterms “class enemies” is the term for is theterm “reform through labor.” ieal,“o eosadsaesii qa, inref- literally, “cow squad,” demonsandsnake spirit , 5 The first

ADVANCING SOCIAL JUSTICE 47 CHINA RIGHTS FORUM NO. 4, 2005