THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION AFTER 50 YEARS

Nie Yuanzis half-life after the Cultural Revolution

Liu Ruo on NEW YORK TIMES (CHINA) May 19, 2016 (translated by Jerry Shang)

Photo by Liu Ruo

Recently, Nie Yuanzi (right) and then follow her Peking University history students Wang Fuxing.

A notorious mad woman! Heinous chaos-maker! Unforgivable! Out of the ten evils, she did
all of them! Her ambition and her conspiracy led to disaster at Peking University. She has
absolutely no right to speak. The only life for her is supervised labor reform, self-criticism,
pressure, and exile. To cast her aside, with scolding and insult, is right and proper. The world
of muddy, muddy water, all the feces basins and urinals can be poured into her body, head
down!1

In 1966, Nie Yuanzi posted the first Marxist-Leninist big-character poster and ignited a
sensational moment, the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. She was praised by Mao
Zedong. In 1967, her power was so great that she could not be attacked directly, so her
enemies attacked her reputation. Sometimes to damage someones reputation is better than
killing them. Today, she is 95 years old. That stench still clings to her.

When she made her poster, she did not make a very good impression on me. The situation
at Peking University was beyond my understanding, and I couldnt make sense of her writing
- only that her voice sounded disagreeably like that of Jiang Qing. Once, when I heard that
her bike had been stolen, I experienced a kind of schadenfreude. But history is full of
surprises, and exactly twenty years later I met her in person. Her later life is intriguing.

Six square meters hut

In the spring of 1987, two of my former classmates at Peking University, Yin Zhanhe and Liu
Beibei, told me "Nie Yuanzi has been released from prison, she has no place to live and no
income, and her health is poor. She has no way to pay her own medical expenses. Its so
pitiful. Can you see if there is any way to help her?

1 Jerry Shang: I have never seen so much anger in one paragraph!

I thought: no matter how bad a person is, they still deserve to live. By luck, one of my
secondary school teachers had left me a small house in the Dongcheng District when he
passed away.

that one of my teachers had owned. It was a tiny hut, only six square meters in size, but no
one was living there. I gave the door key to them, and did not ask any questions. After a few
days, Nie Yuanzi, leaning on a cane, climbed four floors to see me. Very satisfied with the
cabin, she repeatedly expressed her gratitude to me. She told me that her main problem was
just trying to survive. I was touched, and I asked my brother Ya Zhou to go visit her.

About three years later, I heard Nie Yuanzi mention the hut, she said: "I do not want to talk
about the things of the Cultural Revolution; today lets talk about my life after it. In October
1986, I was paroled from prison, but exiled to the earth. No wages, no housing, no medical
care. Each of you try, or imagine, how do you survive if you are homeless? I was 65 years
old, leaning on crutches, no wages, no money, but I thought, OK, I can beg. But what about
housing? You cannot live on the street. One of my former students secondary school
teachers had just died, and had left him a 6 square meter cottage in Dongdandengcao Alley.
He let me live there. There was a bed, a table, a honeycomb stove. It was hardly big enough
inside to turn around, but I finally had a nest to live in.

There was a factory that was making a transition from army work to civilian manufacturing,
planning a move from the mountains to new offices in Beijing. One day in the autumn of
1987, my brother Ya Zhou went with Nie Yuanzi and their new factory. The workers in the
factory just wanted to see her, but they were not interested in hiring her. She joined a
conversation. The workers were discussing how the watch factory in Shanghai was collecting
old watches from people, piling them up in the street and having a steamroller crush them to
smithereens. The idea was to demonstrate the determination of the modern world to break
with the past. And start a new chapter. The factory workers cheerfully agreed that they
shared this goal.

But Nie Yuanzi immediately responded: "Doing this is wrong. Why crush the old watches?
Theres no need to! Send the watches to the countryside. Dont assume that rural areas are
prospering. Many remote areas are still very poor. Those watches can still be used! And, if
the watches cant be used, then the people there can take them apart and learn how they
work. They can study the watches.

Nie Yuanzi's words shocked the listeners into silence. After she left, the factory workers
laughed and said: shes still the same old Dowager. The Dowager of the factory, now

Writing memoirs

Nie Yuanzi lived near my workplace, and sometimes I went to see her. As wed chat, Id
realize that she is not a monster, not the legendary scourge, and that there was more to her
than met the eye. Thats when I decided to help her write her memoirs, though at that time
she was not even thinking about something like that as she had more pressing needs.

I did not expect to make any money from this, but I was surprised that it actually cost me
money. In return for her stories, I found myself paying for her medicine, food, kitchen
utensils, and even furniture for her rooms. There were times when I felt like walking away
from the project, but her story kept me interested. I felt that it needed to be heard.
Later, the peoples literature publisher Tu Guangqun, Liu Biebei from the Chinese
Department of Peking University, and Zhang Yi from the cultural branch of the military all
offered their help with her memoirs. At that point, she began to take the project seriously.

In 1992, we completed the section on her participation in the Peking University socialist
education movement, and it was time to discuss her role in the Cultural Revolution. One
morning I turned on the tape recorder, but she sat in silence for half a day. I didnt
understand. Finally, she spoke, and said, "I want to go to the America. I am already
notorious in this country, and no one is willing to talk to me. Even if I finish this memoir, it
wont change anyones mind. Once I reach America, no one will know me, no one will
condemn me, and I can just live my life.

But how can you live in the United States if you dont speak English?" I asked.

"I can be a nanny. Youve eaten my meals, you know I can cook. In America, as long as
someone hires me as a nanny, Ill have food to eat and a place to live a quiet life. I could
write about the lessons to be learned from the Cultural Revolution. Im not going to do
anything subversive; Im not a political refugee. I just need a quiet place so I can concentrate
on my memories of the Revolution.

This notion of hers took me by surprise. But before I could say anything, she said, "during
the Cultural Revolution, in the late summer of 1967, I wanted to swim from Shenzhen to
Hong Kong.

"Is this true?" I asked.

"I thought the only way out was to get away. I had to take my son with me, though. I asked
him, how far can you swim? But he could only swim 1000 kilometers. Thats not enough!
Hed drown. So tried to think of other solutions, putting off the idea of escape.

"Why did you want to leave?" I asked

"During the whole whole Cultural Revolution, I did only one thing: I wrote a Big Character
poster. In 1966, this poster gave me so much fame and status, but it has made my later life
miserable, nothing but frustration and hardship.

Very much moved, I answered people only know you through your reputation. Theyd never
imagine the sorrow and grief you experienced.

Yes, she answered. At first, when Chairman Mao praised our Big Character poster, I was
indeed very happy, and his approval was a great relief and satisfaction to me. However, it
wasnt long before I felt that the meal did not taste right. I was so confused, and felt helpless.
I did not expect that the movement would get so big, and so messy. This was not a Cultural
Revolution, this was anarchy, chaos. Mao and his wife had complete control of the
government.

The leaders of all the factions were teenage students, she continued. There was so much
information they did not know, and that I could not tell them. Once I shared some of that
information with a very small group, my assistant Sun Peng Yi was attacked. He was
avenged by Chen Boda from the Central Cultural Revolution Committee. Then, people
started to turn against me.
In July and August of 1967, I made every effort to stabilize the situation of Peking University,
promote unity between the two factions, to re-educate the revolution, but without success. I
considered stepping down from my position in the Standing Committee of the Peking
University Cultural Revolution. I tried to resign from the post of Director, and even suggested
the dissolution of the Committee. Later on, I talked with my old friend Yang Huiwen (Beijing
Revolutionary Committee Deputy Director Bai Jie Fu's wife). She said, if you want to step
down, its better to find an excuse, maybe get an illness and be sick in the hospital, or find a
place to hide like a cat. Its best to lie low for now.

But there was nowhere to hide in all of China, no place to shelter.

A visit to Peking University, a walk down memory lane

One day in 1999, writer Chen Tushou, the original editor of China Youth Daily, drove Nie
Yuanzi and myself to Peking University. Our first stop was the boys dormitory number 38. As
soon as she went into the building, she pointed to the East and said, this is where I was
confined.

She went into to a bathroom. I stopped her, saying this is a mens toilet. She ignored me
and went on in.

I cleaned all of these bathrooms, every one, she said. I made them spotless. Now look at
them, here, filthy!" If I hadnt held her back, she would have started cleaning.

After coming out, she was still very emotional. "In April of 1969, she said, I had been the
alternate delegate representing Liyuzhou, Guangxi at the 9th National Congress of the
Communist Party of China. But by June, I was confined here. The windows of this building
were boarded up, and then covered with paper. No trace of sunshine got in. I was
responsible for cleaning all the toilets in the building. I became an expert toilet cleaner.

Then we went to her place of residence that year. Afraid to be seen, she hid and let me
knock on the door. Her old neighbor saw her, ran over, and pulled her into the yard. The two
old neighbors chatted for a while, holding hands the whole time. Later, from his window, she
gazed across the yard, now covered in tall grass, at her former home.

Finally we went to the East playground. Here was the starting point of the Peking University
Cultural Revolution, on July 25, 1966. On the 26th, the Central Cultural Revolution anti-work
official, Zhang Chengxian, was struggled against. And later, in 1978 Nie Yuanzi herself was
criticized here, before being escorted to prison. Today she was wandering in the playground,
leaving you from time to time to look back.

In 1999 one day, when we had just completed the first draft of Nie's memoirs, Marxist-
Leninist theorist and historian Zheng Zhongbing paid her a visit. Zheng wanted Nie to write a
self-critical memorial. He said, I want Nie to confess to her crimes.

Society has done her many injustices, I responded. And that there are still so many
misunderstandings. I just want her to reveal the truth, to remove from her head the notorious
hats that have been placed there by society.
There are many people who have researched the Cultural Revolution. However, scholars like
Zheng whose family was persecuted, who posses an inside understanding of those events,
and who also have resources and time to investigate and analyze those events are rare.
Zheng Zhongbing understands the big picture and has studied the Cultural Revolution
deeply. His understanding is that, regardless of whether it was right or wrong, good or bad,
the Cultural Revolutions scale was enormous and its influence is unprecedented in Chinese
history. During the Cultural Revolution everyone, to varying degrees, either conscious or
unconscious, was a participant.

Why was the Cultural Revolution launched? Why did it get so big? Is it not worthy object of
study? Everyone should review, reflect, and repent, for the good of the country. You cant
just blame the Gang of Four, even if you were a victim. Blindly calling out injustice, even if
true, is not enough, and maybe even a meaningless gesture.

Nie Yuanzi and I continued our work. But two questions that Zheng raised really stuck with
us and influenced our thinking for a long time.

First, the rival factions all believed in the same ideology and worshipped the same god, using
the same language. How did they arrive at opposite conclusions on matters of detail? And
second, how did our basic moral values and our essential humanity simply collapse
during that period?

Reflection on the Cultural Revolution

In the winter of 2000, when her memoirs were almost complete, Nie Yuanzi talked about life
and death:

At the age of 15, I left home to join the Revolution. So many times, I was on the edge of
death. But there was only once that I actually contemplated suicide. That was in 1970, during
the Lushan Congress. I thought about hanging myself as a form of protest. But I did not. As
the old saying goes, trouble finds you if you cant bear hardship.

I dont even know how I can describe my life after autumn of 1968, when the Army
Propaganda Team came to Peking University. Their attacks on me were extreme. My enemy
Xie Jingyi criticized me; she humiliated me, abused and insulted me, her mouth cut me like a
knife! I was being killed without shedding a drop of blood!

Since then, if there is any sign of trouble, I am the cause of a catastrophe. The charges
against me are like turning in a revolving door."

After the memoirs were finished, she said, "the most basic principle of writing the memories,
from beginning to end, is to tell the truth."

She said: "At first I was angry, with the task force, with Peking University, with the blinded,
ignorant crowds who just poured through the wall and attacked indiscriminately. However,
after a period of constant listening, studying, thinking, and reflecting on these events, I grew
more generous and objective towards those who went against me, and towards those who I
went against. I started to walk in their shoes with a new recognition of empathy.

This recognition made me realize how hard it is to fully analyze an event outside of its
context. From the perspective of history, everyone in our generation has a responsibility no
matter if you were a victim or a persecutor as a citizen of China, we all have the
responsibility to summarize the lessons from this event. There is a special meaning to my
memorial, for those who were involved in the Cultural Revolution, and the many unfortunate
people who stood by my side. In the moment of the Cultural Revolution, things were so
complicated and uncertain. Many people supported my side, but they didnt know that I was
already deemed an enemy by powerful people; I was already a nail in their eyes. In the
process, many of my supporters were labeled three kinds of or counter-revolutionaries or
5-16s and so on. It seems that if I dont clarify my problem, they can never remove the
burden of the past. I have the responsibility record my experiences truthfully, and show the
true colors of history and to free the innocent victims. I would like to express my deepest
apologies to those who suffered because of my mistakes."

After a moment she went on to say:

"For those who have criticized me, guarded me, struggled against me including the one
who stabbed me with a dagger whether they were students, or workers I do not hate any
of them, I dont even remember their names. What is the point of hate? They are fooled.
They thought I was the big bad guy, so they all hate me. They dont know the truth. Of
course, some individuals treated me more gently than others, others treated me with great
harshness. But I dont care any more. This was just the situation at that time. I, too, was
fooled. Its just that I woke up earlier. How can I blame those who devoted themselves to this
'unprecedented proletarian cultural revolution. We thought we were fighting reactionaries,
we thought we were battling against the enemy, to keep our country red. They were only in
their twenties, just kids. Now, Im sure they have their own thoughts about their behavior. In
addition, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to those who are struggling with me, who
are still trusting, and helping out."

Over the years Nie Yuanzi has given numerous interviews, telling the process of her
continuous reflection of the Cultural Revolution. On her 90th birthday, while chatting with me,
she seemed resigned but at peace with her life:

Do you know why I wrote that poster? Its not important! The essential thing is, why did
Chairman Mao praise it so much? And why, after his praise, was there such a domino
effect? The Cultural Revolution was Mao Zedongs individual movement. Everyone in the
leadership all opposed it, from top to bottom. Zhou Enlai made every effort to contain it, but
Lin Biao really got to Mao and scared him. Only students who are in school supported this
movement, and they only did so for the first few years. Mao Zedong was chiefly responsible
for the Cultural Revolution. He felt that the Communist Partys bureaucracy, its sectarianism,
and its undemocratic style had divorced it from the masses, and actually suppressed the
masses with party leadership. Of course, he was also worried about losing his power!
However, the General Secretary and the party members of the Central Committee all have
an inescapable responsibility for what happened. The 'Gang of four' made things worse by
taking advantage of the party's mistake, mixing the water. They lied to him about the people.
They used Maos high position to advance their own ambitions, to seize power.

During the process, Nie Yuanzi stressed that her comments on the Cultural Revolution were
not personal. One day she said to me:
"Recently Ive been thinking about Lin Biao. From his later attitude towards Mao, and his
attempt to escape, I think he disapproved of Maos revolution from the start. His praise
towards Mao was not sincere, and he probably hated me as well. And not only Lin Biao all
the officials, and all those who were tortured during the Cultural Revolution, must hate me,
too. They dared not hate Mao! In their mind, the fire of the Cultural Revolution was started by
me. Hmm. But it was Mao who started it, using me! But when they went against the Gang of
Four, that was a different thing. That wasnt me. Anyway, its not surprising that the
catastrophe of the Cultural Revolution happened, but why did it last for ten years? It lasted
because there was no regulatory system, no one in charge. Inevitably this bred corruption
and anti-democratic oppression. Mistakes were made. Because there was no democracy,
people could not express their feelings towards the government, and the government could
not solve the problem. Justice is not independent of human law; when I was labeled a
criminal, I had no right to speak, no human rights at all. As a citizen of China, this should be
a matter of serious reflection for everyone."

Feedback for her memoirs

In the winter of 1998, the elderly Beijing library director Ren Jiyu went to see Nie Yuanzi. In
the same year Ji Xianlin published "The Cowshed." This book was praised by the officials,
famous scholars, and the social elites. The whole book denounced Nie as the dowager. Nie
Yuanzi saw Ren Jiyu discussed the book. Ren calmly encouraged her to keep going, seize
the time to write her own story, feeling sorry for Nies situation. He told her, "it doesnt have
to be fancy, and dont over-think it. Just hurry, and write down the truth.

In the next ten years, Ren often took care of Nie in her old age, sending her money, sending
her New Years greetings, asking about her health, and encourage her to write. Ren
encouragement made Nie determined to write her memoirs. When "Nie Yuanzis Memoirs"
was published in 2005, Nie gave him a copy. He told her to send a copy to the National
Library, as soon as possible.

One day, I told Nie Yuanzis story to Peking University Department of Philosophy Professor
Chen Baohua. Chen was very surprised. She said: Why didnt she tell us all of this before? I
thought she had been told to keep quiet by the government! I never knew she had so many
grievances!

They finally met each other after the book was published. They cried. Because the book was
hard to find in stores, Chen herself made copies and gave them away to others.

Nie Yuanzi had always wanted to meet her opponent, Philosophy professor Kong Fan. After
the memoirs were published, the two meet each other for the first time. They apologized to
each other, and it was deeply moving. Kong Fan repeatedly stressed that he and Nie used to
be very good friends. When they parted, Kong Fan gave Nie some money, and told her to
take care of herself. Nie also sent Kong Fan a greeting card, saying "Kong Fan is an
extraordinary person with very high morals.

Not long ago, the Chinese Communist Party decided to send a medal to the warriors who
had participated in the Anti-Japanese War, and even members of the Kuomintang received
one, but Nie Yuanzi did not. One of our friends asked her, "did the government give you the
Anti-Japanese War medal? Or did they not recognize your contribution during the war?
Because Nie had participated in that war of resistance against Japan, she fought for
recognition, but her efforts were unsuccessful. But after 90 years she doesnt care anymore.

She responds with a faint smile: "As long as the people approve, Im OK."

Liu Ruo graduated from the Department of Radio Electronics, Peking University in 1967.

https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20160519/cc19nie/