Interview with Gao Xirong

Gao Rongxi (b. 1942) is a resident of Renjiagou Village, Shaanxi Province. In this interview, Gao talks about the life from 1958 to 1962. During the Great Leap Forward in 1958, Gao was still working in her hometown in Henan. She got three Jin of steamed sweet potato and some soup everyday, but she needed to save some for her parents. In 1960 when Gao was married into Renjiagou Village, she had to walk over 30 miles from her hometown to Renjiagou Village. The famine was the most severe in 1960 and 1961. Gao had to eat all kinds of tree bark and grassroots. Back then a woman could get 45 days off after giving birth to a kid. However, after the 45 days, they had to ask the elders of the family to take care of the kids and went back to work on the production team, otherwise their work points would be deducted. Some villagers couldn’t work because of hunger. However, whoever didn’t work couldn’t get food from the production team. In the end, those people died of starvation. Nonetheless, scared that they might be criticized, the villagers didn’t dare to oppose the production team leader or find ways to make money by themselves.

高喜荣1942年出生，是陕西省商洛市商南县城关镇任家沟村石门组村民。在这段口述中，高老人讲述了58年到62年的生活。58年大跃进时高老人还在河南老家生产队干活，一天三斤蒸红薯和白糊汤，还要省着拿回家给父母。高老人60年嫁到任家沟村时，从老家一路步行一百多里路到任家沟村，60年和61年饥荒最严重，高老人吃过各种树皮草根。当时妇女生完孩子有45天假，结束以后就得把孩子交给老人照顾，自己回生产队干活，不然要扣工分。有的村民因为挨饿干不了活，但不干活食堂不提供饭吃，结果就饿死了。尽管如此，由于害怕被批斗游街，没有村民敢反抗生产队长或是自己想办法挣钱。

Transcripts for this interview and more may be available under the ‘Documents’ link above. 采访抄录和相关内容，请点击查看上面的’Documents’链接。