Interview with Liu Hexiang, Wang Hongchen, Peng Lamei, and Peng Erxiu

Liu Hexiang (b. 1941) is a resident of Shichong Village, Hunan Province. In this interview, Liu recalls the life from 1957 to 1960. When constructing blast furnace in 1958, in the beginning Liu went to cut trees in the mountain. Later he had to frequently walk for 3 to 6 miles to get coals, otherwise he wouldn't be able to obtain food from the communal canteen. In 1959 Liu left the village to build railroad. He then went to different places and worked outside for four to five years. Although he didn’t have a salary, he got three meals everyday. During the Great Famine, when some people got sick because of hunger, the production team didn’t provide food for them (because they couldn’t work). Therefore, lots of people fled the village. Many kids died of starvation during that time, and some villagers hung themselves because of hunger.

刘和香1941年出生，是湖南省双峰县走马街镇石冲村村民。在这段口述中，刘老人回忆了57年到60年的情况。58年大炼钢铁时，刘老人先是去山里砍树，之后去一、二十里地外的地方挑煤炭，不然没粮食吃。59年刘老人参与修铁路，在外干了四五年活，去过不同的地方，虽然没有工资，但一天提供三顿饭。大饥荒期间，如果饿得病了生产队不提供粮食，因此不少人外出逃荒。当时好多孩子饿死，也有人饿得上吊自杀。

Wang Hongcheng (b. 1935) is a resident of Shichong Village, Hunan Province, and the paternal grandfather of the interviewer, Wang Wandie. In this interview, Wang talks about the situation during the Great Leap Forward and the Great Famine. When constructing the blast furnaces, the country Wang was in built several dozen of furnaces, however, the products were neither like iron or mud. The proneness to exaggeration and boasting during the Great Leap Forward resulted in lots of wasted land in the village and the starvation of the villagers. Some people stole food because of hunger but got caught and were beaten to death. Lots of families fell out because of hunger, and some people even killed themselves.

王洪成1935年出生，是湖南省双峰县走马街镇石冲村村民，是采访人王沅蝶的爷爷。在这段口述中，王老人讲述了大跃进和大饥荒时的情况。大炼钢铁时，王老人所在的县里建了几十座炉子，但炼出来的铁不像铁土不像土。大跃进时期的浮夸风导致村里田荒土败，村民挨饿。有些人因为挨饿去偷吃的，结果抓到后被打死。不少家庭因为饥饿反目，甚至有人饿得自杀。

Peng Lamei (b. 1942) is a resident of Shichong Village, Hunan Province and the grandmother of the interviewer, Wang Wandie. In this interview, Peng recalls the difficult life during the Great Famine. At that time, each adult got half Jin of rice everyday and each kid got two Liang, so they had to eat the rice with wild vegetables. Because lots of people died of starvation, a “sanatorium” was later built to take in and treat those who were dying of starvation.

彭腊梅1942年出生，是湖南省双峰县走马街镇石冲村村民，是采访人王沅蝶的奶奶。在这段口述中，彭老人回忆了大饥荒时期的艰苦生活。当时成人每人每天有半斤米，小孩二两，就着野菜吃。由于不少人饿死，后来村里办了个“疗养所”，专门收容、治疗快饿死的人。

Peng Erxiu (b. 1937) is a resident of Shichong Village, Hunan Province. In this interview, Peng recalls her childhood life and the situation from 1958 to 1960. Peng’s mother passed away when she was 4 years old and she then followed her dad to beg in different places. Peng got married to her then 16-year-old husband when she was 12 and moved to Shichong Village. In 1958 after Peng gave birth to a kid, she didn’t even have rice. Within a month after giving birth, Peng went back to the field to work. At that time lots of people stole wheat tips and sweet potatoes which belonged to the state, while many of those who didn’t steal food died of starvation.

彭二秀1937年出生，是湖南省双峰县走马街镇石冲村村民。在这段口述中，彭老人回忆了小时候的生活和58年到60年间的情况。彭老人4岁时母亲去世，跟着父亲四处乞讨。12岁嫁给了当时16岁的丈夫，搬到了石冲村。58年彭老人生下孩子后，连饭都没有吃，生完不到一个月就去地里干活。当时不少人偷公家的麦子尖和红薯吃，不偷的人很多都饿死了。

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。