Interview with Yang Chunlin and Liu Lingzhi

Yang Chunlin (b. 1950) is a resident of Caozhuang Village, Shandong Province. In this interview, Yang recalls the days during the Great Famine. The food supply in the village started to run low in 1959. Many villagers could not be buried after they died, because their relatives were too hungry to dig graves for them. In the end of 1961, the village experienced “45 Days of Clearance”: the villagers were not allowed to eat any grain. In addition, Yang also talks about several cadres who were very cruel in those years.

杨春林1950年出生，是山东省东明县城关镇曹庄村村民。在这段口述中，杨老人回忆了大饥荒时的情况。村里59年开始粮食紧张，不少村民饿死后无法下葬，因为家人饿得刨不动坑。61年年底村里经历了“澄清45天”：45天里不准村民吃粮食。此外杨老人还回忆了几位当年非常凶狠的干部。

Liu Lingzhi (b. 1933) is a resident of Caozhuang Village, Shandong Province. In this interview, Liu recalls the life during the Great Famine. Because of hunger, Liu picked all kinds of wild vegetables and tree leaves to eat. Meanwhile, she had to carry her kid on her back while working in the field day and night. Liu also recalls a cadre who did all kinds of evil back then.

刘灵芝1933年出生，是山东省东明县城关镇曹庄村村民。在这段口述中，刘老人回忆了大饥荒时的生活。因为饥饿，刘老人捡过各种野菜、树叶吃，同时每天还要白天、晚上背着孩子去地里干活。刘老人甚至一度把衣服、家具等卖了换了一把坏的红薯干吃才没饿死。此外刘老人还回忆了村里一个作恶多端的干部。

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。