Interview with Li Xintian

Li Xintian (b.1934) is a resident of Zoujia Village, Shangdian Town, Binzhou City, Shandong Province. In this interview, Li talks about his experience during the Great Famine. The most bitters days started in the later half of 1959, when People's Commune Canteen had no food. Not only were grains extremely lacking, but both men and women also had to go dredging and ditching, leaving the elder and children at home. The starving people were forced to eat anything they could find. More than eighty people in his village starved to death, including his mother and two grandmothers. Life became a little better in the later half of 1961, when eight liang of grains was offered.

李鑫田1934年出生，是山东省滨州市阳信县商店镇邹家村的村民。在这段口述中，李老人讲述了大饥荒时期的经历。最苦是1959年的下半年，食堂都吃不上了。不仅分的粮食远远不够吃，还不管男女都要到出去挖河挖沟，只剩下老人和孩子在家。挨饿的人们被逼得什么都吃。村里饿死了八十几个人，包括他的母亲和两个奶奶。1961年下半年开始按'八大两供应'，生活才好了一些。

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。