Interview with Wang Canzhou

Wang Canzhou (b.1934) is a resident of Zhifang Village, Linying County, Luohe City, Henan Province. Wang was in school for a few years before he became a peasant. In the 1942 drought and famine, Wang’s grandfather, uncle and little sister were all starved to death. Wang’s mother solicited food in Wuyang, and exchanged belongings for food, so Wang’s father and other sisters survived. After the 1948 land reform, there was another movement of denunciation and many anti-revolutionaries were shot down. Life was good in 1955, when elementary communes were established, but went bad next year after the advanced communization. People could only eat sweet potato dishes every day and got three liangs of food.

王灿周（1934年生）是河南省漯河市临颍县大郭乡纸坊村村民。王老人小时候读过几年书，后来就失学在家务农。1942年发生旱灾、闹饥荒，他的爷爷、伯父和我两岁小妹妹都被饿死。王老人的母亲常在午阳县要饭，用衣物和首饰换食物，保住了父亲和他其他姐妹的命。 1948年实行了土地改革，遂后又有复查运动，枪决一批反革命。1955年成立初级社，农民以土地牲畜财产计算入股，劳动记分，生活平静。1956年又转为高级社，农民更加缺乏劳作动力，生产队谎报粮食产量。1958年成立大食堂， 农民终日吃红薯汤红薯馍；人民公社成立后， 每个人一天只吃三两粮。

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