Interview with Xu Shizhong

Xu Shizhong (b.1946) originally lived in Zhongshan Village, Jiaokou Town, Yanchang County, Yan’an City, Shaanxi Province, and now lives in Fengche Gou, Yanchang County. In this interview, Xu recalls experiences during the Great Leap Forward and the Great Famine. In 1958 he was the team leader, and went to build reservoir as a labor force during the Great Leap Forward. Working at the Commune from 1958 to 1960, there was nothing to eat, and the food and pots of every household were taken away after the People’s Commune canteen started. At that time the harvest was not bad, and starvation was mainly caused by submitting the grains to the government.

许士钟1936年出生， 原居陕西延安市延长县交口镇下中山村，现居延长县风车沟。在这段口述中，许老人回忆了大跃进和大饥荒时期的经历。1958年他是队长，大跃进的时候出民工去修水利。58年到60年在公社干活，没东西吃，成立了食堂后每家的粮食和锅都被收走了。当时粮食打得不少，挨饿主要是因为把粮食交给了公家。

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。