Interview with Yang Deshan

Yang Deshan (b. 1934) is a resident of Huanzidong Village, Shenyang, Liaoning Province. In this interview, Yang talks about the life during the Great Famine. The communal canteen was established in 1958: everyone had to eat there and no one was allowed to cook at home. 1958 saw a very good harvest, yet people wasted a lot of food. 1960 saw a much reduced production and the country had to pay back the debt to the Soviet Union, the Great Famine started as a result. Yang was working as the warehouse keeper at the production team, so he could sneak out some food for his family to keep them from starving. However, many villagers starved to death, especially the elderly and the sick. There were foods in the granary but because it was the government’s grain reserves in case of war, the government did not open the granary even though people were starving.

杨德山1934年出生，是沈阳市法库县獾子洞村村民。在这段口述中，杨老人回忆了大饥荒时的生活。1958年成立大食堂，不许各家烧火，要求人们都上食堂吃饭。1958年大丰收粮食多，不少人都浪费粮食，到60年粮食就减产了，加上要还苏联外债，饥荒开始了。杨老人因为是在生产队当保管长，可以拿点粮食回家，所以他们家没太挨饿，但好多村民都饿死，尤其是老人和病人。当时粮库虽然有粮食，但因为是国家的储备粮，所以并没有发放给挨饿的百姓。

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。