Interview with Zhang Gaosheng

Zhang Gaosheng (b.1942) is a resident of Xizhai Village, Hanguguan Town, Lingbao City, Henan Province. In this interview, Zhang remembers experiences during the Great Leap Forward and the Great Famine. When constructing backyard furnace, all the pots were smashed. Because of the proneness to boasting and exaggeration, people didn’t have enough to eat, but could only eat tree leaves and bark, and even competed for food with the cattles. Many people also got edema disease. He says, the local blocked information from the upper levels and didn’t report the real situation. He also comments that this was not a natural disaster, but man made.

张高升1942年出生，是河南省灵宝市函谷关镇西寨村的村民。在这段口述中，张老人回忆了大跃进和大饥荒期间的经历。大炼钢铁时，所有的锅都被砸了。因为刮“浮夸风”虚报粮食，人们粮食不够吃，只能吃树叶，树皮，甚至和牛抢吃的，很多人也得了浮肿病。他说地方对上级封锁了消息，并没有反映真实情况。他还评论说这并不是自然灾害，而是人为的。

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。