Interview with Zhang Xiaogeng

Zhang Xiaogeng (b.1930) 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. Due to the proneness to boasting and exaggeration at that time, tens of thousands jin of wheat and sweet potatoes were reported while the actual yield was only two or three hundred, and otherwise they would be criticized. When constructing backyard furnace, the village was organized into military units. Starvation began in 1960, because too much food was collected, the peasants didn’t have enough to eat. He recalls eating corns and all kinds of leaves, eating grain seeds secretly while planting them as long as the cadres didn’t know. At that time, peasants were divided into two classes, and landlords and rich peasants were struggled and beaten up.

张小庚1930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。 因为当时的“虚夸风”，报一亩地收几万斤麦和红薯，其实实际只能收二、三百斤，如果不报那么多，就要被批斗。 大炼钢铁， 实行军事化管理。 饥饿开始是1960年，因为粮食被征收太多，留给农民的粮食不够吃。他回忆，吃过玉米棒子、各种树叶；边种粮食边偷吃粮食种子，只要干部没看见，就偷吃。 当时农民分作两个阶级，地主富农被斗被打。

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。