Quotes from Ji-li Jiang

So the Cultural Revolution was born out of both Mao's genuine frustration and his desire to regain the upper hand in a power struggle that threatened his position. His call for "perpetual revolution" mobilized young people into Red Guards who would wage class war against remnants of traditional society, both native and foreign.

It was strange. When I had read the newspaper, I had been enraged by the revisionist educational system that had been poisoning our youth for so many years. But now that I actually had to criticize the teachers who taught us every day, I could not find anything really bad to say about any of them.

It felt almost like a dream from long ago. I remembered another Ji-li, one who was always praised by her teachers and respected by her classmates. A Ji-li who always pushed herself to do better, achieve more.

Our great leader, Chairman Mao, has taught us, 'Every reactionary is the same; if you do not hit him, he will not fall. This is also like sweeping the floor; as a rule, where the broom does not reach, the dust will not vanish by itself.'" Her

She was having an attack of Mèniére's disease. She had had it for years, and an attack could come on at any time. The world would spin around her and she would feel weak and nauseous. Even opening her eyes would make her helplessly dizzy.

Now you can show your revolutionary determination." He paused. "We want you to testify against your father at the struggle meeting.

But at home he was our humorous, kind, and wise Dad. He loved reading, and he loved including the whole family in his discoveries. He

Now, you have to choose between two roads." Thin-Face looked straight into my eyes. "You can break with your family and follow Chairman Mao, or you can follow your father and become an enemy of the people." His

He pointed me to a chair. "Making a clean break with your black family, that's good. We absolutely support you.

You are different from your parents. You were born and raised in New China. You are a child of Chairman Mao. You can choose your own destiny: You can make a clean break with your parents and follow Chairman Mao, and have a bright future; or you can follow your parents, and then… you will not come to a good end." As

You can tell your parents you'll follow Chairman Mao, not them. If they give you any trouble, just come here and tell us. We'll go to their work units and hold struggle meetings against them… .

There is no difficulty, no matter how serious, that cannot be overcome, but if you miss this chance, it might ruin your whole political life. Then it will be too late to repent.

We cannot choose our families or our class sums. But we can choose our own futures." He spoke very slowly and clearly. "No, you are not a leader, but you are still an 'educable child.' You can overcome your family background." He

Another student said his teacher had deliberately ruined his students' eyesight by making them read a lot, so they could not join the Liberation Army. Still

Still another accused Teacher Wang of attempting to corrupt a young revolutionary by buying her some bread when he learned that she had not eaten lunch.

An Yi's grandma lay on a cart, silent under the white sheet. Her face was covered. It had been smashed in her fall, and of course they would not make a wax replacement for a suicide. Suicide was a crime. It was "alienating oneself from the people," according to what Chairman Mao said. So we were not in one of the private rooms. We wore no mourning bands. We could not play funeral music for Grandma.

Here is the opportunity for you to help Chairman Mao's revolution. Who can win the most honor by telling us first?

I shut my eyes and pictured Grandma standing on the windowsill, looking down into the courtyard. What was she thinking before she jumped? She must have forgotten about her duties to her country, and her family too. Did she think about her granddaughter rushing back from Shandong for the funeral? Did she remember her blind sister? I wiped at my tears and took a deep breath.

We even know where it was hidden, but before I go get it, I'll give you one last chance to prove your loyalty to Chairman Mao. And

We cannot choose our families or our class sums. But we can choose our own futures.

I realized that I hdd my promise to them - to everyone in my family - long ago. I had promised during the days that Grandma and I had hidden in the park; I had promised when I had not testified against Dad; I had promised when I had hidden the letter. I would never do anything to hurt my family and I would do everything I could to take care of them.

That doesn't mean that you should make up a story about something you never did!" Dad's voice grew still louder. "So what if I never listened to foreign radio broadcasts? They'll stop beating me if I confess to it, won't they? 'Leniency to those who confess, and severity to those who resist.' Look at my face, Lao Jiang. I can't stand it anymore… .

Life was very hard, so hard that I could hardly breathe sometimes

The sun had risen as usual, but nothing else about the day was the same as the day before.