Wake up（244）

 

244

 

The night was getting darker, and Han Erniang was still chatting with Chai Jianhua at home about "suspending classes to cause revolution" and "resuming classes to cause revolution".

Why did Han Erniang bring up those things again?

It turned out that Han Erniang had a meeting with several former teachers from the same school during the day, recalling the past, and the most talked about topic was the "resumption of classes and revolution".

One of the teachers, Wang, said: In order to understand the "resumption of classes and revolution", after I retired, I began to check the People's Daily in October 1967, looking for traces left by history, that is exactly what those of us who had no power, no power and no power back then An important source of official and authoritative information was available to the helpless ordinary teacher.

Before the National Day of that year in early October 1967, a piece of "extremely good news" was announced on September 25 - Xinhua News Agency on the 24th: Under the unprecedented situation of the National Proletarian Cultural Revolution, our great leader Mao Zedong The Chairman recently inspected North China, Central South China and East China, and investigated the situation of the Cultural Revolution in Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Shanghai and other provinces and cities. Chairman Mao has now returned to Beijing.

Since then, there has been another wave of hot news in the newspapers, and such sentences have appeared continuously-our great leader Chairman Mao is very, very healthy and very, very energetic. After the most exciting news came out, the officers and men of the People's Liberation Army and the revolutionary masses in Beijing, Shanghai and other places, who were celebrating the National Day with joy, cheered thunderously and announced the good news everywhere. They celebrated this extraordinarily happy news with great joy and happiness, shouting excitedly: "Long live Chairman Mao! Long live!" "Long live Chairman Mao! Long live long!"

This Teacher Wang stood up from the dining table, waving his hands, as if reciting: Chairman Mao, Chairman Mao! At such an advanced age, you work tirelessly, go out to inspect, conduct on-the-spot investigations, and worry about the great affairs of the people of the whole country and the revolutionary people all over the world day and night. How can we not be very excited! You are a model for the people of the world to learn from, and an example for all revolutionary people to learn from! Chairman Mao, Chairman Mao! Your old man has traveled thousands of miles at such an old age, full of energy and excellent health, how can we be very unhappy! Your health is the greatest happiness of Chinese people and people all over the world! ...

The teachers laughed out loud.

Teacher Liu interjected: In addition to such fanatical noises, the newspapers at that time were full of news from all over the country that "according to Chairman Mao's latest instructions, a new upsurge of revolutionary unity has been set off across the country", and there were happy reports from various places and systems. As for the content of the latest instruction, the newspaper will not immediately report it in full. This is also one of the characteristic practices of that era.

Teacher Zhang said, I remember that on the National Day of that year, Lin Biao delivered a speech on the Tiananmen Gate Tower, and for the first time conveyed Mao Zedong's latest instruction "to fight against self-interest and criticize revision." The People's Daily that followed was full of propaganda.

Liberation Army Daily editorial: To strengthen the education of cadres with fighting against private interests and criticizing revisions.

People's Daily editorial: "Fight against private interests and criticize revision" is the fundamental policy of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.

Red Flag Magazine Editorial: The Great Revolution of Mao Zedong Thought.

Liberation Army Daily editorial: Criticism must fight selfishness.

It was from the National Day in 1967 that "Fighting Selfishness and Criticizing Revision" became a popular slogan all over the country. Doctrine, and fight against a small group of capitalist roaders in the party. Later, school-related content appeared in the newspaper.

Teacher Liu said: Teacher Zhang is right. On October 10, 1967, the People's Daily reprinted the editorial of the Red Flag magazine: "Fight against selfishness, criticize revision", and do a good job in fighting against criticism and reform in all schools and units. This is the editorial of the 15th issue of "Red Flag" magazine in 1967. As the title indicates, it closely revolves around "fighting against private interests and criticizing revisions" to discuss the school's tasks. I remember very clearly that the editorial emphasized: At present, we must do a good job in the great revolutionary criticism, do a good job in the struggle, criticism and reform of all schools and units, take back all the positions occupied by revisionism, and plant the great red flag of Mao Zedong Thought. But I also remember that after I read the full text, I found that there was no word for "Resume class to cause revolution". Although as early as March 7, 1967, the People's Daily published an editorial "Resumption of Classes in Primary and Secondary Schools to Cause Revolution", nothing has been achieved for more than half a year. Therefore, I believe that until October 10, 1967, the newspapers did not re-call for "resuming classes and making revolution", so I would not think of going back to school to "join the revolution".

Teacher Liu was the director of general affairs of the school at the time, and he needed to make some preparations for the school to resume classes. So he pays special attention to the time of "resuming classes and making revolution".

Teacher Liu recalled: On the first page of the People’s Daily on October 11, 1967, there was a report of middle school students in Beijing taking the initiative to go to the countryside to become farmers and a commentator’s article "Take the Road of Combining with Workers and Peasants". However, no matter in the report or commentator's article, there is no mention of middle school graduates going to the mountains and countryside, nor does it mention the school's "resumption of classes to cause revolution". Teacher Liu said: It should be pointed out that the "educated youth who went to the countryside" mentioned in the commentator's article refers to those who went to the countryside before the Cultural Revolution. counter-revolutionary black line", demanding to return to the city, etc. Now there are data showing that as of October 1967, there were at least three central documents that resolutely reiterated the correct direction of going to the mountains and going to the countryside. Therefore, the "educated youth who went to the mountains and went to the countryside" in the commentator's article has no equal relationship with the students who stayed in school for more than a year due to the outbreak of the Cultural Revolution.

Teacher Liu continued: After October 14, 1967, there were not a lot of follow-up reports about the news that Beijing middle school students took the initiative to go to the countryside to become farmers. For example, the editorial: The whole country will hold Mao Zedong Thought study classes; the commentator's article: We will do what Chairman Mao instructs...  

At that time, although it was required that "universities, middle schools, and primary schools all over the country should reopen immediately" and "reform should be carried out at the same time as teaching", but because the turmoil was still developing, schools in various places could not resume classes for a long time. In this regard, I don't remember whether the notice was communicated to each of our students back then. However, when I learned of that notice, the principal asked me to post this notice in the school. However, in retrospect, the content of the notification seems incredible to me now.

On October 25, "People's Daily" published an editorial "Universities, middle schools, and primary schools must resume classes to cause revolution." On November 26, another editorial was published, "Revisiting the Resumption of Classes in Universities, Middle Schools, and Elementary Schools to Cause Revolution". On October 30, "People's Daily" reposted the editorial of "Changjiang Daily" on October 22, saying: "The center of the resumption of classes and revolution is revolution. The current resumption of classes and revolution is mainly based on 'fighting against private interests and criticizing revisions... In particular, we must pay close attention to the struggle, criticism and reform in our units, and carry the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution to the end. This is the main course. Many colleges and technical secondary schools have not really resumed classes due to the movement, or have suspended classes after a short-term resumption of classes.”

Ms. Zhang is the school’s academic director. She said: Now it seems that the notice is a very important "action instruction" for the future "resumption of classes" and "revolutionary" activities, not only because it requires universities, middle and primary schools to "resume classes." It is also because it clearly stated that "universities, middle schools and elementary schools must immediately prepare for enrollment."

At that time, it must be "Chairman Mao loves me, Chairman Mao supports me, Chairman Mao praises me, Chairman Mao instructs me to follow." That was when the People's Daily began to publicize Li Wenzhong's deeds, and this rhetoric began to spread throughout the country. The title of the People's Daily commentator's article is called "What Chairman Mao Instructs, We Do." Therefore, in such a general environment, it is only natural to closely follow Chairman Mao and follow Chairman Mao's instructions. But I never expected that the ever-changing political situation would completely change the trajectory of my life, and the treacherous "revolution" would completely forget that notice and throw it into the sky. I started to prepare for the recruitment work, but it turned out to be a waste of time.

Teacher Wang said to Han Erniang: Teacher Han, I believe that the "resumption of classes" back then was fake, and the "revolution" was the most important thing. You must still remember that after the central document "Notice on the Resumption of Classes and Revolution in Universities, Middle and Primary Schools" was issued and posted in the school, it happened that the People's Daily went all out to publicize the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council, the Central Military Commission, and the Central Cultural Revolution. Notice of the Great Union", the document was published in the People's Daily on October 18, and the People's Daily editorial accordingly appeared: Follow the latest instructions of the great leader Chairman Mao to advance bravely; the next day's editorial: Follow Chairman Mao's instructions , carry out the great revolutionary coalition according to the system, etc. At that time, the "civil war" of the Cultural Revolution was in full swing, and a "great alliance" was urgently needed. The content about the school's "resumption of classes and revolution" has also "retired to the second line".

Teacher Liu, the general affairs director of the school at the time, said that on October 22, the third page of the People's Daily reported that elementary schools in Shanghai and Wuhan started to open one after another. All primary schools in Shanghai will begin to reopen on the 20th. On that day, most primary schools had their first class. Some primary schools will also resume classes in the next few days. There are more than 100,000 new students enrolled in primary schools in Shanghai this semester. ... Primary schools in the Wuhan area have started to open one after another since mid-October, and the resumption of classes caused a revolution. Elementary schools in Hongshan and Qingshan District, which started school earlier, are further consolidating and developing the revolutionary alliance and the revolutionary "three combinations" through the resumption of classes and revolution, and the struggle, criticism and reform in their own units. The revolution and teaching work have taken on a new look. According to reports from Xinhua News Agency on the 21st, the revolutionary teachers and students of Beijing No. 3 Middle School held high the great red banner of Mao Zedong Thought, and with the keynote of "fighting against selfishness and criticizing revisions", they resumed classes to start a revolution. All classes in this school resumed classes in an all-round way to make a revolution, mainly to fight against private interests and criticize revision. Xinhua News Agency, 22nd: There are more than 230 middle schools in Beijing, with the help of the Beijing Garrison of the People's Liberation Army and the military trainers of the troops stationed in Beijing, following the instruction of the great leader Chairman Mao's "March Seven" instruction, according to the class Achieved a revolutionary alliance. The practice of these schools proves that the realization of the great revolutionary alliance by class is the correct way to win the complete victory of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in schools.

Teacher Wang said to former colleagues: If we say that the traditional method of publicity work for many years is to use advanced models to drive the overall situation, then the above-mentioned continuous reports focus on the opening and resumption of classes, which just reflects from the side that it was common at that time. What is the problem that great effort is solving. The campus that has been abandoned for more than a year cannot be restored to life with one order and one response, with the same pace, and immediate execution. "Resuming classes to cause revolution" alone is not "powerful" enough, so newspaper editorials are used to heat up.

On October 25, 1967, the People's Daily published an editorial on the first page, "Universities, middle schools, and primary schools must resume classes and cause revolution." In fact, more than half a year ago, the People's Daily on March 7, 1967 published an editorial "Resumption of Classes in Primary and Secondary Schools to Cause Revolution".

Han Erniang said: I remember that due to the "Great Revolution" for more than a year, the teachers' classroom textbooks at the beginning of the resumption of classes were all problems. However, the most authoritative People's Daily did not mention these specific issues in its editorials, and talked about "fighting criticism and reform" and "fighting private criticism and revision" from beginning to end.

Teacher Wang sighed and said: During the Cultural Revolution, the level of class struggle and line struggle was repeatedly elevated from the political level, and the necessity and importance of "resuming classes to start a revolution" were emphasized under political leadership. In fact, "resuming classes to cause revolution" is just a farce.

At this time, Chai Jianhua said to Han Erniang: The night is getting darker and darker, go to sleep, after the long night, you can see the light.