The Ups and Downs of the Commoners Page #4

This non-fiction novel tells the life of ordinary commoners in the middle of the 20th century in China, from the series of movements such as "Land Reform", "Great Leap Forward", "Cultural Revolution" and "Educated Youth Going to the Countryside" to the early days of Reform and Opening-up. The book has four volumes, and was published by Hong Kong Chinese International Publishing House in 2015. The protagonist of this book, Fang Zhengben, was born into a bankrupt family of landowners. Their family has lived in Taiqing Town for generations. When he was six years old, he left Taiqing Town with his parents and came to Longyun Mountain, where the mountains overlap. From then on, he began an unusual life: their family hard work, but they couldn't eat enough; he yearned for reading, but he has dropped out of school three times before graduating from junior high school; he is diligent and studious, with excellent grades, but the door of colleges is

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Fang Xinwen had experienced the Land Reform Movement when he was a teacher in Shaanxi province and knew something about it.    When the Land Reform Movement in Taiqing Town began, he analyzed the economic situation of his family in recent years and felt that he should not be the target of the movement. Indeed, as he concluded, he was also trusted by the Land Reform Team, and his family got some of the "fruits of victory".    When he was congratulating himself that he had "done a good thing by losing the family fortune," the god of fate is making terrible arrangements for his family's future.
This Zhang Yuting was originally a farmer who owned his own land in the mountains of Lianghekou. Later he sold his land and went come Taiqing Town. He rented two grass huts outside the north gate and opened a small bar. During the Land Reform, he became the village head here. When he knew Land Reform that he could get house and land from the landowner, he hold great hope about the Fang Xinwen's family house: If I could own the ownership of the that house, I Zhang Yuting wouldn't have to rent this shabby straw house any! That house is so big and spacious that, it's worth it for me to be the village chief. He then repeatedly proposed to the land Reform task force to classify both Fang Xinheng brothers as landowners, but Team leader Ma said: "According to the policy, his elder brother Fang Xinheng is barely a bankrupt landowner, and   FangXinwen does not qualify as landowner." Zhang Yuting saw that Fang Xinwen could not be classified as a landowner, is worried that the house can't be all get hand, and heard that "layabout" can also go to the countryside, so he then used a new trick. He came today to ask Fang Xinwen to carry mud in the pond, Just to find his fault.
Fang Xinwen thought that as long as he did not do bad things, Zhang Yuting also did not dare to punish him easily, who knows things are not as simple as he imagined. Zhang Yuting returned to the village office, and there are new arrangements.
On a night a few days later, at midnight, Fang xinwen and his family are already asleep.      "rat-tat, rat-a-tat!"      A sudden knocking at the door woke them up.      "Open the door!      Open the door!"      They heard shouting in a man very loud voice.      "Who is knocking at the door?"      Fang Xinwen asked from the back room.      His inner room was a considerable distance from the gate.      "Nighttime checks!"      The same man was replying loudly.     Fang Xinwen knew that at that time, it was common for people performing official duties to enter private homes at night to check, and he did not dare to neglect, and hurriedly got up and dress. At that time was still cold, and he should put on his cotton robe before opening the door. But, the people at the door had been waiting a little impatient, repeatedly urged: "Hurry up!   Hurry up!   What are you procrastinating!"   At the same time, he hit the door with the butt of his gun and made a "bang, bang" sound. "I coming!   I coming!    You what's the rush？   I the total   can't don't wear clothes, come out naked bar!"  Fang Xinwen while replying, he wore clothes, lit an oil lamp, and walked to the door.
As soon as the door opened, several militiamen with guns on their backs rushed into the room. Fang Xinwen this just saw, leader of the Night check is deputy village head Fang Zhishu. She was a girl, in good health, with a pair of large braids, a little squint in one eye, and in her twenties still unmarried. Said up, she and fang Xin wen is the same clan, she also than Fang Xinwen high generation. Because her family was poor, she was chosen by the Land Reform Task Force, as the of the deputy chief village during. The militiaman walking in the in front was named Fang Fatie, a huge black - faced, nickname "Blacksmith Fang". He walk in door is "Snap, Snap" two slaps, the hit   Fang Xinwen   two eyes hair flower. He shouted at the same time: "We shouted you for so long, what are you doing?" Fang Xinwen defends say: "where have how long? I just put on some clothes!" "Blacksmith Fang" gave Fang Xinwen two more slap in the face and roared: "You have been dragging your feet for a long time, not to open the door, and dare play hooligan in front of our female cadres!" Fang Xinwen retorted: "Where did I play what hooligan?" "Look at your stubborn tongue!" "Blacksmith Fang" said, "you said 'don't wear clothes, come out naked' what did mean? That's not also play hooligan!" He slapped Fang Xinwen again. By this time, Fang Zhishu had led several people with lanterns to inspect all the rooms. "Is there anyone else in your house?" she asked. Fang Xinwen had blood from his mouth, and said with fear: "No... No." "Then why did it take you so long to open the door?" Fang Blacksmith scrambling to say. "I..." Before Fang Xinwen finished his words, Fang Zhishu said: "Go, first back to the village office!" "Fang Blacksmith" pushed Fang Xinwen hard toward the door and hit him hard on the buttocks with the butt of his gun.  Fang Xinwen stumbled towards the door.
Fang Xinwen was thus taken to the village office.  There, he was held for several days, with three meals a day, which his wife brought him.    Of course, he was punched and kicked a lot, until he admitted that he said the "insulting remarks about female cadres", and promised to put on a tall, pointed hat, walk down the street, presented to the public, and  he was released to go home.
One day, sounded of a gong in the street. People who participate in the bazaar trade saw a tall, white-faced, middle-aged man carrying a brass gong walking down the street under the "protection" of several armed militiamen. He wore a pointed hat about 70cm high, made of white paper, and hung a sign on his chest that read, in big Chinese characters, "Layabout- Fang Xinwen". As he walked, he knocked on the gong and shouted: "I am 'layabout' -- I made a vulgar remark -- I insulted the female cadres -- Everyone don't learn from me!" It looked very awkward, and also very laughable. The person who knew Fang Xinwen sighed and said, "Isn't that shopkeeper Fang? How could this happen to him!" Those who did not know him commented, "I can't see that such a gentle man would still say vulgar words and insult female cadres. It serves him right!"
Fang xinwen's pride was badly hurt by this incident.   He felt that he had really suffered the greatest humiliation of his life, and that his ancestors had been disgraced by him.   He felt sorry for his forefathers because it was more serious than his previous loss of the family property.   If you lose your property, you lose only your property.   If you insult a woman, you lose your virtue, which is the foundation of a person's life.   "Insulting female cadres", he having no such motive, also no such words or actions, it was only a remark" I couldn't come out naked without clothes", how did it become "vulgar words" of "insulting female cadres"? Besides, he at all not know that there were female, to say that he was insulting female cadres, It is not just out of thin air? To make another assumption, even if he knew that there were female cadres present, also only said a  word of the truth, how could it be "insulting female cadres"? He felt wronged, and even more ashamed, and he just hates that there is no hole can let him hide inside.

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