Interview with Li Xinfeng

Li Xinfeng (b. 1926) is a resident of Lijia Village, Jiangxi Province.In this interview, Li recalls the life during the Great Leap Forward and Great Famine. In 1958 during the Great Leap Forward, villagers sold all their surplus grain to the government. Li could only make some money by weaving cloth. Life was very difficult during that time. People had to build the road even when it was raining. They sometimes were so busy working in the field and they had their lunch delived there. They had to rely on old people to look after their children. When eating at the communal canteen, people had congee in the morning and rice for lunch and dinner. Everyone’s daily grain ration was clearly regulated according to their labor. Whoever did not go to work would not get any food. Because of hunger, Li ate all kinds of leaves and wild vegetables. Lots of kids starved to death in the village.

李新凤1926年出生，是江西省吉安市青原区富滩镇李家村村民。在这段口述里，李老人回忆了大跃进和大饥荒时的生活。58年大跃进时，村民把余粮都卖给了国家，李老人只能靠织布赚钱。当时生活艰苦，下雨天也要去修路。生产队在田里干活没时间吃午饭，就让人把饭送到田里吃，孩子也只能托老人照顾。吃大食堂时，早上喝粥，中午和晚上吃饭。每个人的口粮都按照劳力有明确规定，如果不出工就没有饭吃。因为饥饿，李老人吃过各种叶子和野菜，村里好多孩子饿死。

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。