Interview with Li Guiting

Li Guiting(b.1933) is a resident of Diaoyutai Village, Yindian Town, Suizhou City, Hubei Province, and was the only tofu maker in the village. Li talks about his family life from 1949 till end of the Cultural Revolution. Li's family didn't own land and had to beg for food. During the Land Reform, they were given some land. In 1953, the mutual aid groups were formed and food were distributed based on the work points earned by each person. In 1955 people's commune was established. And in 1956, the government started the state monopoly of grain purchase and sell. During the Great Famine, Li and his mother could only eat bran, tree leaves, tree bark & roots and wild plants while participating in the construction of dam and reservoir. The mother and son tried committing suicides by eating poisonous food because of starvation. During the Great Leap Forward, Li participated in constructing blast furnace and was injured with chronic concussion. During the Four Cleanups, Li hosted the campaign work group as he was the poorest one in the Production Team. He was then appointed as president of poor peasant association and was able to criticize the misconducts of the local cadres of the people's commune. During the Cultural Revolution, Li was criticized and over a hundred of big character posters about him were posted by other villagers.

李贵庭（1933年生）是湖北省随州市殷店镇钓鱼台村村民, 经营着村里唯一的豆腐作坊。李老人的口述贯穿土改、大饥荒、大跃进、四清运动和文革五个主题。土改以前, 李家没有田地, 全家出门要饭；土改以后才分到田地。1953年成立互助组, 按照劳动所得的工分分配粮食。1955年成立人民公社。，1956年实行粮食由国家统购统销的政策。大饥荒时期, 李老人和母亲吃糠、黄荆叶子树树叶、榔树皮、榔树根和野菜；同时自己还要参加修建田间大堰(坝）和水库。因为饥饿, 母子二人曾尝试吃有毒的食物自杀。大跃进期间, 李老人参加大炼钢铁运动并受伤得了慢性脑震荡。四清运动中, 县里来的工作组住在李老人家里, 李老人当上了贫协主席, 给公社干部提意见。文革中李老人受到批斗, 被村里人贴了一百多张大字报。

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