Chapter 55 Jokes in the "Cultural Revolution"

In the middle of the "Cultural Revolution", although "two newspapers and one magazine" boasted: "proletarian literature and art", workers, peasants and soldiers occupied the art stage.However, the masses could see nothing but the eight model operas, and were actually in a cultural desert.The masses of the people are unwilling to be lonely, and the "poisonous weeds of feudalism, capitalism, and cultivation" that were once eliminated by Lin Biao and Jiang Qing's cliques have begun to quietly breed, become popular, and flood among the people.Oral literature flourished like never before.

The "Cultural Revolution" was an era of unprecedented absurdity, and it was also an era that could be ridiculed. A large number of jokes emerged and were widely circulated. The most characteristic of the times in the "Cultural Revolution" is of course political jokes.For example, at the rebel faction’s criticism meeting, Chen Yi opened the quotation book in his hand, leaned close to the microphone and read out loudly: "Open the quotation book 376 pages, the highest instruction: 'Chen Yi is a good comrade.'" (Note: The quotation book of Chairman Mao only has 375 pages. page) This is a typical political joke.

The Northeast Construction Corps has a political joke.The educated youths of the Corps had to transfer to the train at Jiamusi Railway Station when they returned to the city to visit their homes, and they had to pass under the statue of Chairman Mao in the station square.Several educated youths visited the house together, and one educated youth suddenly announced: "We only need five years to go back to the city." Someone asked him, how did he know it was five years?Pointing to the statue of Chairman Mao, the educated youth said, "Look at Chairman Mao stretching out a hand with five fingers. Didn't he tell us five years in Zhibian?" When looking at the statue of Chairman Mao, an educated youth asked, "Didn't you say that we will only stay here for five years?" Behind, there are three fingers stretched out. Five plus three, isn’t it eight years? We have to support the border for eight years before we can go home!” This joke was widely circulated among the educated youths of the Northeast Corps.

In the continuous mass movement, the masses often make up some oral literature for self-entertainment in order to relax their nerves. Although this type of oral literature has existed for a long time, it flourished especially during the "Cultural Revolution" and became a major feature. For example, jokes about model plays fall into this category. In "Taking Tiger Mountain Out of Wisdom", Yang Zirong's jokes about turning on the lights but not turning them off; "wax"); because the gun that beat Luan didn't go off, Yang Zirong came back and reported to Zuo Shandiao: "I strangled him to death!" The joke was widely circulated among the people.

There are also some jokes drawn from their own side. During the "Cultural Revolution", many combat teams were established. The names of these organizations are mostly derived from Chairman Mao's poems: Feiming Di, Driving Tigers and Leopards, On Dangerous Peaks, Conquering Corruption, Concentric Work, Fighting Still, Binding Canglong, Chasing Poor Bandits, etc.Beijing No. 2 Middle School, No. 5 Middle School, and No. 85 Middle School, etc., have no organization to ask them to "educate good children".They got together and joked, let's set up an organization too.Some people say that the name is the "Fear of Xiong Wei" combat team.Someone also mentioned: "What is the little worm".In the end, everyone agrees that the best name is: "Pest".

With the impoverishment of cultural and entertainment life, small programs spontaneously created and performed by amateurs began to become active.Under the guise of great criticism, people strive for a little entertainment. During the "Cultural Revolution", every rural production team and factory had a Mao Zedong Thought literature and art propaganda team, and the amateur performances of the propaganda team attracted a large number of people. During the "Cultural Revolution", one of the most popular and vital mass programs was "Old Men and Wives Participate in the Criticism Meeting".A few men and women dressed up as old men and wives went around the venue to talk about allegro.

A few old men with beards sticking to their noses, white towels tied on their heads, and cigarette pouches around their waists lined up to smooth things over, chanting: The day is just dawning in the east, The rooster crowed three times and got up. Let's go to the critique meeting, × An old man was beaming. Aim at that: ×××, And that: ×××... Then came the wives who "staggered" with their trousers tied.There are also words in the mouth: My wife, I am so happy, The legs are busy. Criticism meetings are held in the club, I will speak at the meeting; Aim at that: ××× And that: ×××...

The "×××" in the performance can change with the development and changes of the movement. Yesterday it was Liu Shaoqi, Deng Xiaoping, and Tao Zhu, and today it may be changed to Kong Lao Er and Lin Biao.No matter who they criticize, the peasants perform these small cultural performances just for fun and to listen to the movement, which is no different from playing lions or walking on stilts at temple fairs. It was under such circumstances that storytelling began to gradually recover and become popular among the people.