Chapter 15 Cowshed Life (1)

We built the cowshed with our own hands, and we were "invited into the urn". There is also life in the cowshed.Didn’t some writers preach that “life is everywhere”? However, it is still very difficult to talk about life in the cowshed now, "I don't know where to start with a seventeen history."I thought about it for a long time, and suddenly I had an idea. I wanted to learn the most popular method in Chinese historiography for a long time, and it was almost regarded as the golden rule. Let me talk about a little theory first.However, my set of theories has no classics to cite, and no classics to support. It is entirely my own experience, observation with my own eyes, and after careful consideration, I have extracted it from numerous facts.It is certain that it is difficult to enter the elegant hall.But I don't doubt it myself.Now I don't dare to keep my secrets and reveal them to the public.

What is my theory?In a word, it can be called "torture theory".In my opinion, all the activities carried out by the "revolutionary young generals" from beginning to end during the "Cultural Revolution", no matter what they expressed on the surface, who they were loyal to, and what line they defended.These are all bullshit.If you want to outline the outline, there is only one outline, and that is: torturing people.This guideline is carried out from beginning to end, everywhere and at all times, and controls everything.As for the psychological basis and ideological basis of this outline, I have covered it in the above places, so I won’t talk about it here.From the "overthrow" of the house raids to the reform through labor, there are many tricks, which are fascinating, but the essence of it is to torture people.In this respect, too, they have a process of evolution.In the beginning, although I had the ambition to torture people, I had little experience and few methods.Mainly I learned a little from Chinese past novels and miscellaneous books.The "Jade Calendar to Treasure Banknotes" I mentioned at the beginning of this book is an example.At this time, the way of torturing people is relatively simple, primitive, blunt, and rough, not exquisite and complete.For example, slapping, kicking, etc., probably existed in primitive society.They are self-taught.However, this group of young people are diligent, studious and receptive. They learn widely, learn from each other, and promote each other.Just as weapons were improved rapidly in war, in the "Cultural Revolution", the methods of torturing people were also changing with each passing day, improving and enriching all the time.Often a school invented a method of torturing people, and it spread across the country faster than lightning, such as the method of hanging wooden signs at Peking University, which should apply for a patent.As a result, the "revolutionary rebels" across the country worked together, did their best, and concentrated the wisdom of the masses. It became a system, and light was captured by the world.If there is a chance to use it next time, it will be much more convenient.

My "theory" is roughly the same. What kind of "history" does this "theory" "bring" out? This "history" has many clues.In fact, some of the above have already been said.Now let's talk about it separately in combination with the "cowshed" of Peking University.In my opinion, the creation of the Peking University Gangster Compound is the result of combining theory with practice. Let's talk about it by category. (1) Rectification of name Confucius said: "The name must be rectified. If the name is not correct, the words will not go well." How should we name the group of criminals whose homes were ransacked and "downed"?This is the first task of the "revolution".We used to be named "The Gangster".However, this is what the common people say, and its name is not elegant.We used to be called "Bastards"; but that name was more of a "bad boy" than a "gangster".We were once named "counter-revolutionaries".This is indeed a "legal language"; for some reason, it is not generally adopted.In addition, there are several other names, which have not become popular.It seems that this issue of name rectification has not been properly resolved.Now that the gang compound has been built, it can be regarded as a regularization, and the rectification of names has become a top priority.When we first moved into the compound, there was a notice on the wall of each room called "Reform-through-Labour Personnel Regulations".It stipulates in detail the rules that we must abide by, which are specific and strict.It looks like it was made by a very talented scholar.At that time, no one dared to advocate the rule of law.Our "revolutionary" young general was really the first to gain popularity, and he actually formulated provisions similar to laws. We, those who are controlled by such provisions, really cannot help admiring them.

However, as the saying goes: "A wise man has a lot of worries, but he must make mistakes."Those of us little wise men also have "one loss", and the loss is on the issue of name rectification. The "Rules for Reform-through-Labor Personnel" was posted about a day or two before it disappeared, and was replaced with the "Rules for Reform-through-Labor Criminals."Changing "personnel" to "criminal" only changed two words, but it turned iron into gold. How clear and strict the word "criminal" is!Let those of us who see the word "criminal" be able to clarify our legal status, understand that we have been down, and what awaits us is that a thousand feet will be stepped on our bodies, and we will never stand up again.We, a group of scholars who never dared to rebel, have been wearing criminal hats and being cautious since then. Day and night, we are like facing an abyss, walking on thin ice, making our whole body, especially the cells in our brains, extremely nervous They must be mobilized to the highest level in order to carry out reform through labor.

I have four crooked poems: The compound was built, The world is determined. In words and in name, The world is at peace. (2) Our residence As to our lodgings, I have mentioned above.Now for a brief moment. The "criminals" were assigned to live in three rows of bungalows. These one-story houses are very sloppy, probably temporary buildings at that time, and their scale is slightly better than the temporary sheds.When the school classrooms were tight, it was used as a temporary classroom.It has been almost two years since all universities across the country have suspended classes to start a revolution.The magnificent classrooms in North Dalian are all left unused, let alone this simple hut?So the dust accumulated inside, the cobwebs were dense, and it was low and damp, with a musty smell.There are mice, geckos, and probably scorpions too.There were many-legged insects crawling on the ground, as well as wood turtles, and many other small animals. In short, all the animals that can be found in low and wet places are here.It is practically uninhabitable.But we have been deprived of our "person" status at this time, and we are "criminals".Let us live in any place, it is God's grace.How dare we expect anything!

For the first few days we slept on mats spread out on the wet brick floor at night, and the thin layer of grass under the mats did little to keep out the moisture.There are swarms of flies during the day and swarms of mosquitoes at night.Everyone was bitten all over with cuts and bruises, and the itching was unbearable.Later, the wood was brought in, and the mats could be spread on the wood.At night, a few cloth strips dipped in dichlorvos were distributed to each house and hung inside the house, which was said to prevent mosquitoes.We are almost thankful for these "humane" measures.

At this time, compared with Taipingzhuang, the team of labor "criminals" has greatly expanded, at least doubled.We don't know the reason, and we don't want to know. What does this have to do with us?I took a look and found that Lu Ping and other "inmates" were not locked up here in the first place, and probably there was a "small courtyard for reform through labor" nearby, so I'm not sure about this.There are some new faces, some have met in a certain criticism meeting in the past, and some have never met, probably newly "picked up" with the deepening development of "class struggle".In fact, from the time of admission to the disbandment of the compound, there are often new "criminals" joining in.Our family is constantly expanding.

(3) Daily life The existence of the "Code of Labor Reform Criminals" in the bullpen is equivalent to the existence of a constitution.Although there will be supplements from time to time in the future, most of them are oral and not written.There is no "re-education criminals" meeting here, and no one needs to pass it.Fortunately, the supervisor—I don’t know if this is the official title? —Export the law, what you say is the truth. Bound by the Constitution and oral supplementary legal provisions, our cowshed life is in order.Get up at six in the morning, too early or too late.As soon as the bell rang, I dressed and left the house, and the first thing I did was to run around the yard.The supervisors stood in the middle of the yard, issuing orders.In my memory, they seldom hold spears, probably because they feel that this place is safe.Does running count as exercise?Normally, yes.But in fact, our group of "reform-through-labour criminals" is not allowed to read a little book except for physical labor every day. Our physical exercise is already sufficient, so why bother?Besides, we "this group of bastards" have been warned, we have an iron case, and no one can reverse the case.We have already deserved to die, and we deserve to die. It doesn't matter whether we exercise or not.The only plausible explanation I've found is the "torture theory".Running in the morning is also a way to torture the "criminal".Let's wear off our physical strength before working hard all day.

After running, go to the tap in the yard to wash your face and mouth.After washing up, I queued up to Yuaner Canteen to have breakfast.Walking on the road, the mighty team of more than one hundred people were all downcast, as if they were mourning.According to the oral law, no one is allowed to walk with his head up, and no one dares to walk with his head up.Anyone who violates the law will be immediately punched in the back or kicked.When you arrive at the canteen, you are only allowed to buy "luxury goods" such as steamed buns, pickles, and pancakes, which are absolutely prohibited.At that time, the living expenses of "labor criminals" were 16.50 yuan per month, and 12.50 yuan for their families.Even if you let me buy it, can I afford it?With this little money, how can we "live" and "live"?Of course there are tables and stools in the dining room; but it is for "people", and we have no share.We can only "eat" under the tree outside the building, on the steps, or squatting on the ground.The meat dishes at noon and evening have nothing to do with us, we can only eat cucumbers mixed with salt water, boiled vegetables in clear water and so on.I worked hard all day, but there was no oil in my stomach.We can only fight desperately with Wotou, but where can we get food stamps?This is the third time I have fallen into the hell of hunger after the starvation in Germany and the so-called "three years of hardship".However, there is also a fundamental difference: the first two times I was just hungry, but this time I added labor and physical pain at any time.Thinking back on the previous two times of starvation, it seemed like paradise was just out of reach.

After breakfast, return to the cowshed and wait for the assignment of labor tasks.At this point we have all become cattle and horses.None of the workers in the whole school worked anymore, and they all became overseers and prison bosses.When they had jobs, no matter how dirty or tired they were, they would all come to the reform-through-labor compound and demand that they be assigned "reform-through-labor criminals."This is like the distribution of cattle and horses by the captain of the rural production team.After the distribution is over, the workers become the hands-off shopkeepers, bossing around.The working class of Peking University after liberation is really full of ambition at this time.

There is one more important thing that cannot be forgotten anyway.Before starting to work, we must go to the blackboard hanging on the tree trunk and copy the "Supreme Instructions" to be recited today.These instructions are often quite long.Every "criminal", no matter what job he does or where he goes to work today, must memorize it fluently.Any correction officer, no matter what the occasion, may make you recite it.If you recite a word wrong, you will be slapped in the face, and you will be punished more severely.Now, if we are called to the office, we shout, "Report!" and stand with our heads down.The correction officer mentioned the first sentence of a quotation, and you had to recite the whole paragraph.If you recite a word wrong, you will be punished as above.There is an old professor of geophysics, because of his age, he seems to be unable to squeeze anything into his head except mathematical formulas.Even the "Supreme Directive", which is said to have infinite power, is no exception.I often saw him bruised and bruised, with two swollen blisters under his eyes.I feel quite sad about the death of a rabbit and a fox. What is the use of memorizing quotations?Some people may think that we "criminals" are all granite heads, and it is almost impossible to reform them by ordinary methods. The "revolutionaries" then borrowed the method taught by Jesus to study the Bible, and it is said that they have infinite powers.But, ashamed, I really didn't feel it.I have my own explanation, which is still a "torture theory" invented by me.I still believe to this day that this is the only reasonable explanation.The reform supervisors themselves did not believe that the "Supreme Instruction" would have such power, and they themselves were not familiar with a few quotations.Mistakes often occur even when addressing "criminals".Sometimes he raised his head, and I continued to recite it. Due to my nervousness, I also missed a word or two; but the correction officer didn't notice.At this time, I was not stupid enough to "surrender myself" and got away with it.If I was really stupid enough to "surrender myself", wouldn't the face of the supervisor be damaged?The consequences would be unimaginable. Since then, we have been working and memorizing quotations.Physically and mentally tense to the point of exploding. As for the types of labor I participated in, there are still many.There are several places where the working hours are the longest.According to my current memory, the first is the North Material Factory.The workers here belong to the Xinbei University Commune faction, and they all support the "Lafayette".Among the "reform through labor criminals", there are still factions.They are the same "criminals", but the treatment is sometimes different.I have two identities here, one is a "reform through labor prisoner" and the other is a former Jinggangshan member.Therefore, I received some "special treatment" and had a little more chance of being reprimanded.The work we do here is to move the refractory bricks from a place in the factory to the side of the small pond, and stack them up.It must be neatly stacked, otherwise it will collapse.Refractory bricks are very heavy, and if they fall on people, they will be killed.We "criminals" all know this, and we are extremely cautious in our work.After the refractory bricks were moved, they were assigned to pull out the old pillars and nails from the old planks.To do this work, to be allowed to sit on a wooden plinth, and to work without tiring, we are truly blessed.After finishing the work in the factory, I went to the sand pile outside the factory to move the sand from one pile to another.I worked in the North Material Factory for about a few weeks.I would like to add a few words here, and those who work here are only a small part of the "criminals".The rest of the people have their own arrangements. I don't know the situation, so I have to skip it. I was transferred from the North Material Factory to the student dormitory area to transport coal.It is summer now, and the big truck transports the coal from somewhere to the school and unloads it on the ground, which is considered to be the completion of the task.Our task is to carry the scattered coal on the ground with baskets and pile it into a coal mountain to reduce the area occupied.This job is not easy, one is tiring, and the other is dirty.It is very difficult for two old people to carry a basket of coal or coal powder weighing more than 100 catties, and sometimes they have to climb up the coal mountain.With the strong wind, we were covered in soot all over our faces.In normal times, we wouldn't even walk into a place like this.However, this time the situation changed.We have been able to take it easy.What is unhygienic, not to mention.The one who carried the basket with me for a long time was an old Muslim comrade who risked his life to work underground at Yenching University before liberation. When the workers who supervised the labor were not in sight, he whispered to me: "Our fate depends on The future has already been decided. Our future way out is to go to a remote area and spend our whole life in a labor camp.” This kind of thinking is somewhat representative.Why don't I think so myself? Since then, my type of work has changed many times.I used to go with the brigade to move stones and dig the rice fields where the Shaoyuan Building was originally located today.Once, an old professor from the Spanish Department was assigned to follow a worker to repair the underground water pipe outside the east wall on the 35th floor of the student dormitory.This time the master worker did it himself, and we two old men can only be regarded as "teaching assistants" to help him carry the cement bag and pass the shovel.Although the worker also had a sullen face, he didn't say a word.But he never said a word of reprimand to us.I really feel five in my heart.Ten years after the catastrophe, I still often see him riding by on campus, and I always watch his back gradually disappear with grateful eyes. In addition, I was assigned to work in some places, such as house repairs, weeding, etc., which will not be described here. Since it is called "reform through labor", of course labor is our main content of life.No matter in labor or in other activities, it is always difficult to avoid dealing with prison reformers.When we met them, as anywhere, we were never allowed to look up. This is the golden rule.Often we do not know who is standing in front of us talking.But the other party uses a "national curse" as soon as they open their mouths, which is the same as saying "hello!" when Americans meet, but we are only allowed to say it to the person opposite.The vocabulary used by the reform supervisors is very rich. In addition to saying "Damn", they also said "You bastard!", "You bastard!", etc. The vocabulary is much richer.If any reform supervisor does not start with "national scolding", I feel very abnormal and very uncomfortable. (4) Evening lectures Let me solemnly declare first: this is the greatest and most genius invention of the labor reform personnel. When I talked about the daily life of "reform-through-labor criminals", I talked about the many inventions and creations of the prison reform personnel when managing "labor-criminals".Except for a few employees and some workers, more than half of these supervisors are students.I don't know what these students' usual academic performance is.However, as a teacher, I have to give them high marks for their performance in managing the reform-through-labor compound.In the past, our teaching was quite out of touch with reality.This is largely the responsibility of the teaching system, and we as teachers cannot absolve ourselves of the blame.In the reform-through-labor compound, they are completely connected with reality, and the talents they display are multi-faceted: organizational skills, management skills, lecturing skills, lying and sophistry skills, implicating and weaving skills, and so on. Can't say enough.Coupled with the decisiveness and courage they have shown, they can hit people with their hands and kick them with their feet, without hesitation at all. My generation of teachers is really far behind. However, where their genius for invention and creation is most prominent, it is in the evening lectures. What is "evening lecture"?Every night, after dinner, as usual, all the "criminals" should gather in the small courtyard between two rows of bungalows.Every day, there is always a supervisor standing in front of the queue giving lectures. This person seems to be from above, not the people we often meet in the compound. He is probably one of the leaders of the school commune.The lecturer is often changed, and I can't explain the details.The content of the lecture is different every day.Because its purpose is not to explain the big truth, and there are not many big truths, and the big truth must be repeated every day.Their lectures belong to the "torture science" and are the practice of this science.The main thing the trainer does every day is to catch the pigtails, and we have pigtails all over our heads. If there are really no pigtails, they can still plant them on your head.There are generally two sources of pigtails: one is the small things as big as sesame seeds and mung beans during daytime labor; the other is some so-called "problems" in our daily written thought reports.We labor very conscientiously, not because we have high "consciousness", but because we are afraid of being punched and kicked.However, if you want to add a crime, there is no reason to worry about it. Maybe one of the "shack friends" will be unlucky today, and the prison reform staff will take a fancy to it.When it comes time to lecture in the evening, I will settle the accounts for you.As for writing written thought reports, that is even more important work every day.No matter how hard we think and scrutinize, in China, the country of writing, the country of masters of swords and pens, it is easy to find a little fault.There are countless such famous examples in Chinese history.Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty killed a minister because he wrote "Take care at night and work at night" in order to make the article unique.These two are actually the same, both are sentences of "Praise the Holy Spirit".However, "Longyan was furious" and lost his head in the end.The IQs of our supervisors are much higher than those of the feudal emperors.They had to pick a little bug in the written report of a "criminal" every day anyway.No matter who it is, as long as they are chosen by them, they will have bad luck during the evening lecture. The program of evening lectures is roughly like this. The "criminals" stood in line first, because the yard was not big, they lined up in four rows.The supervisors roll their names first.I have experienced this kind of thing many times in my life, and I don't have any deep memories.There is only one very small incident, but it has left me with an unforgettable memory for the rest of my life, even if I meet Lord Yama in the future, I will never forget it.There was a returned overseas Chinese professor in the Department of Western Languages ​​who was over sixty years old and was seriously ill, unable to get up in bed.I don't know what was used to bring him into the gang compound.He was dying, unable to work at all, and could not even get up to eat.Just let him lie on the bed and "transform".Outside the house where he lives is the place where the "criminals" are lined up for evening lectures.Every time roll call, he can hear his name.At this time, a sound came from the wooden board in the house: "Here!" The voice was weak, trembling, old and desolate.I want to cry every time.This sound shook my soul! The other "criminals" stood outside the door of this room, each of them beating their hearts.Maybe the speaker called someone's name loudly, and before he left the team, two young and strong supervisors stepped forward and cut their arms upside down in the usual way in the criticism meeting. The fist was pressed on the neck and pushed out of the queue, the upper part was slapped, and the lower part was kicked.The crisp sound of slaps resounded through the night sky.A more powerful measure is to be knocked down to the ground, and to step on one or two feet—a thousand feet cannot be stepped on. This is just an exaggeration of rhetoric. torture theory". Such a landscape can only be seen in the ten-year catastrophe.Don't we love "The Best of China" very much?Some of the "most" are debatable; but, I believe, there is absolutely nothing here.As a result, the fame of the evening lectures in the reform-through-labor compound spread like wildfire, and soon attracted a large number of spectators, becoming the most famous and interesting spectacle in Peking University.It is almost comparable to the daily changing of the guard ceremony in front of Buckingham Palace in England.Every day, at this time, standing in the queue, on the one hand, I was extremely nervous, for fear that my name would be called; Dimly, vaguely, under the dim electric light, among the clumps of small trees and bushes, there were people standing.The number is of course incalculable.Anyway, there are not a few people from the inner three floors and the outer three floors.These are all coming to enjoy this extremely rare and exciting landscape.This is probably much rarer than the changing of the guards of the Royal Forest Army wearing extremely high black hats and riding tall horses in Britain.This ceremony has lasted for hundreds of years in Britain, but only a few months in the highest institution of learning in the Chinese capital.It was too much of a sight.Otherwise, it will bring great economic benefits to our tourism industry. Another point that is very regrettable is that the appreciators outside the shed we lectured in the evening, had no patience to stand until late at night.Had they had the patience, they would have been able to see something more ominous than the evening lecture.Even the residents of our compound may not be able to see this scene.Occasionally one night, I went out to have a urinate, and in the dark, I saw a figure under some trees in the yard, standing there upright, raising both arms, and hugging forward.In fact, what is embraced is only air, nothing.I don't know how long we shack mates have been standing there embracing the emptiness.I have no perceptual knowledge of this, I just think that this thing is probably similar to a jet.If you let me stand, I am afraid it will be difficult to stand for a quarter of an hour.The shed friends don't know how long they have been standing, let alone when they will stand.The residents of our shed all know that at this time, don't say anything, don't make any noise.I hurried back to the house, and in my dream I saw some people embracing emptiness. (5) Bizarre regulations In the gang compound, in addition to the "Code of Labor Reform Criminals" which is the constitution, there are also some unwritten laws or oral regulations.I have already said a few words about this above.Now select two typical examples to talk about. These two examples: one is that you are not allowed to raise your head when walking, and the other is that you are not allowed to cross your legs while sitting. Although I am not a scholar who studies law, I have stayed in many countries and read some legal provisions; but no matter where I have seen or heard a rule that a person is not allowed to raise his head when walking.In addition to the physical crooked neck, the head is always raised. However, in the reform-through-labor compound of Peking University, the prison bosses stipulate that "criminals" are not allowed to raise their heads when walking.I don't know how they came up with this extremely bizarre rule.Could it be that they have read some ancestral secret tome?Or did they get the Shijiewen like in "Water Margin"?Or was it the result of their spark of genius shining brightly?I can't figure out these issues.Anyway, you are not allowed to raise your head while walking. This is the law and we must abide by it. Raising one's head is forbidden anywhere, inside or outside the compound, except in a personal cell.Especially when talking to the prison chief prisoner, it is absolutely not allowed to look up at him.If any "criminal" dared to do this, the consequences would be unimaginable.It ranged from a slap in the face to punches and kicks, and was even knocked to the ground.Therefore, when I stood in front of the jailer, my eyes always fell on the ground, or his feet, and there would be danger if I went any higher.I can clearly see the shoes they wear, but their faces are a blur.When doing work, such as lifting a coal basket, it is okay to raise your head.Because at this time, they are not allowed to raise their heads, and the work cannot be done.Once, we were queuing up to eat, and for some reason, I raised my head slightly for at most a tenth of a second.However, the prison guard who escorted us to the cafeteria immediately roared like a lion: "Ji Xianlin! Be honest!" I instinctively expected to be slapped in the face or kicked in the foot.Fortunately, there were none, and I never dared not to be "honest" ever since. As for crossing Erlang's legs, it is a habit that almost everyone has.Because this posture can really relieve fatigue.But it is strictly prohibited in the reform-through-labor compound.I remember reading a record about Yuan Shikai in some book, saying that he never crossed his legs all his life, and always kept his legs together when he sat, looking majestic.This may be because he is a soldier, so he can maintain this posture all his life.Our group of "reform-through-labour criminals" are ordinary people, not Emperor Hong Xian, how could we do it? There is one more thing, not too big or too small, that I would like to mention here.As I said above, we "criminals" have lost the ability to laugh.Laughing is originally a human instinct, how could it be lost?This "throwing away" did not come from the "Constitution for Reform through Labor", nor did it come from the rhetoric of the labor reform supervisors, but was completely "voluntary".Let me ask, who can laugh when beating and scolding threatens him at any time?It is not that there is no laughter in the reform-through-labor compound, and if there is any, it comes from the mouths of the prison bosses.In the quiet courtyard like an ancient tomb, occasionally there was a little laughter, as clear as music, which made the courtyard alive.Yet what feeling does this laughter evoke in us?I don't know about others, but in my ears, this laughter is like the grin of an owl in the dead of night, and my whole body trembles when I hear it.