Chapter 16 Cowshed Life (2)

(6) Setting up secret agents This group of young prison bosses learned without a teacher, or learned from the foreign "Gestapo" or KGB, as well as the "Central Command" or "Military Command" of the Kuomintang, and also learned to use spies to consolidate their rule.Of course, they will never just call them "secret agents", but call them "reporters".In each cell, a "reporter" was appointed by the cell bosses.This "reporter" was selected based on what criteria?How did they accept the task from the prison boss?For us "criminals" who are not "reporters", it is a great secret.According to my observation, the "reporter" has some privileges.For example, I can go home every Sunday and stay at home longer.Let me add a few words here by the way. Some of the "criminals" were not allowed to go home at all.Some can go home after a relatively long period of time, and some can go home every Sunday.This is called "differential treatment".The decision-making power is of course in the hands of the prison boss. Since the "reporter" enjoys privileges, "scholars are used by confidants."They must think of giving back, which is to be diligent in "reporting".Every trivial matter must be "reported", the more diligent the better.Some "reporters" can also act according to the wind.Whichever "criminal" "falls out of favor" with the prison boss, he hastened to make trouble in order to get more benefits.I also observed that one day, the "reporter" in a certain room bowed his head and "reported" in front of a jailer, and a certain "criminal" in the same room was immediately called out and dragged Went to a room reserved for beating people.I couldn't see the result with my own eyes, but I can imagine it.

(7) Dealing with external transfers The so-called "outside transfer" is a special term, which means that a "criminal" in a labor reform compound from a foreign unit investigates a certain person in the local unit—are they also called "criminals" there?This appellation may be Peking University's patent — a "crime."At that time, foreign transfer personnel were flying all over the sky.No unit spared any expense, sending people to all parts of the country, even to the remotest corners of the earth, to go deep into remote villages, to investigate and collect criminal evidence of the problematic personnel in the unit, so as to collect charges and knock him down to the ground, so that he can never stand up again.Take myself for example.I dared to offend that "Lafayette".Her cronies regarded me as a "thorn in the side" and made great efforts to investigate my "crime".Later, when I went back to my hometown, a childhood friend in the same village told me that the people sent by Peking University must beat me as a landlord.He gave them (probably two people) a hard lesson, and said: "If you have to complain about bitterness and hatred, Ji Xianlin should be the first!" For the first time, he ran away with his tail between his legs.Listening to the tone, it seems that I have been there for the second time.As I mentioned above, when they ransacked my house, they confiscated my address book so that I could "transfer" it according to the address above.Peking University is like this, and other units are no different.So all the talkers in the world are transferees.

After I was imprisoned in the "reform through labor compound", I often had to deal with transferees.These people are also of different ranks, very different.Some only left the name of the person under investigation, and after I finished writing, I handed it over to the reform supervisors.Some want to talk face-to-face, but their attitude is still gentle and gentle, and they don't blow their beards and stare.But there are also very brutal and rude ones.One day, Shandong University sent two foreign transferees, who had to have an interview.So I was brought into the interrogation room and was interrogated by people from my hometown.What they were investigating was my relationship with a Beijing-born Chinese professor at Shanda University.From this I knew that my friend had suffered too.If I'm not a gangster at this time, maybe I can help him a little.But I can't protect myself, and I can't help him.I, a "criminal" of the Xinbei University Commune, suddenly transformed into a "criminal" of Shandong University.These two gentlemen slapped the table and stared, even pulled their hair with their hands, beat people, and kicked me.Full of Shandong accent, "Such a local accent is really harsh", I think of Mr. Wu Mi's poem.I listened to the rough, heavy and slightly oily Jinan accent, and saw the cruel and tyrannical facial expressions. I was so disgusted to the extreme.The "national curse" in Jinan, Shandong is slightly different from that in Beijing. It uses three words: "My mother!" "Black" relationship, but also to confess my own "crime".The speed of the onslaught made me, an old "criminal" who has been in the field for a long time, at a loss, sweating all over my body.The interrogation has been going on for two hours, and it seems that the fun is still unfinished.It's long past lunch time.Even the reform supervisors at Peking University couldn't stand it any longer. They felt that they were going too far, so they intervened.The two Shandong fellows reluctantly withdrew their troops and left angrily.When I was tortured to the point of exhaustion, I was not thinking of myself, but of my friend: "Your life is really miserable when you meet such a rude and unhuman fellow!"

(8) Continuous Criticism Imprisoned in the cowshed, he went to work somewhere under the escort of the correctional officers or the workers who came here every day to ask for help.I immediately thought of the scene of the production captains distributing cattle to the farmers during the period of rural cooperatives or people's communes.We are not much different from cows now.The cow is just led away by others, unable to speak or think; while we are also led away by others, able to talk but dare not make a sound. But labor is not the only content of our life now, in other words, it is not the only means of "reform".Don't we always say "reform through labor"?Up to now, although I have experienced many years of extremely rare practice, I still believe that this kind of "reform through labor" can only transform the body of the "prisoner", but cannot transform the mind or soul.It can only make the "prisoner" swell, and make the smooth skin bleed and scar; but it can't make the "prisoner" feel angry in his soul.What should I do if I can't work?Help them criticize and fight.Before labor reform, there was a single-track system of criticism and struggle.After labor reform, it went hand in hand with criticizing and fighting, and became a dual-track system.Criticism, as I mentioned above, can only use more violent and cruel methods to reform the bodies of "prisoners", which is on par with reform through labor.

But there is still a difference between reform through labor and criticism.If we "criminals" had a choice, we would all rather choose the former.Unfortunately, we have no right to choose at all.Therefore, even though we live in a reform-through-labor compound, we must still be prepared at all times.Even if we have been assigned to follow the workers to work somewhere, we are not at ease.Maybe when, and maybe which unit, for a certain reason—among them not excluding reasons for entertainment—will denounce one of our "criminals".The Red Guards of the commune wearing red armbands were immediately ordered to arrest people in the "gang compound". As usual, they found the "office" of the compound with arrogance.Criticism is approved by the person in charge.After a long or short time, the denounced returned.No one is downcast and their hair is like a mess of grass.Occasionally, some people were beaten with bruised noses and swollen faces.

As for how many people were sent out to criticize in this way, I have no way of counting.Everyday anyway.I am in the compound myself, and in a sense, the "culprit".As a former servant in Jinggangshan, I opposed that "Lafayette", which is an unforgivable crime.There are also many opportunities to be escorted out of the compound to criticize.Every day after breakfast, I was worried, afraid of being left behind and not allowed to go out to work.I was sitting on pins and needles right now, and the seconds felt like years. I was restless in the cell.Thinking of the "shed friends" who are working somewhere at this time, they are free and unrestrained, just like heavenly beings.What was waiting for him was a storm of some kind.As soon as the Red Guards escorting me entered the compound, the prison reform officers called me to a screen made of reed mats facing the gate of the labor reform compound—there were many words on the screen, which I can’t remember now What is it——, bowed his head and bent down, waiting for the instruction: "Ji Xianlin! Accept the criticism well!" It seems that the parents told the children before leaving: "Be good and don't be naughty!" During this period, I was escorted to many places for criticism, I won't go into details.Every time anyway, it's "behaving like a ritual".First came the shocking "down" slogan, followed by nonsense, nonsense so-called criticism speeches.When I was nervous, I also received two slaps.Finally, amidst the sound of "Knock Down", he shouted again: "Put Ji Xianlin down!" It's over, the etiquette is over.When I returned to the compound, it was like returning to my own home, probably also dejected, with hair like a mess of grass.

(9) Mass Massacre on June 18, 1968 I mentioned above the history of Peking University's "Cultural Revolution".On June 18, 1966, the first "ghost" fight.Because I was not a "ghost" at that time, I was not qualified to go to the ghost fighting stage. I just lay at home and heard the noise in the distance.On June 18, 1967, at this time, this date has been designated as the "Remembrance Day", and there was another "ghost" fight on a large scale.Because I still failed to qualify as a "ghost" and survived. By June 18, 1968, I had already been beaten as a "ghost" and had lived in the gang compound for over a month.This year I am qualified, and I can fight as a "ghost".However, this is also a serious disaster, which has not happened for a long time.Early in the morning, the prison bosses in this hospital were busy.I don't know what principle is used to carry out "optimized combination".Not every "shack friend" can get this extremely rare opportunity every year.As the procession set off, I found only a handful of people in attendance.There are only two "representatives" of the Department of Oriental Languages: me and that old professor.The person who escorted us was not the reform supervisor of this hospital, but an old staff member surnamed Zhang who was in charge of audio-visual education sent by the Department of Oriental Languages.From this, it may be inferred that the participants of this ghost fight were determined by various departments and units.When this old colleague surnamed Zhang met us, not only did he not scold us like "Damn it!"I was just a little creepy and very unaccustomed to it.Our group of "criminals", at least I, have long since felt inhuman.Once treated as a human being, it feels "abnormal".This old colleague surnamed Zhang made me unforgettable all my life.

However, those "ghost fighters" are not like this at all.Who these people are, I don't know.I didn't dare to look up, not only could I not see clearly the people on the side of the road, I didn't dare to look at them either.I can't even see which way to go.He was only vaguely escorted out of the gang compound, and saw that the road in front of him was through Linhuxuan and Russian Building, and walked up the slope.At that time, there was no large library at all, and there was only one road leading to Yannan Garden and Philosophy Building.We probably followed this tree-lined road and were escorted to the area around the Philosophy Building.I don't know where, and I don't know what method was used. After criticizing and fighting, he was escorted back to the "fu".I don't remember sitting in the jet for a long time, nor do I remember any critical speeches being made against me.My impression is that it was a mess.I only heard the voices of people, interspersed with the sound of "down".Perhaps each department and unit criticized the struggle separately.I myself was like a wandering spirit in a dream, bowing my head in a daze, and walking forward, "I don't see the ancients in front, and I don't see the comers in the back." There are people, everywhere, everywhere.All I could see were shoes and pants.On the way "back home", I felt that there seemed to be more people around, the voices of people were noisier, and more bricks and tiles hit me.I'm numb now, I don't feel much when my fist hits me.After returning to the gang compound, he took off his shirt, only to find that a big bastard was painted on his back, his clothes were tied up, and a willow with leaves was tied.According to my research, this is probably a dog's tail.The gangster compound, which usually looks like the Yan Luowang Palace, now looks unusually quiet and refreshing, which is a bit cute.

After learning from the pain, I recalled the process of today's mass struggle.Why is it so lively and grand?Small criticisms happen every day and everywhere.According to the principles of psychology, the more familiar things are, the less interesting they are.Those small criticisms are already "common and undisturbed".Today's large-scale fight is a grand ceremony that only happens once a year, so it caused a sensation in Yanyuan. (10) Highlights in the shed The so-called "tidbits" here are quite different from those seen in ordinary newspapers.Because I can't think of a more appropriate name for a while, I will borrow it first.My "tidbits" refer to some special encounters and trivial things of the fellow sufferers, which left a deep impression on me.Although it is a small matter, the big is seen in the small, and some characteristics of the life in the cowshed can be glimpsed from it.And for reasons that everyone can understand, I have withheld the names of all the people.People in the know know who it is at a glance, and there is no need for scholars to write books like ""Miscellaneous Memories of the Cowshed"".

1 Professor of the Department of Library Science The professor once served as the director of the Beijing Library, and is a well-known librarian and Dunhuang scientist at home and abroad.We have known each other for a long time, and we are old friends.Such a person will not be spared in the ten-year catastrophe, which is a matter of course.I don't know what trumped-up charges were being placed on him.I don't know the circumstances of his denunciation.Somehow, we met in the cowshed.Anyway, we have all become dumb now, and no one speaks to anyone.Fortunately, I haven't become blind yet, and I can still see with my eyes.

In the cowshed, my generation of "criminals" had to write ideological reports every day.One day, during the famous evening lecture, completely out of my expectation, the old professor was called out of the team, a clear and loud slap sounded on his face, followed by punches and kicks, and he was knocked down to the ground , kneeling there.It turned out that he actually used rough toilet paper to write his ideological report and handed it to the prison boss.In the gloomy environment at that time, I had no joy at all.Such a thing really made me very happy.I don't know, the professor was confused because he didn't have other papers at hand, so he only used toilet paper?Or did he have the guts of a leopard, deliberately mocking this group of arrogant prison bosses who are the only ones in the sky and the world?If it's the latter, he simply regards this ugly person who wields the power of life and death as nothing.It can be loaded into notes that were popular in the old society.I sweated for him, and secretly admired him.He was a hero in the bullpen, and he gave a sigh of relief to our group of prisoners. 2 a professor of law This professor is an old revolutionary cadre who participated in the revolution before the War of Resistance Against Japan.I don't know much about his life.When he was first transferred to Peking University, he asked me specifically to translate the famous ancient Indian law code "Manu Law".Since then, we have known each other.In the future, we will hold meetings inside and outside the school and meet frequently.He is easy-going and kind, with the excellent qualities that a veteran cadre should have.We hit it off very well.Who would have expected that during the ten-year catastrophe, we had a "friendship in the same shed". In the gang compound, gangsters never speak to each other unless absolutely necessary.When meeting acquaintances in the yard, they each went their own way, lowered their heads, and didn't even lift their eyelids.The situation between me and this professor is no exception. One day, it was a Sunday, and the "criminals" who were approved to go home by the prison head in the afternoon came back one after another according to the time when they were approved to go back to the shed.I was sitting in the cell, when I suddenly saw this old professor, under the escort of a cell boss, holding a sign with his own name in his hand, walking around all the cells, as soon as he entered the door He said loudly: "My name is XX. I came back today and exceeded the approved time. I was ordered to conduct a self-criticism and apologize!" What happened to the others, I don't know.But I stood there in horror, at a loss. 3 A female teacher in the Department of Oriental Languages She is a teacher teaching Mongolian in the Department of Oriental Languages.He is upright, the same inside and outside, and will not be hypocritical. During the "Cultural Revolution", I don't know who informed her, saying that she was a key member of the KMT's Three Youth League.This is completely groundless nonsense, lacking reliable materials and circumstantial evidence at all.Probably because she didn't have enough respect for that female careerist at Peking University, the trumped-up "crime" seemed to have the potential to become a "crime".When the old professor of the Department of Oriental Languages ​​and I were ordered to work, at first it was just the two of us, picking bricks and stones from the ground in a rather remote place outside the east gate of the school, and a worker watched over us.One day, suddenly this female teacher also went.I'm a little confused.I asked her, did the Revolutionary Committee order her to go?She replied: "No." "Since not, why did you come by yourself?" "People said I was guilty, so I felt guilty. So I voluntarily participated in labor reform." Her logic was incredible. . "It's so stupid." This is a flash in my heart.I find this kind of idea similar to the so-called "original sin" taught by Jesus very strange and very incomprehensible.From this, we can fully see her personality.However, in my situation at the time, I was the target of a dictatorship, "Only behave well, and no nonsense is allowed." What dare I say? So some time passed.When we were escorted to Taipingzhuang to work, she was not in the team of "criminals".This is a matter of course.How do you know that misfortunes never come singly? There are ancient teachings.After we returned from Taipingzhuang and built our own cowshed to move in, we didn't see her at first.This is also a matter of course, I thought to myself.However, one day suddenly, it was already evening, and a new "shedmate" was pushed and shoved from outside the gate of the gang compound. I lowered my head and squinted: it was the female teacher.I was quite surprised.I thought she had made it through safely.There is no need to throw yourself into the trap and "fake the real thing".Now, "Why are you here!" How did she come to the Palace of the King of Hades?This time it looked like it was by no means voluntary, but was escorted here.Although I was thinking wildly in my heart, I didn't say a word and turned a blind eye. One prison guard asked her: "What's your name?" "XX Hua." "Which 'Hua' is that?" "The 'Hua' of the Republic of China." It's amazing all of a sudden!A "counter-revolutionary criminal" dares to stand up for the "Republic of China" in broad daylight in the majestic and sacred labor reform compound representing the authority of the "Nie" Records Peking University Revolutionary Committee.It is simply audacious and extremely arrogant!It must be severely punished!Immediately put on the hat of "current counter-revolutionary element", beat him with fists and feet, and knocked him down to the ground.I don't know which talented prison boss suddenly had a whimsical idea and took her under a tree.This tree grows a bit strangely: there is a branch growing from the main trunk, which grows crookedly.She was ordered to stand under this branch, with the top of her head touching the trunk at first.The head ban ordered: "Take a step forward!" She obeyed and took a step forward.At this point her head must be thrown back.Another password is issued: "Take a step forward!" At this time, the trunk is getting lower and lower, not only the head must be tilted back, but the body must also be tilted.However, here comes another password: "Take a step forward!" At this time the trunk is extremely low.She has never practiced circus, and she can't bend her back.At this point the password stopped.She just leaned back and stood there bent backwards.She could not maintain this position even for a minute.Drenched in sweat, he collapsed on the ground.How it turned out, I don't need to tell you.I feel that Jail Boss takes torture to a new level.However, this female teacher is suffering. I don't know about the overnight torture.When I woke up the next morning, I saw her face was swollen and her eyes were all blue. 4 Secretary of the Party Branch of the Department of Biology I have been engaged in administrative work at Peking University for decades, and there are many meetings on campus.Therefore, I have known this general branch secretary for a long time.We could be considered old friends. At the beginning of the "Cultural Revolution", he was doomed, and he was a natural "capitalist roader".So in the first big storm of capitalist roaders, he was picked out.He must be one of the participants in the first 618 Ghost Fighting.In this respect, he is considered an old-timer. I don't know why, but there are especially many "rebels" who support that "Lafayette" in the Department of Biology.Among the prison bosses in the gang compound, biology students have an absolute advantage.I never imagined that after the construction of the reform-through-labor compound, many "capitalist-roaders" would not be imprisoned together with our group of "ghosts and snake spirits" who were mostly "reactionary bourgeois academic authorities" after being severely attacked for a while. Come in.This secretary of the general branch of the biology department appeared among us. Probably because there are many biology students in the prison head prison, he was "stained" and received some "special treatment".I don't know the details, so I dare not speak nonsense.I've only seen one example, and it's enough to make the hair stand on end. One day, at noon, around July and August, when Beijing was the hottest and the sun shone the most—to use a Shandong dialect—“poisonous”, I walked through the big yard of the gangster compound, where the sun shone, There was one person standing: it was the secretary of the general branch.Eyes wide open, looking at the sun like fire in the sky.Next to him, sitting leisurely in the shade of a tree, is the prison boss of a biology student.I really don't understand.Later, I heard that this was the prison chief's punishment to the secretary of the general branch: keep your eyes open and look at the sun; don't blink, otherwise you will be punched and kicked.I shuddered when I heard this: In ancient and modern China and abroad, from slave society to capitalist society, which era and country has such punishment?If anyone wants to practice it, it is guaranteed that you will not be able to hold it for half a second.Wouldn't this blind people's eyes alive? In addition, I also heard that, without seeing it with my own eyes, two ghosts and monsters among the faculty of the biology department somehow offended their students.The student who is the prison boss ordered the two teachers to stand in the middle of the big courtyard, with their heads on each other's heads, but their bodies moved backwards; strength. Similar small examples, and some more, will not be discussed in detail.In short, the "art" of torture is improving by leaps and bounds.It's a pity that I haven't seen a monograph on this aspect until now.It would be a pity if it is lost for a long time. 5 attached primary school has a female teacher I can't tell which unit this female teacher belongs to.I didn't know her at first.I don't know why she was locked up in the bullpen. According to my observations in the bullpen for several months, the prison bosses seem to have a division of labor when it comes to beating or torturing people.Each has its own major, and it seems a bit methodical and distinct.The person who beat up this female teacher is fixed. One morning, I saw this female teacher with bandages on her arms and a white cloth hanging around her neck.It was vaguely heard that she had been beaten so badly in the torture room one night a few days ago that her arm was broken.But still ordered to participate in labor.I didn't know the details at the time, and even less so later.At that time, the principle of the gangsters was to not do their own thing and hang on high.I've been hanging on until now. 6 An "Old Rightist" student in the Department of Spanish The student's surname is Zhou. I don't know him, and I haven't heard of him usually.When I arrived at the gang compound, he suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. Since it is called "rightist" and "old", it can be seen that this matter has a relatively long history.In China, 1957 was the period when rightists were most concentrated.Was this student surnamed Zhou also classified as a rightist at that time?By the time he got to the bullpen, he'd been wearing the righty hat for nearly a decade.How he survived during this period is not at all clear to me.When I saw him, his face was sallow, a little swollen, and his hair had fallen out a lot, like an old patient.It is said that he was originally a clever and clever student.At this time, he already looked like a half-fool, and his actions were not normal.We can only say that all this was the result of very severe physical and mental torture.This is undoubtedly a tragedy of life.Although I am in danger and my life is in the hands of others, I am cautious at all times for fear of being eaten by non-vegetarian spears; however, when I see this "old rightist", I can't help crying. The sympathy of the half-mad, half-fool is boundless! But in the eyes of those heartless prison bosses, this fool is a plaything that can be beaten and insulted at will, and is very happy.Where to find such two-legged animals!According to their principle of division of labor, a very young worker who looks very smart is to torture this fool by division of labor.I have never seen this young worker beat another "criminal".For this fool alone, he can beat and kick him at any time.On the way to the cafeteria to eat in line, he was the same idiot who yelled, beat and cursed.Every night, the sounds of beating people coming out of the torture room and the sounds of those being beaten were also related to this fool.When I write my memoirs, I have a commandment, which is: Never curse people.I am here, with one exception, and I will scold the young worker and his mates: "Damn beasts! Worse than pigs and dogs!" One day, I saw a big bastard painted in white on the back of this fool.He seems to have no home at all, and no one cares about him.The clothes he was wearing were full of oil stains, at least they hadn't been washed since he entered the courtyard, and the clothes were full of knots.But this white bastard is extremely dazzling, and can be seen clearly from a distance.When others see it, the "free people" who have the right to laugh will laugh out loud, while the "criminals" who have lost the right to laugh in our generation can only cry when the rabbit dies and the fox is sad. 7 A faculty member of the physics department This teacher is the son of an old professor in the Department of Psychology of Peking University, and he seems to be an only child.For unknown reasons, one of his legs was short and he walked like a lame man. I didn't know him before.When I first entered the bullpen, even when I was in Taipingzhuang, I had never seen him.We've been "reformed" in the bullpen for a while.One day, shortly after noon - I'll add a few words here.There is no lunch break at all in the bullpen.The old professor in the Department of Oriental Languages, just because he sat down and took a nap after lunch, was discovered by the jailer, and he was called to the yard to bask in the sun for an hour, as if his eyes were facing the sun. There was the sound of beating someone at the gate of the cowshed, the sound of sticks or rubber-wrapped bicycle chains touching flesh.This kind of thing is commonplace in the gang compound, and it can happen many times a day.Our nerves have been numb and we can't arouse any feeling.However, this time the voice was particularly loud and the time was very long.My numb nerves moved, and I looked through the glass window to the shed.I saw that this disabled teacher had been knocked down to the ground, and several "heroes" continued to beat him with the weapons they held in their hands.Whether he has a thousand feet on his body, I can't see.All I saw was this man with inflexible legs, lying in the dirt on the ground, his face seemed to be bleeding. Why did he come to the cowshed so late?What is his reason for coming?Was he just "caught out"?I don't know any of these things.It is still unclear to this day.Although I am a bit of a researcher like Dr. Hu Shizhi, I don't want to show my skills here. From then on, every time we lined up to go to the cafeteria to eat, there were more lame "shack friends" who walked uncoordinatedly in the neat line. The "tidbits" about individual people in the bullpen can be extended several times if written carefully.I'm not in the mood to write any more now, and I can't bear to write any more.Taking one corner can turn three corners.I hope readers will experience it slowly.