Chapter 2 Chapter two

My grandma has completely forgotten the severe drought that starved people to death fifty years ago.I say: "Grandmother, fifty years ago, there was a severe drought, and many people died of starvation!" grandma: "There are many years in which people starve to death. Which year are they referring to?" My grandmother is ninety-two years old.Same fate as this century.This ordinary Chinese rural woman was an employee of a landlord before liberation, and a member of the people's commune after liberation.On her body, ninety-two years of Chinese history have been borne.Without thousands of ordinary dirty Chinese people, the magnificent Chinese revolution and counter-revolutionary history would be nonsense.They are the ultimate sufferers and givers of disaster and success.But history has never been with them, and history only walks in the magnificent hall.So my grandma has no shame in forgetting history.However, the ones who starved to death in this drought were the elders and folks around us, and they were our own people. Grandma’s forgetting is still a little wrong.Grandma is my savior.This involves another Chinese disaster --- 1960.The old man has a gentle temperament. Although he is illiterate, he understands righteousness.I always feel that the reason why China can develop to this day and still give people confidence is because of the existence of these gentle and righteous people, rather than the existence of those who have ulterior motives and are not kind.What is gratifying to me is that, thanks to a village doctor, my grandmother is in good health and has a sound memory. The actions of my mother, me, and my younger brothers and sisters when they were young are still completely preserved in her memory.I believe that her forgetting of 1942 is not because 1942 was not shocking, but because in the history of the old man, dead people did happen too frequently.It is useless to blame many rulers in 1992, but under the administration of which gentleman, his people often starve to death everywhere. This gentleman should feel more ashamed than my grandmother.The premise that should be ashamed is: his family and descendants never suffered from hunger.When we are ruled by such people, don't we also feel uneasy and afraid? But my grandmother's plain tone also calmed my excitement and anger, and I showed a self-deprecating smile.History has always been big and simple.History is always sifted and forgotten.Who is in charge of the sifting basket? Finally I mention the locusts.After the severe drought of 1942, there were locusts that covered the sky and the sun.This specific symbol reminds the connection between locusts and dead people that my grandmother has not forgotten.She immediately said:

"I know that. It turned out to be the year when the grasshoppers flew. A lot of people died that year. The grasshoppers ate up all the crops in the field. His aunt Niu Jinbao set up an incense altar in Da Youfang, and I even went there to burn it." Too fragrant!" I say: "Ahead of the grasshopper, is there a severe drought?" She nodded: "It's a severe drought, it's a severe drought. If it's not a severe drought, there will be no grasshoppers." I asked: "Did a lot of people die?" She thought about it: "There are dozens of mouths."

now it's right.There are dozens of people in a village, and the province's count is only three million.I asked: "What about the ones that didn't die?" grandma: "It's not like fleeing famine. Your second grandmother and third grandmother all went to Shanxi to escape from famine." Now my second grandma and third grandma are long gone.When the second grandmother died, I vaguely remembered a black-painted coffin; when the third grandmother died, I was already in my twenties, and I remembered it was a pale head, blind, curled up like a dog on the straw bed in the stove.His son, I should call him Uncle Huazhao, had been party secretary in the village for 24 years, from 1948 to 1972, but he didn't build a decent house, and was ridiculed by the villagers.Putting down the second grandma and the third grandma, I asked:

"Grandma, what about you?" grandma: "I didn't run away from the famine. My master treated me well, and I went to farm for my master again." I: "Was there a severe drought that year?" Grandma compares: "Why not, the ground is cracked like a child's mouth. Pour a ladle of water on the ground, and 'Zi Zi' will smoke." That's it.After checking with my grandma, I went to find Uncle Huazhua again.It is clear that Uncle Huazhao had ever been a branch secretary. When I asked about it until 1942, he immediately said: "Drought in 1942!"

I: "How is the drought?" He smoked my Ashima and said: "There has been no rain since the beginning of spring, less than 30% of the wheat harvest, and some fields have no harvest; after the seedlings are planted, not many survive, and the living ones are also long and tall, and they cannot form seeds." I: "Is anyone starving to death?" He nodded: "Dozens of people starved to death." I: "Isn't there still 30% of the wheat harvest? Why did you starve to death?" He stared at me: "Then you won't pay the rent? You won't pay the army rations? You won't pay the taxes? You won't be able to pay the food if you sell the fields, and you'll have to be beaten to death by the county government if you don't starve to death!"

I see.I asked: "How old were you then?" He winked: "It's about fifteen or sixteen years old." I: "What were you doing then?" he: "Afraid to starve to death, I went to Shanxi with my mother to escape famine." Leaving Uncle Huazhuo behind, I went to look for Uncle Fan Kejian again.In 1942, Uncle Fan Kejian's family was the leading big family in our area.My grandparents are long-term laborers in his house.The owner and the long-term worker have a close relationship; Uncle Fan Kejian recognized my grandmother as a godmother in a few months.My grandmother said that when it was time to eat, Fan Kejian's mother gave Fan Kejian to my grandmother, and my grandmother put him in the waistband of her trousers.After 1949, the identity of the master and son Changgong changed a lot.My grandma's family became poor peasants, and Uncle Fan Kejian's father was shot and executed during the anti-revolutionary campaign; Uncle Fan Kejian became a landlord and was controlled until 1978.His wife, my aunt Honeysuckle, once complained to me, saying that she was married to Fan's family and didn't enjoy any blessings for a day, so she suffered for decades. What was she trying to do? Because she married Uncle Fan Kejian at the end of 1948 .But in the past few decades, my family and the Fan family are still very close.When Uncle Fan Kejian saw my grandma, he yelled "Mother, mother".I saw with my own eyes that my grandma took a piece of mooncake and generously rewarded it to Uncle Fan Kejian called "Mother" just like the old master did to her.Uncle Fan Kejian showed a grateful smile on his face.Uncle Fan Kejian and I sat under a dead locust tree in the courtyard of his house (this locust tree, probably existed in 1942, right?), recalling 1942 together.At first, Uncle Fan Kejian didn’t know what 1942 was, “1942? What year was 1942?” At this moment, I remembered that he was an aristocrat from the previous dynasty, and I shouldn’t mention the year after 1949. The implementation of the AD system is said to be the 31st year of the Republic of China.Who knows that it would be better not to mention the 31st year of the Republic of China, but Uncle Fan Kejian was furious when he mentioned the 31st year of the Republic of China:

"Don't mention the 31st year of the Republic of China. The 31st year was very bad." I am surprised: "Why is thirty-one years bad?" Uncle Fan Kejian: "In 31 years, my house burned down a small building!" I do not understand: "Why burn down the small building in 31 years?" Uncle Fan Kejian: "Isn't thirty-one years a severe drought?" I answer: "Yes, it's a severe drought!" Uncle Fan Kejian: "Grasshoppers rise after a severe drought!" I: "It's a grasshopper!" Uncle Fan Kejian: "Many people died of starvation!"

I: "Many people died of starvation!" Uncle Fan Kejian threw the "Ashima" cigarette in his hand a foot away: "Many people died of starvation, and the remaining poor boys who did not starve to death will cause trouble. The leader is Wu De'an. With a few big guillotines and red tassel guns, he occupied a small building in my house, slaughtered pigs and sheep, and said that he would Raise troops, there are thousands of people who come to my house to eat at one time!" I defend the poor: "They're too hungry!" Uncle Fan Kejian: "I'm so hungry that I can't help it, and I can't grab the open fire!"

I nod: "It's not right to snatch open flames. What happened next?" Uncle Fan Kejian smiled secretly: "Later, a big fire broke out in the small building, and the hemp stalks were soaked in oil. The gang of Wu De'an were burned alive, and the others scattered like birds and beasts!" "Well." That's right.severe drought.Great hunger.Starve to death.The thieves flocked. After breaking up with Uncle Fan Kejian, I sat down with a member of the County Political Consultative Conference and the county secretary before 1949.This is a tall, decayed old man suffering from head-shaking syndrome.Although he is a member of the County Political Consultative Conference, his clothes are worn out, and the front of his jacket is full of food spots and oil stains.Although it is a courtyard house, the house is dilapidated, and the tile eaves are covered with withered and yellow weeds.Before 1942, he complained about his present situation.But I don't think this complaint is so justified, because his heyday was when he was the county secretary before 1949.However, the county secretary at that time cannot be equated with the current county party secretary. The current county party secretary is the parent official of millions of people in the county. million people.But when I asked about 1942, he immediately stopped complaining, and immediately returned to the prime of youth and strength, his eyes shone brightly, and he didn't even shake his head.Say:

"At that time, I was the youngest party secretary in several counties, only eighteen years old!" I nod.Say: "Mr. Han, it is said that there was a severe drought in 1942?" He insisted not shaking his head and said: "Yes, there was a charity performance for Chang Xiangyu's disaster relief, and I hosted it." I nod.I admire him.Because in 1991, there was a flood in southern China, and I saw disaster relief charity performances on TV.I always feel that it is not an easy task to bring together so many entertainers with mixed fish and dragons.Unexpectedly, he hosted the disaster relief charity performance back then.Then the old man began to describe the grand occasion of the charity performance at that time and his various impromptu solutions.While speaking, he let out a hearty and happy laugh.After he finished speaking and laughing, I asked:

"How was the drought?" he: "Drought, of course, dry, not dry can charity performances?" I bypassed the charity performance and asked: "I heard that many people starved to death, how many people are there in our county?" He began to shake his head, side to side frequently and rhythmically.Put it on for a long time and said: "There must be tens of thousands of people." Apparently he couldn't remember either.Tens of thousands of people seem to have no deep memory of the record secretary at that time.I bid farewell to him and the charity show, I couldn't help but let out a long breath, and shook my head like him. This is a drought interview conducted in Yanjin County, Henan, my hometown.According to the records of Henan Province, Yanjin was also one of the counties with the worst drought at that time.But these interviews of mine are fragmentary, incomplete, and inaccurate. Fifty years later, they must be mixed with the memory confusion of many parties and instinctive additions or subtractions based on personal interests.It doesn't have to be serious.What needs to be serious is a report by Zhang Gaofeng, a war correspondent stationed in Henan in the Chongqing edition of Ta Kung Pao at that time.This report was interviewed and published in the same year, and its authenticity and reliability are at least more authentic and reliable than the memories of my fellow villagers.The title of this report is: "Records of the Yu Disaster".It not only describes the drought and hunger, but also what the hungry people ate during the disaster.This made me deeply realize that it is much more convenient to read old newspapers than to go to the folks to interview the old ones.I can not only stay away from the disaster, but also have enough food, clothing and warmth to sympathize with the folks in the disaster condescendingly. This report was written on January 17, 1943. △The reporter first told readers that tens of thousands of people in Henan today are sustaining their poor lives with bark (leaves have been eaten up) and weeds. No one mentions the glory of "Military service first", and "Ai Hong is everywhere" is just a sad word used by people who are well fed and clothed to describe the disaster. △There is no need for me to talk about the severe drought in Henan this year (referring to the year 1942 in the old calendar). The great sympathy of "relief from the disaster in Henan" was printed in headlines not only in Chinese newspapers, but also in newspapers of allied countries.I was "comfortable" for these four words, and the 30 million compatriots also looked forward, and the hopeless eyes shone with hope.Hope is hope after all. After a long time, their sunken eye sockets buried all hope. △One hundred and ten counties in Henan (including the occupied counties), the number of people affected by the disaster is the same, but the severity of the disaster area is different, so I will distinguish it by river: the area near the Yellow River and Funiu Mountain is the most serious, the Honghe River, Ruhe River and Luohe River Basin Next, the Tanghe and Huaihe River basins are next. △Henan is a province with barren land and poor people. Since the Anti-Japanese War, it has faced enemies three times, and the people have suffered even more. However, this time the Anti-Japanese War has entered the most difficult stage and suffered natural disasters.During the three to four months of this spring (referring to the old calendar), the west of Henan was hit by hail and frost, the south of Henan was hit by winds, and some places in the east of Henan were hit by locusts.Since the beginning of summer, the province has experienced no rain in March, rain in autumn, and no rain in autumn, resulting in severe drought.There is still hope for the autumn harvest of buckwheat in the western part of Henan. When the harvest was about to be harvested, there was a heavy frost.In August and September, the banks of Linhe counties overflowed with yellow water, and the ocean flooded. After the severe drought, they were flooded again, and the disaster was even worse. Henan has thus become a hell on earth. △Now that the leaves are all eaten, the pestle and mortar at the entrance of the village, where people pound peanut skins and elm bark every day (only elm bark can be eaten), and then steam them for eating.In Yexian County, a child said to me: "Sir, this guy hurts his throat!" △When we eat every day, there are always more than ten or twenty disaster victims waiting at the door, howling and begging.Those green complexions and lifeless eyes make you unbearable to look at them, and you don't have those leftovers for them. △ Today Xiaosi died of hunger, tomorrow I heard that friends came to eat weeds and could not afford to be poisoned, and the day after tomorrow I saw Xiaobao died outside the village.Poor those next generation who are still lively and jumping, are now leaving the world one after another. △Recently, I noticed that the face of each of the victims was swollen, and the nostrils and corners of the eyes were black.At first I thought it was a symptom of hunger.It was later discovered that the swelling was due to poisoning from eating a weed called "mildew flower".This kind of grass does not have any moisture, and it turns green when it is ground. I have tried it, and it smells like earth. It is said that pigs will paralyze their limbs after eating it. How can people eat it! The victims of the disaster also said: "Mr. That’s all there is! Our teeth, face, hands, and feet are numb from eating!” Now the victims in Yexian County really don’t have “mildew flowers” ​​to eat. Chai, the good thing is that it doesn't swell your face or numb your hands and feet after eating it.An old man said: "I never dreamed of eating firewood! It would be better to die early." △The cows were almost killed, the pigs were full of bones, and the chickens were too hungry to open their eyes. △One catty of wheat can be exchanged for two catties of pork and three and a half catties of beef. △The original barter era has been restored in Henan.No one wants to sell their children. My young wives or fifteen or sixteen-year-old daughters are all put on donkeys and sold as prostitutes in the traffickers' markets in Tuohe, Zhoujiakou, and Jieshou in eastern Henan.If you sell one person, you cannot buy back four buckets of grain.A bucket of wheat is 900 yuan, a bucket of sorghum is 649 yuan, a bucket of corn is 700 yuan, millet is 10 yuan a catty, steamed buns are 8 yuan a catty, salt is 15 yuan a catty, and sesame oil is also 15 yuan.Without disaster relief, food prices will not drop, and the victims have no idea of ​​eating food at all.The old, the weak, women and children waited to die all day long, and the young and strong had to take risks. If this continued, Henan would no longer need disaster relief, but would need to clear the countryside to prevent bandits and maintain local law and order. △The severe winter is coming, the snowflakes are falling, the victims have no firewood, rice, clothing, food, and are suffering from cold and hunger.That ill-fated snowflake is a symbol of their destiny.Relief is urgent.