Comments on: Yang Jisheng’s Tombstone: Coming to terms with a father’s death and the legacy of the “Great Leap Forward” http://granitestudio.org/2008/08/13/yang-jishengs-tombstone-coming-to-terms-with-a-fathers-death-and-the-legacy-of-the-great-leap-forward/ A Qing historian reads the newspaper... Sat, 02 Jul 2011 03:31:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: zhwj http://granitestudio.org/2008/08/13/yang-jishengs-tombstone-coming-to-terms-with-a-fathers-death-and-the-legacy-of-the-great-leap-forward/comment-page-1/#comment-3500 zhwj Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:53:39 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=547#comment-3500 I wonder how many manuscripts about that era are floating around? Maybe not as comprehensively researched as Yang's new book, but think of how many journalists had access to government figures that they weren't permitted to publish, or even the statisticians themselves. I read a manuscript by last year by Zhang Guangyou, who was a journalist with Xinhua at the time and later accompanied Wan Li on his inspection tours. It was half memoir - with some truly horrifying eyewitness and second-hand accounts - and half statistics, an attempt to calculate the death totals on the basis of various sources of information. There have got to be similar unpublished books sitting in at the bottom of drawers all across the country. I wonder how many manuscripts about that era are floating around? Maybe not as comprehensively researched as Yang’s new book, but think of how many journalists had access to government figures that they weren’t permitted to publish, or even the statisticians themselves. I read a manuscript by last year by Zhang Guangyou, who was a journalist with Xinhua at the time and later accompanied Wan Li on his inspection tours. It was half memoir – with some truly horrifying eyewitness and second-hand accounts – and half statistics, an attempt to calculate the death totals on the basis of various sources of information. There have got to be similar unpublished books sitting in at the bottom of drawers all across the country.

]]> By: Jeremiah http://granitestudio.org/2008/08/13/yang-jishengs-tombstone-coming-to-terms-with-a-fathers-death-and-the-legacy-of-the-great-leap-forward/comment-page-1/#comment-3494 Jeremiah Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:50:09 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=547#comment-3494 Wu Ming, Very good point. Thanks for raising a complex issue...the complicity of those who remained silent when tragedy unfolds is a tough one for historians and obviously a very touchy subject for those whom such events are not very far removed. Wu Ming,

Very good point. Thanks for raising a complex issue…the complicity of those who remained silent when tragedy unfolds is a tough one for historians and obviously a very touchy subject for those whom such events are not very far removed.

]]> By: Jeremiah http://granitestudio.org/2008/08/13/yang-jishengs-tombstone-coming-to-terms-with-a-fathers-death-and-the-legacy-of-the-great-leap-forward/comment-page-1/#comment-3493 Jeremiah Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:44:40 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=547#comment-3493 Pete, Yeah, you can find a copy of the Jung Chang/Halliday book almost everywhere, even at a major cafe/bookstore here in Beijing. Hope Yang's book pops up sooner than later. Pete,

Yeah, you can find a copy of the Jung Chang/Halliday book almost everywhere, even at a major cafe/bookstore here in Beijing.

Hope Yang’s book pops up sooner than later.

]]> By: Jeremiah http://granitestudio.org/2008/08/13/yang-jishengs-tombstone-coming-to-terms-with-a-fathers-death-and-the-legacy-of-the-great-leap-forward/comment-page-1/#comment-3492 Jeremiah Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:43:18 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=547#comment-3492 Terry, Agreed. I think historical research shouldn't shirk from uncovering the dark spots in our shared human existence, no matter where, by or to whom. Terry,

Agreed. I think historical research shouldn’t shirk from uncovering the dark spots in our shared human existence, no matter where, by or to whom.

]]> By: wu ming http://granitestudio.org/2008/08/13/yang-jishengs-tombstone-coming-to-terms-with-a-fathers-death-and-the-legacy-of-the-great-leap-forward/comment-page-1/#comment-3483 wu ming Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:31:04 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=547#comment-3483 the rather more compelling question, IMO (and one which i hope the author of this book is able to provide some sort of insight, if not answer) is not so much in the acts of the leadership but rather why an entire nation collectively acted to starve itself. that mao did some monstrous things is hardly news. what still boggles my mind is how people within that process sustained, intensified, and perhaps even worked to soften or ameliorate the great leap and/or the cultural revolution. the why is more fascinating (and potentially far more horrifying) to puzzle out than merely the what. even totalitarian states depend on the consent of the governed to persist and enforce policy. the rather more compelling question, IMO (and one which i hope the author of this book is able to provide some sort of insight, if not answer) is not so much in the acts of the leadership but rather why an entire nation collectively acted to starve itself.

that mao did some monstrous things is hardly news. what still boggles my mind is how people within that process sustained, intensified, and perhaps even worked to soften or ameliorate the great leap and/or the cultural revolution. the why is more fascinating (and potentially far more horrifying) to puzzle out than merely the what.

even totalitarian states depend on the consent of the governed to persist and enforce policy.

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