Cultural Revolution News Article

Zhang Zhixin Dead

By: Vasken Kebabjian

Shanghai News

Shanghai- Yesterday [April 4,1975] an accused counter-revolutionary, Zhang Zhixin was executed by members of the “Gang of Four.” She was arrested in 1969 for her open opposition to the “Gang of Four.” She waited in prison for 6 years. She was taken to the Shenyang Donglingda execution grounds, where she was executed. Before she was executed, her last words were, "Party, my Party! Where do you want to take me?"

Zhang joined the Communist Party in Liaoning Province in 1955. She cared for the Party and worked for the publicity department. She was a kind person and didn’t talk and say much until she stated her opposition against the “Gang of Four” which got her arrested. She was happy and had a decently good life. But all it took was a few words of her opinion which put her into prison for 6 long years. Many people were surprised to see her get sentenced to prison for so long.

A Red Guard named Jie Ling states, “ I had to watch her in her cell for three years. Probably the three worst years of my life.” She also states ,” I was happy to see her go because she wouldn’t shut up and just be sorry for what she had said, and even if she did stay quiet and admit to her mistakes, I would have still beaten her.” Some people come off strong with their opinions and really have a negative opinion to Zhang Zixin. But another person has a positive view of her: Fan Mei was a neighbor of Zhang Zhixin. He says “ she was a very close friend of mine, with a very kind heart. She was always their to help me and other people in times of trouble. I have never seen someone care for others more than themselves. It was very hard to see her go.” With Zhang Zhixin gone, who will be the next target of murder for the Red Guards, and the real question is, when will the Cultural Revolution end?

Cultural Revolution Editorial

Freedom of Speech to All

By: Vasken Kebabjian

The Cultural Revolution has taken another life from someone. A women named Zhang Zhixin was executed, just for stating her opposition against “The Gang of Four.”This need to stop. It is not fair too any of the people living in China. They should be free to say whatever they want, and get away with it without getting arrested or beaten.

People should have the freedom of speech to say whatever they want whenever they want without getting in trouble. People are getting arrested, or beaten just for stating their opinion against the Cultural Revolution, or someone very important to the Red class. Also, Red guards should not be able to give horrific punishments to people for stating their opinion. They have no right, and no one gives them the right to attack innocent people and beat them, or arrest them. The Red Guards should let people say what they want and not care. People should also not be subjected to a overly extended punishment for stating their opinion. If someone criticized the Cultural Revolution they should not get put into prison for six years like Zhang Zhixin was. All Zhang did was state her opposition, and she got arrested, and was eventually executed. If someone is going to get arrested, they should only be in jail for a day or less.

Someone from a Red Class status would say that anyone who has a Black Class status should be punished severely for their mistakes. They would also say that they would need to learn their lesson in prison for a long period of time, or get beaten severely. People think that insulting the Cultural Revolution, as well as Chairman Mao is very disrespectful. They think people should be punished for their criticism which is entirely unfair to the people in a Black society in China. Their opinion is unfair because anybody should be allowed to say or think their mind about the Cultural Revolution, or Chairman Mao. So just because of some peoples opposition towards those things, gives Red Guards, or anybody highly ranked in the Red Class the authority to punish them severely.

The citizens of China will always have different opinions over hundreds of subjects. So just because two people disagree on a curtain topic, doesn’t mean one of them can overpower the other. The people should have the freedom of speech, and no one should be able to take that away from them.

Map of the Cultural Revolution

Cultural Revolution Map

                                                     By: Vasken Kebabjian

The Cultural Revolution [1966-1976] bordered by Mongolia from the North, and Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and etc... from the South. As well as Pakistan from the West, and the Yellow Sea from the East. China was united together by the dynasties before the Cultural Revolution, like the the Qing dynasty. in 1927 Chairman Mao to over General Chiang and the KMT, and Mao verged leader of China. Beijing is the capital of China. Beijing was a very famous place where Chairman Mao and many Red Guards would go to meet and greet each other. Many people would get beaten in Beijing and would be taken to struggle meetings , just as every other place in China would. During the Qing dynasty, which was the dynasty before the Cultural Revolution , was bordered by many different things, instead of the countries that bordered modern day China, as well as Cultural Revolution. During the Qing Dynasty, China was bordered by Tibet, Inner and Outer Mongolia, and Chinese Turkmenistan. The Cultural Revolution was bordered by Vietnam, Mongolia, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, and etc... There are many more countries that border China today than they did a long time ago, and China has grown in size as well.

Interview with Zhang Zhixin

My interview With Zhang Zhixin

By: Vasken Kebabjian

 

 

Q. Zhang Zhixin. Today is April 3rd, 1975. Tomorrow , April 4rth, you will be executed. What drove you to criticize Chairman Mao, to get you in the position you are today?

 A. I don’t like Chairman Mao, I never did. All of us “counterrevolutionaries” know that what he is doing is not right. So I stated my opposition on what I thought about him, and how I hated the violent factional struggles.

Q. Do you think that your imprisonment in prison for six years was fair?

A. No,no I do not. I shouldn’t have even been arrested in the first place. All I did was state my opposition about Chairman Mao, and everybody exaggerated. I really don’t know why I was in prison for so long . I also don’t know why they were keeping me there, and what they were trying to prove or accomplish. Overall, I don’t think it was fair.

Q. And how do you feel about being executed tomorrow?

A. Honestly, I don’t feel good. I don’t want to be executed. I mean I knew it would come , but never this early. I’m only 45, and I still have a long way ahead of me. But now I’m scared to die. But I will die with pride and honor, to show other counter revolutionaries to never stop fighting, and never give up.

Q. How do you think your family will feel about your death, and how will they take it?

 

A. I know that my son and husband will cry their eyes out. They will be scared, especially my son because he needs a mother. But my daughter is different. I know she will be sad, and maybe cry a little, but won’t be as hurt as my husband and son will be. She is more of a revolutionary, and probably won’t care to see me leave.

Q. Thank you for your time. I have one further question to ask you. What do you think people will talk about, or do after your death?

A. I know that people will be scared. I know they will be scared because if they criticize something, or someone, they will be put to death like I am . But I know they won’t stop secretly having gatherings and talking about these horrors, and I feel some people will be brave enough to stand up out of the crowd, and share their own, or others oppositions.

Interview with Chairman Mao

My interview with Chairman Mao

 

By: Vasken Kebabjian

 

Q. Chairman Mao, what is your goal of the Cultural Revolution?

A. My goal is to make all counter revolutionaries suffer and for revolutionaries to be more powerful. Merchants would over power peasants, and would treat them with disrespect. But now, peasants can overpower merchants. Peasants know have more money, and more freedom to do what they want. I want to change China, and make it a New China.

Q. Why do you want to hurt merchants and landlords, as well as counter revolutionaries so bad?

A. I was born a peasant, and my family wasn’t rich. We couldn’t always afford food and life was really tough. Especially since landlords would torcher us by making us pay constantly more money for rent, and they would even raise the rent. Since I payed , the landlords, and others will know pay. They will either show me respect, or get torcherd by Red Guards.

Q. Why did you come up with the idea to make Red Guards?

A. To stay in power, I needed people who would be loyal to me, and respect me. So I thought of all the other past peasants. Since I helped them become stronger people, they could help me become a stronger person. I felt like they were the perfect people. Like my own personal army. They listened to me, and respected me, and I couldn’t have asked for anyhting more.

Q. What is your biggest fear, that could possibly happen to the Cultural Revolution?

A. My biggest fear, has to be that the Cultural Revolution will get taken over by a different country, and that I will have to either leave China, or get executed. I have worked so hard to make the Cultural Revolution work, and get myself in to this high ranked of a leader. I have gained so much respect over the years, and I have become more powerful every day. So just to see myself getting taken over would be heartbreaking.

Q. Thank you for your time Chairman Mao, because I know that you are a busy man. I have one last question to ask you. If you were to get taken over by another country, what would you do?

A. If I were to get taken over, I wouldn’t back down without a fight. I would send my Red Guards to go and attack the country that was attacking me, and if the country that was attacking me was really strong, and I knew that I was going to lose, I would probably flee the country to North Korea, or maybe Japan. I wouldn’t go to Taiwan because General Chiang fled China and went there. Hopefully nothing like this will ever happen.

China Bibliography

Bibliography

By: Vasken Kebabjian

Mah, Adeline Yen. "Cultural Revolution." China: Land of Dragons and Emperors. New York: Delacorte, 2008. N. pag. Print.

Bo, Zhiyue. The History of Modern China. Philadelphia: Mason Crest, 2006. Print.

"The Cultural Revolution." The Cultural Revolution. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2013.

"Heroes from Everyday Life Zhang Zhixin." Zhang Zhixin. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.

Free Dictionary Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2013.

Linlin, Zeng. "Death Row Study Session." N.p., 4 Nov. 2004. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.

Avakain, Bob. "The Cultural Revolution in China...Art and Culture...Dissent and." The Cultural Revolution in China...Art and Culture...Dissent and (2004): n. pag. Print.

"Google." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.

"On 5 December in Asian History." The New Asia Observer. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.