rogerluli Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 The utter disaster and insanity of Mao's Great Leap Forward has been chronicled in a two volume book, "Tombstone"...36 million Chinese starved to death as China continued to export grain...If you have seen the fine movie, "To Live", you saw something about this time. A history like this of the Cultural Revolution has yet to be written... I think it is essential that China can speak and learn freely about all of the past...the good and the bad... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8081102015.html This book is currently available only in Chinese. Link to comment
GZBILL Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 The utter disaster and insanity of Mao's Great Leap Forward has been chronicled in a two volume book, "Tombstone"...36 million Chinese starved to death as China continued to export grain...If you have seen the fine movie, "To Live", you saw something about this time. A history like this of the Cultural Revolution has yet to be written... I think it is essential that China can speak and learn freely about all of the past...the good and the bad... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8081102015.html This book is currently available only in Chinese. But I'd bet it is banned in China. Link to comment
rogerluli Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 The utter disaster and insanity of Mao's Great Leap Forward has been chronicled in a two volume book, "Tombstone"...36 million Chinese starved to death as China continued to export grain...If you have seen the fine movie, "To Live", you saw something about this time. A history like this of the Cultural Revolution has yet to be written... I think it is essential that China can speak and learn freely about all of the past...the good and the bad... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8081102015.html This book is currently available only in Chinese. But I'd bet it is banned in China. Unfortunately you are right... http://en.chinaelections.org/newsinfo.asp?newsid=18328 Link to comment
warpedbored Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Damn Roggie! you got my interest piqued then tell me it is only available in Chinese. Link to comment
rogerluli Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 Damn Roggie! you got my interest piqued then tell me it is only available in Chinese. Well what a great opportunity for us both to learn it... Link to comment
chilton747 Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 I learned all about these times that I care to know by watching China A Century of Revolution. Any other attempts to gain more knowledge about this era puts me in a very fowl mood. Unbelievable how one man fool could cause so much death and destruction to his own country. Link to comment
rogerluli Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 "I call this book Tombstone," the author, Yang Jisheng, writes in the opening paragraph. "It is a tombstone for my father who died of hunger in 1959, for the 36 million Chinese who also died of hunger, for the system that caused their death, and perhaps for myself for writing this book." The author, a party member, spent 10 years doing the research and interviews for this book. It was published in Hong Kong and immediately sold out there... It is truly sad that it cannot be made available in China... Link to comment
rogerluli Posted August 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 I've bought several banned books in Hong Kong. Maybe this can be bought there. Then again it just might be our interest and curiosity that wants the book because the memory is still fresh in all the people I met that would talk about it. I know my wife and family knows about it first hand. And my son, who is only 18, pretty much knows the score as well. I once had a Chinese sociology professor tell me that China can not and will not completely change until Mao is dead. It is quite interesting that this book was published in Hong Kong and immediately sold out there...I think most people in the west now think of Hong Kong as part of China...But when you travel back and forth between Shenzhen and Hong Kong you realize they are still entirely separate entities... Link to comment
Jerry & xiaomin Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 i have so much i want to say, but i think i'd better shut the hell up! but hey, look at the bright side, thanks to that man, now the Chinese astronomical population number is 36 million less!!! says who this is not one of his political achievement? a mirror has 2 faces! Link to comment
rogerluli Posted August 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 i have so much i want to say, but i think i'd better shut the hell up! but hey, look at the bright side, thanks to that man, now the Chinese astronomical population number is 36 million less!!! says who this is not one of his political achievement? a mirror has 2 faces! A truly bizzare way of looking at it... Perhaps if it had been your family that was affected you would feel differently... Link to comment
rogerluli Posted August 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 Almost since the day that it became a global manufacturing hub one particular quirk has been observed about China: "You can have just about anything made in China, so long as it is for export." Thanks to angry Chinese blogger I know this firsthand from both living there and owning a business there. Steve I also read... http://angrychineseblogger.blog-city.com/ Our angry friend Link to comment
Yuanyang Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 If it's banned on the Mainland chances are good for a quick translation and publication here. Link to comment
rogerluli Posted August 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 If it's banned on the Mainland chances are good for a quick translation and publication here. Hope so Bob...I'll buy it... Link to comment
Wendy W Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 (edited) I had post in the other topic. my country is really develop the economic since after late 1970s. and yes i know "The Great Leap Forward ', It is another blot in our history. I will share my understanding of this history, I might be wrong. and Please forgive my chinglish.. I might not be able to write exactly what I intend to. I try my best. The leader made bad decision on economic. and then bad luck enough to face 3 years natural disaster. The Soviet Union pull down Stalin (Well, to make it short,here it is another history) and the new political contestation break the friendship with China.So the export was mainly to Soviet Union to pay the loan we owed. I am sad why we do not seek help from the other country, and I try to see the international relationship at that time. However, China was isolated at that time...Cold War. North Korean war was just ended, American and Euro was not friendly to China(North Atlantic Treaty Organization). East Euro was with Former Soviet Union.... You know communist was not welcomed. let alone at the period 1950s. more than the'Great Leap Forward there was culture revolution.. or what you may remind me. I wouldn't say bad about Mao, as he is gone.I hope him rest and peace now, and it is meaningless to critizise him myself, I quote the saying," Leadership takes more than it's fair share of the credit and more than the fair share of the blame." He saved china from a disintegration. It is not like we are blind of our history. Actually I am not a fan of politics. But i like to read history. Just want to tell my opinion of what you query. P.S we are not banned this history in china. You can find alot of information on internet. but i will delete my post very soon. Edited August 15, 2008 by WenDylanforever (see edit history) Link to comment
rogerluli Posted August 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 I had post in the other topic. my country is really develop the economic since after late 1970s. and yes i know "The Great Leap Forward ', It is another blot in our history. I will share my understanding of this history, I might be wrong. and Please forgive my chinglish.. I might not able to write what I intend to. I try my best. The leader made bad decision on economic. and then bad luck enough to face 3 years natural disaster. The Soviet Union pull down Stalin (Well, to make it short,here it is another history) and his political contestation break the friendship with China.So the export was mainly to Soviet Union to pay the loan we owed. I am sad why we do not seek help from the other country, and I try to see what is the international relationship at that time. However, that time China is isolated.You know Cold War. North korean war was just finish, American and Euro was not friendly to us(North Atlantic Treaty Organization). East Euro was with Former Soviet Union.... You know communist was not welcomed. let alone at the period 1950s. more than the'Great Leap Forward there was culture revolution.. or what you may remind me. I wouldn't say bad about Mao, as he is gone.I hope him rest and peace now, and it is meaningless to critizise him myself, I quote the saying," Leadership takes more than it's fair share of the credit and more than the fair share of the blame." He saved china from a disintegration. It is not like we are blind of our history. P.S we are not banned this history in china. You can find alot of information on internet. but i will delete my post very soon. Why would you delete this Wendy??? It is always great to hear from our Chinese members who have so much more real experience and knowledge about China than us westerners... What I thought most crazy about this time was the drive to melt down every piece of metal in sight to PRODUCE more steel... Those with any kind of knowledge of the process knew it was crazy but when an edict came down from on high it was obeyed... It was a long ago time now when we look at the powerhouse economy that China has become but I think it is always beneficial to know history...The good and the bad... Link to comment
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