Chapter 78 Cultural Revolution Massacre 1967-1968

Journalist: “How did collective massacres occur during the Cultural Revolution?”

Mao: “The collective massacres during the Cultural Revolution began in August 1966 when I incited the Red Guards to initiate the Red August Storm. It spread to Daxing County and Changping County in the outskirts of Beijing, where the slaughter of the ‘Four Black Categories’ began.

From August to October 1967, the massacres spread to a larger scale and became more brutal in Dao County, Hunan. In August 1967, the massacre in Dao County reached its peak, with hundreds of bodies found every day. The corpses flowed through the county along the Xiao River, and the foul-smelling bodies clogged the waterway of the Shuangpai Reservoir, rendering the hydropower station unable to generate electricity for six months. The bodies caused a change in the color of the reservoir. Some of the bodies, tied together with ropes and wires, formed circles and floated on the water’s surface before the massacre.”

Journalist: “The massacre in Dao County was of such a large scale. It was organized, right?”

Mao: “Yes, the massacre in Dao County lasted for over two months, and there was deployment and organization from the county level down to the production brigades. The local armed forces, the militia, were mobilized for this purpose. Guan Youzhi, the Minister of the Armed Department in the Qingtang District of Dao County, was one of the chief commanders of the killings.

In August 1967, he led the militia and used hoes, slingshots, and other weapons to kill 207 individuals from the ‘Four Black Categories’ and their children.

Yuan Fuli, the District Head of Xianglinpu in Dao County, organized a group of 120 militia members for a sweeping elimination of the ‘Four Black Categories,’ resulting in the killing of 569 people in just three days. He justified his actions by saying, ‘Superiors have said that rebellion is justified, and revolution is innocent.’ Deputy Commander Zhao of the Military District said, ‘Jiang Qing said that we should use cultural attack to defend against armed forces, and if we have to kill, then kill.’ One of the organizers of the killings said, ‘We haven’t heard anyone from above say that killing is wrong. They only talk about rebellion being justified and revolution being innocent. When they shout ‘kill,’ I won’t show any mercy.’”
Journalist: “It seems that these killings were organized and carried out under leadership, right?”

Mao: “Yes, in the Tangjia Brigade of Dao County, there was a ruthless killer who used a horse machete to murder 18 people. For each killing, he would receive a ‘service fee’ of 2-5 yuan. In the Xianglinpu District, there was a team leader of the ‘Iron Girl Assault Team’ who used a machete to kill 16 people.

When asked about the motives behind these killings, the murderers said, ‘If I’m ordered to kill by those above, I will kill. Now, if they order me to kill you, I will kill you too.’ Ignorant and submissive, they blindly followed orders from above. If we trace it to the root, it naturally leads to the highest level of instructions, which includes me. However, until now, those in power have not pursued it to that extent. I have seen the reports of the killings, but I do not express my stance or endorse them.”

Journalist: “When you saw the reports of the killings, did you tacitly approve?”

Mao: “Yes, the massacre in Dao County spread throughout the entire county, and the documented number of deaths was 4,519. Among them, 326 people were forced to commit suicide, and 117 households had their entire families exterminated.”

Journalist: “So, 4,500 people were killed in Dao County alone?”

Mao: “Yes, influenced by Dao County, there were also killings in 10 counties and cities in the Lingling region. Including Dao County, a total of 9,093 people were killed in the Lingling region, and among them, 1,397 were forced to commit suicide.

Apart from shootings and stabbings, other methods of killing included drowning, explosives, throwing into caves or abandoned mines, burying alive in abandoned sweet potato cellars, beating to death with sticks, strangulation with ropes, death by fire, death by throwing, and more. There were also some particularly cruel methods of killing that I find difficult to transcribe. There were even instances of wealthy landlords’ children being coerced into killing their own parents.”

Journalist: “The methods of killing in Dao County seem similar to the ones during your time in Jiangxi, right?”

Mao: “Yes. There were over 40 cases of murder for seizing wives in Dao County. In one incident, three poor peasant bachelors fought over a beautiful woman, and they ended up killing all the rich landlord men. The three men almost fought each other, and in a fit of anger, one of them stabbed the woman to death. There were also cases of rape followed by murder, where after a collective gang rape, the victims were tied up with explosives and blown up, resulting in blood and flesh flying, which they called the ‘Scattering Flowers of Heavenly Maidens.’”

Journalist: “Were there also cases of murder for seizing wives?”

Mao: “Yes, even primary school teachers were involved in killings. In Zhanli Elementary School in Dao County, six teachers were killed simply because they came from rich landlord backgrounds, despite being ordinary and kind-hearted individuals. Zhou Qun, a 31-year-old teacher from Gongzhu Elementary School in Dao County, along with her husband and three children, were pushed into a sinkhole and buried alive. They all died in the rocky pit. She spent seven days and nights amidst piles of dead bodies before being rescued.”

Journalist: “There were also cases of being buried alive for seven days and then being rescued?”

Mao: “Yes, Tan Hecheng, a journalist from Hunan, conducted multiple visits to Dao County in 1986 to investigate the archives, interview the parties involved, and gather millions of words’ worth of materials. He wrote a 500,000-word book titled ‘The Blood Myth: The Documentary of the 1967 Massacre in Dao County,’ which was published in Hong Kong in 2010. It couldn’t be published within the country to protect my image.”

Journalist: “Did the massacre in Hunan also spread to Guangxi?”

Mao: “Yes, the Dao County massacre developed to Guangxi. Guangxi massacre in addition to kill the four types of elements, but also kill the opposing rebel faction.

In March 1968, more than 190 people were killed in Tianwa County, Guangxi, killing more than 630 people. Lingui County killed 293 people.

From July 26 to August 6, 1968, Yibin County, Guangxi killed 3,681 people.

From August 14 to the end of September 1968, more than 3,000 people were killed in Rong’an County.

From August to September 1968, more than 5,000 people were killed in Shanglin County and their bodies clogged the rivers.”

Journalist: “. Wow, one county killed more than 5,000 people and their bodies clogged the river?”

Mao: “Yes, in August 1968, Fengshan County arrested more than 6,000 people, criticized more than 5,000 people, and killed 2,700-3,000 people.

In 1968, Wuming County killed 2,463 people.

The counties in Guangxi where the massacre took place, the average number of massacres per county was 526.”

Journalist: “Guangxi massacre sounds much more powerful than Hunan?”

Mao: “Yes, there were also many cases of human flesh eating in Guangxi.

From June 15 to the end of August 1968, the rebels in Wuxuan County, ate the hearts, livers and human flesh of 75 people. A female militia squad leader cut off the genitals of five male corpses with her own hands and made wine to drink. Wuxuan County cadres, workers 113 people, ate human flesh, human hearts and livers.

Wuming County Overseas Chinese Farm, the criticism of 560 people, the whole death of 107 people, was killed by the liver and meat, more than 20 people have eaten human liver and human flesh.”

Journalist: “Wow, collectively eat human flesh and human liver, unheard of?”

Mao: “Yes, those who killed meritoriously were promoted to higher ranks. Liu Mu Zhong killed 45 people and was promoted to deputy secretary of the Liuzhou Steel Factory, and later to vice chairman of the Guangxi Federation of Trade Unions. Guangxi has more than 9,900 new members of the party, is the murder meritorious into the party.”

Journalist: “Oh, killings with merit can join the party?”

Mao: “Yes, Guangxi according to public security information, the number of deaths with a name and address of more than 89,700 people, of which 3,700 people died in armed struggle, forced to die 7,000 people, the remaining 79,000 people, for organized death.

In addition, more than 20,000 people were missing in the province, and more than 30,000 people died without a name. The commercial sector issued tickets, in 1969, than in 1967, 130,000 people less.”

Journalist: “So, Guangxi killed 130,000 people?”

Mao: “Yes, there were also massacres in Guangdong. on January 15, 1968, the Guangdong Yangjiang County Zhongping brigade branch, the self-made court, killed 2 landlords. By January 1969, a total of 909 people were killed, killing method similar to Hunan Dao County.

There were 28 counties in Guangdong that recorded mass killings, with an average of 278 people per county.”

Journalist: “Guangdong was a more open place and massacred Class IV elements as well?”

Mao: “Yes, there were also massacres in Jiangxi. Ruijin County on September 22, 1968, met to set up the killings and come up with achievements to present to the National Day. In some places, the right to kill was delegated to the brigade, called ‘people’s shooting,’ killing whenever they wanted.

Ruijin County killed more than 300 people, Yudu County killed more than 300 people, and Xingguo County killed more than 270 people.

All parties estimate that the collective massacre in the Cultural Revolution, no less than 300,000 people.”

Journalist: “Oh, the national massacre of at least 300,000?”