Map 8 Communes of Xianglinpu District
Situated in the southern portion of Daoxian, Xianglinpu District (Map 8) included Xianglinpu, Shenzhangtan, Xiajiang, Xinche, and Cenjiangdu Communes. The regional government office was in Xianglinpu Market, some 20 kilometers from the county seat, Daojiang. The south end of the district is fronted by the Tongshan, Heitou, Maor, and Ma’an Hills, while the Tuoshui River to its east and the Yongming River to its west join at Lianghekou to form a broad plain of fertile tea oil, rice paddy, and tobacco fields. The initiative of the district’s deputy district head to establish a militia headquarters modeled on the Yingjiang Frontline Command Post led to Xianglinpu’s recording the second-highest number of killings among all of Daoxian’s districts.
After being notified of the Yingjiang Political and Legal Work Conference beginning on August 26, Xianglinpu District public-security deputy and district court cadre Jiang Guangde telephoned deputy district head Yuan Lifu, who had stayed behind to take care of business in Xianglinpu: “Quickly send all the commune public-security officers to Yingjiang for a meeting. It’s urgent!” When Yuan Lifu asked Jiang Guangde about the conference, Jiang said, “We’re going to discuss that [random killing] issue. From now on, if there are arch-criminals that the poor and lower-middle peasants insist on killing, they’ll have to get permission first, and we have to adhere to the class line. It looks like they’re about to put the brakes on things and it won’t be so easy to take action in the future.” After that, Jiang Guangde reported on the killings in other districts: more than 200 in Gongba, more than 100 in Yueyan and Simaqiao. He remarked, “The other districts have killed so many, but our district has fallen behind. … We need to catch up.”
After the phone call, Yuan Lifu’s brow furrowed with anxiety over Xianglipu falling behind the “advanced” districts. As the district’s youngest leading cadre and an advisor to the district Red Alliance, Yuan Lifu had gone to the frontline command post of the Yingjiang Red Alliance in mid-August to observe the progress of the revolution, and soon after returning to the district, he’d arranged for the establishment of a district militia headquarters modeled on the Yingjiang Frontline Command Post. Following the formal establishment of the militia headquarters at Xianglinpu Commune’s Shangdu production brigade on August 21, Yuan Lifu, Huang Shangsen, and other district leaders had on August 23 called a meeting of the district’s cadres, Cultural Revolution Committee (CRC) heads, and militia commanders to deploy manpower for the next stage of seize-and-push work. A barricade set up that night at Xinche Market’s pontoon bridge1 had nabbed three black-element offspring fleeing Shenzhangtang Commune, and they were killed the next day, but in a very low-key manner that rankled Yuan Lifu and other district leaders. The deputy commander of the Shangdu militia headquarters, Huang Shangsen (who was also a member of the district Chinese Communist Party [CCP] committee organization committee), had the killings posted at Xianglinpu Market, creating a sensation that finally broke through the stifling and muzzled atmosphere, and Yuan Lifu had called a mass rally during which four scoundrels from the Shangdu production brigade were killed, lending some dynamism and impetus to the district’s operations.
Map 8 Communes of Xianglinpu District
Now, just as they were making headway, the brakes were being put on, and Yuan Lifu couldn’t bear to stand by and watch all his hard effort go down the drain. Repeatedly analyzing and pondering the situation, Yuan concluded that Jiang Guangde’s telephone call was meant as a signal that if more people weren’t killed now, there would be little opportunity later. As one of Daoxian’s up-and-coming leaders, this dynamic young deputy district head felt compelled to show what he was made of.
Huang Shangsen, who had been standing beside him during the phone call, was alarmed by Yuan’s serious expression and asked in a low voice, “District Head Yuan, what did Director Jiang say just now?”
Perhaps it was at that instant that Yuan Lifu reached a decision. Tapping Huang Shangsen on the shoulder, he said, “Quickly contact headquarters and notify the administrative cadres and the militia cadres of platoon level and above that there will be an urgent meeting tonight at the rice-drying yard.”
That night, two big gas lamps hissed at Shangdu Village’s rice-drying yard. As people arrived for the meeting, Yuan Lifu called over Huang Shangsen, Xianglipu Commune Youth League secretary Li Shunyun, and other commune leaders for a preparatory meeting. He told them, “Comrade Guangde has told us to take measures to catch up. The suggestion from headquarters is to send militia to each commune and production brigade to supervise and push things forward. … What do you all think?”
Everyone agreed, and the men then returned to the drying yard and declared the meeting open. Yuan Lifu delivered the instructions: “Headquarters has decided that each production brigade should deploy two core militiamen for an assault action. … In the past, killing a scoundrel required writing up a lot of documentation and obtaining permission from the Supreme People’s Court, but now the poor and lower-middle peasants are the Supreme People’s Court and can authorize the death penalty. … But once the commune delegates return from Yingjiang, we’ll have to obtain permission again, so we should grasp this opportunity for a thorough cleanup.”
After the meeting, Yuan Lifu had Shangdu militia headquarters commander Yang Xiuzhi stay behind for a confidential briefing, and at an emergency rally of all the district’s militia the next morning, Yang communicated the decision for core militiamen to coordinate the killing off of all deserving black elements in their production brigades. The meeting’s presiding officer, Huang Shangsen, then warned them: “Take care to adhere to the class line and kill only black elements; no poor or lower-middle peasants can be killed, and there can be no indiscriminate killing.”
Yuan Lifu delivered the concluding speech: “After you go back, the first thing you must do is seize revolution and push production for the ‘double rush’ planting and harvesting, and the second thing is to kill off the troublemaking black elements in your brigades. … The sooner the better; complete your missions within three days and then regroup in Shangdu for appraisal and commendation. We’ll be here awaiting news of our comrades’ victory.” Yuan’s speech was greeted with protracted applause.
After the meeting, a pig was butchered, and everyone dined together under a huge banner that the headquarters had quickly slapped together: “Enthusiastically sending our militia back to the frontline to carry out their glorious mission!”
Amid the deafening thunder of gongs, Yuan Lifu led the district and commune cadres in seeing off 126 militiamen (2 from each of the 63 production brigades) as they split off in all directions through the newly harvested fields. Standing with arms akimbo, Yuan Lifu buoyantly recited a famous line from one of Chairman Mao’s poems: “The Golden Monkey wrathfully swung his massive cudgel / And the jade-like firmament was cleared of dust.”2
After the shock brigade was sent back to the villages, Yuan Lifu made a special trip back to Yingjiang, where he reported to Red Alliance political commissar He Xia: “Class struggle in Xianglinpu is complex; people there have many overseas relations, and if we don’t kill a batch, things will be difficult later on.”
He Xia warned, “Killing has to be carried out discreetly. No matter who is killed, once the situation improves later on, someone may be called to account.” Yuan didn’t think there was any problem with killing a few black elements, and he found He Xia’s skittishness a nuisance.
Three days later (August 30), 126 militiamen returned punctually to headquarters as ordered and reported the results of their mission: a total of 569 people killed in three days!
During those three days, Yuan Lifu and the other leaders at the Shangdu headquarters had maintained the pace of the catch-up effort. Yuan in particular took his work very seriously, and after the militia set out on August 27, he called over his most able lieutenant, Li Shunyun, and had him hurry off to Jiujiashan to report back to him on the killing (or, as he termed it, the suppression of black elements) so he would have a clear grasp on the situation on the frontline.
When Li Shunyun arrived at the Jiujiashan brigade, its cadres had already drawn up a preliminary killing list in accordance with instructions and were preparing to hold a mass rally. When they saw that the upper-level leadership had taken the trouble to send someone to direct operations, they immediately invited Li Shunyun to preside over the rally. Li demurred but agreed to give a speech in his capacity as emissary from headquarters, appealing for “the poor and lower-middle peasants to unite and impose the dictatorship of the proletariat over black elements.” After the meeting, 16 black elements and offspring were escorted to the woodland alongside Wuzai Pond, where their “death sentences” were carried out.
His mission accomplished, Li Shuyun sped back to the Shangdu headquarters and reported to Yuan Lifu. Yuan said, “Well done! Well done! The poor and lower-middle peasants have truly been mobilized!”
The next morning (August 26), two cadres from Xianglinpu Commune’s Zhufu brigade arrived at the Shangdu headquarters to clarify the policy on killing landlords and rich peasants, since there was some uneasiness within the brigade’s CCP branch when they met to discuss their response. Deputy Commander Huang Shangsen replied, “The poor and lower-middle peasants are now the Supreme People’s Court, and whatever they say goes. If you’re afraid to carry out the killings, we’ll send someone to help you out.” Li Shunyun accompanied Zhang and He back to the Zhufu brigade and immediately convened a meeting of the brigade’s cadres, followed by a mass rally during which the peasant supreme court pronounced death sentences on six black elements. Li Shunyun said, “You can’t stop a dog from eating shit; if we don’t kill them, they’ll kill us.” After the meeting, Li personally led the militia in escorting the six condemned people to a spot along the Yantiantang Highway, where they were shot with fowling guns and then were hacked with sabers and spears for good measure. Li and two militiamen then inspected the corpses, and on finding that one of the victims was still in a kneeling position, Li ran him through with a spear until he toppled over.
That night, Li Shunyun hurried back to Shangdu and reported to Yuan Lifu and another militia leader, Zhou Runzhen. Yuan and Zhou praised Li extravagantly and said, “Xiao Li, we have to trouble you with overseeing the killing of black elements in Dapan and Xiaopan tomorrow.”
Early the next morning (August 28), Li Shunyun hurried to Dapan and Xiaopan. Since these villages were under the jurisdiction of Jianggong Commune, he had Jianggong Commune Youth League secretary Yang Shouyuan accompany him. At that time, the Xiaopan brigade had already locked up the 12 black elements and offspring they planned to kill, and as soon as Li and Yang arrived they organized a mass rally, during which Li Shunyun represented the district and commune leadership in calling for black elements to be resolutely suppressed. The 12 condemned people were then dispatched with fowling guns and sabers, and the meticulous Li Shunyun placed his finger under the nostrils of each victim to make sure they had truly expired.
Early in the morning on August 29, Yuan Lifu sent Li Shunyun on a new assignment: “Jiujiashan is a key area in your [Xianglinpu] commune; the class struggle there is very complicated. You’re more familiar with the situation there, so I’m going to trouble you to run over today and get a grasp of the situation and come back with some numbers.” After a quick breakfast, Li Shunyun rushed off to the Jiujiashan, where he helped the brigade’s leaders finalize a killing list. A mass rally was then called to pronounce “death sentences” on 25 black elements, with Li Shunyun giving his usual speech. Each of the condemned was called by name and required to admit his or her guilt, and the few who protested their innocence were beaten until they complied. Li Shunyun personally led the brigade’s militia in escorting the condemned to the execution ground, where they were killed with fowling guns and sabers. When two class enemy offspring continued to writhe on the ground, Li finished them off himself.
The Task Force designated Li Shunyun as someone acting under orders to organize the killings, which means that Yuan Lifu and other leaders took the brunt of the blame. Yuan was very unhappy about this: “That’s too inconsistent with fact! When it came to killing people, he [Li Shunyun] was the most enthusiastic of anyone; how did he need my orders? And when did I direct him to kill anyone? All that I told him was to gather up figures and keep things in line. In fact, I repeatedly reminded him to be mindful of the party’s policies and to draw a distinction between black elements and offspring, and not to kill indiscriminately.”
| Date (1967) | Fatalities* | Event |
| August 24 | 8 | District’s Shangdu militia headquarters initiated killings. Xinche Commune held meeting to instigate killings. |
| August 25 | 24 | Shenzhangtang and Cenjiangdu Communes held meetings to instigate killings. |
| August 26 | 105 | |
| August 27 | 242 | Shangdu militia headquarters sent militia to the villages to fuel the killings. |
| August 28 | 218 | |
| August 29 | 109 | Killing spree ended as the 47th Army’s 6950 Unit entered Daoxian. |
| August 30 | 40 | |
| August 31 | 55 | |
| September 1 | 35 | District held a meeting to transmit 47th Army’s prohibition of killings. |
| September 2 | 13 | |
| September 3 | 15 | |
| September 4 | 2 | |
| September 5 | 23 | |
| September 6 | 4 | |
| September 12 | 1 |
* These figures were calculated at an early stage, and there is some discrepancy from the total of victims that was ultimately determined.
Xianglinpu District racked up the second-largest number of killings of all of Daoxian’s districts, with 916 killed (including 52 suicides), and 57 households obliterated.
The table below shows how the killings advanced in Xianglinpu District.
The above timetable shows that Xianglinpu was the last of all of Daoxian’s districts to be struck by the killing wind, which started elsewhere on August 13 and reached its peak from August 21 to 25.
What led Xianglinpu District to bring up the rear? We asked several people in Daoxian for their views on this, and one heavyweight individual tied it to the need for a district-level cadre to be the frontman for the operations of the People’s Armed Forces Department (PAFD):
PAFD personnel originally had a relatively low status in their corresponding party committees, being at most members of the standing committees, so they invariably made certain party committee members the frontmen for everything they did. I’m not saying that party committee cadres held no responsibility for the killings, but the actual power lay in the hands of the PAFD. These people lacked local work experience and tended to be slapdash and excessively aggressive. …
Xianglinpu District started its killings late because Chen Guobao [the Xianglinpu District PAFD commander] was an invalid recuperating at home, and the PAFD commander of Xiajiang Commune had temporarily stepped in for him. Obviously a PAFD militia commander was hardly in a position to orchestrate killings throughout the entire district—who would listen to him? This required someone to step forward at the district level. Ultimately Yuan Lifu came forward, but he was late in doing so. By the time the killings began in Xianglinpu, the killing wind had already spread throughout the county. By August 25, only 30-odd people had been killed in Xianglinpu, so after Jiang Guangde telephoned from Yingjiang on the 26th, Yuan Lifu had to “catch up” with a three-day killing spree that resulted in more than 500 deaths. In those three days, 60 percent of the district’s victims died. You may not understand Yuan Lifu very well—on paper he looks like an out-and-out homicidal maniac, but in fact he was a very civilized and upright man. The same is true of Zheng Youzhi—the reports make him look like a cold-blooded killer, but he was actually very loyal and honest. When killing brings no risk of punishment and is considered a “revolutionary action,” almost anyone can easily become a killer.
Although the killings started late in Xianglinpu District, the compulsion to make up for lost time resulted in round-the-clock killing campaigns in each commune, sending the death toll on an upward spiral.