Like a Flowing River (Da Jiang Da He / 大江大河)

So you're saying that last year, Xiaogang Village averaged over a sixty thousand kilograms yield?

Yes. The abundant autumn harvest of Xiaogang Village last year

was equivalent to their fifteen year grain yield from 1955 to 1970.

Besides that, it was their first time handing over ten thousand kilograms of grain to the higher authorities.

This distribution of fields per household policy greatly shocked our country.

The effect was intense.

There were great supporters and others held out against such ideas.

The Central Authorities didn't take a formal position on it.

But they encouraged everyone to explore and implement ways

because actual practice is the sole criterion of proving the truth.

You really are a university student. You say it once and I can understand it.

Comrade Lei, we've been talking about this the whole way.

In my opinion, no need to divide in groups.

There are so many people in the commune. If they want to be lazy, they would still do so.

But if you divide the fields among the households,

who would dare loaf around? If you loaf around, you'd die from starvation.

You didn't hurt yourself when you fell before, did you?

I'm not hurt.

- Are you tired? - No - Xiao Hui!

- Mom. - Xiao Hui! You've come back! - Mom!

Mom, not so fast.

You must be freezing. It's such a cold day.

I'm not.

I thought it would be dark before you got back. I can't believe you got here so fast.

Xiao Hui brought us back by a shorter mountain path.

We saved a lot of time that way, but it's not easy to walk on.

Did you fall?

- No. - No.

Father.

- You're back? - Yes. - And you say you didn't fall.

I'm fine.

- Father. - You're back.

I brought some newspapers back with me this time. They're all about the recent rehabilitation of the "five black categories" people.

The family of one of my university classmates was categorized as a "rightist" and was just recently rehabilitated.

I'm sure that our family's label will be removed soon, too.

Good.

Come inside.

Come inside and get warm. This clothing is wet through.

- Hurry and change out of them. - Thanks, Mom.

Uncle, I've just found what this official document really means.

I just met someone who knows a lot about this. Uncle, listen to me.

This so-called "Contract Responsibility System," this "payment linked to output;" I completely understand it now. Anyway, it comes down to a sentence.

We have to divide the land and transfer the responsibility to each person.

This "payment linked to output..." Hey, what are you doing?

Don't worry about the door.

Let me finish telling you or I'll forget it. Payment linked to output...

Payment linked to output... Let's not talk about that first. Anyway, we won't be doing that. I'm telling you about "Contract Responsibility System."

This so-called "Contract Responsibility System" is getting everyone to be responsible for their own field.

Anhui's Xiaogang Village has already experimented with it.

At first, the production brigade was divided in two.

But that didn't work. People didn't try hard.

Then, they increased the two portions to eight.

That didn't work either. In the end, each family

got their own farm. Guess what happened.

Last year, they harvested over sixty thousand kilograms.

They submitted over ten thousand kilograms of grains to the authorities.

Dongbao's here?

Aunt.

- Dongbao, - Here, let me get that.

- Here, drink some water. - Thank you, Aunt.

- Don't burn yourself. - I'll drink it in a bit.

Over sixty thousand kilos?

It's shocking, isn't it? Uncle,

didn't you ask me to lead our village to wealth? If we want to be wealthy,

if we don't want to keep getting ¥7 per day of work,

we have to divide the land. No more dawdling about.

Dongbao,

you want to divide the land among the families?

Yes.

Then, would there still be a collective economy? Won't that be the same with the pre-liberation days? People will just directly become land owners?

Will the members of society still listen to the organization?

- Seriously. - Uncle, it's different.

The land is still collectively owned.

Let me make an example. This chair, I lent it to you and you used it.

Isn't it still mine? You can't deny that fact. Also,

Uncle, those people that led the movement in Xiaogang Village are communist party members.

What are communist party members? Those people are.

For whatever matter, they must be the vanguard.

- What are you afraid of? - You're still young.

You haven't experienced enough.

For something that wasn't clearly stated on the document, you mustn't do it.

For these past years, policies would change in an instant.

What if trouble arises? We cadres of the brigade might get criticized for it.

How long ago was the Cultural Revolution?

You are still worrying about criticisms?

Dongbao,

do you know that Old Macaque has moved back to our village?

It's good that he's back. The good days of the counter-revolutionaries are about to end.

Although Old Macaque has been cleared and allowed to return,

he's still has power over the commune.

Let me tell you that a person like him is good in inciting fights. If you are too excessive in implementing this policy,

he will catch any bit of your mistake and complain about you to the higher ups.

Who cares about him?

I took care of him even before I went to join the army.

You think I'll be afraid of him after getting trained in the Revolutionary Army?

What were you back then?

What were you?

You were just a young lad.

Now, you're the assistant secretary of our brigade. Your status is different.

I'm old, so I'll be fine.

You still are young and have a good future ahead.

What if your political career gets tainted?

You won't have any chance for success from then on.

Uncle, what kind of life am I living right now?

What do I eat everyday?

No matter how worse the days would be, they wouldn't be worse than now, right? This kind of life must change.

- We can't live the same kind of life anymore. - Dongbao.

Did I say anything wrong?

- I'll get it. - Come in! Come in!

Who is it?

Uncle.

Shigen, what is it?

I'm looking for him.

Why did you pursue me up to here?

What is it, Dongbao?

Nothing.

Dongbao stole my sweet potatoes. I haven't eaten.

Talk properly. Did I steal it?

Wasn't it borrowing?

If you borrowed them, you should return them.

Auntie!

- It's nothing. Auntie! - What is it?

Do you have sweet potatoes?

We do. They are inside the pot and haven't been steamed yet.

It's okay. Just give me three.

Dongbao,

what is going on?

Nothing.

Here. Hold it.

- Leave. - Just these?

Where did we stop, Uncle?

- I'm going now, Uncle. - Come over here.

- Why? - How old are you now?

31.

Married?

No.

No, what does me being married or not have to do with asking for sweet potatoes?

As if I'm the only one who isn't married yet.

Uncle, he's the most educated person in our village, right?

He went to high school, but even he isn't married yet.

Is it my fault? Who made our village...

so poor.

Tell my uncle then how many people are like you in our village.

There are probably 30 single men in our village.

Those who are younger, less than 30 years old, there are around 25 to 26 of them.

For those older than me, like Zhongfu, there are probably 15 or 16 of them.

That doesn't include that Cripple Zhang and Old Crazy, those old single men.

Leave...

I'm going then.

I'm going now, Uncle and Auntie!

You'll get stomach upset if you eat those sweet potatoes raw!

It seems like Xiaoleijia won't be having any more descendants.

Uncle, you watched our generation grow up.

Shouldn't our days here change?

Tell me. Aren't we wronging them to let Xiaoleijia continue to become like this?

Who doesn't want to live a life where you have a wife and children warming your home?

How about this? Listen to my advice. You're old, so don't take responsibility for this.

The weather also just happened to be getting colder. Your chronic cold leg illness is acting up again. You can't go out. The whole village knows that.

Regarding the contracting matter, I'll take charge and take responsibility.

I'm the branch secretary. How can you be the one to take responsibility?

Can I allow you to take the responsibility?

Dongbao,

I'm not afraid of taking risks.

What was I like before?

You just ask your mother.

But the proposal for the contracting of the lands must be approved by the commune first.

Even if I allow you, will you be able to get through the commune?

I think it's unlikely.

Dongbao,

how about this?

Let us make our steps steadier.

Contract the land in groups and payment based on output.

Measure the land and let's strive to implement the policy by the start of next year.

The commune would be very busy during the start of the year and won't mind us that much.

Since it's the new year, a holiday, they might not even attend the meeting.

This can save us many worries. You can go do it.

I'll write the proposal these next few days and submit it to the commune. Is that okay?

The commune would be busy during the start of the year?

They won't have time to care about us?

How then should we divide the lands?

Isn't it still our call on how to divide them?

Let's see what can they do to me if I divide the lands to my relatives and buddies.

Dongbao,

what bad idea are you thinking now?

None.

I'm absorbing the gist of your idea.

Uncle, what you said is right. We'll do what you said.

But don't stay idle. Quickly write it now and submit it to the commune.

I'll go measure the lands now. I'm going.

Dongbao! I'm not done talking! What?

You said--

This lad...

Get me a paper, pen, tape measure, and a rope.

- How do you open this broadcasting equipment? - How much paper?

How long of a tape measure do you want? What rope?

Before I got into the army, you were not the accountant here. Right?

- So what? - I remember it.

You are the nephew of Old Macaque.

I'm not a member of the rebel faction.

One winter, Old Macaque got buried in the snow.