24 City (Er shi si cheng ji) (二十四城记)

CHENGFA GROUP

The five-star red flag flutters in the wind

How glorious our song of victory

Singing for our beloved motherland

As she prospers and grows strong

CEREMONY FOR TRANSFER OF LAND

FROM CHENGFA GROUP TO CR LAND LTD

Dear Directors, distinguished guests, good morning.

Today, December 29th, 2007,

will mark a new and glorious chapter

in the development of the Chengfa Group.

For nearly 50 years, we have faced difficulties

and challenging breakthroughs of economic reform.

Now a revitalised Chengfa Group

is about to move from the site of the old factory...

"THE CHERISHED HIBISCUS OF 24 CITY, IN FULL BLOOM

"CHENGDU SHONE AND PROSPERED"

ANCIENT POEM

CHENGDU CITY

HE XIKUN

Back then, we thought of 420 as a large factory.

But I knew that it did work for the military.

It made aircraft and aero engines.

We were fitters, our job was to repair

all the machinery and equipment in 420.

We were solely responsible for repairs.

We did regular maintenance and repairs when necessary.

We took care of all that.

Back then, he was in charge

of Fitter Group 4.

There's one thing I remember...

I had just arrived,

and I had no idea that the fitters made their own tools.

One thing we used was called a scraper.

It was a kind of blade, shaped like this...

We had to make them ourselves.

When we received the metal,

we cut it and then honed the edge.

It was about this long.

As it got worn down and became this short,

we couldn't use it anymore.

But he kept on using them regardless.

When the thing was really worn out, he hung it from his belt.

As you had to hone the edge, the tool got all worn away.

Useless! But he kept on using it.

One time, a scraper was worn right down so I threw it away.

Then Master Wang said, "Xiao He,

"you know that this small thing

"has come into our hands through those of many others.

"It can still be used."

So he picked it up, re-honed it and used it again.

I was so impressed.

People like me were too immature.

We had to learn not to be wasteful.

Old masters like Master Wang knew we”: "Waste not, want not."

He was right and I learned that from him.

He knew how many hands the tools had passed through.

I feel guilty when I speak about Master Wang.

For years, I've been so busy that I haven't visited him.

HE XIKUN, BORN 1948 IN CHENGDU

APPRENTICED IN 1964 IN WORKSHOP 61

LATER JOINED THE ARMY

HE XIKUN, MALE, AGED 30

WORK CARD 07718968

ISSUED BY STATE MECHANIC FACTORY XINDU

During the clashes of the Cultural Revolution,

factories and mines stopped work.

But he carried on working.

Hardly anyone went to the factory.

Talking about this... makes me feel a bit sad.

I would've died if you hadn't come.

She's hidden everything.

Hidden what? What was there to hide?

She mentioned a knife.

I can neither live nor die. I have nothing left.

They took three X-rays.

- After a long wait. - This hospital is hopeless.

They suggested we move to the provincial hospital.

Were the X-rays computer-enhanced?

- So the images are clear? - Think so.

What have you got to say?

What have you got to say?

You! What have you got to say?

Seeing you makes me a bit nervous.

Nervous? Are you happy?

- Happy to see me? - Of course I'm happy.

It's been so long.

Too bad.

I wouldn't have known you if we'd passed on the street.

I wouldn't have known you.

Have I changed?

Look, I'm thinner.

Just like for those who were in my workshop.

We greet each other when we meet.

But I forget.

My brain's rusty.

Too slow.

It was okay before.

I used to remember things well. But not now.

You did a lot for the factory.

Back then,

when I started working here, I used to worry.

I came here in 1959.

If I ever took a day off, I'd work nights to make up.

I even worked through New Year and on Sundays.

Every single day.

We were under pressure back then.

It was during the Korean war.

Right.

ALWAYS FOLLOW THE PATH OF DEVELOPMENT CORRECTLY

WORK LOYALLY FOR OUR ARMY

SECRETARY GUAN

GUAN FENGJIU, BORN 1935 IN HAICHENG, LIAONING

HEAD OF SECURITY IN FACTORY 420

DEPUTY SECRETARY OF PARTY COMMITTEE WHEN HE RETIRED

We were implementing Chairman Mao's strategy,

moving military factories to inland areas

sheltered by the mountains here.

Armament factories and aeronautics were in the north-east.

During the Korean War, that was the front line against the Yanks.

In line with the new strategy,

we built factories in the south-west.

We picked this place.

We were under contract to Factory 111.

We repaired aircraft engines there,

MIG-153 during the Korean War.

They were used by the Chinese and North Korean air forces

to fight American imperialism.

Factory 111 built Factory 420.

It was Factory 111...

On November 3rd, there was a general assembly.

Our factory was going to build 420 in Chengdu.

We needed 60% of the staff. That is, 60% of Factory 111 staff.

We all had to move down here.

A certain amount of the equipment from 111 was moved here

with the people to run it.

Various specialists, technical staff and cadres were mobilised.

The meeting was on November 3rd, and I was transferred in December.

I was in charge of the security section.

I was one of the first to arrive.

There were more than four thousand workers.

HOU LIJUN

After Mum came here,

every year I thought of visiting home to see my parents.

She wanted that too, thought about it year on year.

But then... job, family, kids!

Not to mention, the cost of it.

She couldn't afford to visit home.

Bottom line...

After coming here in 1958,

when did we first go back to Shenyang?

It was in 1972. She had left in 1958.

Between 1958 and 1972, 14 years.

I was 18 or 19 by then.

I'd finished middle school.

Only then, did I first go back to Shenyang with Mum.

The first time back.

- Do you remember that trip? - Sure I do.

I remember it vividly.

What was it like?

Well, it was...

Coming home like that...

It was 14 years since Mum had left.

As soon as we got there,

my grandma and her husband broke down in tears.

I was still too young to really understand.

I didn't appreciate why they felt so strongly.

I didn't understand what they felt.

HOU LIJUN, BORN 1953 IN SHENYANG

REPAIRMAN IN WORKSHOP 63 OF FACTORY 420

And when we were about to leave, they all said,

"We must take you to the station. If you stay away this long again,

"we'll be more than 70 years old next time.

"Will there be another chance to meet?"

Then I understood why grandpa had cried like that.

When the train started moving, Grandpa broke down in tears again.

As the train pulled out, Mum kept her composure.

But me...

I began to cry myself. On the train, I began sobbing out loud.

I felt so sorry for my grandparents.

Mum lived so far away that she couldn't visit them.

It was so hard for us to go back.

The great thing was that Grandma was lucky.

Near the end of her life, she said,

"My greatest wish is to go to Chengdu

"to see my eldest daughter." That is, my mother.

She finally came here in 1985.

At the age of 86, she finally made it.

The second after she'd gone back, the second year...

...she passed away.

How many are in your own family?

We're a three-person family.

Standard size.

- Your husband works in the factory? - Yes, he does.

- What's his job? - A kind of...

surface treatment in the coating workshop.

Surface treatment.

- You have a son or a daughter? - A son.

When he was in Year 6 of primary school,

I was laid off.