For a long time, I was restless at night, always vigilant. It all started in the summer of 1966 and will forever be framed in the autumn of 1976. Now, as a middle-aged woman in her late 40s, I flip through the pages of my journal once again. As I read it once more, I dive back into my younger days and reflect upon one of the most recent revolutions that affected countless Chinese people within the span of 10 years. I am Xu Yingnan, a teacher at a University in Beijing, and this is my Journal.
While many things changed, more stayed the same. Despite the severe disputes erupting between the two sides of the government during the revolution, China continues to be run by a one-party government after 1976. Nevertheless, the extreme idolization for a leader is no longer present and the word of one man no longer contains near as much power. Any order made by the chairman today needs to go through a series of procedures of being agreed upon. While the way the government is ran changed, Chairman Mao’s influence and reputation remained. Mao continues to be portrayed as the savior and hero in movies and television series. Not only so, but Mao’s portrait is also printed on all Chinese paper currencies and displayed in the middle of Tiananmen square.
