#312 Cultural Revolution as Memory: Though I am Gone

Discovery stations (continued from last class)

• As a team, complete the following three tasks:
  • Create a basic timeline that pieces together a chronology for the events around the room.
  • Address the latter two questions from our initial walk-through, yesterday:
    • How might you summarize the cause of the Cultural Revolution?
    • What factors might account for the chaos and violence that occurred during the initial phase of 1966-68?
  • Identify potential avenues for future investigation.

Discussion on Though I am Gone:

• Why do you think Red Guards conducted "house searches" (chaojia 抄家) of authority figures like Bian Zhongyun? What might they have been hoping to find?
• If you were a student at the school at the time, do you think you would have contributed to Bian Zhongyun's death? Stood by as a bystander? Or actively opposed the attack on her? Explain your answer.
• Who does Wang Gong, Bian Zhongyun's husband, blame for the death of his wife? (see 8:29 in the video). Who do you think is at fault? Why?
• How do you think Mao Zedong might have reacted if he had heard about Bian Zhongyun's death?
• Why do you think Wang Gong, Bian Zhongyun's husband, acted as he did in keeping the posters up for “evidence”? Do you think you would have done the same if a family member was killed in a similar manner? Why or why not?
• Wang Gong filed suit in court against one of the students who he believes was responsible for his wife’s death. Do you agree that the court system is an appropriate venue for seeking justice for those victimized during the Cultural Revolution? Would you recommend another path?
• Why do you think there are so many Cultural Revolution victim narratives (like this film), and so few people willing to come forward to admit their role as victimizers? What do you think has happened to the victimizers in the years since?