by David Hare
Hou The Communist Party is the servant of the people.
To prove to you how seriously we take our charge, we have publicly posted the names of our members. It is no longer a secret organization. Now its members will appear before you, the delegates of the people, they will criticize their past actions and invite your grievances. They will then ask you to judge their future suitability for office.
Slogan: THE GATE
Cheng-k’uan Comrades, on behalf of the Party I welcome you, the delegates of the people, and hope that you will speak out clearly and fearlessly what you think. Certainly you need not fear any reprisal. In the past, you made me a cadre, but I am ready to admit that after fanshen I forgot my poor friends.
Yuan-lung gets up nervously to reply.
Yuan-lung I am a poor peasant chosen as a delegate to help purify the Party. I hope every Party member will examine his past honestly. I cannot speak much. We are here because poor peasants do want to help the Party. So we can all fanshen thoroughly. (He sits down, his ordeal over.)
Cheng-k’uan So let me start. (Pause.) I was born in Long Bow but my family comes from Chih-chou. I grew up a Catholic, I was a hired labourer. I took part in struggle meetings as you know. Because of them I became Chairman of the Peasants’ Association. This made me arrogant. For instance, when we had to collect tax grain we never talked it over with the people, we just met among ourselves and decided what each should give, then ordered people to hand over. I think this was wrong, it was obviously unfair. Also, I hit Tui-chin when he made a hurtful remark about my body, sheer bad temper and I have no excuse …
Hsin-ai Tell us how much you won out of fanshen.
Cheng-k’uan Ah.
Lai-tzu Yes.
Cheng-k’uan I won … more than the masses out of fanshen.
Hsin-ai How much more?
Cheng-k’uan An acre of land. The best. Ten hundredweight of millet. And ten pieces of clothing. Good quality.
Silence.
Then I joined the Party. I thought, I’m on the way up and nothing can stop me. I was working very hard and I thought what’s the point of working hard if you don’t get a little extra and live better than other people? It was wrong. It was wrong thinking. I’ve done so much that was wrong. I borrowed a pair of trousers from the public warehouse. They’re worn out now. And I would like you to help me. I would like to hear your grievances.
Pause.
Lai-tzu When you took the village tax grain to Hukuan …
Cheng-k’uan Yes.
A known scandal.
Lai-tzu Tell us about that.
Cheng-k’uan It was last year. There were two of us, I was with An-ho. We claimed three dollars personal expenses. But in fact I spent the money on cigarettes.
Lai-tzu Why did you do that?
Cheng-k’uan Why?
Lai-tzu Why did you buy cigarettes?
Cheng-k’uan Because my thinking was wrong. I thought I’m a cadre, I’m allowed to loll about and smoke cigarettes. I’m willing to return the money.
Huan-ch’ao How much?
Cheng-k’uan All of it.
Hsin-ai Why?
Cheng-k’uan Why? Because …
Hsin-ai You said two of you spent the money.
Cheng-k’uan Yes.
Hsin-ai So why promise to pay it all back yourself? It just proves you’re insincere.
Cheng-k’uan Four of us spent the money.
Hsin-ai Then say so.
Huan-ch’ao Tell the truth.
Hsin-ai You don’t have to take the blame for what other people did.
Cheng-k’uan No.
Hsin-ai And don’t just agree with us.
Cheng-k’uan No.
Hsin-ai Being criticized doesn’t mean saying yes to everything.
Cheng-k’uan Yes. No.
Hsin-ai Be objective and then criticize yourself.
Cheng-k’uan Yes.
Pause.
Yuan-lung The candlesticks.
Hsin-ai Yes, the silver candlesticks that were seized from the church …
Cheng-k’uan Yes.
Hsin-ai What happened to them?
Cheng-k’uan They were sold.
Huan-ch’ao What happened to the money?
Cheng-k’uan It was distributed, to everyone. It was among the fruits.
Hsin-ai It was a fortune, they were silver candlesticks.
Cheng-k’uan I don’t think it was that much.
Hsin-ai Tell the truth.
Cheng-k’uan I really can’t remember.
Hsin-ai What do you mean you don’t remember – we can find out.
Cheng-k’uan Yes.
Hsin-ai We can ask the landlord’s wife, Wang Kuei-ching was business manager for the church. We can ask her.
Huan-ch’ao Well?
Cheng-k’uan Ask her.
Slogan: THEY TALKED FOR SIX HOURS
Hou Are you ready with the list?
Cheng-k’uan All the accusations you have made today. I hit four of you. I failed to consult you. I gave random orders. I took two dollars. Some clothing. I can offer no explanation for the money from the candlesticks. I thought of myself and not of serving the masses. Do you have any further grievances against me?
Pause.
Hou Then you must decide how to deal with him. Cheng-k’uan, you must leave.
Cheng-k’uan I have loved my family. And my home. Now I love … the Communist Party. I shall wait patiently for the decision of the masses.
He goes out. A violent argument.
Hsin-ai Suspend him from the Party.
Tui-chin Yes.
Hsin-ai Send him to the People’s Court in Lucheng.
Yuan-lung Huan-ch’ao?
Huan-ch’ao I think … just make him give everything back.
Lai-tzu I agree, he’s admitted his mistakes … that’s what we wanted.
Hsin-ai How can he give everything back when he says he doesn’t remember?
Huan-ch’ao Just give it back.
Hsin-ai We suffered, now he must suffer.
Tui-chin Send him to the Court.
Hsin-ai He must understand pain.
Yuan-lung Why not just ask him to jump down the well?
Hsin-ai Why not? I don’t care if he starves to death.
Tui-chin The Party was meant to serve the people …
Hsin-ai So long as he gives back what he got during fanshen.
Tui-chin It was meant to lead us to fanshen. But in fact only members of the Party really fanshened …
Lai-tzu Then take something away.
Tui-chin They became officials, just like feudal officials …
Lai-tzu And now he’s sorry.
Tui-chin Cheng-k’uan climbed on our heads …
Hsin-ai They all did.
Tui-chin And now we must throw him out.
Lai-tzu You’re talking about one of the most popular men in the village.
Tui-chin That just shows you.
Lai-tzu You’re talking about two dollars …
Tui-chin I’m talking about why, why our leaders are rich, why we’re still poor …
Lai-tzu The Party …
Tui-chin The Party has asked the people to decide, and this is what we decide. Send him to the Court.
Hou The People’s Court is for cases you cannot decide yourselves. Is that how you wish to be known? As the village that cannot decide the simplest case?
Yuan-lung All we need to do is suspend him from office, just for a short time, and see if he really wants to reform.
Tui-chin He should be thrown out of the Party.
Yuan-lung No.
Lai-tzu It was only two dollars …
Tui-chin It’s not what he did. It’s what he let others do. How did Yu-lai come to rule this town?
Pause.
Hou (very quiet) Yu-lai is in prison.
Tui-chin Yes. Because you came with guns. And threw him in prison. Good. But up till then … where were our leaders? Well?
Pause.
Hou So. D
o we agree? You suspend him and then see if he corrects his behaviour. Is that what you want?
All Yes.
Hsin-ai He should never be a cadre again.
Huan-ch’ao Be quiet, you old shitbag.
Hsin-ai He should be thrashed with a dogwhip.
Hou Listen. Because you’ve been beaten you want to see him beaten. All right. Now we oppose beatings and this makes you bitter. You think unless we flay the skin off his back, he’ll just carry on as before. But that’s feudal behaviour. We are living in a new society. Are we not?
Pause.
Yuan-lung Suspend him from office?
All Yes.
Little Li goes to get Cheng-k’uan.
Hou For how long?
Yuan-lung Six months?
All Yes.
Cheng-k’uan returns.
Yuan-lung We have decided that you have failed the gate, and that you must be suspended from office.
However, in six months you will be given another chance to pass.
Cheng-k’uan I am happy to accept the decision of the masses.
Cheng-k’uan returns to his seat. Hsueh-chen rises.
Hsueh-chen I was a beggar, then a Party member.
Yuan-lung Who are you?
He knows perfectly well. Hsueh-chen smiles.
Hsueh-chen Hu Hsueh-chen, Secretary of the suspended Women’s Association. I was a beggar, then a Party member, then in the Association. I have always struggled for equality for women …
Yuan-lung Just tell us what you did wrong.
Hsueh-chen Yes.
Yuan-lung We all know what you did right …
Hsueh-chen Yes.
Yuan-lung You’re always telling us.
Hsueh-chen Yes.
Yuan-lung Outstanding revolutionary cadre. Some cretin even painted you on the wall. So stick to what you did wrong.
Hsueh-chen I think you’ll find I’ve done as you ask. I have a list here. I can name the twenty-three occasions when I feel I may have impeded the revolution.
Yuan-lung We’d like them in alphabetical order.
Hsueh-chen I believe until you make a list, you don’t really know yourself. And if you don’t know yourself you can’t criticize yourself. And if you can’t criticize yourself both privately and in front of the masses, you can’t be a Communist.
Quiet. The peasants all look at her, taking account.
There is the occasion I shouted at Fa-liang. There is the occasion I called Chuan-e a whore and burnt her best dress because I thought it … unsuitable for a woman. There is the occasion I hit Tao-yuan for giving a girl heroin. There is the occasion I tried to get a meeting postponed so I could canvass …
Huan-ch’ao This is pointless.
Hsueh-chen There is the occasion …
Huan-ch’ao It’s pointless reading it out. We know it’ll all be there, it’ll all be listed, anything we can think of, but it won’t …
Hou What?
Huan-ch’ao It won’t – it won’t – it’s not what she did, it’s that – look on her face …
Hsueh-chen Please …
Huan-ch’ao Of course she’s got her list, it’s perfect, but her face …
Lai-tzu You can’t blame a woman …
Huan-ch’ao Look at it, just look at it. She knows she’s going to pass, that’s what I can’t bear, and it shows in her face.
Hsueh-chen I promise you, I don’t know.
Huan-ch’ao Look at you. All the time. I have suffered more than you. I know more than you. I’m a better person than you.
Hsueh-chen I don’t think that.
Huan-ch’ao Round the lips, just a slight turn at the side, and your head.
Hou We can’t pass or fail people’s faces …
Huan-ch’ao Of course we can. That’s just what we should do. Why does everyone bristle the moment she comes in? Because of that look that says she’s a leader. That’s why the people resent her.
Hou Sit down.
Huan-ch’ao sits. Pause.
Hsueh-chen?
Hsueh-chen I submit to the people. I will try to correct my face.
2
Slogan: THE RESULTS OF THE GATE
Comrade Hou before the people of Long Bow.
Hou We have heard every accusation you have to make against your leaders. Twenty-six members of the Party have appeared before you. Twenty-two have passed the gate, four have failed. Four more still in jail after the attack on a member of the work team have not yet appeared. We have found fifty-five cases of beating. A hundred and three cases of personal selfishness and corrupt practice. Seventeen cases of illicit sexual relations of which half may be called rape. Eleven cases of forgetting one’s class. We also found in spite of rumour that the cadres of Long Bow got very little more in fanshen than the people. Tomorrow the work team goes to a regional conference in Lucheng. I shall be able to tell the secretary how we have purged the Party of wrongdoing, and how you have begun the process of purification. I shall be able to say with pride: in Long Bow the Party submits to the People.
SECTION NINE
1
At once the tolling of an enormous temple bell. Underneath it sitting on a bench the work team in a row. Sober.
Slogan: THE TRIP TO LUCHENG COUNTY
An Official appears to usher them in.
Official Secretary Ch’en will speak to the Long Bow delegation before the conference begins. He hasn’t got very long.
The Official leads them through to where Ch’en is at his desk. The team are left standing. Ch’en shakes hands with Hou.
Ch’en Comrade Hou. Good. Have you prepared your report?
Hou Yes.
Ch’en Good. It will be called … as soon as possible. For the moment, the matter of Yu-lai and his friends …
Hou Yes.
Ch’en Why was he arrested?
Hou There was an attack …
Ch’en I know.
Hou On a member of the work team.
Ch’en The arrest was a mistake.
Silence.
Hou There was evidence …
Ch’en I have heard rumours that the four cadres have been tried at a mass meeting and shot.
Hou That’s not true.
Ch’en Of course not. The point is I have heard it, peasants throughout Lucheng County have heard it …
Hou I can’t …
Ch’en Let me finish my point. Thirty miles away from Long Bow the rumours are credited. And they lend currency to the belief that the cadres were guilty. And that undermines the work of every cadre in the County. There was not enough evidence for an arrest.
Hou There was a towel.
Ch’en Saying ‘good morning’. I know. My own towel says ‘good morning’. I doubt if there is a village in all China that does not have twenty towels saying ‘good morning’. (Pause.) You had no firm evidence. The County police have already decided to release them. (Pause.) It seems you made your minds up about the village before you even got there. And then you accepted the worst version of everything you heard. Isn’t it true you suspended all the cadres the very first day you were there? Isn’t it true you put the whole Party branch under supervision and took control of the village yourselves? Isn’t it true that by the second day you were publicly examining the village accounts before you commanded any support among the people? And from what I’ve heard of the Long Bow gate you countenanced every slur the people could bring against their leaders. Cheng-k’uan failed the gate because he was suspected of misusing money from the sale of candlesticks.
Hou Yes.
Ch’en We’ve looked into that. The candlesticks weren’t even silver. They were pewter. They were worth very little. And yet you went to Wang’s widow for evidence, you went to a class enemy for testimony against a cadre. We have a name for what you did. We call it Left extremism. (Ch’en picks up a document from his desk.) Here is a report prepared by the third administrative district of the Taihang subregion. Your mistakes are already listed in that. You have sought support only from the
poor peasants, thereby neglecting the middle peasants. You’ve treated Party members as if they were class enemies. Everything the poor peasants wanted you have believed and tried to give them. You have elevated their point of view to the status of a line. That line is in clear opposition to the official policy of the Party.
Silence.
I shall be using the work of your team as an example to the whole conference of Left deviation. I hope after criticism we shall be able to correct your faults.
Silence.
Shall we go in?
2
Among the ruins of a bell tower. Sitting by a ruined wall is Ch’i-yun cooking soup. Little Li appears quietly.
Ch’i-yun Is he still talking?
Little Li Secretary Ch’en? Yes. He’s been talking four hours.
Ch’i-yun What are we to do?
Little Li Work teams throughout the County are to return to their villages. The Secretary feels too many middle peasants have been pushed over to the enemy side. We need all the allies we can get. So he is introducing a new standard in classification. The line between the middle and the rich peasant is to be redefined. We must fix it precisely. It’s harder. More complex.
Chang Ch’uer comes in, rubbing his hands.
Chang Ch’uer Is there something to eat?
Ch’i-yun Not yet.
Chang Ch’uer I’m hungry. What were you talking about?
Little Li The new classification.
Chang Ch’uer Ah yes. Classification.
Silence.
Why do you never talk about yourself, Little Li?
Little Li Mmmh.
Chang Ch’uer We think about ourselves. All the time, we all do …
Little Li I …
Chang Ch’uer I don’t know why we always talk about the poor, the poor peasants. Here we are looking miserable as goats, and it’s not because we’re worried about the poor, it’s because Secretary Ch’en has shat all over us.
Ch’i-yun (smiles) Yes.
Chang Ch’uer Come on, cabbage. (Pause.) I really wouldn’t mind being poor. It’s a good life when you compare it with being a cadre.
Hou has appeared, confident.
Hou You all heard the Secretary. I have details of the new system here. I don’t think it should give us too much trouble. We shall go back to Long Bow tomorrow. What’s for supper?