The Spiral Road: Change In A Chinese Village Through The Eyes Of A Communist Party Leader, Second Edition

The leading Party cadre of Lin Village in southeast China describes in this book nearly fifty years of turbulent events that affected individuals and families in the village: the downfall of the landlords during the Land Reform, the rise of poor peasants to political power, the political fanaticism of the Great Leap Forward and the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, and recent efforts to restore rational, pragmatic policies in Chinas countryside. The magnitude of change in Lin Village since 1949 has been considerable. Most villagers have benefited from tangible improvements in agriculture, education, and medicine, and they have developed a sense of political participation and integration into the national political arena. Significantly, while these dynamic changes have been taking place, the observance of cultural tradition has persisted. Attempts made by the government to change feudalistic beliefs and practices have yet to make any lasting impression on village life. The second edition includes two new chapters, based on the authors continuing visits to China. One chapter details changes in Lin Village, such as Taiwanese investment of capital, large-scale production, international marketing, and new lifestyles. Physically, Lin Village has become a small market town with large department stores and daily vegetable markets; and living in European-style villas, driving imported automobiles, and walking with a cellular phone in hand has become the prototype of the successful person. The other chapter focuses on the continuing story of Mr. Ye: his ideas for expanding the villagers wealth, his wheeling and dealing to set up lucrative businesses in Lin Village, and his arrangements to secure jobs for his family members and close kin. More than an account of one village, this book documents for readers the cataclysmic changes of Chinas entire post-liberation era, detailing their effects in a personalized style. An American anthropologist of Chinese descent, Huang Shu-min employs participant-observation and personal interviews to shape this unique view of rural China today and to delineate some of the misconceptions held by Western academics.

Table of Contents:
* List of Illustrationsvii * Foreword to First Edition, Bernard Gallinix * Preface to Second Editionxiii * Acknowledgments * Introduction1 * The Chinese Peasantry in Historical Context, 1 * About This Book, 5 * Significance of the Book, 6 * 1. Prologue11 * Reflections on My Coming, 12 * Lin Village: First Impressions, 16 * Getting Acquainted, 19 * 2. Family History25 * A Walk to the Tomb, 25 * The Importance of Geomancy, 35 * 3. The Liberation41 * The Land Reform, 42 * School Years, 49 * 4. Hunger, Hunger55 * The Great Leap Forward, 57 * Becoming a Political Activist, 64 * 5. Joining the Act69 * The Four Cleanups, 71 * The Campaign, 78 * 6. Return Home87 * A Peasant's Story, 87 * Cultural Revolution, 88 * Ye's Marriage and Family, 98 * 7. Security Head105 * Ye Settles a Dispute, 107 * Internal Conflicts in the Village, 109 * More Village Crimes, 120 * 8. Prosperous Years129 * The Strategy of Prosperity, 136 * Back-Door Connections, 143 * 9. The Breakup151 * Ritual Celebration, 151 * Ritual Celebration: Analysis, 154 * Family Division, 157 * Dismantling the Collective, 162 * 10. Village Cadres175 * Family Planning Campaign, 175 * Implementing the Policy, 182 * Ye's Analysis, 183 * Ye as Mediator, 185 * Ye's Programs, 191 * 11. Village Change in the 1990s199 * Village Population0 * Social Problems Associated with Increased Population0 * Village Security Force0 * Theft in the Village0 * 12. Whither Lin Village?0 * Lin Village's Recent Change0 * Ye's Female Companion0 * Village Party Election0 * The Revival of the Lin Lineage0 * Casting the Ballots0 * Ye's Analysis of the Election and Arrangement for Wang0 * Notes0 * Bibliography0 * Glossary of Chinese Characters0 * Index0

About the Author :
Huang Shu-min is professor of anthropology at Iowa State University. Huang Shu-min is professor of anthropology at Iowa State University.