Chinese Literature

One was that you ranked high if you had money; without it, you were at the bottom of the heap. Yang Li-chai, Yang Ken-hua and that gang never addressed him as “Sir,” or even “Uncle.” They were completely disrespectful. Sometimes they swore at him. Once they even raised their hands against him and sneered, “Who says elders can’t be hit? Let’s try it and see!”

But Yang the Elder was tough and stubborn. Aside from frequently quarrelling with the landlord gang about rent and fees, he was always getting into trouble with them on questions of social conduct. After liberation, when mass meetings were held to bring charges against despotic landlords, others attacked them for political oppression, for economic exploitation. Yang the Elder added his own charge: “You have none of the respect of the young for the old; you’re a bunch of animals!”

When the paddy fields of the ancestral temple were distributed during land reform, at first he was rather upset. Later, learning that this was done in accordance with the law, and himself receiving a share of the temple lands, he swallowed his objections. But thereafter, when some of the clan members suggested converting the temple into a school, he and his clique were strongly opposed. Finally the dispute was settled by a compromise. The two side wings in the temple compound were given over to the school. The main temple building was not to be touched, nor could the placard of the village school be hung outside the compound gate.

He had been quite taken aback by the friendly chatter and laughter among the men and women government personnel who came to the village with liberation. As time went on and there was no “disgraceful incident” among them, he was both surprised and respectful. But he could not get used to local women—especially those in his own clanbehaving in that manner. If ever he saw one of them acting “free,” he would snort, “Pei! Not like a man, and not like a woman either! Violating all virtue and morality!” He hadn’t the nerve to speak up in the presence of government comrades, however. When they were around, he would fume inwardly when displeased, or walk off, or turn his eyes away from the offending object.

On learning that the People’s Government had proclaimed a new Marriage Law, he was very shocked.

“Widows can marry again, children’s marriages are not to be.

arranged by the parents any more we coming to?”

At times, when he had a few drinks in him, he would announce, “T definitely am going to write to Chairman Mao. What if I am only an unimportant clan leader. . -. That Marriage Law could never have

passed through the Chairman’s hands personally. He probably hasn’t seen it!”

aiyaya! What kind of a world are

28

SET is Meme

k !