Civilian Commissioner

In September 1958, the people's communes were established. In rural areas, small teams began to eat in large canteens, and all production teams ate in one canteen. The rice is steamed in a bowl fired in an earthen kiln, and people call it bowl rice. Since then, in addition to the steamed rice in the canteen, all water conservancy projects have been based on the production brigade. Every year just after the winter sowing, strong men and women carry tools, quilts and a jar of pickles that can last for more than half a month to the water conservancy construction site. Bowl rice and pickled vegetables accompanied the farmers in the wars of the south and the north, and the construction of water conservancy projects lasted for 22 years. There are more than 80,000 reservoirs across the country, 170,000 kilometers of levees, more than 30,000 kilometers of small levees, and countless small water conservancy projects in towns and villages. They are all carried out by farmers on their shoulders. With such heavy labor, there are tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people at a reservoir construction site. No one has ever made a fuss. People work in an orderly manner. I have to work for more than ten hours every day without any pay. Although it was extremely painful and exhausting, people had no complaints or regrets, because they saw the changes in the country. In the past, the country could make matches, oil, iron, nails, cloth, and threads. The cadres also worked hard like them and ate the same food. Everyone felt that life was promising.