Mass Gathering at Tiananmen to Mourn Stalin’s Passing, March 9, 1953

On March 6, 1953, the central government ordered everywhere in China to lower their flags to half mast from March 7th through the 9th. Every mine, factory, school, military unit, enterprise, and government office was not supposed to hold any banquets or recreational activities. On March 9th, all government offices from the county level on up... Continue Reading →

March 2, 2015

The Great Leap Forward Canteen of the Haidian’s People’s Commune, Beijing 1958

The canteen provided food three times a day, and everyone was supposed to eat together. The slogan at the time was "吃饭不花钱，努力搞生产.” From this expression, it is apparent that communal canteens were one version of the work for food programs, common worldwide during the twentieth century.