Dazhai (former Tachai), agricultural model village — 10/8 and 9
We arrived by traininYangquanCity- where there was a car with two employees waiting for us. Half-hour trip to Dazhai, where we arrived at 7pm - dinner (delicious wind pastel).
The building where we stayed is huge.Like the Araxá Hotel.
Just us and the accompanying staff, the translator guide, chauffeur, chief information officer, village mayor, another chauffeur, and two other village staff. We went in two cars the next morning to visit the region: 60’s agricultural model village.
Farming taking advantage of every foot of land, terraces with stone backs, from below, in the valley, to the top of the hills where there is a water reservoir. They are five equal.They took the organic land to one side, formed the terrace, and then scattered the earth over it. This was done about 63 to 78. Most trays are about 1/3 hectare.
Few larger, being the large of 1 hectare. So… everything is only made by hand, nor can a tractor fit in these areas, but even on the edge they are planted.
Cultivated terraces on the former Dazhai Model Commune, so praised for “Henfil in China”
From the reservoirs at the top of the hills, gravity-pressure sprinkler pipes run down all terraces. Each reservoir has a capacity of 400 thousand liters. Harder terrace areas formed drip irrigated apple orchards.
Mao launched the call during the Cultural Revolution: “learn from Dazhai’s example.” (Tachai)
From the reservoirs at the top of the hills, gravity-pressure sprinkler pipes run down all terraces. Each reservoir has a capacity of 400 thousand liters. Harder terrace areas formed drip irrigated apple orchards.
Mao launched the call during the Cultural Revolution: “learn from Dazhai’s example.” (Tachai)
When they started building the trays from 73, all manual, came the violent rainy season that destroyed the crops, razing most of the trays.The population, without help from the government, organized and working shifts day and night built other trays, this time with stone backings, flood protection, etc. All by hand, digging, hauling rocks, making water reservoirs, planting all over again.Thence the fame it has gained beyond the borders of China. With an area of less than 100 hectares, population of 500 inhabitants, where only half was a workforce.
Today is getting rich again. A cooperative was formed that with a coal mine, producing fruits, a vinegar and sauces factory, stones for buildings, was able to buy trucks and tractors.
The peasants’ houses look like military housing; long (multiple) houses of dark gray brick the same color as the hills where coal sprout from each deeper dig.
They work in the field from 6am to 6pm. They come home, eat and lie down at about 10pm.
The village is a thousand meters high with an average annual temperature of 9 degrees, 145 days with frost. There are 135 families in a total of 501 people. There are 796 hectares of cultivated land; 250 people work: 52 take care of the orchards, 50 in the coal mines, 19 in transport (tractor or truck), some in the vinegar and gravy factory, others in the production of building stones or pavements.
The services they call auxiliary (industrial) have increased since the “Third Plenary Session of the Communist Party” (of the 11th Congress, June 1978), such as coal mines, stones, bricks, forestry, orchards, grain dealing, etc.
Families can have pets since that time. The village has eight trucks, eleven tractors (usually Tobata type).
Notes from Cao, the head of the village: “With the creation of industries, the enthusiasm of the peasants increased and the system of “responsibility for production” began in 1983. It is said that for many it was difficult to accept this new system. The district government and the commune made the head of these. Then they changed the “ideological worktoconvincethesecomradesofthenewsystem.”Since1983, practice and facts have convinced the workers of this village. Great start with the 1983 harvest. Production hit record. More than 500 pounds of grain. Before the maximum was 450 pounds. In 1983, the per capita income was 544 yuan; in 1978 it was only 180 yuan. These facts convinced the workers.
In 1984, global revenue 44,000 yuan — there was a violent drought and some grain production was lost, but it was earned in the industry (per capita income 705 yuan). 1986 very dry year, however, production was not inferior to the previous year. Facts show that correct political changes, even at the critical three years, the peasants gained. The hard work of the peasants must not be forgotten, but the fair policies of the party have turned into great success. It is necessary to create suitable productions for women, for their greater freedom. Workers should be more aware of trading systems. Workers should be more aware of trading systems. They want to narrow these differences. There are worse ones, but the natural conditions are different, not good.
The best village they know is in the suburb of Sanchuan; It has economic relations with some foreign countries, producing for export (vitrified ceramics) and it is close to the big city.
Underground elements: coal, bauxite and yellow clay for ceramics.
Dazhai can improve further because he wants to have industrial techniques and transport facilitators as well as industrial knowledge.
The elders did not accept the new system of production responsibility because they were afraid that the change would lead them to the old country system and were already satisfied with what they produced. Truth criterion is the fact, which has convinced many people.
Prior to the change the staple food was corn (not fine food). After the change they eat more fine grains like wheat and rice. ”
The work during the cultural revolution: the task was distributed by the brigade chief. It turned out that the workers showed up but didn’t work hard. Nevertheless, during this period most of the terraces were built. Working hours were increased, they had two meals in the field, but the work was objective, not blind.
The liability production system was created elsewhere and brought to Dazhai in 1957 or 1978. Some other regions have also had this system. After the 3rd Session this system was designed to be deployed. Each family, after paying land tax and contributing to the collective fund, was left with the rest. Industry workers earn more but also pay more taxes. Farmers balance income by not having to pay fertilizers. Village management distributes services to prevent some from having no work or others having too much after normal field work. To each one according to his capacity.
There are two strict principles:
1. Follow the socialist path
2. Those who work harder earn more; Those who work less earn less.
Health services are not free, the family pays or if the government cannot even bear the responsibility. Free and compulsory education from 6 to 15 years.
Question: What are the top five problems for the population of Dazhai? Answer:
1. Continue to improve irrigation infrastructure
2. Improve drinking water system
3. Lack of factories to put surplus labor
4. Work suitable for women (light industrial services, eg no
information which industry the market wants)
5. Expand irrigation facilities, improve soil quality (manure), lack of
water, etc.
Dazhai Principles:
1. Hard working principle;
2. Love the country and practice collectivism; 3. Persist on the socialist path ”;
Rectangle of vines roughly 2 m long by 0.40 cm wide with some protruding stems, will not be used, but carried by the peasant coming out of the debris.
Donkey-pulled board where the peasant steps on, relieving the weight now on one side, sometimes on the other. Skewered board underneath. I saw from afar, I don’t know if they are iron or wooden skewers.
Chemical analysis of the soil before fertilization — they do not — farmers know from the leaves which fertilizer is missing. Soil is high in calcium — it lacks phosphorus and nitrogen. They use large-scale animal and organic manure and previous crop residues.
