My Family’s Fate

Xueying Wu 

ESL 100

November 4, 2023 

My Family’s Fate 

        My family always says that one event can change a family and a person's life. When China was founded in 1945, Mao believed that farmers played an important role in supporting the Communist Party. Then, the government devised a plan to carry out reform to redistribute the land and abolish the landlord class. As a result, the Chinese government passed land reform in 1950, and it confiscated landowners' property. The result was that the farmers gained equal land to work. Therefore, it was beneficial for farmers because they now had land to farm. However, landowners had a big problem. Unfortunately, my family owned land. After the land reform, my family ran out of money at that moment, and the family members had to make different decisions. My great-grandfather and great-grandmother's life had a substantial change. Consequently, China's land reform policies had deep effects on my family. 

        When the land reform began, my family lost some of their possessions and the family lived in separate places. In my father's impression, my family was rich and united before the land reform. They had owned a whole street, with cars, and without worrying about anything. However, because of the land reform, everything changed. My great-grandfather burned all his real estate deeds and money because of government decisions. It was hard to accept the reality for them. However, my great-grandfather left a building and a little money to support his life before the government came to his home to enforce the policy. The family experienced serious difficulties and family members had different ideas for the future. Everyone in the family made a choice to run away or change their identity. As a result, my family members now live in separate places, such as my great-grandfather immigrated to Hong Kong, and my great-grandmother decided to stay in her hometown. 

        As a result of land reform, my great-grandfather decided to go to Hong Kong to escape the danger and make money. The land reform was unfriendly to landlords, and some even faced danger. Therefore, most of them left China to survive. My great-grandfather eventually chose to leave his hometown too. Besides, my great-grandfather thought he had to do something to change the present situation. He used the last of his money to rent a house and find a job. Finally, he found a stable job in Hong Kong after two months. When my great-grandfather earned his first paycheck, he sent it back to my great-grandmother. From that time, my great-grandmother and great-grandfather managed to keep their relationship alive even though it was difficult to keep in touch through letters. However, when my father was growing up, he never heard news from my great-grandfather again. It is possible that he died in Hong Kong.  

        Without her husband, my great-grandmother had a hard life. The men were the ones who supported the family, but my great-grandmother was the only one in the family who could work. It was not easy for my great-grandmother at that time, and she also needed to raise her children by herself. Life was supposed to be equitable, so whoever did more, then who got more food stamps which was a family’s ticket to buy some food. Even though sometimes my great-grandfather sent some money back, my great-grandmother still had to work hard to earn more food stamps to feed her kids. My great-grandmother faced a difficult life, and she did not dare relax a bit. Every day, she wanted her children to grow up quickly. The constant work was making my great-grandmother tired, so she had some health problems. Finally, when her children were growing up, they could help her work. 

        My whole family's destiny was changed by land reform. When I found out about the family history, I always thought if the law had not been passed, I would be a rich woman, and a lot of things would not have happened. For example, the family would not have disbanded, my great-grandfather would not have immigrated in the end, and the great-grandmother would not have to work hard. Eventually, my father told me that was history, and I had to look to the future.