What does the cemetery tell us about state versus grassroots memory?

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The Chongqing cemetery highlights the tension between state-sanctioned narratives and individual or collective remembrance of the Cultural Revolution.

The cemetery in Chongqing serves as a physical manifestation of China's complex and often guarded approach to the legacy of the Cultural Revolution, where official directives for silence clash with persistent, grassroots efforts to remember. This tension is notably evident during Qingming festival, a period when families of the deceased typically gather to pay respects, yet authorities implement measures to control public engagement with this history. The site embodies an "evasive reckoning" with a tumultuous past, underscoring the divergent ways memory is managed and preserved.
State Control and Historical Preservation
Authorities around the Chongqing cemetery have historically employed methods to manage the site, particularly during significant periods like the Qingming festival. In recent years, special precautions have been observed, including the installation of barbed wire along the cemetery walls and surveillance cameras at the entrance. A sign explicitly stating "Historical preservation, no photographing" was displayed, indicating a desire to control public access and visual documentation of the site. On Qingming day itself, guards actively directed onlookers and journalists away, with one guard stating, "There's nothing to see," underscoring an official effort to limit public engagement and discussion.
Grassroots Remembrance and Personal Testimony
Despite official efforts to manage the narrative, a palpable sense of grassroots remembrance persists at the cemetery, primarily through the efforts of aging custodians like Zheng Zhisheng and the families of those interred. These individuals, often veterans of the Cultural Revolution or their relatives, gather annually to share memories, light incense, and leave offerings. Zheng, who was involved in the burial of many of the deceased, is recognized as a central figure in preserving these personal accounts. His continued presence and the mourners' interactions highlight a collective desire to keep the memories and lessons of that era alive, a sentiment he expresses by stating, "It would be impossible to erase that time from our hearts."
Official Silence on Contentious Pasts
The broader national context reveals a pattern of official silence surrounding anniversaries and events related to the Cultural Revolution. For the 50th anniversary of the movement, no official memorial events were announced, and state media reports concerning Qingming did not acknowledge the Cultural Revolution's dead. This aligns with President Xi Jinping's administration's focus on celebrating past glories rather than dwelling on historical mistakes made by the Communist Party, such as those during the Cultural Revolution. This approach reflects a state-level strategy to curate a national memory that emphasizes achievement and unity.
The Persistence of Vernacular Memory
The existence of this cemetery, one of the few remaining dedicated to Cultural Revolution victims, and the continued vigils held by families and custodians, illustrate the enduring power of vernacular memory. While formal state commemoration or acknowledgment is absent, the site serves as a focal point for individuals to maintain their personal and familial connections to the past. This enduring practice of remembrance, often occurring in defiance of or in the absence of official recognition, represents a form of counter-memory that challenges or complements the dominant, state-controlled historical narrative. Such grassroots efforts are characteristic of how contentious historical events are often navigated in societies where official discourse is tightly managed.

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What does the cemetery tell us about state versus grassroots memory?

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