Courtyard House: My Wife is Xu Huizhen

Page 308

"Can eat and sleep well, gets very fat from eating too much."

"That's good, that's good, then I can rest assured."

After talking about children for a while, He Daqing said, "Zhuzi, the factory held a meeting today and publicized the instructions from higher authorities that we will be carrying out literacy activities again."

"Literacy?"

"Yes, this time it will be stricter and the coverage will be wider. Everyone in society will have to attend literacy classes. The goal from higher authorities is for everyone to be able to recognize 2000 commonly used characters."

"So many? What are you going to do with them?"

He Yuzhu is in junior high school and won't be affected by this literacy training, but He Daqing himself is illiterate. He is currently the deputy director of the cafeteria, so it would be unreasonable for him not to know how to read.

He Daqing's face was full of bitterness: "Yes, I'm having a headache. I'm already over 40 years old, and I still have to learn to read. What am I going to do?"

At this moment, He Yushui said seriously, "Dad, it's okay, I'll teach you."

He Daqing was furious that he had been reduced to having his daughter teach him to read.

"Go away and play somewhere else. The factory will arrange for someone to teach you. There's no way it will be your turn."

He Yushui pouted angrily: "Hmph, you're ungrateful for my kindness."

He Daqing was even angrier now. He knew that even though He Yushui had grown to 1.6 meters tall, she was still a child at heart, and she was speaking very disrespectfully at this moment. He was too lazy to argue with her.

Wen Yuping asked, "So I don't need to learn to read?"

"How could that be? I heard that everyone will be required to attend the training this time. There will be literacy classes in the afternoon and evening."

"Ah! I want to learn too?" Wen Yuping asked with a bitter face.

He Daqing said, "Of course, everyone needs to learn, except for children and students."

Since the early days of the People's Republic of China, there have been frequent reports of literacy classes being held. This was mainly because a major initiative of the Party was to eliminate both material and cultural waste while also addressing illiteracy.

The scale and far-reaching impact of the project are no less than its other achievements.

In fact, literacy work has a long tradition. As early as the First Revolutionary Civil War, literacy work had already begun in the Soviet areas, and higher-level leaders also emphasized the need to improve the cultural level of the masses.

The campaign to eliminate illiteracy began in 1930, requiring all counties and townships to reduce illiteracy, and schools to designate a week as the Illiteracy Reduction Campaign Week.

Organize a literacy team of 10 people to carry out literacy campaigns, stipulating that each member should eliminate 10 illiterate people, and establish literacy campaign associations at all levels to promote literacy campaign experience.

The border region government once stipulated that each person should learn 250 characters per year and reach 1000 characters within 4 years.

In the 49 years after liberation, the illiteracy rate in the country was 80%. By 50, “Committees for the Elimination of Illiteracy” had been established in all provinces, municipalities, prefectures, counties and townships across the country.

They established workers' spare-time schools and night schools for workers, organizing factories, mines, enterprises, and private industrial and commercial enterprises in towns and cities. The focus of the education for workers and their families was literacy.

In rural areas, winter literacy classes or private schools were also established to organize farmers to learn to read and write.

Literacy education typically employs a method where those with the ability teach each other, often involving couples teaching each other and children teaching their parents, which is highly effective.

He Yuzhu had previously found a traditional Chinese ink painting propaganda poster by Hubei painter Tang Wenxuan at a used bookstore, titled "Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law Go to Winter School".

The scene depicts a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law wearing red scarves, blue cloth tops, and green cotton pants after a heavy snowfall. The mother-in-law, wearing a gray top and pants and an apron, walks on the snow. Both women are smiling and holding books. The words "textbook" can be faintly seen on the mother-in-law's book.

He Yuzhu bought it at that time.

He Yuzhu asked, "What are the standards for this literacy campaign?"

He Daqing thought for a moment and said, "The standard for literacy is that cadres and workers can generally be defined as knowing 2000 commonly used characters, being able to read popular daily newspapers, and being able to write short application essays of two or three hundred words. Farmers can generally be defined as knowing 1000 commonly used characters, being able to read the most popular books and newspapers, and being able to write common rural notes and receipts. The literacy graduation exam consists of three parts: character recognition, reading, and writing. Those who pass will be issued a literacy graduation certificate."

He still remembers the task that the leader assigned in today's meeting.

He Yuzhu asked, "So you need to know 2000 characters?"

"Yeah, isn't this going to kill me? I still have to take the exam."

He Yushui said with a smile, "Dad, it would be really embarrassing if you failed the exam."

He Daqing was very depressed: "Go away, go play somewhere else."

He Yushui didn't take it to heart, and just chuckled to herself.

Wen Yuping asked, "So, I only need to know 1000 characters?"

“Yes, it’s half as much as mine,” He Daqing replied.

Wen Yuping was somewhat pleased: "This will save us a lot of trouble."

He Yuzhu asked, "Why are we suddenly doing literacy campaigns again?"

“A few days ago, the higher authorities issued a document further defining the scanning as an extremely important political task, requiring all localities to eliminate illiteracy among government officials within 2 to 3 years.”

"Are there illiterate cadres?" Wen Yuping asked curiously.

He Daqing said, "I've heard that many of the leading cadres in the district and city are illiterate. In our steel rolling mill's logistics department, there are two or three section chiefs who can't read, and there are even more ordinary cadres below who can't read."

"I didn't realize there were so many people who couldn't read," He Yuzhu remarked with emotion.

"Look at you, you're literate and capable. There's a severe shortage of cadres right now, otherwise Director Li and his girlfriend wouldn't have wanted you to work in the street office last time."

Last year, Lin Changzheng and Li Hongying invited He Yuzhu to dinner and talked about getting He Yuzhu a job at the Public Security Bureau or the local government.

He Yuzhu was worried about his wife's pregnancy, so he kept putting it off until now that the baby is a month old.

何大清然后说起这次扫盲的具体要求：“要在3~5年之内扫除尘工厂矿山企业职工中95%的文盲，5~7年内在全国基本上扫除文盲。”

"The target group for literacy education is mainly people aged 14 to 50. Literacy education must be linked to reality, learn and apply what you learn, and implement education by the people, with flexible and diverse forms."

"Moreover, this time the literacy standard for farmers has been raised to 1500 characters, while the literacy standard for workers remains at 2000 characters."

He Daqing concluded by saying, "The National Literacy Association was established a few days ago, and a vice president was elected as its president."

"It seems like they're serious this time."

“Yes, but what if I can’t recognize 2000 characters?” He Daqing asked.

"Then you shouldn't become a cadre!" He Yushui said with a smile.

“If I stop being a cadre, I won’t have this much money anymore, and then you won’t have money to go to junior high school,” He Daqing threatened.

“I still have my brother.” He Yushui turned around and complained, “Brother, my dad doesn’t want to pay for my schooling, so he’s letting me go to school.”

He Daqing was so angry that he blew his beard and glared at his opponent: "Did I say I wouldn't give you money for school?"

The entire evening's discussion revolved around literacy. In truth, all of them understood that the widow Bai, after marrying Yi Zhonghai, avoided discussing Yi Zhonghai and the widow Bai at home, lest He Daqing be embarrassed.

After his ex-wife divorced him, she married their neighbor. The two hadn't gotten along before, and now they saw each other every day, which was very awkward.

Fortunately, the family only had two houses, and the widow's two sons did not live here; they usually lived in the dormitory provided by the auto repair shop.

He didn't want to see He Daqing, and especially didn't want to see He Yuzhu.

After returning home from dinner, He Yuzhu told his wife about the requirement from his superiors that he learn to read.

Xu Huizhen said, "This matter has little to do with us. You and I, Huizhi, are both literate."

He Yuzhu nodded and said, "We've passed the test, but the elderly all need to be literate."

Xu Huizhen asked, "What is the upper age limit?"

"Fifty years old, my father-in-law is not old enough."

Xu Huizhen immediately frowned. This was troublesome. Her parents-in-law, her own parents, and her sister-in-law were all illiterate. This was really troublesome.

He Yuzhu just smiled. This was a headache for anyone, and he didn't need to learn to read.

He didn't mention his father-in-law again, but simply said, "You should learn too."

“Didn’t I just say that I can read?” Xu Huizhen said.

He Yuzhu said, "You learned traditional Chinese characters before, but now simplified Chinese characters are being promoted."

"What?" Xu Huizhen was dumbfounded: "What are simplified Chinese characters?"

“Our previous characters had too many strokes, making them difficult to learn. People who aren’t very bright would have a hard time remembering them. So this time, the country is promoting simplified characters, and everyone has to learn them.”

The biggest challenge He Yuzhu faced after transmigrating was learning to read. He had been exposed to simplified Chinese characters before, but now he was suddenly exposed to traditional Chinese characters. Although he could read most of the characters, he couldn't write them at all.

At the beginning, I put in a lot of effort to learn traditional Chinese characters, so that I wouldn't give myself away with my handwriting.

Now, five or six years later, the country has only recently begun to vigorously promote the work of eliminating illiteracy after releasing the "Simplified Chinese Character Scheme".

This opportunity will allow 80% of ordinary people to no longer be illiterate.

"So, does that mean I have to learn simplified Chinese characters too?"

"Yes, actually simplified characters are very simple and easy to learn."

"You make it sound so easy, but you have to learn 2000 characters!" Xu Huizhen exclaimed helplessly.

He Yuzhu chuckled.

Actually, it had already been approved and published in the newspapers in January, but no one paid attention to it at the time. After all, traditional Chinese characters are now widely used, and ordinary people are used to them and will not easily make changes.

It wasn't until summer that this project was finally launched.

The next day was Sunday, and He Yuzhu didn't go to work. After breakfast, he gathered the three women in his family together and said, "Today I'll start by teaching you simplified Chinese characters."

Xu Huizhen is out of confinement and in good spirits. They had already discussed it yesterday, so she didn't say much. She got up to get her notebook and pencil.

Huizhi, with a towel on her head and wrapped up tightly around herself, asked in surprise, "I'm still in my postpartum confinement period, and I still have to go to class?"

“Yes, Sister Huizhi is still in her postpartum period, and I also have to take care of my child. We really don’t have time. Can we skip the course?” Xiangye asked.

"What are you thinking? This is learning ahead of time, so you'll have more time to learn and it will be much easier than others. If it were to be rolled out nationwide, the task would be much heavier. Learning 500 characters a year and 2000 characters in four years isn't that difficult."