More than 120,000 files and documents dating from 1949 to 1974,
including those from the "Cultural Revolution (1966-76)", were made
available for public viewing at the Guangdong
Provincial Archives on Tuesday.
Most of the files are official documents, which could help to
describe the situation in China during the period when it was
almost completely cut-off from the Western world.
According to Article19 of The Archive Law of the People's
Republic of China, government files kept in China's archives can be
made accessible to the public after 30 years. But not all
government files can be made public if they concern national
secrets, said Zhang Anping, a director at the archives.
The provincial archives' decision to open the files had got the
green light from related government departments, Zhang said.
On display also are foreign currencies confiscated by "Red
Guards" from rich families during the "Cultural Revolution."
Chairman Mao called for young students to become "Red Guards" and
overthrow the ruling bureaucratic authorities during the
"Revolution." During that special period, "Red Guards" had the
right to break into the houses of the rich and take away anything
they thought improper.
One of the files documenting this was a notice from the Central
Government in 1968 requiring "Red Guards" to hand in everything
they had taken from the "exploiting class."
Visitors can read and copy files if they can produce valid ID or
employment cards.
(Shenzhen Daily June 23, 2005)