Struggle meeting

Public struggle meetings made these attacks personal and intimidating. Landlords were brought before villagers, accused and humiliated; meetings could involve physical violence. The campaign did not simply transfer property peacefully.

At struggle meetings, accused people faced public denunciation, humiliation and pressure to confess supposed political offences. Victims were also beaten, tortured and sometimes killed. In August 1966, Gao Wanchun, principal of Beijing Twenty-sixth Middle School, was beaten and forced to kneel on sharp stones; he subsequently died by suicide.