WEBVTT
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[title shutters and dings]
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[doleful music]
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What can I
see in this photograph?
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The details lie beneath
a haze of scratches.
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Dark layers of ice gather
in the bottom left.
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A vague backdrop extends across the frame.
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The central figure stares
into an unknown distance.
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A second copy has the look of sandpaper.
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Yet somehow, the
background becomes clearer
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revealing a frozen surface.
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Everything else is obscured,
but his shadow strengthens.
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[melancholic music]
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The final picture is
almost a blank canvas,
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blurred edges diminished his appearance.
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The lack of focus shows me this,
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a lonely figure lost in a white
expanse that overwhelms him.
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[pulsating doleful music]
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He is my great uncle,
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a rusticated youth from
Chongming Island near Shanghai.
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His story lies somewhere
within these faded images.
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[melancholic music]
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[people chattering]
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[car whooshing]
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[train rumbling]
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[bell clanging][soft soothing music]
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[train rumbling]
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[gentle sorrowful music]
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He traveled for three days
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to a village called Xinshuguang.
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Cities had been plagued by violence
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from a student group
called "The Red Guards,"
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intent on crushing all signs
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of China's pre-communist past.
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Having first guided them,
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Chairman Mao soon needed
to stop their attacks.
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His solution, send 17 million youths
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to the countryside with
no promise of return.
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They would be reeducated
by hardworking peasants
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in rural poverty.
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Some went to nearby farmland,
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others from big cities like
Shanghai had to go further.
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My great uncle was sent
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to the far north on the Siberian border.
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I join him on a return
journey to learn more.
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[air whooshing]
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[footsteps rustling] [dog barking]
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[men chattering]
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[man speaks in Chinese language]
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[camera shutters]
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[woman laughs]
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[people chattering]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[people chattering]
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[man speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[man speaks in Chinese language]
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[laughter]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[people chattering]
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[man speaks in Chinese language]
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[people chattering]
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[traditional melodic music]
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[men laughing]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[traditional melodic music continues]
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[men laughing]
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[Tian speaks in Chinese language]
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[Tian speaks in Chinese language]
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[camera shutters]
[soft dramatic music]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Tian speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Tian and Zhihao speak
in Chinese language]
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[gentle piano music]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Tian speaks in Chinese language]
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[gentle piano music]
[camera clicks]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[gentle dramatic music]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[men chattering]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[camera clicks]
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[upbeat traditional music]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[upbeat traditional music]
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[Man speaks in Chinese language]
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[upbeat traditional music continues]
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[distant crowd chattering]
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[horn blaring]
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[vehicles revving]
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[megaphone chattering]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[men speak in Chinese language]
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[woman laughs]
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[man laughs]
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[cups clanging]
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[men speak in Chinese language]
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[laughter]
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[distant cars whooshing]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu's mother speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu's mother speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[laughter]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu's mother speaks in Chinese language]
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[laughter]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu's mother speaks in Chinese language]
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[Men speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[gentle piano music]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Wu speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[distant dogs barking]
[gentle dramatic music]
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[camera beeps and clicks]
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[footsteps rustling]
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[gentle dramatic music]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[camera beeps and clicks]
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[melancholic music]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[gentle dramatic music]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[car horn beeps]
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]
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[car horn beeps]
[gentle dramatic music]
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After waves of protests,
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the government ended reeducation.
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A few stayed on,
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but most went home to
begin their lives again.
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I return to three images
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which first captured my attention.
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Each one has its own truth.
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Together they become clear.
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[Zhihao speaks in Chinese language]