The Memory Project

INSTITUTION

Duke University

ACCESS

open access

URL

https://repository.duke.edu/dc/memoryproject

DESCRIPTION

The Memory Project (民间记忆计划) is a landmark oral history collection comprising approximately 740 digital video interviews (as of September 2024) documenting mid-20th century rural Chinese life, launched in 2010 by pioneering Chinese independent filmmaker Wu Wenguang through his Work Station documentary studio in Caochangdi, Beijing. More than 150 young filmmakers have visited 246 villages across 20 provinces between 2010-2016 to interview over 1,100 elderly villagers, primarily about the Great Famine (1958-1961), which caused 20-43 million deaths and is officially known in China as the "Three Years of Natural Disasters." The project also covers the Land Reform and Collectivization (1949-1953), the Great Leap Forward (1958-1960), the Four Cleanups Movement (1964), and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Many filmmakers returned to their families' rural hometowns, creating new intergenerational relationships while documenting memories excluded from official state history. Duke University exclusively houses the project archives, providing raw footage and transcripts (many in regional dialects) to students, researchers, and the public. An accompanying website features an interactive map, timeline, and featured interviews.

SOURCE LIST

ACLS Open Database Resource Guide

LAST MODIFIED

2026-01-16