Prisoners of each unit were kept in a two-storey block. There were six cells on each floor which could take 12 to 13 prisoners each. There was
There was a leader in each cell (also prisoner) who also responsible for the cell management and political study.
After work every prisoner had to return to their cell. By 7 pm cadres would take the attendance register and then the political education would start. It was all about asking prisoners to commit their crime, to follow instructions and to report the
performance of their cell-mates. Group discussions followed the lecture, facilitated by cadres and usually chaired by the leader.
This kind of 'political study' was held every night and we were forced to show our stand point. I used to decline to say anything which made my situation even worse.
The workshop was situated near the cooler in another building. Our unit was a mechanical workshop. We worked from 7am to 5pm, with a two hour break for lunch (between 12pm to 2pm) when we had to return to our cell to eat and take a short nap. There was a half hour break between 5pm and 7pm. I usually used these two breaks to read. The political study usually finish around 9pm. By 10pm, all the lights would be out.
Our daily schedule changed in 1985 when Meizhou Prison started its contract production system (cheng bao zhi). Each middle team was seen as
a production unit. If we produced more than our target the whole unit would receive a bonus. This would be shared between guards and prisoners; the cadre would usually take forty per cent and the prisoners would share the rest. When the system was adopted, the cadres' interest was inter-linked with profits and they tended to force prisoners to work overtime times were squeezed. Originally, we operated two shifts, one from 7am to 5pm, and the other from 5pm until 12am and prisoners would alternate shifts on a weekly basis. When the changes were introduced the day shift worked until 9pm and the night shift worked until day break. This arrangement had actually violated the labour reform laws.
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even meal-
Bonus rewards were more than twenty yuan per month but because I refused to plead guilty, I was only given a few yuans. Our workshop was responsible for producing the rear axle of motor cars. As far as I know our production quality was below export standard and I guess they only supplied the domestic market.
Besides the mechanical workshop at Meizhou Prison there were agricultural and carpentry workshops. Basically Meizhou is an industrial production unit with each team responsible for one process - e.g. moulding, refining metal, and post-production. Most of my block-mates were hooligans and criminals, only a few of them were political criminals. Even then, their involvement
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