As an important means of recording personal experiences and memories in the context of specific eras, oral history plays an increasingly important role in collecting original materials and providing reference for decision-making. In the process of learning and education regarding Party history, the role of oral history should thus be fully utilized.

Providing historical materials

Oral history is helpful in providing material sources for Party history learning and education. In the very beginning, oral history arose and developed out of an interest in obtaining original materials with preservation value, based on interviews that orally recounted history. For either subjective or objective reasons, no written recordings were left of some major events, decision-making processes, figures, and meetings throughout the history of the Party, or pertinent archives and materials were not released in a timely manner for a number of reasons. The only way to compensate for this gap is to orally interview the persons concerned, witnesses, and persons in the know to collect relevant historical materials.

As a new type of historical material and source, oral history adds historical details lost in literatures and other historic materials, complementing and completing one other. In addition, oral history is conducive for excavating and displaying commoners’ life experiences and historical activities, which were rarely recorded in documents, so that commoners are included in the scope of Party history’s study. Apart from objectively restoring history to its original appearance in the largest sense, oral history is also able to record individuals’ feelings, life paths, and spiritual outlooks. It is especially helpful for understanding the values embodied in revolutionaries, martyrs, and heroic figures, to model spirits and beliefs.

Oral history can also provide multilateral means and innovative channels for Party history education. Throughout more than 70 years of development, oral history has been interpreted through diverse communication methods which are both traditional and innovative. The main methods include publishing books, newspaper editions, audio files, broadcast programs, documentaries, museums, multi-media exhibitions, cultural protection and legacy programs, drama works, choreography and online platforms. When used as a means for learning or teaching, oral history relates to oral accounts about historical materials which are recorded, collated, preserved, utilized, and disseminated out of educational purposes.

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to strengthen archaeology and historical studies to enliven cultural relics housed in museums, heritages scattered nationwide, and words written in the ancient classics. One of the approaches to effectively enliven relics inside museums is to exhibit oral history through audio guides or videos and publicize these stories, which makes storytelling about these exhibits more vivid and diversified for audiences.

Combining oral history with work

Oral history also helps combine study of Party history with practical work, and provide reference for understanding and effectively solving ordinary people’s problems, as encountered in their lives. As an important historical evidence and source for materials, oral history carries greater weight in evidence-based decision-making. It can not only delve into concepts, motivations, ways of thinking, behavioral features of policymakers and policy implementers, but also give timely responses to people’s voices and wishes, so that more about policy implementation and public’s feedback can be known.

Definitely, the authenticity and reliability of oral history should also warrant attention, which should be prudently dealt with in the process of learning and education regarding Party history.

Yang Xiangyin is a professor from the School of History at the Renmin University of China and deputy director of the Association of Chinese Oral History Research.