Anshan Steel Family, 1960s-Born Returnee: A Descendant Who Also Worked at Angang, Left for University and Came Back
Description
The respondent filled out the descendant (children/younger-generation) version of the Anshan family and city-memory questionnaire. They identify as born in the 1960s, the child of Angang steelworkers who themselves also once worked in the system, and they say the unit's influence on family life was very large—felt mainly through housing, medical care, household income, and their parents' working hours. They left Anshan to attend university and later came back, choosing to stay because they did not want to leave familiar surroundings; they now regard their return as long-term settlement. Their memories of the elders are of hardship, and what was passed down to them was endurance, discipline, and a respect for technical skill, though their parents did not really teach hands-on techniques. Across the closing questions they answer cautiously—'hard to say' about whether stable work has changed meaning, whether the next generation should stay in Anshan, and whether they should enter heavy industry—while still feeling 'close/warm' toward the words 'Angang' and 'steel city' and calling the industrial museums 'very useful' for young people.
世代 / generation: Born 1960s; second-generation Angang family (parent(s) worked at Angang, respondent themselves also once worked there) · 身份 / role or relationship: Descendant / child of Angang workers (also a former Angang-affiliated worker); left Anshan for university, later returned and still lives in Anshan
In their own words selected highlights, verbatim, de-identified
住房 医疗 家庭收入 父母工作时间 / Housing, medical care, household income, parents' working hours (how the unit showed up in family life)
考完再研究 / 'We'll look into it after the exams' (on whether the child should stay in Anshan)
稳定工作 / 'A stable job' (what the parents' generation most hoped this respondent would get)
Full interview parallel text
The complete question-and-answer record, in the order the respondent answered it (54 exchanges). The Chinese is the respondent’s own wording, transcribed from the photographed pages; illegible passages are marked 【难辨】 / [illegible] rather than guessed. The English is a working translation by the editor, not part of the source.
Left column: respondent’s Chinese, as written · Right column: editor’s working translation
问您大概是哪一代人？
QRoughly which generation are you?
答ℓ1960年代；ℓ1990年代（两项均勾选）
A1960s; 1990s (both boxes marked)
问您和鞍钢/相关单位的关系？
QYour relationship to Angang / a related work unit?
答ℓ父/母曾在；ℓ自己也曾在
AParent(s) once worked there; I myself also once worked there
问您小时候主要在哪里成长？
QWhere did you mainly grow up?
答ℓ鞍山市区
AAnshan city proper
问您现在大概生活在哪里？
QRoughly where do you live now?
答ℓ仍在鞍山
AStill in Anshan
问您现在从事哪一类工作/学习？
QWhat kind of work/study are you in now?
答ℓ其他
AOther
问您对九十年代那段变化的记忆，主要来自？
QYour memory of the 1990s changes mainly comes from?
答ℓ我自己亲身经历过；ℓ我当时年纪小，主要是听家里长辈讲的（两项均勾选）
AI experienced it myself; and I was young and mainly heard it from elders (both marked)
问小时候，家里长辈常提鞍钢/单位吗？
QAs a child, did elders often mention Angang / the unit?
答ℓ很少
ARarely
问先用您自己的词：长辈提到单位时是什么感觉？
QIn your own word: how did the elders feel when they mentioned the unit?
答ℓ辛苦；手写回答：【难辨】
AHard/toilsome; handwritten word: [illegible]
问鞍钢/单位对家庭生活影响大吗？
QDid Angang / the unit greatly affect family life?
答ℓ很大
AVery much
问主要体现在哪些方面？
QMainly shown in which aspects?
答手写回答：住房 医疗 家庭收入 父母工作时间
AHandwritten: Housing; medical care; household income; parents' working hours
问小时候您觉得父母的单位更像什么？
QAs a child, what did your parents' unit feel more like?
答ℓ不好说
AHard to say
问那段时间，您家有没有明显变化？
QDuring that period, did your family change noticeably?
答ℓ没太大
ANot much
问主要是哪些方面？
QMainly in which aspects?
答ℓ教育/升学选择
AEducation / schooling choices
问长辈当时的工作状态？
QWhat was the elder's work status at the time?
答ℓ离开原单位
ALeft the original work unit
问家里会讨论「以后孩子要不要留在鞍山」吗？
QDid the family discuss whether the child should stay in Anshan?
答ℓ偶尔
AOccasionally
问如果讨论过，长辈是什么态度？再讲一件具体的事或一句他们说过的话。
QIf discussed, what was the elder's attitude? Then tell a specific thing or something they said.
答ℓ尊重我自己选；手写回答：考完再研究
ARespected my own choice; handwritten: 'We'll look into it after the exams'
问您是否曾离开鞍山学习/工作/生活？
QHave you ever left Anshan to study/work/live?
答ℓ是，离开又回来了
AYes, left and then came back
问若离开，大概在什么时候？
QIf you left, roughly when?
答ℓ上大学
AFor university
问离开鞍山的主要原因？
QMain reason for leaving Anshan?
答ℓ上学
ASchooling
问若您留在/回到鞍山，主要原因？
QIf you stayed in / returned to Anshan, main reason?
答ℓ不想离开熟悉环境
ADidn't want to leave familiar surroundings
问如果您离开了：当时去了哪类地方？
QIf you left, what kind of place did you go to?
答ℓ省会（沈阳等）
AProvincial capital (Shenyang etc.)
问落脚在哪类行业？（大概即可）
QWhat kind of industry did you land in? (approximate)
答手写回答：企业
AHandwritten: An enterprise/company
问现在比在鞍山，过得怎样？
QCompared with Anshan, how are you doing now?
答ℓ不好说
AHard to say
问这次离开是？
QThis departure was?
答ℓ长期定居
ALong-term settlement
问您身边同龄人，离开的多还是留下的多？
QAmong your peers, did more leave or more stay?
答ℓ离开多
AMore left
问您觉得年轻人离开鞍山，最主要因为什么？
QWhy do young people leave Anshan, mainly?
答ℓ工作机会
AJob opportunities
问您想过以后回鞍山长期生活吗？
QHave you thought of returning to Anshan long-term?
答ℓ想过，可能回
AThought about it, might return
问要让更多年轻人愿意留/回鞍山，您觉得最重要的是什么？
QTo make more young people stay in / return to Anshan, what matters most?
答ℓ家乡认同感
AA sense of hometown identity/belonging
问父母那一代从鞍钢/单位生活中，传给您最多的是什么？
QWhat did your parents' generation pass to you most from Angang/unit life?
答ℓ吃苦耐劳；ℓ守纪律；ℓ重视技术
AEndurance/hard work; discipline; valuing technical skill
问父母教过您具体的工作技术吗？
QDid your parents teach you any specific work skills?
答ℓ基本没讲
ABasically didn't
问若讲过，通常是哪类（不必讲参数或内部流程）？
QIf they did, usually what kind (no parameters/internal process needed)?
答ℓ安全经验
ASafety experience
问父母的工作经历，对您的职业选择有影响吗？
QDid your parents' work experience affect your career choice?
答ℓ很大
AA lot
问更接近哪一种？
QWhich is closer to you?
答ℓ更重视教育
APlaces more value on education
问您有没有因为父母的经历，刻意避开或刻意选择某个职业/行业？
QBecause of your parents' experience, did you deliberately avoid or choose a profession/industry?
答ℓ没有
ANo
问父母那一代最希望您得到什么？
QWhat did your parents' generation most hope you would get?
答手写回答：稳定工作
AHandwritten: A stable job
问您升学/找工作/离开或回鞍山时，父母的老同事或单位关系帮过忙吗？
QDid your parents' old colleagues or unit ties help you with schooling/jobs/leaving or returning?
答ℓ不方便说
APrefer not to say
问若帮过，主要哪方面？
QIf they helped, mainly in what way?
答ℓ生活建议
ALife advice
问家里现在还和父母以前的同事、邻居、师傅、徒弟联系吗？
QDoes the family still keep in touch with parents' old colleagues, neighbors, masters, apprentices?
答ℓ偶尔
AOccasionally
问您觉得这种老单位关系，对子女这一代还有影响吗？
QDo these old work-unit ties still affect the children's generation?
答ℓ基本没有
ABasically none
问听到「鞍钢」「钢城」，您第一反应是什么？
QHearing 'Angang' / 'steel city', what is your first reaction?
答ℓ亲切
AWarm / close / familiar
问您去过鞍钢博物馆、孟泰纪念馆或类似场所吗？
QHave you visited the Angang Museum, Meng Tai Memorial or similar?
答ℓ去过
AYes, I have
问这些地方对年轻人有用吗？
QAre these places useful for young people?
答ℓ很有用
AVery useful
问您觉得哪些记忆最容易消失？
QWhich memories do you think most easily disappear?
答ℓ其他
AOther
问若做一个「鞍山老工业记忆」资料库，您觉得最该保存什么？
QFor an 'Anshan old-industry memory' archive, what should most be preserved?
答ℓ其他
AOther
问您会给孩子或晚辈讲鞍钢/鞍山的故事吗？
QWill you tell your children/juniors stories of Angang/Anshan?
答ℓ偶尔
AOccasionally
问讲这些时，您更想传达什么？
QWhen telling these, what do you most want to convey?
答ℓ城市历史
ACity history
问您希望下一代以后留在鞍山吗？
QDo you hope the next generation stays in Anshan?
答ℓ不好说
AHard to say
问您希望下一代进入制造/工程/钢铁/能源相关行业吗？
QDo you hope the next generation enters manufacturing/engineering/steel/energy?
答ℓ不好说
AHard to say
问「稳定工作」在您这一代和父母那一代之间，含义变了吗？
QHas 'a stable job' changed meaning between your generation and your parents'?
答ℓ不好说
AHard to say
问「离开家乡」在您这代人眼里是？
QWhat does 'leaving home' mean in your generation's eyes?
答ℓ其他
AOther
问有没有哪个问题您希望我不要记录、不要引用，或引用前必须再问您？
QAny question you'd want not recorded, not quoted, or checked before quoting?
答ℓ不确定
AUncertain
问整理好后，您想先看一遍再决定是否公开吗？
QAfter it's compiled, do you want to review it before deciding on publication?
答ℓ不用
ANo need
问以后若需要补充访谈，您是否愿意通过介绍人再联系？
QIf a follow-up interview is needed, would you agree to be re-contacted via the introducer?
答ℓ不用了
ANo need
问您是否愿意日后接受一次更深入的访谈？如果您的父母长辈方便，是否也愿意引荐他们一起参与？
QWould you accept a deeper interview later, and if convenient introduce your parents/elders to take part?
答ℓ再说
AWe'll see
Significance to the comparison
The Anshan side of the comparison, in a first-person voice: how the danwei (work-unit) organized a whole life, what the 1990s restructuring did to it, and whether the next generation stayed or left. It is the lived-memory counterpart to the paper's question about what lets an industrial community absorb a transition.
Provenance
- Field collection
- Paper questionnaire (子女·晚辈版) completed voluntarily in Anshan, 2026; photographed page by page; transcribed and de-identified for the archive. Original held privately.
Evidence media
- Completed paper questionnaire, 24 photographed pages; 54 question-and-answer exchanges transcribed verbatim (original held privately).
Sources two independent sources, each resolving
- Anshan field collection questionnaire response, 2026 (original held privately).
- Steel & Oil archive field instrument (子女·晚辈版), 2026.
Tim Qiao, ed., “Anshan Steel Family, 1960s-Born Returnee: A Descendant Who Also Worked at Angang, Left for University and Came Back,” Steel & Oil: Anshan–Houston Industrial Memory Archive, OHS-AS-117, version 0.2 (field-collected, Anshan, 2026). Citation formats and the stable-identifier scheme →