More than 120,000 files and documents dating from 1949 to 1974, including those from the "Cultural Revolution (1966-76)", were made available for public viewing at the Guangdong Provincial Archives on Tuesday.

Most of the files are official documents, which could help to describe the situation in China during the period when it was almost completely cut-off from the Western world.

According to Article19 of The Archive Law of the People's Republic of China, government files kept in China's archives can be made accessible to the public after 30 years. But not all government files can be made public if they concern national secrets, said Zhang Anping, a director at the archives.

The provincial archives' decision to open the files had got the green light from related government departments, Zhang said.

On display also are foreign currencies confiscated by "Red Guards" from rich families during the "Cultural Revolution." Chairman Mao called for young students to become "Red Guards" and overthrow the ruling bureaucratic authorities during the "Revolution." During that special period, "Red Guards" had the right to break into the houses of the rich and take away anything they thought improper.

One of the files documenting this was a notice from the Central Government in 1968 requiring "Red Guards" to hand in everything they had taken from the "exploiting class."

Visitors can read and copy files if they can produce valid ID or employment cards.

(Shenzhen Daily June 23, 2005)