Great Chinese Famine
According to an essay and reports by Ai Yi, Chen died in his sleep due to starvation and illness on January 25, 1961 at the age of 47, during the Great Chinese Famine period. He was buried in the mass grave at the hill near the farm. A year later, Chen's widow Jin Jiaoli went there with a box to search through the dead bodies in a vain effort to collect his remains.