I can help answer this question but it could use a little bit of clarification. When you say ‘Chinese people’ I’m assuming you mean common folk or do you mean everyone. Furthermore, when you say ‘at the time’ which time period do you mean. There are a couple that can change the answer that is given:

1. CCP/GMD civil war period
2. WW2 and the second united front
3. Communist China post WW2
4. Cultural Revolution China
5. China after Mao’s death

These are also in chronological order. Any of those would be a massive answer in and of itself so let me know which one you would like in particular.