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Chinese history through Communist Party propaganda posters and more.
In this second video, we explore the challenges the Party faced after the Revolution: the victory in the civil war against the Kuomintang (the Nationalist Party) and the Taiwan question, the friendship with the Soviet “brothers”, and the essential leadership of Chairman Mao Zedong (the hero of the Long March). We describe the importance of farmers and the countryside in New China, the role of women and ethnic minorities, and the indoctrination of children. Finally, we discuss the Hundred Flowers Campaign and the campaign against rightists and counter-revolutionaries.
00:00 in the previous episode and this one;
01:22 the Kuomintang and the Civil War;
03:12 New China’s relationship with the USSR;
04:31 Mao Zedong’s leadership and the Long March;
06:05 the role of artists in Mao’s China;
07:25 the peasants of the New China,
08:40 governing the rivers, the Mandate of Heaven;
10:30 transportation, heavy industry and five-year plans;
11:35 the First Bridge on the Yangzi River;
13:38 the women of New China;
16:10 the children of New China;
17:19 ethnic minorities in New China;
21:47 Taiwan question,
23:53 counter-revolutionaries and the “Hundred Flowers” campaign.
Posters are from:
上海杨培明宣传画收藏艺术馆 Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre. 新中国宣传画典藏 Modern Chinese Poster Collection. Catalogue 2016.
Chinese Posters. Chineseposters.net (22/03/2025).
Historical information is mostly from:
Cai, Junyi. The Communist Party of China — Where Are the Women? https://www.thechinastory.org/the-communist-party-of-china-where-are-the-women/ (18/01/2025)
People’s Daily Online. “21 Chinese ethnic minorities have 27 written languages”.
Sabattini, Mario; Santangelo, Paolo. “Storia della Cina”. Laterza: 2005.
Scarpari, Maurizio; Samarani, Guido (ed.). “La Cina III: Verso la modernità”. Einaudi: 2009.
Spence, Jonathan D. “The search for modern China”. WW Norton & Company: 1990.
and my notes from classes at University of Turin (Italy).
Reading/listening/watching tips:
Shi Nai’an. “The Water Margin: Outlaws of the Marsh” (transl. J. H. Jackson). North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Publishing, 2009.
Yu, Hua. “To Live”. (transl. Michael Berry). New York: Anchor Books, 2003.
Zhang, Yimou (dir.). “To Live”. Film, 1994.
WACOCA: People, Life, Style.