Signs Of The Old Values Of The Cultural Revolution Essay Example

Cultural Revolution that Krushchev could have maintained his power if he had established a suitable cult for himself (Yan and Gao, 1996: 313). Mao utilized propaganda to expand his cult during this period, with the Red Book being his most potent weapon.

Instead of the usual front page section entitled "Today's Important News," the People's Daily began featuring quotations from the Red Book. Other newspapers and journals also started increasing their coverage of Mao Zedong by printing his speeches, pictures, and quotes. Some even retold stories of his experiences fighting the Japanese and the KMT (Yan and Gao, 1996: 215). In June of 1966, the major newspapers started publishing editorials and stories that encouraged the public to study Chairman Mao's thought by reading the Red Book.

Both the Liberation Army Daily and the People's Daily published a front page article on June 6, urging the Chinese people to study Mao Zedong Thought and read Selected Works of Mao Zedong. The headline declared, "Raise high the Great Red Flag of Mao Zedong, Carry to the end the great proletariat revolution." This simultaneous coverage by both newspapers was not coincidental but rather indicated the increasing influence of Lin Biao within the communist party. Lin Biao rose to power through his involvement in the Cultural Revolution and ousting Liu Shaoqi. His ideas of education and indoctrination into Maoist thought, originally spread through the army, now reached all of China with this publication in the People's Daily in June 1966. From then until falling out of favor with Mao in 1970, Lin Biao became a prominent advocate for worshipping Mao Zedong and directed a nationwide frenzy that engulfed China.

During Lin Biao's

leadership, Chinese newspapers encouraged readers to read Mao's works. At that time, the only books available to the public were the four-volume Selected Works of Mao Zedong. The Red Book was not yet accessible to the public. In 1966, headlines in the People's Daily proclaimed "Mao Zedong thought is the red sun within our bosom," and newspaper articles contained lines such as "Chairman Mao's books are more precious than gold and stronger than steel." Pictures from that time depicted Chinese citizens happily reading pamphlets by Mao, like "Man Who Moved The Mountain." However, in 1966, there were few pictures featuring Red Books and they were limited to members of the armed forces. Nevertheless, government propaganda in newspapers, radio broadcasts, and other mediums fueled strong support for Mao and the study of Mao Zedong Thought. On August 12 after the Eleventh Plenum of the Eighth Party Congress, copies of The Selected Works of Mao Zedong were distributed at major universities before they closed down in preparation for the Cultural Revolution. Throughout 1966, newspapers provided daily reports on sales of The Selected Works of Mao Zedong.

The government reduced the price of the set of books to two yuan to ensure that every person could own a copy of the Selected Works. Sales were successful, and in January of 1967, Lin Biao made Quotations From Chairman Mao accessible to the general public. This resulted in an immediate surge in demand for the book. Group study sessions focused on the book became widespread, and during various Red Guard rallies over the next few years, Red Guard troops turned whole pages of the book into songs (Yan and Gao, 1996:

248).

Lin Biao instructed the printing presses in China to produce countless copies of the Red Book and disseminate them among the general population. In order to promote the reading of the Red Book, the Chinese media published stories that praised individuals who memorized its contents (Yan and Gao, 1996: 249). Granny Liu dedicated extensive time and effort to studying Chairman Mao's writings, and when she forgot, she sought assistance from others to refresh her memory.

Granddaughter Yuhzen shared a bed with Granny Liu and would therefore wake up ten times during the night. Despite not being able to sleep well, Granny Liu affectionately told her, "Yuhzen, every additional word you teach granny is another display of loyalty to Chairman Mao and another ammunition for Liu Shaoqi."

Moreover, Granny Liu enthusiastically spread Mao Zedong Thought. For over sixty years, she had not known how to sing but now, with the help of her daughter and granddaughter, she sang wherever she went.
Proudly, Granny Liu declared, "This old lady can't really carry a tune."

During the Cultural Revolution in China, there was a strong devotion and admiration for Chairman Mao. People like Granny Liu worked tirelessly to promote Mao Zedong Thought and felt rejuvenated as they spread his ideology. The Red Book became a means for the Chinese to understand Mao's beliefs and feel connected to their leader. Lin Biao was successful in indoctrinating the entire nation, encouraging intense study of Mao's quotes. This resulted in widespread scenes of Chinese citizens studying the Red Books in various settings across the country from 1966 to 1971.

The number of pictures in China Reconstructs depicting people holding Mao books went from a small

amount before 1967 to almost half of all pictures during the Cultural Revolution's peak. This increase coincided with a rise in favorable articles about Lin Biao. In one 1968 article, he was portrayed as both a courageous fighter for the revolution and a devoted follower of Mao. At the time, most readers likely missed the irony in this statement. However, in retrospect, it was actually Lin Biao who established the Cult of Mao in order to advance his own objectives within the communist party, rather than to support Mao as Lin Biao intended.

In China during this time period, the large number of pictures of the Red Book and articles about Lin Biao not only demonstrated the strong support for Mao's Cult, but also emphasized Lin Biao's influential role. It was thanks to Lin Biao's efforts that the Red Book became highly valued by the Chinese population. The Red Book had a unique appeal and carried a significant presence, linking ordinary citizens with their leader. For those who would never have an opportunity to meet Mao in person, possessing a piece of him and his words through the Red Book was meaningful. Throughout the Cultural Revolution, Mao achieved a god-like status among the Chinese people, leaving no room for criticism or deviation from his directives.

Every word he spoke was regarded as truth, making him a living Buddha. Similar to Buddha, his writings transformed into sacred texts, resembling sutras. His quotes, akin to passages found in sutras, were committed to memory, recited, transformed into songs, and displayed on billboards and house beams (Rodzinski, 1988:121). During the Cultural Revolution, The Red Book became a revered sutra carried by

all citizens at all times and studied incessantly. However, some argue that calling The Red Book the bible of the Cultural Revolution is flawed. Firstly, if this were true, Mao would be compared to Jesus Christ, but unlike Jesus, Mao achieved absolute power in his lifetime without any higher authority. Additionally, unlike Jesus, Mao was not the son of god but rather seen as a deity in China.

Second, the Red Book differs from the bible in its symbolism. Unlike most Christians, Buddhists commit long passages from the sutras to memory. Mao adopted the religious framework of Buddhism and organized his followers accordingly. During the Cultural Revolution, Buddhism and Confucianism were eradicated, with Buddhist temples destroyed and monks tortured by Red Guards. In this void of religion, Mao positioned himself as Buddha and his writings as sutras. The Red Book acted as a source of structure and unity amid the turbulent period of the Cultural Revolution.

Despite the frequent clashes between rival Red Guard factions and the resulting turmoil in the nation, the Red Book served as a unifying force among the Chinese people. Despite the descent into anarchy, they all shared a common allegiance to Mao. The Red Book not only provided a framework for criticism but also served as a bond among citizens, the party, Red Guards, and Mao. Additionally, as schools were shut down, the study of the Red Book became a de-facto form of education. People would learn to read in study groups while delving into the quotes featured in the Red Book. In these ways, the Red Book brought a sense of order amidst the chaos of the Cultural Revolution.

The Red Book

was a fascinating phenomenon in China, as nearly every citizen owned one, yet only a few could actually read it. This discrepancy contributed to the book's popularity, as it was created under the assumption that the Chinese population was educated, despite many individuals being illiterate. To combat this issue, study groups were formed, where literate individuals would read the Red Book aloud to illiterate peasants. These peasants would then memorize lengthy passages to appear more literate. In many regions, all books besides those written by Chairman Mao were prohibited. Despite the communist regime, reading held a respected status in Chinese society, and the concept of each citizen being a scholar appealed to both peasants and Lin Biao, who saw that spreading the Cult of Mao and Mao Zedong Thought would increase his own power.

The Cultural Revolution was coming to an end by 1970, as many party members believed it had caused excessive destruction and were worried about facing criticism from the Red Guards. Lin Biao, who had successfully promoted Mao's teachings, became Mao's successor in August 1966 and his position was officially confirmed at the Ninth Party Congress in April 1969 (Ming-Le, 1983:49). Following this, Lin Biao further consolidated military control over Chinese society and declared martial law during the Sino-Soviet Border clashes in spring 1969.

Lin Biao faced resistance to his increasing influence, which raised Mao's concerns about a potential successor who was too eager to take over. From the autumn of 1970 onward, Mao took actions to curtail Lin Biao's power (Ming-Le, 1983: 47-52). In August 1970, the Second Plenum, a national conference comprising individuals selected during the 1969 national conference to determine national

policies, was held in Lushan. Mao Zedong presided over this conference.

During this conference, Lin Biao manipulated the situation in order to become the president of the republic. His group of followers, including Chen Boda, spread statements like "Lin Biao is an exceptional genius, comparable to Marx, Lenin, and Mao" (Ming-Le, 1983: 50). Lin Biao recognized that assuming the presidency, which had become vacant after the death of Liu Shaoqi in 1969, would give him control over China and allow him to fulfill his lifelong ambition. On August 25, 1970, Mao organized a conference and quickly dismantled Lin Biao's plan within two days. Mao achieved this through three actions. Firstly, he ordered Chen Boda to undergo self-examination as a clear warning to Lin Biao to cease his power grab.

During the Lushan conference, Mao issued a warning that he would leave if anyone brought up the issue of the presidency. In a public letter titled "Some Views of Mine," Mao criticized individuals who claim to understand Marxism but actually do not. Although not explicitly stated, it was evident that this criticism was directed at Lin Biao. The conference marked a significant moment for Lin Biao as it symbolized his downfall in favor of Mao due to Mao's perception of Lin Biao's eagerness to become president. To neutralize the threat, Mao formed an alliance with Zhou Enlai and isolated Lin Biao's assistant Chen Boda (Yan and Gao, 1996: 309). By January 1971, Lin Biao was no longer part of Mao's inner circle of advisors. Additionally, in December 1970, Mao distanced himself from the cult of personality that had developed around him because he felt it had grown too

large (Yan and Gao, 1996: 313). The events between then and Lin Biao's death in September of that year remain speculative.

According to the official Chinese government's narrative, Lin Biao died on September 13, 1971, in a plane accident in Mongolia. The government claims that he was attempting to escape to the Soviet Union after a failed plot to overthrow Mao. They state that throughout 1971, Lin Biao was organizing a coup within military ranks. However, there are doubts surrounding this version and speculation suggests that instead of dying in an accident, Lin Biao - who had fallen out of favor with the party leadership - was actually assassinated by the communist party (Ming-Le, 1983:228). This theory is backed up by reports from Mongolia in 1990 indicating that Lin Biao was not on the plane that crashed in 1971. The years between 1970 and 1971 also saw the gradual conclusion of the Cultural Revolution as schools reopened and Red Guard groups disbanded.

It is ironic that Lin Biao, who built up Mao's cult following and gave him so much power, ultimately became a victim of the power he helped create. This happened when he tried to gain control of the presidency in 1970. Lin Biao's death in 1971 brought a silent liberation from the Cult of Mao to China. The people discovered that the person they had long recognized as Mao's most loyal supporter and the high priest of the Maoist Cult was actually two-faced and planning to overthrow Mao. Lin Biao's deceptive appearance caused distrust in politics and a feeling of deception in the Cult of Mao among the Chinese public. His death marked the end

of mass rallies in Tianamen Square and the end of the Cultural Revolution's frenzied delirium (Yan and Gao, 1996: 335).

The fall of Lin Biao is closely linked to the decline of the Red Book. Once Lin Biao was removed from Mao's inner circle, newspapers stopped publishing accounts of his brilliance and pictures of the Red Book. Analyzing the graphics during this period reveals a significant decrease in the number of Red Book pictures after December 1970, which aligns with Lin Biao's downfall. By September 1971, when Lin Biao passed away, very few pictures of his Red Book were published. Instead, there were images of tractors, factory workers, and farmers plowing fields—alongside slogans promoting education in Mao Zedong Thought.

The destruction of images of Lin Biao and his calligraphy was widespread in China (Kraus, 1991: 111). One notable incident occurred in 1972 when the Albanian National Basketball team visited Beijing and was received by Mao. According to the accompanying story, the Albanians were given Chinese handicrafts by their hosts. Similarly, in a 1967 article, the Albanian Basketball team was photographed meeting Chairman Mao and Lin Biao, and the story mentioned that they received Albanian-translated copies of the Red Book. These two articles illustrate the significant changes that took place in China during the intervening years. The rise and fall of Lin Biao were closely tied to the popularity of his Red Book. When Lin Biao assumed leadership of the army in 1959, he recognized that to increase his power, he needed to gain favor with Mao Zedong. To achieve this, he promoted Mao Zedong Thought within the army and later throughout China. Lin Biao established the Cult

of Mao Zedong Thought by exploiting the chaotic conditions in China at that time, publishing the Red Book, and encouraging people to memorize Mao's quotes through newspapers.

The story of Lin Biao is a captivating tale of a man who used propaganda to achieve great success. However, it also reveals insights about China and the role of propaganda. The images in China Reconstructs between 1966 and 1974 demonstrate that propaganda served not only as a tool for the Communist party but also as a reflection of internal power struggles during the Cultural Revolution. As Lin Biao gained influence, the number of images featuring the Red Book increased. Conversely, when Lin Biao lost power, the number of Red Book images diminished significantly. Thus, propaganda during the Cultural Revolution not only enabled the party to control the people but also displayed individuals' power within the party. The rise and fall of Lin Biao's most cherished piece of propaganda, the Red Book, tells his story not only through historical accounts but also through his ascent and subsequent decline.

References

1. Dutt, Gargi and Dutt, V.P. (1970) China's Cultural Revolution. India: National Printing Works.
2. Kraus, Richard (1991). Brushes With Power: Modern Politics and the Chinese Art of Calligraphy. Berkeley: University of California Press.
3. Kua, Michael (1975). The Lin Piao Affair.

New York: International Arts and Sciences Press.

(1986). The Cultural Revolution and Post-Mao Reforms. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

The book "The

Turbulent Decade: A History of the Cultural Revolution" was published by the University of Hawaii Press in Honolulu.