Image number: 1656131, Bridgeman Education, color photograph 1973, Bridgeman Images.

The photo in color titled In A School in China: Political Education: Children, With a Red Scarf, Rausing Fist in Front of the Portrait of Mao Zedong (1973) available through Bridgeman Images, the author photographed the moment Chinese girls in school uniform are raising their fists as one stands on stage in front of a poster of Mao Zedong. Because of the uniform these girls are wearing they are able to express themselves as leaders, speakers and at the same time followers of Mao Zedong’s social and political beliefs, but only through the acceptance of the uniform.

The power of the uniform similar to the Red Guard uniform in terms of connotations as explained by author Li Li in Uniformed Rebellion, Fabricated: A Study of Social History of Red Guards in Military Uniforms during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and Beyond, she says that when in uniform the people were able to represent their support for the revolution, Mao, and that they were all no different from one another in terms of social classes.[1] Although in this case the children that were too young to be a Red Guard so in school uniform they could show their support. The white short-sleeved shirt these girls are wearing carries that significance that male and female workers would wear in the mid 1900s. The white short-sleeved like the People’s Liberation Army weren’t designed for a specific gender which was the ideology during the time into the end of the Cultural Revolution.[2]  This meant that women could be seen through a different view, yet only when the uniform was a part of their identity. The white shirt was also paired with a red handkerchief that was worn around the neck, which was the color of the revolution.[3]The girls in the picture are also wearing flower patterned skirts, instead of pants, this represented the reminder that although they could be active in the movement it was limited.

These young Chinese girls are gathering in a school auditorium and not in a public space, they still feel powerful because the photograph shows the different levels of positions that could be attained even if they were wearing the same simple uniform. There was student on the stage and the rest as people from the audience. Lastly another important aspect of this photograph is the fists that are being raised with momentum because some of the girls’ hands are blurry in the photo, which is symbolizing the strength of their support.

Being in uniform was an opportunity for young girls like older women to participate and lead a movement. In the photograph the girl on stage is pictured standing aside from the microphone which represents needed someone to help their voice be heard, I think is significant to this idea that in uniform there was female voice and presence.

the denotation/connotation could also be paired in terms of 1) the uniform 2) mao’s portrait 3) on-stage and off-stage 3) raised fists/performance. then you can explain the signified meanings of each sign.

[1] Li, Li. “Uniformed Rebellion, Fabricated: A Study of Social History of Red Guards in Military Uniforms during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and Beyond,” in Fashion Theory 14, no. 4 (Berg: 2010) 441

[2] Li, Li. “Uniformed Rebellion, Fabricated: A Study of Social History of Red Guards in Military Uniforms during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and Beyond,” in Fashion Theory 14, no. 4 (Berg: 2010) 447

[3] Tina Mai Chen. “Proletarian White and Working Bodies in Mao’s China,” in Positions 11, no. 2 (Duke University Press: 2003) 382

Students at Beijing University, Joseph, William, Collection: “Serve the People!” 1972.

Above is a photo of students at Beijing University listening to a history lecture. This photo was taken in 1972 by William Joseph a political science professor at Wellesley college as part of a series called “Serve the people! Images of daily life in China during the Cultural Revolution”. Professor Joseph visited China as a member of the Committee of Concerned Asian Scholars, a committee dedicated to the improvement of Chinese-American relations (1). Despite the relative uniformity of all the students which can be observed through the blue and green colors of clothing as well as the masculinization of the female students, the heightened status of the Red Guards is still evident and clearly displays their importance in Chinese society during the Cultural Revolution thus revealing a contradiction between the desire for uniformity and the elevation of certain members of society as Red Guards.

First, the presence of a ‘uniform’ is evident in this classroom setting through the blue and green colors. Although there are slightly different hues of blue and green, which is likely due to individuals making their own ‘uniforms’ with available materials, nobody deviates drastically from the the norm of blue and green clothing which is striking evidence of uniformity. Moreover, since all clothing bears the same box-like shape with a high collar and long sleeves, there is no evident distinction between male and female bodies which only furthers the sense of uniformity among the students. Additionally, the women all either have short hair or tightly pulled back hair which erases any remaining traces of gendered bodies and normalizes everyone to a masculine standard. little more comments on the political indication of this “uniform”

However, despite the general uniformity, the Red Guards stand out from others signifying their importance. First the patches of red on their collars and hats stand in stark contrast to the sea of blue and green and serve to distinguish the red guards from ordinary students. Second, the hats on the red guards seem to increase their height relative to other students thus literally and figuratively elevating them among the crowd. Finally, the uniforms of the red guards seem to be better tailored, made of better cloth and generally of higher quality than their peers. All of these elements converge to signal the heightened and important status of the red guards above other students. the political status of the red guards?

There seems to be an interesting contradiction between the strong uniformity of the garments worn by students and the distinct contrast of the red guard uniforms. During the Cultural Revolution the individual was devalued in favor of the larger group and thus uniformity was a fundamental component of society so it seems contradictory that certain individuals would be elevated to a higher status(2). Specifically because, as is evidenced in Professor Joseph’s image, these individuals seemed to break the uniformity of the rest of the crowd.

However, an important factor, which could change the interpretation of this image, is the potential for bias. Although Professor Joseph is an academic and thus presumably educated on the subject of Chinese culture and society his position as an outsider and specifically a westerner certainly created a bias in the way he chose to capture images of daily life during the Cultural Revolution.

there were no schools in those days and the colleges were only open to “workers, peasants, and soldiers.” we may see the class identity from what they wear.

(1) http://academics.wellesley.edu/Polisci/wj/China1972/intro.html

(2)Li Li (2010) Uniformed Rebellion, Fabricated Identity: A Study of Social History of Red Guards in Military Uniforms during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and Beyond, Fashion Theory, 14:4, 439-469

(http://alphahistory.com/chineserevolution/red-guards/)

This photo shows hundreds of Red Guards united together at a Tiananmen Square rally in 1966. I selected this image for this week’s Mao Suit topic for a couple reasons. I felt like this photo combined a lot of unique qualities that several of the images we have seen in class. Another reason I chose this photo is because of the powerful message it eludes when you look at it first glance. When I first saw the photo, the mass amount of people in uniform created an extremely  compelling feeling that forced me to examine it further.

Focusing in on the denotations, there are three primary features of this image that stand out. The first being the photo of Mao which is posted behind the mass crowd of red guards. Clearly Mao is displayed high above the people, as a leader. He is clear that he is the person that these people are fighting for. However, there is only one small photo of him. What also stood out to me about the photo of Mao is that it is very small and there is only one photo of him. This is extremely powerful, because it proved that Mao was represented in all aspects of these people, not just just the photo of him. Within the crowd of people, Mao is represented through the matching uniforms, the red books, and the expressions on these people’s faces. I would go even go further to say that the small individual photo of him hanging up would not even make a difference if it was not there. This is extremely significant because at this moment, Mao is so powerful that every aspect of this photo eludes him and is connected to his leadership in some way.

The second significant denotation is Mao’s Little Red Book that is grasped tightly in every single person’s hand. With each person holding the books up high, they are able to be seen clearly by anyone there. The mass amounts of the color red also reiterates the dedication and fight behind Mao.

need more connotation on the topic of Mao’s little red book

Lastly, each person is wearing matching brown uniforms, which gives up a person’s individuality in exchange for the feeling of belonging. These matching uniforms play an extremely important role in Mao’s goals of utilizing young students in his fight for power and change. These matching uniforms demonstrate the feelings of unification and alliance that the youth needed at this time. The feeling of belonging and being needed for a cause is why most of these people joined in the fight for Mao. However, in reality, these matching uniforms allowed for no individuality or independence to be displayed. Instead, it was an army of people with the same identity and no opportunity to speak one’s mind. This clearly was an intentional move.

What also stood out to me about the photo of Mao is that it is very small and there is only one photo of him. This is extremely powerful, because it proved that Mao was represented in all aspects of these people, not just just the photo of him. Within the crowd of people, Mao is represented through the matching uniforms, the red books, and the expressions on these people’s faces. I would go even go further to say that the small individual photo of him hanging up would not even make a difference if it was not there. This is extremely significant because at this moment, Mao is so powerful that every aspect of this photo eludes him and is connected to his leadership in some way.

Overall, this photo has qualities that clearly stand out. However, it is the unification, dedication, and lack of individuality that are the biggest elements. Taking a quick glance at this photo, Mao Zedong’s control and power can be read through every aspect of this photo. This is a testament to his intelligence and ability to create a movement, whether it was a honorable movement or not is another question.

I re-organized your post which make it cohesive

“Strive for an abundant harvest, amass grain”, 1973. Artist unknown, photo taken from: chineseposters.net

“The seeds have been well selected, the harvest is more bountiful every year”, 1964. Artist unknown, photo taken from: chineseposters.net

For this weeks Word Press, I decided to focus on women in the Mao suit during Maos reign. These two photos show two different women working in the countryside who look more than happy to be there. During this time Mao was shipping many soldiers in his Red Army out to the countryside, due to their actions destroying urban areas. The Red Guards had become too faithful, resulting in many acts of violence and destruction. Mao began sending his troops to the countryside and encouraging them to learn from peasantry. During these days the Red Army would live and work in the country as Mao ordered. Propaganda posters, like the ones above, encouraged the Red Army to head to the rural areas.

your analysis could start from here:

The two posters above both feature women working in the fields. The background of each shows more workers and the crop to which they are tending. The smile on these two women’s faces look natural and genuine, showcasing a feeling that they must be very happy there. Red can be noticed in both by Maos words printed somewhere on the poster as well as clothing and the slight edge of the little red book found in a pocket. Through these two poster, I hope to communicate that women, during this time, were meant to be seen as equal to the men. They were able to work the fields and participate in the Cultural Revolution, just as much as their male counterparts.

nice statement

The first poster shows a women smiling widely as she holds a barrel of hay, proud to be doing this work. She is dressed in a red suit with her hair tied back. I immediately noticed her broad shoulders and her strength. She has been masculinized by her strength and the work she is doing. She seems very simple. Depicted without makeup and hair pulled back, from the neck up she could easily be mistaken for a man. However, it is her torso and chest that showcase her femininity. The person in this poster is a women for a reason. It is meant to express her support for Mao and what she has learned from peasantry.

denotation 1) the peasant woman as the subject/connotation; 2) the red color/connotation; and 3) the basket on her shoulder/connotation; 4) the background/connotation  

The second poster, depicts a bit of a different woman. Her slender frame easily gives way to her gender. Just as the other poster, she is smiley widely while doing her work, proud to be apart of Mao’s Red Army. The one thing I found most interesting about this poster was the slight peek of the little red book from the pocket of her Mao suit. This one reference can express a lot about this woman. It shows that she is apart of Mao’s Red Army, just like many people of her generation. She keeps the book close to her while she does her work so that she always has his words with her. Both posters depict Mao’s words somewhere on the poster, but the fact that this woman has it on her person, shows her faithfulness to her leader.

Overall, the two poster of women express the work that girls were doing during the Cultural Revolution. They were not simply sitting on the sidelines, but transported to the countryside along with men and boys to learn from the peasants as Mao wanted them to do. The posters show the idea of a genderless society and the equality for women that was uncovered during the Revolution.

try to make the writing more analytical.

Propaganda poster for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, with Red Army and Red Guard members charging forward holding Mao Zedong¬ís Little Red Book (color lithograph), 1971.  (Photo by GraphicaArtis/Getty Images)

The Red Army emerged during the Cultural Revolution of Chairman’s Mao reign over China. This rebellion is marked by a time of violence, destruction and loyalty to the Communist ideology sparked by Mao. There is a strong sartorial influence during this time period when the Mao suit was popular and the Red Guard uniform was widely adopted. In this WordPress, I will analyze the dress of this propaganda picture and the symbolic meaning behind the surface layer. Finally, I will conclude that the author of this picture successfully creates an inviting propaganda poster through their intentional decisions with color choice, character expression and symbolic meaning.

Starting with my first observations, or denotations, I notice the dominate red color that is a typical representation of this time period. Also, in the foreground of the picture are four people, a woman and three men who are presumably part of Mao’s Red Army fighting for his cause. They each wear a different color: green, white, blue and brown. The woman in white is holding a weapon as well as the man in blue. The man in green holds out Mao’s Little Red Book. Behind them in the background we can see a crowd of people all rioting with weapons as well. The four in the front all have expressions of determination and look out into the distance heroically.

Looking deeper into the connotations of these observations, the dominant red color is a strong symbol of the Communist period. It is a powerful color and a good way to convey strength in a propaganda poster. Focusing on the four front members, each once represents a different variety of uniform. The man in green wears a military uniform, the woman wears white, a color of privilege and high status as she probably works in a lab. The man in blue is a worker, typically a factory worker and the man in brown represents the peasant population. By having all these people working together it shows the unity of the Revolution. Mao’s plan was to unite all the people of China regardless of gender or class. Their expressions are very telling as well. They look aggressive and determined to fight. By looking off into the distance they create a sense of heroism and make this propaganda poster appealing. It is successful in inviting people to want to join the movement.

how about pair the denotation with the connotation. for instance, the four figures (denotation) as the leading social-political subject (connotation); the uniform (denotation) that defines its social-political identity (connotation) ….