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This thesis has been submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree (e.g. PhD, MPhil, DClinPsychol) at the University of Edinburgh. Please note the following terms and conditions of use: This work is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, which are retained by the thesis author, unless otherwise stated. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. Revolution in Pain(t): A Semiotic Reading of Chinese Cultural Revolution Propaganda Posters and Female Motivated Violence (1966-1968) Avital Zuk Avina Doctor of Philosophy The University of Edinburgh 2019 Signed Declaration I declare that this thesis was composed by myself, that the work contained herein is my own except where explicitly stated otherwise in the text, and that this work has not been submitted for any other degree or processional qualification except as specified. Signature __ _________ Date 18/02/2020 2 Abstract This thesis focuses on visual imagery and culture from Maoist China by exploring new methods for interpreting the propaganda posters from the Chinese Cultural Revolution (CR) through a linguistic-based methodology. In addition, this methodology is used to examine the previously understudied phenomenon of female perpetrated violence during the CR and the motivation and encouragement of women to participate within the realm of violence and factional infighting. Because propaganda poster images can be ‘read’ like any other text through distinct visual grammatical rules, these grammar rules aid in the exploration of the posters beyond the mere descriptive levels. In order to examine the imagery and the inherent communicative functions of the posters, this research combines propaganda theories, visual grammar, and semiotics to consider more closely the posters as a communication tool. The components adapted from linguistics that apply to visual analysis rely on identification of common meaningful elements and regularities which can be formally described. This work specifically focuses on iconographic symbols, semantic metaphors, and pragmatic deixis to analyse the different elements of the imagery to build a comprehensive analytical tool. Following the in-depth deconstruction of the posters and their internal meaning mechanisms, key components are identified and classed into the three types of grammar. By applying the visual grammar rules and methods developed for the propaganda posters, the female violence incitement imagery and their role within the violent posters is explored. Through the use of this new methodology for breaking down the posters and analysing them as communication devices that both give information and reflect contemporary society, this thesis takes a closer look at the role of women during the first few years of the CR. It establishes that despite the public participation in violent episodes chronicled in memoirs and historical accounts, the portrayal of female initiated and perpetrated violence within the propaganda poster art of the time does not reflect this trend. 3 Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. 3 Table of Figures ................................................................................................................... 6 Timeline of the Initial Years of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution ............................ 8 1966 ................................................................................................................................ 8 1967 ................................................................................................................................ 9 1968 ................................................................................................................................ 9 Chapter 1: Introduction ......................................................................................................10 Chapter 2: Background .......................................................................................................23 The Red Years (1966-1968) .........................................................................................23 Women and Violence in the CR ..................................................................................30 Memoirs .....................................................................................................................34 Chapter 3: Theoretical Framework and Methodology .........................................................42 Semiotic Theory .............................................................................................................42 Iconography: Symbols within the posters ...................................................................44 Semantics: Metaphors within the posters ...................................................................49 Pragmatics: Deixis within the posters .........................................................................52 Methodology .................................................................................................................67 Study Design ..............................................................................................................67 Definition of Codes and Variables and Coding Protocol ...............................................69 Sign-Based Construction Grammar: Maps ...................................................................71 Chapter 4: Propaganda Theory, Maoist Art, and General Poster Characteristics ...............105 Propaganda ..................................................................................................................105 Western Theories .....................................................................................................106 Chinese Theories ......................................................................................................111 Maoist Art Propaganda in the PRC ............................................................................119 Art of the CR .............................................................................................................125 General Characteristics of the Posters ..........................................................................135 Chapter 5: Violence in the Posters ....................................................................................147 Defining Violent Imagery in the Posters ........................................................................147 Semiotic Violence Analysis ...........................................................................................149 1966-1968 Violent poster specific symbols ...............................................................150 1966-1968 Violent poster specific metaphors ...........................................................165 4 1966-1968 Violent poster specific deictic elements ..................................................181 Chapter 6: Female Violence within the Posters and Reality ..............................................187 Gender Categories........................................................................................................188 Grammar Maps ........................................................................................................189 Male versus Female Representation .........................................................................241 Connecting Art and Reality: Female Violence ................................................................249 Female Motivation ...................................................................................................250 Reflection of Reality .................................................................................................260 Chapter 7: Conclusion ......................................................................................................265 Appendix 1: Coding Results for 1966-1968 posters ...........................................................270 Appendix 2: Glossary of Chinese Names ...........................................................................275 Bibliography .....................................................................................................................277 5 Table of Figures Figure 1 Culture must serve workers, peasants and soldiers ...............................................54 Figure 2 [Our purpose is] to ensure that literature and art.................................................54 Figure 3 Fully criticize the Chinese Khrushchev ...................................................................55 Figure 4 Resolutely smash the counter-revolutionary revisionist clique ..............................56 Figure 5 Resolutely support the communique of the Eleventh Plenum ...............................56 Figure 6 Warmly hail the formation of the revolutionary committee of Beijing ...................58 Figure 7 Chairman Mao goes to Anyuan .............................................................................58 Figure 8 Commemorate the