What do you think is going on in this picture,
can you see any connection to past events in
our history…?
What are the men in the center wearing on
their heads…?
Why does it seem that everyone is looking
at these men…?
What are the small group of people behind
these men doing…?
What do you think is the purpose of this…?
Where do you suppose all of this is
occurring…?
Who set this whole thing up…?
What are the men in the
center wearing on their
heads/What is going on in
this picture…?
As you can see these men are wearing
dunce caps with different Chinese
words on their heads, used as a public
form of humiliation. These men are in
fact leaders of numerous “AntiRevolutionary Groups” (probably
educated, or normal Chinese citizens)
who were sentenced probably for
trying to reverse or go against the
“cultural revolution.”
What sounds do you think
that you would be hearing in
an environment like this…?
Why does it seem that
everyone is looking at these
men/What do you think is the
purpose of this event…?
These men are purposely being
displayed to a group of normal Chinese
citizens as a public form for the people
to see “what not to do, and its
punishments.” Punishments like this
(making a public example) were
actually considered very light as
apposed to many of the others
enforced throughout the Cultural
Revolution.
What do you think the people
are thinking…? What about
the men in the dunce caps…?
What are the small group of
men behind the “dunces”
doing…?
These boys were known throughout
the Cultural Revolution as “Red
Guards.” Red Guards were young
people across China who “guarded the
culture of the revolution” through
things like, imprisoning or humiliation
(shown-holding dunces out). These
young people caused chaos by raiding
homes or destroying anything even
associated to the “four olds.”
Do you think that punishments
were justified of even needed
in the Cultural Revolution…?
Where do you suppose all of
this is occurring/Who set
this whole thing up…?
These men are being carried around on a
large truck through the busy streets of
Beijing. The overseeing Red Guards are
all lead by the communist leader Mao
Zedong who was in power before and
until the end of the Cultural
Revolution. Mao saw that many
apposed his Cultural Revolution so he
formed the Red Guards for help, which
soon turned into chaos.
Overall what people seem to
(like/dislike) the Cultural
Revolution…? Why…?
After the unsuccessful Great Leap forward, communist Mao’s main focus was on rebuilding
what he considered the now ruined economy
Mao feared that the economic success had created upper and lower economic classes
So without having money as the main target, Mao concluded that China needed to get rid of
what he referred to as the “four olds;” old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits that
were pre-revolutionary-1966
 To guard the culture of Mao’s new revolution from many of the communists, he called upon
young people across China to enforce his politically correct ideas through means of humiliation
and imprisonment if need be
Mao published a book of quotes that became known to westerners as the Little Red Book,
which outlined the main ideas of the Cultural Revolution for all Red Guards to carry
The Little Red Book lead many Red Guards in marches as they chanted its slogans in marches,
raided; homes museums and temples, and destroyed anything even close to the four olds
As Mao regained the support of the Communist Party and all seemed well, the Red Guards
were going crazier, killing thousands to the point that even Mao couldn’t justify it
In 1969 after thousands of deaths and ruined; temples, monuments, books, etc. Mao realized
that the Red Guards had to be disbanded, and the military would now have to be trusted with
law enforcement
Mao became ill in the early 1970’s and died in 1976
As Mao started getting older and sicker, his wife, Jiang Qing,
somewhat took her husbands place in the communists Cultural
Revolution
When Mao died in 1976, his wife and 3 infamous radical
colleagues (the Gang of Four) were arrested for trying to overthrow
the government and causing around 34,000 deaths during the
Cultural Revolution. Some consider this the official end of the
Cultural Revolution
By 1979 Deng Xiaoping, a leader twice beat out by Mao, took
control of the Communist Party and once again swayed from the
Cultural Revolution to encouraging economical development (“Less
empty talk and more hard work”-Xiaoping)
The End
Kyle Martinez
Rahotep Alkebulan
Josh Thompson
Blake Butler
And Kind of Sina
Chehrazi