Archaic, magical and religious symbols in a Chinese cultural revolution poster

Abstract

This article investigates the presence of symbolic elements, many of them associated with Chinese religious thought, in a propaganda poster of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. To this end, using a methodology that combines different areas of knowledge: Chinese Studies (within which, the study of religiosity Chinese), Chinese language and symbols associated with it, Symbolism, History, Theory and Sociology Poster Image. The rapprochement with the Chinese theme became the poster, at first, by an effort of translation and analysis of written text that compose it. To approximate the elements of history, culture and religious symbolism present in the Sinic piece of propaganda, the authors used the work of scholars such as M. Granet, A. Cheng (Schools of Thought, Religious Symbolism), K. Stevens (Popular Religiosity and religious iconography) and J.Spence (History) as well as Chinese literary works and films. With regard to the symbols (in their universality), appealed to the observations of M. Eliade. In relation to issues associated specifically with posters, appealed to L. Gervereau (History), A. Moles (Poster Theory) and Flusser (Sociology of the Image, Imagery Theory of Reading. Based on the intersection of the theoretical, the authors have demonstrate that the intelligentsia of the Cultural Revolution used archaic symbols - religious and political - in advertising devoted to promoting a discourse of destruction and replacement of old values.