Red Scarf Girl SSR Project
From ThePlaz.com
English 10 Red Scarf Girl SSR Project
Only a DRAFT!
May change/be updated - still in progress - may still contain inaccuracies
(need to scan directions --Plaz 20:54, 9 October 2006 (EDT))
Contents |
Vocab
Glorious Cultural Revolution
- Occurs on page 1 and throughout the book
- "We thanked heaven that Chairman Mao had started this Cultural Revolution, and that the Central Committee of the Communist Party had uncovered this mess in our schools." Ji-Li, page 38
Answers.com
Encarta Dictionary
Cul·tur·al Rev·o·lu·tion -noun
reform movement in China in 1960s: a political and cultural reform movement in the People's Republic of China from 1965 to 1968 that was intended to revolutionize political opinion and behavior. It was characterized by social upheaval. The Red Guard played a prominent role in the movement, which was aimed at restoring principles associated with Mao Zedong.
Wikipedia
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (无产阶级文化大革命) often abbreviated to 文化大革命 wénhuà dà gémìng, literally "Great Cultural Revolution", or even simpler, to 文革 wéngé, "Cultural Revolution") in the People's Republic of China was a struggle for power within the Communist Party of China, which grew to include large sections of Chinese society and eventually brought the People's Republic of China to the brink of civil war. It was launched by Communist Party of China Chairman Mao Zedong on May 16, 1966 to regain control of the party after the disasters of the Great Leap Forward led to a significant loss of his power to rivals such as Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping. Though Mao himself officially declared the Cultural Revolution to have ended in 1969, the term is today widely used to also include the period between 1969 and the arrest of the Gang of Four in 1976.
Between 1966 and 1968, Mao's principal lieutenants, Vice-Chairman Lin Biao and Mao's wife Jiang Qing, acting on his instructions, organised a mass youth militia called the Red Guards to overthrow Mao's enemies and seize control of the state apparatus. In the chaos and violence that ensued, millions died and millions more were injured or imprisoned.
The official historical view of the Communist Party of China on the Cultural Revolution and Mao's role within it is incorporated in the Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China' adopted on June 27, 1981. In this document, it is stated that "Chief responsibility for the grave `Left' error of the `cultural revolution,' an error comprehensive in magnitude and protracted in duration, does indeed lie with Comrade Mao Zedong" and that the Cultural Revolution was carried out "under the mistaken leadership of Mao Zedong who was used by the counterrevolutionaries Lin Biao and Jiang Qing and brought serious disaster and turmoil to the Party and the Chinese people." This official view, which has since become the dominant framework for the Chinese historiography of the Cultural Revolution, separates the personal actions of Mao during the Cultural Revolution from his earlier heroism as well as separates the Mao's personal mistakes from the correctness of the theory that he created.
The Cultural Revolution remains a sensitive issue within the People's Republic of China. While there is little censorship of descriptions of events of the Cultural Revolution, historical views which run counter to the version outlined in the 1981 Resolution, either by suggesting that the Cultural Revolution was a good thing or that Mao was more or less culpable than the official history indicates are routinely censored.
communism
- Occurs on page 1 and throughout the book
- "We thanked heaven that Chairman Mao had started this cultural revolution, and that the Central Committee of the Communist Party had uncovered this mess in our schools." Ji-Li, page 38
Answers.com
Encarta Dictionary
com·mu·nism [ kómmyə nìzzəm ] -noun
classless political system: the political theory or system in which all property and wealth is owned in a classless society by all the members of that society
[Mid-19th century. < French communisme < commun "common" < Latin communis]
Wikipedia
Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a future classless, stateless social organization, based upon common ownership of the means of production. It can be classified as a branch of the broader socialist movement. Early forms of human social organization have been described as 'primitive communism' by Marxists. However, communism as a council communism, Luxemburgism, anarchist communism, Christian communism, and various currents of left communism, which are generally the more widespread varieties. However, various offshoots of the Soviet (what critics call the 'Stalinist') and Maoist interpretations of Marxism-Leninism comprise a particular branch of communism that has the distinction of having been the primary driving force for communism in world politics during most of the 20th century. The competing branch of Trotskyism has not had such a distinction.
Karl Marx held that society could not be transformed from the capitalist mode of production to the communist mode of production all at once, but required a transitional period which Marx described as the revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat. The communist society Marx envisioned emerging from capitalism has never been implemented, and it remains theoretical; Marx, in fact, commented very little on what communist society would actually look like. However, the term 'Communism', especially when it is capitalized, is often used to refer to the political and economic regimes under communist parties that claimed to embody the dictatorship of the proletariat.
Chairman Mao
- Occurs on page 3 and throughout the book
- "Anyone who sees Chairman Mao is the happiest person in the world." Chinese saying, page 107
Answers.com
Wikipedia
Mao Zedong (December 26, 1893 – September 9, 1976) (毛澤東) was a Chinese Marxist military and political leader, who led the Chinese Communist Party to victory against the Kuomintang (KMT) in the Chinese Civil War, leading to the establishment of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949 in Beijing.
Mao pursued the ideal of a strong, prosperous and socially egalitarian China, endeavoring to build a modern, industrialized, socialist nation. However, the failings of Mao's most significant socio-political programs — including the Anti-Rightist Campaign, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution — have been widely criticized. Mao is a controversial figure today. While officially held in high regard in China, he is today rarely mentioned by the government, whose policies have diverged greatly from those of Mao. Maoists around the world look to Mao as a great revolutionary leader whose thought is the highest expression of Marxism. Many of his detractors however accuse him of having been a mass-murderer, holding his leadership accountable for the deaths of tens of millions of Chinese.
Red Guards
- Occurs on page 133 and throughout the book
- "The Red Guards are going to search your home in passing!" Six-Fingers, page 133
Answers.com
Encarta Dictionary
Red Guard (plural Red Guards) -noun
- Chinese Communist youth movement: the 1960s Chinese Communist youth movement that attempted to bring about the Cultural Revolution of Mao Zedong
- young Chinese Communist: a member of the Red Guard
Wikipedia
In the People's Republic of China, Red Guards (红卫兵) were a mass movement of civilians, mostly students and other young people, who were mobilised by Mao Zedong and his allies to defeat their enemies within the struggle for power officially called the Cultural Revolution, between 1966 and 1976.
Initially under the control of the Cultural Revolution Group within the Communist Party leadership, led by Mao's principal allies, Vice-Chairman Lin Biao and Mao's wife Jiang Qing, the Red Guards soon got out of control and divided into many factions, some of which fought against each other, bringing the country to the brink of civil war by 1969. The Red Guards nevertheless achieved Mao's objectives of removing from power other leaders within the Chinese Communist Party (who were viewed as trying to take China back to capitalism). Particularly, it removed leaders such as Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping along with thousands of others, by a process of revolutionary mass movement.
Many young Chinese were enthusiastic about the prospect of "being politically influential at such a young age." With Little Red Books in their hands, squads of Red Guards formed and began to go from house to house looking for potential elements of corruption, which sometimes included teachers, relatives, and then their own families. The accusations against their opponents sometimes became ridiculous as well. Punishments could be exceptionally cruel. The number of people who perished during the period was estimated by some to be in the millions.
There were cases where particular members would start by targeting their parents (Pavlik Morozov-style) in order to demonstrate uncompromising fairness and absolute obedience to Mao. Then others were required to measure up or even surpass these efforts, resulting in a vicious cycle of competition.
Young Pioneers
- Occurs on page 3 and throughout the book
- "We are the Young Pioneers, successors to Communism. Our red scarves flutter on our chest." Young Pioneer Song, page 3
Answers.com
Wikipedia
The Young Pioneers of China (中国少年先锋队) is a mass youth organization for children in the People's Republic of China. The YP of China is run by the Communist Youth League, an organization of older youth that comes under the Communist Party of China. The YP of China is similar to Pioneer Movements that exist or existed in many Communist countries around the world.
da-dui-zhang
- Occurs on page 9 and throughout the book
- "I was an Outstanding Student, an Excellent Young Pioneer, and even the da-dui-zhang,' the student chairman of the whole school." Ji-Li, page 9
Answers.com
The Book's Glossary
In a Chinese elementary school, the student chairman of the entire school, roughly equivalent to the Student Council president in an American school.
Zeno's Paradox
- page 13
salon (party)
- page 16
detrimentally
- page 30
da-zi-bao
- page 39
oleander
-
Meniere's disease
- page 180 -
yuan
- page 84
Qian-long period
- page 249
Summary
Ji-Li Jiang survived red China's Glorious Cultural Revolution; possibly Chairman Mao's biggest mistake. Ji-Li's world is turned upside down by the insatiable quest of her peers to eradicate the four-olds from society. Old ideas, old customs, old culture, and old habits are holding back China from its strong socialist future. Pants with legs narrower than 9 inches were just cut off on the streets. Pointed shoes were considered taboo. The Good Fortune Photo Studio was too èlite; it was renamed the Proletarian Photo Studio. Profit making and capitalism were strictly forbidden and frowned upon. Ji-Li suffers because her grandpa was a landowner. Land owners were seen as exploitative of the lower class. For 12 years, Ji-Li lived a comfortable life in a mid-sized apartment. But now, any inequality in wealth between people must be removed. Ji-Li is forced to avoid her somewhat-affluent past. Ji-Li's father and mother fire their servant, burn their decorative clothes, and repaint their mahogany furniture. They know that the Red Guards are on the patrol for rouge citizens who do not remold their ideologies and extinguish their former wealth.
Ironically, the guards leading the way are no other then Ji-Li's peers. Those that did not do well at school, now discover their power as members of the Young Pioneers. Ji-Li, a straight honor student, must cope with the reversal of power in the classroom. The students rebel against the teachers, driving them out of school and eroding the typical respect they had for their elders. They even go as far as accusing the teachers of poisoning their minds. For example, they had corrupted a young revolutionary by buying him bread when he did not have a lunch. Ji-Li, as an honor student, is saddened and tries to support the teachers. Her position is frowned upon by her friends. But when the students accuse her of a relationship with a male teacher, Ji-Li fears for her personal safety, and tries to distance herself from the rest of the group, leaving her open to even more accusations of being a counterrevolutionary.
Being a counterrevolutionary was dealt with very harshly and fiercely during Ji-Li's time. Groups of people went around ransacking homes and searching people in the streets to try and find any evidence of resisting Chairman Mao and his cultural revolution. Unfortunately, there were not actually very many people plotting against the government, if any in Ji-Li's town. Therefore they accuse people of treason for even the smallest of crimes. A trash man is arrested for accidentally tearing a picture of Chairman Mao while removing scrap papers.
Ji-Li's life is also made hard because she has landlord grandparents. The Red Guards want Ji-Li to break all ties with her family and become a new person. Ji-Li is torn between the family she loves and her future in politics. The decision is easy for some students in her class. But when Ji-Li's father is arrested for interrogation, Ji-Li must make the big decision affecting her entire future. Does she renounce and accuse her father of crimes that he did not commit, or should she seal her fate as a counterrevolutionary forever, thereby subjecting her to forced labor and "study" sessions for the rest of her life?
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