Exploring the counter-historians challenging China's official narrative, especially regarding the Cultural Revolution. Discussing the trend of rewriting history in China and the impact of 'Sparks' magazine. Delving into the motives and methods of 'counter historians' in preserving China's history. Examining the white paper protests and the interplay between exile and internal groups.
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Quick takeaways
China's Communist Party tightly controls its history narrative to prevent criticism and maintain its rule.
Underground historians in China challenge the official narrative, preserving memory and highlighting the horrors of dark periods in Chinese history.
Deep dives
The Power of Narrative Control by the Chinese Communist Party
The Chinese Communist Party meticulously controls the narrative of its history, providing support to filmmakers who glorify its rule while discouraging criticism of the Mao era. Personal experiences and motivations of Xi Jinping, the current leader, might contribute to this control. Understanding the collapse of the Soviet Union, Xi Jinping believes tight control over history is crucial to prevent a similar fate for China. Since taking power in 2012, he has launched a campaign against alternative versions of the past and any criticism of the Communist Party's history.
The Cultural Revolution: Official Narrative vs. Counter Narrative
The official narrative of the Cultural Revolution depicts it as a chaotic period that Mao regretted, while Xi Jinping portrays it as a formative experience that toughened him. However, underground historians in China present a counter-narrative, highlighting the horrors, summary executions, and widespread suffering that occurred during this period. This counter-history movement extends beyond the Cultural Revolution, focusing on various issues from China's founding to the present. The disparity between the official and counter narratives reveals the struggle to acknowledge and remember certain important aspects of history.
The Significance and Impact of China's Underground Historians
China's underground historians, known as counter-historians, play a crucial role in preserving memory and challenging the official narrative. With diverse motives, such as political agendas, raising awareness, and leaving records for future generations, these historians see their work as a duty to history and the Chinese people. Their efforts include the establishment of underground history journals, discussing past struggles, and analyzing current events through a historical lens. The recent white paper protests, where people held up blank sheets of paper in frustration, demonstrate the ongoing desire to express discontent despite censorship and surveillance.
China’s Communist Party has a particular way in which it wants its story to be told. However, some people challenge its interpretation of history. They’re keen that dark periods of China’s recent past - such as the Cultural Revolution - are not erased from memory. Some counter-historians are prepared to take great risks in the face of state-censorship. In this podcast, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ian Johnson shares what he has learned from China’s underground story-tellers in conversation with regular host, Duncan Bartlett.