6.3 The Hundred Flowers Campaign and Its Aftermath

The Hundred Flowers Campaign, launched by Mao Zedong in 1956, briefly encouraged open criticism of the Communist Party. It aimed to improve governance and unite the masses by inviting intellectuals to voice their opinions on national policies and societal issues.

However, the campaign's aftermath led to severe consequences. The subsequent Anti-Rightist Campaign persecuted those who had spoken out, tightening Party control over culture and literature. This period significantly impacted China's artistic and intellectual landscape for decades to come.

The Hundred Flowers Campaign

Background and Objectives

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• The Hundred Flowers Campaign was a period of liberalization in the People's Republic of China from 1956 to 1957
  • The Communist Party of China (CPC) encouraged citizens to openly express their opinions on national policy and society
• Mao Zedong initiated the campaign by delivering a speech titled "On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People" in February 1957
  • Invited intellectuals and artists to critique the Party's policies and governance
• The main objectives of the campaign:
  • Promote socialist construction
  • Rectify the Party's work style
  • Strengthen the unity between the Party and the masses by encouraging open debate and constructive criticism
• The slogan "Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of thought contend" symbolized the Party's willingness to consider diverse perspectives and ideas
• The campaign also aimed to identify and address the grievances and dissatisfaction among intellectuals
  • Intellectuals had been subjected to ideological control and political persecution in the early years of the People's Republic

Intellectuals' Grievances and Dissatisfaction

• The Hundred Flowers Campaign sought to address the concerns and frustrations of intellectuals in the early years of the People's Republic of China
• Many intellectuals felt stifled by the strict ideological control and political persecution imposed by the Communist Party
  • They were expected to adhere to the principles of socialist realism in their work and to support the Party's policies unconditionally
• Intellectuals also faced discrimination and marginalization in society, with limited opportunities for career advancement and personal development
  • The Party often viewed intellectuals with suspicion, seeing them as potential threats to its authority and legitimacy
• The campaign provided a rare opportunity for intellectuals to voice their grievances and to call for greater freedom, democracy, and respect for individual rights
  • They hoped that the Party would be receptive to their critiques and would take steps to address their concerns and improve their status in society

Artistic Expression During the Campaign

Literature and Theater

• The Hundred Flowers Campaign saw a flourishing of literary and theatrical works that explored previously taboo subjects and pushed the boundaries of socialist realism
• In literature, writers published works that depicted the dark side of the Communist revolution, the suffering of ordinary people, and the need for greater individual freedom and democracy
  • Notable examples include Ding Ling's "The Sun Shines Over the Sanggan River" (depicted the hardships of peasants during land reform) and Wang Meng's "The Young Newcomer in the Organization Department" (satirized bureaucratic inefficiency and corruption)
• The theater world experienced a resurgence of traditional opera and the emergence of new plays that addressed contemporary themes and challenges
  • Lao She's "Teahouse" chronicled the changes in Chinese society from the late Qing dynasty to the early years of the People's Republic

Visual Arts and Film

• The visual arts and film industries also experienced a brief period of experimentation and innovation during the Hundred Flowers Campaign
• Painters and sculptors moved away from the rigid socialist realism that had dominated the early 1950s and incorporated elements of modernism and abstraction into their works
  • Artists such as Lin Fengmian and Zao Wou-Ki were among those who explored new styles and techniques
• The film industry produced critically acclaimed films that explored social issues and human emotions in a more nuanced and realistic manner
  • Directors like Xie Jin and Zheng Junli were at the forefront of this movement
• However, the relative freedom and diversity of artistic expression during the Hundred Flowers Campaign was short-lived, as the Party soon reasserted its control over the cultural sphere and demanded strict adherence to socialist realism

Campaign Consequences for Culture

Persecution of Intellectuals

• The Hundred Flowers Campaign had tragic consequences for many intellectuals and artists who had spoken out during the period of liberalization
• In the Anti-Rightist Campaign that followed, those who had criticized the Party were labeled as "rightists" and subjected to severe persecution
  • Prominent figures such as Ding Ling, Ai Qing, and Lao She were denounced, humiliated, and sent to labor camps or remote areas for "re-education"
  • Some, like the writer Hu Feng, were imprisoned for many years
• The persecution of intellectuals had a chilling effect on cultural production, as writers and artists became increasingly reluctant to express their true thoughts and feelings for fear of political reprisals

Tightening of Party Control

• The Party responded to the outpouring of criticism during the Hundred Flowers Campaign by tightening its control over literature and art
• All creative works were required to adhere strictly to the principles of socialist realism and to serve the interests of the state and the revolution
  • This meant that works had to celebrate the achievements of socialism, glorify the Party and its leaders, and promote collectivism over individualism
• The legacy of the Hundred Flowers Campaign and the Anti-Rightist Campaign continued to shape Chinese cultural life for decades
  • Many intellectuals and artists struggled to find a balance between creative expression and political conformity
  • Those who dared to challenge the Party's cultural policies risked censorship, blacklisting, or worse

Anti-Rightist Campaign Impact on Literature

Silencing of Creative Voices

• The Anti-Rightist Campaign had a devastating impact on Chinese literature, as hundreds of thousands of writers and intellectuals were targeted and silenced
• Many of China's most talented and creative minds were labeled as "rightists" and enemies of the state
  • They were subjected to imprisonment, forced labor, and political indoctrination
  • Some, like the poet Ge Xiao, committed suicide as a result of the persecution
• The campaign created a climate of fear and self-censorship in the literary community, as writers learned to avoid any expression of dissent or individuality that might be construed as "rightist"

Ideological Conformity in Literature

• Literature became increasingly formulaic and ideologically driven in the wake of the Anti-Rightist Campaign
• Writers were expected to produce works that celebrated the Party, the revolution, and the collective good while downplaying or ignoring the struggles and sufferings of ordinary people
  • This led to a proliferation of "red classics" - works that adhered strictly to the principles of socialist realism and glorified the Communist cause
  • Examples include "The Red Detachment of Women" and "The White-Haired Girl," which became staples of the revolutionary canon
• The campaign also had a long-lasting impact on the development of Chinese literature, as it stifled creativity, experimentation, and critical thinking for decades to come
  • It was not until the post-Mao era that Chinese writers began to break free from the constraints of socialist realism and to explore new forms and themes in their work