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Keywords

Shanghai , cape

Untitled

Title: Untitled
Artist: Unknown
Created: c. 1950
Media: Photograph
Source: Shanghai Municipal Archives
Notes:

This 'post Liberation'-era photograph shows an actor portraying Chiang Kai-shek in a huobaoju, or 'living newspaper' play in Shanghai. Chiang was a common feature of such plays during the Chinese Civil War and after, as the public were encouraged to hurl abuse at persons dressed as Chiang (and other enemies) in this agitational form of street theatre.

Further Reading:

Jeremy E. Taylor, 'The Sinification of Soviet Agitational Theatre: Living Newspapers in Mao's China', Journal of the British Association for Chinese Studies 2 (2013.7): 27-50