2009-05-14

Jiang Zemin Theory "Three Represents"

Since the death of Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin has been actively working on his own contribution to China's ideological complex. In 2000, his theory of the "three represents" (三个代表,Sange daibiao) was first presented as the nucleus of Jiang Zemin Theory. The theory focusses on the future role of the CCP as "a faithful representative of the requirements in the development of advanced productive forces in China, the orientation of the advanced culture in China, and the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people in China." In a way, the "Represents" attempt to replace ideology with loyalty to the CCP without doing away with it altogether, and basically revolve around the need to identify the CCP as the moving force behind the reforms. This downplaying of the revolutionary credentials of the Party, and stressing its relevance in the post-revolutionary period, will make the Party "forever undefeatable".


The first one (above, left), presenting the CCP as the faithful representative of the requirements in the development of advanced productive forces, is dominated by images including DNA-research, space travel, IT, and architecture/urban development. Many of the images echo the icons of development used since the early 1980s, but they have been brought up-to-date. The predominance of cutting-edge Science and Technology, embodied by the gleaming high-tech, does not bode well for the many outdated and underperforming State-owned enterprises and their workers, many of whom face unemployment. This principle, in short, can be seen as a theoretical justification for co-opting successful managers, private entrepreneurs and intellectuals into the Party. Switching its attention to the political and economic interests of the growing middle class and the white-collar workforce should make the CCP more relevant. That this means moving away from defending the interests of the proletariat causes much controversy. The themes of high-tech and state-of-the-art technological development, including the famous Mag-Lev train linking Pudong with Shanghai proper, returns in the poster on the right, published in 2002.





The second set of posters (above) present the CCP as the faithful representative of the orientation of the advanced culture in China. The images brought together in photomontage in the poster on the left include a sports team (China's not-so successful soccer players?); Xinhua men, the South Gate of the Zhongnanhai compound; two Beijing Opera actors; ballet dancers; compact disks; and a group of university graduates, wearing gowns and mortarboards. The superimposed characters include wenming (culture), zhen (sincerity), mei (beauty), and chuangxin (bring forth new ideas). Advanced culture does not merely refer to China's own cultural traditions, but is also meant to include the “studying and adopting [of] all the splendid cultural achievements of the outside world, while upholding Marxism”. At the same time, it is obvious that the commercialization of the entertainment industry and the emergence of interest groups focused on profit have had a greater impact on changes in Chinese culture than the politics of the CCP. The poster on the right, on the other hand, published in 2002, continues the technological theme set out in the posters devoted to the first 'Represent'. The last posters (below) define the CCP as the faithful representative of the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people in China. The poster on the left features the peasantry, represented – as has become the standard in posters – by a woman; a group of male workers wearing hard hats; a girl holding up a pigeon (or is it a dove of peace, indicating China's peace-loving stance?); a female scientist; and a large group of China's ethnic minorities in their distinctive costumes. This latter visual element repeats the scores of posters of the past five decades that in one way or another have called for the unity of all people of all nationalities under the leadership of the CCP. The conspicuous absence of the military here in interesting. This may indicate a shift in the concept of the 'masters of the nation', which used to be defined as an alliance of workers-peasants-soldiers (工农兵,gongnongbing). In the early 1980s, intellectuals were added to this triumvirate, after their status had been redefined as that of 'mental workers'. At the same time, by showing the peasants and the workers, the former mainstays of the Party, this may be intended to allay the suspicions that the interests of these groups are no longer being represented by the Party, as suggested by the first “Represent”. The poster on the right no longer shows the people at all, but concerns itself with Lei Feng, the Hong Kong Handover, and revolutionary statues.






A number of observations can be made about the presentation of the "Three Represents". First, it is interesting to see that the Party again has sought recourse in using posters to propagate the theory. This all the more striking, as all indications point to a decreased use of the medium for propaganda purposes. Secondly, the hammer-and-sickle basically has replaced the image of Mao. The stylized rays of sunlight are very reminiscent of the Mao posters that were produced during the Cultural Revolution. Thirdly, in the reader mentioned below, all direct quotes of Jiang Zemin are represented in boldface. This is a throwback to Cultural Revolution practice, when all publications were peppered with boldfaced Mao-quotes.




The Theory is considered controversial and has been attacked by both the more conservative and reform-minded sections of the CCP. Despite this, the "Represents" were adopted at the 16th Party Congress in November 2002 and written into the Party Constitution. In March 2003, the National People's Congress decided to have them included in the State Constitution. In June 2003, the media started to promote a new campaign to study Jiang Theory with the call to "whip up a new high tide to study and implement the important thought of the 'Three Represents'". Numerous Chinese Internet portals opened special sections carrying relevant and educational essays devoted to this event.

2009-03-30

Celebration posts of 60 Aniversary of China

这幅画是新中国第一个十年的代表和缩影。十年发生了许多事,那么什么事是新中国最本质最深刻最简单的代表?只有当我们站在近现代数百年的历史中去思考,才能过滤浮光掠影,发现沉淀已久的珍宝:新中国最本质的变化就是中国人民推翻了压在自己身上的三座大山——帝国主义、封建主义和官僚买办资本主义,让占人口绝大多数的农民翻身得解放,农民分到田地、劳动者成为土地的主人。正如毛泽东主席在开国大典上震撼世界的一句话:中国人民从此站起来了!因此,当我们翻阅历史镜头,发现这张农民分到田地的笑脸时,他当之无愧成为我们这幅画的核心代表。画面的左上角取自50年代初天安门前游行检阅部队的镜头,天安门城楼上的毛主席像都是那个时代特定使用的。画面下的长城和铁路建筑工人铺设铁轨,表示百废待兴的中国开始建设新的长城,续写振兴中华的新篇。

新中国的第二个十年。中国经历很多艰辛和痛苦,但回顾起来,毛泽东主席领导中国人民战天斗地、改造河山,自力更生,艰苦奋斗,为我国的基础工业和国防建设打下了深厚的基础。大庆油田的开发、原子弹的掌握等一系列能源、工业和国防建设成就,为中国自立自强创造了物质条件。毛主席在1963年说了最具前瞻性的一句话:“中国人民有志气有能力,一定能在不远的将来赶上和超过世界先进水平!”综上因素,我们选择石油工人为主题形象,是这个时代的代表和缩影。新中国在60年代打下的能源基础,今天仍然发挥着支持经济腾飞的中流砥柱的作用。



新中国的第三个十年。中国仍然经历很多艰辛和痛苦,70年代初是文革末期,但这也是中国开始反思和拨乱反正的年代,中国恢复联合国的合法席位,酝酿中美建交,中国新时代的生机发源于70年代末。76年粉碎“四人帮”,77年恢复高考,提出科教兴国的国策,1978年的中共十一届三中全会奠定了改革开放的基础。因此,我们选择一个年轻知识分子作为主题形象,国家发展的希望从尊重知识开始。中国恢复联合国的合法席位,东方红一号卫星上天,恢复高考,这些都是我们画面的重要组成。


新中国的第四个十年。国家确定实现四个现代化的总目标,制定了在本世纪末实现工农业年总产值翻两番的目标,确立本世纪的目标是实现小康。这十年里,“邓小平理论”成为中共最重要的思想成果。邓小平同志关于建设有中国特色的社会主义的理论,是经过10年实践检验而形成的科学理论,是指导我国改革开放的旗帜。画面选择一个建筑工人——农民工的经典形象,代表国家“全面开创社会主义现代化建设的新局面”;借助35周年国庆游行队伍北大师生打出的“小平您好”,点出了邓小平作为改革开放总设计师所做出的历史性贡献。

新中国的第五个十年。1992年邓小平南巡讲话后,党的十四大正式提出建立社会主义市场经济体制。国民经济提前实现翻两番,达到小康水平。香港、澳门顺利实现回归祖国,实行一国两制,并依基本法成立了特区政府。画面右前以三军仪仗队升国旗的瞬间,代表香港、澳门回归,国旗后还飘扬起香港、澳门特区区旗。画面中有代表经济晴雨表的证券市场,林立的现代化高楼和毕业典礼上的学生。




新中国的第六个十年。进入新世纪,中国经济步入快速发展轨道,取得很多世界瞩目的成就,已成为世界经济发展新引擎。据最新统计2007年中国已成为继美国、日本后的第三大经济体。中国已跃为中等偏下收入国家,进出口贸易总额在世界的位次已经由第29位跃居第3位,仅次于美国与德国,占世界贸易总额的比重也由0.8%提高到7.7%,中国已成为一个名副其实的对外贸易大国。2008年中国成功举办北京奥运会,成为“无与伦比”的典范。神五、神六、神七的成功发射,标志中国载人航天技术取得突破。中国在新世纪里提出了构建“和谐社会”和“和谐世界”的人文理念,可以展望中国必将在21世纪对世界政治、经济、文化产生更大影响,实现中华民族的伟大复兴。

我们画面选择奥运火炬手为中心,背靠五星红旗和地球;右上是中国宇航员在太空展示联合国旗和五星国旗;画面下方展现“5.12汶川大地震”中军人、医护人员、志愿者合力抢救伤员的场景,标志着中华民族在艰难困苦中奋斗不屈、团结一心的精神。总之,画面体现了中国构建“和谐社会”与“和谐世界”的最高人文理念。



Chinese Peony


























































新婚洞房布置注意事项

走过了或冗长或短暂的恋情,有情人最终喜结连理,面对未来幸福的日子,千万不可忽略洞房的风水。信与不信,借鉴无妨。

洞房位置最好在阳光充足之方位为吉,如光线太暗,容易使两人心情烦闷压心口。
洞房空气该畅通,以免新家俱及装璜之木材(忌黑檀、黑色)、油漆味薰塞人的呼吸系统,影响头脑。
洞房墙壁及家俱、窗帘尽可能不要用粉红色,会使人产生脑神经衰弱、慌恐、不安、易发脾气,而吵架之事必然常常发生。
洞房色调如果太阴暗,如深蓝、深绿、深红、深灰色等,容易使夫妻心情不爽朗。
洞房地板颜色不要太黑暗,或大红、特红、粉红色、易使人脾气暴躁,口角多。
洞房地毯、床巾、窗帘如果都是红色,则生女孩的机会较多。
洞房的床位,白虎方不可逼迫,致夫妻失和(先生较有人缘)。(古时的方位为:东青龙、西白虎、南朱雀、北玄武。)
洞房的床头两侧,不可向卫浴之门,身体欠安。
洞房的床前不可向卫浴之门,新婚身体不安,心口时生绞痛、下腹怪气难消之症。
洞房的床前不可放电视机正冲,谨防脑神经衰弱。
洞房的床头柜上,千万不可放音响,以免引起脑神经衰弱或口舌之灾。
洞房的床前及左右,最好不要照到大镜子,口舌多。
洞房的床头上方,新婚大照片最好不要悬挂,压迫感过重,使夫妻时生恶梦(发生离异之梦想)。
洞房的床头枕头两侧,不可被柜角或橱角、书桌、化妆台冲射,易使人偏头痛。
洞房的床位脚部侧面,不可对厕所门,会脚酸痛。
洞房天花板不可五花十色,奇形怪状的装潢,谨防成八卦、天罗地网,百病丛出。
洞房天花板颜色不可红色或深蓝色(影响较轻)。
洞房床位之青龙方紧靠墙壁或近墙为最佳,易生男(龙为贵)。
洞房内挂图布置力求朴素、高雅,艺术照片、挂图也尽可能减少。
洞房床位白虎方不可有音响,口舌之争多(伤丁伤人)。(白虎方为西)
洞房床位头部两边千万不可冲门,易使人心情不安,头痛不愈。