#304 Yan’an and Rectification

Sami Thomas public history presentation

Andrew Lim public history presentation

Check for Understanding

Initial discussion:

• What does it mean to speak of literature and art as performing a social or political function?
• Who is to decide what specific functions literature is to perform? The writer? The reader? The state? The dominant ideological apparatus?
• Mao believes that literature is class-based and that it is disingenuous to pretend good literature is universal and timeless. Give arguments for and against these assertions.
• Mao pins his hope of the revolution on the peasants of rural China rather than the exploited proletariat in major cities. How does such a view shape his literary and artistic policies?
• Wang Shiwei, Ding Ling, and a few other writers came under strong criticism from the CCP in 1942. Why do you think the CCP leadership might have singled them out for criticism?

Rectification simulation:

• You will be assigned a role: Pro-Wang faction, Anti-Wang faction, or intermediary.
• As soon as you are assigned your role, meet within your groups. The anti-Wang faction will also select one of its members to serve as chair of the assembly. Once that person is selected, they will run the remainder of the simulation, guiding the proceedings, adding or subtracting rules as they wish.
• While the factional meetings are going on, indeterminates should circulate between the two opposing factions to learn about their positions and strategies. They should also feel free to express their own concerns, raise questions, and engage the two factions in discussion. To win the indeterminates over to their side, both factions should answer the indeterminates’ questions as fully as possible without jeopardizing their strategies, while taking care that whatever they propose during the rest of the session will address the concerns raised by the indeterminates. The instructor should also circulate to answer questions as needed.
• After an appropriate interval determined by the chair, the full group will meet to debate the future of Wang Shiwei. The chair will then moderate the debate with the time that remains.