From Taiwan back to the Mainland response

The Past and the Punishments by YU Hua (book cover)

Please respond to two short stories from Taiwan and one short story from the Mainland spanning a few decades (available on Blackboard). When were the stories written? What do they have in common? How do they differ from each other? Use quotes with page numbers from each story to support your analysis. Carefully cite any sources you use to avoid plagiarizing others. Due Wednesday November 20 by 8 pm. Comments to two other responses due Nov. 20 by 10 pm.

Cultural Milieu of the Reform Period response

Cui Jian in front of Tian'anmen, source: Chinese Avant-garde Art Archive

Please respond to HAN Shaogong's short story "Homecoming" and BEI DAO's poetry collection August Sleepwalker. What do these two samples of writings tell us about the cultural milieu of the 1980s in China? Use one quote from each reading to support your observation. Due Wednesday November 13th by 8 pm. Comments to two other responses due November 13th by 10 pm.

Cultures of the Cultural Revolution response

Scatter the Old World, Build a New World, ca. 1967, source: Chineseposters.net

1. Do you think the revolutionary model operas such as "The Red Lantern" are both government propaganda and popular entertainment for the people of China during the Cultural Revolution? Why and why not? Analyze a quote to support your argument.

2. What surprised you most in the "Growing Up with Posters" article? Explain with a quote and your analysis of it.

3. Click "themes" on the Chinese Posters website http://chineseposters.net/, and scroll down to "Campaigns, 1966-1976." Read through all links under this category and pick a poster that left the strongest impression and explain why.

Due Wednesday November 6 by 8 pm. Comments to two other responses due November 6 by 10 pm.