Description
China, Geremie R. Barme notes, has become one of the greatest writing and publishing nations on the planet, and both cultural activists and the state are embroiled in debates about the production and distribution of its cultural products. But what happens when global culture and Chinese capitalist-socialism meet in the marketplace? In the Redinvestigates what goes on behind the rhetoric of the official Chinese government and the dissident community and provides a unique perspective on mainstream Western perceptions of cultural developments, artistic freedom, and popular lifestyles in China today. Illustrated with fascinating cartoons and photographs and rich with facts, anecdotes, and events, In the Red exposes the complex relationship between "official" culture (produced, supported, or sanctioned by the government) and "nonofficial" or countercultures (especially among urban youths and dissidents). Two key and contrasting events loom large in this narrative: the 1989 protests that ended with the June 4 massacre and a nationwide purge, and Deng Xiaoping's 1992 "tour of the south," in which he emphasized the need for radical economic reform. Although a level of political tolerance has evolved since the 1970s, Barme sheds light on the significance of the intermittent denunciations of artists, ideas, and works.
A leading observer of Chinese literature, society, and politics lifts the veil on the culture wars that have raged between officials and dissidents in the period before and after the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
About the Author
Geremie R.Barme is a senior research fellow at the Institute of Advanced Studies at the Australian National University. He is the author of Shades of Mao: The Posthumous Career of a Great Leader and the editor of several books, including (with Linda Jaivin) New Ghosts. Old Dreams: Chinese Rebel Voices and (with John Minford) Seeds of Fire: Chinese Voices of Conscience. He has also translated two volumes of Chinese essays and was a coauthor of and advisor for the documentary film The Gate of Heavenly Peace.
Reviews
Barme knows China well [and] has occasionally feuded with Chinese cultural icons... Here, he surveys the cultural warfare since the reform era began in 1978 and emphasizes the way a rich counterculture has flowered despite the authorities'deep misgivings and periodic purges. -- Nicholas D. Kristof New York Times Book Review A factual look at a cultural revolution that is happening without artist or government realizing it. -- Joe Collins Booklist
Book Information
ISBN 9780231106153
Author Geremie R. Barme
Format Paperback
Page Count 512
Imprint Columbia University Press
Publisher Columbia University Press
A leading observer of Chinese literature, society, and politics lifts the veil on the culture wars that have raged between officials and dissidents in the period before and after the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
About the Author
Geremie R.Barme is a senior research fellow at the Institute of Advanced Studies at the Australian National University. He is the author of Shades of Mao: The Posthumous Career of a Great Leader and the editor of several books, including (with Linda Jaivin) New Ghosts. Old Dreams: Chinese Rebel Voices and (with John Minford) Seeds of Fire: Chinese Voices of Conscience. He has also translated two volumes of Chinese essays and was a coauthor of and advisor for the documentary film The Gate of Heavenly Peace.
Reviews
Barme knows China well [and] has occasionally feuded with Chinese cultural icons... Here, he surveys the cultural warfare since the reform era began in 1978 and emphasizes the way a rich counterculture has flowered despite the authorities'deep misgivings and periodic purges. -- Nicholas D. Kristof New York Times Book Review A factual look at a cultural revolution that is happening without artist or government realizing it. -- Joe Collins Booklist
Book Information
ISBN 9780231106153
Author Geremie R. Barme
Format Paperback
Page Count 512
Imprint Columbia University Press
Publisher Columbia University Press
