The communist revolution which began in 1949 had a drastic effect on the cultural makeup of China. Prior to the revolution, Chinese culture was varied, with numerous local beliefs and customs. The revolution impacted almost every aspect of traditional culture, including beliefs, customs, music, art, language, and food.
The Communist Revolution’s Impact on Religion and Beliefs
Prior to 1949, China was a nation with many different religious beliefs and practices. There were several major Buddhist and Taoist sects and various popular folk religions. The Communist Revolution saw the emergence of atheism as the official state religion and the fervent persecution of all other beliefs. This led to the suppression of many important religious and spiritual practices, such as ancestor worship, feng shui, astrology, and fortune-telling. China’s religious landscape shifted from one of many different belief systems to one of strict totalitarian rule and adherence to Communist doctrine. The Communist Party had declared all religions to be superstition and discouraged any form of religious practice.
The Communist Revolution’s Impact on Customs and Traditions
The Communist Revolution also had a significant impact on Chinese customs and traditions. The traditional Confucian values of harmony and order were replaced by Mao Zedong’s call for a “cultural revolution”. This called for a radical break with the past and the destruction of all things considered to be “bourgeois” or “feudal” in nature. Many traditional festivals were banned or discontinued, while others were transformed or replaced altogether. For example, the Dragon Boat Festival was replaced with “red guard” festivals, where revolutionary hymns and songs were sung. Traditional mourning customs and burial practices were abolished, and the wearing of traditional Chinese clothing and hairstyles was forbidden.
Impact on Music, Art, and Language
The Communist Revolution had an impact on Chinese music, art, and language as well. Traditional folk music was replaced with more modern, revolutionary songs. Revolutionary propaganda was used to promote the party’s goals and ideals, while traditional artwork and literature were deemed incompatible with the new order and were suppressed. Traditional Chinese characters were replaced with simplified versions, which made it easier for people to learn to read and write. In addition, Putonghua, or standard Mandarin, became the official language of China, making it easier for people from different regions to communicate with each other.
The Communist Revolution’s Impact on Cuisine
Finally, the Communist Revolution had a significant effect on Chinese cuisine. The Red Guards destroyed much of the country’s culinary heritage, banning certain ingredients and forbidding many dishes. Dishes with symbolic meaning, such as the “Twelve Dishes”, were discouraged, while the use of foreign ingredients and methods was encouraged. Traditional cooking methods were replaced with modern ones, such as deep-frying and stir-frying. Tasteless, high-calorie dishes were also created in order to meet the dietary needs of manual labourers.
Overall, the Communist Revolution had a profound effect on the cultural makeup of China. It led to the suppression of many traditional beliefs and customs, and replaced them with the dictates of the Communist Party. Music, art, language, and food were all heavily influenced by the revolution. It is only in recent years that some of these influences have begun to fade, allowing some of the pre-revolutionary culture to resurface.