CULTURAL LIBRARY

Facts and fiction about the founding ceremony
of the People's Republic of China

75 years People's Republic of China

What exactly happened on October 1, 1949?

'Chinese Sketches' tells the whole story

On Saturday October 1, 1949 Mao Zedong, the then leader of the Chinese Communist party, proclaims the foundation of the People's Republic of China.
This event is a turning point in the history of
China and of that of the rest of the world as well.

But despite the fact that this declaration has been extensively recorded by an entire army of Chinese and Russian photographers and filmmakers, much remains unclear about this event.
For instance: what exactly did Mao say when he started his speech, who were all present and - more important - who was not and what exactly happened with the flag-raising button?

Reality and representation

This book sketches - by using dozens of photos and film fragments - a reconstruction of that Saturday afternoon in October 1949. With the events in the real chronological order, something that has not been done yet before.

This day has become deeply entrenched in the collective memory of China. Not so much by means of the (scarce remaining) photos and films, but more by the dozens of paintings, posters and feature films that were made afterwards, and that make that event even 'more beautiful' than it already was.

This patchwork of of both the real and the invented images of this important moment will ultimately form the impression as well as the imprint that will last in China and in the rest
of the world of this crucial moment in China's modern history.

'Chinese Sketches'

This book starts with an overview of the historical lead up to that famous day October 1, 1949, followed by an introduction of the location where it all happened, the Tiananmen Gate.
Then it covers some aspects related to the proclamation and the photos and films that were made of this event.
The heart of the book is a reconstruction of the events on that very afternoon in the real order, something that never has been done before.
It concludes by discussing a selection of paintings and feature films that were made of this occasion afterwards and their relation to the reality.

Furthermore there is a.o. focus on the so-called 'Mao-suit', the portraits of Mao Zedong on Tiananmen, the 'Ten Marshals' and the flag-raising button.
Also available in Dutch version.

Robert R. Berkel:
CHINESE SKETCHES
Facts and fiction around the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China.

150 large-format pages
with lots of illustrations.
Size: 30 x30 cms.
ISBN: 97890-74242-363

PRICE: 48,00
plus shipping

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CONTENTS:
TIME - the lead up to October 1, 1949
PLACE - the Tienanmen Gate in Beijing
ACTION - the proclamation of the People's Republic of China
IMAGES - Photos and films: reality and manupilation
RECONSTRUCTION - the events in the chronological order
REPRESENTATION - posters, paintings and feature films