Chairman Mao as the Symbol of Civil Religion in the founding of the new China

“Founding of the Nation” is an oil painting created by artists Zhao Yu and Jin Shanyi in 1980. The theme of this painting is the proclamation of the establishment of the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on October 1, 1949, on the Tiananmen Gate Tower in Beijing. Interestingly, this version which we often see in public media is commonly mistaken for the original version created by artist Dong Xiwen in 1953, but in fact, it is not. After Mao Zedong's death in 1976, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) once again issued an order for the painting to be recreated. Thus, this painting is actually the fifth version, based on modifications of Dong Xiwen’s original.

In the painting, Mao Zedong, the then Chairman of the Central Committee of the CCP, is positioned at the center of the painting, holding a manuscript and standing in front of a row of speakers, his expression serene yet dignified. Behind him stand the most important leaders of the Central Committee of the CCP at that time, from left to right: Dong Biwu, Lin Boqu, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Mme Sun Yatsen, Guo Moruo, Li Jishen, Zhang Lan, Gao Gang. Their appearances vary, with Dong Biwu on the far left looking very excited, while Gao Gang on the far right appears very serious. This, to some extent, represents the CCP officials’ desire to resonate with their people’s various attitudes and sentiments towards the establishment of the PRC, shaping an image of the party as both people-friendly and authoritative.

The entire painting is dominated by the color red, which is also the main color of the CCP. On the left side of the diagonal from the top left to the bottom right of the painting is the layout of the red Tiananmen Gate Tower, including details such as the red carpet, red lanterns, and red pillars. On the other side of the painting is Tiananmen Square filled with orderly queues of working-class people in uniforms of uniform color, waving flags of various colors, with red flags being the most eye-catching. In the distance on the right side of the painting, a red flag flutters, and the blue sky stretches endlessly, symbolizing a peaceful and boundless future for the new China under CCP’s leadership. The most crucial part of this painting is Chairman Mao Zedong, who symbolizes the founding of the new China and is also the first figure viewers see standing at the center of the composition. If he were removed or replaced by someone else, this work would completely lose its significant meaning. Naturally, it would not have prompted CCP to repeatedly order adjustments to the positions and presence of the CCP officials in the background in response to changes in the political situation.

Compared to European historialism paintings such as “The Coronation of Napoleon,” “Founding of the Nation” not only focuses on depicting the CCP leaders but also uses nearly half of the canvas to depict the masses on Tiananmen Square. This self-portrait of CCP in front of the people shows that in the political concept of CCP, the masses exist as a collective concept, i.e., everyone is the same, and there is no individual citizen stands out. To sum up, as a painting serving the political ideology propaganda of CCP, it suggests the unshakable existence of CCP as the national authority on this land, as well as the insurmountable social power hierarchical relationship with the people. The painting uses the symbol of Chairman Mao Zedong to send the message that under CCP’s leadership, the new China will be a peaceful and prosperous scene, just like Tiananmen Square at that time.

In “Civil Religion in America,” Robert N. Bellah highlights the symbolic significance of Abraham Lincoln in American civil society, stating that while the Civil War raised the deepest questions of national meaning, it was Lincoln who not only articulated but also embodied and personified these values for Americans (Bellah 1967: 9). Additionally, Bellah mentions that though much of it is selectively derived from Christianity, this religion is not itself Christianity (Bellah 1967:7). What Bellah suggests is that the essence of American civil religion extends beyond the boundary of Christianity as a traditional religious concept, shaping a unique social bond and belief system that are deeply embedded in the American collective identity. While figures like Abraham Lincoln become emblematic of this civil religion, embodying its principles and moral imperatives through their leadership and public presence. Similarly, symbolized by the figure of Chairman Mao Zedong, the CCP represents a form of civil religion after the founding of the new China.

That is to say, the ideology of CCP is not a religion, but it surpasses religion in influence; Mao Zedong is not a religious leader, but his influence in the new China surpasses that of religious leaders. The painting “Founding of the Nation” was turned into a widely circulated poster in the 1950s, the main reason being that it depicted a civil religion symbolized by Mao Zedong at the time. This civil religion is not entirely equivalent to instilling the literature of CCP ideology into the Chinese people but represents a public expectation evoked by the symbol of Mao Zedong, guiding the Chinese people towards a bright future under CCP leadership. In this process of symbolization, the CCP’s ideology gradually became blurred into the backdrop of the era, replaced by the shining and sacred figure of Mao Zedong.


Reference

Bellah, Robert N. 1967. “Civil Religion in America.” Daedalus 96(1):1-21.

Zhao, Yu. and Shanyi, Jin. 1980. “Founding of the Nation.” Retrieved March 29, 2024. (http://lw.xinhuanet.com/2021-06/07/c_139993074.htm).