This silent reel of documentary footage shows The People's Republic of China (PRC) in the 1960s, illustrating the era of Chairman Mao Zedong’s reign of power leading the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) through the “Great Leap Forward” and the “Cultural Revolution” of the era, with emphasis on displays of military force, a shift toward industrialization, the Socialist Education Movement, and Mao’s personality cult (TRT: 16:01).

The Great Wall of China and the Chinese coast. A musical performance by a duo on a Guzheng zither and a Shakuhachi flute. Traditional martial arts and dance in period costumes (0:07). Historic pagodas and traditional architecture. A closeup of polished precious stones carved into the shape of birds. Calligraphy by an elder (0:34). Black and white footage. Scenes of agricultural development. Plowing muddy fields, carrying baskets, washing. Modest living accommodations. A team of men strain themselves towing a boat (0:54). A crowd of civilians running in a panic. Zoom on a balding middle-aged man. Bodies lying in the streets. Explosions (1:56). Soldiers on horseback. Battleships. Flags and cannons of the Japanese Imperial Navy. Scenes of civil unrest (2:15). Men run through clouds of smoke along railroad tracks past fallen bodies. Damaged homes and displaced civilians. A mother and a crying child (2:54). Crossfade to color footage of children playing large tanggu ceremonial drums. Young men and women march with military precision. A large conflagration of marching youths with red wreaths (3:43). Chinese Communist leaders gather above a large portrait of Chairman Mao Zedong. A neighborhood meeting. Loudspeakers. People read the publicly posted Guangming Daily newspaper (4:19). A map indicates Peking, with arrows radiating outward. A foundry and molten metal. A building under construction. Trains. Furnaces, with a slow zoom on a hunched worker (4:58). Farmers harvesting crops (6:01). A pig. A combine harvester. A mechanical hammer forges steel. Grinding and manufacturing. A man in glasses works a lathe. A machinist in a tool and die shop creates engine gears (7:15). A shopkeeper. A doctor’s visit. A pharmacist. An x-ray. A classroom of girls in white smocks. Adolescent girls are seated for class. A high school class works with vacuum tubes (9:05). Young farm workers wear red bandanas (10:19). The calligrapher returns. Adult literacy education. A young girl helps an elder. A family meal (10:41). A golden statue of the Buddha. Zen Buddhist monks pray in a temple (12:25). The flag of the Young Pioneers of China. Young pioneers hold up fists while delivering a recitation. A whistle is blown, starting a swimming race in a river (13:05).  The neighborhood meeting is attended by elders. A proclamation is greeted with applause (13:55). A man speaks in a public square to a group of armed men in white helmets. A parade carries a large statue of Mao Zedong. Mao applauds from a balcony at a military parade. Crowds cheer and wave flags in massive parades (14:25).


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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com