By using details of the source and your knowledge, answer the

questions in pairs. [10 marks]

 What is the Cultural Revolution? [1 mark]

The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) was a socio-political movement in China initiated by
Mao Zedong. It involved mass mobilization, especially by the Red Guards, to eliminate
perceived bourgeois and traditional influences, resulting in social upheaval, political
purges, and economic disruptions.

 Who were the Red Guard? [1 mark]

The Red Guards were radical youth groups in China during the Cultural Revolution (1966-
1976), mobilized by Mao Zedong to enforce his policies through demonstrations, purges,
and violence against perceived threats to his ideology.

 What were the Four Old? [1 mark]

The Four Olds refer to old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas that were
targeted for elimination during the Cultural Revolution in China (1966-1976). Mao
Zedong encouraged the Red Guards and other revolutionary groups to eradicate these
traditional elements, viewing them as hindrances to the establishment of a new socialist
society based on communist principles.

 What is the Little Red book? [1 mark]

The Little Red Book, officially titled "Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong," is a
collection of quotes and speeches by Mao Zedong, the leader of the Chinese Communist
Party. It was widely distributed during the Cultural Revolution and became a symbol of
Maoist ideology.

 Explain the campaign to destroy the Four Olds. [1 mark]

 The campaign to destroy the Four Olds during the Cultural Revolution aimed to eliminate
old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas perceived as counter-revolutionary or
capitalist. It involved the radical actions of the Red Guards and other revolutionary
groups to eradicate traditional elements and promote Maoist ideology.

 How was the plan carried out? [2 marks]

The plan was carried out through mass mobilization, with Red Guards conducting
searches, seizures, and destruction of items associated with the Four Olds. This included
tearing down traditional architecture, burning books, destroying artwork, and
suppressing cultural practices that were deemed contrary to communist ideals.

 Why were the arts a target of the government during the Cultural Revolution? What
types of art and music did this campaign seek to wipe out? How? [3 marks]
The arts were targeted during the Cultural Revolution because they were seen as
vehicles for bourgeois and traditional ideas. The government aimed to wipe out forms of
art and music that did not align with Maoist ideology. Traditional Chinese opera, classical
music, and paintings were particularly targeted, leading to the destruction of cultural
artifacts, censorship of literature, and suppression of artistic expression that deviated
from the revolutionary narrative. The government sought to replace these traditional
forms with revolutionary art glorifying Mao and the Communist Party.