Yi Ren

Focusing on popular entertainment in rural areas of Southeast Shanxi during the Cultural Revolution period, this dissertation argues,on the one hand, the profound impact of the Cultural Revolution was not only experienced as intense political struggles, revolutionary upheavals or violent conflicts, but also permeated daily through cultural activities like popular entertainment; on the other, it argues the understanding of Cultural Revolution culture as well as the Cultural Revolution itself was deeply entrenched into the local society. This dissertation provides us a detailed analysis of the dynamic process and changes during the Cultural Revolution. In particular, it highlights the roles of rural villagers in defining their own lives, the village space, and the history of the state.