Carry the Revolution Through to the End

This striking poster from the Cultural Revolution era highlights the mobilization of Chinese youth, specifically women, in the revolutionary struggle. It features two female figures: one in the foreground dressed in military-style attire with a "Militia" (Minbing) armchair, holding a rifle and a ribbon-wrapped volume of Mao Zedong’s works; and another in the background holding a signal lantern against a fluttering red flag. This imagery is a direct reference to the "model opera" The Red Lantern, which was one of the few permitted cultural works of the period and celebrated revolutionary persistence across generations.

The vertical text on the left, "Be this kind of person" (Zuò rén yào zuò zhè yàng de rén), and the slogan at the bottom, "Carry the revolution through to the end" (Jiāng gémìng jìnxíng dàodǐ), serve as a moral and political imperative for the viewer. By portraying women as armed, vigilant, and ideologically grounded "iron girls," the artwork sought to break down traditional gender roles in favor of a unified revolutionary identity. It stands as a powerful historical artifact of an era that used high-drama, operatic aesthetics to romanticize the hardships of political struggle and ensure total commitment to Chairman Mao’s vision for China's future.