Lei Feng was an interesting figure in Communist China’s historiography. In the 1960’s, after he was killed, his diaries were ‘discovered’ and he was turned into a propaganda hero who gave himself selflessly to the Party’s cause. Now, interestingly, he is being adapted for the new Party propaganda drive, environmentalism.
“Condense the Low Carbon Power, Build Together the Chinese Dream, Fight for a Green, Low Carbon, “New Lei Feng””
This is what the old Lei Feng looked like:
You’ll note that the new version is made out of green leaves.
interesting! where did you get the photo? I taught last semester a course named “a cultural history of Lei Feng” …
Dunhuang. I actually put it up because I talked to Andrea Reimenschnitter and she was interested in the photo.