A turn to realism and humanism from propaganda: Chinese photojournalism practices between 1976 and 1988

Abstract

China’s photojournalistic field undertook great transformations in the 1980s. While the conservatives continued to cling to the propagandistic doctrine, a more progressive trend was emerging. The tension between these two forces had deep historical roots and went on to shape the way Chinese media photography developed. Based on archival research and in-depth interviews, this article revisits the history of Chinese media photography practices between 1937 and 1988 and identifies the key features of three distinct periods: wartime propaganda between 1937– 1949; the intensification of ideological propaganda between 1949–1976; and the transformation to realism and humanism between 1976–1988.