The Rebel and the Censor: Mining China’s Cultural Revolution

What happens when a government tries to silence a painful chapter of history—but a younger generation discovers new ways to bring it back into the conversation? A recent Chinese film, I Know Who You Are, has drawn attention not only for its disappointing box-office performance but also for the political sensitivity surrounding its depiction of the Cultural Revolution. In this episode, we explore the censorship challenges faced by director Feng Xiaogang and examine why China's authorities remain deeply cautious about public discussion of this turbulent period. But while official institutions attempt to control how the past is remembered, young internet users are finding unexpected ways to reclaim historical symbols, turning figures and imagery from the era into memes and vehicles for expressing contemporary frustrations. We investigate why some disillusioned young people are even reinterpreting controversial revolutionary figures as symbols of rebellion against economic stagnation, bureaucracy, and social pressure. The story reveals a striking generational divide: while the state seeks to contain the memory of the past, a new online culture is actively mining that history for metaphors to understand and criticize the present.https://www.economist.com/china/2026/08/06/to-some-reviled-former-leaders-dont-look-so-bad