Ritual, Reading and Resistance in the Prison and Cowshed during the Cultural Revolution

Abstract

Putting the cultural experiences of a multitude of prisoners during the Cultural Revolution in the historical context of the modern Chinese prison system and in light of the critical theories of methods of penalty and cultural production under incarceration in modern society, this article argues that the formal prison and informal cowshed during the Cultural Revolution both served as important sites for cultural production and dissemination. They also demonstrated the inmates’ perseverance, articulation and resistance. Beneath the surface of highly structured and formulaic daily routine, mechanic ritual performance and forced obeisance, the political prisoners utilized multiple available forms to negotiate with the authorities, influence each other and even their guards, and maximize the freedom of reading, communication and gaining outside information.