REVOLUTIONARY WOMEN: A SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF FEMALE IMAGERY IN CULTURAL REVOLUTION POSTERS FROM AN EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Yao  Yichen; Azhar Abd  Jamil; Zhao  Lu

Yao Yichen PhD candidate, College of Creative Arts, University Technology MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4395-5038
Azhar Abd Jamil PhD in Art & Design, Senior Lecturer, College of Creative Arts, UniversityTechnologyMARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6600-2955
Zhao Lu PhD candidate, College of Creative Arts, University Technology MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4462-3603

Keywords: Women. Imagery. Cultural Revolution. Education.

Abstract

This study investigates the semiotic representation of female figures in Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) propaganda posters, emphasizing their pedagogical function within the ideological and political education system of Maoist China. By applying semiotic theory, the research explores how visual elements in educational propaganda shaped collective consciousness, transmitted state-sanctioned gender norms, and served as tools of political socialization. It reveals that women were depicted as revolutionaries, labor models, and political participants—symbolizing socialist ideals of gender equality and collective identity. These portrayals functioned not merely as artistic expressions but as educational instruments designed to cultivate ideological alignment, behavioral norms, and moral exemplars for both youth and adults. The study fills a gap in previous research by analyzing female imagery through the lens of educational semiotics, highlighting how visual propaganda reinforced sociopolitical values and shaped public understanding of gender and civic responsibility during a transformative period in Chinese educational history.

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