In 1942 Mao Zedong presented an influential policy for revolutionary culture in his “Talks at the Yan’an Conference on Arts and Literature.” Mao detailed how the arts could act as a “powerful weapon” in uniting and educating the masses, “attacking and annihilating the enemy,” and simultaneously foster solidarity in the struggle (McDougall, transl. 1980). Accordingly, revolutionary music should focus on the three pillars of socialist society: the workers, peasants and soldiers.

Many children’s songs were composed and disseminated in attempts to educate the next generation of Chinese socialist society. Songs such as “I Love Beijing’s Tiananmen,” “Tiny Little Screw Cap,” “Grow up to be a Good Member of the Commune,” and “Lin Biao and Confucius are both Bad Things” are striking examples where the innocence of children is written into political ideology and revolutionary language while routinely including references to struggle, weapons, and violence. Seemingly opposing forces come together in these Children’s songs as music is utilized as a weapon for the revolution. My analysis considers how children’s songs are a dangerous and extreme example of the exploitation of music and its universal functions.

LEI OUYANG BRYANT is an Associate Professor of Music at Swarthmore College. Her scholarly interests are in music, culture, and performance in East Asia (primarily China, Japan, and Taiwan) and Asian America. Her research examines issues of music and memory, identity, politics, race and ethnicity, popular culture, and social justice. Research projects include music and memory in the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Race and Performance in Asian American musical theatre and social justice and taiko drumming in the American Midwest.