China in Ten Words

Big-character posters are large, eye-catching posters written in bold calligraphy, often brush-painted on sheets of paper or newspaper and mounted on walls. These posters served as a key medium for political expression, propaganda, and public criticism during the Cultural Revolution, containing slogans, quotations from Mao, or denunciations of individuals or groups deemed to be “class enemies” or “counterrevolutionaries.” Yu Hua notes that while big-character posters initially emerged as a way for ordinary people to express grievances against officials, they later became a ubiquitous tool of political struggle, used to attack and humiliate those targeted by the revolution, covering walls in cities and towns across China and turning the country into a vast exhibition of political calligraphy.

Yu Hua uses the term “blood chief” to refer to individuals who organize and manage groups of people to sell their blood for profit. These “blood chiefs” often come from humble backgrounds but are able to amass wealth and power by exploiting the desperation of the poor and navigating the loopholes in the system. The term highlights the entrepreneurial spirit and opportunism of those at the grassroots level of Chinese society, showcasing how some individuals are able to capitalize on the vulnerabilities of others in the face of economic hardship and limited opportunities.