Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Li Zhensheng (photojournalist)

Role / Field:

Pioneering Chinese photojournalist documenting the Cultural Revolution's highs and lows.

Born:

1940-09-22

Died:

2020-06-22

Century / Era:

1940s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Li Zhensheng (Chinese: 李振盛; pinyin: Lǐ Zhènshèng; 22 September 1940 – June 2020) was a Chinese photojournalist who captured important images from the Cultural Revolution. His employment at the Heilongjiang Daily, which followed the party line, and his decision to wear a red arm band indicating an alliance with Chairman Mao Zedong, allowed him access to scenes otherwise only described in written and verbal accounts. His 2003 book Red-Color News Soldier exhibits both the revolutionary ideals and many of the atrocities that occurred during the Cultural Revolution. The Heilongjiang Daily newspaper had a strict policy in accordance with a government dictate that only "positive" images could be published, which consisted mostly of smiling revolutionaries offering praise for Chairman Mao.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The "negative" images, which depicted the atrocities of the time, were hidden beneath a floorboard in his house before he brought them to light at a photo exhibition in 1988. A private museum, dedicated to Li's life and work, was opened in 2017 in Sichuan Province as a part of the Jianchuan Museum Cluster. Li was born to a poor family in Dalian, Liaoning. At the time of his birth the city...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Li Zhensheng (photojournalist)