A sentinel stands guard even now. This is \u9646\u5bb6\u576122\u53f7\u654c\u53f0. It once bristled with defensive purpose. But its story connects to a surprising force. It is the power of radio in China.
Imagine China at the start of the 20th century. The government saw wireless communication as a state tool. Military applications were the main interest. Public access to wireless equipment was restricted. Foreign concessions in cities like Shanghai ignored this. They created a local radio culture. Warlords also defied regulations by setting up their own stations.
The Nationalist Party took power in 1927. They ended the ban on public radio equipment. Yet, they also viewed radio as a tool for control. They wanted to cultivate support for government objectives. Radio was especially important. Most Chinese citizens were illiterate. Elaborate plans arose. A nationwide radio network would center on the capital. Nanjing would broadcast Party-approved content far and wide.
Political instability and reliance on foreign equipment prevented this dream. The Nationalists depended on the United States, Germany and Japan. Ironically, they despised Japan. Japan broadcast pro-Japanese content in China. This undermined Nationalist authority. The Nationalists could only extend their radio message to a few provinces. They promoted proper moral conduct and loyalty to the Party.
The Chinese Communist Party or CCP did things differently. They established a radio station in Yan’an in 1944. Equipment came from the Soviet Union. Radio played a key role in the CCP’s history. At their first base in Jiangxi province, leaders communicated with Moscow. During the Long March, radio contact failed. Faulty vacuum tubes were to blame. This aided Mao Zedong’s rise. Once Yan’an had a radio station, they broadcast propaganda. The People’s Liberation Army also used radio during the Civil War.
In 1949, the CCP embraced the Nationalist goal. They wanted to project government power through radio. Central People’s Radio in Beijing became the core. It sent content to provincial and municipal stations. In 1955, the government expanded radio to the countryside. They focused on relaying signals. Loudspeaker systems rebroadcast content locally. By 1964, every county had radio stations. Loudspeakers were in almost every village. Schools, factories, and government offices also had PA systems.
China needed more radio equipment. They initially relied on factories built by others. These factories could not meet the demand. Party leaders asked the Soviet Union for help. Manufacturing focused on vacuum tube radios. Parts came from Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. In the late 1950s, the Sino-Soviet alliance fell apart. Disagreements arose over radio. Moscow wanted a radio station in China. It was to monitor the Soviet Pacific fleet. Beijing rejected this. They saw it as an encroachment on Chinese sovereignty. Fortunately, China had a wireless industry. It could supply vacuum tube radios. It also moved to transistor radios in the mid-1960s.
From 1949 to 1952, radio programming consolidated Party control. Mao’s speech declaring the People’s Republic went out live on the radio. Microphones captured audience enthusiasm. The CCP used live broadcasts of mass rallies. They identified China’s friends and enemies. They also began overseas broadcasts in Mandarin and local languages.
During the First Five Year Plan, radio emphasized hard work. It promoted economic output and building socialism. Cultural programs also appeared. These included traditional Chinese forms and stories of CCP heroism. Music and news became regular features. News covered Party leaders’ activities and economic achievements. It also described the machinations of the United States. Sino-Soviet friendship was highlighted. Every night, a half hour of primetime was dedicated to news from Moscow.
During the Great Leap Forward, lighter cultural fare disappeared. Radio urged local areas to mobilize labor. Emphasis was placed on the military and discipline. The radio celebrated socialist achievements. When the Great Leap failed, radio was silent. When the economy recovered, cultural content returned.
In 1964, radio again called for mass mobilization. Increased American involvement in Vietnam and tensions with the Soviet Union drove this. Readings of Mao’s works became more frequent. During the Cultural Revolution, Mao quotations were broadcast daily. Radio taught people how to interpret Mao Zedong Thought. Citizens listened to struggle sessions against those accused of betraying socialism. Radio played revolutionary tunes for sing-alongs.
\u9646\u5bb6\u576122\u53f7\u654c\u53f0 reminds us of a time when defense meant more than just walls. It meant controlling the airwaves and the minds of the people. It meant ensuring everyone was on the same ideological wavelength.