x

Chairman Mao swims the Yangzi

Sculpture

Maker: Jingdezhen Sculpture Factory

Date Made: 20th century
Country: China

Materials: porcelain
Measurements: 55 cm x 34.5 cm x 16.6 cm; 21 5/8 in x 13 9/16 in x 6 9/16 in

Description

Ceramic depicting Chairman Mao swimming the Yangzi. Chairman Mao is depicted in the center of the composition; he is surrounded by People's Liberation Army soldiers, children in swimming costumes, and peasants playing musical instruments. This ceramic was made to commemorate Mao's famous 1966 swim in the Yangzi River. Soon after the begining of the Cultural Revolution, Mao appeared at an event in Wuhan celebrating the 10-year anniversary of his first swim in the river in 1956. Due to the failure of the Great Leap Forward and rumors of ailing health, many in the Chinese Communist Party doubted Mao's ability to continue ruling the nation. To quash these doubts, Mao publicly swam the Yangzi river yet again to demonstrate his physical strength, and thus, his capability to lead China.

Accession Number: 2023.015.001

Collection/Series: Busts & Sculptures

Exhibition History

• (De)constructing Ideology: The Cultural Revolution and Beyond

Array
(
    [offset] => 1
    [size] => 1
    [records] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [Description] => Ceramic depicting Chairman Mao swimming the Yangzi.  Chairman Mao is depicted in the center of the composition; he is surrounded by People's Liberation Army soldiers, children in swimming costumes, and peasants playing musical instruments.  

This ceramic was made to commemorate Mao's famous 1966 swim in the Yangzi River. Soon after the begining of the Cultural Revolution, Mao appeared at an event in Wuhan celebrating the 10-year anniversary of his first swim in the river in 1956. Due to the failure of the Great Leap Forward and rumors of ailing health, many in the Chinese Communist Party doubted Mao's ability to continue ruling the nation. To quash these doubts, Mao publicly swam the Yangzi river yet again to demonstrate his physical strength, and thus, his capability to lead China.
                    [Measurements] => 55 cm x 34.5 cm x 16.6 cm; 21 5/8 in x 13 9/16 in x 6 9/16 in
                    [LanguageOfMaterial] => Chinese
                    [IdNumber] => 2023.015.001
                    [Materials] => porcelain
                    [IdSort2] => 0000015
                    [IdSort1] => 0002023
                    [Title] => Chairman Mao swims the Yangzi
                    [IdSort4] => 0000000
                    [IdSort3] => 0000001
                    [IdSort6] => 0000000
                    [IdSort5] => 0000000
                    [Maker] => Jingdezhen Sculpture Factory
                    [OPTION1] => Busts & Sculptures
                    [DateMade] => 20th century
                    [UpdateDate] => 2026-01-16 14:03:06.0
                    [UpdatedBy] => KUNG
                    [Ref] => 51435
                    [FLAG5] => N
                    [ItemName] => sculpture
                    [LinkedMedia] => Array
                        (
                            [0] => Array
                                (
                                    [MediaRef] => http://23.114.65.41:8082/api/xg/tenants/api/resources/media/290738
                                    [Media_Type] => IMAGE
                                    [Media] => ump.di?e=C1F0FC275A640CDCAE3B12C3BE9CD6A171214EA747F71EA8E3212460E7F3AE3E&s=22&se=&f=%5Cd8242%5Cu29582423%5C2023_015_001_A_o2.jpg
                                    [Step] => 1
                                    [Media_Locator] => https://piction.wendemuseum.org/piction/
                                )

                        )

                    [ItemsExhibitions] => Array
                        (
                            [0] => Array
                                (
                                    [FullName] => (De)constructing Ideology: The Cultural Revolution and Beyond
                                    [CatalogueRef] => http://23.114.65.41:8082/api/xg/tenants/api/resources/catalogue/51435
                                    [ExhibitionRef] => http://23.114.65.41:8082/api/xg/tenants/api/resources/exhibitions/39
                                )

                        )

                    [Culture] => China
                )

        )

    [fetchCount] => 1
    [@controls] => Array
        (
            [records:last] => Array
                (
                    [href] => http://23.114.65.41:8082/api/xg/tenants/api/resources/catalogue/records/uJWLKuVCif31DQdzee45BWObgLC57ByW?offset=1&limit=1&pagesize=15
                    [title] => Go to last row
                )

            [records:first] => Array
                (
                    [href] => http://23.114.65.41:8082/api/xg/tenants/api/resources/catalogue/records/uJWLKuVCif31DQdzee45BWObgLC57ByW?offset=1&limit=1&pagesize=15
                    [title] => Go to first row
                )

            [records:clear] => Array
                (
                    [method] => DELETE
                    [href] => http://23.114.65.41:8082/api/xg/tenants/api/resources/catalogue/records/uJWLKuVCif31DQdzee45BWObgLC57ByW
                    [title] => Clear the result set.
                )

            [self] => Array
                (
                    [href] => http://23.114.65.41:8082/api/xg/tenants/api/resources/catalogue/records/uJWLKuVCif31DQdzee45BWObgLC57ByW?offset=1&limit=15&pagesize=15
                )

            [records:firstpage] => Array
                (
                    [href] => http://23.114.65.41:8082/api/xg/tenants/api/resources/catalogue/records/uJWLKuVCif31DQdzee45BWObgLC57ByW?offset=1&pagesize=15
                    [title] => Retrieve a set of records.
                )

        )

    [limit] => 15
    [id] => uJWLKuVCif31DQdzee45BWObgLC57ByW
    [@namespaces] => Array
        (
            [records] => Array
                (
                    [name] => http://ottawa.axiell.com/api/records.html#
                )

            [resources] => Array
                (
                    [name] => http://ottawa.axiell.com/api/resources.html#
                )

        )

    [title] => catalogue result set
    [@meta] => Array
        (
            [@title] => catalogue records (1-1)
            [@description] => Records fetched from a search result.
        )

)