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"Enchanted Revolution: Ghosts, Shamans, and Gender Politics in Chinese Communist Propaganda, 1942–1953" by Xiaofei Kang explores the relationship between politics and religion in China during the later years of the CCP's Yan'an period. The book examines the Party's suppression of shaman healers, promotion of medical science, and its use of narrative, performance, and static exhibitions to communicate cultural policy. Gender and the "mass line" are consistent themes throughout the book, culminating in the analysis of "The White-Haired Girl," a revolutionary play that played a significant role in the regime's theories and techniques of cultural governance. The book provides insights into the intersections of religion, politics, and gender during this period in Chinese history. [Extracted from the article]

"Enchanted Revolution: Ghosts, Shamans, and Gender Politics in Chinese Communist Propaganda, 1942–1953" by Xiaofei Kang explores the Chinese Communist revolution of the 1940s and early 1950s through the lens of gender and religion, focusing on the media of art and literature. The book argues that the Communist revolution was not a move towards secular modernity, but rather an "enchanted" one. It examines the campaign against shamans, the use of ghosts and spirits in revolutionary art and literature, and the lasting political significance of the play "The White-Haired Girl." The book provides a nuanced understanding of twentieth-century China and Chinese Communism. [Extracted from the article]

"Enchanted Revolution: Ghosts, Shamans, and Gender Politics in Chinese Communist Propaganda, 1942–1953" by Xiaofei Kang explores the propaganda culture of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during the Yan'an period. The book focuses on the Party's anti-superstition campaign, which used popular religion and gendered symbolism to build socialism. It examines the anti-shaman campaign, Communist literature of ghosts and demons, and the opera "The White-Haired Girl" as examples of this propaganda strategy. The book also highlights the Party's use of religion and gender as battlegrounds for its revolutionary goals. While the book provides valuable insights, some historical context and comparisons are questioned. Overall, it contributes to a deeper understanding of the propaganda culture during this period. [Extracted from the article]