The new China, however, demanded that all aspects of life be subordinate to politics. The intelligentsia soon fell victim to the shifting tides of the party's power struggles. Most vicious, of course, was the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, in which millions died. More than anything, the bitter experience taught intellectuals not to be critical. Even when the party was wrong, people supported it.
Chinese society is built on falsehoods.
But in the era of economic reform, policing cultural activity has become increasingly difficult. Indeed, despite a post-Tiananmen backlash by conservatives, a plethora of new periodicals and books have emerged on subjects ranging from spirituality to homosexuality. Dwindling state subsidies and a fast-growing consumer market drove even the most stodgy publishers to consider popular interests. Young people in search of a new set of values found resonance in emerging rock bands, especially in Beijing. Despite periodic bans on performing, Cui and bands such as Black Panther and Tang Dynasty were not exactly flagbearers of social rebellion.