S8 Ep146: 6/8 Impersonators, Nostalgia, and the Fall of Lin Biao — Tanya Branigan — CR nostalgia manifests in organized commemorative groups and the remarkable phenomenon of Lin Biao impersonators. Lin Biao, once Mao's designated successor and principal architect o

6/8 Impersonators, Nostalgia, and the Fall of Lin Biao — Tanya Branigan — CR nostalgia manifests in organized commemorative groups and the remarkable phenomenon of Lin Biao impersonators. Lin Biao, once Mao's designated successor and principal architect of the personality cult, was subsequently vilified following his mysterious plane crash and disappearance. His dramatic downfall fractured revolutionary faith among many Chinese. Former educated youth, who endured severe conditions during rural exile, maintain regular reunion gatherings recalling their youthful experiences with nostalgic fondness, seeking transcendent meaning and harking back to an era they perceive as morally uncomplicated.
1967