Photo of a man posing with a Coca-Cola bottle

[Randy W]

Photo of a man posing with a Coca-Cola bottle in 1981 symbolized a cultural shift in China
Published 25th January 2023

from CNN Style

Quote

 

He had earlier photographed people grieving for Mao along the banks of the Pearl River in Guangzhou. It was here that he was struck by how differently people carried themselves compared to what he had seen in late-1950s China, where he grew up during the disastrous Great Leap Forward campaign — a series of failed industrialization policies — before moving back to Hong Kong as a child.
Under Mao, the country went on to suffer from widespread famine and poverty, and the tumultuous years of the Cultural Revolution. But in the aftermath of the Chinese leader's death, Liu said, "suddenly, people's steps looked a little bit lighter, they dropped their shoulders and their faces looked more relaxed."
It would prove to be a relatively liberal period in Chinese history — politically, economically and in terms of everyday life, which Liu captured in candid shots. One photo from the time showed a plastic surgeon and his client after a cosmetic procedure. Another depicted people gathering at a "Democracy Wall" in Beijing, where they wrote now-unthinkable criticisms of the government.
One of Liu's most iconic images was captured on his way into the Time bureau after he had the strange feeling that something was "missing." He turned his car around and, sure enough, a large portrait of Mao that had once hung prominently on a building had been freshly taken down. He quickly shot images of workers gathered around the depiction of the late Chairman, with some of their scaffolding visible in the frame.

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Liu had photographed the opening of a joint-venture bottling plant in Beijing, capturing Coke chairman Roberto Goizueta and Chinese trade officials drinking Coca Cola and holding bottles aloft to cries of "ganbei" (cheers). He then thought to himself, "Now where do I find a (regular) Chinese person enjoying this (drink)?"
He headed to the Forbidden City, with its heavy flow of tourists, and soon found a man named Zhang Wei purchasing a Coke from a small stand.
"I remember he made a comment when he drank this syrupy Coke: 'It tastes so-so'" said Liu, who ended up taking a few shots with one of the imperial palace's picturesque pavilions in the background.

 

 

Edited January 25, 2023 by Randy W (see edit history)