When people mention black socks, the only thing that comes to mind is Shoeless Joe Jackson
According to Ming Fang He, during the Cultural Revolution, sunflowers were often found in wedding pictures, symbolizing “loyalty to the Red Sun.” http://books.google.com/books?id=zUy6vBHz0cMC&lpg=PA41&dq=inauthor:%22ming+fang+he%22+sunflower&pg=PA41#v=onepage&q=inauthor:%22ming%20fang%20he%22%20sunflower&f=false
Additionally, according to Wikipedia:
[quote]The sunflower is the state flower of the US state of Kansas, and one of the city flowers of Kitakyūshū, Japan.
The sunflower is often used as a symbol of green ideology. The sunflower is also the symbol of the Vegan Society.
During the late 19th century, the flower was used as the symbol of the Aesthetic Movement.
Subject of Van Gogh’s series of paintings, Sunflowers
The sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine.
The sunflower was chosen as the symbol of the Spiritualist Church for many reasons, but mostly because it turns toward the sun as “Spiritualism turns toward the light of truth”. As stated earlier in the article, this is in fact, not true. Modern Spiritualists often have art or jewelry with sunflower designs.[38]
Starting from February 2010, Kuban Airlines of Russia painted part of its fleet in a new livery featuring enormous sunflowers.[39]
Sunflowers were also worshipped by the Incas because they viewed it as a symbol for the Sun.[40]
The sunflower is the symbol behind the Sunflower Movement, a 2014 mass protest in Taiwan.
[/quote] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflower#Culture
Obviously, flowers can represent different things to different people. For example, according to Wikipedia, the Edelweiss:
–was Hitler’s favorite flower;
–was the symbol of Waffen-SS Gebirgsjäger, or mountain rangers;
–was the symbol of the “Edelweiss Pirates,” rebellious youth in the Third Reich who were “identifiable by a common style of dress with their own edelweiss badge and by their opposition to what they saw as the paramilitary nature of the Hitler Youth”;
–is a symbol of the United States Army’s 1st Battalion 10th Special Forces Group Airborne Soldiers;
–is today the insignia of the Austrian, Polish, Romanian, and German alpine troops.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leontopodium_alpinum
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edelweiss_Pirates
[quote=“Charlie Jack”]According to Ming Fang He, during the Cultural Revolution, sunflowers were often found in wedding pictures, symbolizing “loyalty to the Red Sun.” http://books.google.com/books?id=zUy6vBHz0cMC&lpg=PA41&dq=inauthor:%22ming+fang+he%22+sunflower&pg=PA41#v=onepage&q=inauthor:%22ming%20fang%20he%22%20sunflower&f=false
[/quote]
I remember reading many writings about people using the red sun to symbolize the CCP during the cultural revolution, however I always found it odd, since the most direct symbolism of the “Red Sun” would be the Japanese flag.
I think it’s a reference to the notion of a “black box.” Anyway, I don’t think the fascists can claim intellectual property rights in the color black as it is employed in clothing design.
[quote=“Johnny Cash”]Ah, I’d love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything’s OK,
But I’ll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
'Till things are brighter, I’m the Man In Black.[/quote]
When people mention black socks, the only thing that comes to mind is Shoeless Joe Jackson[/quote]
Which reminds me of this…
Originally, red just stood for revolution:
[quote=“Victor Hugo”]An aperture large enough to allow a man to pass through had been made between the wall of the houses and the extremity of the barricade which was furthest from the wine-shop, so that an exit was possible at this point. The pole of the omnibus was placed upright and held up with ropes, and a red flag, fastened to this pole, floated over the barricade.
Forty-three insurgents, among whom were Enjolras, Combeferre, Courfeyrac, Bossuet, Joly, Bahorel, and Gavroche, were kneeling inside the large barricade, with their heads on a level with the crest of the barrier, the barrels of their guns and carbines aimed on the stones as though at loop-holes, attentive, mute, ready to fire. Six, commanded by Feuilly, had installed themselves, with their guns levelled at their shoulders, at the windows of the two stories of Corinthe.
A pause ensued, as though both sides were waiting. All at once, from the depths of this darkness, a voice, which was all the more sinister, since no one was visible, and which appeared to be the gloom itself speaking, shouted:—
“Who goes there?”
At the same time, the click of guns, as they were lowered into position, was heard.
Enjolras replied in a haughty and vibrating tone:—
“The French Revolution!”
“Fire!” shouted the voice.
A flash empurpled all the facades in the street as though the door of a furnace had been flung open, and hastily closed again.
A fearful detonation burst forth on the barricade. The red flag fell. The discharge had been so violent and so dense that it had cut the staff, that is to say, the very tip of the omnibus pole.
Bullets which had rebounded from the cornices of the houses penetrated the barricade and wounded several men.[/quote]–Les Misérables gutenberg.org/ebooks/135
[quote=“Charlie Jack”]
Originally, red just stood for revolution:
[quote=“Annals of Ming”] 韓林兒，欒城人，或言李氏子也。其先世以白蓮會燒香惑眾，謫徙永年。元末，林兒父山童鼓妖言，謂「天下當大亂，彌勒佛下生」。河南、江、淮間愚民多信之。穎州人劉福通與其黨杜遵道、羅文素、盛文郁等復言「山童，宋徽宗八世孫，當主中國」。乃殺白馬黑牛，誓告天地，謀起兵，以紅巾為號。(AD. 1355)
Han Lin-Er of Luan City, some times said to be of the Li clan. His father used the white lotus cult to lure faithfuls and was punished to move to Yong-nian. Near the end of Yuan dynasty, Lin-Er’s father Shan-tong made up rumors that “All under heaven will be in chaos, and the Maitreya will be born into the world.” Many foolish people from He-nan, Jiang, Huai regions believed him. Liu Fu-tong from the state of Ying and his gang, Du Zun-dao, Lou Wen-su, Sheng Wen-yu concurred "Shan-tong, the 8th grandchild of emperor Hui of Song will rule China. They used white horse and black bull as sacrifice to declare their will to take up arms to the heavens and used red flags as their insignia. (AD. 1355)[/quote]
Red is a popular color
1 Like
[quote=“Chris”]
Don’t get me started about the swastikas on Buddhas and veggie restaurants… 
[/quote]
I bought a map of Tokyo. There were swastikas all over the thing. Tojo would have loved it.
When people mention black socks, the only thing that comes to mind is Shoeless Joe Jackson[/quote]
Eric Forman went streaking with black socks on. He looked like an ass.
When people mention black socks, the only thing that comes to mind is Shoeless Joe Jackson[/quote]
Eric Forman went streaking with black socks on. He looked like an ass.[/quote]
there should be a law against male streaking… :no-no:
female streaking, however, should be encouraged whenever possible! 
For what it’s worth, the students have gone on record saying the selection of a sunflower was coincidental. Someone happened to be handing them out and it was picked up by the media. They thought it was “popular” these days to name movements out of flowers so they didn’t object.
The Reddit page is well done.
When people mention black socks, the only thing that comes to mind is Shoeless Joe Jackson[/quote]
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole; Age 13 1/4.
Because their aim is to betray Taiwan and bring it under the dastardly control of the evil Chinese Communists?
Oh, wait…
When people mention black socks, the only thing that comes to mind is Shoeless Joe Jackson[/quote]
I thought of this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Olymp … he_protest
[quote=“Elegua”]For what it’s worth, the students have gone on record saying the selection of a sunflower was coincidental. Someone happened to be handing them out and it was picked up by the media. They thought it was “popular” these days to name movements out of flowers so they didn’t object.
The Reddit page is well done.[/quote]
I but that… the sunflower is very popular. It is just a flower.
However, their actions and speeches are now more and more like the Commies.
Especially the ones from the last 24 hour. “Gang of Four” and “People’s Congress” ???
Really? How about a better choice of words? 
[quote=“FurTrader”][quote=“Elegua”]For what it’s worth, the students have gone on record saying the selection of a sunflower was coincidental. Someone happened to be handing them out and it was picked up by the media. They thought it was “popular” these days to name movements out of flowers so they didn’t object.
The Reddit page is well done.[/quote]
I but that… the sunflower is very popular. It is just a flower.
However, their actions and speeches are now more and more like the Commies.
Especially the ones from the last 24 hour. “Gang of Four” and “People’s Congress” ???
Really? How about a better choice of words? [/quote]
If you translate 四大寇 into the gang of four then of course it would sound similar in English. Though actual Gang of Four is written as 四人幫. 四大寇 is more like the Four Major Bandits. It’s a pretty common term in Chinese history, though it was popularized by Qing dynasty using the term to describe Sun Yat-sen, Chan Siu-bak, Yau Lit and Yeung Hok-ling.
The Gang of Four started out to be the group in control of CCP after Mao’s death, so the term itself is neutral. It only became a condemnation after they lost power.
Don’t really see anything wrong with the term people’s congress.
[quote=“FurTrader”][quote=“Elegua”]For what it’s worth, the students have gone on record saying the selection of a sunflower was coincidental. Someone happened to be handing them out and it was picked up by the media. They thought it was “popular” these days to name movements out of flowers so they didn’t object.
The Reddit page is well done.[/quote]
I but that… the sunflower is very popular. It is just a flower.
However, their actions and speeches are now more and more like the Commies.
Especially the ones from the last 24 hour. “Gang of Four” and “People’s Congress” ???
Really? How about a better choice of words? [/quote]
Is that better than “those inside are not to be even considered people”? Guess who said that?
So in conclusion, you questions can’t be answered because:
- The students didn’t chose the sunflower, the media did (which is why every article I have read say ‘media dubbed sunflower movement’)
- The sunflower is not really officially or unofficially related to the Red Guard
Well done on a pointless question and pointless thread :bravo:
“四人幫” could theoretically be a neutral term, but in the context of Chinese politics it was always a condemnation. Mao supposedly coined the term while dressing down Wang Hongwen at a December '74 Politburo meeting, where he warned him not to engage in “sects” or a “Gang of Four”: “你不要搞四人幫。不要搞宗派，搞宗派是要摔跤的。” Jiang Qing later claimed that Mao never used the phrase, but it was certainly used in front of all four at criticism sessions in May-June '75, since it appears in the self-criticisms they wrote shortly thereafter (e.g. Jiang Qing’s: “當我認識到‘四人幫’是個客觀存在，我才認識到有發展成分裂黨中央的宗派主義的可能，我才認識到為什麼主席從去年講到今年，達三四次之多”). Notice how these quotes treat the mere existence of a “四人幫” as a bad thing—being accused of forming a “幫” would only have been a condemnation at the time, due to Mao’s strong rhetorical focus on “anti-factionalism” during the last years of his life. “Stability and unity” (安定團結) is one of the most prevalent slogans in Party documents of the period.