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Lighthouse

A lighthouse, in both realistic and fanciful forms, appears on some Maozhang. As a symbol it combined two key propagandist narratives: maritime (the ship of state, the Great Helmsman, waves) and illumination (the red sun, the torch of revolution).

The badge at right was issued by PLA unit 4402, almost certainly a naval unit. The numerals on the ship's bow, 3-03, are unlikely to represent a date and probably identify an individual vessel.

light 2 light 3 light 4

42mm   7.2g

h. 21mm  w. 30mm   3.2g

h. 21mm  w. 31mm   3.3g

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The lighthouse was particularly associated with Mao Zedong Thought, as in the slogans: "Mao Zedong Thought is the lighthouse of world revolution", and "Mao Zedong Thought is the lighthouse for mankind".

 

 

 

At left, two examples of a widely issued design with a lighthouse towering above a red-flagged ship of state. The obverse inscription reads "Guiding Light" - a phrase equally appropriate for the lighthouse and for the Great Helmsman himself.