“Tucked away in southwestern China's Sichuan province, a private collector stands virtually alone in exhibiting relics from the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution. Monday marks the 50th anniversary of the start of the political movement, with no official commemorations planned. Official records whitewash the details of both periods, but admit that Mao made major mistakes. The 1958-1961 Great Leap Forward, when millions starved to death in late chairman Mao Zedong's botched industrialization campaign, and the Cultural Revolution are two of modern China's most sensitive historical events. Fan Jianchuan, who opened his Jianchuan Museum Cluster to the public in 2005, said his relics, which refer discreetly to a “Red era”, were beneficial to the nation. “I have a saying: We don't speak. Let the cultural relics talk”, Fan told Reuters TV. “Our nation's cultural treasures need to be inherited ... but it is more important to pass on the nation's experience and some lessons. That's why I have stayed with this cause for decades”.

During the Cultural Revolution, children turned on parents and students on teachers after Mao declared class war, convulsing the country in chaos and violence. The upheaval affected industry as well, including the critical steel sector. From 1967 to the end of 1968, thousands of steel mills were occupied and closed down, slashing steel output. China's cabinet, or the State Council, was forced to step in, ordering steel enterprises to cease the “struggle” and restore output. While recent years have seen increased public discussion of both events, certain topics remain almost completely off limits, including the death of Lin Biao, once handpicked to succeed Mao but killed in a mysterious plane crash in 1971 while fleeing China having been accused of plotting a coup”. – Reuters



A girl takes a selfie with statues depicting late Chinese chairman Mao Zedong (L) and former general Zhu De during the War of Resistance against Japan, at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. Tucked away in southwestern China's Sichuan province, a private collector stands virtually alone in exhibiting relics from the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution. Monday marks the 50th anniversary of the start of the political movement, with no official commemorations planned. Official records whitewash the details of both periods, but admit that Mao made major mistakes. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





A staff member walks past a porcelain figure of late Chinese chairman Mao Zedong at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





Tea pots from the 1960-70s are displayed at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





A statue of late Chinese chairman Mao Zedong is displayed at a ticket office at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





A staff member cleans an exhibition hall displaying images of late Chinese chairman Mao Zedong and pictures taken in the 1960-70s at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





A visitor takes a picture of a display bearing hand prints of war heroes from the War of Resistance against Japan, at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





Badges of late Chinese chairman Mao Zedong are attached to a sculpture of Mao at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





A staff member opens a door by a wall where honorary prize papers bearing the image of late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong hang, at an exhibition hall at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





A visitor looks at a display of porcelain figures of the late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





Mannequins from the 1960-70s are displayed at an exhibition hall at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





A staff member looks for a newspaper published in 1966, requested by a photographer, at the commemorative newspaper display centre at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





A visitor looks at porcelain figures of the late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong at an exhibition hall at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





Visitors check their mobile phone after taking a picture with a cut-out depicting an image from a 1960-70s era poster at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





Visitors hold the Chinese national flag as they take a picture next to statues depicting late Chinese chairman Mao Zedong (L) and former general Zhu De during the War of Resistance against Japan, at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





Jars containing badges of late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong are displayed at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





Badges of late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong decorate an image of Mao at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





Students sit at the Chinese Heroes Statues Plaza, which displays war heroes from the War of Resistance against Japan, in Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





Copies of “Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong”, commonly known as the “Little Red Book”, are displayed at a exhibition hall at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





A statue and porcelain figures of late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong are displayed at an exhibition hall at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





A student puts a red scarf on a statue of late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong in the Chinese Heroes Statues Plaza, which displays war heroes of the War of Resistance against Japan, at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)





Visitors walk on a floor showing the years of the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution, in the entrance of an exhibition hall at Jianchuan Museum Cluster in Anren, Sichuan Province, China, May 13, 2016. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)