The Representation of Russia (USSR) in the Exxpositions of Chinese Museums

Abstract

Relations between the two countries are mainly determined by how the people of the two countries perceive each other. Museums are the structure that, through a subject (artifact ore it's picture) and a word (texts in an exposition), form the image of a neighbor, often preceding direct contact with the population of another country. At article was analyzed the expositions of museums of the People's Republic of China, the theme of Russia (USSR) is represent in the exhibits of which: the Naval Museum in Qingdao; The Museum of Architecture (St. Sophia Cathedral) and the Museum of History of the Heilongjiang Province in Harbin; «White Building», Museum of History and New Museum, Museum of the Chinese Eastern railway, Memorial Museum «Angel of the World – Galya» in Suifenhe; Museum of History Aigun (Aihue), the Museum of Chinese emigration in Russia and the Museum of students who studied in the USSR and Russia in Heihe. Museums are very different – some of them local lore by profile, another – memorial museums, but features of representing information about Russia (USSR) in the expositions form a negative image of the northern neighbor. In contrast representation of China in expositions of Russian museums, which changed depending on the state of official relations, the Chinese representation of Russia was static in time, not depended on political changes in the PRC itself or on the reversals Russian-Chinese relations. Russia (USSR) in the expositions of Chinese museums looks like a dangerous and treacherous neighbor, using any weakening of China to expand into chinese territory by either violence or dirty means. This image had been actively translated to minds of Russians at the past three decades. We can note the transition from too direct and rigid methods of propaganda to a softer and veiled formation of the «guilt complex» and «shame complex».