Architecture of the Stalin Empire in China

Abstract

The subject of this research is the formation of large city planning ensembles in socialist cities during Great Leap Forward of the People’s Republic of China. The object of this research is architecture in the style of Stalin Empire 1950s – 1960s. The author examines the influence of Soviet architecture upon the emergence of Chinese styles, such as “Style 1959” and Communist Art Deco). Special attention is dedicated to stylistic peculiarities of the new architectural objects and Chinese interpretation of the Stalin Empire. In this context, both Chinese and Soviet architects contributed to determination of the architectural trend “Su-style”. The main conclusion lies in the statement that architecture of the Stalin Empire with the elements of classicism became the national style in socialist China. Chinese architects synthesized the new normative aesthetics and discovered new stylistic and imagery resources in architecture. The transition towards holistic Chinese “socialist culture” has not been completed and currently continues.  The author’s special contribution is the research of socialist architecture of Harbin as a continuity of Russian traditions of the early XX century. The novelty of this work is defined by the first ever analysis of stylistic peculiarities of Harbin’s architecture that were built by the projects of Soviet architects.