The purpose of Liu Dahong’s Textbook is to move beyond the limits imposed by the traditional book, and, in so doing, enable people from different backgraounds to understand an original text in terms of their own experience, introduce people of diverse educational levels to art; enable them to acquire basic study methods and techniques on their own with a goal to understanding this textbook; and instill in the reader a proper and worthy appreciation of art (and pictorial knowledge).
Liu Dahong’s Textbook is chronicled in accordance with the “Red Calendar”, a calendrical system dating from the year 1949. All paintings were completed betwen the 36th and 56th years of the Red Calendar. One painting, or a group of paintings, constitutes one lesson. All poems accompanying the paintings are by Mao Zedong. The commentaries have been supplied by a cultural and academic critic, and art historian, and an independent curator for international exhibitions.