The "April Photography Association"
The Independent photography Exhibition "Nature - Society - Man" in April 1979 in Beijing has obviously led to some debates in the Chinese leadership. Reports in two different documents speak of "reactions" and "differing opinions". Of particular interest is a report (of which only the front page is available) in the publication "Developments in the Country in Straight Terms" (国内动态清样) by the Xinhua News Agency, classified as "top secret" and only available for highest officials of the Central Government then. The short People's Daily report (in Chinese) is quoted from the net archives ziliaoku.org.
"Reactions to the photographic exhibition 'Nature - Society - Man', organized bythe self-proclaimed 'first people's photography association'"; Xinhua report for the "top secret" publication "Developments in the Country in Straight Terms" (24.4.1979, p. 1)
"Differing opinions on the artistic photography exhibition 'Nature - Society - Man'"; from the internal publication "Newspaper Trends" (报纸动态), briefing no. 186, 20.6.1979, p. 1; endorsement at the top: "Internal material - store carefully"