The film To Live contained multiple symbols regarding the CCP and the reality of the effects of their programs, most notably the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. The overarching theme of the movie is that Mao and the CCP united China (it was the communists that reunited Fugui with his family), and at first was a savoir for the Chinese people, but over time the CCP went too far in their revolutionary programs and the result was despair, and death for the Chinese people. Before delving into the multitude of symbols used in the movie, it must be pointed out the Fugui is a symbol for China itself. The life of Fugui, in essence, represents the life of China. The film’s starts off by using Fugui’s struggles (losing his house and family) to claim that prior to the establishment of the PRC, China (represented by Fugui) was taken advantage of and left homeless in it’s own home. Long’er taking advatage of Fugui represents big money/capitalist interests taking advantage/robbing China. In regards to the Great Leap Forward, the film claims that at the beginning of the program there was initial success (communal kitchen had a surplus of food), but then two events happened that highlighted the reality of the program. The first was the scene in which Fugui hits his son to avoid being viewed as incapable of being able to control his child, and the second was the death of his son. The first scene is claiming that the CCP had the country living in a state of fear (always being watched), the second is more direct as the death of Youqing was caused directly by a high ranking CCP official. This is symbolizing the deaths directly caused by the CCP during the Great Leap Forward. The death of Fengxia, being caused by the purge of doctors by the Red Guards, was once again the film claiming that the CCP was directly responsible for the deaths of millions of Chinese by allowing the red guards to go too far and purge Chinese society of key classes.