Writing the People's Science: One Hundred Thousand Whys and the Politics of Science Popularization in China, 1931–1975

Abstract:This article focuses on One Hundred Thousand Whys (Shiwan ge weishenme), modern China's single most popular book series for science dissemination. A translation of a 1929 work from the Soviet Union, it took on new life throughout China's eventful twentieth century. Challenging the prevalent understanding that antisuperstition was the most important goal of science dissemination in Mao-era China, I illustrate how science dissemination in the 1960s aimed to spark readers' interest in natural sciences and prepare them to contribute to national construction. I argue that, during the Cultural Revolution, when political propaganda was bluntly integrated into science dissemination materials, these materials remained consistent with previous editions and continued to serve as reliable references for readers seeking scientific knowledge.