 This chaotic scene has many contrasts.The tension created by the performance involving knives, for example, is offset by the soldiers’ casual behavior of passing a cigarette between them during the performance...The different layers in these paintings are metaphors for the social stratification of Chinese society, for example, between peasants, soldiers and performers.” (Chiu, 2007, P 192)

“In addition to the repetition of figures, Guo’s paintings are also redolent of figures of threat and danger.