What was a significant action taken by the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution?

During the Cultural Revolution, a significant action taken by the Red Guards was the destruction of symbols of China's imperial past. This youth movement, mobilized by Chairman Mao Zedong, sought to eliminate what they considered "bourgeois" elements from Chinese society, which included traditional cultural artifacts, historical sites, and symbols that represented China's imperial history. The Red Guards actively vandalized temples, destroyed ancient artifacts, and targeted those they deemed to possess "feudal" ideologies. This was part of a broader agenda to reshape Chinese society according to Maoist thought, which prioritized revolutionary zeal over traditional values.

The other options do not accurately reflect the actions of the Red Guards during this tumultuous period. Promoting traditional art and culture would contradict their aim of eradicating ties to the past. Constructing new monuments was not a priority during the Cultural Revolution; the focus was on dismantling the old rather than building anew. While educational reforms were implemented during this time, they were primarily about spreading revolutionary ideology rather than genuinely improving education in a positive sense. Thus, the destruction of symbols of the imperial past was emblematic of the Red Guards' radical approach to transforming China's cultural landscape.