This study investigates how female imagery in Chinese Cultural Revolution posters conveys symbolic femininity and influences viewers’ perceptions of gender roles and revolutionary ideology. Drawing on semiotic theory, feminist media theory, and visual rhetoric, we examine three core constructs – Symbolic Femininity, Revolutionary Gender Roles, and Visual Propaganda Semiotics – and their interrelationships. We aim to understand how these factors combine to shape audiences’ attitudes toward revolutionary gender ideals. A mixed-methods design was employed. First, we conducted a semiotic content analysis of a wide sample of Cultural Revolution posters (1966–1976) to identify patterns in female representation. Second, we surveyed 312 Chinese participants (historians, art students, and members of the public) using a structured questionnaire measuring symbolic femininity cues, perceived revolutionary gender roles, visual propaganda literacy, and attitudes toward socialist gender equality. Established scales (adapted from Lin, 2015; Zhang, 2012; Avina, 2020; Li, 2008) were used. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 12 cultural experts supplemented the survey. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using ADANCO examined hypothesized relationships among the constructs. The results show that stronger symbolic femininity cues in posters significantly enhance individuals’ endorsement of revolutionary gender attitudes (β ≈ 0.35, t≈3.2, p<0.01), and this effect is partially mediated by perceptions of revolutionary gender roles (β ≈ 0.29, t≈3.0, p<0.01). Individuals’ visual propaganda semiotics (i.e., visual literacy) significantly moderates these effects (β ≈ 0.30, t≈3.7, p<0.001), such that those with higher semiotic awareness are more influenced by symbolic femininity cues. Semiotic analysis of the posters revealed that women were consistently depicted as heroic laborers and collective models, reinforcing state-defined gender norms. This study is novel in combining quantitative SEM analysis with qualitative semiotic interpretation of historical propaganda. It advances theoretical understanding of how imagery and ideology interact: symbolic representations of femininity in propaganda can shape beliefs about gender and revolution. Practically, these insights can inform media literacy and feminist critiques of political messaging. Our findings highlight the power of visual rhetoric in shaping social attitudes and suggest avenues for future research on gender, propaganda, and visual semiotics.