Chinese Cultural Revolution, by Zhang Mu. Chapter 5.2 (Part 1)

11. Zhou Enlai died, "April 5 (Ching Ming Festival) counter-revolutionary incident" in Tiananmen Square （1975）

(1) “Wu Hao event”, the magic of Mao overmastered Zhou

The CCP always said that Kuomintang manufacturing Zhou Enlai’s pseudonym “Wu Hao separated from the communist party” vent. But other materials said that it was manufacture by Mao. The CCP clique struggle’s the most powerful weapon was giving the oposite a “traitor” charge. In 1931 “9.18 Incident”, Japan invaded China, the national disaster was overhead, but under Soviet Russia's subsidization, Mao seized the opportunity to do “two Chinas”, established “Chinese Soviet Republic” in the Jiangxi Ruijin, Mao was the president, Soviet Russia sent foreign consultant to assume personal command in Ruijin. Soviet Russia controlled Mao by various ways, the CCP central in Shanghai (at that time Zhou was Mao’s boss) also controlled Mao, sent Mao from Shanghai to correct Mao’s “counterrevolutionary suppression” and hiting “AB group” and so on mistakes in Ruijin “Chinese Soviet areas”. Zhou substituted for Mao to be the CCP Chinese Soviet areas central secretary, Mao was removed from office and in recreation. Jung Chang’s “Mao,The Unknown Story” and so on had the evidence to show that Mao did “Wu Hao separated from the communist party” event. Mao could may read Kuomintang’ newspapers daily through Dr. Fu Lianzhang. In February, 1932, Shanghai “Times” and “Shen Daily” published “Wu Hao et al. separated from CCP’s announcement”. Without doubt it was forge. Mao immedietly used the name of “Chinese Soviet areas chairman” to issue and send the notice to “clarify rumor”, so the news spreaded all over the “Chinese Soviet areas” where never had Shanghai’s newspapers, Zhou’s reputation was tarnished. Mao used this way to bring Zhou under control. Zhou fully realized that Mao’s severe Machiavellian tricks, so always followed him, regardless of Yan’an rectification and the “Great Cultural Revolution”, he did “company a king is just accompanying a tiger”.

On May 18, 1967, Jiang Qing delivered the “Wu Hao event” materials which the Red Guards found from Kuomingtang newspapers to Lin Biao, Zhou immedietly on 19th wrote a letter to Mao to clarify the question. Mao wrote: “Hand over it to  each comrade of the Cultural Revolution Group to read, and save it”. It was ambiguous. On October 10, 1967, Shanghai Revolutionary Committee material group’s No.5 “Grasping Traitors Bulletin” mentioned “Wu Hao event”. Because the rebellers unceasingly used this to criticize him, on January 10, 1968, Zhou wrote a letter to Jiang Qing said: “This matter was in 1931 and 1932, everyone who was familiar with Shanghai politics sentiment, knew it is forge. In 1942 Yan’an rectification, and at a CCP central symposium, I had already told it from beginning to end. If this year has the free time, I must talk this matter again at a meeting, and will give the sound recording, write down the central file.” On January 16, 1968, Mao wrote “This matter has already clarified, is Kuomintang fabricates a rumor slanders.” But Jiang Qing and Wang Hongwen issues an order to Shanghai to continue to do related “Wu Hao” materials. On June 23, 1972, Zhou was seriously ill but said once more to clearly “Wu Hao announcement”, it was enemy (had not said Kuomintang) forged, these were writing record and made a sound record. In 1975, his life was in imminent peril, before entered the operating room, Zhou once more brought out the 1972’s record, earnestly signature his name, and wrote: “In entering the operating room, on September 20, 1975”; Then Zhou said loudly “I am not the capitulationist!”.

 (1,2) Wu Hao quit CCP case special edition, “Party History Research”, January, 1980, People's Publishing House. In 1972, Zhou was seriously ill but said once more to clearly “Wu Hao announcement”, it was enemy, did writing record and sound record. In 1975, before entered the operating room, Zhou once more brought out the 1972’s record, earnestly signature his name, and wrote: “In entering the operating room, on September 20, 1975”; Then he said loudly “I am not the capitulationist!”. (3) “Wu Hao and others separate from CCP announcement”, was published on February 20 and21st, 1932, Shanghai “Shen Daily” and “Times” and “Current News”, who is the author still unknown.

 (1) When in February, 1932 Shanghai “Shen Daily”and so on published “Wu Hao and others separate from CCP announcement”, Zhou Enlai had gone to Jiangxi Ruijin “Chinese Soviet Republic”. Zhang Chong (Director-General of Kuomingtang Central Organization department party affairs investigated branch) seek for Zhou Enlai whereabouts, used alias“Huang Yi”to publish a “search notice” in 1936 April’s “Shen Daily”in Shanghai, said that the family had important matter to request to meet with “Wu Hao”. (2) From left: Ye Jianying, Zhang Chong, Zhou Enlai. Now in China many articles, also had manufactured TV program, wantonly propagandized that“Wu Hao announcement”was forged by Zhang Chong. Actually Zhang Chong was honest and Zhou Enlai's very good friend. Jung Chang’s “Mao, The Unknown Story” and so on had the evidence to show that Mao did “Wu Hao separated from the CCP” event. (3) Zhou Enlai and Zhang Chong. (4) Deng Yingchao, Zhou Enlai, Zhang Chong, Ye Jianying.

（1）Deng Yingchao, Zhou Enlai, Zhang Chong. (2) Zhou Enlai wrote the letter for Zhang Chong (Huai Nan). (3) Zhang Chong died of illness in 1941in Chongqing, the CCP leaders Mao Zedong, Dong Biwu, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Peng Dehuai and so on all sent the antithetical condolences. Chiang Kai-Shek personally wrote the elegiac couplet to send. Zhou Enlai attended the memorial service, said that he was “Chinese nation's outstanding son”.

 (2) The truth about “Zhou Dismissed from premier” event in 1958

From 1956 on, Mao engaged in “15 years to surpass Britain”, Zhou and Chen Yun and so on proposed “opposition to rash advance”, Mao was angry. From the second half of 1957, within two years Mao successively had at least 13 times severely criticized Zhou Enlai, said: “as soon as the rightists attacked, some comrades threw only 50 meters far to the rightists.” Mao forced Zhou to resign, let Ke Qingshi substitute for Premier Zhou. On January 16, 1958, Mao in the CCP central conference which held in Nanning, took Ke Qingshi’s publshed article asked Zhou in the presence of everyone: “You are premier, can you write this article?” Mao was age of 65 years, Ke Qingshi who was 56. but in the meeting Mao said Ke Qingshi was “a glorified old Ke”. Then, Mao severely criticized Zhou Enlai’s “opposition to rash advance”, and proposed that Ke Qingshi (who promoted Mao’s Great Leap Forward) replace Zhou as premier. On June 9 1958, in the CCP Political Bureau meeting Zhou did an examine and announced his resignation, because most people did not agree, it had not been able to pass. Mao was helpless, but afterward Zhou was even more careful to try best to follow Mao.

Ke Qingshi, born in 1902, member of CCP Political Bureau, vice-premier, secretary of Shanghai CCP Committee. He had famous saying “We believe Chairman Mao should to the superstitious degree, obey Chairman Mao should to the blindly degree”. So he was called “Mao Zedong’s good student”. He was hobnobbing with Jiang Qing, and Zhang Chunqiao was raised by him. On April 9, 1965, he died of illness in Chengdu, the obituary notice said that Ke Qingshi was “Comrade Mao Zedong’ close comrade”. 50,000 people participated his condolence and 13,000 people attended the public memorial ceremony in Beijing, to have, more tham ten thousand people attendd his memorial service in Shanghai.

(1) Ke Qingshi: “Brave the wind and the waves, accelerate the construction of socialist new Shanghai”, Shanghai People's Publishing House. 1958.  (2) On March 1, 1959, Vice-Premier Ke Qingshi (right one) participated the CCP Political Bureau enlarged meeting which convened on Mao’s special train. (3) Mao and Ke Qingshi. (4) Ke Qingshi accompanied Mao to read the big-character posters. (5) The CCP held a grand memorial service for Ke Qingshi, 1965.

(3) Zhou Enlai's younger brother, adopted daughter and Zhou’s aid staff were brutally persecuted

(1) Zhou Enlai and his younger brother Zhou Enshou’s family. Zhou Enshou, in 1924 joined CCP, in 1959 he was commissioner of the Interior Ministry, retired in 1963 due to illness. Jiang Qing and so on said Zhou Enshou was "Liu Shaoqi black line’s figure", because if he was grasped by the rebels there was no guarantee his life, in February 1968 Zhou Enlai personally approved Zhou Enshou to be “arrested for examination”. He was imprisoned for 7-and-a-half years and released in 1975, in 1980, was member of the fiveth and Sixth session National Political Consultative Committee; died in 1985. (2) In 1949, Zhou Enlai, Deng Yingchao and Sun Weishi. Sun Weishi, daughter of Zhou Enlai’s ally and Zhou Enlai’s adopted daughter, once studied in Soviet Union, director and vice president of China Youth Art Theatre. In September, 1967, Jiang Qing and Chen Boda said that Sun Yang (Sun Weishi’s brother, assistant director of Renmin University) was Kuomintang spy and was persecuted to death. In December, 1967, Jiang Qing ordered to put Sun Weishi's husband Jin Shan into jail with a charge of spy, confiscated her family's property and found Sun Weishi’s diary which had the text discontenting Cultural Revolution, Jiang Qing accused Zhou Enlai to connive adopted daughter to oppose Cultural Revolution; Zhou was compelled to sign in Sun Weishi's warrant for arrest. On October 14, 1968, Sun Weishi was beaten to death only 47 years old. (4) Xu Ming, Kong Yuan, Zhuo Lin (Deng’s wife), Deng Xiaoping. Xu Ming, secretary of Zhou Enlai, vice secretary-general of the State Council, was persecuted to death by Jiang Qing, her son was imprisoned, her husband Kong Yuan also lost freedom. (4) Cheng Yuangong, Zhou Enlai's chief bodyguard, was persecuted by Jiang Qing and so on, once reform-through-labor in Jiangxi “5.7 cadre school”. In 1968, Jiang Qing once cursed “Cheng Yuangong is a Zhou Enlai's dog, to me is a wolf”. Once Jiang Qing wanted Wang Dongxing to arrest him, Wang did not agree, but afterward Zhou’s wife Deng Yingchao represented Zhou and said to Wang “certainly must arrest Cheng Yuangong, it shows that we did not have the selfishness”. Wang afterward said “Cheng Yuangong followed them (Mr. and Mrs. Zhou) for a lifetime, but they to preserve themselves might throw Cheng Yuangong off”. (5) Yang Dezhong, Zhou’s security guard, deputy chief of the CCP Central Security Guard Office, once suffered persecution by Jiang Qing and so on. In addition, Zhou Enlai's Secretary Zhou Jiading once was criticized in mass rally at the Capital Stadium.

(4) Zhou Enlai in the Cultural Revolution

Zhou: “After I die, the matter all manages by you.” Mao observed Zhou and others’ response, obviously he intended to obtain Zhou’s always modestly declining reply, wanted Zhou say he would assist Jiang Qing and so on, but Zhou had not been swindled, said: “We still work under your leadership”. Mao’s hypocrisy transferring power to Zhou the matter was changed “Zhou wants to substitute for president impatiently” by Jiang Qing, she said that criticizing Zhou was CCP’s the 11th struggle between two lines. Mao instructed Jiang Qing and Mao Yuanxin to organize a group to “help” Zhou and Deng. Deng once advised Zhou at a meeting: “Your position is only one step away from the President, others are unattainable, but you are expected and can be, I hope you can very wary of it.” On December 9, 1973, Mao said in the Political Bureau meeting of discussion the commanders of military regions exchanging posts: “I can fight a battle still! I can eat, also can sleep, therefore have to fight. Only in fighting can distinguish clearly Who is really willing to fight, who collude with the foreigners and want to be emperor.” This was allusion the struggle between him and Zhou.

 (1) In 1966, Mao, Lin, Zhou, Jiang Qing and Kang Sheng growing received the Red Guards. (2) Zhou was always to highlight Mao and Lin. (3) Zhou, Lin, Kang Sheng, Chen Boda and Jiang Qing. (4) On December 16, 1966, Zhou, Jiang Qing and Red Guard chieftain Chen Yongkang in the Worker’s Stadium “Pledge assembly of opening fire violently to the bourgeoisie reactionary route”. At the meeting, Jiang Qing named to overthrow Zhou Rongxin (secretary-General of the State Council) and Yong Wentao (Beijing deputy secretary, Tao Zhu just transferred him from Guangdong).

(1) Mao, Lin and Zhou in Tiananmen. (2) Chen Boda, Kang Sheng, Jiang Qing, Zhou Enlai received the Red Guards by car; obviously Zhou intended to highlight Jiang Qing and Kang Sheng. (4) Zhou always highlighted Jiang Qing's position in public situation.

(1) In January, 1967, Zhou put on military uniform and the Red Guard emblem, led everybody to shout supporting Mao's slogan in Chinese Academy of Science rebels populace meeting. (2) Zhou wearing Red Guards’ emblem and the Red Guards. (3) Zhou was the busiest in the Cultural Revolution. (4) In 1974 Zhou, Deng and Zhu De in the fourth session of National People's Congress.

Inferior modest Zhou Enlai and arrogant Jiang Qing.

Zhou was always to highlight Jiang Qing's position in the public situation.

(1) Zhou Enlai personally placed Qu Qiubai’s coffin. Qu Qiubai was one of CCP’s early time main leaders, in 1920 went to Soviet Russia, in 1922 joined CCP, after 1923 returned to China, participated in the third CCP Congress, drafted the CCP’s principle. In 1927 he was CCP Political Bureau member and managed the central work. In 1928 went to Soviet Union to participate in the sixth CCP Congress, elected to the Comintern  executive committee member. In September, 1930 returned to China to preside over the third plenary session of the sixth CCP committee, in 1931 on the fourth plenary session of the sixth CCP committee he suffered attack by Wang Ming et al. to, was removed leadership duty. In 1934 he was in Jiangxi Ruijin appointed to be the “Chinese Soviet Republic education people commissar”. This time he did against Mao. On June 26, 1935, he was arrested in the Fujian Changting County by Kuomintang and killed. (2) Zhou always catered to Mao’s intention to speak. Mao said his difference with Qu Qiubai was “the CCP’s third struggle between two lines”. In June, 1964, Zhou first time “exposed the fact of Qu Qiubai surrendering to the enemy” in the CCP central secretariat meeting, also many time said Qu Qiubai “traitor question”. On August 30, 1966, when Zhou interview rebel representatives of Chinese academy of science, said: “the intellectual family background's Qu Qiubai, like Li Xiucheng, at his old age became a treachery. We must learn from youth historian Comrade Qi Benyu, learn from him to Li Xiucheng's analysis.” (3) When Mao overthrew Tao Zhu, Zhou also said to overthrow Tao Zhu.

(1) In February, 1972, Zhou arranged President Nixon to visit China. (2) Zhou and Zhang Chunqiao gave a banquet for American President Nixon who visited China. Mao promoted Zhang Chunqiao as standing member of the CCP Political Bureau, On January 5, 1975, Mao appointed Zhang Chunqiao who had not been serviceman, for People's Liberation Army director of general political department, thus limited Zhou and Deng’s authority, also limited the authority of Ye Jianying who belonged to the Zhou Enlai camp. (3) On May 29, 1974, after the Zhou accompanied Malaysian Premier Tun Abdul Razak to meet with Mao, Mao shook hands with Zhou, this was their last handshake. Photo by Du Xiuxian.