Introduction to the Cultural Revolution
Adapted from Jonathan Spence, The Search for Modern China, 2001
SPICE Digest, Fall 2007
Key People:
Liu Shaoqi
Zhou Enlai
Lin Biao
President of PRC
1959-1968,
economic
restructuring, fell
out of favor
during Cultural
rev, died 1969
1st Premier of
PRC, 1949-76,
consolidated PRC,
diplomat (Korea,
Nixon), died 8
months before
Mao, ally of Deng
Military leader,
Civil War, Mao’s
successor during
Cultural Rev, died
1971 plane crash,
“Lin Biao
incident” –
speculations of
coup attempt
Jiang
Qing
&
Gang
of
Four
Political faction
during Cultural
Rev, included
Madame Mao,
power struggle
post Mao’s death,
charged with
treason
Hua Guofeng
Loyal to Mao,
succeeded Zhou
Enlai as Premier of
PRC, Chaiman after
Mao, ended Cultural
Rev, opposed Gang
of Four, continued
Maoist line, replaced
by Deng
Key Terms:








Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
Four Olds
Great Leap Forward
Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution / Cultural Revolution
People’s Liberation Army or PLA
Red Guards
Sixteen Points
Socialist modernization
Tasks:
 Continue to add to timeline from class & PRC annotated timeline sheet
 Identify Spence’s thesis
 Agree OR Disagree: “Had Mao died in 1956, his achievements would have been immortal. Had he died in
1966, he would still have been a great man but flawed. But he died in 1976. Alas, what can one say?” -Chen
Yun, one of China's senior Communist leaders