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Battle for China's Past : Mao and the Cultural Revolution

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THE BATTLE FOR CHINA’ S PAST<br />

5. Lao Gui’s book is translated into English by Howard Goldblatt, <strong>and</strong><br />

published by Viking in 1995 under <strong>the</strong> name of Ma Bo.<br />

6. Dong Bian was married to Tian Jiaying, <strong>Mao</strong>’s personal secretary, who<br />

committed suicide at <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cultural</strong> <strong>Revolution</strong>.<br />

Dian Dian is Luo Ruiqing’s daughter. Luo was <strong>the</strong> Minister of Security<br />

<strong>and</strong> Chief of Staff of <strong>the</strong> PLA be<strong>for</strong>e <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cultural</strong> <strong>Revolution</strong>. Luo<br />

was one of <strong>the</strong> first to fall as <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cultural</strong> <strong>Revolution</strong> unfolded, <strong>and</strong> tried<br />

to kill himself by jumping from a building. He survived but was permanently<br />

crippled. Luo was released from jail in 1973 <strong>and</strong> was put in charge<br />

of <strong>the</strong> administrative work of <strong>the</strong> Central Military Committee of <strong>the</strong> CCP<br />

in 1977. In July 1978 he was admitted to a West German hospital <strong>for</strong><br />

treatment of his crippled legs. Though <strong>the</strong> operation was successful, Luo<br />

died in <strong>the</strong> hospital of a heart attack in August of 1978.<br />

Zhang is <strong>the</strong> second wife of Qiao Guanhua, who was one of <strong>the</strong><br />

most talented diplomats of <strong>the</strong> PRC. Appointed personally by <strong>Mao</strong>,<br />

Qiao led <strong>the</strong> first PRC delegation to <strong>the</strong> United Nations in 1971. Soon<br />

after, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, a position that<br />

proved to be <strong>the</strong> beginning of his downfall. He was accused of being<br />

involved with <strong>the</strong> Gang of Four <strong>and</strong> disappeared from <strong>the</strong> political<br />

scene after 1976. Qiao died in 1983. Zhang Hanzhi herself was a<br />

personality of note. Her fa<strong>the</strong>r Zhang Shizhao was <strong>Mao</strong>’s long-term<br />

personal friend <strong>and</strong> Zhang Hanzhi used to be <strong>Mao</strong>’s English teacher.<br />

Liu Siqi was one of <strong>Mao</strong>’s daughters-in-law.<br />

Wang Guangmei is Liu Shaoqi’s wife <strong>and</strong> Wang Guangying is Liu’s<br />

bro<strong>the</strong>r-in-law. Liu Pingping <strong>and</strong> Li Yuan are Liu Shaoqi’s children.<br />

7. Zhu Min includes Zeng Zhi, wife of Tao Zhu, Tao Siliang, daughter of<br />

Tao Zhu, Liu Pingping, Liu Yuan <strong>and</strong> Liu Tingting (ano<strong>the</strong>r child of<br />

Liu Shaoqi), Deng <strong>Mao</strong>mao (daughter of Deng Xiaoping), Peng<br />

Meikui (niece of Peng Dehuai), Xue Ming (wife of He Long who was<br />

one of <strong>the</strong> ten marshals), Dian Dian, <strong>and</strong> Tao Xiaoyong (son of Tao<br />

Yong who was <strong>the</strong> Comm<strong>and</strong>er of <strong>the</strong> Chinese South Sea Fleet be<strong>for</strong>e<br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>Cultural</strong> <strong>Revolution</strong>, but died in suspicious circumstances during<br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>Cultural</strong> <strong>Revolution</strong>).<br />

8. Zhang Hanzhi was said to be a friend of Jiang Qing, who was said to<br />

have influenced <strong>the</strong> marriage between her <strong>and</strong> Qiao Guanhua.<br />

9. Only some figures were allowed to be interviewed. They include Yao<br />

Dengshan (who was blamed <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> burning of <strong>the</strong> British Embassy in<br />

1967), Wang Li, Guan Feng (two radicals during <strong>the</strong> <strong>Cultural</strong> <strong>Revolution</strong><br />

who were blamed <strong>for</strong> advocating struggle against <strong>the</strong> military<br />

establishment), Lin Liheng (Lin Biao’s daughter) <strong>and</strong> Ji Dengkui<br />

(personally promoted by <strong>Mao</strong> <strong>and</strong> one of <strong>the</strong> Vice-Premiers during <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>Cultural</strong> <strong>Revolution</strong>) <strong>and</strong> Chen Boda. One can well imagine that <strong>the</strong>se<br />

people would have been very careful of what <strong>the</strong>y were allowed to say<br />

during <strong>the</strong> interviews. One member of <strong>the</strong> so-called Gang of Four Yao<br />

Wenyuan wrote his memoirs but was not allowed to publish <strong>the</strong>m<br />

(Boxun.com 2007).<br />

[ 204 ]

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