Wang Hongwen (December 1935 – 3 August 1992) was a Chinese labour activist and politician who spent most of his career in Shanghai. He was an important political figure during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976). He was the youngest member of the political clique called the "Gang of Four." During the Cultural Revolution, Wang rose from a member of the working class to become one of the foremost members of national leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.
At the pinnacle of his power he was the second Vice Chairman of the CCP, and ranked third in the Communist Party's hierarchy. Following Mao's death in 1976, Wang was arrested and charged with "counterrevolutionary activity," then sentenced to life imprisonment in 1981.
Biography
Wang was born in a village in the outskirts of Changchun, Jilin province.[1] In the early 1950s he took part in the Korean War. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1953.[1] After the war, he was sent to Shanghai to work in Shanghai No. 17 Cotton Textile Mill as the head of its security guards regiment,[2] where he met Zhang Chunqiao and became involved in a Red Guards group. He organized the Shanghai Commune in January 1967, and was catapulted to national prominence as a daring rebel leader.[1]
At the 9th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, Wang was elected a member of the Central Committee. Following the Lin Biao incident, Wang was put in charge of the investigation into the case in the Shanghai area, reporting directly to Mao. At the 10th National Congress of the CCP in 1973, Wang, at the age of 38, was elevated to second ranking Vice Chairman in the Central Committee, and a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, making him the third-highest-ranking member of the CCP, behind Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai.[1] All signs pointed to Wang being trained as Mao's successor.
Wang was rumored to be slated to become Premier after then-Premier Zhou Enlai's death in January 1976. However, Hua Guofeng, a more moderate figure, was chosen to succeed Zhou instead. Wang was an important player during and after the death of Mao, and served as the masters of ceremonies for his funeral service on national radio on 18 September 1976. He was arrested in October 1976 in what was essentially a coup planned by Hua and General Ye Jianying for his participation in the Gang of Four during the Cultural Revolution. According to historian Immanuel C.Y. Hsü, the coup was not completely bloodless – Wang killed two of the guards trying to capture him, and was wounded himself before being subdued.[3] He was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1981.[2] He died of liver cancer in a Beijing hospital on 3 August 1992, at the age of 56.[4][2]
Wang was one of the youngest members of the Politburo Standing Committee in the post-revolution Communist Party, having joined the body aged 37. He was the same age as some standing committee members who took office even after the turn of the century, such as Luo Gan (served on the PSC between 2002 and 2007), who was also born in 1935.
References
^ abcdJian, Guo; Song, Yongyi; Zhou, Yuan (2009). The A to Z of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. pp. 308–309. ISBN9780810868700.
^Hsü, Immanuel Chung-yueh (1990), China Without Mao: the Search for a New Order, Oxford University Press, p. 26, ISBN0-19536-303-5
^Watts, Jonathan (7 January 2006). "Last member of China's Gang of Four dies at 74". the Guardian. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
External links
Wang Hongwen Archive at the Marxist Internet Archive.
December 28, 2022
wang, hongwen, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, september, 2. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Wang Hongwen news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Wang Hongwen December 1935 3 August 1992 was a Chinese labour activist and politician who spent most of his career in Shanghai He was an important political figure during the Cultural Revolution 1966 1976 He was the youngest member of the political clique called the Gang of Four During the Cultural Revolution Wang rose from a member of the working class to become one of the foremost members of national leadership of the Chinese Communist Party Wang Hongwen王洪文Vice Chairman of the Chinese Communist PartyIn office 30 August 1973 6 October 1976ChairmanMao ZedongHua GuofengPersonal detailsBornDecember 1935Changchun JilinDied3 August 1992 1992 08 03 aged 56 BeijingPolitical partyChinese Communist Party 1953 1976 Chinese nameChinese王洪文TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinWang HongwenWade GilesWang2 Hung2 wen2IPA wa ŋ xʊ ŋwe n In this Chinese name the family name is Wang At the pinnacle of his power he was the second Vice Chairman of the CCP and ranked third in the Communist Party s hierarchy Following Mao s death in 1976 Wang was arrested and charged with counterrevolutionary activity then sentenced to life imprisonment in 1981 Biography EditWang was born in a village in the outskirts of Changchun Jilin province 1 In the early 1950s he took part in the Korean War He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1953 1 After the war he was sent to Shanghai to work in Shanghai No 17 Cotton Textile Mill as the head of its security guards regiment 2 where he met Zhang Chunqiao and became involved in a Red Guards group He organized the Shanghai Commune in January 1967 and was catapulted to national prominence as a daring rebel leader 1 At the 9th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party Wang was elected a member of the Central Committee Following the Lin Biao incident Wang was put in charge of the investigation into the case in the Shanghai area reporting directly to Mao At the 10th National Congress of the CCP in 1973 Wang at the age of 38 was elevated to second ranking Vice Chairman in the Central Committee and a member of the Politburo Standing Committee making him the third highest ranking member of the CCP behind Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai 1 All signs pointed to Wang being trained as Mao s successor Wang was rumored to be slated to become Premier after then Premier Zhou Enlai s death in January 1976 However Hua Guofeng a more moderate figure was chosen to succeed Zhou instead Wang was an important player during and after the death of Mao and served as the masters of ceremonies for his funeral service on national radio on 18 September 1976 He was arrested in October 1976 in what was essentially a coup planned by Hua and General Ye Jianying for his participation in the Gang of Four during the Cultural Revolution According to historian Immanuel C Y Hsu the coup was not completely bloodless Wang killed two of the guards trying to capture him and was wounded himself before being subdued 3 He was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1981 2 He died of liver cancer in a Beijing hospital on 3 August 1992 at the age of 56 4 2 Wang was one of the youngest members of the Politburo Standing Committee in the post revolution Communist Party having joined the body aged 37 He was the same age as some standing committee members who took office even after the turn of the century such as Luo Gan served on the PSC between 2002 and 2007 who was also born in 1935 References Edit a b c d Jian Guo Song Yongyi Zhou Yuan 2009 The A to Z of the Chinese Cultural Revolution Lanham MD Scarecrow Press pp 308 309 ISBN 9780810868700 a b c Kristof Nicholas 5 August 1992 Wang Hongwen Dies in Beijing A Member of the Gang of Four The New York Times Hsu Immanuel Chung yueh 1990 China Without Mao the Search for a New Order Oxford University Press p 26 ISBN 0 19536 303 5 Watts Jonathan 7 January 2006 Last member of China s Gang of Four dies at 74 the Guardian Retrieved 25 April 2022 External links EditWang Hongwen Archive at the Marxist Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wang Hongwen amp oldid 1112279918, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
