Qi Benyu
Encyclopedia
Qi Benyu is an ultraleft theoretist und propagandist, mainly active during the Chinese Cultural Revolution
. He was member of the Cultural Revolution Group
, Head of the Xinfang-Department and Vice-Chairman of the General Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
. Outside the Party he also acted as Head of the History Department of the magazine Red Flag. In 1968 he was arrested and lost all his former positions.
in the early 50s when still being a student.
Upon Graduation he became Assistant to Tian Jiaying, the Secretary of Mao Zedong
.
In 1963 he wrote an article on Li Xiucheng
, which for the first time gave him Mao's approval for his radical approach. He was allowed to enter the Board of Editors of the Red Flag.
There, on the 8th of December in 1965 following Yao Wenyuan
's „Criticism of Hai Rui
Dismissed from Office“, he published the article „Study History for the Revolution“, in which he criticised the most famous Historians of the time by denouncing their Historism
as Capitalist
. The Article was mainly aimed at Jian Bozan
but did not name him.
Mao very much appreciated the article, praising the author: „Who are today's Authorities? It's Yao Wenyuan, Qi Benyu, Yin Da... People of low age, low knowledge, sturdy opinions and stable political experiences“. Qi thereupon followed with Articles attacking Wu Han
and again Jian Bozan, this time by name. Both Articles were also published in the Peoples Daily and gave Qi his reputation as a radical theorist.
and Acting Director of the General Bureau. In the Red Flag he rose to Vice Editor in Chief. Also still in 1966 he became secretary of Mao and his wife Jiang Qing
. With the Articles and Speeches written by him he played a large role in the campaigns against Liu Shaoqi
, Deng Xiaoping
and the old Establishment of the Party as well as in heating up the atmosphere during the Cultural Revolution.
His arguably most important Article during this time was „Patriotism or National Betrayal? --On the Reactionary Film Inside Story of the Ching Court“ published on March 30, 1967 in the „Red Flag“ Highly appraised by Mao, the Article also appeared in the Peoples Daily and was initiating a new wave of campins against Liu Shaoqi, to whom the article refers to as "the biggest Capitalist roader
in the Party" and "China's Khrushchev".
Qi now began to directly intervene in Politics
by inciting Red Guards
to forcefully bring Peng Dehuai
back from Sichuan
and to enter the Governmental District of Beijing, Zhongnanhai
, to attack Liu, Deng, Zhu De
und Tao Zhu
.
, Guan Feng and other members of the Cultural Revolution Group, started to accelerate Mao's plans for implementing the Cultural Revolution in the Army too, and where calling for the peoples to find out the "few Capitalist Roaders" within the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). The same Radicalisation was to be achieved in Foreign Policy, which culminated in the attack on the British Embassy in Beijing on August 22.
For Mao now saw himself confronted with growing opposition inside the Party and chaotic turbulences in his most important power base, the army, he decided to let down the so-called „Three Small“, Wang, Guan und Qi.
Qi was arrested on January 13, 1968 and lost all positions in- and outside the party. All three of them were brought to the notorious prison of Qincheng.
Jiang Qing was disclosing the main charge in a speech in front of officers of the PLA: The „Wang-Guan-Qi-Anti-Party-Clique“ would have been working secretly for Liu Shaoqi, Deng Xiaoping and Tao Zhu since the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. Though staying in prison all the time, it was only on July 14, 1980 that Qi was officially arrested by the Beijing Police. On November 2, 1983 the Intermediate Peoples Court Beijing sentenced him to 18 years in prison on terms of being a member of the counterrevolutional clique of Lin Biao and Jiang Qing as well as 'counterrevolutional propaganda', 'wrong accusations' and 'inciting of the masses' (da-za-qiang). Having by then already spent 15 years in prison, he was discharged after 3 more years in 1986.
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
. He was member of the Cultural Revolution Group
Cultural Revolution Group
The Cultural Revolution Group was formed in May 1966 as a replacement organisation to the Central Committee Secretariat and the "Five Man Group", and was initially directly responsible to the Standing Committee of the Politburo...
, Head of the Xinfang-Department and Vice-Chairman of the General Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China is the highest authority within the Communist Party of China. Its approximately 350 members and alternates are selected once every five years by the National Party Congress....
. Outside the Party he also acted as Head of the History Department of the magazine Red Flag. In 1968 he was arrested and lost all his former positions.
Youth
Qi Benyu visited the Central School of the Communist Youth League of China and entered the Communist Party of ChinaCommunist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
in the early 50s when still being a student.
Upon Graduation he became Assistant to Tian Jiaying, the Secretary of Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
.
In 1963 he wrote an article on Li Xiucheng
Li Xiucheng
Li Xiucheng was an eminent military leader of the Taiping Rebellion, and known during his military tenure as the Loyal King . This title was given because a Qing general attempted to bribe him to kill Hong Xiuquan, but he refused and told Hong Xiuquan. His many victories also made Hong very happy...
, which for the first time gave him Mao's approval for his radical approach. He was allowed to enter the Board of Editors of the Red Flag.
There, on the 8th of December in 1965 following Yao Wenyuan
Yao Wenyuan
Yao Wenyuan was a Chinese literary critic, a politician, and a member of the "Gang of Four" during China's Cultural Revolution.-Biography:...
's „Criticism of Hai Rui
Hai Rui
Hai Rui was a famous Chinese official of the Ming Dynasty. His name has come down in history as a model of honesty and integrity in office and he reemerged as an important historical character during the Cultural Revolution.-Biography:Hai Rui, whose great-grandfather married an Arab and...
Dismissed from Office“, he published the article „Study History for the Revolution“, in which he criticised the most famous Historians of the time by denouncing their Historism
Historism
Historism is a philosophical and historiographical theory, founded in 19th-century Germany and especially influential in 19th- and 20th-century Europe...
as Capitalist
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
. The Article was mainly aimed at Jian Bozan
Jian Bozan
Jian Bozan was a prominent Chinese Marxist historian.-Early years and education:...
but did not name him.
Mao very much appreciated the article, praising the author: „Who are today's Authorities? It's Yao Wenyuan, Qi Benyu, Yin Da... People of low age, low knowledge, sturdy opinions and stable political experiences“. Qi thereupon followed with Articles attacking Wu Han
Wu Han
Wu Han was a famous Eastern Han Dynasty general who made great contributions to Emperor Guangwu 's reestablishment of the Han Dynasty and who is commonly regarded as Emperor Guangwu's best general, but who was also known for cruelty against civilians.-Biography:Wu Han was initially a deputy to...
and again Jian Bozan, this time by name. Both Articles were also published in the Peoples Daily and gave Qi his reputation as a radical theorist.
Political Assendance
Qi Benyus sudden rise in the hierarchy of the Communist Party began Mid 1966 with the proclamation of the Cultural Revolution. In May he was appointed member of the Central Cultural Revolution Small Group and only shortly afterwards Vice-Chairman of the General Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of ChinaCentral Committee of the Communist Party of China
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China is the highest authority within the Communist Party of China. Its approximately 350 members and alternates are selected once every five years by the National Party Congress....
and Acting Director of the General Bureau. In the Red Flag he rose to Vice Editor in Chief. Also still in 1966 he became secretary of Mao and his wife Jiang Qing
Jiang Qing
Jiang Qing was the pseudonym that was used by Chinese leader Mao Zedong's last wife and major Communist Party of China power figure. She went by the stage name Lan Ping during her acting career, and was known by various other names during her life...
. With the Articles and Speeches written by him he played a large role in the campaigns against Liu Shaoqi
Liu Shaoqi
Liu Shaoqi was a Chinese revolutionary, statesman, and theorist. He was Chairman of the People's Republic of China, China's head of state, from 27 April 1959 to 31 October 1968, during which he implemented policies of economic reconstruction in China...
, Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese politician, statesman, and diplomat. As leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng was a reformer who led China towards a market economy...
and the old Establishment of the Party as well as in heating up the atmosphere during the Cultural Revolution.
His arguably most important Article during this time was „Patriotism or National Betrayal? --On the Reactionary Film Inside Story of the Ching Court“ published on March 30, 1967 in the „Red Flag“ Highly appraised by Mao, the Article also appeared in the Peoples Daily and was initiating a new wave of campins against Liu Shaoqi, to whom the article refers to as "the biggest Capitalist roader
Capitalist roader
In Maoist thought, a capitalist roader or is a person or group who demonstrates a marked tendency to bow to pressure from Bourgeois forces and subsequently attempts to pull the Revolution in a capitalist direction....
in the Party" and "China's Khrushchev".
Qi now began to directly intervene in Politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
by inciting Red Guards
Red Guards (China)
Red Guards were a mass movement of civilians, mostly students and other young people in the People's Republic of China , who were mobilized by Mao Zedong in 1966 and 1967, during the Cultural Revolution.-Origins:...
to forcefully bring Peng Dehuai
Peng Dehuai
Peng Dehuai was a prominent military leader of the Communist Party of China, and China's Defence Minister from 1954 to 1959. Peng was an important commander during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese civil war and was also the commander-in-chief of People's Volunteer Army in the Korean War...
back from Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
and to enter the Governmental District of Beijing, Zhongnanhai
Zhongnanhai
Zhongnanhai is an area in central Beijing, China adjacent to the Forbidden City which serves as the central headquarters for the Communist Party of China and the State Council of the People's Republic of China. The term Zhongnanhai is closely linked with the central government and senior Communist...
, to attack Liu, Deng, Zhu De
Zhu De
Zhu De was a Chinese militarist, politician, revolutionary, and one of the pioneers of the Chinese Communist Party. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, in 1955 Zhu became one of the Ten Marshals of the People's Liberation Army, of which he is regarded as the founder.-Early...
und Tao Zhu
Tao Zhu
Tao Zhu is a Former Member of the 8th Communist Party of China Politburo Standing Committee.-Biography:He was Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee and Commander of the Guangzhou Military Region....
.
Wang-Guan-Qi-Affair
From 1967 on Qi, together with Wang LiWang Li
Wang Li , or Wang Liaoyi , was a Chinese linguist.Born into a poor but educated family in Bobai , Yulin, Guangxi, he was largely self-taught before entering the Tsinghua University in 1927. There he was taught by Yuen Ren Chao and Liang Qichao, among others. Encouraged by Chao, he went to Paris to...
, Guan Feng and other members of the Cultural Revolution Group, started to accelerate Mao's plans for implementing the Cultural Revolution in the Army too, and where calling for the peoples to find out the "few Capitalist Roaders" within the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). The same Radicalisation was to be achieved in Foreign Policy, which culminated in the attack on the British Embassy in Beijing on August 22.
For Mao now saw himself confronted with growing opposition inside the Party and chaotic turbulences in his most important power base, the army, he decided to let down the so-called „Three Small“, Wang, Guan und Qi.
Qi was arrested on January 13, 1968 and lost all positions in- and outside the party. All three of them were brought to the notorious prison of Qincheng.
Jiang Qing was disclosing the main charge in a speech in front of officers of the PLA: The „Wang-Guan-Qi-Anti-Party-Clique“ would have been working secretly for Liu Shaoqi, Deng Xiaoping and Tao Zhu since the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. Though staying in prison all the time, it was only on July 14, 1980 that Qi was officially arrested by the Beijing Police. On November 2, 1983 the Intermediate Peoples Court Beijing sentenced him to 18 years in prison on terms of being a member of the counterrevolutional clique of Lin Biao and Jiang Qing as well as 'counterrevolutional propaganda', 'wrong accusations' and 'inciting of the masses' (da-za-qiang). Having by then already spent 15 years in prison, he was discharged after 3 more years in 1986.