Zhang Bojun
Encyclopedia
Zhang Bojun was a Chinese politician and intellectual.
between 1922-1926, and joined the Communist Party of China
(CPC) upon becoming a personal friend with Zhu De
(Field Marshal and Supreme Military Commander of the New China), his roommate at the time. Zhang left the CPC following the doom
of the “August First” military uprising in 1927, and over the years, in collaboration with others, founded the third parties, known today as the Chinese Democratic Party of Peasants and Workers, and the China Democratic League
. Before the revolution, Zhang was the dean of a teacher’s college in his home province of Anhui
and later an English professor in Zhongshan University (Sun Yet-sen University in Guangzhou
, Guangdong
Province, China).
He was appointed as the vice-Chairman of the 2nd CPPCC, National Committee of the People’s Republic of China 1954–59, and Minister of Communications (i.e., Department of Transportation, his title should have been translated as Secretary of Transportation). Vocal during the Hundred Flowers Campaign
, Zhang was removed by Mao Zedong
from his minister's position and staged as a public enemy during the Anti-Rightist Campaign in 1957, being labeled as ‘China’s number one rightist’.
His 10,000-volume family library was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution
in the 1960s . His daughter, Zhang Yihe, is a writer with censored History
books. Even several years after his death, Chinese communists still criticised him and defended the CPC’s actions.
With his political ambitions unfulfilled and reform goals unaccomplished, Zhang lived a Renaissance man’s life in his private library of ancient books and art relics after his removal from the many positions he once held. At least until the Cultural Revolution he could retreat to this last sanctuary to reflect back on his journey from an early member of the CPC and a leader in the “August First” military uprising (1927), to a high-impact power broker between the CPC and all third-party political forces (late 1940’s), and on to an enthusiast of the New China. He was once offered by the central government to live in exile abroad with state funding, but Zhang rejected the offer, and said “Please convey to Chairman Mao, Zhang Bojun was born on this land, and he will die on this land”, quoted in his daughter’s best seller of 2004, unofficial biographies of friends and associates of Zhang and family. Also quoted in his daughter’s best seller was Zhang’s own personal motto: “I do not judge myself by the honors I hold or by the indignities forced upon me, nor do I judge others by their successes and failures in life.” Taking great personal pride in his contributions to the founding of the new People's Republic, Zhang rose early on October 1 of every year to prepare for the celebration of the new republic's birthday, dressing up very meticulously for the occasion. He kept on this practice and the spirit even after he was stripped of all of his titles.
Zhang died of stomach cancer
and the family believed that depression as a result of his political downfall may have contributed to the deterioration of his health.
To his consolation in a poetic sense, in the TV docu-drama series "The Liberation", made in China to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the new People's Republic, Zhang was portrayed fairly accurately in his activities as a power-broker in the late 1940s, though overall the role in the TV docu-drama was minor.
Biography
Zhang studied philosophy in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
between 1922-1926, and joined the Communist Party of China
Communist 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...
(CPC) upon becoming a personal friend with 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...
(Field Marshal and Supreme Military Commander of the New China), his roommate at the time. Zhang left the CPC following the doom
Long March (Little)
The Little Long March was a 600-km, two-month withdrawal by Left-Guomindang forces up the Ganjiang River and down to the coast, subsequent to the successful mutiny and insurrection at Nanchang on August 1, 1927.-Withdrawal of Liberated Troops:...
of the “August First” military uprising in 1927, and over the years, in collaboration with others, founded the third parties, known today as the Chinese Democratic Party of Peasants and Workers, and the China Democratic League
China Democratic League
The China Democratic League is one of the eight legally recognised political parties in the People's Republic of China.The party was established in 1939 and took its present name in 1944. At its formation, it was a coalition of three pro-democracy parties and three pressure groups...
. Before the revolution, Zhang was the dean of a teacher’s college in his home province of Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
and later an English professor in Zhongshan University (Sun Yet-sen University in Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
Province, China).
He was appointed as the vice-Chairman of the 2nd CPPCC, National Committee of the People’s Republic of China 1954–59, and Minister of Communications (i.e., Department of Transportation, his title should have been translated as Secretary of Transportation). Vocal during the Hundred Flowers Campaign
Hundred Flowers Campaign
The Hundred Flowers Campaign, also termed the Hundred Flowers Movement, refers mainly to a brief six weeks in the People's Republic of China in the early summer of 1957 during which the Communist Party of China encouraged a variety of views and solutions to national policy issues, launched...
, Zhang was removed by 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...
from his minister's position and staged as a public enemy during the Anti-Rightist Campaign in 1957, being labeled as ‘China’s number one rightist’.
His 10,000-volume family library was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution
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...
in the 1960s . His daughter, Zhang Yihe, is a writer with censored History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
books. Even several years after his death, Chinese communists still criticised him and defended the CPC’s actions.
With his political ambitions unfulfilled and reform goals unaccomplished, Zhang lived a Renaissance man’s life in his private library of ancient books and art relics after his removal from the many positions he once held. At least until the Cultural Revolution he could retreat to this last sanctuary to reflect back on his journey from an early member of the CPC and a leader in the “August First” military uprising (1927), to a high-impact power broker between the CPC and all third-party political forces (late 1940’s), and on to an enthusiast of the New China. He was once offered by the central government to live in exile abroad with state funding, but Zhang rejected the offer, and said “Please convey to Chairman Mao, Zhang Bojun was born on this land, and he will die on this land”, quoted in his daughter’s best seller of 2004, unofficial biographies of friends and associates of Zhang and family. Also quoted in his daughter’s best seller was Zhang’s own personal motto: “I do not judge myself by the honors I hold or by the indignities forced upon me, nor do I judge others by their successes and failures in life.” Taking great personal pride in his contributions to the founding of the new People's Republic, Zhang rose early on October 1 of every year to prepare for the celebration of the new republic's birthday, dressing up very meticulously for the occasion. He kept on this practice and the spirit even after he was stripped of all of his titles.
Zhang died of stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
and the family believed that depression as a result of his political downfall may have contributed to the deterioration of his health.
To his consolation in a poetic sense, in the TV docu-drama series "The Liberation", made in China to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the new People's Republic, Zhang was portrayed fairly accurately in his activities as a power-broker in the late 1940s, though overall the role in the TV docu-drama was minor.