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n ytim es.com
A L e a d e r i n M a o ’s C u l t u r a l R e v o l u t i o n
F a c e s H i s P a s t
by Jan e P erlez • D ec. 6, 2 0 13 • 5 m in read • origin al
“I w a s to o sca red . I co u ld n ’t sto p it. I w a s a fra id o f b ein g
ca lled a co u n terrev o lu tio n a ry , o f h a v in g to w ea r a d u n ce’s
h a t.” C H E N X IA O L U
B E IJ IN G — O N th e su rfa c e , a t le a st, th e re is n o t m u c h
a b o u t C h e n X ia o lu to su gge st a life tim e o f re gre t. T h e so n o f o n e o f C o m m u n ist C h in a ’s fo u n d in g ge n e ra ls,
h e e n jo y e d p riv ile ge a t a n e a rly a ge a n d th e n a c a re e r a s a
b u sin e ss c o n su lta n t th a t to o k h im a ro u n d th e w o rld . N o w
6 7 , h e re la x e s o n go lf c o u rse s in S c o tla n d a n d so u th e rn
F ra n c e a n d e sc h e w s th e d a rk su its a n d h igh -m a in te n a n c e
b la c k h a ir o f m o st a fflu e n t C h in e se m e n fo r c a su a l sh irts
a n d a gra y b u zz c u t.
B u t b e n e a th th e ge n ia l e x te rio r is a m e m o ry th a t h a s
h a u n te d h im fo r n e a rly 5 0 y e a rs. T h e re h e w a s, b a c k in
h igh sc h o o l, a fre sh -fa c e d m e m b e r o f th e v o lle y b a ll te a m
a n d a stu d e n t le a d e r in M a o Z e d o n g’s C u ltu ra l R e v o lu tio n ,
o rd e rin g te a c h e rs to lin e u p in th e a u d ito riu m , d u n c e c a p s
o n th e ir b o w e d h e a d s. H e sto o d th e re , e x c ite d a n d p ro u d ,
a s th o u sa n d s o f stu d e n ts h o w le d a b u se a t th e te a c h e rs.
T h e n , su d d e n ly , a p o sse sto rm e d th e sta ge a n d b e a t th e m
u n til th e y c ru m p le d to th e flo o r, b lo o d o o zin g fro m th e ir
h e a d s. H e d id n o t o b je c t. H e sim p ly fle d . “I w a s to o
sc a re d ,” h e re c a lle d re c e n tly in o n e o f se v e ra l in te rv ie w s
a t a re sta u ra n t n e a r T ia n a n m e n S q u a re , n o t fa r fro m h is
a lm a m a te r, N o . 8 M id d le S c h o o l, w h ic h c a te re d to th e
c h ild re n o f th e M a o e lite . “I c o u ld n ’t sto p it. I w a s a fra id o f
b e in g c a lle d a c o u n te rre v o lu tio n a ry , o f h a v in g to w e a r a
d u n c e ’s h a t.” A rip p le o f c o n fe ssio n s a b o u t th e C u ltu ra l R e v o lu tio n fro m
fo rm e r R e d G u a rd s, m o st o f th e m re tire d m e n o f m o d e st
b a c k gro u n d s, h a s su rfa c e d in th e la st fe w m o n th s. B u t it
w a s M r. C h e n ’s d e c isio n to ste p fo rw a rd in A u gu st w ith a
p u b lic a p o lo gy th a t h a s d ra w n th e m o st a tte n tio n , ra isin g
h o p e s th a t a n a tio n so d e te rm in e d to d e fin e its fu tu re
m igh t fin a lly b e m o v in g to c o n fro n t th e h o rro rs o f its p a st.
H e d id so , h e sa id , n o t o n ly fo r p e rso n a l re d e m p tio n b u t
a lso fo r p ro fo u n d re a so n s to d o w ith C h in a ’s p o litic a l
d e v e lo p m e n t th a t m u st in c lu d e th e ru le o f la w .
“M a n y p e o p le a re th in k in g b a c k fo n d ly to th e go o d o ld
d a y s o f th e C u ltu ra l R e v o lu tio n , a n d a re sa y in g it w a s ju st
a ga in st c o rru p t o ffic ia ls,” h e sa id in a n in te rv ie w . “B u t
m a n y th in gs h a p p e n e d in th e C u ltu ra l R e v o lu tio n th a t
v io la te d p e o p le ’s righ ts. T h e m a jo rity in C h in a d id n o t
re a lly e x p e rie n c e th e C u ltu ra l R e v o lu tio n , a n d th o se o f u s
w h o d id h a v e to te ll p e o p le a b o u t it.”
M r. C h e n ’s re m o rse sta n d s o u t b e c a u se o f h is sta tu re ,
th e n a n d n o w . H e is q u ite c a n d id th a t a s th e so n o f C h e n
Y i, a fo u n d e r o f C o m m u n ist C h in a a n d its lo n gtim e fo re ign
m in iste r, h e w a s h a n d e d th e m a n tle o f im m e n se a u th o rity
d u rin g th e d e c isiv e , e a rly d a y s o f th e C u ltu ra l R e v o lu tio n . “I b e a r d ire c t re sp o n sib ility fo r th e d e n o u n c in g a n d
c ritic ism , a n d fo rc e d -la b o r re -e d u c a tio n o f sc h o o l le a d e rs,
a n d so m e te a c h e rs a n d stu d e n ts,” M r. C h e n w ro te in a
b lo g p o st o n h is sc h o o l a lu m n i w e b site in A u gu st th a t
q u ic k ly c irc u la te d o n th e In te rn e t. “I a c tiv e ly re b e lle d a n d
o rga n ize d th e d e n o u n c e m e n ts o f sc h o o l le a d e rs. L a te r o n
w h e n I se rv e d a s th e d ire c to r o f th e sc h o o l’s R e v o lu tio n
C o m m itte e , I w a sn ’t b ra v e e n o u gh to sto p th e in h u m a n e
p ro se c u tio n s.”
“M y o ffic ia l a p o lo gy c o m e s to o la te , b u t fo r th e
p u rific a tio n o f th e so u l, th e p ro gre ss o f so c ie ty a n d th e
fu tu re o f th e n a tio n , o n e m u st m a k e th is k in d o f a p o lo gy ,”
h e c o n c lu d e d .
T h e a p o lo gy h a s d ra w n a m ix e d re sp o n se . S ligh tly m o re
th a n h a lf o f th e c o m m e n ts o n th e a lu m n i w e b site
c o m m e n d e d h im . O n C h in e se w e b site s, m a n y q u e stio n e d
w h y it w a s n e c e ssa ry to p ic k o v e r o ld w o u n d s.
T H E C u ltu ra l R e v o lu tio n re m a in s la rge ly h id d e n fro m
v ie w in C h in a a s su c c e ssiv e go v e rn m e n ts h a v e
d isc o u ra ge d d isc u ssio n o f th e tu rm o il a n d te rro r th a t M a o
o rc h e stra te d to p e rp e tu a te h is ru le b u t th a t a lm o st
b ro u gh t th e c o u n try to its k n e e s. D e n g X ia o p in g re p u d ia te d th e C u ltu ra l R e v o lu tio n in 19 7 8 ,
a n d th e p a rty h a s a c k n o w le d ge d it w a s a m ista k e , b u t a
fu ll a c c o u n tin g h a s n e v e r o c c u rre d .
A p a rtic u la rly d e lic a te su b je c t fo r th e p a rty h a s b e e n th e
n u m b e r o f p e o p le k ille d .
In B e ijin g a lo n e , a b o u t 1,8 0 0 p e o p le d ie d d u rin g A u gu st
a n d S e p te m b e r 19 6 6 , th e h e igh t o f th e fre n zy , w h e n M a o
first d e p lo y e d stu d e n ts a s R e d G u a rd s to tu rn a ga in st th e
p a rty , a c c o rd in g to th e h isto ria n s R o d e ric k M a c F a rq u h a r
a n d M ic h a e l S c h o e n h a ls. E stim a te s ra n ge fro m 1.5 m illio n
to th re e m illio n d e a d a c ro ss C h in a fro m 19 6 6 to 19 7 6 .
A C h in e se h isto ria n o f th e C u ltu ra l R e v o lu tio n , X u Y o u y u ,
d e sc rib e d M r. C h e n ’s a p o lo gy a s “v e ry u n u su a l” b e c a u se
fo rm e r R e d G u a rd s — a n e n tire ge n e ra tio n o f C h in e se n o w
in th e ir 6 0 s — ge n e ra lly ju stify th e ir a c tio n s d u rin g th e
C u ltu ra l R e v o lu tio n a n d p re fe r to e m p h a size th e ir ro le a s
v ic tim s ra th e r th a n p e rp e tra to rs; th e y ra re ly a p o lo gize in
p riv a te , m u c h le ss in p u b lic .
T h e fa te fu l c ritic ism c e re m o n y o f te a c h e rs a t th e
Z h o n gsh a n C o n c e rt H a ll, n e a r th e F o rb id d e n C ity , th a t M r.
C h e n o rga n ize d w a s b ru ta l e v e n b e fo re it b e ga n , sa id
H u a n g J ia n , th e c h a irm a n o f th e a lu m n i gro u p . O n th e w a y to th e a u d ito riu m , stu d e n ts “w ie ld e d w h ip s,”
la sh in g a t th e sc h o o l p rin c ip a l, W e n H a n jia n g, a s th e y
fro g-m a rc h e d h im , M r. H u a n g sa id . M r. W e n , n o w 8 9 a n d
liv in g in B e ijin g, w h e re M r. C h e n re c e n tly v isite d h im , w a s
b e a te n o n th e sta ge , to o .
B a c k a t th e sc h o o l, th e a tm o sp h e re d a rk e n e d . T h e sc h o o l’s
se n io r p a rty o ffic ia l, H u a J ia , c o m m itte d su ic id e . S h e to o k
h e r life a fte r tw o w e e k s o f b e a tin gs a n d b e in g fe d o n ly b its
o f fo o d in a sto re ro o m w h e re sh e w a s im p riso n e d , M r.
C h e n sa id .
S o m e o n e to ld h im o f th e su ic id e , a n d h e ru sh e d to th e
ro o m to fin d th e b o d y o n th e flo o r.
“S h e u se d a strin g tie d to th e w in d o w sill, p u t h e r h e a d
th ro u gh th e n o o se a n d th e n k n e lt d o w n to h a n g h e rse lf,”
h e sa id . M r. C h e n o ffe re d th e d e ta ils q u ic k ly a n d q u ie tly , a
tin ge o f e m b a rra ssm e n t in h is w o rd s. It tu rn e d o u t, h e
sa id , sh e h a d b e e n a lo y a l m e m b e r o f th e C o m m u n ist P a rty
fo r 3 0 y e a rs.
D u rin g th e e a rly tu rm o il, M r. C h e n liv e d a t h o m e w ith h is
p a re n ts a t Z h o n gn a n h a i, th e sp ra w lin g c o m p o u n d in th e
c e n te r o f B e ijin g w h e re se n io r p a rty o ffic ia ls w e re
a ssign e d tra d itio n a l c o u rty a rd -sty le h o u se s a n d lu x u rie s
e x iste d u n k n o w n b e y o n d th e h igh w a lls. H is fa th e r in siste d th a t th e fa m ily c o u ld n o t d isc u ss th e
C u ltu ra l R e v o lu tio n a t h o m e , h e sa id . “T o p u t it sim p ly , m y
fa th e r sa id y o u m u st p a rtic ip a te in th e C u ltu ra l
R e v o lu tio n b u t b e c a re fu l a n d p ru d e n t.”
T h e y m a in ta in e d a “C h in e se sc re e n ” o f sile n c e a b o u t th e
v io le n c e , h e sa id . “I n e v e r to ld m y fa th e r a n y th in g a b o u t
th e su ic id e ” o f M s. H u a , h e sa id . “M y fa th e r k n e w
so m e o n e c o u ld u se m e to ta rge t h im .”
L IF E w a s e a sy a t Z h o n gn a n h a i. T h e c h ild re n w e re o fte n
su m m o n e d to w a tc h M a o sw im in o n e o f tw o 5 0 -m e te r
p o o ls — o u td o o rs in su m m e r, in d o o rs in w in te r. T h e re
w e re b a sk e tb a ll ga m e s, ro w in g o n a la k e a n d w e e k e n d
m o v ie s.
B u t so o n , tro u b le stru c k a t th e h e a rt o f th e C h e n fa m ily . In
a sp e e c h in e a rly 19 6 7 , C h e n Y i d a re d to c ritic ize th e
C u ltu ra l R e v o lu tio n . M a o sid e lin e d h im , a n d th e m a n w h o
h a d gre e te d e v e ry fo re ign le a d e r to th e n e w C h in a w a s
su b je c te d to a h u m ilia tin g se lf-c ritic ism se ssio n a n d
o rd e re d to sta y a t h o m e .
A fte r h is fa th e r w a s d isgra c e d , M r. C h e n sto p p e d liv in g a t
h o m e “to k e e p m o re d ista n c e .” In th e su m m e r o f 19 6 8 , M a o
d isp e rse d th e stu d e n ts to th e c o u n try sid e . P rim e M in iste r
Z h o u E n la i sp a re d M r. C h e n th a t fa te b y se n d in g h im to
th e a rm y . In 19 7 2 , C h e n Y i d ie d o f c o lo n c a n c e r, a b ro k e n m a n . C h e n
X ia o lu c a m e h o m e fro m th e a rm y fo r th e fu n e ra l. O u t o f
th e b lu e , h e sa id , M a o tu rn e d u p d re sse d in p a ja m a s a n d a
w in te r to p c o a t to p a y re sp e c ts to h is fa th e r. In fro n t o f th e
C h e n fa m ily , M a o re in sta te d C h e n Y i in th e p a n th e o n o f
re v o lu tio n a ry gre a ts b y c a llin g h im a “go o d c o m ra d e .”
T h a t a fte rn o o n , M r. C h e n d ra n k b e e r w ith a sc h o o l frie n d ,
J i S a n m e n g, a n d sh a re d a p o e m , M r. J i re c a lle d , a b o u t h o w
h is fa th e r, a h e ro , h a d e n d u re d ill tre a tm e n t fo r th e p a st
fiv e y e a rs a t th e h a n d s o f M a o a n d h is m e n .
B y th e n , M r. C h e n ’s fa ith in M a o h a d e v a p o ra te d , a lth o u gh
h e n e v e r sa id so p u b lic ly .
B re e F e n g c o n trib u te d re se a rc h .
O riginal U R L:
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