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The Cultural Revolution, also known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a struggle for control of the Communist Party of China.
Launched by Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Communist Party of China, in 1966, the campaign was Mao's attempt to rid China of the influence of the "liberal bourgeoisie." Historians recognize it, however, as Mao's attempt to wrest power of the Party back from his rivals Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping.
During the Cultural Revolution, Mao empowered his youth militia of Red Guards to overthrow his perceived enemies and seize control of the state by replacing local governments with revolutionary committees. In the violence that ensued, nearly half a million people were persecuted and died, including artists, authors, religious figures and revolutionary elders.
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Fast Facts
- Began: May 16, 1966
- Launched by Chairman Mao Zedong
- An attempt to regain power after the Great Leap Forward
- Led to the death or displacement of millions of Chinese and the destruction of innumerable pieces of art and antiquity
- Ended: Declared over by Mao in 1969; Most historians place the end date in 1976 when the Gang of Four was arrested
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Key Dates
- 1963: Mao Zedong establishes the Socialist Education Movement
- May 29, 1966: First group of Red Guards formed
- June 1, 1966: The People's Daily calls for a purge of "imperialists" and "imperialistic intellectuals"
- August 8, 1966: "16 Points" decision passed defining the extent and nature of the revolution
- August 20, 1966: Red Guards gather in Bejing and begin the "Destruction of the Four Olds" campaign
- December 1968: "Down to the Countryside Movement" begins
- September 8-10, 1971: String of assassination attempts on Mao occur as part of Lin Biao's coup plot
- September 13, 1971: Lin Biao killed in a plane crash
- September 9, 1976: Mao Zedong dies
- October 11, 1976: Gang of Four arrested
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Gang of Four
The Gang of Four was a group of Communist Party of China officials who were arrested after the death of Mao Zedong and held responsible for the events of the Cultural Revolution. The members of the Gang of Four were Jiang Qing, Yao Wenyuan, Zhang Chunqiao and Wang Hongwen. -
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The Mahalo Top 7
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Morning Sun: A Film and Website about Cultural Revolution
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The New York Times: A Lifetime in Recovery From the Cultural Revolution
nytimes.com (October 22, 2005) -
China News Digest: Virtual Museum of the Cultural Revolution
museums.cnd.org -
Wikipedia: The Cultural Revolution
en.wikipedia.org -
Discovering China: History of The Cultural Revolution
library.thinkquest.org -
The Washington Post: Chinese Museum Looks Back in Candor
washingtonpost.com (June 03, 2005) -
Monthly Review: William Hinton on the Cultural Revolution (March 2005)
monthlyreview.org
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Morning Sun: A Film and Website about Cultural Revolution
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The Cultural Revolution on Amazon | View All
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The Unknown Cultural Revolution: Life and Change in a Chinese Village - $16.95
The Unknown Cultural Revolution challenges the established narrative of China’s Cultural Revolution, which assumes that this period of great social upheaval led to economic disaster, the persecution of intellectuals, and senseless vi...
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The Chinese Cultural Revolution: A History - $22.99
A groundbreaking study of cultural life during a turbulent and formative decade in contemporary China, this book seeks to explode several myths about the Cultural Revolution (officially 1966-1976). Through national and local examination of ...
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Landscape Painting/Sumi-e; Original Chinese Watercolor on Silk -Vintage, circa Cultural Revolution Era - $27.99
This hand painted watercolor, or sumi-e, is rendered on silk and mounted on course handmade paper with a brocade fabric boarder. This traditional method of mounting allows the painting to be displayed with or without a frame and matte board...
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China's Cultural Revolution As History (Studies of the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center) - $25.95
Based on a wide variety of unusual and only recently available sources, this book covers the entire Cultural Revolution decade (1966-76) and shows how the Cultural Revolution was experienced by ordinary Chinese at the base of urban and rura...
Amazon
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The Cultural Revolution on Twitter Powered by Twitter
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revolution: a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving; "the industrial revolution was also a cultural revolution"
@Tsmith4377 | November 08, 2009 11:12 PM -
@Lauren_Collins check out the CULTURAL REVOLUTION episode when u do ;)
@ShandosMangos | November 08, 2009 09:16 PM -
is wondering if she can transport herself back to the roaring 20's, to experience the cultural, social & artistic revolution of the times x
@AnnabelBeeforth | November 08, 2009 04:44 PM -
Wushu and the Second Cultural Revolution http://tinyurl.com/y8coepw
@leonareqo2h | November 08, 2009 08:43 AM -
Tomorrow we launch the Cultural Revolution & pass a law requiring a course in scientific atheism for all schoolkids. #tcot #tcotnightmares
@jonathanregec | November 08, 2009 05:18 AM
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Questions and Answers About The Cultural Revolution | View All | Ask a Question
View All The Cultural Revolution Questions (240) | Ask a QuestionWhat are the unique characteristics of the Etruscan culture? (1 Answer)----quote---- Much of the actual work in Etruria was done by the native population, who were subject to, though probably not slaves of, their conquerors; the nobility of Etruscan birth ... read moreWhat are the customs and culture of the Chippewa Indian? (2 Answers)Chippewa (US) , ojibwe (ojibwe) are two names of same indian tribe in two different locations . These people live in groups. ( known as BANDS) with a sedentary lifestyle ... read moreWhat are cultural and architectural contributions of Africa? (1 Answer)They Inspired Many Mud Huts, and buildings through their Traditional Earthen Roundhouses. Also contributing to Mud relief sculpture, mud walls and thatched roofs, wood ribbed houses, and cave dwellings. Africans ... read moreWhat are the culture and cultures similarites between Tahiti and Hawaii? (1 Answer)"Quote from www.tahiti-tourisme.com" Around 4000 BC, a great migration began from Southeast Asia across open ocean to settle the Pacific Islands. Many researchers conclude that Tonga and Samoa were settled ... read more
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The Cultural Revolution Background and Causes
- Time Asia: "Visions of China" (1999)
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The Cultural Revolution Books and Research
- University of Maine: The Cultural Revolution Bibliography
- University of California at San Diego: The Cultural Revolution as History
- China News Digest: "Student Attacks Against Teachers: The Revolution of 1966" (1996)
- Google Books:
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The Cultural Revolution Timeline
- 1959: The Great Leap Forward is officially criticized as a failure and dismantled
- 1959-1962: The Three Years of Natural Disasters leads to the death of 38 million people through famine
- 1963: In an attempt to rebuild political strength, Mao Zedong establishes the Socialist Education Movement
- 1964: After officially attacking Liu Shaoqi, Mao begins the "Four Cleanups Movement"
- 1965: Jiang Qing publishes a criticism of the popular play "Hai Rui Dismissed from Office" by Wu Han
- 1966: May 16, An official denunciation of Wu Han's play
- 1966: May 18, Lin Biao declares Mao and his denunciation of Wu Han "a genius"
- 1966: May 29, The first group of Red Guards is formed
- 1966: Jun 1, The People's Daily calls for a purge of "imperialists," "imperialistic intellectuals," and others
- 1966: June 28, Mao issues his article "Bombard the Headquarters" beginning the Cultural Revolution
- 1966: August 8, The "16 Points" define the extent and nature of the revolution
- 1966: August 20, Red Guards gather in Bejing and begin the "Destruction of the Four Olds" campaign
- 1967: January 3, Jiang Qing and Lin Biao begin extensive purges known as the "January Storm"
- 1968: December, The "Down to the Countryside Movement" begins
- 1969: April 1, Lin Biao is named Vice-Chairman
- 1971: September 8-10, A string of assassination attempts on Mao occur as part of Lin Biao's coup plot
- 1971: September 13, Lin Biao is killed in a plane crash while attempting escape to the Soviet Union
- 1973: The Gang of Four begin the "Criticize Lin, Criticize Confucius" campaign
- 1976: September 9, Mao Zedong dies
- 1976: October 11, After purges and brutal reprisals, opinion turns and the Gang of Four are arrested
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