The Central Case Examination Group ( Chinese : 中央专案组 ; CCEG ) was a special organization established in the People's Republic of China in 1966 under the aegis of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party to persecute those accused of "anti- party activities". It was, in essence, an organization dedicated to political persecution of senior party leaders as well as ordinary functionaries. Initially conceptualized as a beachhead by Chairman Mao Zedong 's most radical supporters to 'gather dirt' on opponents of the Cultural Revolution, it later began taking up cases against all manner of perceived political opponents irrespective of their ideological allegiance. Many of its early leaders, such as Jiang Qing , later themselves became the subject of persecution by the Group. The Group was compared by Cultural Revolution-era propagandist Wang Li to the Soviet Cheka , but he noted that the CCEG had even broader powers. Its leading members included nearly all of the members of the Cultural Revolution Group (CRG) as well as Premier Zhou Enlai and the chief of Mao's security detail Wang Dongxing . The CCEG worked closely with the CRG during its investigations.
35-678: The precursor to the CCEG was the Special Case Examination Committee, an organ established by the Politburo in May 1966 to investigate the political offences of Peng Zhen , Luo Ruiqing , Lu Dingyi and Yang Shangkun . When it was found that there was a need for analysis of other cases, the committee was retained under a new name, and soon achieved a permanence as a central institution. The Central Case Examination Group
70-539: A "cultural revolution", but he fell out of favor with Mao Zedong in April 1966 when he attacked Mao's belief that all literature should support the state. He was accused of being an associate to Wu Han 's counter-revolutionary clique and deposed at a May 1966 conference in what became the opening act of the Cultural Revolution . Lu Dingyi , Luo Ruiqing and Yang Shangkun were also deposed. Peng survived
105-616: A democratic society based on rule of law. If not handled well, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection may be at risk of becoming a bigger version of the CCEG." — Wang Li , as quoted in the memoirs of Deng Liqun The CCEG was responsible to the Politburo Standing Committee , and wielded significant power in the realm of public security. It took the decisions to arrest, torture and imprison suspected 'revisionist' elements. For example, at
140-581: A professor of politics and ancient Chinese history at China College in Beijing while writing articles under the pen names Chen Zhimei and Chen Boda . Most of these articles focused on the dispute between advocates of "national defense literature" such as Lu Xun , and more nationalist authors. Chen also did underground work for the Party in Tianjin . From 1937 on, he taught politics and Marxist philosophy at
175-871: A resistance movement against the invading Japanese forces. Peng was important in developing the Second United Front during the Second Sino-Japanese War . Around the same time, he was appointed the Organization Department Director of the North Bureau of CCP. Peng also served on a number of positions as vice-president of the Central Party School and director of the CCP Policy Research Office. In 1945 he served in
210-524: The 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre , Peng Zhen supported the declaration of martial law in Beijing and the removal of Zhao Ziyang . Peng Zhen died on April 26, 1997, from blood cancer aged 94, two months after the death of former vice premier Deng Xiaoping, and was eulogized with high honours by the highest organs of the party and the state. His official obituary declared him a "great proletarian revolutionary, politician, and outstanding expert in
245-661: The Central Party School of the Chinese Communist Party in Yan'an , where he became a leader in the Yan'an Rectification Movement . He soon became personal research assistant and chief political aide to Mao Zedong . Chen published the first collection of Mao's writings in 1937, and an official history of the Party in 1945. After the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War and the establishment of
280-528: The Eight Elders of the CCP. Chen Boda Chen Boda ( simplified Chinese : 陈伯达 ; traditional Chinese : 陳伯達 ; Wade–Giles : Ch'en Po-ta ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Tân Peh-ta̍t ; 29 July 1904 – 20 September 1989), was a Chinese Communist journalist, professor and political theorist who rose to power as the chief interpreter of Maoism (or " Mao Zedong Thought ") in the first 20 years of
315-542: The People's Republic of China in 1949, Mao entrusted Chen with many important tasks. Chen Boda became: In 1951, Chen wrote an article with the title Mao Zedong's theory of the Chinese Revolution is the combination of Marxism-Leninism with the Chinese Revolution and a book entitled Mao Zedong on the Chinese Revolution . These works made him one of the most important interpreters of Mao Zedong Thought , and in
350-492: The People's Republic of China . Chen became a close associate of Mao Zedong in Yan'an , during the late 1930s, drafting speeches and theoretical essays and directing propaganda. After 1949, Chen played a leading role in overseeing mass media and ideology; at the start of the Cultural Revolution in 1966, Mao named him Chairman of the Cultural Revolution Group , entrusting him with the task of guiding
385-548: The 1950s he became one of Mao's closest associates, compiling many of the quotations eventually published in the Red Book . In 1950 Chen accompanied Mao to Moscow to participate in the negotiations with Joseph Stalin that led to the signing of the 30-year treaty of alliance (February 1950) between China and the Soviet Union . Following Mao's complaint that "the economic sector is blocking me and Comrade Liu ," Chen
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#1732773179096420-547: The CCEG also began to investigate Lin Biao. In 1975, in an effort to bring the Cultural Revolution to a close, Mao ordered that the CCEG conclude its major cases swiftly and release of some prisoners. This led to the release of around 300 prisoners in the middle of 1975. The last case assigned to the CCEG was the case of the ' Gang of Four '. Jiang Qing, once an active member of the CCEG, came under investigation by
455-539: The CCEG should be dissolved at the same time as the Cultural Revolution Group, in 1969, it was retained as an institution for the remainder of the Cultural Revolution decade, continuing its investigative role until after the Cultural Revolution itself ended. In 1970, the group started to examine the case against Chen Boda , who was one of the staunchest proponents of the Cultural Revolution but by this point had fallen from political favour, and in 1971
490-687: The CCP side of the First United Front . When the Front collapsed, Chen fled and was eventually arrested in Nanjing . He was released after a month on General Zhang's recommendation. Shortly thereafter, Chen was sent by the Party to Moscow Sun Yat-sen University , where he studied politics and Marxist philosophy for four years. In 1931, Chen Boda returned to China, and married Sichuan native Zhu Yuren, who had also studied in Moscow. Chen became
525-610: The Cultural Revolution, and was eventually rehabilitated under Deng Xiaoping . He subsequently became Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission , a post he already held from late 1950s in the capacity of leader of a Central Politics and Law Leading Group. Beginning in 1983, as Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Sixth National People's Congress , he sought to increase
560-558: The Jimei Normal School, from which Chen graduated as a schoolteacher (he taught at various elementary schools until 1927). In 1925, Chen enrolled at Shanghai Labor University, studying literature , and in 1927 he joined the Chinese Communist Party . After returning to Fujian, he was hired as the personal secretary of General Zhang Zhen , helping to prepare for the 1926–1927 Northern Expedition from
595-715: The NPC's power. He used the NPC as a base to oppose reform. In January 1987, Peng Zhen played a pivotal role in Hu Yaobang 's resignation as General Secretary by attack and criticizing Hu during a meeting. Peng left Politburo after the 13th Party Congress in November 1987 and retired from politics in March 1988 after Wan Li took over his position as Chairman of Standing Committee of the National People's Congress . During
630-743: The Nationalists under the command of Du Yuming attacked in November 1945, the Communists were forced back. Peng was removed as the CCP leader in the northeast after further failure by Lin Biao's forces in March 1946 led to the Communists retreat back to Harbin. Peng was a member of the CCP Central Committee starting from 1944 as well as a member of the Secretariat of the CCP Central Committee . He also held
665-412: The affairs of the state; unswerving Marxist, instrumental in laying the foundations of legal institution in our country, and excellent leader of the party and state." The obituary also curiously made mention of his support of Deng Xiaoping's 1992 "southern tour" which re-ignited economic reforms after relative stagnation following the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre . He was considered one of
700-639: The history research committee and the organizing committee of the CCP's 7th National Congress . In September 1945 Peng was sent by Mao Zedong to take up overall leadership of the CCP in Northeast China . He was accompanied by Lin Biao who was to assist Peng with directing military operations against the Nationalists . Peng decided that the CCP could hold the 3 big cities of the Northeast: Shenyang , Changchun and Harbin . When
735-521: The inaugural head of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission . Born in Houma , Shanxi province, Peng was originally named Fu Maogong (傅懋恭). He joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1923 as a founding member of the Shanxi Province CCP. Arrested in 1929, he continued underground political activities while imprisoned. He was released from prison in 1935 and began organizing
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#1732773179096770-642: The influence of the Politburo . Furthermore, Chen Boda was also placed as head of the Communist government's propaganda apparatus alongside Jiang Qing when the previous leader, Lu Dingyi (with whom he had often quarrelled), was deposed in 1966. He also became a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo . According to the Central Committee leadership, the Cultural Revolution Group began to show signs of ultra-leftism during
805-468: The late 1960s. Boda's reputation began to wane after the 9th Party Congress in 1969 due to his ties with Lin Biao (with whom he had closely collaborated in the publication of the Little Red Book ) and his opposition to Zhou Enlai 's attempt to deescalate the Cultural Revolution and refocus on consolidating the Party. This marked the end of Chen Boda's involvement in the cultural revolution. As
840-492: The leadership became more moderate in its outlook and the initial aims of the cultural revolution were sidelined, Chen's radicalism caused concern, and he was denounced at the 10th Party Congress in 1973 as a 'revisionist secret agent' for his associations with Lin Biao. After the Cultural Revolution, he was tried by the post-Mao government for collaboration with the Gang of Four . He was sentenced to eighteen years in prison, but
875-573: The new mass movement. However, his ultra-radical line and close ties with Lin Biao eventually led to his downfall in 1970. Chen Boda was born Chen Jianxiang ( simplified Chinese : 陈建相 ; traditional Chinese : 陳建相 ; pinyin : Chén Jiànxiāng ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Tân Kiān-siong ) in 1904 to peasant parents. His courtesy name was Shangyou ( Chinese : 尚友 ; pinyin : Shàngyǒu ; Pe̍h-ōe-jī : Siōng-iú ). During his childhood, his family moved to Jimei , in modern-day Amoy , likely to facilitate young Chen's enrollment at
910-583: The positions of First Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee, and Mayor of Beijing from 1951 to 1966. In addition to being mayor, he was a high-ranking member of the Politburo from 1956 to 1966. In June 1960, he attended Bucharest Conference of Representatives of Communist and Workers Parties , countering Soviet leader Khrushchev during the conference. Peng was appointed head of the Five Man Group in charge of preparing
945-698: The time of Twelfth Plenum in October 1968, 88 fully fledged or 'alternate' members of the CC were under CCEG investigation. By the autumn of 1967, the CCEG had become too large an operation for its existing structure, and so the group was subdivided into a First Office and a Second Office. The First Office, led by Wang Dongxing , took responsibility for the cases from the initial phases of the Cultural Revolution, including cases surrounding Peng Zhen and his supporters. The Second Office, led by Yang Chengwu and (following Yang's demise in March 1968) General Huang Yongsheng ,
980-618: The very apparatus she had been involved in. After completing its analysis of the 'Gang of Four' case, the Central Case Examination Group was formally dissolved after thirteen years of operation at the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee , held in December 1978. Peng Zhen Peng Zhen (pronounced [pʰə̌ŋ ʈʂə́n] ; October 12, 1902 – April 26, 1997)
1015-454: Was a horrible, harmful institution... it had unlimited powers and it answered to no one. The group could choose to purge whomever it wanted, and had the power to throw people in prison; it even dictated how long the prison term was... the Group must be buried forever... it had strong autocratic tendencies and operated on the whims of the individual. So long as the Group exists, we will never become
1050-404: Was a leading member of the Chinese Communist Party . He led the party organization in Beijing following the victory of the Communists in the Chinese Civil War in 1949, but was purged during the Cultural Revolution for opposing Mao's views on the role of literature in relation to the state. He was rehabilitated under Deng Xiaoping in 1982 along with other 'wrongly accused' officials, and became
1085-588: Was appointed in 1962 to serve as a vice director of the State Planning Commission . From 1966 until 1969, Chen Boda was to play an important role in the Cultural Revolution . In May 1966, he was placed at the head of the newly formed Cultural Revolution Group (CRG), a body established to oversee and direct the course of the Cultural Revolution. In time, this group would rise to become the most important political body in China, surpassing even
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1120-418: Was at this plenum that Liu Shaoqi was officially expelled from the CCP. The CCEG's membership included most of the membership of the Cultural Revolution Group and Zhou Enlai , with Mao Zedong 's wife Jiang Qing taking a particularly active role in the building of cases against individuals. In addition, other members included Wang Dongxing and Ye Qun , the wife of Lin Biao . "The Case Examination Group
1155-543: Was founded at roughly the same time as the Cultural Revolution Group (CRG). The CRG was essentially "command central" of the Cultural Revolution. However, unlike the CRG, the CCEG was to operate throughout the entire of the Cultural Revolution decade and beyond, investigating and reporting on the purported crimes of many of the members of the higher echelons of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and all people considered to be counterrevolutionary . The group's highest profile case
1190-419: Was solely concerned with the cases of members of the military. It took over several cases of senior PLA soldiers, including that of Marshal He Long . In 1968, a Third Office was established under Xie Fuzhi to investigate the May 16th Conspiracy, involving some members of the Cultural Revolution Group. The Third Office would later take on other cases of conspiracy groups. Although there were suggestions that
1225-541: Was that of Chinese President Liu Shaoqi , whose case was reportedly investigated by 400,000 people (including some Red Guards from Peking University), looking at over four million files. The findings of the CCEG on President Liu Shaoqi were compiled into a seventy-four page report to be considered by the Twelfth Plenum of the Eighth Central Committee of the CCP that met in October 1968. It
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