Chapter 35: Reassessing Zhou Enlai: Mao’s Vine, Master Schemer in Disguise, Loyal Henchman

Zhou Enlai (1898–1976) was the CCP’s carefully cultivated “moral card.” Yet Peng Dehuai said of him: “Cunning and shrewd, a politician, preserving his own status, indifferent to the people.” For decades, Zhou followed Mao Zedong, appearing loyal but exercising the craftiness of a master schemer. Mao was the tree, Zhou the vine; Mao the center, Zhou the top henchman. Until his death, he remained unwavering, reading Mao’s poetry on his deathbed: “Zhongshan’s winds and rains rise gray, a million lions cross the great river.”

I. Leading 40 Men to Brutally Kill Gu Shunzhang’s Family—Shocking Shanghai

In April 1931, CCP special agent Gu Shunzhang was captured and surrendered to the KMT. Zhou suspected he had revealed party secrets and worried his family knew too. Zhou led 40 secret agents, including Chen Yun, Kang Sheng, Deng Yingchao, Chen Geng, Li Kenong, and even bribed organized crime to assist. In early May, they broke in after midnight, wielding axes, hammers, shovels, and knives, avoiding gunfire to prevent drawing attention. Gu’s family, nine in total including the maid, were strangled and buried in the backyard.

Zhou thought the killings could be concealed, but the bodies were eventually discovered eight feet underground. Newspapers reported it, shocking all of Shanghai and, via the city, the nation. The public recognized the CCP as ruthless bandits. The Shanghai CCP office could no longer function and was relocated to the Jiangxi Red Base the following year.

II. Zhou Enlai Ordered Executions of Thousands During the “Long March”

Before the Red Army’s Long March departure from Jiangxi in October 1934, Zhou was responsible for reviewing all cadres. Those deemed unreliable or wavering were executed. Many were former KMT prisoners teaching in military schools. Executions occurred in closed valleys; to save bullets and avoid alerting others, the executioners beheaded victims with swords and kicked the bodies into pre-dug pits. Some victims were forced to dig their own graves and then buried alive. Thousands disappeared under Zhou’s full direction.

III. 1936 Xi’an Incident—Zhou Saved Mao and the CCP

In 1936, Zhou, working with Mao, orchestrated the Xi’an Incident: kidnapping Chiang Kai-shek to stop the KMT’s anti-CCP campaign, with Stalin’s approval.

As historian Li Yong emphasized: “Zhou Enlai’s greatest moral crime was inciting Zhang Xueliang to initiate the Xi’an Incident, forcing Chiang to cease anti-communist campaigns and sign the ‘Sino-Soviet Cooperative Anti-Japanese’ agreement with the CCP, saving the party from annihilation.”

Zhou executed Mao’s orders, enacting this historical maneuver, securing CCP survival, with Zhang Xueliang’s cooperation. The party hailed Zhang as a “timeless hero.”

IV. Complete Submission to Mao During the Yan’an Rectification

From 1944, Mao launched the two-year Yan’an Rectification, essentially a coup. Surrounded by loyal armed troops, dissenters had no choice but to obey. Mao relied on Liu Shaoqi, Kang Sheng, and Peng Zhen; Zhou Enlai, recognizing the tide, wrote extensive self-criticism notes, sincerely repenting “experientialist” errors, fully submitting. By the 1945 7th Party Congress, Zhou led by example, pen in hand, ready to take notes under Mao’s speech.

Wang Ming was forced to self-criticize, carried in on a stretcher. Peng Dehuai resisted, not acknowledging fault for the Hundred Regiments Offensive, but was criticized for “consistently opposing Mao.”

Zhou wrote 30,000 words of self-criticism over five consecutive days at the Politburo. He systemically framed himself as “anti-Mao” over four phases from 1932–1935, a process lasting nearly three years, culminating in complete surrender during the early Anti-Japanese War.

Zhou’s “anti-Mao” self-criticism stemmed from the 1932 Ningdu Conference, where he temporarily took over the General Political Commissar post from Mao, forcing Mao to return to Ruijin, a lifelong source of resentment for Mao.

V. Zhou’s Only Public Opposition to Mao—1956 “Anti-Leftist” and “Anti-Rash”

Mao demanded steel output double in 1957, reaching 10.5 million tons. Zhou pragmatically refused, citing impossibility. Mao repeatedly criticized him, including at the January 1958 Nanning meeting, warning against “rightist opportunism.” Zhou tendered resignation: “I am unsuitable as Premier.”

He was forced to write 12–13 rounds of self-criticism letters over a year. Deng Yingchao tried to intervene, bringing in Sun Weishi or Gong Peng to relieve Zhou. Zhou’s repeated tearful admissions included: “I am only 10 meters from being rightist.” Mao considered replacing him with Ke Qingshi but the Politburo majority insisted Zhou remain, and Mao accepted Zhou’s request to stay under discipline.

VI. Destroying Population Reports

In 1961, the National Bureau of Statistics reported a population decrease of tens of millions; only Zhou and Mao were informed. Zhou immediately ordered: “Destroy it. Do not leak.” He later confirmed personally that it was destroyed.

VII. Exporting Grain Despite Famine (1959–1961)

During the famine killing 50 million, Zhou exported 4.71 million tons of grain to the USSR and Eastern Europe, gifting 30 million rubles and 3.5 million pounds to Hungary, and 500 billion rubles of food to East Germany.

VIII. The 7,000-Person Conference on Famine

Liu Shaoqi stated: “Three parts natural disaster, seven parts human error,” directly challenging Mao’s “nine fingers of achievement, one finger of error.” Liu’s three-hour speech resonated with attendees. Lin Biao defended Mao, Zhou supported Lin: “In difficulties, the helmsman must steer.”

Liu was isolated; Deng Xiaoping’s comments were vague. The massive conference still reaffirmed Mao’s primacy, with Zhou siding with him.

IX. “The East is Red” Historical Musical Performance

To offset the famine’s impact, Zhou directed a 3-hour historical musical, The East is Red, in 1964, involving 3,500 performers from Beijing and the military. Mao and central leadership attended; a film version was released nationwide. Zhou personally modified lyrics and scripts to display loyalty.

He also organized celebrations for China’s first atomic bomb on October 16, 1964, with 3,000 dancers in the Great Hall, Mao attending.

X. Pioneering Praise for Jiang Qing

During the Cultural Revolution (1966), Zhou led calls of “Learn from Comrade Jiang Qing! Salute Comrade Jiang Qing!” at rallies, establishing the precedent of publicly honoring Jiang after “Long live Chairman Mao!”

XI. First to Declare “This Person Must Die” Regarding Liu Shaoqi

As head of Liu’s special investigation, Zhou submitted the first official statement echoing Mao’s intent: “This person must die.” Liu was sent to Kaifeng, Henan, and died there, not in Mao’s presence.

XII. Bringing Down Lin Biao

In September 1971, Lin Biao fled by plane. Mao asked Zhou’s advice; Zhou approved shooting it down. A missile strike brought the plane down in Mongolia. Claims of fuel exhaustion were false. This elevated Zhou from third to second in hierarchy.

XIII. Personally Managing the “5.16 Elements” Campaign

After Liu’s fall, Zhou supervised the crackdown on the “5.16 elements,” persecuting millions, resulting in tens of thousands dead or disabled.

XIV. Mao as Tree, Zhou as Vine—Top Henchman

Mao was paranoid, jealous, ruthless, cunning, and unpredictable; Zhou handled details meticulously, submitted fully, and served Mao faithfully. The metaphor: Mao the tree, Zhou the vine; entwined, loyal, aiding Mao’s atrocities. Zhou orchestrated or facilitated the elimination, exile, and suppression of rivals—Zhang Wentian, Zhang Guotao, Li Lisan, Wang Ming, Gao Gang, Peng Dehuai, Liu Shaoqi, and Lin Biao.

XV. Consumption of Human Brain “Jade Immortal Soup”

Zhou allegedly consumed a tonic made from human brain for longevity, reportedly passed from He Long to Zhou, then to Mao, and to Cambodian Communist leader Pol Pot, where it was promoted in prison exhibitions.

XVI. Thirty or More Consorts and “Foster Daughters”

Zhou maintained a constellation of female companions—foster daughters, lovers—most notably Sun Weishi, who was also Mao’s mistress. His official wife was plain, monogamous. Zhou’s private life was colorful and romantic.

XVII. Reading Mao’s Poetry on Deathbed

At his death, Zhou read Mao’s poetry to display loyalty: “Zhongshan’s winds and rains rise gray, a million lions cross the great river…”