Chapter 66 Struggle session against Liu Shaoqi 1967

Journalist: “What did you do to torment Liu Shaoqi afterwards?”

Mao: “On January 17, 1967, the Red Guards from Zhongnanhai were ordered to dismantle Liu Shaoqi’s telephone. He was completely cut off from the outside world.”

On April 10, 1967, under the direction of Jiang Qing, a mass meeting was organized at Tsinghua University with 300,000 people to criticize and attack Wang Guangmei. Over 200 so-called “capitalist roaders,” including Peng Zhen, Bo Yibo, and Lu Dingyi, were also brought in for the event. Wang Guangmei was taken to Tsinghua University, where she was forced to wear a qipao and high heels, similar to what she wore during her visit to Indonesia. A necklace made of ping-pong balls was put around her neck and she was paraded at the venue. Jiang Qing was reportedly jealous of Wang Guangmei’s glamorous visit to Indonesia.

Wang Guangmei was very strong, she asked her to bow her head, but she did not, so she was pressed hard and fell to her knees, but she got up immediately. The criticism meeting lasted one day, interspersed with three interrogations. On the second day, the photos of the criticism and the records of the three interrogations were published in the newspaper and became a worldwide sensation, sweeping away the dignity of Liu Shaoqi, the president of the country. Afterwards Wang Guangmei even wrote to me in protest.”

Journalist: “You authorized Jiang Qing director, 300,000 people to criticize the wife of the President?”

Mao: “Yes. On June 30, 1967, a dozen rebel groups, including the Beijing Academy of Construction Engineering, set up tents outside the west gate of Zhongnanhai, and set up camp to seize Liu Shaoqi. By the beginning of July, more than 7,000 tents were set up around Zhongnanhai, more than 500 tweeters were set up, and more than 700 rebel groups, as well as several Red Guard groups from other provinces, were based in Zhongnanhai, with more than 15,000 people, and the sound of slogans, songs, and criticism was heard day and night.

At 3:00 a.m. on July 4, 1967, Qi Benyu, the Central Cultural Revolution, came to seize Liu’s line of fire and convey the secret order of Jiang Qing’s persecution.

On the evening of July 4, Wang Dongxing informed Liu Shaoqi to write a written examination to the rebellious organization of Beijing Academy of Architecture and Engineering.

On July 9, Liu Shaoqi handed over a written check, again taking responsibility for various mistakes and apologizing to the suppressed and hurt revolutionary teachers and students.”

Journalist: “This series of criticism, are you authorized Jiang Qing to lead?”

Mao: “Yes, without my consent, who would dare? On July 13, 1967, I saw that Liu Shaoqi had already fallen into the trap set by the Red Guards. I was satisfied and left Beijing for my Southern Tour, letting them continue their struggle. Before leaving, I appointed Qi Benyu as the Director of the Central Office. As soon as my special train departed, Jiang Qing said to the rebel faction in Zhongnanhai, ‘Why haven’t we captured and criticized Liu Shaoqi? What are we waiting for?’”

Journalist: “So, you left Beijing and let Jiang Qing take command?”

Mao: “Yes, on July 15, 1967, the Red Guards issued an order to Liu Shaoqi, declaring that he would be publicly criticized in Zhongnanhai. Liu Shaoqi was given a deadline of July 25 to submit a second self-criticism report. Zhongnanhai, following Jiang Qing’s instructions, devised a plan for the struggle. Chen Boda transformed the struggle against Liu Shaoqi into a mass meeting criticizing Liu, Deng, and Tao separately. On July 18, 1967, the separate struggle sessions took place in the residential compounds where Liu Shaoqi, Deng Xiaoping, and Tao Zhu lived. Their residences were also searched. The progress of the struggle was reported to me via a dedicated telephone line in Wuhan.”

Journalist: “So, you were controlling from Wuhan?”

Mao: “Yes, on August 5, 1967, which marked the one-year anniversary of the publication of my ‘Bombard the Headquarters’ big-character poster, the Central Cultural Revolution Group held a mass meeting at Tiananmen Square with a million people, denouncing Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping. In Zhongnanhai, Liu Shaoqi was also subjected to a separate struggle session. During this struggle, Liu Shaoqi’s face was bruised and swollen, his shoes were crushed, and he was brought back barefoot. He held up the constitution, saying, ‘I am the President of the country, and my personal fate is insignificant. The dignity of the country is important. What you are doing is an insult to the country.’”

Journalist: “So, the three major battlefields in Zhongnanhai were for struggling against Liu, Deng, and Tao?”

Mao: “In the summer of 1967, I moved out of Zhongnanhai and stayed at the Beijing Hall of the Great Hall of the People. The Beijing Hall could accommodate hundreds of people for meetings, and it could also be transformed into a luxurious residence. Zhongnanhai was no longer peaceful for struggling against Liu Shaoqi, and besides, I was not entirely confident in the security of my guards. The Great Hall of the People was safer. In Zhongnanhai, there were Liu, Deng, and Tao—three battlefields that were separate for the struggle. Jiang Qing had a rebellious temperament, which I admired, but I wanted to avoid excessive violence. I would only use harsh words against Deng Xiaoping, sparing physical actions.”

The Three Generals and Four Marshals were forced to self-criticize, and I let them off the hook. I didn’t pursue the matter further.”

Journalist: “Did you also use Zhou Enlai’s ‘Wu Hao Manifesto’ against him?”

Mao: “With Zhou Enlai’s ‘Wu Hao Manifesto,’ I held onto a weak spot of his and occasionally used it to exert pressure. I purposely reprinted it for the entire party to see when we were in the Jiangxi Soviet Area in 1932, leaving him with a sense of suspicion. I neither confirmed nor denied the ‘doubts’ surrounding Zhou. I kept them hanging, occasionally using them to pressure him. Xiang Zhongfa was appointed General Secretary by Stalin because he, like me, was a hooligan. He enjoyed visiting brothels and engaging in revolution at the same time. He was arrested in a brothel and quickly turned himself in, confessing. It was similar to my own arrest and confession in 1927.”

Journalist: “How did Zhou Enlai handle the brutal case of Gu Shunzhang?”

Mao: “Zhou Enlai dealt with the arrest and confession of Gu Shunzhang in a very decisive and brutal manner. He led a group of around 40 to 50 members of the Red Special Branch, including Chen Yun, Kang Sheng, and Deng Yingchao, to Gu’s house in the middle of the night. They couldn’t use guns to avoid alerting others, so they used hammers, axes, knives, and clubs. They annihilated the entire family of 16 people and quietly buried them in different courtyards, just like the actions of the underworld. Shanghai’s newspapers extensively covered the incident, tarnishing the reputation of the Communist Party. It became difficult to maintain a presence in Shanghai, so the Party Central Committee relocated to Jiangxi.”

Journalist: “Did you also control Lin Biao?”

Mao: “Yes, I used Lin Biao while also being cautious and keeping a backup plan. I instructed Wang Dongxing to send a security secretary to work at Maojiawan, but he was sent back. Wang consulted with me again, and I allowed the security secretary to work on the top floor of the building opposite Maojiawan to monitor Lin Biao’s activities. I also asked Zhou Enlai if he often visited Maojiawan.”

Journalist: “You wanted a tripod to be established for better control?”
Mao: “Yes, I wanted them to form a tripod, with me at the top controlling everything. The West Flower Hall, Mao Family Village, and Fishing Island formed the tripod. I also controlled Jiang Qing in great detail. She wanted Zhang Yufeng to document the frequency and duration of my sexual activities to assess my physical condition and political implications.”

Journalist: “You left no trace when taking action?”

Mao: “That’s right. When I entrusted someone with confidential tasks, I only allowed them to remember in their mind, not with written notes. No traces left, using the tactics of a rogue. It’s not considered revolution if there are no killings, arsons, home robberies, or looting the rich for my benefit, is it?”

Journalist: “Did Liu Shaoqi raise the constitution in protest? Is the constitution effective?”

Mao: “It was of no use. Only my highest directives were effective. On September 12, 1967, Wang Guangmei was arrested and imprisoned for 12 years. Her three children were ordered to return to school for investigation and criticism, not allowed to return home. Wang Guangmei’s mother, in her 70s, was also imprisoned and died in prison after a few years. Liu Shaoqi was alone, his office turned into a prison cell, covered in insulting slogans, his name marked with a red cross, written as ‘Liu the Dog.’ He was full of anger, with no outlet, unable to sleep peacefully, gradually losing his senses. The guards only brought him food once a day.

On December 20, 1967, his condition worsened, with confusion and loss of bowel and bladder control. I allowed it to happen, letting him live in a semi-dead state.”

Journalist: “Did Liu Shaoqi still want to have a million-person debate in Tiananmen Square to argue with you?”

Mao: “Yes, Liu Shaoqi, living separately in his home in Zhongnanhai, was shouting and demanding an open debate on the issue of the three years of famine and the deaths of 40 million people from starvation. He suggested holding a million-person debate in Tiananmen Square, with the proceedings broadcasted nationwide. When I heard about it, I thought, ‘He’s still not letting me off the hook, he wants to debate?’ He missed the opportunity.

Why didn’t he debate earlier during the 7,000-person conference in the spring of 1962? It was too late. Now, his freedom of speech has been taken away by me. The investigation team said he was shouting and demanding a debate, so the staff stuffed a towel into his mouth. Jiang Qing suggested using medical means to make him lose his voice. The medical staff said they needed written instructions from higher authorities. I said, ‘Showing mercy to the enemy is being cruel to the people. Please consult with Premier Zhou.’ But Zhou was afraid and evaded it vaguely. Liu Shaoqi had hopes for a military coup and a widespread uprising within the party, but in the end, he fell into despair and died quietly.”

Mao: “I moved out of Zhongnanhai in the summer of 1967, to live in the Great Hall of the People Beijing Hall, Beijing Hall can accommodate hundreds of people meeting, changed into a luxury residence is not bad, Zhongnanhai to fight Liu Shaoqi is not quiet, and I worry about the security forces are not ironclad, not as safe as the Great Hall of the People. Zhongnanhai is Liu, Deng, Tao 3, 3 battlefields, separate criticism, Jiang Qing has a rebel temper, I appreciate, but small intolerance, chaos, Deng Xiaoping is only the mouth, not hands, mercy.

The three chiefs and four marshals were forced to review, and I let them go a yard, not to pursue.”

Journalist: “You caught Zhou Enlai “Wuhao Qisha”?

Mao: “Zhou Enlai’s ‘Wuhao Qixian,’ I am grabbing his pigtail in hand, from time to time to bring knock knock, in 1932 in Jiangxi Soviet Union I saw, deliberately reprinted for the whole party to see, leaving him a big suspicion, I Zhou ‘suspicion’ neither denied, nor affirmed, hanging up, and knock him from time to time. Like me, he was a rogue who liked to go to brothels and make revolution while having sex with women. He was arrested in a brothel and quickly surrendered and confessed, just like I did when I was arrested in 1927.”

Journalist: “Zhou Enlai dealt with Gu Shunzhang bloody hand hard?”

Mao: “Zhou Enlai handled Gu Shunzhang’s arrest and confession, very decisive and bloody, led Chen Yun, Kang Sheng, Deng Yingchao and other Red Special Branch 40-50 people, entered the Gu family in the middle of the night, can not shoot to avoid alarming the four sides, hammer and axe chopper, stick all together, exterminated the family of 16 people, that night quietly buried four yards, as with the mob. The Communist Party was so notorious that Shanghai was no longer a good place to live, and the Party Central Committee moved to Jiangxi.”

Journalist: “You also manipulated Lin Biao?”

Mao: “I asked Wang Dongxing to send his security secretary to work in Mao’s Bay, but he was sent back. I also asked Zhou Enlai if he often went to Maojiawan.”

Journalist: “You want the tripod to be well manipulated?”

Mao: “Yes, I want them to be three-legged, and I will control from the top. The three legs of the West Flower Hall, Mao’s Bay, Diaoyutai.

Mao: “Yes, I explain to whom to act confidentially, only the brain to remember, not allowed to notes, do not leave traces, rogue tactics, not kill or set fire, not robbing homes, not robbing the rich to help me, still called the revolution?”

Journalist: “Liu Shaoqi raised the Constitution in protest? Constitution is useful?”

Mao: “No, my highest instructions are useful. September 12, 1967, Wang Guangmei was arrested and imprisoned, she was in prison for 12 years. 3 children were ordered to go back to school to review and criticize, not allowed to return home. Wang Guangmei’s mother, who was over 70 years old, was also imprisoned by association and died in prison a few years later. Liu Shaoqi was alone, his office was turned into a prison cell, the room was filled with insulting slogans, and his name was marked with a red cross and written as ‘Liu Shao Dog.’ He was full of anger, no place to vent it, no sleep, and gradually in a trance, the guards only once a day to send meals.

On December 20, 1967, his condition was reported to be serious, with confusion and incontinence. I listened to it and let him live half dead.”

Journalist: “Liu Shaoqi also wanted to hold a debate with you in Tiananmen Square with a million people?”

Mao: “Yes, Liu Shaoqi in Zhongnanhai, his home alone in isolation, for a period of time he made a lot of noise every day, shouting to openly debate the three-year famine, starving to death 40 million people, saying that you can open a million people in Tiananmen Square debate conference, the country played live recordings, I listened to the Hey! The beast is still fighting, he still won’t let me go, still want to meet and debate? He missed a good opportunity.

Why didn’t the 7,000-people conference in the spring of 1962 debate earlier, it was late, and now his freedom of speech has been denied to me. The task force said he shouted for debate, the staff stuffed a towel into his mouth, Jiang Qing said that medical means could be used to make the loss of voice, the medical staff said to have a higher text approval, I said: mercy to the enemy, is cruel to the people, specific, please ask Premier Zhou. But Zhou was afraid to drag it down vaguely. Liu Shaoqi for a while hoping that the military mutiny, the party revolted, but he finally despaired and died without a word.

Liu Shaoqi struggled during his imprisonment, demanding a debate and rebuking me, claiming that I had gone further than Stalin. He pointed out that even Stalin, in 1937, had staged major trials where Bukharin and others were allowed to appear and defend themselves. But today, during the Cultural Revolution, he was howling while his mouth was stuffed with a towel to silence him, and there were even plans to use medical means to make him lose his voice. What I conducted was nothing but thuggish politics, and the Cultural Revolution was a thuggish movement.

Regarding the Great Famine that resulted in the deaths of tens of millions, I denied and refused to acknowledge it, blocked the news from going out, and shifted the blame to class struggle, creating the fallacious argument that it was caused by the seizure of power by the rural bourgeoisie. This led to numerous false cases and the persecution of a large number of local officials, falsely accusing them of being ‘capitalist roaders.’ The Four Cleanups Movement, which I initiated, aimed specifically at targeting these so-called ‘capitalist roaders.’

Liu Shaoqi was tormented to the brink of death, protesting through hunger strikes, only seeking a quick death. His limbs were bound to the bed, and the longest hunger strike lasted 42 days. He was forcefully injected and nasally fed. A powerful drug was injected into his throat, preventing him from shouting loudly. He could only emit feeble cries.”

Journalist: “So you slowly tortured Liu Shaoqi like that?”

Mao: “Yes, on May 19, 1968, the medical report indicated that his condition was deteriorating, becoming increasingly confused. He wore socks over his shoes and shorts over his trousers. I instructed Wang Dongxing to keep him alive until the Ninth Party Congress, to have a living target for criticism and to preserve evidence. It would be a gift to the Congress, and afterwards, he would be expelled from the Party. It’s not as good to expel someone after they die.

In October 1968, Liu Shaoqi relied on a nasal-gastric tube for feeding, and he could die at any time. But the timing for the 9th Congress was not yet ripe. So, I instructed to convene a Central Plenary Session to expel him. Only 47% of the Central Committee members attended the session. At the same time, he was removed from the position of State Chairman, and even the National People’s Congress was bypassed. At this point, I no longer cared about the notion of a country. Whatever I said counted for the National People’s Congress.”

Journalist: “Liu Shaoqi was already tortured to the point of death, and yet you wanted to keep him alive as a living target?”

Mao: “Yes, the charges against Liu Shaoqi were clearly fabricated. Initially, there were accusations of being a ‘spy,’ but it seemed too fake even to foreign observers. So later, the accusation of being a spy was dropped.

On October 18, 1969, Liu Shaoqi was carried onto a plane and sent to Kaifeng. Even in critical condition, he was not allowed to be taken to a hospital. On November 12, 1969, Liu Shaoqi passed away. His body was secretly cremated under the alias Liu Wei Huang. The news of his death was not announced to the public until after my own death. Even Wang Guangmei, who was imprisoned, didn’t know he had died.”

Journalist: “So, Liu Shaoqi died in 1969, but his death wasn’t announced until after your death in 1976?”