Chapter 70 The February counter-current protest against Huairen Hall 1967

Journalist: “How did you deal with the February counter-currents that made a big fuss over Huairen Hall?

Mao: “In February 1967, the three chiefs and four marshals haunted Huairen Hall, I called ‘February counter-current,’ Ye Jianying angrily hit the table and broke the teacups and tea plates, fingers dripping blood, pointing to Jiang Qing, Kang Sheng roared, Nie Rongzhen swept the teacups and tea plates to the ground, tea splashed everywhere, Tan Zhenlin asked angrily: Who is Xiao Li? Have such a great power? Xiao Li is the pseudonym of my daughter Li Na, the director of the Central Cultural Revolution Office, and the president and editor-in-chief of the People’s Liberation Army newspaper. Some people even pointed to the ‘Mao-Jiang-Li’ dragon, the world of the family, Tan Zhenlin fainted and said: ‘I can not follow, not follow, only to go to jail, kill, struggle to the end!’ Jiang Qing could not cope with it, got up and left, three general four marshals collectively against my authority.

Zhou Enlai was ambiguous and connived, Ye Qun did not say a word and sat back and watched the tiger fight, the three chiefs and four marshals openly challenged the Cultural Revolution and gave me a war table. Lin Biao took sick leave and hid to one side without humming, so I had to show my cards and find this group of generals and marshals to reprimand: ‘the Central Guard Division and Beijing Garrison are listening to me, I am Mao, and I, Mao Zedong, am not afraid of you, but you only want to stage a palace coup to bring Liu Shaoqi and Peng Dehuai back to power. The shortcomings of the Cultural Revolution are one, two, three, achievements are eighty, ninety, against my Mao Zedong, the Cultural Revolution to fail, I will and Lin Biao again on Jinggang Mountain to play guerrilla, you shot Jiang Qing?’ Tan Zhenlin also talked back: ‘I should not have joined the party 40 years earlier, should not live to 65 years old,’ I was furious finger him: ‘you can quit the party! You have to right for not living!’ Zhou Enlai rounded up: ‘President, do not be angry, do not hurt the body.’ I waved a big hand and left the meeting in anger. I said to Zhou: ‘This matter must be resolved at a meeting of the Politburo, one month not two months.’”

Journalist: “How did the February backlash come about?”

Mao: “In early 1967, after the ‘January seizure of power,’ the bureaucracy was paralyzed, the army was hit, and the rebellion was in chaos, causing the patriarchs to resist and make a scene in Huairen Hall, known as the ‘February back-current.’

In January 1967, Jiang Qing ordered Xiao Hua, the director of the General Administration, to go to a meeting of 100,000 people to make an inspection, and ordered the rebels in the army to raid Xiao Hua’s house and arrest him. Xiao Hua escaped through the back door and went to Ye Jianying’s house in Xishan to take refuge. The next day Jiang Qing meeting also asked where Xiao Hua had gone into hiding? Ye Jianying shot up and said: the crime of harboring, I will bear! Slap the table, hurt the palm bones, the history of the “big fuss at Beijing West Hotel.”

Journalist: “Oh, Ye Jianying to Jiang Qing beat the table?”

Mao: “Yes, on January 22, 1967 I met with the military leaders to appease, Lin Biao also agreed to stabilize the army.

On January 4, 1967, Jiang Qing announced the overthrow of Tao Zhu, which I felt it was too soon.

On February 10, 1967, at the enlarged meeting of the Standing Committee, I took a conciliatory stance and appeased the military leaders, first scolding Chen Boda and then Jiang Qing. Ye Jianying and Li Fuchun, revealed these words of mine to several patriarchs, who were pleased with my criticism of the Central Cultural Revolution.”

Journalist: “So, you just appeased the situation?”

Mao: “No. On February 11, 1967, Zhou Enlai presided over a Central Work Conference at Huairen Hall. Ye Jianying denounced Kang Sheng, Chen Boda, and Zhang Chunqiao for creating chaos within the Party and the government, and now they wanted to disrupt the military as well. He questioned the Shanghai seizure of power and the unauthorized change of its name to ‘Shanghai Commune.’ He asked, ‘What are they trying to do?’ Xu Xiangqian slammed the table and asked, ‘If you’ve caused such chaos in the military, do you still want it to be the pillar of dictatorship?’ Nie Rongzhen said, ‘To bring down the old man, you’re going after the children and brutally persecuting veteran cadres, kicking people when they’re down.’ On February 16, 1967, the conference continued. The original theme was ‘Emphasizing Revolution and Promoting Production.’ Tan Zhenlin questioned Zhang Chunqiao: ‘You’ve eliminated all the veteran cadres. After 40 years of revolution, their families have been destroyed, separated from their wives and children. What kind of person is Kuai Dafu? A counterrevolutionary! They created that ‘Gallery of 108 Outlaws.’ I have never cried before, but now I’ve cried three times.’ Li Xiannian said, ‘I’ve cried a few times too.’ Tan Zhenlin passionately said, ‘I shouldn’t have joined the revolution, shouldn’t have joined the Party, shouldn’t have lived to be 60. I’m done. I’ll cut off my head, go to jail, and be expelled from the Party. I’ll fight to the end!’ After saying this, he picked up his hat and prepared to leave.

Chen Yi said, ‘Don’t go. Let’s fight against them! These guys, once they come to power, they promote revisionism. What kind of revolution are they carrying out now? They’re even more extreme than Wang Ming back then, engaging in ruthless struggle and merciless repression. In Yan’an, it was Liu Shaoqi, Deng Xiaoping, and Peng Zhen who were most enthusiastic about upholding Mao Zedong Thought, while it was us who were purged. Didn’t the Premier also get purged? History will prove who opposed Chairman Mao, and it will continue to prove it in the future.’ Li Xiannian said, ‘If we bring down the old cadres, what will the revolution rely on? They are resorting to forced confessions!’”

Journalist: “The old folks’ rhetoric is sharp, are they also joining the rebellion?”

Mao: “So, the meeting lasted until 7 p.m. Zhou Enlai announced its adjournment. During the meeting, Zhou Enlai saw the seriousness of the situation and called me to report. I sent Wang Dongxing to listen to the meeting. After the meeting, Wang Li, Zhang Chunqiao, and Yao Wenyuan made supplementary notes, which were recorded by Wang Li. Zhou Enlai made revisions, especially adding a note after Chen Yi’s remark, ‘Didn’t the Premier also get purged?’ ‘Should review and rectify, if the criticism was appropriate, I made a mistake, I have no objections to the criticism at that time.’ Zhou also added, ‘Chen Yi first incited against Kang [Sheng], then incited against Zhou.’ The records were printed in 15 copies and sent to me and the central leadership.”

Journalist: “Zhou Enlai helped you defuse the situation and even criticized Chen Yi, but he himself made a self-criticism?”

Mao: “Yes, after the adjournment, Zhang Chunqiao, Wang Li, and Yao Wenyuan went to Jiang Qing. Jiang Qing immediately told me that the three of them would come to report at 10 p.m. that night. When I heard that the Cultural Revolution had affected Tan Zhenlin and Li Xiannian to the point of tears, I laughed. But when I heard Chen Yi’s speech, my expression changed. Chen Yi said, ‘What kind of revolution is this? Even worse than Wang Ming!’ It hit me. Zhou Enlai’s smart move was to draw a clear line and avoid being grouped together. On the evening of February 16, 1967, Jiang Qing and Wang Li reported the situation at Huairen Hall to Lin Biao, wanting to hear his stance. However, Lin Biao only listened and didn’t say much. He only mentioned that Xu Xiangqian couldn’t represent the military and that Chen Boda was a literary scholar.”

Journalist: “Oh, Lin Biao listened to you, he stayed put, smart?”

Mao: “Yes, on February 17, 1967, Tan Zhenlin felt unsatisfied after causing a commotion at Huairen Hall. He wrote another letter to Lin Biao, criticizing the Central Cultural Revolution and comparing Jiang Qing to Wu Zetian. He described her methods as vicious, causing the separation of families and the loss of everything they owned. Tan Zhenlin stated that he was prepared to sacrifice but not to commit suicide or betray the country. He declared that he would continue the struggle and fight to the end. Lin Biao passed the letter to me and included a note saying, ‘Tan Zhenlin has fallen into such confusion and degradation.’”

Journalist: “Tan Zhenlin was too daring, and Lin Biao helped you?”

Mao: “Yes, on the evening of February 18, I summoned Ye Qun for a conversation. I told her that I was preparing to take Lin Biao and her to the south. Chen Yi and Tan Zhenlin did not listen to me and refused to go with me. I planned to go to the south with you and form another People’s Liberation Army, returning to Jinggangshan and starting anew. Ye Qun immediately expressed her loyalty, saying she would follow Chairman Mao even to death. I mentioned that Lin Biao’s health was not good, but in the future, she would participate in the Central Committee’s meetings. I elevated Ye Qun’s status, and she was pleased. I stabilized Lin Biao.”

Journalist: “Your strategy was to stabilize Lin Biao and elevate Ye Qun’s position?”

Mao: “Yes, in the early morning of February 19, 1967, I summoned Zhou Enlai, Ye Qun, Kang Sheng, Li Fuchun, Ye Jianying, Li Xiannian, and Xie Fuzhi for a talk. I got angry and said, ‘I’m leaving right away, and Lin Biao is leaving too! Chen Boda and Jiang Qing should be executed! Kang Sheng will be sent to labor camps, and the Cultural Revolution Group will be reorganized. Chen Yi will become the group leader, with Tan Zhenlin and Xu Xiangqian as deputy group leaders. Let’s bring back traitors like Bo Yibo and An Ziwen. If our strength is not enough, let’s invite Wang Ming and Zhang Guotao back as well. Let’s even invite the United States and the Soviet Union together.’”

Journalist: “Haha, you exerted your power and pushed back the Back-current of February?”

Mao: “Yes, Zhou Enlai tried to calm me down. He made a self-criticism, admitting that he didn’t handle things well. We decided to hold a ‘life meeting’ for Chen Yi, Tan Zhenlin, and Xu Xiangqian. I also said, ‘The mistakes of the Central Cultural Revolution Group account for only 1-3%, while 97% is correct. Whoever denies the Cultural Revolution cannot achieve it!’”

Journalist: “With the tiger showing its might, no one dares to speak out?”

Mao: “Yes, after Chen Yi learned of my reaction, he felt that he had gone too far. He urgently sought a meeting with Zhou Enlai and wrote a letter to me, requesting a face-to-face conversation to clarify. I said that Chen Yi has always made mistakes, and it would be difficult for him to change, so I refused to meet for now.

After my outburst, Zhou Enlai chaired the ‘political bureau life meeting’ from February 25 to March 18, 1967, held at Huairen Hall. We criticized the three veteran comrades. Kang Sheng said, ‘Chairman Mao is furious. This is the most serious anti-party event, a rehearsal for a coup, a counter-revolutionary counter-current. The veterans deeply self-criticized one by one.’”

Journalist: “Kang Sheng supported the argument, saying that the February counter-current was anti-party and a rehearsal for a coup?”

Mao: “Yes, Qi Benyu leaked the news of the Central Committee meeting to the Red Guards, and immediately there were big slogans on the streets of Beijing saying, ‘Overthrow Tan Zhenlin!’ and ‘Counter-attack the February counter-current!’

The ‘life meetings’ left the old leaders in disarray, Jiang Qing’s power increased, Zhou Enlai went along with the flow, and the Central Cultural Revolution meetings replaced the Political Bureau.”

Journalist: “You fully pushed down the February counter-current, so everything was resolved, right?”

Mao: “However, I also had concerns about pushing too hard. In late April 1967, I had conversations with some of the veteran comrades. I told them that their complaints were a strategy, not a conspiracy. I asked Tan Zhenlin, ‘Tan Laoban, have you calmed down?’ I said my anger had subsided, and we should make a gentlemen’s agreement not to insult each other. On May Day in 1967, Zhou Enlai took advantage of the situation and had the veteran comrades appear at Tiananmen Square, creating an atmosphere of ‘May Day reunion.’”

Journalist: “When you target someone, who do you assign to carry out the task?”

Mao: “Yes, I have always used A to target B, and then used B to target C. I have manipulated and mobilized the high-ranking members of the Communist Party to target each other. In 1957, I used Peng Dehuai to criticize Liu Bocheng. In 1958, I used Ke Qingshi to criticize Zhou Enlai. In 1959, I used Luo Ruiqing to target Peng Dehuai. In 1962, I used Kang Sheng to target Xi Zhongxun. In 1965, I used Peng Zhen to target Luo Ruiqing. In 1966, I used Lin Biao to target Peng Zhen.”