Luo Longji, a native of Jiangxi, earned a Ph.D. in political science in the United States in 1921. After returning to China in 1928, he taught at Guanghua University in Shanghai and later became a professor of political science at Nankai University in Tianjin.

He was once arrested for opposing one-party rule under the Nationalists. After the War of Resistance, he became active in the democratic movement and helped found the China Democratic League, serving as its vice chairman.

In 1949, he attended the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and was appointed Minister of Forestry Industry.

In 1957, he proposed establishing a committee to review mistakes and excesses in the “Three-anti,” “Five-anti,” and “Suppression of Counterrevolutionaries” campaigns. For this, Mao labeled him one of the “Three Major Rightists.” He was removed from his ministerial post, his salary reduced by five grades, and from then on he lived in silence. He died of heart disease in 1965. His ashes remained at the crematorium. During the Cultural Revolution, Red Guards scattered his remains. He left no wife or children; in death he was solitary, his spirit restless.

After meeting Zhang Bojun, Mao continued reading Luo Longji’s writings late into the night. Near midnight, Luo suddenly appeared before him.

Mao spoke directly: “The Anti-Rightist Campaign wronged you. You died under injustice, alone without wife or children.”

Luo replied: “I once had a partner, Pu Xixiu. We lived together for ten years and shared deep affection. But under the pressure of your Party, she was compelled to denounce me publicly as ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing.’ From that moment, I was utterly alone.”

Mao said: “In 1957, you sought to rehabilitate those targeted in the Three-anti, Five-anti, and Suppression campaigns. In effect, that was a denial of my entire policy. Naturally, I had to bring you down.”

Luo answered calmly: “You exaggerate. I wanted corrections to excesses, not wholesale negation. Yes, I disagreed with governing by endless campaigns. You claimed to oppose bureaucracy—yet who in the Party was free of it? The Five-anti targeted capitalists; the Suppression campaign targeted dissenters. Were there truly so many counterrevolutionaries?”

Mao replied bluntly: “You are right—I intended to eliminate capitalism. Without crushing it, how could I build socialism? If capitalism remained, you intellectuals would still have a social base.”

Luo said: “Have you forgotten your own ‘New Democracy’? Was not the new state supposed to develop capitalism?”

Mao answered: “My ‘On New Democracy’ and ‘On Coalition Government’ were tactics—meant to deal with Chiang Kai-shek and win over your democratic parties.”

Luo pressed: “So you never intended to carry them out?”

Mao responded coolly: “It was strategy—first let you take the bait.”

Luo said bitterly: “We were deceived—invited to Beijing, raised you up, only to be cast aside.”

Mao replied: “‘Invite the gentleman into the urn.’ You were naïve.”

Luo said: “Once inside your iron barrel, no one could escape. You netted us all.”

Mao answered: “Yes, netted them all. Over three million were labeled Rightists. You few were the leading figures. Was your case rehabilitated after my death?”

Luo replied: “In 1986, Yan Mingfu announced that I was a patriotic democrat who had made contributions. Call it rehabilitation—perfunctory at best. The Rightist label still carries stigma; there is little commemoration.”

Mao said: “The Jade Emperor demands my confession. I am drafting a statement of repentance. The Anti-Rightist Campaign is one of my major sins.”

Luo looked at him steadily.

“I will wait to see that confession—and how you truly repent.”

With that, he turned and departed, leaving Mao alone in the dim night.

NEXT: 64. Zhang Dongsun (1886–1973)