Transformation: The Beginning and End of the 7000-Person Conference, January 11-February 7, 1962

Author: Zhang Suhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: From January 11 to February 7, 1962, the enlarged central work conference attended by over 7,000 cadres, including county party secretaries and above, was held by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, known as the "Qīrén Conference." The scale of the conference was unprecedented. Even more fascinating was the wealth of information it contained and its profound impact on later history. The conference was called to summarize experiences and combat decentralization in an attempt to reverse the economic difficulties of 1959–1961. However, the conference's agenda and themes underwent a series of unexpected changes. The relaxed democratic atmosphere, described as "venting steam during the day and watching plays at night," allowed people to touch upon major issues such as who should bear the consequences and responsibility for the "Great Leap Forward" and how to evaluate the "Three Red Flags." Inspired by the conference, a new situation emerged across the country in the spring and summer of 1962. But soon after, the situation changed again when Mao Zedong revived the class struggle. The Qīrén Conference and the disagreements that arose afterward became a distant cause of the later Cultural Revolution. Drawing on years of interviews, research, and material collection, the author of this book provides a comprehensive, in-depth, and detailed disclosure of the origins, process, and twists of the Qīrén Conference. It offers detailed analyses of Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Chen Yun, Lin Biao, Deng Xiaoping, as well as the cadres from provincial and county party committees. The book is rich in historical value and fills a gap in the study of Party history.