Wang Dongxing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wang Dongxing
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| 汪东兴 | |
Wang Dongxing in 1955, as chief of Mao's personal security force
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| Vice Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party | |
| In office August 1977 – February 1980 |
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| Chairman | Hua Guofeng |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 January 1916 Yiyang County, Jiangxi, China |
| Died | 21 August 2015 (aged 99) Beijing, China |
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party |
Wang Dongxing (born January 9, 1916 – died August 21, 2015) was an important Chinese military leader and politician. He was best known for leading the personal security team of Mao Zedong, who was the leader of China. This security team was called the 9th Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security and included a special group known as the 8341 Special Regiment.
Wang Dongxing held many key roles in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the government. He served as Deputy Minister of Public Security several times. From 1977 to 1980, he was even the Vice Chairman of the CCP, working under Hua Guofeng.
Wang and his trusted security team played a big part in ending the Cultural Revolution. They did this by arresting a powerful group called the Gang of Four. However, Wang did not agree with the new economic plans proposed by Deng Xiaoping. He stayed loyal to Hua Guofeng and Mao's original ideas. Because of this, when Deng Xiaoping gained more power, Wang lost his government and Party jobs. But he was not harmed further.
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Early Life and Joining the Army
Wang Dongxing was born on January 9, 1916, in Yiyang County, Jiangxi. His family were farmers. When he was 16, in 1932, he joined the Communist Youth League of China. The next year, at age 17, he joined the Chinese Red Army. This army later became the People's Liberation Army.
He received military training at special schools. From 1934 to 1935, he took part in the famous Long March. During this long journey, he traveled with Mao Zedong. Later, he fought as an officer in the war against Japan, known as the Second Sino-Japanese War. After Japan was defeated, he fought in the Chinese Civil War. This war led to the creation of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
Leading Mao's Security Team
After the new Communist government was formed, Wang Dongxing got a very important job. He became the Director of the 9th Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security. This meant he was in charge of Mao Zedong's personal security. He also protected Zhongnanhai, which is where the government leaders lived and worked. The 8341 Special Regiment was part of his security team.
Wang and his men were the only ones allowed to carry weapons inside Zhongnanhai. Mao Zedong trusted Wang a lot. He made Wang responsible for checking everyone who worked in Zhongnanhai. This included not just bodyguards, but also cooks, secretaries, and other staff.
Because Mao continued to trust him, Wang became Deputy Minister of Public Security in 1955. He was also given the rank of Major General in the Chinese People's Liberation Army that same year. This was for his hard work in public security.
In 1958, Mao suddenly sent Wang away to Jiangxi province. But in 1960, Mao called him back to Beijing. Wang was again made chief of Mao's bodyguards and Deputy Minister of Public Security.
During the difficult time of the Cultural Revolution, Wang remained loyal to Mao. He was often seen with Mao at big rallies. He sat next to Mao's driver in an open car as Mao greeted his supporters.
Arresting the Gang of Four
Wang Dongxing played a key role in a major event after Mao's death. He helped to arrest the Gang of Four. This group was very powerful and caused a lot of trouble during the Cultural Revolution.
Hua Guofeng, who was chosen to lead after Mao, gave the orders. Wang gathered a group of trusted officers. He made them promise to be loyal and keep everything secret. He told them to use force if anyone resisted.
However, no fighting happened. The three main members of the Gang of Four were easily arrested. They were tricked into coming to a meeting to talk about Mao's memorial. Jiang Qing, another member, was arrested separately without any resistance.
After this, Wang Dongxing became very important under Chairman Hua Guofeng. He was named Vice Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party. He also became one of the five members of the Politburo Standing Committee. This committee includes the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party.
Later Years
Over time, Deng Xiaoping became more powerful than Wang Dongxing and Hua Guofeng. In the early 1980s, Wang lost all his important government and Party jobs.
However, Wang was still respected for protecting Mao. He was also not punished further, showing that political disagreements would no longer lead to harm. He was even elected to a special position in the Party in 1982.
After Mao's death, Wang always supported Mao's memory. He would visit Mao's mausoleum in Tiananmen Square with flowers on Mao's birthday. He also wrote a diary in 1993 to remember Mao's 100th birthday.
Wang Dongxing died on August 21, 2015, in Beijing. He was 99 years old. He remained loyal to his early beliefs, saying he was "a loyal soldier of Chairman Mao to the end."
See also
- Wu De
- Ji Dengkui
