Yao Wenyuan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yao Wenyuan
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| Born | January 12, 1931 Zhuji, Zhejiang, Republic of China
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| Died | December 23, 2005 (aged 74) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Known for | Gang of Four |
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party |
| Yao Wenyuan | |||||||||||
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| Chinese | 姚文元 | ||||||||||
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Yao Wenyuan (born January 12, 1931 – died December 23, 2005) was an important Chinese writer and politician. He was a member of a powerful group called the Gang of Four during a big event in China's history known as the Cultural Revolution.
Contents
About Yao Wenyuan
His Early Life and Writing
Yao Wenyuan was born in Zhuji, a city in Zhejiang province, China. His family was well-educated; his father, Yao Pengzi, was a writer and art critic.
Yao Wenyuan started his career in Shanghai as a writer who reviewed books and plays. He became known for writing very strong criticisms of other writers and newspapers. For example, in 1957, he wrote a sharp attack against a newspaper called Wenhuibao.
How He Helped Start the Cultural Revolution
Yao Wenyuan worked closely with important political leaders in Shanghai. One of his most famous articles, "On the New Historical Beijing Opera 'Hai Rui Dismissed from Office'", was published on November 10, 1965. This article is often seen as the start of the Cultural Revolution.
The article was about a popular play by Wu Han, who was a deputy mayor in Beijing. Some leaders, like Zhang Chunqiao and Jiang Qing, worried that the play had a secret message. They thought it might be criticizing the government.
In the play, a government official named Hai Rui speaks up for ordinary people against the government. He criticizes other officials for being unfair. Yao Wenyuan claimed that the play was actually a hidden attack on Mao, China's leader. He said it was about Mao removing a defense minister in 1959.
This article caused a lot of confusion and trouble. It gave Mao a reason to start a big political movement against those who disagreed with him. Soon after, Yao Wenyuan became a key member of the Cultural Revolution Group, which led this movement.
His Role in Politics
Because of his strong support for socialist ideas, Yao Wenyuan was a good choice to lead these criticisms. In April 1969, he joined the Politburo, a very important group in the Chinese Communist Party. He worked on official news and information for the government.
He was also the editor of Liberation Daily, a major newspaper in Shanghai. He helped the government remove famous writer Hu Feng from the writers' union.
Later Life and Death
On October 6, 1976, Yao Wenyuan was arrested because of his part in the Cultural Revolution. In 1981, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
He was released from prison on October 5, 1996. After his release, he spent his time writing a book and studying Chinese history. He lived in Huzhou and Shanghai. Yao Wenyuan was the last surviving member of the "Gang of Four" when he passed away.
He died on December 23, 2005, at the age of 74. Official news reports said he died from diabetes.
