Newsgroups: soc.culture.china
From: liuyh@vis.toronto.edu (Yuanhui Liu)
Subject: Re: Zhou En-lai and his characters
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto
Distribution: na  
Date: 13 Nov 92 19:54:19 GMT

In article <1992Nov13.122657@IASTATE.EDU> zeng@IASTATE.EDU (Shaohui Zeng) writes:
>I would like to know something more about Zhou. I am impressed by the fact 
>that he was loved by so many people. Even Mao did not achieved this. When
>Zhou died in 1976, I was a child. I was curious why so many person wept for
>his death. My parent wept at home. I don't think this was only to show to 
>anybody. 
>Is it really because his unselfish that he was loved, revered ? I don't think
>this is the only answer. As I know, In the Red Army year, Zhou was head of 
>"Te4 Ke1", whose task is to execute traitors and sabotage. Nixon gave some
>viewpoint about Zhou in his famous book. One character of Zhou, I think there
>will be little doubt, is cunning.
>I will appreciate it if anyone can contribute more about Zhou.
>
Some of my relatives also cried, I was only 5-6 years old then.  Although
a lot people believed Zhou was an unselfish man then, some do see him
as the accessory to Mao, his support of Mao was cruical, without he and
Zhu De's flip flops Mao might went down to the garbage bin of history
10 years earlier.  So someone hate him for never stands up to Mao being
cunning survival politican.  That doesn't mean some of them did shed
tears for him, after all, it was January 1976, Zhou's gone, Deng was
on his way out again without Zhou's potection, the Gang of four
seems to be supreme ruling in Mao's name,  people cried not only for Zhou,
but for the future of the country, at that point it did seem quite hopeless.   

Zhou was intelligent and cunning, appears to be "selfless" in front of
the public, but that was only his image, proves again he's a master politican. 
I don't think we should judge Zhou solely his sucking up to Mao & Jiang,
he did tried his best to save some good men from certain death, therefore
made sure order can be restored after Mao's death, so even Zhou
died earlier than Mao, I can imagine he died smiling, 'cause he knew
he won the final power struggle with Mao for sure, no matter what Jiang & 
Mao are going to do next.

I think the man will have his place in history, much like another famous Chinese
Prime Minister from a different era:  Die2 Ren2Jie2 -- who never opposed
the policies of Wu3 Ze2Tian1, being nothing but her loyal minister.  
But by obeying her, he made sure the revival of Tang Dynasty after Wu's 
rule in one stroke.  as he said to Empress Wu:  "Your majesty, who you pick 
to succeed you to the throne is your own family affair, but you must think 
it over, who do you trust as your heir:  you nephrew(Wu -- on external side) 
or your son(Li, 3rd son of Wu and Li Zhi4, the Tang Emperor).  
Die2 never lived to see the revival of Tang, but he knew he'd won, and 
earned his place in history.  

>
>In article <92318.111142PXW10@psuvm.psu.edu>, <PXW10@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
>> Souce: A series sotory ``The Moments Inside the Red Wall'' on People's Daily
>> 
>> When Zhou, the former Premier of China, was dying in his bed in the hospital,
>> it was extremely difficult for him to talk to somebody. But Jiang Qing, the
>> wife of Mao, still went to talk to Zhou frequently about some daily matters.
>> Zhou was very happy, very patient to solve Jiang' problems, despite of his
>> deteriorating health condition. He was so kind to Jiang that his guards
>thought
>> that he was such a selfless person.
>> 
>> One day, Mao criticized the behaviour of the Gang of Four. Hearing this news
>> Zhou ordered his guards never to allow Jiang's visit.
>> 
>> What were Zhou's characters, if any?
>> 
>> 
>> Peter


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