This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/26/world/asia/qi-benyu-mao-aide-with-no-remorse-afterchinas-cultural-revolution-dies-at-84.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Qi Benyu, Mao Aide With No Remorse After China’s Cultural Revolution, Dies at 84 Qi Benyu, Mao Aide Unrepentant About Cultural Revolution, Dies at 84
(3 days later)
BEIJING — Qi Benyu, a Chinese Communist Party propagandist who climbed to power in the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution; served as an aide to Mao Zedong and his powerful wife, Jiang Qing; and spent the rest of his life defending their legacy, died on Wednesday in Shanghai. He was 84.BEIJING — Qi Benyu, a Chinese Communist Party propagandist who climbed to power in the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution; served as an aide to Mao Zedong and his powerful wife, Jiang Qing; and spent the rest of his life defending their legacy, died on Wednesday in Shanghai. He was 84.
He had been treated for cancer, Ye Yonglie, a historian who visited Mr. Qi in a hospital last month, said in confirming the death.He had been treated for cancer, Ye Yonglie, a historian who visited Mr. Qi in a hospital last month, said in confirming the death.
Mr. Qi (pronounced chee) was the last surviving member of the Central Cultural Revolution Small Group, which Mao created in May 1966 to guide his tumultuous movement. To the end of Mr. Qi’s life, he revered Mao and remained unrepentant about the upheavals that erupted across China 50 years ago, even though he was purged by Mao and then jailed for nearly 20 years.Mr. Qi (pronounced chee) was the last surviving member of the Central Cultural Revolution Small Group, which Mao created in May 1966 to guide his tumultuous movement. To the end of Mr. Qi’s life, he revered Mao and remained unrepentant about the upheavals that erupted across China 50 years ago, even though he was purged by Mao and then jailed for nearly 20 years.
“Back then, the chairman told me with great assurance that a young fellow like me might be able to see the dawn of communism so long as we continued making revolution,” Mr. Qi wrote in an essay published several years ago. “But, sadly, even now I see no such dawn.”“Back then, the chairman told me with great assurance that a young fellow like me might be able to see the dawn of communism so long as we continued making revolution,” Mr. Qi wrote in an essay published several years ago. “But, sadly, even now I see no such dawn.”
Recently, however, Mr. Qi said that President Xi Jinping had restored his hopes.Recently, however, Mr. Qi said that President Xi Jinping had restored his hopes.
Mr. Qi’s death went unmentioned in party newspapers, which have also been overwhelmingly mute about the anniversary of the Cultural Revolution, a decade of political purges, persecution and violence in which a million or more people died beginning in 1966.Mr. Qi’s death went unmentioned in party newspapers, which have also been overwhelmingly mute about the anniversary of the Cultural Revolution, a decade of political purges, persecution and violence in which a million or more people died beginning in 1966.
The 50th anniversary is a sensitive time for Mr. Xi, who has denounced dwelling on the upheavals that traumatized China, including his own family, under Mao.The 50th anniversary is a sensitive time for Mr. Xi, who has denounced dwelling on the upheavals that traumatized China, including his own family, under Mao.
Mr. Qi was born in Shandong Province, in eastern China, in May 1931, and moved with his family to Shanghai, where he immersed himself in books, including Marxist works and Mao’s writings.Mr. Qi was born in Shandong Province, in eastern China, in May 1931, and moved with his family to Shanghai, where he immersed himself in books, including Marxist works and Mao’s writings.
He became a student activist and formally joined the Communist Party around 1949. At 19, he went to work as an aide in Zhongnanhai, the walled compound reserved for the party leadership in central Beijing, editing news summaries, collating letters and helping to edit Mao’s works.He became a student activist and formally joined the Communist Party around 1949. At 19, he went to work as an aide in Zhongnanhai, the walled compound reserved for the party leadership in central Beijing, editing news summaries, collating letters and helping to edit Mao’s works.
An essay he wrote won praise from Mao in 1963 — a dizzying boost for a young aide — and he formed a friendship with Jiang Qing. Unlike many party veterans who later denounced Ms. Jiang and blamed her for Mao’s deepening extremism, Mr. Qi always defended her and maintained that she had been working at Mao’s behest.An essay he wrote won praise from Mao in 1963 — a dizzying boost for a young aide — and he formed a friendship with Jiang Qing. Unlike many party veterans who later denounced Ms. Jiang and blamed her for Mao’s deepening extremism, Mr. Qi always defended her and maintained that she had been working at Mao’s behest.
“I think that she was worthy of the chairman and she never lost face for him,” Mr. Qi said in his memoirs, which were released by a leftist Chinese website. Ms. Jiang killed herself in prison in 1991.“I think that she was worthy of the chairman and she never lost face for him,” Mr. Qi said in his memoirs, which were released by a leftist Chinese website. Ms. Jiang killed herself in prison in 1991.
“She really was a female hero; Chairman Mao chose well,” Mr. Qi said.“She really was a female hero; Chairman Mao chose well,” Mr. Qi said.
Mao became convinced that the Chinese Revolution was imperiled by compromise, and his answer was the Cultural Revolution. Mr. Qi became a power broker in his mid-30s, helping to draft programmatic documents and channeling the fury of the Red Guards, groups of fervently radical students, against veteran Communist officials.Mao became convinced that the Chinese Revolution was imperiled by compromise, and his answer was the Cultural Revolution. Mr. Qi became a power broker in his mid-30s, helping to draft programmatic documents and channeling the fury of the Red Guards, groups of fervently radical students, against veteran Communist officials.
“I spoke to Jiang Qing over the phone virtually every day, sometimes several times a day, reporting to her on what we’d gathered about the situation, and she then reported this to Chairman Mao,” Mr. Qi recalled. “When we on the Cultural Revolution Small Group spoke out, that could shape the whole movement, and of course this inevitably led to even more people disliking us.”“I spoke to Jiang Qing over the phone virtually every day, sometimes several times a day, reporting to her on what we’d gathered about the situation, and she then reported this to Chairman Mao,” Mr. Qi recalled. “When we on the Cultural Revolution Small Group spoke out, that could shape the whole movement, and of course this inevitably led to even more people disliking us.”
In his later memoirs and interviews, Mr. Qi distanced himself from the violence of the Cultural Revolution. But historians said he played down his role in the persecution of purged officials.In his later memoirs and interviews, Mr. Qi distanced himself from the violence of the Cultural Revolution. But historians said he played down his role in the persecution of purged officials.
“To the end of his life, he kept his faith in Mao Zedong and the correctness of the Cultural Revolution,” said Mr. Ye, the historian. “He believed it was right, so there was no need for reflection.”“To the end of his life, he kept his faith in Mao Zedong and the correctness of the Cultural Revolution,” said Mr. Ye, the historian. “He believed it was right, so there was no need for reflection.”
In 1968, Mao sought to rein in the worst of the chaos he had unleashed, and he turned against Mr. Qi and other ideologues, who were accused of sowing instability in the military, Mao’s bulwark of ultimate control. Mr. Qi was jailed for the rest of the Cultural Revolution.In 1968, Mao sought to rein in the worst of the chaos he had unleashed, and he turned against Mr. Qi and other ideologues, who were accused of sowing instability in the military, Mao’s bulwark of ultimate control. Mr. Qi was jailed for the rest of the Cultural Revolution.
After Mao’s death in 1976, Mr. Qi, like Ms. Jiang and other militants, was put on trial. He was convicted and sentenced in 1983 for “counterrevolutionary incitement” and other crimes and was released in 1986. He spent the rest of his life in obscurity, working in a library in Shanghai and writing books about ancient topics under a pen name. There was no word on his immediate survivors.After Mao’s death in 1976, Mr. Qi, like Ms. Jiang and other militants, was put on trial. He was convicted and sentenced in 1983 for “counterrevolutionary incitement” and other crimes and was released in 1986. He spent the rest of his life in obscurity, working in a library in Shanghai and writing books about ancient topics under a pen name. There was no word on his immediate survivors.
Mr. Qi won a following among Chinese neo-Maoists, who admired his unwavering defense of the Cultural Revolution. In an interview in 2014 with Ming Pao, a Hong Kong newspaper, Mr. Qi also praised Mr. Xi.Mr. Qi won a following among Chinese neo-Maoists, who admired his unwavering defense of the Cultural Revolution. In an interview in 2014 with Ming Pao, a Hong Kong newspaper, Mr. Qi also praised Mr. Xi.
“Xi Jinping is the only national leader since Mao Zedong’s era who really fights corruption, and doesn’t just mouth words about it,” Mr. Qi said.“Xi Jinping is the only national leader since Mao Zedong’s era who really fights corruption, and doesn’t just mouth words about it,” Mr. Qi said.