뉴스레터

The establishment of the Chinese Communist Party and 13 representatives

2021 marks the centenary of the establishment of the Chinese Communist Party. In July 1921, 13 representatives from each region gathered in Shanghai to hold the first national convention of the Chinese Communist Party. At that time, it was a small revolutionary party with only 50 members from all over the country. No one would have expected them to dominate the Chinese continent in 28 years.

Mao Zedong, who ruled China until his death in 1976 and led the success of the Chinese Communist Party, participated as a representative of Hunan Province. He has had many ups and downs to become the top leader of the Chinese Communist Party. However, it is clear that he was on a historic scene as a founding member of the party.

But most of the other 12 representatives failed to continue their successful careers. Li Da·Li Hanjun(representative of Shanghai), Dong Biwu·Chen Tanqiu(representative of Wuhan), Mao Zedong·He Shuheng(representative of Changsha), Wang Jinmei·Deng Enming(representative of last), Zhang Guotao·Renjing Liu(representative of Beijing), Chen Gongbo(representative of Guangzhou), Huiseng Bao attended under the mandate of Zhou Fohai·Chen Duxiu(representative of Japan). Of these, few names would have been heard by the general public, not researchers, except Mao Zedong.

Most of the 12 representatives, except Mao Zedong, did not enjoy the glory of the Communist Party of China. Someone died of health problems(Wang Jinmei), or lived as an intellectual and theorist rather than a politician(Li Da). And Someone was executed by Guomindang/Japanese imperialism during the revolutionary movement(Li Hanjun·Chen Tanqiu·He Shuheng·Deng Enming), or cooperated with Guomindang/Japanese imperialism by separating with the Communist Party(Renjing Liu·Chen Gongbo·Zhou Fohai·Huiseng Bao·Zhang Guotao). They were pushed out of the revolutionary movement after the founding of the Communist Party, either by their own will or by others.

Early Activity of Zhang Guotao

Among the founding members of the Communist Party except Mao Zedong and Dong Biwu, Zhang Guotao is a person with a remarkable career. He was the only founding member with the opportunity and power to become the top leader of the Communist Party on behalf of Mao Zedong.

Zhang Guotao was born in Pingxiang in 1897 and served as a student movement leader at the University of Beijing during the May Fourth Movement in 1919. Since then, he has become interested in socialism and has participated in the preparations for the founding of the Communist Party of China with Chen Duxiu and Li Ta-Chao. He served as a member of the Central Committee and Political Bureau of the Communist Party, experiencing several removals and recovery. In 1928, he was appointed as the representative of the Comintern, and stayed in Moscow for two and a half years. After returning from Moscow in the spring of 1931, he mainly carried out Rural Soviet construction activities. Zhang Guotao was appointed vice president of Chinese Soviet Republic, leading the Rural Soviet of the Hubei-Henan-Anhui border. In 1932, he moved to the Sichuan-Sanxi border and pioneered a new base.

Collision with Mao

In the early 1930s, Rural Soviets were built throughout China, and the power of the Communist Party was expanding. However, as the national government launched a massive offensive against Rural Soviets, the Communist Party began its long march. Red Army, which lost its base, started long March. And in April 1935, Zhang Guotao gave up Sichuan-Sanxi Soviet and went to long march.

In June 1935, Mao Zedong led 1st Red Army and 4th Red Army led by Zhang Guotao joined in western Sichuan. At that time, Mao Zedong was emerging as a substantial leader of the Communist Party of China at the Zunyi Conference held in January. At that time, Mao Zedong was emerging as a substantial leader of the Communist Party at the Zunyi Conference held in January. However, Zhang Guotao, who was unable to attend the conference, did not recognize Mao’s leadership. In addition, 1st Red Army was seriously damaged in the early days of long march, and 4th Red Army was in the upper hand in military power.

The two men confronted the final destination of long march. Mao insisted on joining the existing base in the northwestern region. However, Zhang Guotao insisted on retreating to the southwestern or northwestern regions to pioneer new bases. The party adopted Mao's decision, but Zhang Guotao insisted on his claim. Eventually, he ignored the party's decision and began his own actions. As a result, his in-party career has effectively ended, with both of his attempts ending in failure.

From Actor To Audience

Zhang Guotao, whose challenge to Mao ended in failure and lost his political base, left Yan'an in April 1938 and moved to Chongqing, where the national government was located. Since then, he has been active in the National Political Council, but his appearance gradually disappeared from the domestic political stage. According to his wife Yang Zilie, Zhang Guotao expressed the reasons for his political retirement as follows: “My radical ideas, and my passion for patriotism are like those of the past, but I want to go away from dictatorship and abuse and misuse of power.” Also, he always said this. “I was an actor on the stage of China, but now I’m just an audience. I just want to see a little tragedy.”