Zhao Ziyang vs. Wang Zhen: Power Struggle over TV Documentary
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River Elegy, also known as
Heshang, was a popular
Chinese
TV documentary in the late
1980s believed to have driven
the
Tiananmen Square Protest.
In an exclusive interview with
NTD, Heshang's chief writer
Su Xiaokang explains that the link between Heshang
and the
Tiananmen Student Protest was more
of a fierce power struggle between then
General Secretary
Zhao Ziyang and veteran cadre
Wang Zhen.
After the
1989 crackdown on the
Tiananmen Square protest,
the
Chinese Communist Party (
CCP) issued a wanted list
whose names included seven intellectuals—
Yan Jiaqi,
Bao Zunxin,
Chen Yizi, Wan Runnan, Su Xiaokang,
Wang Juntao, and
Chen Ziming.
Su Xiaokang was considered a representative author
of
1980's non-fiction novels in
China.
After the
June 4th Massacre, he went into exile in the
U.S.
after the CCP accused him of being a guiding hand
of the student movement.
In 2009, Su Xiaokang disclosed to media that, as a writer,
he was on the wanted list of the
Politburo Standing Committee
because of CCP veteran cadre Wang Zhen.
According to the late Zhao Ziyang's recorded memoirs,
Wang Zhen attacked Heshang during
the
Third Plenary
Session in
October 1988 and demanded
a formal critique from the
Central.
In the May 21 interview, Su Xiaokang told NTD that
Zhao Ziyang had a heated debate with Wang Zhen over
the River Elegy.
Su Xiaokang,
Chief Writer of Heshang: "
Zhao Ziyan said
that this is an issue in literary and art circles.
To correct mistakes made during the
Cultural Revolution,
the central henceforth will no longer make remarks
on literature or make it a political issue.
That was a major policy determined by
Hu Yaobang.
Therefore, Zhao said, we do not state our opinion on a work
as the Central, you should not either.
If you want to, then that's your personal issue,
and it does not represent the Central."
Su Xiaokang says that in attacking Heshang, Wang Zhen
had an ulterior motive which was to attack Zhao Ziyang,
who knew it clearly.
Su Xiaokang: "Why? It is because we used many shots
of Zhao's in the River Elegy.
In fact, there were also many
Deng Xiaoping shots.
But, Wang Zhen would not dare to pick on
Deng,
so he simply picked on Zhao.
They meant to bring down Zhao Ziyang.
They have brought down Hu Yaobang.
Zhao Ziyang was the next, so that their sons can take over."
Su Xiaokang indicates there was a power struggle within
the party, and veteran cadres Wang Zhen and
Bo Yibo
were the ringleaders.
Former CCP leader Deng Xiaoping engaged Hu Yaobang,
then General Secretary and Zhao Ziyang, then
Premier,
as the two main leaders in reform.
However, the diehard veterans wanted their son
and son-in-law to take over the leadership.
Therefore they worked to get rid of Hu and Zhao.
Prior to the June 4th Massacre, Hu Yaobang
had already been forced to resign.
Su Xiaokang discloses that when River Elegy first aired
in
1987, the four central leaders Zhao Ziyang,
Li Peng,
Yang Shangkun and
Li Hsien-nien had watched the film.
Zhao Ziyang reacted to the film, "Why criticize
our ancestors?"
Su Xiaokang: "That was what the then-minister
of broadcasting ministry told me.
He said, '
Look, our General Secretary does not like your
Heshang.'
I would not have thought that Zhao would actually have
Bao Tong publicly support Heshang.
Soon, during his meeting with
Lee Kuan Yew,
he actually gave a gift to Lee Kuan Yew.
What was the gift? The video tape of Heshang.
After the
Xinhua News report, Wang Zhen was furious."
Su Xiaokang believes that deep down, Zhao Ziyang
was a man of tradition.
His fight against Wang Zhen and open support of Heshang
were to maintain the policy in freedom of literary creation.
Su Xiaokang: "So you can see that Zhao Ziyang
was a righteous figure.
Privately, his personal hobby was one thing, whereas
in public, in politics, his attitude was another."
Su Xiaokang believes
Chinese civilization has fallen behind.
He said the 65 years of destruction of
Chinese culture
and morality since the CCP hijacked China are disheartening.
In September 1988, Wang Zhen had his secretary
Tang Yu
convey his criticism of Heshang to
People's Daily
CEO Tan Wenrui, where he mentenioned the words,
"the CCP killed his father".
Su Xiaokang attempted to find out whose father
was killed upon hearing this remark.
He had only learned that Wang Zhen was referring
to Zhao Ziyang after he went abroad.
Su Xiaokang was told by insiders that Zhao Ziyang's father
was a landlord, according to the CCP's definition.
After Zhao left home to join the CCP army, CCP troops
went to his hometown and imprisoned his father.
Zhao's father later died in prison.
《神韵》2014世界巡演新亮点
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