Zhou Enlai on the "February Adverse Current," 1967 [MC5 comments: The following is a Red Guard leaflet translated by the Taiwanese. It talks about a crucial countercurrent in the Cultural Revolution -- what was called the Adverse Current. What is crucial about the Red Guard leaflet is the names it names. Contrary to the smears against the Cultural Revolution, it was not just bureaucratic infighting. The people named here did come to power after Mao died and they instituted the capitalist mode of production, just as the Red Guards warned. By 1978, Chu Teh was dead, but Chen Yun, Li Hsien-nien, Yeh Chien-ying and Hsu Hsiang-chien were all in power. Li and Yeh were two of four vice-chairs of the party and Teng Hsiao-ping (Deng Xiaoping) was a third already by 1978. Hsu and Nieh Jung- chen were Politburo members. In fact, the "Adverse Current" was the majority of the leadership once Hua Guofeng imprisoned the "Gang of Four" in 1976. The "Adverse Current" platform already evident in 1967 easily co-existed with Deng Xiaoping, who they brought to power from oblivion as a Vice-Chair in 1977. Already in August, 1977 he had the job of giving the closing address to the Eleventh National Congress of the Communist Party of China. In fact, Li, Yeh and Deng outlasted Hua Guofeng and the fourth vice-chair who implemented the arrest of the "Gang of Four." Li, Yeh, Deng and others accused Hua and others of not being rightist enough because of their feigned allegiance to Mao. The Hua faction was demoted and soon the Deng faction was the majority of the standing committee of the Politburo, composed of six people until 1985 when Yeh retired. At that time Chen Yun was still one of the top five remaining party leaders and as was Li, who was in fact state president. In other words, being named as a member of the anti-Mao "Adverse Current" in 1967 became a ticket to power after Mao died and the counterrevolution struck in 1976.] "The February adverse current embraced in person, viz., Chu Teh, Chen Yun, Chen Yi, Li Hsien-nien, Teng Tzu- hui, Yeh Chien-ying, Nieh Yung- chen, Hsu Hsiang-chien, and T'an Chen- lin. Among them were three vice chairman of the Military Commission; the rest were all prominent leaders about the level of vice premiership. "The February adverse current was an incident that took place in Huai-jen Auditorium on February 16, 1967, during which T'an Chen-lin loudly cursed Chang Ch'un-ch'iao at the meeting and some cursed Chiang Ch'ing and K'ang Sheng. T'an said: 'I have made no mistakes. I need no protection from others. Veteran cadres have been struck down. I should not have lived for 65 years, should not have joined the revolution, should not have joined the Party, and should not have followed Chairman Mao in making revolution for 40 years.' When he finished, he wanted to leave. This is an exact repetition of the 'three should-not' in the ITALICS Story of the West Chamber. END Chen Yi responded by saying: "We are going to turn this place into a mess. Don't go!" Chou En-lai said: 'You are taking too much liberty. Come back!' "On February 18, Chairman Mao talked to them and criticized them. Chairman Mao said: 'Whoever opposes the Central Cultural Revolution Group, we shall oppose him. You may call Wang Ming and Chang Kuo- tao back and I and Comrade Lin Piao, together with Yeh Chun, will go to the south. Comrade Chiang Ch'ing shall be left with you as will the comrades of the Central Cultural Revolution Group. You may behead Comrade Chiang Ch'ing and banish Comrade K'ang Sheng. All this you may do.' Chairman Mao felt truly sad when he said this. "Premier Chou has talked about 36 problems concerning the February adverse current which are mainly intended to criticize Yeh Chien-ying, Hsu Hsaign-chien, Nieh Yung-chen, Li Hsien-nien, and Chen Yi. These may be summarized as follows: "1. Nieh Yung-chen has always been engaged in establishing an independent kingdom. In the past, Nieh never fought a good battle in the Shansi-Chahar-Hopei border area. "2. The proscription in the 'September 5 order' that students of military schools are not permitted to come to Peking to exchange revolutionary experience was engineered by Hsu Hsiang-chien. "3. Chen Yi said: 'That self- examination was forced on me.' "4. Yeh Chien-ying knew that his daughter had attacked military organizations. "5. Yeh Chien-ying said: 'The Central Cultural Revolution Group does not help veteran comrades.' "6. At the enlarged meeting of the Military Commission in January 1967, Hsu Hsiang-chien pounded on the table 20 times within one hour and Yeh Chien-ying even broke his fingers as a result of pounding. "7. Yang Yung disappeared after being struggled against by Yeh and Hsu. "8. When the Military Commission discussed the Eight Points for Supporting the Army, Yeh Chien-ying put up a vigorous verbal argument with those present. "9. Nieh Yung-chen said: 'The policy toward the children of high-ranking cadres is one of killing without teaching.' "10. Yeh Chien-ying said at a meeting: 'In the past wounded soldiers had been honored. However, during this Cultural Revolution, wounded soldiers were cursed. Li Hsien-nien applauded Yeh's remark, raising his thumb and saying, 'My esteemed general's words hit the nail on the head.' "11. Chiu Hui-tso was beaten up by Hsu Hsiang-chien and fortunately was rescued by Vice Chairman Lin. "12. Yeh Chien-ying was still sympathetic to Lo Jui-ch'ing. He wrote a poem to this effect: 'The general ruined himself by attempting to commit suicide through jumping; an old friend is bidding him an eternal farewell.' However, he has shown no emotion for Chairman Mao." Harold C. Hinton, ed., The People's Republic of China 1949-1979, vol. 4 1967-1970 The Cultural Revolution Part II, p. 1812.