14 Facts About Wang Hongwen

Wang Hongwen was a Chinese labour activist and politician who was the youngest member of the "Gang of Four".

Wang Hongwen rose to prominence during the Cultural Revolution, after organizing the Shanghai People's Commune, to become one of the foremost members of national leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.

Wang Hongwen was born in a village in the outskirts of Changchun, Jilin province.

Wang Hongwen organized the Shanghai Commune in January 1967, and was catapulted to national prominence as a daring rebel leader.

At the 9th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, Wang Hongwen was elected a member of the Central Committee.

Wang Hongwen was one of the youngest members of the PSC in the post-revolution Communist Party, having joined the body aged 37.

Wang Hongwen was the same age as some PSC members who took office even after the turn of the century, such as Luo Gan, who was born in 1935.

All signs pointed to Wang Hongwen being trained as Mao's successor.

However, Wang Hongwen was being sidelined by Mao Zedong in 1974 after Mao criticised Wang for the gang of four.

Between 1974 and early 1976, Mao transferred much power to Deng Xiaoping, giving Deng the power to run daily affairs of the party, the State Council and the military, and Wang Hongwen complained about this move.

Wang Hongwen was an important player during and after the death of Mao, and served as the masters of ceremonies for his funeral service on national radio on 18 September 1976.

Wang Hongwen came to the hall with his arms restrained, and Hua began to read out the "decision" of the CCP Central Committee to him, but unexpectedly during the reading Wang Hongwen broke away from the agents and shouted and lunged at Ye Jianying, who was present, but was subdued again before he could reach him.

Wang Hongwen was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1981.

Wang Hongwen died of liver cancer in a Beijing hospital on 3 August 1992, at the age of 56.