Chapter 18 Chapter Five Finally Knowing the True Face of Mount Lu——Handling the Lin Biao Incident in 1971

In 1970, the "Cultural Revolution" had entered its fifth year, and it was also the sixth year since the Third National People's Congress (1964) was held. On the evening of March 8, Zhou Enlai presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee to convey and discuss Mao Zedong's proposals on convening the Fourth National People's Congress and amending the Constitution.The Politburo unanimously supported Mao Zedong's proposal and decided to start preparatory work immediately.The Politburo also agreed to hold a central working conference in the near future to further discuss the preparations for the Fourth National People's Congress.In this regard, Mao Zedong approved the above central deployment in Zhou Enlai's report, and Lin Biao also agreed.

In mid-March, the Central Work Conference was held as scheduled, and all preparations for the Fourth National People's Congress were successfully passed. At the beginning of April, at the invitation of Kim Il Sung, Zhou Enlai arranged domestic affairs and prepared to visit the Democratic Republic of Korea.This is Zhou Enlai's first official visit abroad since he went to Europe in the summer of 1966. On the eve of Zhou Enlai's visit to the court, Mao Zedong reviewed the "Two Newspapers and One Magazine" editorial article "Leninism, or Social Imperialism?" ——Commemorating the Centenary of the Birth of the Great Lenin", wrote a meaningful comment: "A few paragraphs have been deleted about me, all of which are useless and disgusting to others. I have said it a hundred times, But no one listened, so I don’t know why? All comrades in the Central Committee are asked to study it.”

The "useless" and "disgusting" words deleted by Mao Zedong were: "The greatest contemporary Marxist-Leninist...Chairman Mao", "Comrade Mao Zedong...inherited, defended and developed Marxism-Leninism, raised Marxism-Leninism to the A brand new stage", "Comrade Mao Zedong is the contemporary Lenin", etc. Almost all of these words are the original words used by Lin Biao to "praise" Mao Zedong in the past.As the "Cultural Revolution" had entered the "finishing" stage, Mao Zedong believed that the cult of personality should "cool down".

In this regard, Zhou Enlai criticized the circulation of Mao Zedong's approval documents within the Political Bureau of the Central Committee.Lin Biao himself no doubt soon saw Mao's instructions. Lin Biao, who was recuperating in Suzhou, did not "express his position" on Mao Zedong's criticisms. A week later, Lin Biao suddenly made an unexpected move.He used telephone records to propose to Mao Zedong in Changsha: Regarding the chairman of the country, "it is still recommended that Chairman Mao be concurrently"; "otherwise, it is not in line with the psychological state of the people";Lin Biao also specifically stated that he himself "is not suitable for the position of vice-chairman".This phone call record was also passed on to the Political Bureau of the Central Committee.

Lin Biao's "suggestion" seems rather incomprehensible at first glance.In fact, his purpose is very clear, that is: there should be a chairman of the country. If it is purely to express an opinion on the issue of whether to establish a "state president", Lin Biao's "suggestion" should be said to be beyond reproach.But later developments proved that Lin Biao did have other plans. After Mao Zedong listened to Lin Biao's "suggestion", he smiled and said: "If there is a chairman of the country, who will be the chairman? Anyway, I can't be the chairman anymore, so let Mr. Dong be the chairman!"

Mao Zedong did not consider anyone other than Dong Biwu as the "Chairman of the State". On April 12, the day after Lin Biao sent the phone call record, Zhou Enlai, who had already visited North Korea and returned to Beijing, presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee to discuss Lin Biao's "suggestions."At the meeting, most members of the Politburo agreed that Mao Zedong should still be the chairman of the country. When the discussion report of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee was sent to Mao Zedong, Mao Yu immediately criticized: "I can't do this again, this discussion is inappropriate." chairman.But Lin Biao still insisted on the original idea.

This was the first time since the "Cultural Revolution" that Mao Zedong and Lin Biao disagreed on important issues. In May and June of the same year, Zhou Enlai had been caught in heavy domestic and foreign affairs.It was not until July that the preparations for the Fourth National People's Congress were put back on the agenda. On July 10, Zhou Enlai convened a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee to convey Mao Zedong's instructions on amending the Constitution, convening the Second Plenary Session of the Ninth Central Committee and the Fourth National People's Congress, and determined the Party Central Committee's work plan for this.According to this plan, by August 20, the drafting of relevant documents and other preparations for the Fourth National People's Congress will be basically completed; in late August, the Second Plenary Session of the Ninth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China will be held; and the first meeting of the Fourth National People's Congress will be held before the National Day.

However, a turmoil at the meeting to discuss constitutional amendments broke the "calm" that had been in the past few months. On August 13, under the chairmanship of Kang Sheng, the Central Working Group for Revision of the Constitution held a meeting to discuss the revision of the draft constitution.At the meeting, Zhang Chunqiao and Wu Faxian argued over the relevant terms in the draft constitution.Based on what Mao Zedong said in a meeting with foreign guests that "genius and creative development of Marxism-Leninism is ironic", he proposed to delete "Mao Zedong Thought is the guiding principle for all work in the country" and "genius, creativity, comprehensively" etc.Wu retorted, saying, "It is necessary to prevent someone from taking advantage of Chairman Mao's great humility to belittle Mao Zedong Thought."Zhang Chunqiao represented Jiang Qing's group, while Wu Faxian belonged to Lin Biao's group.The quarrel between the two at the meeting to amend the constitution was a manifestation of the conflict of interests between Jiang Qing's clique and Lin Biao's clique during the "Cultural Revolution".

After the meeting, Wu Faxian went to Chen Boda to discuss the quarrel in detail, and reported to Lin Biao through Huang Yongsheng.Immediately, Wu reported the matter to Zhou Enlai. On the 17th, Zhou Enlai presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee to finalize the draft amendment to the Constitution.Before the meeting, Ye Qun in Beidaihe called Chen Boda and Huang Yongsheng and asked them to prepare quotations on "genius" so that they could "struggle" with Zhang Chunqiao and others at the Politburo meeting.Zhou Enlai was also prepared for "fierce debate" at the meeting.But unexpectedly, Zhang Chunqiao and others did not say a word at the meeting, and the draft constitution was passed smoothly.

As a result, Zhou Enlai began to make arrangements for the Second Plenary Session of the Ninth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to be held in Lushan, Jiangxi. But at this time, Lin Biao secretly told Huang Yongsheng and Wu Faxian: Be careful, this matter (that is, the dispute with Zhang Chunqiao and others) is not over, and there will be a big struggle in Lushan. Behind this "literal" debate at the top of the party is a redistribution of power.The long-hidden conflict between Lin Biao and Jiang Qing, two sectarian forces that started their careers on the basis of the "Cultural Revolution", finally revealed its clues at this time, and it turned from a secret struggle to an open one.

This is actually the prelude to a life-and-death "big fight".