---
title: Chen Boda
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/quotes/chen-boda/
description: 4 verified quotes from Chen Boda, Head of the Cultural Revolution Group (1966-1970); Politburo Standing Committee member; Mao's political secretary and…
section: FRAME
---

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[Quotes](https://propagandaarchive.org/quotes/) · China

# Chen Boda

Head of the Cultural Revolution Group (1966-1970); Politburo Standing Committee member; Mao's political secretary and editor of Red Flag; tried and imprisoned in 1980-81 · China

On the regime page: [People's Republic of China under Mao Zedong](https://propagandaarchive.org/regimes/peoples-republic-of-china-mao/#chen-boda)

4 quotes, oldest first. [Filter with other speakers](https://propagandaarchive.org/quotes/#speaker=chen-boda).

1. > “The modern revisionists with the C.P.S.U. leadership as their centre have betrayed the great Lenin and are on a honeymoon coexisting with the U.S. imperialists.” — English: Peking Review (English edition), vol. 9, no. 45, 4 November 1966, pp. 11-12. Original-language text not found. — November 4, 1966 · Speech · Peking, meeting to commemorate Lu Hsun — Closing speech at a Peking meeting for the 30th anniversary of Lu Xun's death, in which Chen used Lu Xun's testament to attack the Soviet leadership and the Party's own opponents of Mao's line. — Concluding speech at the meeting in commemoration of Lu Hsun, Peking Review vol. 9, no. 45 (4 November 1966), pp. 11-12 [Source](https://www.marxists.org/archive/chen-boda/1966/11/04.htm)
2. > “Historically, cultural revolutions, in most cases, begin in the field of literature and art. This is also true of the great proletarian cultural revolution we are now carrying out.” — English: Peking Review (English edition), no. 50, 9 December 1966, pp. 5-9. Original-language text not found. — November 28, 1966 · Speech · Peking, Great Hall of the People — Chen presided as head of the Cultural Revolution Group at a rally of more than 20,000 arts workers. At the same rally Jiang Qing was named adviser on cultural work to the army. — Opening address at the rally of literature and art workers for the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, 28 November 1966, Peking Review no. 50 (9 December 1966), pp. 5-9 [Source](https://www.marxists.org/archive/chen-boda/1966/12/09.htm)
3. > “Likewise, the proletariat today must use its own new literature and art serving the workers, peasants and soldiers as a weapon in destroying the bourgeoisie and all other exploiting classes.” — English: Peking Review (English edition), no. 50, 9 December 1966, pp. 5-9. Original-language text not found. — November 28, 1966 · Speech · Peking, Great Hall of the People — From the same address, following a sentence saying the bourgeoisie in its own revolution used the new literature and art of its time to destroy feudalism. — Opening address at the rally of literature and art workers for the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, 28 November 1966, Peking Review no. 50 (9 December 1966), pp. 5-9 [Source](https://www.marxists.org/archive/chen-boda/1966/12/09.htm)
4. > “Our leadership on the literary and art front should not be weakened but, on the contrary, strengthened still further.” — English: Peking Review (English edition), no. 50, 9 December 1966, pp. 5-9. Original-language text not found. — November 28, 1966 · Speech · Peking, Great Hall of the People — Chen argues that the overthrown bourgeoisie uses literature and art to prepare a restoration of capitalism, and that party control of the arts must therefore increase. — Opening address at the rally of literature and art workers for the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, 28 November 1966, Peking Review no. 50 (9 December 1966), pp. 5-9 [Source](https://www.marxists.org/archive/chen-boda/1966/12/09.htm)