Chen Boda
Illustration, not an archive object
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
4 quotes, oldest first. Filter with other speakers.
“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.
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
“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.
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
“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.
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
“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.
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