---
title: Wang Hongwen
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/quotes/wang-hongwen/
description: 3 verified quotes from Wang Hongwen, Shanghai worker-rebel leader; Vice-Chairman of the CCP Central Committee (1973-1976); one of the four tried in 1980…
section: FRAME
---

![Illustration: a dense, generic Cold War intelligence analyst's evidence wall of press photography, redacted reports and aerial reconnaissance imagery.](https://propagandaarchive.org/static/generated/detail/hero-evidence-wall.jpg)

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

# Wang Hongwen

Shanghai worker-rebel leader; Vice-Chairman of the CCP Central Committee (1973-1976); one of the four tried in 1980 as the "Gang of Four", the post-1976 leadership's name for the group · China

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

3 quotes, oldest first. [Filter with other speakers](https://propagandaarchive.org/quotes/#speaker=wang-hongwen).

1. **Content note:** Denunciation of named former leaders, including Liu Shaoqi, whose verdict the Party reversed in 1980. The words are shown as they were said or written. [Why](https://propagandaarchive.org/about/#as-it-was) — > “Liu Shao-chi, Lin Piao and similar careerists, conspirators, double-dealers and absolutely unrepentant capitalist-roaders, though they manifested themselves in somewhat different ways, were all essentially the same; they were all chieftains in practising revisionism and thoroughly turned bourgeois ideologically, politically and in their way of life. They were rotten to the core!” — English: Foreign Languages Press, Peking (The Tenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China (Documents), 1973, pp. 39-57). Original-language text not found. — August 24, 1973 · Speech · Peking, Tenth National Congress of the CCP — Report by the newly promoted Vice-Chairman on the revised Party constitution, which removed the clauses naming Lin Biao as Mao's successor after his death in 1971. The congress condemned Lin Biao and confirmed the earlier expulsion of Liu Shaoqi. — Report on the Revision of the Party Constitution, delivered at the Tenth National Congress of the CPC on 24 August 1973 and adopted on 28 August, in The Tenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China (Documents) (Peking: Foreign Languages Press, 1973), pp. 39-57 [Source](https://www.marxists.org/archive/wang-hongwen/1973/august/24.htm)
2. > “The working class, the poor and lower-middle peasants and the masses of working people are the masters of our country. They have the right to exercise revolutionary supervision over cadres of all ranks of our Party and state organs.” — English: Foreign Languages Press, Peking (The Tenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China (Documents), 1973, pp. 39-57). Original-language text not found. — August 24, 1973 · Speech · Peking, Tenth National Congress of the CCP — From the part of the report on accepting criticism and supervision from the masses, which says cadres must not suppress criticism or retaliate. — Report on the Revision of the Party Constitution, 24 August 1973, in The Tenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China (Documents) (Peking: Foreign Languages Press, 1973), pp. 39-57 [Source](https://www.marxists.org/archive/wang-hongwen/1973/august/24.htm)
3. > “In handling problems among the people, Party discipline absolutely forbids such wrong practices as resorting to "suppression if unable to persuade, and arrest if unable to sup-press."” — English: Foreign Languages Press, Peking (The Tenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China (Documents), 1973, pp. 39-57). Original-language text not found. — August 24, 1973 · Speech · Peking, Tenth National Congress of the CCP — Same passage, reporting a sentence added to the draft constitution, "it is absolutely impermissible to suppress criticism and to retaliate". — Report on the Revision of the Party Constitution, 24 August 1973, in The Tenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China (Documents) (Peking: Foreign Languages Press, 1973), pp. 39-57 [Source](https://www.marxists.org/archive/wang-hongwen/1973/august/24.htm)