The Biography of An Ziwen and the History of the CCP Organization Department

Abstract

Personal biographies of Communist Party leaders are a rich new source on the history of the CCP. During the Cultural Revolution, party historiography focused almost exclusively on the leading role of Mao Zedong, but since 1978 China's new leadership has authorized the publication of literally hundreds of biographies and reminiscences to demonstrate the collective contributions of party leaders, many relatively unknown in the West, to the Chinese Communist movement. For Western scholars these works contain two important sources of information. First, there is considerable detail on the lives and political experiences of the men and women who fought in the revolution and built the new Chinese state. Although undoubtedly hagiographic, these books provide considerable detail on the human drama behind the Communists' rise to power. With a close but critical reading, Western scholars can gain a deep appreciation of the personal experiences and individual sacrifices that marked CCP history. Second, and more im...