The Rise and Fall of Teng Hsiao-P’ing

Abstract

THE REHABILITATION and meteoric rise of Teng Hsiao-p'ing between 1973 and early 1976 were without doubt the most salient feature in Chinese leadership affairs during the period. By the same token, his unexpected fall after Chou En-lai's death in January 1976 seems a watershed event. Teng's second career, though brief, was highly significant; and an understanding of his fate may help us to see the present leadership struggle in China in proper perspective. This essay is an attempt to analyze the causes of Teng's rise and fall, and the meaning of these events for the politics of post-Mao China. Teng's sudden rehabilitation, and his rise to the top of the Chinese leadership hierarchy (Teng handled Chou En-lai's functions as Premier, and was also Mao's stand-in for a number of months), were as surprising as they were unexpected. Although considered too old to be Mao's successor in any permanent sense, he was clearly Number Two when Chou died. Since his age presumably shielded him from attack by the Party left, it was widely assumed that he would someday be the interim leader of Communist China, if Mao passed from the scene before he did. Hence Teng would be in position to manage the problem of succession, and to groom Mao's eventual heir. Then came the wholly unexpected announcement in January that Teng would not replace Chou as Premier. Subsequently, he was assailed as a capitalist roader by Mao and others in the top leadership, and stripped of his official positions. He disappeared from sight, and for months his whereabouts were unknown. Since Mao's death and the recent purge of high Party leaders on the left (including Chiang Ch'ing, Teng's principal rival), there has been some speculation that Teng may yet stage another comeback. To be sure, his removal from power early last year cannot be seen as anything other than official and permanent. The style of the moves against him, including systematic