Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution

Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution propaganda poster. It depicts Mao Zedong, above a group of soldiers from the People's Liberation Army. The caption says, "The Chinese People's Liberation Army is the great school of Mao Zedong Thought."
Chinese	文化大革命
Literal meaning	"Great Cultural Revolution"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wénhuà dàgémìng Gwoyeu Romatzyh Wenhuah dahgerminq Wade–Giles Wen2-hua4 ta4-ko2-ming4 IPA [u̯ə̌nxu̯â tâkɤ̌mîŋ] Wu Romanization Ven平ho去 du去 keh入min去 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Màhn-faa daaih-gaak-mihng Jyutping Man4-faa3 daai6-gaak3-ming6 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Bûn-hoà tāi-kek-bēng
Formal name
Traditional Chinese	無產階級文化大革命
Simplified Chinese	无产阶级文化大革命
Literal meaning	"Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wúchǎnjiējí wénhuà dàgémìng Wu Romanization Vu平tshae上cia平cih入 ven平ho去 du去 keh入min去 Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Mou4-caan2 gaai1-kap1 man4-faa3 daai6 gaak3-ming6 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Bô-sán-kai-kip bûn-huà tuā kik-miā

The Cultural Revolution, formally the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement that took place in China from 1966 until 1976. Set into motion by Mao Zedong, then Chairman of the Communist Party of China, its stated goal was to preserve 'true' Communist ideology in the country by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society, and to re-impose Maoist thought as the dominant ideology within the Party. The Revolution marked the return of Mao Zedong to a position of power after the Great Leap Forward. The movement paralyzed China politically and negatively affected the country's economy and society to a significant degree.

The Revolution was launched in May 1966, after Mao alleged that bourgeois elements had infiltrated the government and society at large, aiming to restore capitalism. He insisted that these "revisionists" be removed through violent class struggle. China's youth responded to Mao's appeal by forming Red Guard groups around the country. The movement spread into the military, urban workers, and the Communist Party leadership itself. It resulted in widespread factional struggles in all walks of life. In the top leadership, it led to a mass purge of senior officials, most notably Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping. During the same period Mao's personality cult grew to immense proportions.

Millions of people were persecuted in the violent struggles that ensued across the country, and suffered a wide range of abuses including public humiliation, arbitrary imprisonment, torture, sustained harassment, and seizure of property. A large segment of the population was forcibly displaced, most notably the transfer of urban youth to rural regions during the Down to the Countryside Movement. Historical relics and artifacts were destroyed. Cultural and religious sites were ransacked.