The politics of identity in revolutionary China before and after 1949 : the case of Wei Baqun

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

Twentieth-Century China

Publication Date

1-2015

Volume

40

Issue

1

First Page

25

Last Page

47

Publisher

The Johns Hopkins University Press

Keywords

China, Communism, revolution, identity, Donglan

Abstract

Wei Baqun, leader of the influential Donglan Peasant Movement in southern China in the 1920s and 1930s, was attacked by his Nationalist enemies as a real and dangerous Communist long before he joined the Chinese Communist Party. Meanwhile, some of his Communist comrades were reluctant to admit him into the Party or to recognize him as a genuine Communist even after he joined the Communist Party. But after his death, they all began to promote him as a perfect Communist. Through an analysis of Wei Baqun’s life and revolution, this article shows how controversial and conflicting perceptions of the political identity of a political leader could exert strong influence on the political career of the leader and on local and national politics in revolutionary China. The article also attempts to explain why the confusion and controversy over Wei Baqun’s identity dissipated after his death.

DOI

10.1179/1521538514Z.00000000052

Print ISSN

15215385

E-ISSN

19405065

Publisher Statement

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Han X. (2015). The politics of identity in revolutionary China before and after 1949: The case of Wei Baqun. Twentieth-Century China 40(1), 25-47. doi: 10.1179/1521538514Z.00000000052

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