What is Gang of Four?
The '''Gang of Four''' ({{zh|s=四人帮|t=四人幫|p=Sìrén bāng}}) was the name given to a [[political]] group of four [[Communist Party of China|Chinese Communist Party]] officials. The leader of the group was [[Jiang Qing]], [[Mao Zedong]]'s last wife. The other three were [[Zhang Chunqiao]], [[Yao Wenyuan]] and [[Wang Hongwen]]. They became powerful during [[China]]'s [[Cultural Revolution]].<ref>''Evolution of Power: China's struggle, survival, and success'', eds. Xiaobing Li, Xiansheng Tian (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2014), p. 54</ref> After the death of Mao Zedong, Jiang Qing plotted a [[coup d'état]] to take power. She and her close [[wikt:associate|associate]]s in the Gang of Four were [[arrest]]ed and put on [[trial]].<ref>Han Suyin 1994. ''Eldest son: Zhou Enlai and the making of modern China'', page 413.</ref> Jiang Qing and Zhang Chunqiao received [[death sentence]]s that were later changed to [[life imprisonment]]. Wang Hongwen and Yao Wenyuan were given life and twenty years in prison, respectively. All members of the Gang of Four have since died. Jiang Qing committed [[suicide]] in 1991, Wang Hongwen died in 1992. Yao Wenyuan and Zhang Chunqiao died in 2005: they had been released from prison in 1996 and 1998 respectively. == References == {{reflist}} {{asia-stub}} [[Category:Chinese communists]]