Jiang Qisheng: After Experiencing the Cultural Revolution and Tiananmen, We Must Reject the Trampling of Human Rights
Chinese dissident Jiang Qisheng, a former Red Guard, reflects on his experiences. He emphasizes that the core of negating the Cultural Revolution lies in rejecting its trampling of human rights, establishing the principle of human rights supremacy, and ultimately striving for a constitutional democracy.
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- 📰 Published: May 18, 2026 at 12:54
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(CNA, Taipei, 18th) Chinese dissident Jiang Qisheng, who has been imprisoned three times, was once a Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution. Looking back at the chaotic period, he emphasizes that to negate the Cultural Revolution is to negate its trampling of human rights, to negate any special privileges, and to establish the principle of human rights supremacy.
Born in 1948, Jiang Qisheng was a Red Guard and a "'66 high school graduate." After the Cultural Revolution ended and the college entrance exams resumed, he was admitted to the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and later pursued a Ph.D. at Renmin University. He served as a student representative during the 1989 democracy movement, was subsequently arrested and imprisoned in Qincheng Prison, and participated in the release of Charter 08 in 2008.
On the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Cultural Revolution, Jiang Qisheng was interviewed by CNA, reflecting on the inspirations from the Cultural Revolution on his life and the connection between the Cultural Revolution and the June Fourth incident.
In retrospect, the Cultural Revolution of the Mao Zedong era was a great catastrophe. For the students swept up in it, it was a personal tragedy, as they were arbitrarily deprived of the opportunity to receive higher education. 60 years ago, for students like Jiang Qisheng, they believed in the mission of the Cultural Revolution launched by Mao Zedong and the CCP Central Committee. The driving force of the revolution was: criticism, struggle, home raids, smashing the Four Olds, and confiscating the property of landlords, rich peasants, counter-revolutionaries, bad elements, and rightists.
At that time, Jiang Qisheng, the chairman of the student union in Changshu County, Jiangsu Province, was an enthusiastic participant in the Cultural Revolution. Besides participating in struggle sessions, labeling the school principal and teachers as "monsters and demons," he and his classmates traveled across the country for "revolutionary networking." His class walked for 8 hours from Changshu to Suzhou to study the revolution and read big-character posters. He later went to Nanjing and Beijing. The time in Beijing was Mao Zedong's eighth and final reception of Red Guards from all over the country. Waiting at the Xijiao Airport for Mao's motorcade to arrive, amidst the hazy dust, Jiang Qisheng, despite only seeing Mao's silhouette, cheered from the bottom of his heart: "The great leader has come!"
[Omitted section on his personal disillusionment]
In 1976, the Tiananmen Incident broke out, with large crowds in Tiananmen Square in Beijing mourning the late Premier Zhou Enlai, while also expressing dissatisfaction with the Gang of Four and Mao Zedong. Jiang Qisheng said that at that time, he could firmly stand with the demonstrators in Tiananmen Square because the country's economic life was impoverished, cultural life was barren, and "there was no freedom at all, how could people live like this?"
[Omitted section on his post-Mao life and activism]
Jiang Qisheng said that as a Chinese person, he hopes for the good of the country and the nation, and hopes that every ordinary person can live with more dignity and freedom.
"For China to move from its current system to a constitutional democratic system is my wish and aspiration, but it is very difficult," Jiang said, adding that Taiwan is actually a role model. "The Chinese people in Taiwan have already successfully moved towards a constitutional democratic system. This is a remarkable achievement in the 5,000-year history of the Chinese nation. It is very, very difficult for us now, but I believe that one day we will also establish such a good system on the mainland of China, which is, relatively speaking, the best system in human history—the constitutional democratic system."
Jiang said, "If we start by negating the Cultural Revolution, and move towards negating special privileges and putting human rights first, then there is hope."
[Omitted section on the possibility of a second Cultural Revolution]
Jiang Qisheng stated bluntly, "Even if someone wants to start a second Cultural Revolution, in my opinion, it is impossible." He calls the Mao Zedong period a totalitarian form, and the present a post-totalitarian form, saying the two are different.
"My personal view is that it cannot be done, but they will definitely maintain the current post-totalitarian state and their rule," Jiang said.
Born in 1948, Jiang Qisheng was a Red Guard and a "'66 high school graduate." After the Cultural Revolution ended and the college entrance exams resumed, he was admitted to the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and later pursued a Ph.D. at Renmin University. He served as a student representative during the 1989 democracy movement, was subsequently arrested and imprisoned in Qincheng Prison, and participated in the release of Charter 08 in 2008.
On the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Cultural Revolution, Jiang Qisheng was interviewed by CNA, reflecting on the inspirations from the Cultural Revolution on his life and the connection between the Cultural Revolution and the June Fourth incident.
In retrospect, the Cultural Revolution of the Mao Zedong era was a great catastrophe. For the students swept up in it, it was a personal tragedy, as they were arbitrarily deprived of the opportunity to receive higher education. 60 years ago, for students like Jiang Qisheng, they believed in the mission of the Cultural Revolution launched by Mao Zedong and the CCP Central Committee. The driving force of the revolution was: criticism, struggle, home raids, smashing the Four Olds, and confiscating the property of landlords, rich peasants, counter-revolutionaries, bad elements, and rightists.
At that time, Jiang Qisheng, the chairman of the student union in Changshu County, Jiangsu Province, was an enthusiastic participant in the Cultural Revolution. Besides participating in struggle sessions, labeling the school principal and teachers as "monsters and demons," he and his classmates traveled across the country for "revolutionary networking." His class walked for 8 hours from Changshu to Suzhou to study the revolution and read big-character posters. He later went to Nanjing and Beijing. The time in Beijing was Mao Zedong's eighth and final reception of Red Guards from all over the country. Waiting at the Xijiao Airport for Mao's motorcade to arrive, amidst the hazy dust, Jiang Qisheng, despite only seeing Mao's silhouette, cheered from the bottom of his heart: "The great leader has come!"
[Omitted section on his personal disillusionment]
In 1976, the Tiananmen Incident broke out, with large crowds in Tiananmen Square in Beijing mourning the late Premier Zhou Enlai, while also expressing dissatisfaction with the Gang of Four and Mao Zedong. Jiang Qisheng said that at that time, he could firmly stand with the demonstrators in Tiananmen Square because the country's economic life was impoverished, cultural life was barren, and "there was no freedom at all, how could people live like this?"
[Omitted section on his post-Mao life and activism]
Jiang Qisheng said that as a Chinese person, he hopes for the good of the country and the nation, and hopes that every ordinary person can live with more dignity and freedom.
"For China to move from its current system to a constitutional democratic system is my wish and aspiration, but it is very difficult," Jiang said, adding that Taiwan is actually a role model. "The Chinese people in Taiwan have already successfully moved towards a constitutional democratic system. This is a remarkable achievement in the 5,000-year history of the Chinese nation. It is very, very difficult for us now, but I believe that one day we will also establish such a good system on the mainland of China, which is, relatively speaking, the best system in human history—the constitutional democratic system."
Jiang said, "If we start by negating the Cultural Revolution, and move towards negating special privileges and putting human rights first, then there is hope."
[Omitted section on the possibility of a second Cultural Revolution]
Jiang Qisheng stated bluntly, "Even if someone wants to start a second Cultural Revolution, in my opinion, it is impossible." He calls the Mao Zedong period a totalitarian form, and the present a post-totalitarian form, saying the two are different.
"My personal view is that it cannot be done, but they will definitely maintain the current post-totalitarian state and their rule," Jiang said.