Biography: Chen Duxiu

Biography: Kang Sheng

Kang Sheng 18981975

Kang was born into a wealthy landlord family in ShandongProvince. He was originally named Zhang Zongke but used Kang Sheng as a pseudonym. He joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1925 and was active in building support in Shanghai. He survived the Shanghai massacre and went into the underground movement. He was sent to Moscow in 1933. It was here that he studied Russian intelligence techniques for three years under the NKVD (Russian Secret Police). When he returned to China he settled in Yan’an and worked in intelligence for the CCP.

It is believed that it was Kang who introduced Jiang Qing to Mao, having known her during his years in Shandong. Kang facilitated the 1942 Rectification campaign in Yan’an to test the loyalty of cadres living there. It developed into a time of suspicion and violence as many innocent people were expelled because of suspected links to the Guomindang (GMD). Violence and torture were applied to the GMD agents until Mao ordered Kang to stop this practice.

Kang was active in developing the prison and work camp system during the 1950s as well as the Anti-Rightist campaign in 1957. During the early 1960s, Kang worked in the secretariat under Deng Xiaoping and became vice- chairman of the standing committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in 1965. He also advised Mao on developments within Russian politics.

During the Cultural Revolution Kang aligned himself with Mao and Jiang’s radical faction (sometimes called the ‘court faction’).Salisbury believed it was Kang who, on Mao’s orders, organised wall posters in schools and universities in May 1966 (1992, p 237). Kang was an adviser to the Central Cultural Revolution Group (CCRG) and the Politburo Standing Committee. With Chen Boda, Mao’s secretary, Kang was a spokesperson for Mao during the Cultural Revolution. Historians also believe that Kang’s actions saved many national treasures from being destroyed by the Red Guard in the early attacks on the ‘Four Olds’. It is believed that Kang kept a few of the ancient treasures for himself. ‘Kang justified his appropriations [taking of things] by stamping the items with his three-fold seal of approval: “Returned to the public”, “Everything for the public, nothing for the self”, and finally “Kang Sheng’”. (Esherick, Pickowicz and Walder 2006, p76)

Kang was never popular within the Communist Party as it was believed he had doublecrossed most key figures, except for Mao. Kang died in 1975 and was posthumously (after death) expelled from the CCP in 1980.