Key Figures and Events in Modern Chinese History

Chiang Kai-shek

Nationalist leader of China’s imperial army. A member of the KMT (Kuomintang) who took over for Sun Yat-sen after his death. He became an autocratic dictator, originally aligned with the CCP but later turned against them. He eventually lost to communist forces and retreated to Taiwan.

Deng Xiaoping

Successor to Mao who opened the Chinese economy. He transitioned the nation toward a command economy with market-oriented reforms, such as Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Key developments included the revival of the rural economy with TVEs, partial privatization, and the Tiananmen Square incident. He reduced state control of the economy and increased the role of market forces.

Jiang Zemin

Successor to Deng. He continued Deng’s economic reforms and maintained a pattern of limited government control over the economy. He served as Xi Jinping's mentor.

Hu Jintao

A two-term president and successor to Jiang Zemin who also continued Deng’s economic reforms.

Tiananmen Square

On June 4, 1989, Deng Xiaoping brutally suppressed student-led pro-democracy protests with tanks. Demonstrators were protesting against inflation, corruption, and the slow pace of political reform.

Cultural Revolution (1966–1976)

Occurring under Mao, this period followed the Great Leap Forward and the Hundred Flowers Campaign. After stepping back to let Deng Xiaoping and Liu Shaoqi manage the economy, Mao reasserted himself, fearing the nation was becoming too Western and losing its egalitarian roots.

• Methods: Use of the Little Red Book, propaganda posters, targeting of Liu and Deng, and the mobilization of the Red Guard.
• Ideology: Reassertion of Mao via “Mao Zedong Thought.”
• Impact: Destruction of historical monuments, widespread persecution, and intense power struggles within the CCP leadership.

Gang of Four

A political faction led by Mao’s widow that attempted to seize power after Mao’s death. They sought to continue Maoism and the Cultural Revolution. They were eventually stopped by moderates within the Politburo led by Deng Xiaoping, who instead emphasized the Four Modernizations (science, industry, agriculture, and military).

Special Economic Zones (SEZ)

Specific areas within a country where tax incentives and less stringent environmental regulations are implemented to attract foreign business and investment.

Iron Rice Bowl

A feature of China’s socialist economy under Mao where employment, income, and benefits were guaranteed to urban and rural workers. This system was eliminated under Deng Xiaoping during the transition to a market economy.

Umbrella Revolution

Beginning September 26, 2014, this was a pro-democracy political movement in Hong Kong advocating for greater autonomy. Riot police used tear gas and rubber bullets against sit-in protesters, who used umbrellas for protection, giving the movement its name. It serves as a modern example of political dissent under Chinese rule.

Great Leap Forward

A utopian effort to accelerate development toward true communism. The resulting famine and industrial depression caused a significant setback. Deng Xiaoping and Liu Shaoqi subsequently took charge of reviving the economy through central government planning and market-oriented policies.

National People’s Congress

The legislature of China. It operates under the control of the Communist Party and is not an independent branch of government.