(June 15, 1976)
"Since ancient times, few have lived to seventy." I am now over eighty. As one grows old, one always thinks about the aftermath. There is an old Chinese saying, "Final judgment is passed when the coffin is closed." Though my coffin is not yet closed, it will be soon, so I suppose a final judgment can be made! In my life, I have done two things: one is struggling with Chiang Kai-shek for several decades, driving him onto those few sea islands; during the eight years of the War of Resistance, I sent the Japanese back to their homeland. Not many people disagree with these matters, only a handful, who chatter beside my ears, merely urging me to reclaim those few islands sooner. The other matter, as you all know, is launching the Great Cultural Revolution. Not many support this matter, and quite a few oppose it. These two matters are not yet finished, and this "legacy" must be handed over to the next generation. How to hand it over? If it cannot be handed over peacefully, then hand it over amid turmoil; if not handled well, it will lead to "a storm of blood and wind." What will you do? Only Heaven knows.
[1]


Present at the time were Hua Guofeng, Ye Jianying, Wang Hongwen, Zhang Chunqiao, Jiang Qing, Yao Wenyuan, and Wang Hairong.
[2]


On October 6, 1976, the leftist forces supporting the "Cultural Revolution" split. Hua Guofeng and Ye Jianying launched the "October Coup," announcing the isolation and investigation of Wang Hongwen, Zhang Chunqiao, Jiang Qing, and Yao Wenyuan. In July 1977, the Third Plenary Session of the Tenth Central Committee passed the "Resolution on the Anti-Party Clique of Wang Hongwen, Zhang Chunqiao, Jiang Qing, and Yao Wenyuan" and the "Resolution on Restoring Comrade Deng Xiaoping's Posts." Within three years after Deng Xiaoping's return, he gradually weakened Hua Guofeng's influence, and on December 5, 1980, issued the "Communiqué of the Central Politburo Meeting," criticizing Hua Guofeng, "and deeming it necessary to change his current post," and "before the Sixth Plenary Session, he will no longer preside over the work of the Central Politburo, the Central Standing Committee, and the Central Military Commission." On June 27, 1981, the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China passed the "Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China," negating the "Great Cultural Revolution," and Hua Guofeng stepped down.