The Red Guard Spirit Still Haunts China and Its Current Leadership

The most famous Red Guard during China’s Cultural Revolution died last month, but the violent and aggressive spirit is far from dead.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping attends the opening of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress at The Great Hall of People on March 5, 2023 in Beijing, China. China's annual political gathering known as the Two Sessions will convene leaders and lawmakers to set the government's agenda for domestic economic and social development for the year. Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

News Analysis

The most famous Red Guard during China’s Cultural Revolution, a decade of violence and chaos from the mid-1960s to 1970s, died last month at the age of 77.