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What happened to the Gang of Four after Mao Zedong died in 1976?
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Cultural Revolution
Mao Zedong reviewing troops at Tiananmen Square, Beijing, August 1966.
Following the death of Mao Zedong in September 1976, the Gang of Four—comprising Jiang Qing, Wang Hongwen, Zhang Chunqiao, and Yao Wenyuan—lost their remaining political power. In October 1976, they were purged by a coalition of military, police, and political leaders, an event that effectively concluded the Cultural Revolution.12
The group was subsequently imprisoned and faced trial in 1980–81 for their roles in the radical policies implemented during the Cultural Revolution. The outcomes of their trials were as follows:
- Jiang Qing and Zhang Chunqiao: Both received suspended death sentences, which were later commuted to life imprisonment in 1983.1
- Wang Hongwen: Sentenced to life imprisonment.1
- Yao Wenyuan: Sentenced to a 20-year term.1