What role did Zhou Enlai play in keeping China functioning during the Cultural Revolution?

During the Cultural Revolution, Premier Zhou Enlai served as a vital stabilizing force, playing an essential role in keeping the country functioning amidst widespread chaos. As the chief administrator of China’s civil bureaucracy, he worked to maintain order and mitigate the impact of the political turmoil.12

His efforts included:

• Exercising Restraint: Zhou actively worked to restrain the actions of extremists throughout the period.1
• Promoting Stability: Following the death of Lin Biao in 1971, Zhou sought to nudge China back toward stability by encouraging the revival of the educational system and reinstating officials who had been previously purged.3
• Economic and Pragmatic Policy: He championed a pragmatic approach that prioritized economic growth, educational progress, and a stable foreign policy, often finding himself in political opposition to the Gang of Four.3
• Architect of Compromise: In 1971–72, Zhou acted as the architect of a potential compromise intended to synthesize the values of the Cultural Revolution with the political and economic order that existed prior to 1966.4

Despite these efforts, his influence fluctuated as political power shifted between his pragmatic group and radical factions.3