Why was Wu Han’s play Hai Rui Dismissed from Office attacked in 1965?

In November 1965, the historian and deputy mayor of Beijing, Wu Han, became the first major target of the Cultural Revolution due to his play, Hai Rui Dismissed from Office.12

The play was attacked because it was interpreted as using allegory to criticize the political leadership of the time. Specifically, critics alleged that Wu used the historical narrative to lampoon Mao Zedong while simultaneously praising Peng Dehuai, the former minister of defense who had been deposed for his opposition to Mao's policies.12

This denunciation served as the opening volley in a broader campaign against cultural figures, scholars, and propagandists. The attack signaled the beginning of a thoroughgoing purge aimed at eliminating leading cadres whom Mao held responsible for ideological errors and perceived past sins.12