Ye Jianying
叶剑英
1897–1986
- Marshal
- Organized Arrest of the Gang of Four
Biography
Military Elder and Kingmaker
Ye Jianying was born in 1897 in Guangdong province and was among the founders of the Chinese Red Army, having participated in the Nanchang Uprising of 1927. He served as a senior military commander throughout the Sino-Japanese War and civil war, and was one of the ten marshals designated in 1955 when the PRC introduced military ranks. After 1949, he held a series of senior defence and Party positions. His greatest historical significance, however, came from his role in two decisive moments of political transition.
Surviving the Cultural Revolution
During the Cultural Revolution, Ye Jianying managed to navigate the chaos without being destroyed — a feat that required constant political calculation. He maintained connections with Zhou Enlai and avoided direct confrontation with either the Gang of Four or Lin Biao's faction. When Lin Biao died in 1971, Ye's position strengthened. By the mid-1970s he was one of the most senior and respected figures in the military establishment, with a reputation for caution, loyalty to the institution of the PLA rather than to any faction, and deep connections among the officer corps.
The October Coup
In October 1976, Ye Jianying played a central role in the arrest of the Gang of Four. Working with Hua Guofeng and drawing on his military connections, Ye arranged for Unit 8341 — the Central Security Regiment responsible for protecting Politburo members — to carry out the detentions. Ye's military authority and his relationships with garrison commanders in Beijing were essential to ensuring that no armed resistance materialised. The operation was completed without bloodshed. Ye subsequently served as Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (1978–83) — effectively the head of state.
Supporting Deng's Return
Ye Jianying also used his influence to support Deng Xiaoping's rehabilitation and eventual return to power. He served as a bridge between the military old guard and Deng's reform agenda, providing crucial legitimacy. He retired from active politics in 1985 at age 87 and died in 1986. He is remembered in official Chinese historiography as one of the "marshals who saved the Party" — though his exact role in the complex events of 1976 remains the subject of careful historical scrutiny.