Zhu Dehai
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Zhu Dehai ( zh, c=朱德海; ko, 주덕해; 5 March 1911 – 3 July 1972) was a Korean Chinese revolutionary, educator, and politician of the
People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. He served as a political commissar of the
Eighth Route Army The Eighth Route Army (), officially known as the 18th Group Army of the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China, was a group army under the command of the Chinese Communist Party, nominally within the structure of the Chinese ...
during the
Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
. He was the first governor of
Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture Yanbian (; Chosŏn'gŭl: , ''Yeonbyeon''), officially known as the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, is an autonomous prefecture in the east of Jilin Province, China. Yanbian is bordered to the north by Heilongjiang Province, on the west by ...
from 1952 to 1965. He also served as the member of the
National People's Congress The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China (NPC; ), or simply the National People's Congress, is constitutionally the supreme state authority and the national legislature of the People's Republic of China. With 2, ...
(NPC) for several years. He was known as a political moderate and defied orders from the during the
Great Leap Forward The Great Leap Forward (Second Five Year Plan) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) was an economic and social campaign led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 1958 to 1962. CCP Chairman Mao Zedong launched the campaign to reconstruc ...
while maintaining a close relationship with the
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
n government. During the
Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
, the Red Guards stigmatized Zhu as a North Korean spy, and he was expelled from all political positions. As a Korean minority high-ranking cadre, Zhu contributed to improve the social status of Korean minority in China. His support for Korean's autonomy in northeastern China culminated in the establishment of Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in 1952. He also paid attention to the education for Korean Chinese. In
Yan'an Yan'an (; ), alternatively spelled as Yenan is a prefecture-level city in the Shaanbei region of Shaanxi province, China, bordering Shanxi to the east and Gansu to the west. It administers several counties, including Zhidan (formerly Bao'an ...
, Zhu was a founder of the Military and Political University for Korean Revolution (; ). He also played a crucial role in the establishment of Yanbian University, the first university in Yanbian prefecture. Born as the son of a poor Korean farmer who immigrated to Primorsky Krai,
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
in 1911, Zhu was inspired to become a communist by attending a school sponsored by Korean communists. As a member of the
Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victoriou ...
(CCP), he engaged in guerrilla actions against the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931. In 1935, he followed the party's command to study at the Communist University of the Toilers of the East and graduated in 1938. Zhu joined the Chinese Communist Party headquarters in
Yan'an Yan'an (; ), alternatively spelled as Yenan is a prefecture-level city in the Shaanbei region of Shaanxi province, China, bordering Shanxi to the east and Gansu to the west. It administers several counties, including Zhidan (formerly Bao'an ...
and took up a position in the education department for the Korean Chinese minority in China. During the
Chinese Civil War The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949 with a Communist victory on m ...
, he organized and led a voluntary battalion of Korean communists and occupied
Harbin Harbin (; mnc, , v=Halbin; ) is a sub-provincial city and the provincial capital and the largest city of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China, as well as the second largest city by urban population after Shenyang and largest ...
along with the
People's Liberation Army The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...
. Zhu came to prominence through his exploits during the Chinese Civil War. In 1949, shortly before the foundation of the
People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, the CCP appointed Zhu to be the first secretary of the Yanbian Local Committee of the Communist Party, which represented all ethnic Koreans in northeastern China. In 1952, he became the first governor of the freshly established Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture. Simultaneously, he rose in influence in the central politics of China. In 1954, he was appointed vice governor of Jilin Province and elected to the
1st National People's Congress The 1st National People's Congress () was in session from 1954 to 1959. It held four sessions in this period. There were 1226 deputies to the Congress. These were the first legislative elections to take place after the founding of the People's R ...
. He served as the member of the congress for 3 consecutive terms until the
Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
. In 1966, Zhu became the target of criticism by the Red Guards in Yanbian. Mobilized by
Mao Yuanxin Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC), ...
, a cousin of
Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...
, Red Guards accused him of treason and being the province's "top capitalist". He resigned from his position in 1966 and was sent down to
Hubei Hubei (; ; alternately Hupeh) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, and is part of the Central China region. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Dongting Lake. The prov ...
Province, where he died of lung cancer in 1972. After the demise of Mao and the subsequent downfall of the
Gang of Four The Gang of Four () was a Maoist political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials. They came to prominence during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and were later charged with a series of treasonous crimes. The gang ...
, Zhu Dehai was posthumously rehabilitated officially in 1978. In 2007, his remains were moved from
Wuhan Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei, Hubei Province in the China, People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the List of cities in China ...
to Yanji.


Early life

Zhu Dehai was born Oh Giseop ( zh, s=吴基涉; ko, 오기섭) in Dobea (; ), Gorod Ussurysk, Primorsky Krai,
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
in March 1911. His father, Oh Wooseo, born in
Hoeryong Hoeryŏng () is a city in North Hamgyong Province, North Korea. It is located opposite Jilin Province, China, with the Tumen River in between. Sanhe (三合鎮), in Longjing City, is the closest Chinese town across the river. Hoeryŏng is the bir ...
, a border city in Korea, immigrated to Primorsky Krai during the great famine in 1902. Dobea, approximately 50 kilometers from Ussuriysk, was a small settlement established by immigrant Korean farmers like the Oh family. Oh Wooseo worked as a poor
tenant farmer A tenant farmer is a person (farmer or farmworker) who resides on land owned by a landlord. Tenant farming is an agricultural production system in which landowners contribute their land and often a measure of operating capital and management, ...
in a remote valley away from the village. Zhu was the youngest of two children. When Zhu was seven years old, his father was killed by a Chinese robber. Zhu, his brother, and his mother Ms. Heo moved to his late father's hometown, Hoeryong, in October 1918. Two years later, the family moved to
Jiandao Jiandao or Chientao, known in Korean as Gando or Kando, is a historical border region along the north bank of the Tumen River in Jilin Province, Northeast China that has a high population of ethnic Koreans. The word "Jiandao" itself, literall ...
, China, the most popular destination for Korean immigrants during the
Japanese occupation of Korea Between 1910 and 1945, Korea was ruled as a part of the Empire of Japan. Joseon, Joseon Korea had come into the Japanese sphere of influence with the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876; a complex coalition of the Meiji period, Meiji government, military ...
. Zhu's family settled in a Korean immigrant town called Sudong'gol (present-day Guang Xin Xiang,
Longjing, Jilin Longjing (; Chosŏn'gŭl: 룡정; Hangul: 룽징) is a county-level city in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, southeastern Jilin province, China. It lies on the Tumen River opposite the North Korean city Hoeryong. Its population is approxima ...
), where Zhu had an uncle with a farm. In Sudong'gol, Zhu enrolled in the Fourteenth Public Elementary School of Helong County, run by the
Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...
's local government. Zhu's revolutionary and nationalistic consciousness was greatly inspired by the school's teaching of the
Xinhai Revolution The 1911 Revolution, also known as the Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, ended China's last imperial dynasty, the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and led to the establishment of the Republic of China. The revolution was the culmination of a d ...
and
Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen (; also known by several other names; 12 November 1866 – 12 March 1925)Singtao daily. Saturday edition. 23 October 2010. section A18. Sun Yat-sen Xinhai revolution 100th anniversary edition . was a Chinese politician who serve ...
l. Zhu graduated elementary school in Winter 1922. However, due to poverty, he could not continue his studies. He worked in order to support his family.


Early revolutionary activity


Communist education

While working as a laborer in Longjing for several years, Zhu learned of conflict between the Japanese and the Korean minorities in
Jiandao Jiandao or Chientao, known in Korean as Gando or Kando, is a historical border region along the north bank of the Tumen River in Jilin Province, Northeast China that has a high population of ethnic Koreans. The word "Jiandao" itself, literall ...
. In 1927, Zhu became a student of a private school owned by Kim Kwangjin, a locally prominent Korean communist. Driven by Korean nationalism and the ideal of the communist revolution inspired by Kim, he joined the Communist Youth League of Korea () in 1929. This organization was affiliated with the
Korean Communist Party The Korean Communist Party () was a communist political party organized in Shanghai, China and Irkutsk, Russia in 1921. It has its origins in the Siberian region after the Russian Revolution. It dissolved in 1922. Background It was an organiz ...
, an underground party outlawed by the colonial government of Korea. Zhu delivered secret messages among the organization's members, who were looking for a way to smuggle firearms to
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
.


Organizing communes

In February 1930, Zhu left his family to become a revolutionary. He joined a team of communists who planned to build a base for an upcoming communist's revolution in
Ning'an Ning'an () is a city located approximately southwest of Mudanjiang, in the southeast of Heilongjiang province, China, bordering Jilin province to the south. It is located on the Mudanjiang River (formerly known as Hurka River), which flows north, ...
,
Heilongjiang Heilongjiang () formerly romanized as Heilungkiang, is a province in northeast China. The standard one-character abbreviation for the province is (). It was formerly romanized as "Heilungkiang". It is the northernmost and easternmost province ...
Province. In Ning'an, Zhu settled in a farmhouse near the urban area, where his comrades stored rifles in secret. In August, according to the
Comintern The Communist International (Comintern), also known as the Third International, was a Soviet Union, Soviet-controlled international organization founded in 1919 that advocated world communism. The Comintern resolved at its Second Congress to ...
's new guideline, "One nation, One Party," he switched membership from the Communist Youth League of Korea to
Communist Youth League of China The Communist Youth League of China (CYLC), also known as the Young Communist League of China or simply the Communist Youth League (CYL), is a youth movement of the People's Republic of China for youth between the ages of 14 and 28, run by the ...
. Later in 1930, the
Communist Party of China The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Civil ...
's Harbin branch ordered Zhu's organization to prepare a riot early the next year. However, in November, the Republican authorities revealed the riot and most local cadres were arrested. In the midst of chaos, Zhu escaped from the scene and found refuge on a nearby mountain. In January 1931, Zhu left his shelter and settled in a village called Chengzicun () near Jingpo Lake, under an alias. In May 1931, he became a member of the Chinese Communist Party and was named by the party as secretary of the village, in recognition of his contribution to the building of a commune.


Partisan activity during the Japanese invasion

On 19 September 1931, the Imperial Japanese army invaded northeastern China. As the nationalist government withdrew from the region to avoid confrontation, the Chengzicun commune became occupied by the Japanese army by late September. Shortly after the Japanese invasion, Zhu and his communist colleagues fled to Mishan,
Heilongjiang Heilongjiang () formerly romanized as Heilungkiang, is a province in northeast China. The standard one-character abbreviation for the province is (). It was formerly romanized as "Heilungkiang". It is the northernmost and easternmost province ...
, which was yet to be overrun by the Japanese army. The local committee of the party in Mishan sent Zhu to , a small town in the southern vicinity of Mishan, to build a revolutionary base in the village. He worked for the party in Errenbanxiang, forming a sham marriage with one of his comrades to avert suspicion from the Japanese patrols and pro-Japanese local authorities by 1934. The Japanese army seized Mishan in May 1932. In a protest against the Japanese occupation, Zhu organized an anti-Japanese mass rally in October 1932. However, he was caught at the scene of the protest. When the police investigated him, he used the alias Zhu Dehai for the first time. He continued to use this alias from then onwards. Zhu denied the police accusation that he was the mastermind of the rally, and he was discharged. In Spring 1934, in order to break away from Japanese surveillance, Zhu moved his base to a mountain slope near the River Hada (), along with approximately twenty guerrilla members. For a year on that base, contracting
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
, Zhu trained approximately one hundred guerrillas. These guerrillas later constituted the third battalion of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, a partisan army fighting the Japanese puppet regime of
Manchukuo Manchukuo, officially the State of Manchuria prior to 1934 and the Empire of (Great) Manchuria after 1934, was a puppet state of the Empire of Japan in Northeast China, Manchuria from 1932 until 1945. It was founded as a republic in 1932 afte ...
.


Activities during the Sino-Japanese War


Education in Moscow and Yan'an

Because his worsening illness prevented Zhu from working on the front lines, the party sent him to Moscow for treatment and cadre education. In Summer 1936, with his destination unknown, Zhu crossed the Russo-Manchurian border to go to
Vladivostok Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...
and rode the train to Moscow. The party enrolled him in the Communist University of the Toilers of the East in late 1936. He first enrolled in the course for Chinese students but switched to the Korean course. During the coursework, he studied the basic theory of
Marxism–Leninism Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology which was the main communist movement throughout the 20th century. Developed by the Bolsheviks, it was the state ideology of the Soviet Union, its satellite states in the Eastern Bloc, and various co ...
, the history of the communist movement, and military strategy. At the university, he was also acquainted with other Chinese cadres, such as Kang Sheng, who later accused Zhu as a traitor of the party during the
Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
. Zhu and his cohort graduated the course in Summer 1938. After a year of travel from Moscow via
Xinjiang Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...
, Zhu finally arrived in
Yan'an Yan'an (; ), alternatively spelled as Yenan is a prefecture-level city in the Shaanbei region of Shaanxi province, China, bordering Shanxi to the east and Gansu to the west. It administers several counties, including Zhidan (formerly Bao'an ...
. The
Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victoriou ...
ordered him to study further at the Counter-Japanese Military and Political University so that the party could send him back to work in northeast China. At the school, he studied with notable Korean communists such as Zu Chungil (who later became the North Korean ambassador to Moscow) and Kim Changdeok (who later became the commander of the Fifth Division of the Korean People's Army). He graduated the course in Winter 1938.


Eighth Route Army

In Winter 1938, the party cancelled its plan to send Zhu to the northeastern front, due to the impending Japanese offensive toward Yan'an. Zhu was instead assigned to the 718th Regiment of the
Eighth Route Army The Eighth Route Army (), officially known as the 18th Group Army of the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China, was a group army under the command of the Chinese Communist Party, nominally within the structure of the Chinese ...
. For three years, he served as a political commissar in the regiment, dispatched in Nanniwan of Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region, a small village approximately thirty kilometers away from
Yan'an Yan'an (; ), alternatively spelled as Yenan is a prefecture-level city in the Shaanbei region of Shaanxi province, China, bordering Shanxi to the east and Gansu to the west. It administers several counties, including Zhidan (formerly Bao'an ...
. According to a biography on Zhu, he also participated in some form in the
Yan'an Rectification Movement The Yan'an Rectification Movement (), also known as Zhengfeng or Cheng Feng, was the first ideological mass movement initiated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), going from 1942 to 1945. The movement took place at the communist base at Yan'a ...
. In 1942, the party sent him to
Yan'an Yan'an (; ), alternatively spelled as Yenan is a prefecture-level city in the Shaanbei region of Shaanxi province, China, bordering Shanxi to the east and Gansu to the west. It administers several counties, including Zhidan (formerly Bao'an ...
again to enroll in an advanced education course for high-ranking cadres. During the course, he researched the application of
Marxism–Leninism Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology which was the main communist movement throughout the 20th century. Developed by the Bolsheviks, it was the state ideology of the Soviet Union, its satellite states in the Eastern Bloc, and various co ...
to China. In Yan'an, Zhu befriended Zhu De,
Hu Yaobang Hu Yaobang (; 20 November 1915 – 15 April 1989) was a high-ranking official of the People's Republic of China. He held the top office of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 1981 to 1987, first as Chairman from 1981 to 1982, then as Genera ...
, and
Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai (; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman and military officer who served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, premier of the People's Republic of China from 1 October 1949 until his death on 8 J ...
, who later supported Zhu's political stance in Yanbian.


Education for Korean Communists

In 1943, after his graduation, the party ordered Zhu to establish a cadre school for the education and training of Korean communists. This school, later called Military and Political University for Korean Revolution (; ) was established by Zhu and other high-profile Korean communists, such as
Kim Tu-bong Kim Tu-bong (16 February 1889 – March 1958 or later) was the first Chairman of the Workers' Party of North Korea (a predecessor of today WPK) from 1946 to 1949. He was known in Korean history as a linguist, scholar, revolutionary and politic ...
, and trained about 200 graduates. Those graduates later formed the
Yan'an Faction The Yan'an faction () were a group of pro-China communists in the North Korean government after the division of Korea following World War II. The group was involved in a power struggle with pro-Soviet factions but Kim Il-sung was eventually able ...
, a group of Pro-Chinese communists in North Korea. Zhu took charge of the management of the school until the defeat of the Japanese Empire.


Korean minority leadership


Chinese Civil War

After the end of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the United States and the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
occupied Korea. Many Korean communists returned to an independent Korea, which they assumed would soon be unified. Zhu instead expected that the
division of Korea The division of Korea began with the defeat of Empire of Japan, Japan in World War II. During the war, the Allies of World War II, Allied leaders considered the question of Korea's future after Japan's surrender in the war. The leaders reached ...
would be perpetual. He believed that Korean communists in the CCP should govern
Manchuria Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer Manc ...
n territory in northeast China, where more than a million ethnic Korean lived. Once the CCP occupied the northeast, the communists could recruit and train a Korean army that could consolidate the divided Korea. Amid continuing hostilities between the CCP and the Nationalist government in the
Chinese Communist Revolution The Chinese Communist Revolution, officially known as the Chinese People's War of Liberation in the People's Republic of China (PRC) and also known as the National Protection War against the Communist Rebellion in the Republic of China (ROC ...
, Zhu was one of about 300 Korean communists who left
Yan'an Yan'an (; ), alternatively spelled as Yenan is a prefecture-level city in the Shaanbei region of Shaanxi province, China, bordering Shanxi to the east and Gansu to the west. It administers several counties, including Zhidan (formerly Bao'an ...
for the northeastern provinces to take over the former Japanese territory in late August. Zhu organized a voluntary battalion and took charge as the political commissar. His voluntary battalion, commanded by Lee Sangjo (who later became the vice chief of staff of the Korean People's Army), engaged in several battles with the National Army and finally seized
Harbin Harbin (; mnc, , v=Halbin; ) is a sub-provincial city and the provincial capital and the largest city of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China, as well as the second largest city by urban population after Shenyang and largest ...
on 28 April 1946. In Harbin, Zhu met and married his wife, Gin Yongson () in Spring 1947. Spurred by the CCP's
Land Reform Movement Land, also known as dry land, ground, or earth, is the solid terrestrial surface of the planet Earth that is not submerged by the ocean or other body of water, bodies of water. It makes up 29% of Earth's surface and includes the Continent, co ...
, including the Chinese Agrarian Law's passage on 10 October 1947, Zhu dispatched soldiers to the ethnic Korean–populated countryside to distribute land from landlords to peasants, sometimes violently. As a result, the CCP distributed 75.7ha of lands to Korean minorities. Zhu also took control of formerly Japanese-owned factories left behind after the defeat. He ordered the continued operation of the factories and exported manufactured products to North Korea. The trade between the northeastern provinces and North Korea contributed to the military campaign of the party in the northeastern theater. In 1948, the Chinese Communist Army named Zhu as the Ethnic Affairs Minister (), a position to administer all ethnic minority issues in the northeastern provinces. He particularly invested in the education and cultural programs for ethnic Koreans. During his tenure, he established several civil and cadre schools in order to train Korean bureaucrats to work for the party. He also established Yanbian University in 1949 and was inaugurated as the first president of the university.


Establishment of Autonomous Prefecture

By 1949, the communist victory in the
civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
became irreversible. As the foundation of a new communist Republic of China was being discussed, Korean minority leaders and North Korean leaders privately, if not entirely confidentially, began to debate the future of Korean minority in the northeastern provinces. In November 1948, an official delegation of Korean-Chinese minority leaders visited
Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populatio ...
. In a meeting with the delegation,
Kim Chaek Kim Chaek (, 14 August 1903 – 31 January 1951) was a North Korean revolutionary, military general, and politician. His real name was Kim Hong-gye (). Life Kim Chaek was born in Sŏngjin, North Hamgyong, Korea, in 1903. He and his family ...
, the vice chancellor of North Korea, claimed sovereignty over Yanbian. Zhu's response is unknown, but Lim Chunchoo, the acting secretary of Yanbian, was inclined to support Kim's claim. While the official biographies deny that Zhu colluded with North Korean leaders, Zhu at least promised to support the North Korean regime, according to an article reported by Daily Yanbian on 1 December 1948. When Zhu came back to China, he reversed his stance toward the relationship with the North Korea. In a meeting on ethnic issues in January 1949, Zhu repudiated Lim's support for the North Korean annexation of the Yanbian region, and backed a plan for Korean autonomy that kept the area in Chinese control. According to historian Yeom In-Ho, this meeting was decisive to the career of these two Korean minority leaders: Zhu proved that he was a minority leader committed to the CCP, while Lim's affiliation with the North Korean leaders was seen as sectarianism. Eventually, Lim was expelled to North Korea. The CCP, facing a crucial battle in
Shenyang Shenyang (, ; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), formerly known as Fengtian () or by its Manchu language, Manchu name Mukden, is a major China, Chinese sub-provincial city and the List of capitals in China#Province capitals, provincial capital of Lia ...
against the Nationalist Army in 1949, approved the proposal for autonomy to secure the support from the Korean minority and to stabilize the home front in the northeast. Zhu was appointed secretary of Yanbian province in February 1949, and subsequently named the first governor of the
Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture Yanbian (; Chosŏn'gŭl: , ''Yeonbyeon''), officially known as the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, is an autonomous prefecture in the east of Jilin Province, China. Yanbian is bordered to the north by Heilongjiang Province, on the west by ...
in September 1952. However, several cadres disagreed with the party's decision. Some political opponents persistently accused of Zhu of loyalty of North Korea up to the
Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
.


Anti-Rightest Movement and backlash


Background

In 1956, Mao encouraged intellectuals to discuss the current problem of Chinese society, and even allowed them to criticize the party and the regime (the
Hundred Flowers Campaign The Hundred Flowers Campaign, also termed the Hundred Flowers Movement (), was a period from 1956 to 1957 in the People's Republic of China during which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) encouraged citizens to openly express their opinions of t ...
). This movement boosted criticism of the ethnic supremacy and chauvinism of Han Chinese from minority intellectuals in early 1957. In April 1957, Mao abruptly stopped the movement and instigated the Anti-Rightest Campaign () that purged the intellectuals who took part in the criticism against the regime. Along with liberal intellectuals, the campaign also targeted minority intellectuals who raised issues of ethnic inequality.


Movement in Yanbian

In Yanbian province, the CCP Yanbian Committee led by Zhu held several meetings in response to the Anti-Rightest Campaign. This meeting embraced scholars, artists, and leading figures in the cultural and industrial fields. In a series of meetings, Korean leaders sympathized with the Korean minority's sentiment over nationalism issues. For example, Zhu mentioned that "Korean Chinese people pretend that China is their fatherland. However, especially among the older generation over forty, they do not consider themselves as Chinese. When they come across trouble, they tend to miss Korea more in particular." Other participants, such as Lee Shousong mentioned in a bolder tone, saying, "Korea is not simply a foreign country for the Korean minority; Korea is the 'national fatherland ()'." Notwithstanding the issues discussed in the meetings, Zhu and Yanbian Committee performed the rectification movement as ordered from Beijing. The movement aimed to attack three rightest tendencies: bureaucratism, sectarianism, and subjectivism. Zhu led self-criticism of the rightest tendencies among the cadre group in a series of symposiums in order to expand the scale of the movement throughout the prefecture. As a result, Jung Kyuchang, a renowned doctor at Yanbian Medical School, writer Choi Jungryeon, and other prominent scholars and artists were ousted from their positions and prohibited from publication as they were stigmatized as rightists.


Criticism toward Zhu

The Anti-Rightest Campaign provoked unprecedented criticism toward the high-ranked party officials and bureaucrats including Zhu. The main criticism came from Jin Minghan (), the vice secretary of the Yanbian Committee. He was the first leading cadre who raised the issue of "provincial nationalism ()." Opposing some cadres' sympathetic attitude toward Korean nationalism among the cadres, Jin denounced "Korean nationalists" for attacking the party and the regime to protect their personal and national interest. To defend the party from these sectarianists, Jin argued that Korean Chinese cadres should comply with the course of the Proletariat Nationalism, the official stance of the Party on ethnic issue. At first, self-criticism by the local cadres consolidated unity and affirmed allegiance to the Communist Party. But amidst the Anti-Rightest Campaign, the charge against provincial nationalism became a political slogan. From the early 1958, some students at Yanbian University condemned Zhu and high cadres for nurturing Korean nationalism. The student groups put up more than 45,000 wall newspapers accusing local cadres of being "provincial nationalists" on the campus wall of Yanbian University from April to May in 1958. One of the wall newspapers condemned Zhu and vice governor Li Haoyuan for their alleged claim that all ethnic Koreans in northeastern China should be governed by the autonomous government. Zhu withheld taking action against the movement, waiting for the situation to calm down. After a turbulent couple of months, the Anti-Rightist Campaign tapered out late 1958. Zhu and high-ranking cadres in Yanbian prefecture maintained their position, despite strong demands to resign. However, the movement succeeded in abolishing of the Ethnic Education Agency of Jilin Province, which Zhu established. Six officials of the agency, five Korean and one Mongolian, were purged for allegedly being "provincial nationalists", at the demands of protesters. Consequently, the leading cadres of Yanbian denounced Korean nationalism, and calls for more autonomy were strictly restricted.


Great Leap Forward


Politburo meeting

Earlier in 1958, a mass mobilization plan to raise up productivity in a short term, later known as the
Great Leap Forward The Great Leap Forward (Second Five Year Plan) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) was an economic and social campaign led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 1958 to 1962. CCP Chairman Mao Zedong launched the campaign to reconstruc ...
, was adopted by the Central Committee of the Communist Party. The party established a model commune at Chayashan in Henan Province, where private plots were entirely abolished, and commune members were required to dine at a communal kitchen. On 13 August 1958, Chairman
Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...
ordered the party to apply the model commune across the country. In August 1958, at a Politburo meeting that Zhu attended as the representative of Yanbian, Mao adopted an ambitious plan to surpass the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
's steel production within 15 years. According to Zhu's biography, Zhu was skeptical of the initiative's feasibility, although he agreed with the movement's initiatives like backyard furnaces. In Yanbian, Zhu ordered the establishment of an experimental commune in
Longjing, Jilin Longjing (; Chosŏn'gŭl: 룡정; Hangul: 룽징) is a county-level city in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, southeastern Jilin province, China. It lies on the Tumen River opposite the North Korean city Hoeryong. Its population is approxima ...
. Within a month the commune system entirely replaced the collective farms in Yanbian: 921 collective farms were consolidated into 78 communes, encompassing 172,388 households. Also, the possession of farm equipment, livestock, and orchard trees, formerly owned privately, were all vested to the commune.


Productivity Improvement Movement

The commune system of Yanbian changed the lifestyle of people entirely. First of all, the communal kitchen was introduced. However, Zhu opposed running the communal kitchen all year round, suggesting three reasons below at a cadre meeting. In winter 1957, Zhu persuaded the cadres to stop running the communal kitchen. However, other movements, in the name of the "New mode of production movement ()," were beyond the control of the local cadres in Yanbian. For example, during the Deep Plowing movement (), Jilin province allocated a production quota to its subordinate prefectures, including Yanbian, and expelled a cadre if his prefecture did not meet the quota allocated. According to Zhu's biography, Zhu was reluctant to encourage the Deep Plowing movement, but he feared being criticized as a rightest in the aftermath of the Anti-Rightest Campaign. The Jilin Provincial Party also gave Yanbian Prefecture a quota on steel and irrigation construction. At first, Zhu was optimistic about the steel production plan, because it had been his long dream to make Yanbian self-sufficient in steel production. In Yanbian, many communes built hundreds of backyard furnaces, mobilizing around 9,000 of workers, but the result was not as good as local cadres expected. In 1958, Zhu admitted his misjudgment and closed the furnaces.


Cultural Revolution and downfall


"Fatherland" question

Ethnic minorities in China struggled with how to define their own nationality since the late nineteenth century, when the idea of nationalism was first introduced in China. The "Fatherland" ( zh, s=祖国, p=Zǔguó, labels=no) question, or the nationality question, was particularly prevalent in the 1920s, along with the arrival of
Marxism–Leninism Marxism–Leninism is a communist ideology which was the main communist movement throughout the 20th century. Developed by the Bolsheviks, it was the state ideology of the Soviet Union, its satellite states in the Eastern Bloc, and various co ...
. In 1925, Lenin published his thoughts about the liberation of oppressed nations, writing: Lenin's thesis prompted some Han chauvinists and minority leaders to question whether ethnic minorities in China should claim independence. During the Yan'an period, Mao Zedong concluded that all Chinese people are part of the "mighty ''Zhonghua'' nation ()." With respect to the Korean minority, Mao wrote: Mao and the CCP believed that the discourse of common nationhood bound by resistance to foreign oppression could consolidate the Han nation with the other ethnic minorities in China during the War against Japan. The discourse of common nationhood was, however, unacceptable to most of the Korean minority population. Koreans believed that their status was different from other minorities in China. While other minorities were indigenous in China for generations, Korean Chinese immigrated more recently. Many of Korean minorities assumed that their "Fatherland" was North Korea until the 1950s. In 1948, the communist party even acknowledged that the status of Korean minorities was a special case. The Yanbian party committee announced that "the Party will admit that this nation oreansis a minority that belongs to another "fatherland." On the other hand, Zhu officially embraced the "big family nation" advocated by Han-dominant party cadres, and that Korean minority is part of the big family, namely the Zhonghua nation. However, a few people were discontent with Zhu's point of view. Some Korean nationalists supported a "Multi-Fatherland" theory. It explained that the Korean minority, in the light of its historical experience, has three "Fatherlands;" first, North Korea, the national Fatherland; second, USSR, the fatherland of the proletariat class; and lastly, China, the third "fatherland" where they live now. Some of the Han population was also discontent with Korean leadership in Yanbian. They believed that Zhu's policy was too skewed toward the Korean minority's interest. This ethnic conflict turned out to be the primary factor behind the political turmoil during the
Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
.


Rebellion in Yanbian

In May 1966, Mao launched the Cultural Revolution. In Yanbian, the revolution was initiated by Korean-Chinese students who were studying in universities outside Yanbian in the northeast provinces. These students were inspired by the ideal of the Cultural Revolution at their universities, and they came back to Yanbian to spread the revolution in their hometown. They rallied at Yanbian University in August 1966 and formed a rebel group called "8. 27 rebels." This rebel group was a far-leftist group that consists of Korean students emphasizing Maoist theory. The other students who disagreed with the "8. 27 rebels" organized another rebel group, "''Hongqi Zhandou Lianjun'' (The United Army of the Red Flag; )." By the end of 1966, these two rebel groups struggled to win the support of the public. According to the biography, Zhu asked them to return to school, but the two groups refused. The rebels said that they were in Yanbian at the request of Jiang Qing, one of the
Gang of Four The Gang of Four () was a Maoist political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials. They came to prominence during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and were later charged with a series of treasonous crimes. The gang ...
, as well as the then-first lady of China. Later, the rebels also accused Zhu of defying the order of Jiang Qing. In January 1967, as
Mao Yuanxin Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC), ...
, a cousin of Chairman Mao, delivered an order to rebel groups, the Cultural Revolution in Yanbian entered its second phase. At that time, Mao Yuanxin was leading a series of attacks toward cadres of the party in northeast provinces. He announced that the criticism of rebels should be toward the corrupted cadre, Zhu Dehai. Mao also argued that the success of the Cultural Revolution in Yanbian rested upon whether the rebels could overthrow Zhu Dehai or not. Driven by Mao's announcement, the rebels denounced Zhu in public speeches and pamphlets. The most notable pamphlet was published in the mid-1967, the result of an investigation against Zhu and his close cadres.


Pamphlet incident

In 1967, the rebel group in Yanbian published a pamphlet accusing Zhu of being a traitor, a Korean nationalist, and a spy from North Korea. The relationship between China and North Korea was worsening during the Cultural Revolution as Maoists condemned North Korean leader
Kim Il Sung Kim Il-sung (; , ; born Kim Song-ju, ; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he ruled from the country's establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of ...
as a revisionist. The accusations that stigmatized Zhu as a North Korean spy also implied that Zhu followed Kim Il Sung's revisionist line defying the orthodox Maoist dogma of the CCP. The accusation was based on Zhu's statement in the late 1940s. First, the pamphlet accused him as an agent of Kim Il Sung. For example, the pamphlet, quoting the aforementioned 1948 Daily Yanbian article, argued that Zhu's statement about "Fatherland" (refer to the underlined part) was proof that he is a North Korean agent. The pamphlet also condemned Zhu for violating Mao's discourse of "mighty ''Zhonghua'' nation," saying, "Senile old man Zhu Dehai attempted to segregate Korean minorities from the big family of ''Zhonghua'' nation." The pamphlet also alleged that the then-leadership of North Korea was plotting to annex Yanbian province. For example, this pamphlet quoted Kim Il Sung's statement at a meeting with Zhu in 1948, that "All Yanbian's Korean">Koreans.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Koreans">Koreanminority should serve their genuine 'Fatherland,' North Korea." According to the pamphlet, Zhu accepted Kim's orders and had played a secret agent role for North Korea. The pamphlet also suggested that Zhu aided and planned the large number of Chinese defections to North Korea in the 1960s, numbering as many as 28,000 people. The pamphlet concluded that Zhu conspired to establish an "independent [Korean] nation" in Yanbian and to merge the province into North Korea in the near future. The rebels pasted this pamphlet on the walls of streets in major cities of Yanbian. This pamphlet incident played a decisive role in the downfall of Zhu.


Deportation and death

At the time of the Pamphlet Incident, Zhu was under
house arrest In justice and law, house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or, in modern times, electronic monitoring) is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to their residence. Travel is usually restricted, if all ...
by rebel groups driven by Mao Yuanxin's call to depose Zhu. Cadres of the
People's Liberation Army The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...
negotiated with rebels to save him from house arrest, moving Zhu to confinement in a hospital under the surveillance of Red Guards. During the Pamphlet Incident, the local Communist Party committee deported Zhu from Yanbian, not only because of pressure from rebels but also for his security. On 18 April 1967, the party sent Zhu to Beijing. In Beijing, he reportedly worked with other deported high-ranking cadres in a farm. In September 1969, the party sent him to a countryside town near
Wuhan Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei, Hubei Province in the China, People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the List of cities in China ...
. It is still not clear who was responsible for this decision. Zhu was forced to work in a farm with other farm workers, concealing his former position and name. After his deportation, Zhu developed a respiratory disease, which later turned out to be lung cancer. On 3 July 1972, he died from lung cancer at a hospital in Wuhan.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhu, Dehai 1911 births 1972 deaths Chinese politicians of Korean descent Victims of the Cultural Revolution Political office-holders in Jilin Chinese Communist Party politicians from Jilin