Chen Yun

Who was Chen Yun?

Chen Yun was one of the most influential leaders of the People's Republic of China during the 1980s and 90's. He was also known as Liao Chengyun; it is unclear whether this was his original name or a pseudonym he used during his underground work in Shanghai. He was one of the major political leaders of China both during and after the Chinese Civil War along with Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De and Ren Bishi and was later considered to be one of the Eight Elders of Communist Party of China.

Chen was a Central Committee Alternate in 1930-31, Director of the CC Organization Department in 1938, and attended the 7th Comintern Congress in Moscow in 1935. He was elevated to the Central Committee and its Politburo in 1940, and remained on the Politburo until August 1966. He was elected Party Vice Chairman in 1956, but was only an ordinary Central Committee member under the 9th CC. Chen was reinstated to his Vice Chairmanship in January 1975.