Eight Immortals of Communist China - Definition and Overview

Eight Immortals was a group of elderly members of the Communist Party of China who held substantial power during the 1980s and 1990s. In Chinese, however, they are called instead the Eight Great Eminent Officials (八大元老 in pinyin: bā dà yuán lǎo), abbreviated as the Eight Elders (八老 bā lǎo). By 2000 most of the Immortals had died.

The name originated in the 1990s and is an allusion to the Taoist deities by the same name.

The identities of seven of the Immortals are clear:

• Deng Xiaoping, "Paramount Leader", Central Military Commission Chairman 1980–1989, Central Advisory Commission chairman 1982–1987
• Chen Yun (陳雲), Central Advisory Committee Chairman 1987–1992
• Peng Zhen (彭真), National People's Congress Chairman 1983–1988
• Yang Shangkun (楊尚昆), President of the PRC 1988–1993.
• Bo Yibo (薄一波), Central Advisory Committee Vice Chairman
• Li Xiannian (李先念), President of the PRC 1983–1988, then Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference chairman
• Wang Zhen (王震), Central Advisory Committee Vice Chairman

There is less certainty about the identity of the eighth Immortal:

• Song Renqiong (宋任窮), CAC Vice Chairman
• Deng Yingchao (鄧穎超), CPPCC Chairwoman 1983–1988, widow of Zhou Enlai
• less commonly: Wan Li (萬里), National People's Congress Chairman 1988–1993
• less commonly: Xi Zhongxun (習仲勛 xí zhòng xūn)

Some descendants of the Immortals constitute a group now known as the "Crown Prince Party".

See also: People's Republic of China, Politics of the People's Republic of China

External links

• AsiaWeek article (http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/97/0509/nat7.html)