Editing 1976 Tiananmen incident (section)

== Origins ==
The death of Chinese Premier [[Zhou Enlai]], a widely respected senior Chinese leader, on January 8, 1976, prompted the incident. For several years before his death, Zhou was involved in a political power struggle against other senior leaders in the [[Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party]], with Zhou's most visible and powerful antagonists being the four senior members who came to be called the [[Gang of Four]].<ref>Bonavia, David. ''China's Warlords''. New York: Oxford University Press. 1995. p. 24. {{ISBN|0195861795}}</ref> The leader of the clique, [[Jiang Qing]], was the wife of Communist Party Chairman, [[Mao Zedong]]. To defuse an expected popular outpouring of sentiment at Zhou's death, the [[Chinese Communist Party]] limited the period of public mourning.{{Citation needed|date=April 2021}}

On April 4, 1976, on the eve of China's annual [[Qingming Festival]], in which Chinese traditionally pay homage to their deceased ancestors, thousands gathered around the [[Monument to the People's Heroes]] in [[Tiananmen Square]] to commemorate the life and death of Zhou Enlai by laying wreaths, banners, poems, placards, and flowers at the foot of the Monument.<ref name="Hanshan">{{cite book|author=寒山碧原著，伊藤潔縮譯，唐建宇、李明翻譯|title=《鄧小平傳》|location=香港|publisher=東西文化事業公司|date=January 1993}}</ref> The most obvious purpose of this memorial was to eulogize Zhou, but Jiang Qing, [[Zhang Chunqiao]], and [[Yao Wenyuan]] were also attacked for their alleged evil actions against the Premier.<ref name= Wong>Wong, J. (1995). ''Red China Blues''. New York. Doubleday/Anchor Books. 406 pages. pp. 165–171. {{ISBN|0385476795}}</ref> A small number of slogans left at Tiananmen even attacked Mao himself, and his Cultural Revolution.<ref name="Spence">[[Jonathan Spence|Spence, Jonathan D.]] ''[[The Search for Modern China]]'', New York: [[W.W. Norton and Company]], 1999. {{ISBN|0393973514}}. {{page needed|date=April 2021}}</ref>

Up to two million people may have visited Tiananmen Square on April 4.<ref name="Spence"/>{{page needed|date=April 2021}} First-hand observations of the events in Tiananmen Square on April 4 report that all levels of society, from the poorest peasants to high-ranking PLA officers and the children of high-ranking cadres, were represented in the activities. Those who participated were motivated by a mixture of anger over the treatment of Zhou, revolt against Mao and his policies, apprehension for China's future, and defiance of those who would seek to punish the public for commemorating Zhou's memory.<ref name="Wong"/> There is nothing to suggest that events were coordinated from any position of leadership: it was a spontaneous demonstration reflecting widespread public sentiment. Deng Xiaoping was notably absent, and he instructed his children to avoid being seen at the square.<ref name="Spence"/>{{page needed|date=April 2021}}