Editing Cultural Revolution (section)

===Death of Mao Zedong and the Gang of Four's downfall===
{{See also|Death and state funeral of Mao Zedong|Smashing the Gang of Four}}

On 9 September 1976, Mao Zedong died. To Mao's supporters, his death symbolized the loss of China's revolutionary foundation. His death was announced on 9 September.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.sina.com.cn/c/144508.html |script-title=zh:1976.9.10 毛主席逝世–中共中央等告全国人民书（附图） |publisher=[[Sina Corp|Sina]] |work=[[People's Daily]] |date=12 November 2000 |access-date=21 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041214123917/http://news.sina.com.cn/c/144508.html |archive-date=14 December 2004 |url-status=live}}</ref> The nation descended into grief and mourning, with people weeping in the streets and public institutions closing for over a week. Hua Guofeng chaired the Funeral Committee and delivered the memorial speech.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Memorial speech by Hua Kuo-Feng |url=https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/hua-guofeng/1976/09/18.htm |website=www.marxists.org |access-date=7 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |script-title=zh:毛泽东葬礼上的江青：头戴黑纱 面无表情 |trans-title=Jiang Qing at Mao's funeral: black veil on her head, expressionless face |url-status=dead |url=http://news.ifeng.com/history/zhiqing/detail_2011_12/06/11135418_0.shtml?_from_ralated |website=[[Phoenix Television]] |access-date=7 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206233053/http://news.ifeng.com/history/zhiqing/detail_2011_12/06/11135418_0.shtml |archive-date=6 December 2011 |language=zh}}</ref>

Shortly before dying, Mao had allegedly written the message "[[With you in charge, I'm at ease]]," to Hua. Hua used this message to substantiate his position as successor. Hua had been widely considered to be lacking in political skill and ambitions, and seemingly posed no serious threat to the Gang of Four in the race for succession. However, the Gang's radical ideas also clashed with influential elders and many Party reformers. With army backing and the support of Marshal Ye Jianying, Director of Central Office [[Wang Dongxing]], Vice Premier [[Li Xiannian]] and party elder [[Chen Yun]], on 6 October, the [[Central Security Bureau]]'s Special Unit 8341 had all members of the Gang of Four arrested in a bloodless coup.<ref>{{Cite journal |jstor=189334 |title=China's Coup of October 1976 |journal=Modern China |volume=18 |issue=3 |pages=263–303 |last1=Forster |first1=Keith |year=1992 |doi=10.1177/009770049201800302 |s2cid=143387271}}</ref>

After Mao's death, people characterized as 'beating-smashing-looting elements', who were seen as having disturbed the social order during the CR, were purged or punished. "Beating-smashing-looting elements" had typically been aligned with rebel factions.<ref name="Xu2022" />{{rp|359}}