Ruijin Massacre
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The Ruijin Massacre (
simplified Chinese Simplification, Simplify, or Simplified may refer to: Mathematics Simplification is the process of replacing a mathematical expression by an equivalent one that is simpler (usually shorter), according to a well-founded ordering. Examples include: ...
: 瑞金大屠杀;
traditional Chinese A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examp ...
: 瑞金大屠殺) was a series of massacres that took place in
Ruijin Ruijin () is a county-level city of Ganzhou in the mountains bordering Fujian Province in the south-eastern part of Jiangxi Province. Formerly a county, Ruijin became a county-level city on May 18, 1994. It was an early center of Chinese commu ...
and nearby counties in
Jiangxi Province ; Gan: ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = , translit_lang1_type3 = , translit_lang1_info3 = , image_map = Jiangxi in China (+all claims hatched).svg , mapsize = 275px , map_caption = Location ...
during the
Chinese Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a Social movement, sociopolitical movement in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). It was launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and lasted until his de ...
. From September 23 to early October, 1968, over 1,000 people were killed in the Ruijin Massacre; specifically, over 300 people were killed in Ruijin County, around 270 were killed in
Xingguo County Xingguo County () is a county in south central Jiangxi province, People's Republic of China. It is under the administration of and located in the north of the prefecture-level city of Ganzhou, with a total area of . Its population was 719,830 at t ...
, and over 500 in
Yudu County Yudu County (, ) is a county under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Ganzhou, located in the south of Jiangxi province, China. It is located in the east of Ganzhou City. It is adjacent to Ruijin City to the east, Huichang County ...
.


Historical background

Ruijin Ruijin () is a county-level city of Ganzhou in the mountains bordering Fujian Province in the south-eastern part of Jiangxi Province. Formerly a county, Ruijin became a county-level city on May 18, 1994. It was an early center of Chinese commu ...
was the capital of the short-lived state
Chinese Soviet Republic The Chinese Soviet Republic (CSR) was a state within China, proclaimed on 7 November 1931 by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders Mao Zedong and Zhu De in the early stages of the Chinese Civil War. The discontiguous territories of the CSR incl ...
from 1931 to 1934, the year the
Chinese Communist Party The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...
(CCP) fled the city and started the famous
Long March The Long March ( zh, s=长征, p=Chángzhēng, l=Long Expedition) was a military retreat by the Chinese Red Army and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from advancing Kuomintang forces during the Chinese Civil War, occurring between October 1934 and ...
. In May 1966, Mao Zedong launched the
Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a Social movement, sociopolitical movement in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). It was launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and lasted until his de ...
in
mainland China "Mainland China", also referred to as "the Chinese mainland", is a Geopolitics, geopolitical term defined as the territory under direct administration of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War. In addit ...
. The Ruijin Massacre took place during the nationwide campaign of " Cleansing the Class Ranks". In August 1968, Cheng Shiqing, then provincial secretary of the CCP and governor of Jiangxi Province, launched the "Three Investigations Movement (三查运动/三查運動)" throughout the province, attempting to find out traitors, spies and
counter-revolutionaries A counter-revolutionary or an anti-revolutionary is anyone who opposes or resists a revolution, particularly one who acts after a revolution has occurred, in order to try to overturn it or reverse its course, in full or in part. The adjective "c ...
. The movement caused the deaths of over 10,000 people in total, including 5,000 who were forced to commit suicide. On September 22, 1968, officials from local
people's communes The people's commune ( zh, c=, p=rénmín gōngshè) was the highest of three administrative levels in rural areas of the People's Republic of China during the period from 1958 to 1983, until they were replaced by Townships of the People's Rep ...
were called to a meeting in
Ruijin Ruijin () is a county-level city of Ganzhou in the mountains bordering Fujian Province in the south-eastern part of Jiangxi Province. Formerly a county, Ruijin became a county-level city on May 18, 1994. It was an early center of Chinese commu ...
, during which the importance of carrying out the "Three Investigations Movement" was emphasized. The meeting also stressed the need of making some "achievements" to celebrate the upcoming National Day of the China on October 1. After the meeting, officials in local communes and production brigades began to kill people at will, without the requirement of launching investigations, collecting evidence, or receiving approvals.


The massacre

The Ruijin massacres were conducted by
people's communes The people's commune ( zh, c=, p=rénmín gōngshè) was the highest of three administrative levels in rural areas of the People's Republic of China during the period from 1958 to 1983, until they were replaced by Townships of the People's Rep ...
and production brigades in Ruijin, together with local
militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...
, targeting members of the
Five Black Categories The "Five Black Categories" () were classifications of political identity and social status in History of the People's Republic of China#Mao era (1949–1976), Mao era (1949–1976) of the People's Republic of China, especially during the Chinese C ...
as well as their relatives. From September 23 to early October, 1968, over 1,000 people were killed: over 300 people were killed in Ruijin County, around 270 were killed in
Xingguo County Xingguo County () is a county in south central Jiangxi province, People's Republic of China. It is under the administration of and located in the north of the prefecture-level city of Ganzhou, with a total area of . Its population was 719,830 at t ...
, and over 500 in
Yudu County Yudu County (, ) is a county under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Ganzhou, located in the south of Jiangxi province, China. It is located in the east of Ganzhou City. It is adjacent to Ruijin City to the east, Huichang County ...
.The oldest victim was 80 years old, while the youngest was 11. The methods of torture and slaughter included shooting with guns, stoning, beating with clubs, stabbing with knives, pushing over
cliffs In geography and geology, a cliff or rock face is an area of rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. Cliffs are com ...
, and so on. From late September to early October 1968, the situation had grown out of control, forcing the local revolutionary committees to take multiple interventions which gradually ended the massacre.


See also

* Mass killings under communist regimes *
List of massacres in China The following is a list of massacres that have occurred in China. The massacres are grouped for different time periods. This includes British Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as well as Portuguese Macau and the Macau Spe ...
* Cleansing the Class Ranks


References

{{Cultural Revolution 1968 murders in China September 1968 in Asia October 1968 in Asia Massacres of the Cultural Revolution Massacres in 1968 Disasters in Jiangxi Torture in China Massacres committed by the People's Republic of China History of Ganzhou Xingguo County Yudu County Mass stabbings in China Knife attacks in China