Cui Gendi

Cui Gendi, female, of Han ethnicity, was born in Shanghai. Both of her parents were workers and she grew up receiving an education typical of vocational workers. She once worked at Shanghai Cotton Spinning Factory No. 17 as a worker.

After marrying Wang Hongwen, Cui Gendi had one daughter and two sons. On the afternoon of October 5, 1976, Wang Hongwen entrusted his secretary to bring his son back to Shanghai to be cared for by Cui Gendi. Reports indicate that after Wang Hongwen became Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, he once requested a divorce from Cui Gendi. Wang Hongwen was arrested on October 6, 1976, subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment, and deprived of political rights for life. While detained at Qincheng Prison, Wang Hongwen’s family members, including Cui Gendi and their children, visited him every National Day, despite his wishes for divorce.

After Wang Hongwen’s arrest, Cui Gendi maintained the integrity of her family. When dealing with her family and personal life, she expressed support for her husband, believing that Wang Hongwen was "still young and from a difficult background," and that she was willing to wait for his return and reunion. During conversations with leaders at the time, she stated, “Wang Hongwen committed a crime. I don’t care how you judge me, but I will not divorce.” Afterwards, she maintained communication with Wang Hongwen’s siblings and visited their hometown in the northeast several times.

After Wang Hongwen’s death in 1992, Cui Gendi continued to stay in touch with his siblings. She frequently wrote letters to his brother and sister and visited relatives in the northeast multiple times. In the summer of 1995, she stayed for three months in Jilin City, Baijia Tun, and Kaiyuan Village. During this period, she stayed at Wang Hongwu’s (Wang Hongwen’s brother) home, engaged in house cleaning herself, and contributed to household tidiness. In Kaiyuan Village, she got along well with Wang Hongwu’s family, participated in daily chores, and maintained a good relationship with Wang Hongwu’s wife.

The above account demonstrates Cui Gendi’s continued steadfastness and importance placed on family ties, as well as her resilience and patience displayed during special times.