Chen Henian

Chen Henian, born in 1913, was one of the sons of the Chinese thinker Chen Duxiu. His mother took him and his elder sister away from their father when they were young and moved to Nanjing, so he lived apart from his father for many years. He had three full brothers by the same father: Yan-nian, Qiao-nian, and Song-nian; his elder sister was Chen Zimei, who was born to Gao Junman.

He studied in Beiping and other places, was admitted to the School of Law at Peking University, and joined the Communist Party of China’s underground organization while at PKU. His wife Xu Guixin participated in organizing work that provided logistical support for guerrilla units. Because of his father and related factors, Chen Henian was not welcomed by various sides; he later settled in Hong Kong and lived there under the name “Chen Zhemin.”

After the Anti-Rightist Campaign began, his eldest daughter Chen Zhenxiang was reportedly said to have responded to the Party Central’s call and was ultimately identified as a rightist. Rumors claimed this was related to his grandfather Chen Duxiu being regarded as a rightist opportunist, and that his father Chen Henian, who was in Hong Kong, was suspected of having ties with foreign forces. To protect his children, Xu Guixin and her husband Chen Henian in Hong Kong announced the dissolution of their engagement.

In addition, his second daughter Chen Zhenrong, in a thought report, reportedly said that “even grandfather Chen Duxiu should be judged in two parts,” which was deemed to be an act of helping to exonerate Chen Duxiu, who was identified as a rightist opportunist. The third daughter, when buying a Chairman Mao commemorative badge in a shop, allegedly said, “six jiao each, too expensive,” and was thus deemed counterrevolutionary. The youngest son, Chen Zhenqi, was sent down to the countryside in Inner Mongolia in 1968 to work and settle there, remaining for about 13 years.

After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, policies toward Chen Henian’s children were gradually implemented. Except for Chen Zhenrong, who remained in Beijing, the other children largely went to Hong Kong. In 2000, Chen Henian died in Hong Kong at the age of 87; the family did not issue a public announcement.