Eldest Son

Zhou Enlai was a leading figure in the Chinese Communist Party, Premier (1949-76) and Foreign Minister (1949-58) of the People's Republic of China, who played a major role in the Chinese Revolution. He became one the great negotiators of the 20th century and survived internecine purges, always managing to retain his position in the party leadership. Zhou's life is the history of modern China. Through his experience we can see dramatic change unfolding; the galvanizing Long March, the social convulsions of the Great Leap Forward, the violent excesses of the Cultural Revolution, and the diplomatic rapprochement with the West. Han Suyin, whose mother was Belgian, has drawn on many meetings with Zhou, his widow and the memories of hundreds of ordinary citizens to create a social history and a portrait of a leader whose political legacy continues to influence the course of China today.