Zhou Enlai (1898-1976)

Zhou Enlai (1898-1976)
Zhou Enlai was the most popular leader (领导) in China during the 20th century. Even among the madness during the Cultural Revolution, he continued to make an effort to pursue democratic (民主的) ideas, while at the same time supporting leaders like Mao.


He exercised his diplomatic (外交的) skill to open China rather than isolate it from the rest of the world. In turn, he brought China into a period of stable economic vitality (活力), and many nations throughout the world cheered, as they could now trade their goods and services.



In 1898, Zhou was bon in Huaian, Jiangsu province. His childhood is said to have been an unhappy time of his life. Four months after his birth, he was adopted (被收养). Shortly after that his new foster father died. In 1907, when he was nine years old, his mother died, and his foster mother (养母) died.


The despair and poverty brought the family to new lows. Zhou often worked the fields to secure food for his family. In 1910, when he was ten years old, he left Huaian and went to Manchuria (满洲(我国东北的旧称)). He studied academics there, and had excellent grades most of the time. In those days, he learned politics, which had a deep impact (影响) on his life. When he was fifteen years old, he began middle school in Tianjin. During his four-year stay there he surrounded himself in books, sports, and political movements. From ages 17 to 19, he studied at Japan.