Shahbanou Farah of Iran greeted by Zhou Enlai (1898 –1976), Premier of the People’s Republic of China during Imperial Iran’s major State Visit following the historical recognition by US president Nixon of People’s Republic of China. (circa ~ 1972-73)
NOTE: Zhou Enlai is regarded as a skilled negotiator, a master of policy implementation, a devoted revolutionary, and a pragmatic statesman with an unusual attentiveness to detail and nuance. He was also known for his tireless and dedicated work ethic, and his unusual charm and poise in public. He is reputedly the last Mandarin bureaucrat in the Confucian tradition. Zhou’s political behaviour should be viewed in light of his political philosophy as well as his personality. To a large extent, Zhou epitomized the paradox inherent in a communist politician with traditional Chinese upbringing: at once conservative and radical, pragmatic and ideological, possessed by a belief in order and harmony as well as a faith in the progressive power of rebellion and revolution.
Though a firm believer in the Communist ideal on which the People’s Republic was founded, Zhou is widely believed to have moderated the excesses of Mao’s radical policies within the limits of his power. It has been assumed that he protected imperial and religious sites of cultural significance (such as the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet) from the Tibetan Red Guards, and shielded many top-level leaders, including, Deng Xiaoping, as well as many academics and artists from purges. More Here
Related Blog:
Diplomatic History: Farah in Communist China (1970’s)
