Sidney Rittenberg
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Sidney Rittenberg | ||
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Hanyu Pinyin Lǐ Dūnbái | | |
Wade–Giles | Li3 Tun1-pai2 | |
Yue: Cantonese | ||
IPA | [le̬i tɵ́y pàːk] |
Sidney Rittenberg (Chinese: 李敦白; pinyin: Lǐ Dūnbái; August 14, 1921 – August 24, 2019) was an American journalist, scholar, and Chinese linguist who lived in China from 1944 to 1980.[1] He worked closely with Mao Zedong, Zhu De, Zhou Enlai, and other leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during the Chinese Communist Revolution, and was with these central Communist leaders at Yan'an.[2] Later, he was imprisoned in solitary confinement, twice.[3] In his book "The Man Who Stayed Behind", Rittenberg stated that he was the second American citizen to join the CCP, the first being the Lebanese-American Doctor Ma Haide (born Shafick George Hatem.)
Early life
Rittenberg was born into a
Interpreting for Mao
After World War II ended, Rittenberg chose to stay in China and try to aid the Chinese Communist Party as he had witnessed the injustices committed under the unpopular, US-backed Nationalist Party.[9] Rittenberg befriended the communist leader Mao Zedong in the Yan'an caves, which resulted in a lasting relationship with Mao until early days of the Cultural Revolution. He later worked for the Xinhua News Agency and Radio Peking.[8]
Imprisonments
During his period in China, Rittenberg was twice imprisoned by the government under suspicion of spying for the American Government. His first imprisonment began in 1949 immediately before the formal surrender of Beijing to the Communists. Rittenberg said he was summoned to the capital and he went, expecting to play a role in promoting the Communist takeover to the rest of the world. In fact, Rittenberg was arrested and placed in solitary confinement, because Stalin had denounced him as a US spy. Rittenberg attributes his survival in solitary confinement to a poem by Edwin Markham:[10]
- They drew a circle that shut me out
- Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout
- But love and I had the wit to win;
- We drew a circle that took them in.
This first imprisonment lasted six years and resulted in his wife Wei Lin whom he had met in China divorcing him as she was told nothing about his disappearance.[9] Once he was released he returned to his work promoting the Communist Party
However in 1968, he was again imprisoned, this time for 10 years under the same suspicion of spying. His second Chinese wife, Wang Yulin, was also sent to a labor camp for three years due to her being association with the "American spy". He was released in 1977 after the Gang of Four was dismantled and at this point he decided to finally return to America with his wife and kids.[9]
Cultural Revolution
On his release in 1955 and before his second imprisonment, Rittenberg remained a strong supporter of Mao and actively and enthusiastically supported the Great Leap Forward. In a later interview he stated that:
"My loyalty to the ideals of Communism never wavered during those six years in solitary. If anything, it grew stronger. I was determined that I would not let my personal disaster affect my belief in what I thought was true and good."[11]
He used his identity as an American-turned-communist in many speeches denouncing capitalism and imperialism and promoting Mao's policies. Later he was a supporter of the Cultural Revolution and briefly associated with Mao's inner circle, leading a group of rebels to take over the state broadcasting institution. On April 8, 1967, the People's Daily published a long article written by him.[12]
Career as business advisor
In the United States after his release, he used his extensive knowledge and contacts in China to advise corporate leaders on how to benefit from China's vast, growing economy. Still welcome in China, he took entrepreneurs on guided tours, introducing them to the country's movers and shakers. [13][14]
See also
References
Citations
- ^ ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ Schiavenza, Matt (2013-12-26). "The American Who Gave His Life to Chairman Mao". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ "Sidney Rittenberg: Chairman Mao's favourite American". BBC News. 2011-06-30. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ McFadden, Robert D (August 24, 2019). "Sidney Rittenberg, Idealistic American Aide to Mao Who Evolved to Counsel Capitalists, Dies at 98". New York Times.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Sidney Rittenberg | Wilson Center". www.wilsoncenter.org. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ISBN 978-988-8208-74-6.
- ^ magazine, STANFORD (2012-11-01). "One Man's Long March". stanfordmag.org. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ a b McDonald, Mark (2012-07-10). "The Man Who Stayed Behind in China Comes Into Focus". IHT Rendezvous. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ISBN 978-1-57851-582-0.
- ^ Goldman, Allison Carroll (2017-01-09). "Sidney Rittenberg: Reflections on a lifetime in China". The China Project. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ "如流, 新一代智能工作平台". 如流. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ McFadden, Robert D. (25 August 2019). "Sidney Rittenberg, Idealistic American Aide to Mao Who Evolved to Counsel Capitalists, Dies at 98". The New York Times.
- ^ Michael Donohue, "The expatriate", The National (Abu Dhabi), 14 August 2008. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
Sources
Further reading
- Sidney Rittenberg (1993). The Man Who Stayed Behind. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-8223-2667-0)