Hai Rui Dismissed from Office

About “Hai Rui Dismissed from Office”

Hai Rui Dismissed from Office is a stage play written by Wu Han, a historian and writer who lived from 1909 to 1969. The play centers on Hai Rui, a loyal minister from the Ming dynasty, who is depicted as helping peasants by reversing unjust land confiscations. The play became a subject of political and scholarly debate, particularly during the Cultural Revolution. Its themes and implications sparked controversy within the Communist Party, especially in discussions that took place at the Lushan Conference. These discussions addressed the role of peasants in the political future of China, following the failures of the Great Leap Forward. The play's political significance led to its criticism and eventual banning. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.)