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Mar 2025
43 m

Real Wives of Dictators | Jiang Qing, Ch...

History Hit
About this episode

For better or (mostly) worse, Jiang Qing left her mark on the 20th century.


Even before she was married to Chairman Mao, Jiang was a charismatic actor, and her passion for culture helped her spearhead the Cultural Revolution as part of the Communist Party in China, later in life.


Joining Kate for this fourth and final episode of our limited series, Real Wives of Dictators, is Linda Jaivin, author of Shortest History of China and the upcoming Bombard the Headquarters! The Cultural Revolution in China.


How did she make her way to the head of the Communist Party? Why did she describe herself as "Mao's dog"? And what brought about her downfall?


This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.


If you'd like to get in touch with the show you can contact us at betwixt@historyhit.com.


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All music from Epidemic Sounds.


Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.


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