| Xiaoyao Faction | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 逍遙派 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 逍遥派 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | Faction of Bystanders | ||||||
| |||||||
TheXiaoyao Faction orXiaoyao Pai[1] (Chinese:逍遥派),[2] also known as Tea-drinking Faction (喝茶派),[3] translated into English as Wanderers' Faction[4] or Faction of Bystanders[5] or Carefree Clique,[6] refers to the illiterate or indifferent people who did not belong to any massorganization, who did not engage in any factional struggle,[7] and who stayed away fromradical movements,[8] during theCultural Revolution.[9] It included somecadres of theChinese Communist Party,[10] and some less activeRed Guards.[11]
The term "xiaoyao" comes fromZhuangzi,[12] and its original meaning in the phrase "xiaoyao pai" means having no conflicts with the world and being at ease. "Xiaoyao Pai" became a specialterm during the Cultural Revolution.[13] They were spectators of the Cultural Revolution.[14] At the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, there were very few members of the Xiaoyao Faction, but as the movement progressed, its membership gradually expanded.[15]
The Xiaoyao Faction was used as a term of criticism at the time. It was considered aderogatory term, and members of the so-called Xiaoyao Faction were seen as dishonorable.[16] However, since the Xiaoyao Faction was a group of "cold-eyed spectators" during the Cultural Revolution, they could obtain rational thinking and political wisdom that the "Rebel Faction" (造反派) could not. Because of this, a new group of independent spiritual bearers emerged from the original "Xiaoyao Faction".[17]
Notable representatives of the Xiaoyao Faction includedLi Yuanchao,[18]Li Zehou,[19]Yan Jiaqi,[20]Liu Zaifu,[21]Fang Lizhi,[22] andXu Liangying.
