Page "Jiang Qing" Paragraph 19

Following the Great Leap Forward ( 1958 – 1961 ), Mao was highly criticized within the CCP, and turned to Jiang, among others, to support himself and persecute his enemies.

Taking advantage of the power given to her by Mao, Jiang began by reforming the Chinese theatre and then tracked down those whom she felt had wronged her in the past.

She led an initiative for reforming modern opera in 1963 that resulted in the " eight model revolutionary operas " established at Peking Opera.

This intitiative and others strictly defined permitted works of drama, music, dance, and other arts, including outright bans of unapproved works.