Gang of Four

Gang of Four, group of supporters of China's Mao Tse-tung who, after Mao's death, were tried and convicted for the excesses of the Cultural Revolution of the late 1960s. Principal charges included planning a coup. Mao's widow, Jiang Qing, was identified as the group's leader; the others were Wang Hongwen, Yao Wenyuan, and Zhang Qunqiao. Imprisoned in 1976, their sentences (1981) ranged from death to 20 years in prison.

See also: China; Mao Zedong.