Released early on account of poor health, Chen retreated to an isolated village in the mountains of Sichuan, where he lived in obscurity.

On his own, Chen’s faith in democracy reemerged as he watched Stalin’s tyrannical nature emerge. Chen also found solace in his classical education, turning to classical poetry and philology. His legacy is complex: he stirred up China’s youth, helped instigate one of China’s most important modern protests, and founded China’s ruling political party. But as a politician he lived with regret, doubting his choices and fearing China would face a long road before becoming rich and strong again.

Chen Duxiu