What do you think?
Rate this book
Les Habits Neufs Du Président Mao
Paru pour la première fois aux Éditions Champ Libre en 1971, Les Habits neufs du Président Mao est un ouvrage remarquablement documenté qui, par la rigueur de son approche critique, constitue incontestablement une référence dans l’étude de l’histoire contemporaine. Si les quatre décennies qui ont suivi la publication de ce livre ont permis aux historiens de découvrir des sources complémentaires d’informations sur le passé d’un pays qui connaît aujourd’hui des mutations importantes ; elles n’ont en rien infirmé cette analyse originale, scandaleuse à l’époque, et aujourd’hui enfin généralement admise, de ce que fut véritablement la « Révolution culturelle ».
Les Habits neufs du Président Mao fut, en effet, le premier ouvrage à dénoncer l’image mensongère que la presse et l’édition avaient voulu donner à l’époque de la Chine, et ce n’est pas le plus mince mérite de ce livre que d’avoir contribué, à contre-courant d’une certaine opinion, à dessiller les yeux du public sur les crimes perpétrés par les acteurs de cette « table rase » dont la Chine et les Chinois eurent à souffrir.
L’auteur y livrait pour la première fois les clés pour comprendre les péripéties (dont la plus grande partie était restée inconnue) de cette « Révolution culturelle », la lutte des clans bureaucratiques au pouvoir, l’intervention des gardes rouges et leur épuration, le rôle des différents satrapes militaires, l’échec enfin du projet de Mao.
La présente réédition est simplement précédée d’une notice de l’auteur qui met en perspective cet ouvrage près de 40 ans après sa première publication en exposant les dangers de l’amnésie sur laquelle la Chine prétend aujourd’hui conduire son essor économique.
Les Habits neufs du Président Mao fut, en effet, le premier ouvrage à dénoncer l’image mensongère que la presse et l’édition avaient voulu donner à l’époque de la Chine, et ce n’est pas le plus mince mérite de ce livre que d’avoir contribué, à contre-courant d’une certaine opinion, à dessiller les yeux du public sur les crimes perpétrés par les acteurs de cette « table rase » dont la Chine et les Chinois eurent à souffrir.
L’auteur y livrait pour la première fois les clés pour comprendre les péripéties (dont la plus grande partie était restée inconnue) de cette « Révolution culturelle », la lutte des clans bureaucratiques au pouvoir, l’intervention des gardes rouges et leur épuration, le rôle des différents satrapes militaires, l’échec enfin du projet de Mao.
La présente réédition est simplement précédée d’une notice de l’auteur qui met en perspective cet ouvrage près de 40 ans après sa première publication en exposant les dangers de l’amnésie sur laquelle la Chine prétend aujourd’hui conduire son essor économique.
319 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
4 people are currently reading
276 people want to read
About the author
Simon Leys
53 books75 followersSimon Leys is the pen-name of Pierre Ryckmans, who was born in Belgium and settled in Australia in 1970. He taught Chinese literature at the Australian National University and was Professor of Chinese Studies at the University of Sydney from 1987 to 1993. He died in Sydney in 2014.
Writing in three languages - French, Chinese and English - he played an important political role in revealing the true nature of the Cultural Revolution. His many prizes include the Prix Renaudot, Prix mondial Cino Del Duca and the Christina Stead Prize.
Writing in three languages - French, Chinese and English - he played an important political role in revealing the true nature of the Cultural Revolution. His many prizes include the Prix Renaudot, Prix mondial Cino Del Duca and the Christina Stead Prize.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 21, 2015
It was a time when french intelectuals venerated Mao. They made the trip to Beijing where chinese government presented a reality of Potemkine village to them. Barthes, Sollers, Kristeva, Wahl…
Mao, the greatest tyrant of the XX°, million of deaths (60 ? more?)
And then there was a lucid observer. great expert of China, he denounced the blindness of the intellectuals. A violent hatred campaign broke out against him. Simon Leys said the truth.
I read again this book after the publication of "septième fonction du langage", thriller on Barthes'death.
I always seek to understand why intelligent people preferred dictators to democracy, Sartre to Camus.
Mao, the greatest tyrant of the XX°, million of deaths (60 ? more?)
And then there was a lucid observer. great expert of China, he denounced the blindness of the intellectuals. A violent hatred campaign broke out against him. Simon Leys said the truth.
I read again this book after the publication of "septième fonction du langage", thriller on Barthes'death.
I always seek to understand why intelligent people preferred dictators to democracy, Sartre to Camus.
July 22, 2011
The book is a great explanation of what the "Cultural revolution" was - a simple power struggle, Mao's attempt to get back control - and explains very well the workings and inner struggles of the Chinese totalitarian regime. It might get tedious at times, but is a very good insight for the period described.
(I actually found him mentioned in Amelie Nothomb's books and tend to agree with her that he's a very good writer and historian)
(I actually found him mentioned in Amelie Nothomb's books and tend to agree with her that he's a very good writer and historian)
Want to read
January 25, 2020First and most influential book, 1971.
First visit to China, 1955, friendship for the Chinese and hope for their revolution. But later he saw the downsides, and wrote about them.
"Chinese Shadows" is another of his books.
"Blurb:
Simon Leys is the pen-name of Pierre Ryckmans, who was born in Belgium and settled in Australia in 1970. He taught Chinese literature at the Australian National University and was Professor of Chinese Studies at the University of Sydney from 1987 to 1993. He died in Sydney in 2014.
Writing in three languages - French, Chinese and English - he played an important political role in revealing the true nature of the Cultural Revolution."
Many Chinese intellectuals had great respect for Simon Leys [French-speaking Belgian scholar whose real name was Pierre Ryckmans] : "He spoke out on our behalf when others were silent."
From Geremie R Barmé's 2018 NYR review of a biography of his teacher :
"Simon Leys: Navigator between Worlds", by Philippe Paquet
[I am keeping this review in my book of Lu Xun stories]
First visit to China, 1955, friendship for the Chinese and hope for their revolution. But later he saw the downsides, and wrote about them.
"Chinese Shadows" is another of his books.
"Blurb:
Simon Leys is the pen-name of Pierre Ryckmans, who was born in Belgium and settled in Australia in 1970. He taught Chinese literature at the Australian National University and was Professor of Chinese Studies at the University of Sydney from 1987 to 1993. He died in Sydney in 2014.
Writing in three languages - French, Chinese and English - he played an important political role in revealing the true nature of the Cultural Revolution."
Many Chinese intellectuals had great respect for Simon Leys [French-speaking Belgian scholar whose real name was Pierre Ryckmans] : "He spoke out on our behalf when others were silent."
From Geremie R Barmé's 2018 NYR review of a biography of his teacher :
"Simon Leys: Navigator between Worlds", by Philippe Paquet
[I am keeping this review in my book of Lu Xun stories]
August 29, 2020
En una interpretación y descripción de hechos históricos, resultamos con un gran manual de política dura. El poder conlleva a los sacrificios que el texto relata. En todo esto, extrañe a "Fouche"....
June 13, 2015
Livre essentiel pour comprendre la réalité de la Révolution Culturelle. Ce livre a fait beaucoup de mal aux "maoïstes de salon" plus enclin à faire la révolution à Saint-Germain-des-Prés qu'à Pékin....
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews