文化大革命是毛澤東晚年政權的極左運動，亦是其自我評價生平所為最重要的大事之一。被打成走資派的鄧小平，因此倒台並遭下放。周恩來雖始終身居總理要職，亦數度被文革之火波及。文革後期民生凋蔽、亂象頻起，周恩來試圖在毛澤東接受範圍內著手糾左，不免與文革派勢力互相扞格，降低改革成效。 林彪事件後，接班人選、文革信譽、國際情勢等問題，加上周恩來重病，皆成為鄧小平復出政壇的外在因素。鄧係以「永不翻案」重獲毛澤東的信賴，再憑其政治長才進軍國務院，掌理黨政要務；復受命為解放軍總參謀長，手握兵權。故鄧小平自1973年開始，至1975年全面整頓期間，得以一步步地帶領中國走出文革困局。 唯鄧小平整頓步伐邁得太快太急，終究動搖到毛澤東賴以為命的文革根基。周恩來的驟然離世，適引發中國人民積纍已久的壓抑情緒，而爆發一場天安門群眾抗爭事件，仍未能使毛澤東幡然醒悟，坦承文革的錯誤，卻是再度罷黜鄧小平，唯留鄧一線生機，以觀後效。 The Cultural Revolution was the extreme leftist movement during the regime of Mao Zedong’s later years and also one of the most important events on his self-evaluation. Deng Xiaoping named capitalist roader therefore downfall and be decentralized. Although Zhou Enlai always on the vital position of the premier was still affected by the fire of the Cultural Revolution. During the late Cultural Revolution period that was full of weak economic and social chaos , Zhou Enlai attempted to start correcting left at the tolerance range of Mao Zedong, which would inevitably conflicted with the group of the Cultural Revolution, and reducing the effectiveness of revolution. After Lin Biao incident, these external factors which included the succession, credibility of the Cultural Revolution, international situation, and Zhou Enlai’s serious illness drove Deng Xiaoping back into politics. Deng regained the trust of Mao Zedong with " Never reverse the verdict ", entering the State Council as his extraordinary talent, and finally charged the leading party and government primary task; He had also been appointed the People's Liberation Army chief of staff, holding the military power. Consequently, Deng Xiaoping could lead the China step by step to relief from plight during the Cultural Revolution from 1973 to 1975 which was the full consolidation period. But Deng Xiaoping’s rectification was too fast to influence the foundation of the Cultural Revolution which was vital to Mao Zedong. And Zhou Enlai’s death induced coincidently the long suppressed emotions of the Chinese people to cause a mass protest movement, which couldn’t still raise Mao Zedong’s senses to admit his mistakes during the Cultural Revolution, but to reject Deng Xiaoping again and give him a chance to verify his future performance.
