New Books Network Joseph Torigian, "The Party’s Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping" (Stanford UP, 2025)
Dec 18, 2025
Joseph Torigian, an Associate Professor at American University and research fellow at the Hoover History Lab, explores the life of Xi Zhongxun, father of Xi Jinping. He discusses Xi's radical beginnings, his complex role during Japan's invasion, and the strategic importance of his work in northern China. The conversation dives into Xi's tumultuous political history, including his purges and rehabilitation, and his contributions to China's economic reforms. Torigian emphasizes how Xi's experiences illuminate the inner workings of the Chinese Communist Party.
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Why Loyalty Survived Purges
- Xi Zhongxun's life reveals why lifelong communists stayed loyal despite suffering and purges.
- Joseph Torigian argues devotion came from seeing the party as the only path to national salvation.
Teenage Revolutionary Arrested
- At 15 Xi Zhongxun attempted an assassination during the 1927 massacre and was jailed after it failed.
- He officially joined the Chinese Communist Party while imprisoned for that act.
Rural Bases Fueled Communist Survival
- The communists shifted to rural base areas where they could survive and build support away from urban Nationalist power.
- Xi Zhongxun helped establish a resilient Shanxi base that later drew central party attention.