Xiaoyao Faction

The Xiaoyao Faction or Xiaoyao Pai^[1] (Chinese: 逍遥派),^[2] also known as Tea-drinking Faction (喝茶派),^[3] translated into English as Wanderers' Faction^[4] or Faction of Bystanders^[5] or Carefree Clique,^[6] refers to the illiterate or indifferent people who did not belong to any mass organization, who did not engage in any factional struggle,^[7] and who stayed away from radical movements,^[8] during the Cultural Revolution.^[9] It included some cadres of the Chinese Communist Party,^[10] and some less active Red Guards.^[11]

Xiaoyao Faction
Traditional Chinese	逍遙派
Simplified Chinese	逍遥派
Literal meaning	Faction of Bystanders
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xiāo Yáo Pài

The term "xiaoyao" comes from Zhuangzi,^[12] and its original meaning in the phrase "xiaoyao pai" means having no conflicts with the world and being at ease. "Xiaoyao Pai" became a special term during the Cultural Revolution.^[13] They were spectators of the Cultural Revolution.^[14] At the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, there were very few members of the Xiaoyao Faction, but as the movement progressed, its membership gradually expanded.^[15]

The Xiaoyao Faction was used as a term of criticism at the time. It was considered a derogatory term, and members of the so-called Xiaoyao Faction were seen as dishonorable.^[16] However, since the Xiaoyao Faction was a group of "cold-eyed spectators" during the Cultural Revolution, they could obtain rational thinking and political wisdom that the "Rebel Faction" (造反派) could not. Because of this, a new group of independent spiritual bearers emerged from the original "Xiaoyao Faction".^[17]

Notable representatives of the Xiaoyao Faction included Li Yuanchao,^[18] Li Zehou,^[19] Yan Jiaqi,^[20] Liu Zaifu,^[21] Fang Lizhi,^[22] and Xu Liangying.

See also

• Red Guards
• Cultural Revolution