Beginning of the Cultural Revolution

Date: May 16, 1966 • Location: Beijing, China

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1966–1976.

The Chinese Communist Party issues the "May 16 Notice", marking the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.

The Communist Party of China (CPC), commonly known as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and sole governing party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP won the Chinese Civil War against the Kuomintang and proclaimed the establishment of the PRC under the chairmanship of Mao Zedong in October 1949. The CCP has since governed China and has had absolute control over the country's armed forces and law enforcement. As of 2025, the CCP has more than 101 million members, making it the second largest political party by membership in the world.