Syracuse Herald Journal in Syracuse, New York

Chiang Ching Faces Waning Influence As Mao's Illness Grows

Tokyo dispatch notes Mao Tse tung’s stroke symptoms and his reduced daily contact with visitors raise questions about Chiang Ching’s grip on the cultural realm. The Central Committee excluded Mao from foreign visits, signaling possible loss of authority and end to her radical leadership in opera, ballet, film, and music. Critics quote theater workers doubting the art regime and Teng Hsiao ping’s splashed critique of model operas.