8th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party

8th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party
Mao Zedong delivering a speech at the first session in 1956
Date15–27 September 1956 (12 days, first session)
5–23 May 1958 (18 days, second session)
LocationAuditorium of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Beijing, China
Participants1,026 delegates
OutcomeThe election of the 8th Central Committee
8th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party
Traditional Chinese中國共產黨第八次全國代表大會
Simplified Chinese中国共产党第八次全国代表大会
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng Dìbācì Quánguó Dàibiǎo Dàhuì
Abbreviated name
Chinese八大
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinBā-dà

The 8th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party was held in two sessions, the first 15–27 September 1956 and the second 5–23 May 1958 in Beijing. It was the first Congress of the Chinese Communist Party since the start of it taking full control of mainland China in 1949 and establishing the People's Republic of China. It was preceded by the relatively early 7th National Congress and was formally succeeded by the 9th National Congress. 1,026 delegates and 86 alternate delegates represented the party's 10.73 million members.

The Great Hall of the People was not yet constructed, so it was held in the National Political Consultative Conference Hall.

A National Day parade in Beijing on October 1, 1956, celebrating the 8th National Congress.

Legislation

The Great Leap Forward was promulgated and unilaterally put in effect.

Representatives

  • Delegates: 1,026
  • Alternate delegates: 86
  • Represented party members: 10,730,000

Significance

The 8th National Congress was the first Congress to be held in 11 years, and the first Congress since the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Mao Zedong Thought was taken out of the Constitution of the Chinese Communist Party and the cult of personality was denounced; Party technocrats Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping assume higher profiles. The 8th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party was elected.

See also