— Ch. 1 · Early Life And Education —
Zhou Enlai.
~8 min read · Ch. 1 of 7
Zhou Enlai was born in Huai'an, Jiangsu province, on the 5th of March 1898. He entered the world as the first son of his branch of the Zhou family. The Zhou family had a long history of serving as government clerks known as shiye. These families often moved to different locations to advance their careers within the civil service. His grandfather and granduncle were among the first members to relocate to Huai'an. Zhou's father worked various jobs across China but struggled to support the family financially. Soon after birth, Zhou was adopted by his uncle who suffered from tuberculosis. This adoption arrangement ended quickly when his uncle died shortly thereafter. Madame Chen raised him and taught him to read traditional Chinese novels like Journey to the West at age six. By eight years old he studied Water Margin and Dream of the Red Chamber. His birth mother Wan died in 1907 when Zhou was nine. His adoptive mother Chen passed away in 1908 when he turned ten. In 1910 his uncle Yigeng took him to Fengtian now called Shenyang. There he attended Dongguan Model Academy which offered modern subjects including English and science. At fourteen Zhou declared his goal was to become a great man capable of taking up heavy responsibilities for the country. In 1913 his uncle moved to Tianjin where Zhou enrolled in Nankai Middle School. Founded by Yan Xiu and led by Zhang Boling this school used methods similar to Phillips Academy in the United States. The institution maintained a highly disciplined daily routine with strict moral codes. Zhou excelled in Chinese studies and won awards in speech competitions. He edited the school newspaper and participated actively in producing dramas and plays. Many students knew him through his acting performances rather than academic achievements alone. At the tenth commencement ceremony in June 1917 Zhou stood among five honored graduates as one of two valedictorians. Zhang Boling's teachings on public spirit and ability left a lasting impression on him. After graduating from Nankai Zhou traveled to Japan in July 1917 for further studies. During his time there he spent most days at the East Asian Higher Preparatory School. His uncles supported his education but funds were limited due to severe inflation in Japan. Zhou failed entrance examinations for Japanese universities despite trying multiple times. Anxiety grew alongside the death of his uncle Yikui and difficulties mastering the Japanese language. By spring 1919 he returned to China deeply disenchanted with Japanese culture. He rejected the idea that the Japanese political model could apply to China. Zhou read Chen Duxiu's magazine New Youth which promoted progressive and left-leaning ideas. He also studied early works by Marx though it remains unlikely he attended lectures by Kawakami Hajime.