State Council

The State Council appears in the novel as one of the central authorities whose recognition of Rong Jinzhen as a Hero of the Revolution gave his family official status and practical protection. The account presents that recognition jointly with the Central Politburo and the Central Military Commission, rather than as an action by the State Council alone.

Joint Recognition

Three days after Rong Jinzhen left his family, a representative of his work unit delivered a document from a Military Region headquarters and the Provincial Revolutionary Committee. The document stated that the Central Politburo, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission had recognized Rong Jinzhen as a Hero of the Revolution. By extension, it classified his relatives as a revolutionary family.

The account does not describe deliberations or distinguish the State Council’s contribution from those of the other named authorities. Its specific role in the episode is established through its inclusion among the bodies credited with the recognition.

Protections and Consequences

The document set out protections for the family: no work unit, Communist Party member, or private individual could enter their home without permission, and no one could cast aspersions on the family’s revolutionary credentials. A handwritten warning at the top, attributed to the local Military Region commander, threatened punishment for anyone who disobeyed the order.

The family treasured the document and credited it with ending their subsequent troubles. It also helped Rong Jinzhen’s brother return to University N from Shanghai and later obtain permission to go abroad to continue his research on superconductors.

Place in the Account

The State Council’s significance here is conveyed through the effects of a formal designation: recognition of Rong Jinzhen became a safeguard for relatives who had not themselves received the honor. The narrative connects central authority to concrete changes in the family’s security and opportunities, while leaving the State Council’s individual decision-making process unspecified.