Ai Qing, y chihng (1910-1996), a Chinese poet, was a strong supporter of the doctrines of the Chinese leader Mao Zedong, whose Communist Party gained control of China in 1949. Ai Qing was later denounced for right-wing (anti-Communist) views and banned from writing for more than 20 years. Ai Qing was allowed to publish his work again during the 1970's and became an important literary personality in the 1980's and 1990's. See China.