 Qi Benyu's sudden rise in the hierarchy of the Communist Party began in mid-1966 with the proclamation of the Cultural Revolution.In May, Qi was appointed member of the Cultural Revolution Group and only shortly afterwards deputy director of the Secretary Bureau ("mishuju"; 秘书局) of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Acting Director of the Secretary Bureau.At the "Red Flag", he rose to Deputy Editor-in-Chief.