61889 Regiment

People's Liberation Army 61889 Regiment, formerly named 8341 Special Regiment, also Chinese Central Safeguard Regiment, is responsible for guarding and protecting the main leaders of Chinese Communist Party and People's Republic of China.

This regiment established in June 9, 1953. Originally, it was from Center Safeguard Division 1st Regiment. Since their responsibility is top importance of leaders protection, the soldiers and weapons are very selective. In 1976, Wang Dongxing brought 8341 Special Regiment into Huairen Hall and arrested the Gang of Four, which significantly helped the end of Chinese Cultural Revolution.

History
This regiment named Chinese Peoples' Public Security Center Column (Chinese: 中国人民公安中央纵队) 2nd Division 4th Regiment. In 1951, the Division changes name as Center Safeguard Division; at the same time, the 4th Regiment was replaced of 1st Regiment. In 1953, it was independent to be Chinese Center Safeguard Regiment (Designation name is "Center 001", Chinese: 总字001). In the late of 1950s, its designation changes as 3747. Around 1964, it firstly used name of "8341". In 1975, it changed to "57001 Regiment" but soon got back to "8341 Special Regiment". In 1976, after the death of Mao Zedong, the regiment changed designation to "57003 Regiment". In October 2000, it finally changed into 61889 Regiment until now.

Anecdote
The code of "8341" inspired wide interests in the common. One story is that in 1948, when Mao Zedong and the other CCP's leaders moved into Beijing, he talked with a monk of Tayuan Temple, at Mount Wutai, Shanxi Province. The monk gave him this number, which means Mao Zedong would have 83 years old, and would lead the CCP for 41 years (from Zunyi Conference to his death). Besides, there are also some other explanations. However, according to the first regimental commander Zhang Yaoci, this code was only arranged by the People's Liberation Army General Staff Department, the other stories did not have any reasonable evidence.