Xi Zhongxun
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Xi Zhongxun (Simplified: 习仲勋, Traditional: 習仲勛, Pinyin: Xí Zhòngxūn; 1913-May 24, 2002) was a communist revolutionary and a State Councillor of the People's Republic of China. He is considered to be in the first of the generations of Chinese leadership.
[edit] Biography
Born in a land-owning farm family in Fuping, Shaanxi, Xi joined the Communist Youth League in May 1926 and the Communist Party of China in 1928. Xi was the Deputy Prime Minister of China from 1959 to 1962, and the Governor of Guangdong from 1979 to 1981.
He made major contributions to China, firstly as the man who mentored future leaders of China such as Hu Jintao,[citation needed] Wen Jiabao and second as the man who proposed[citation needed] and implemented China's first economic zone, Shenzhen, which later was used as the standard model for the other economic zones.
He was remembered for his friendship to his colleagues, his tolerance to diverse cultures and religions, his idealism of an open market socialist country and his integrity in his beliefs. He was one of the few upper level leaders who voted during the 1980s for open reform and was persecuted afterwards for this bold move.[citation needed]
In 1962, Xi Zhongxun fell out of favor with the Communist Party and was accused of disloyalty to Chairman Mao. In addition, Xi later publicly condemned the events of Tiananmen Square in 1989. He was rarely seen after that, although it has been reported that he has spent time in jail. China's state-run media has avoided the issue of Xi and the problems he may present for his son Xi Jinping, who is the current vice president of the People's Republic of China.
His famous lines include, "We need to reform China and implement this economic zone even if it means that we have to pave a bloody road ahead and I am to be responsible for it." which he uttered to Deng Xiaoping when trying to convince Deng of the necessity of market socialism in China.
Xi Zhongxun married Qi Xin, his second wife, and had four children: Xi Qiaoqiao, Xi An'an, Xi Jinping, and Xi Yuanping. Xi Jinping is the current Vice President of China.
[edit] Bibliography
- China's New Rulers: The Secret File, Andrew J. Nathan and Bruce Gilley, The New York Review Book
- The Origins of the Cultural Revolution, Vol. 3 : The COming of the Cataclysm, 1961-1966 (Columbia University Press, 1997)
[edit] External links
- Biography of Xi Zhongxun, China Vitae.
- Xizhongxun.org
- (Chinese) Biography of Xi Zhongxun
| Preceded by Wei Guoqing |
Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Committee 1978–1980 |
Succeeded by Ren Zhongyi |
| Preceded by Wei Guoqing |
Governor of Guangdong 1979 – 1981 |
Succeeded by Liu Tianfu |
