1913.10.15.–2002.5.24.
↓ Removed 1962 · natural causes
A founder of the northern Shaanxi base, purged for sixteen years, who opened Guangdong’s special economic zones
He built the Shaanxi–Gansu base with Liu Zhidan that became the Long March's destination, was purged in 1962 and confined for sixteen years, then opened the special economic zones as Guangdong's first secretary in 1978.
From Shaanxi, he founded the Shaanxi–Gansu base with Liu Zhidan, the destination of the Long March. After 1949 he headed the Northwest Bureau and served as State Council secretary-general and vice-premier, but in 1962 Kang Sheng denounced the novel Liu Zhidan as an “anti-party” defence of Gao Gang and Xi was purged, spending sixteen years in confinement and rural exile. Returning as Guangdong first secretary in 1978, he asked the centre for the power to “take one step ahead” to stem the flight to Hong Kong, which led to the Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Shantou special economic zones in 1980. A Secretariat member in the 1980s, he supported Hu Yaobang and opposed his removal in 1987. He was Xi Jinping’s father.
Also known as: Hsi Chung-hsun
Activities and affiliations
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1928–2002
Political and party leadership
- Secretary, Guangdong CCP Committee1978–1980
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1953–1962
People’s Republic of China state institutionsSecretary-General of the Government Administration Council and State Council
Government and administration -
1980–1983
People’s Republic of China state institutionsVice-Chairman, NPC Standing Committee
Legislature and state representation -
People’s Republic of China state institutionsVice-Premier and Secretary-General of the State CouncilMain
Government and administration
Career Timeline
- 1928–2002CCP member
- 1953–1962Secretary-General of the Government Administration Council and State Council
- 1959Became vice-premier of the State Council
- 1959–1962Vice-Premier and Secretary-General of the State Council
- 1962Purged over the novel Liu Zhidan
- 1978–1980First Secretary of the Guangdong Party Committee
- 1978–1980Secretary, Guangdong CCP Committee
- 1980–1983Vice-Chairman, NPC Standing Committee
Related historical events
- 1927–1936From Jinggangshan to Yan’an: the soviet bases and the Long MarchFounder of the northern Shaanxi baseThe base he built with Liu Zhidan became the destination of the March.
- 1945–1949The Chinese Civil WarNorthwest leader who criticised land-reform excessesIn early 1948 he criticised the violence of land reform together with Ren Bishi.
- 1949–1956From New Democracy to socialist transformationOne of the “five horses”He was called to Beijing as a regional leader in 1952.
- 1956–1957From the Hundred Flowers to the Anti-Rightist CampaignChaired the State Council forum where “party’s empire” was rebuttedAs State Council secretary-general he held the forum of 6 June at which Lu Yuwen rebutted Chu Anping and read out an anonymous letter.
- 1958–1962The Great Leap Forward and the Great FamineState Council secretary-general who relayed the Xinyang horrorIn 1960 he received the Interior Ministry’s report on Xinyang and passed it to Dong Biwu of the Central Control Commission.
- 1976–1992Reform and opening: the Deng Xiaoping eraInitiator of Guangdong’s special zonesAsked in 1979 for the right to “take one step ahead” and secured the zones.
Nationality and united-front work: Qinghai, Xinjiang, and the Politburo years
Xi Zhongxun was deeply involved in nationality and united-front work from his Northwest Bureau years. When remnants of the Muslim warlords incited Tibetan tribesmen to revolt in Qinghai in July 1951, he urged a political solution even as the PLA moved to suppress the uprising: after chieftain Xiang Qian rejected seventeen proposals and the PLA seized his villages, Xi released captured tribesmen, offered generous terms, and forgave participants, so that Xiang Qian returned in July 1952 and pledged allegiance. Mao compared the handling to Zhuge Liang's conciliation of Meng Huo. In 1952 Xi halted Wang Zhen and Deng Liqun's campaign to extend land reform and class struggle to pastoralist Xinjiang: he advised against class labels among pastoralists, was ignored, and after the policies inflamed unrest reversed them with Mao's support, having Wang Zhen relieved and over a thousand herders released. He maintained a close relationship with the 10th Panchen Lama from 1951 and spent time with the 14th Dalai Lama during his 1954 visit, who recalled Xi as very friendly and comparatively open-minded. As a Politburo member in the 1980s he often focused on ethnic minority and religion policies, holding that ethnic relations in Xinjiang and Tibet should address local grievances, work with local minority leaders and promote economic development.