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Li Xiannian
李先念
Li in 1954
President of China
In office 18 June 1983 – 8 April 1988
Premier	Zhao Ziyang Li Peng
Vice President	Ulanhu
Leader	Deng Xiaoping
Preceded by	Liu Shaoqi (as State Chairman) Ye Jianying (as Head of State)
Succeeded by	Yang Shangkun
5th Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
In office 10 April 1988 – 21 June 1992
Preceded by	Deng Yingchao
Succeeded by	Li Ruihuan
Other office held Vice Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party In office 19 August 1977 – 15 June 1982 Chairman Hua Guofeng Hu Yaobang Vice Premier of China In office 27 September 1954 – 10 September 1980 Premier Zhou Enlai Hua Guofeng Minister of Finance In office 19 June 1954 – 22 June 1970 Premier Zhou Enlai Preceded by Deng Xiaoping Succeeded by Yin Chengzhen
Member of the National People's Congress
In office 15 September 1954 – 25 March 1988
Constituency	Hubei At-large
Personal details
Born	(1909-06-23)23 June 1909 Hong'an County, Hubei, Qing China
Died	21 June 1992(1992-06-21) (aged 82) Beijing, China
Political party	Chinese Communist Party (joined in 1927)
Spouse(s)	Shang Xiaoping (尚小平) (div) Lin Jiamei
Children	4, including Li Xiaolin
Chinese name
Chinese	李先念
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Lǐ Xiānniàn Wade–Giles Li Hsien-nien

Li Xiannian (; 23 June 1909 – 21 June 1992) was a Chinese Communist military and political leader, president of China from 1983 to 1988 under paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and then chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference from 1988 until his death. He was a full member of the Politburo from 1956 to 1987, and of its Standing Committee from 1977 to 1987.

Li worked as an apprentice carpenter in his teenage years to support his family. He joined the Communist Party in December 1927 and became a soldier in the Chinese Red Army. After studying at the Military–Political University and the Central Party School, he became an influential and successful military commander during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War, distinguishing himself in the Huaihai campaign.

After the PRC was established, he served as Governor and Party Secretary of his native Hubei Province from 1949 to 1954, and then joined the central leadership in Beijing, serving as Minister of Finance (1954–1970) and Vice Premier (1954–1982). He supported Mao Zedong's designated successor, Hua Guofeng, and was named Vice Chairman of the Party (1977–1982).

One of the Eight Elders of the Party, he was considered the most leftist among them, both politically and economically. Li played a key role in blocking privatizations and maintaining state control in many sectors of the economy. He promoted classical Communist political and cultural values through his patronage of theorists such as Hu Qiaomu and Deng Liqun, and was instrumental in purging the liberals Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang. He enthusiastically advocated for military suppression of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

Biography

Early career

Born in Hong'an, Hubei, Li came from a poor family and spent his teenage years working at a carpenter's shop. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in December 1927, and served as an army captain and political commissar for the Chinese Red Army during the Long March. He was a military cadre in Zhang Guotao West Route Army.

After arriving in Yan'an, he studied at the Counter-Japanese Military and Political University and at the Central Party School. Here he was under pressure, as other military cadres who served on the West Route Army. He fought in both the Second Sino-Japanese War, where he was sent to the Hubei-Henan Region to lead the guerrilla and establish an Anti-Japanese base area, and the Chinese Civil War, especially in the Central Plains, and played a key role in many Communist victories, most significantly in the Huai–Hai Campaign.

Mao-era China

After the Communists' victory in China, Li was appointed Governor and Party Secretary of his native Hubei Province from 1949 to 1954, and he also served as the commander and political commissar of the province's military garrison. Additionally, he was Vice Chairman of the PRC's Military Commission for South–Central China (overseeing military and public security forces in Guangdong, Hainan, Henan, Hubei and Hunan).

In 1954, Li joined the central leadership in Beijing and became China's Minister of Finance. He was also appointed Vice Premier for the entire period of 1954–1982.

During the Cultural Revolution, Li was a part of the February Countercurrent which criticized the Cultural Revolution for creating social disorder and undermining China's leadership. Despite losing his job as Finance Minister in 1970, he nonetheless enjoyed Zhou Enlai's protection and was the only civilian official to serve without interruption alongside Zhou throughout the 1966–1976 Cultural Revolution decade. In 1976, Li played an instrumental role in destroying the Gang Of Four. After the demise of the Gang, Li was appointed Vice Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and a member of the Central Military Commission.

Post-Mao politician

When Chairman Hua Guofeng rose to leadership after the death of Mao Zedong, Li became Hua's chief economic adviser and one of his main backers, along with Generals Wang Dongxing and Chen Xilian. If Hua had been successful in his efforts to achieve supreme power, Li would have become one of the most powerful officials in China, but Li's political career stalled when Deng Xiaoping eclipsed Hua as China's "Paramount leader". For the rest of his career, Li complained that his own achievements during the brief Hua interregnum were not sufficiently recognized as the basis of the progress experienced in China during the 1980s.

Li was described as an "orthodox" or "Soviet-style" communist and was a firm believer in central planning and sociopolitical conformity, so disliked Deng Xiaoping's more radical economic reform ideas. He had in fact been largely responsible for drafting the short-lived Ten Year Plan of 1978 which attempted to build a Soviet-style economy based around heavy industry and energy production. Li's ideas enjoyed strong support among some sections of the Chinese top leadership; General Yu Qiuli and his "oil clique", for example, fully supported Li.

However, Deng quickly terminated these ideas and instituted his own "go slow" approach that involved gradually allowing the development of light industry and consumer goods. He also went about assigning government posts to younger men who were followers of his ideas. One of these was Premier Zhao Ziyang, whom Li strongly opposed for being too willing to import Western ideas and move away from a planned economy. According to Zhao, Li "hated me because I was implementing Deng Xiaoping's reforms, but since it was difficult for him to openly oppose Deng, he made me the target of his opposition."

Presidency

In 1983, after the passing of a new Constitution, Li was appointed President of China at the age of 74. Although according to the 1982 Constitution the role of President was "largely ceremonial", it recognized Li's status as a respected Party elder and a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee, and Li himself went on to forcefully use his still very substantial influence to support leftist policies. In 1984, Li met with U.S. President Ronald Reagan during the latter's visit to China, notably discussing the status of Taiwan with the President. Li visited the United States in July 1985, the first time the head of state of the People's Republic of China made such a visit.

As the decade progressed, Deng Xiaoping, always an opponent of lifetime tenure in office, gradually convinced most of the party elders to retire. Li stepped down as president in 1988 and was succeeded by Yang Shangkun. Li was then named Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC. He was a strong supporter of Jiang Zemin's rise to power, and during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, Li was one of the hardline Party elders who pushed for a strong response to the demonstrations and supported Premier Li Peng's desire to use military force to suppress the protests. Li continued to serve in government until his death in 1992, one year before his term expired.

Family

Li had four children. His youngest daughter, Li Xiaolin, is the President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. She is a member of the CPPCC national committee.

Death and later commemoration

Li died on 21 June 1992 at the age of 82, two days shy of his 83rd birthday. His funeral was held on 27 June 1992 and was attended by members of the Politburo Standing Committee. After the service, Li was cremated.

Awards and honors

• Order of the Star of the Romanian Socialist Republic, 1st Class (Romania, 1984)

References

1. Rittenberg, Sidney; Bennett, Amanda (2001). The Man Who Stayed Behind. Duke University Press. p. 103. ISBN 9780822326670.
2. Chen, Shanbin (19 May 2015). 李先念的夫人林佳媚简历 林佳楣生了几个孩子. lishiquwen. Archived from the original on 24 December 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
3. Li, Xiaobing (2012). China at War: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 226. ISBN 978-1-59884-415-3.
4. ^ Li Xiannian (1909–1992), in Christopher R. Lew, Edwin Pak-wah Leung: Historical Dictionary of the Chinese Civil War, p.p. 120-121, Scarecrow Press, 2013
5. ^ Holley, David. "Li Xiannian, Ex-President of China, Dies at 83: Old Guard: He was one of a ruling clique of ‘8 elders’ who ordered the army to repress the pro-democracy movement in 1989". Los Angeles Times, 23 June 1992.
6. ^ Gao, Hua (2018). How the Red Sun Rose: The Origins and Development of the Yan'an Rectification Movement, 1930–1945. Chinese University of Hong Kong Press. ISBN 9789629968229.
7. Hou, Li (2021). Building for Oil: Daqing and the Formation of the Chinese Socialist State. Harvard-Yenching Institute monograph series. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Asia Center. ISBN 978-0-674-26022-1.
8. ^ MacFarquhar, Roderick. "Foreword" in Zhao Ziyang (2009). Prisoner of the State: The Secret Journal of Zhao Ziyang. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 1-4391-4938-0
9. "China marks 100th birth anniversary of former president Li Xiannian". GOV.cn. Government of the People's Republic of China. 24 June 2009. Archived from the original on 28 November 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
10. Anderson, Kurt (7 May 1984). "History Beckons Again". Time. Archived from the original on 18 January 2005. Retrieved 19 August 2011.
11. Wu Wei, Why China's Political Reforms Failed. The Diplomat, 4 June 2015.
12. Brandt, Loren; Rawski, Thomas G. (2008). China's Great Economic Transformation. Cambridge University Press. p. 102. ISBN 978-0-521-88557-7. In economic policy, the most important elders were Li Xiannian and Chen Yun.
13. 'I'll break your legs if you go into business': former president's career advice to children, SCMP, 17 March 2014
14. Prominent Chinese Families, chinavitae.com
15. Dunn, Sheryl Wu (23 June 1992). "Li Xiannian, China Ex-President And Rural Economist, Dies at 82". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
16. "Simple Memorial Service for Former President Li Xiannian". Associated Press News. 27 June 1992. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
17. 齐奥塞斯库总统盛宴欢迎李先念主席 宾主共赞中罗两党两国人民真挚友谊 齐奥塞斯库授予李先念“罗马尼亚社会主义共和国之星”一级勋章. People's Daily. 1984-08-29: 1.

Further reading

• Frankel, Benjamin. The Cold War 1945-1991. Vol. 2, Leaders and other important figures in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, China and the Third World (1992) pp 191–92.
• Yang, Yutong. "Li Xiannian." in China at War: An Encyclopedia (2012) p 225.

v t e 5th State Council of China
Hua Guofeng Cabinet (1978–1983)
Premier Hua Guofeng (resigned Sep. 1980) → Zhao Ziyang		Hua Guofeng Zhao Ziyang
Vice Premiers Before 4 May 1982 Deng Xiaoping (resigned Sep. 1980) Li Xiannian (resigned Sep. 1980) Xu Xiangqian (resigned Sep. 1980) Ji Dengkui (dismissed Apr. 1980) Yu Qiuli Chen Xilian (dismissed Apr. 1980) Geng Biao Chen Yonggui (dismissed Sep. 1980) Fang Yi Wang Zhen (resigned Sep. 1980) Gu Mu Kang Shi'en Chen Muhua♀ Wang Renzhong (added Dec. 1978, resigned Sep. 1980) Chen Yun (added Jul. 1979, resigned Sep. 1980) Bo Yibo (added Jul. 1979) Yao Yilin (added Jul. 1979) Ji Pengfei (added Sep. 1979) Zhao Ziyang (added Apr. 1980) Wan Li (added Apr. 1980) Yang Jingren (added Sep. 1980) Zhang Aiping (added Sep. 1980) Huang Hua (added Sep. 1980) After 4 May 1982 Wan Li Yao Yilin
State Councilors (since 4 May 1982) Yu Qiuli Geng Biao Fang Yi Gu Mu Kang Shi'en Chen Muhua♀ Bo Yibo Ji Pengfei Huang Hua Zhang Jinfu Zhang Aiping added Nov. 1982}
Secretary-General Ji Pengfei → Jin Ming → Du Xinyuan
Ministers     01 Foreign Affairs　　Huang Hua → Wu Xueqian 02 National Defense　　Xu Xianqian → Geng Biao → Zhang Aiping 03 State Planning Commission　　Yu Qiuli → Yao Yilin 04 State Economic Commission　　Kang Shi'en → Yuan Baohua → Zhang Jinfu 05 State Construction Commission　　Gu Mu → Han Guang 06 State Science and Technology Commission　　Fang Yi 07 Ethnic Affairs Commission　　Yang Jingren 08 Public Security　　Zhao Cangbi 09 Civil Affairs　　Cheng Zihua → Cui Naifu 10 Foreign Trade　　Li Qiang → Zheng Tuobin → Chen Muhua♀ 11 Foreign Economic Relations & Trade　　Chen Muhua♀ 12 Agriculture & Forestry　　Yang Ligong later split into 12-1 Agriculture　　Huo Shilian → Lin Hujia 12-2 Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Fisheries　　Lin Hujia 13 Metallurgical Industry　　Tang Ke → Li Dongye 14 1st Ministry of Machine Building　　Zhou Zijian → Rao Bin 15 Agricultural Machinery　　Yang Ligong later merged into 14, 15 Machine Building　　Zhou Jiannan 16 2nd Ministry of Machine Building→Nuclear Industry　　Liu Wei → Zhang Chen♀ 17 3rd Ministry of Machine Building→Aviation Industry　　Lü Dong → Mo Wenxiang → Zhang Jun 18 4th Ministry of Machine Building→Electronics Industry　　Wang Zheng → Qian Min → Zhang Ting 19 5th Ministry of Machine Building→Ordnance Industry　　Zhang Zhen → Yu Yi 20 6th Ministry of Machine Building　　Chai Shufan → An Zhiwen 21 7th Ministry of Machine Building　　Song Renqiong → Zheng Tianxiang 22 Coal Industry　　Xiao Han → Gao Yangwen 23 Petroleum Industry　　Song Zhenming → Kang Shi'en → Tang Ke 24 Chemical Industry　　Sun Jingwen → Qin Zhongda 25 Water Resources and Electric Power　　Qian Zhengying later split into 25-1 Electric Industry　　Liu Lanbo → Li Peng 25-2 Water Resources　　Qian Zhengying 26 Textile Industry　　Qian Zhiguang → Hao Jianxiu♀ → Wu Wenying 27 Light Industry　　Liang Lingguang → Song Jiwen → Yang Bo 28 Railways　　Duan Junyi → Guo Weicheng → Liu Jianzhang → Chen Puru 29 Transport　　Ye Fei → Zeng Sheng → Peng Deqing → Li Qing 30 Posts & Telecommunications　　Zhong Fuxiang → Wang Zigang → Wen Minsheng 31 Finance　　Zhang Jinfu → Wu Bo → Wang Bingqian 32 Culture　　Huang Zhen → Zhu Muzhi 33 Education　　Liu Xiyao → Jiang Nanxiang → He Dongchang 34 Health　　Jiang Yizhen → Qian Xinzhong → Cui Yueli 35 Commerce　　Yao Yilin → Wang Lei → Jin Ming → Wang Lei → Liu Yi 36 Forestry　　Luo Yuchuan → Yong Wentao → Yang Zhong 37 Building Material Industry　　Song Yangchu 38 Agricultural Reclamation　　Gao Yang 39 Food　　Chen Guodong → Zhao Xinchu 40 Eighth Ministry of Machine Building|8th Ministry of Machine Building　　Jiao Ruoyu 41 Justice　　Wei Wenbo → Liu Fuzhi 42 Geology and Mineral Resources　　Sun Daguang 43 Urban-Rural Construction & Environmental Protection　　Li Ximing 44 Labor and Personnel　　Zhao Shouyi 45 Radio, Film & Television　　Wu Lengxi
Directors     01 Federation of Supply & Marketing Cooperatives　　Chen Guodong → Niu Yinguan 02 State Physical Education & Sports Commission　　Wang Meng → Li Menghua 03 State Agriculture Commission　　Wang Renzhong → Wan Li 04 Financial and Economic Affairs Commission　　Chen Yun 05 Foreign Investment Regulation Commission　　Gu Mu 06 Import & Export Regulation Commission　　Gu Mu 07 Machine Building Commission　　Bo Yibo 08 National Energy Commission　　Yu Qiuli 09 Commission for Cultural Relations of Foreign Countries　　Huang Zhen 10 Population & Family Planning Commission　　Chen Muhua → Qian Xinzhong 10 Commission for Science, Technology & Industry for National Defense　　Chen Bin
Central Bank Governor Li Baohua → Lü Peijian
♀: female

v t e State representative of the People's Republic of China
President Vice President
Common Program (1949–1954)	CPG Chairman Mao Zedong
1954 Constitution (1954–1975)	Chairperson Mao Zedong Liu Shaoqi Song Qingling & Dong Biwu (co-acting) Dong Biwu (acting)
1975 & 1978 Constitutions (1975–1982)	NPCSC Chairperson Zhu De Song Qingling (acting) Ye Jianying
1982 Constitution (1982–present)	President Li Xiannian Yang Shangkun Jiang Zemin Hu Jintao Xi Jinping

• Vice premiers of the People's Republic of China
• 1909 births
• 1992 deaths
• Family of Li Xiannian
• Chinese Communist Party politicians from Hubei
• Politicians from Huanggang
• Presidents of the People's Republic of China
• People's Republic of China politicians from Hubei
• Governors of Hubei
• Ministers of finance of the People's Republic of China
• Chairpersons of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
• 20th-century Chinese politicians
• Members of the 12th Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
• Members of the 11th Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
• Members of the 10th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party
• Members of the 9th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party
• Members of the 8th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party
• Burials at Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery
• Spouses of Chinese politicians
• Recipients of the Order of the Star of the Romanian Socialist Republic
• 20th-century presidents in Asia