10 Facts About Ji Dengkui

Ji Dengkui was a Chinese political figure during the Cultural Revolution.

Ji Dengkui was a member of the 10th and 11th Politburos of the Communist Party and was a protege of Mao Zedong in Mao's later years.

Ji Dengkui served in a number of important government and military posts, including member of the Central Military Commission, Political Commissar of the Beijing Military Region, and Vice Premier of the State Council.

Ji Dengkui was born in Wuxiang County, Shanxi province on 17 March 1923.

Ji Dengkui served as the Party Secretary of Luoyang prefecture during the Great Leap Forward, and avoided implementing the catastrophic policies of other local leaders which caused extensive famine in Henan, especially in Xinyang prefecture.

Mao Zedong visited Henan more than ten times before the start of the Cultural Revolution, and summoned Ji Dengkui for reporting whenever he was in the province.

Ji Dengkui's release was announced after a visit to Henan from representatives of the central government, and was believed to be partly due to his relationship with Mao.

Ji Dengkui was appointed Political Commissar of the crucial Beijing Military Region.

Ji Dengkui was instrumental in taking over the influential newspaper Guangming Daily, which had been controlled by the Gang of Four.

Ji Dengkui died of an illness on 13 July 1988, at the age of 65.