Deng Xiaoping (邓小平, 1904-1997) was born as Deng Xiansheng into a landlord family in Guang’an District, Sichuan province. At the age of 15, Deng was sent by his father to a preparatory school in Chongqing. A year later, Deng left for France, where he participated in the work-study program for Chinese students. In 1922, Deng joined the China Socialist Youth League. Among his associates was Zhou Enlai. When the Communist Party called its members home in 1926, Deng stopped in Moscow for a few months of extra study.
In 1927, he changed his name to Xiaoping, meaning "small peace". After returning to China, he played a role in organizing the Red Army, the predecessor of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). During the Long March, Deng was Secretary-General of the Central Committee. While acting as the political commissar of the Eight Route Army commanded by Liu Bocheng, he masterminded a number of important military campaigns during the war against Japan and during the Civil War against the Guomindang.
In 1928, Deng married his first wife Zhang Xihuan, who died two years later. After the Long March, in Yan’an, Deng met and married Pu Chiungying, who changed her name to Zhuo Lin. They had three daughters and two sons.
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Deng held a number of important military and civilian posts: Member of the General Staff of the PLA; Member of the Central Committee; Member of the Politburo; Secretary-General of the CCP; Vice-Premier of the State Council. However, Deng and Mao Zedong clashed when the Great Leap Forward (1957-1958) failed.
