Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China

by Ezra F. Vogel

Immediately after the memorial ceremony, the official period of mourning was declared over. Although the bare facts of the memorial service and of Deng's eulogy were printed in the newspapers, in contrast to the usual practice when dealing with the death of a revolutionary hero, virtually nothing about Zhou's career made it into print nor was there an official estimate of the crowds that had paid homage in Tiananmen Square or along the funeral procession. Many people were upset about this glossing over of Zhou's death, not only because it failed to provide a fitting commemoration to someone they admired, but also because of what it signified—that Zhou's and Deng's enemies were in a strong political position and would pursue policies quite different from Zhou's.15 After the memorial service, Zhou's widow, Deng Yingchao, was granted her request to accompany the ashes to the airport. There workmen carried the ashes onto a plane, to be dispersed in the skies over the Chinese land to which Zhou had dedicated his life.16