Yang Shangkun

Yang Shangkun's career was marked by his rise to the highest echelons of Chinese Communist power. He was one of the few figures to serve under both Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, and his survival through the Cultural Revolution and subsequent comeback is a testament to his political acumen. He was a key architect of the reform and opening up policies, though he remained a hardliner on political control.His most significant achievement was perhaps his role in the Long March and his later position as President of China, a role that placed him at the center of the nation's leadership during a period of profound change. His legacy is complex, but his impact on Chinese history is undeniable.