Peasants in one commune there secretly started parcelling out land, expecting death for it, but soon gained backing from a provincial leader and Deng ally, Wan Li.

ECONOMIST: China's reforms

Li's efforts to build up his businesses and connections in China accelerated after 1992, when Deng made his famous "imperial tour" of the South to kickstart the country's stalling market reforms.

CNN: Master of Guanxi

He found his 32-year-old bride, Wendy Deng, there, but he has not made a bean out of the company since he bought it from Richard Li, son of a rich Hong Kong businessman, Li Ka-shing, in 1993.

ECONOMIST: Rupert��s misses