Mao's chosen successor, who led the Party after Mao's death in 1976 and oversaw the arrest of the 四人帮 (Gang of Four). His policy of upholding whatever Mao had decided, 两个凡是, lost out to 邓小平, who eased him out by 1981.
During Hua Guofeng's tenure, the Gang of Four was crushed.
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He renamed himself in 1938 as an anti-Japanese guerrilla, taking 华, 国 and 锋 from 'Chinese (中华) National Salvation (救国) Vanguard (先锋)'. His claim to lead rested on six characters Mao wrote him in 1976: 你办事，我放心, 'with you in charge, I'm at ease'.
