Ever since Edgar Snow's report 50 years ago, it has been well-known that Mao Zedong's rebellious life started first with his defiance of his father. Mao senior wanted his son to work in the fields, while Mao junior wanted to read books; his father wanted him to stay at home pursuing a practical job, while he wanted to leave home for a better education and a more interesting career. The case of Deng Xiaoping seems just the opposite.
