▁D eng , ▁however , ▁was ▁conserv ative ▁with ▁regard ▁to ▁wide - r anging ▁political ▁reform , ▁and ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁combination ▁of ▁un for ese en ▁problems ▁that ▁resulted ▁from ▁the ▁economic ▁reform ▁policies , ▁the ▁country ▁under w ent ▁another ▁political ▁crisis ▁with ▁the ▁T ian an men ▁Square ▁protest s ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁Power ▁strugg les ▁after ▁Ma o ' s ▁death ▁ ▁H ua ▁Gu of eng ▁and ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁D eng ▁X ia op ing ▁( 1 9 7 6 – 1 9 7 8 ) ▁Ma o ▁Z ed ong , ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁of ▁China , ▁died ▁on ▁September ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁death , ▁China ▁was ▁in ▁a ▁political ▁and ▁economic ▁qu ag m ire . ▁The ▁Great ▁Pro let arian ▁Cultural ▁Revolution ▁and ▁subsequent ▁fa ction al ▁fighting ▁had ▁left ▁the ▁country ▁much ▁poor er , ▁we aker , ▁and ▁isolated ▁than ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁Sc ores ▁of ▁capable ▁party ▁officials , ▁b ureau cr ats , ▁intellect uals , ▁and ▁profession als ▁were ▁l angu ishing ▁in ▁prison ▁or ▁labor ing ▁in ▁fact ories , ▁mines , ▁and ▁fields . ▁School s ▁for ▁special ▁education ▁started ▁to ▁open ▁ ▁Chinese ▁people ▁m ourn ed ▁him , ▁but ▁not ▁in ▁the ▁more ▁emot ional ▁way ▁they ▁had ▁m ourn ed ▁the ▁late ▁Premier ▁Z hou ▁En