Beijing, China: Central Party Literature Publishing House, {1988) dj. SIGNED hardcover first edition - The English language edition of a massive pictorial biography of the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, revolutionary, and political theorist who served as the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China (after the death of Mao Zedong) from 1978 to 1989, and who is considered the architect of modern China (wiki). Although he instituted many reforms,he was also responsible for the one child movement and in 1989, the year after this book was published, he ordered the military crackdown on the Tiananmen Square protests. Illustrated with over 500 photos, in both black and white and full color. The postscript notes that this is the first such work for both Chinese and English readers and that it took 18 months to compile. It goes on to note that it has "some invaluable historical shots of Deng Xiaoping from the archives of the state and the Army, from the collections of Deng's comrades-in-arms and his relatives and from historical documentaries. For instance, the earliest photo in this book was taken 66 years ago in March 1921 in France. The photo of the site of the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party in Shanghai, where Deng once worked in the days of the White terror has been retained to this day because a staff member who left there for Yan'an hid it in his cotton-padded coat and passed safely through the enemy-occupied lands." Includes a "Certificate of Authenticity" tipped onto the last blank page at the rear of the book, indicating it is #09411 in a limited edition of 10,000. In addition, this is an interesting association copy INSCRIBED on the title page by his daughter, the artist Deng Lin and dated in October 1988, a date which co-incides with a solo exhibition of her work at the Hefner Gallery in New York. Laid in is a fine copy of scarce 32 page illustrated catalogue for that exhibition entitled "Brushworks." Bound in the original silver cloth, lettered in gilt in a silver dustjacket with a photograph of Deng Xiaoping on the front cover. 301 pp.