Asia Pacific
Interesting and unusual details have emerged about the private life of 73-year-old Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is regarded as one of the most successful leaders of the modern era.
Interesting and unusual details have emerged about the private life of 73-year-old Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is regarded as one of the most successful leaders of the modern era. According to Chinese media reports, behind the global achievements of the powerful leader of a country with a population of 1.4 billion lies a story of a difficult life. He spent seven years of his youth in a humble cave dwelling, a period known in China’s political history as the “seven-year struggle of Liangjiahe.”
In 1969, when his father fell victim to political persecution, 15-year-old Xi Jinping was taken away from the comforts of Beijing and sent to the extremely impoverished village of Liangjiahe in Shaanxi Province. There, he spent seven years living in a traditional earthen cave dwelling known as a yaodong, alongside other young people sent from Beijing and local farmers. He slept on the ground, worked hard in the fields and tended livestock. The hardships of cave life helped Xi develop resilience and administrative skills. In 1974, after being rejected several times, he was finally admitted to the Communist Party. Impressed by his hard work and leadership, the village farmers appointed him secretary of the local Party branch. In that role, he helped establish the village’s first methane gas plant and improve agricultural production.
In recognition of his performance, he was selected in 1975 to study chemical engineering at Beijing’s prestigious Tsinghua University. Over the following four decades, he made a demanding journey through the political ranks, serving in positions ranging from county-level Party secretary and provincial governor to vice president. Xi Jinping’s rise to power was the result of a long struggle, administrative performance and strict discipline within the Communist Party. Throughout this period, he established a reputation for a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and a focus on local industrial development. In 2007, following a major financial scandal in Shanghai, one of the Party’s most important centres, the need to restore integrity became a priority. The Party elite reportedly agreed on Xi Jinping, citing his unblemished record.
In the same year, he became a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and vice president. He was subsequently appointed general secretary of the Communist Party in November 2012 and formally elected president of China in March 2013. According to the report, one of the greatest historical achievements of his presidency has been lifting more than 800 million people out of extreme poverty and transforming China into a moderately prosperous society by 2021. Through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), he expanded China’s influence over global infrastructure. Under the Made in China 2025 program, he also sought to make the country a global leader in artificial intelligence, 5G technology, electric vehicles and space exploration, while launching a major anti-corruption campaign.
He also oversaw an increase in China’s GDP from approximately $8.5 trillion to a massive $15.94 trillion. One of the most interesting aspects of President Xi Jinping’s personality is his strong interest in literature and philosophy. During his stay in the cave, he reportedly read works by world-renowned writers such as William Shakespeare, Leo Tolstoy and Victor Hugo by the dim light of an oil lamp. He would even walk 30 kilometers simply to obtain books. Although the world views him as a hard-line communist leader, he often refers to ancient Chinese philosophy and world literature in conversations with international diplomats. He is said to believe in the principle of winning a war without taking up arms.
Meanwhile, President Xi Jinping resides in the historic yet modernised Zhongnanhai compound in Beijing, which serves as the central headquarters of the Chinese government. His residence, vehicles and aircraft are equipped with some of the world’s most advanced security and communications systems. However, reportedly retaining habits from his rural years, he prefers a simple cotton bed and traditional firm mattresses in his bedroom. According to Beijing’s medical directorate, the secret behind the Chinese president’s health lies in a strict and balanced diet. His daily meals reportedly include organic vegetables, rice, whole grains, fish and chicken. He strictly avoids fatty foods, processed products and excessive sugar.
He is particularly fond of traditional simple noodles, steamed buns and vegetable soup from his ancestral province of Shaanxi. He also regularly makes time for swimming, walking and hiking early in the morning or in the evening. During his youth, he received basic training in traditional Chinese martial arts, including Tai Chi and Kung Fu. It is worth noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping was born on June 15, 1953, in Beijing. He belongs to China’s revolutionary elite. His father, Xi Zhongxun, was a Chinese deputy premier and a prominent leader of the Communist Revolution. His ancestors came from Henan Province. In 1987, Xi Jinping married Peng Liyuan, a famous Chinese folk singer. They have one daughter, Xi Mingze, who studied at Harvard University and maintains a private life away from the public eye.
