True story. Deng Xiaoping was a popular leader during the post-Mao era due to the success of his economic liberalization program. However, in the days preceding the Tiananmen Square massacre, it was also becoming clear to many students that Mr. Deng was favoring the use of force to stop the occupation of the square. Some students showed their disapproval of Mr. Deng by hanging a small bottle from their belts. This was a pun on Mr. Deng's given name. Xiaoping [小平], which means Little Peace, has the same pronunciation as Xiaoping [小瓶], which means Little Bottle. Hence by hanging a little bottle from their belts they were hanging him in effigy.
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