Is Zhao Ziyang A-List?
NoD
No — Zhao Ziyang is currently ranked D tier — a minor public figure with limited fame outside a small audience.
Reached A-list in 1987
CCP General Secretary
Lost A-list status in 1989
Dropped to F tier — Tiananmen Square Ousted
Ranking Timeline
1950F$0M
Early Career in CCP
Early involvement in Communist Party. Very little wealth.
1980B▲▲▲$0M
Premier of China
Ascends to Premier, leads reforms. Peak of power.
1987A▲$0M
CCP General Secretary
Appointed General Secretary. Immense power in China.
1989F▼▼▼▼$0M
Tiananmen Square Ousted
Removed from power after Tiananmen Square protests. Loss of status.
2005F$0M
Death Under House Arrest
Dies under house arrest. Tragic fate.
2026D▲$0M
Legacy as Reformer
Remembered as a reformer sympathetic to students. Fading relevance.
Last updated: February 25, 2026