 Hu joined the Chinese Communist Party in the 1930s, and rose to prominence as a comrade of Deng Xiaoping.During the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), Hu was purged, recalled, and purged again by Mao Zedong.After Deng rose to power, following the death of Mao Zedong, Hu was promoted to a series of high political positions and played an important role in the "Boluan Fanzheng" program.