This week 20 years ago, the then 88-year-old Deng Xiaoping arrived in Guangzhou on his special train and began what later became known as his famous southern tour.
The trip revived stalled economic reforms and put China on track to become the world's second-biggest economy today.
Apart from a few articles in Guangdong's pro-reform media in the past few days, there are few signs that the national leadership or media plan to hold high-profile events to mark the epoch-making tour. It's in marked contrast to their usual practice of staging elaborate ceremonies to mark anniversaries of political and economic milestones.
More's the pity. Deng's tour is not only of historical significance but also has huge practical implications, because China's development is at a critical point and concerns are growing that without truly meaningful political and economic reforms, the country's economic rise might not be sustained.
While changes in the mainland's leadership are scheduled to take place in October, expectations are already mounting on the new leadership - set to be headed by Vice-President Xi Jinping and Vice-Premier Li Keqiang - for them to muster their political courage and push for breakthroughs in both economic and political reforms.
In a sign of growing frustration over a lack of progress on these issues, the pro-reform China Youth Daily carried an article last week chiding the present leadership for preferring to 'feel the stones' and being unwilling to take the steps to 'cross the river'. It was a reference to one of Deng's most famous sayings, in which he compared the initial stages of reform to feeling the stones in order to cross the river.