Update | 'I'll break your legs if you go into business': former president's career advice to children
Li Xiannian was clear he wanted his offspring to avoid becoming officials, rich or famous, his daughter tells newspaper
Former president Li Xiannian warned his children he would break their legs if they went into business, according to a mainland news report.
Li’s daughter, Li Xiaolin, said her father was a strict parent who wanted his children to have normal jobs and not become officials, rich or famous, the Changjiang Daily reported.
The sons and daughters of senior officials, nicknamed princelings, often take advantage of their connections to further their careers.
“I’ll break your legs if any of you want to do business,” Li once told his children over the dinner table, the report said.
Li Xiaolin said apart from business, he did not mind what they did as long as they did it well.
“This was our family’s style,” she said.
Li was president between 1983 and 1988 and served in the PLA in the 1930s.