The term FOLLOWER OF MAO refers to the people who followed the teachings of Mao Zedong, the founder of the People's Republic of China. The crossword solutions IST (3 letters), HUA (3 letters), TSE (3 letters) and DENG (4 letters) refer to four of the most prominent followers of Mao: Zhou Enlai (IST), Hua Guofeng (HUA), DENG Xiaoping (DENG) and Mao's successor, Chairman Hua (TSE). All four of these individuals were instrumental in the development of the Chinese Communist Party and the implementation of Mao's policies.