The term 'HUA'S PREDECESSOR' is referring to the leader of the People's Republic of China before Hua Guofeng, which was Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong was a Chinese communist revolutionary who became the founding father of the People's Republic of China, which he governed as Chairman from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 1976. He led the Communist Party of China from 1935 until his death.