Never fail mother's expectation

What makes Xi stand out may lie in his experience of living and working as an "educated youth" -- urban youth sent to remote rural areas to "learn from farmers" during "cultural revolution" (1966-76). He stayed in Liangjiahe, a small village in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, from 1969 to 1975, according to Xinhua.

During those days, one thing that accompanied Xi in place of his mother was a bag embroidered with "mom's heart" in Chinese made by her.

"At that time, I did all kinds of work -- reclaiming wasteland, farming, hoeing, herding, hauling coal, mounding, and carrying manure," Xi said. "I came to understand what reality, seeking truth and the masses meant. These gave me an enduring inspiration in my life."