Deng Xiaoping gifts Chinese Great Wall Cigar to Nepal in 1978
Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai's diplomatic engagements with Nepal included two significant visits, first in 1957 and again in 1960. Both visits involved transit stops in another country. Popular accounts on Chinese digital platforms often mention that one of Zhou's dying wishes was to experience the Himalayas from above on a flight to Nepal. This wish was posthumously honored on February 3, 1978, when Deng Xiaoping, during his official visit, fulfilled Zhou’s longing as he journeyed to Nepal.
During his historic visit to Nepal, Deng Xiaoping brought with him gifts that symbolized the cultural and botanical heritage of China. Among these gifts was the Great Wall Cigar, a distinguished brand from Sichuan province, known for its significant influence in the global cigar market. Sichuan Province, which shares proximity to Nepal, prides itself on this renowned brand. Additionally, Deng presented a rare and unique plant, the Metasequoia, to King Birendra of Nepal, further emphasizing the depth of the diplomatic gesture.
In 2018, to mark the 40th anniversary of the iconic gesture where Great Wall cigars were presented as a national gift to Nepal, Great Wall Cigar released a special commemorative edition titled "GL·Mountain Kingdom." This edition not only revisits the history of the national gift but also celebrates the enduring diplomatic ties between China and Nepal. The design incorporates the blue and gold hues of the Nepali flag, symbolizing peace and honor. It features intricate circular decorations that represent the friendship between the two nations, and is crafted by China's premier printing house, blending elements of history, culture, art, and collectible value.
Read our article on Deng Xiaoping: Visiting Nepal to fulfill Premier Zhou’s last wish
Figure: The Great Wall Cigar with names of eight peaks of Nepal.
In the specially crafted humidor box of the Great Wall Cigar's 40th-anniversary edition, eight torpedo cigars are meticulously arranged to resemble a mountain range, echoing the eight towering peaks in Nepal that soar above 8,000 meters. This arrangement is rich in symbolism, with the tallest cigar representing Mount Everest, which stands at 8,848 meters and marks the border between China and Nepal. This design choice reflects the deep historical significance attributed to mountains in observing the longstanding friendly relations between the two nations.
The Great Wall cigar, at that time, was bestowed with winning the “National Gift Award” hence, the box itself was specially designed for Nepal keeping in values of history, culture, and art into one packaging.
Gift giving and packaging are important elements of Chinese culture. Read our article on Nepali tea packaging in Chengdu for more.
Located in Shifang City, Sichuan, the Great Wall Cigar factory stands in the region dubbed the "Cigar Capital of China." The history of cigars in China stretches back 400 years, with the early 1800s marking a significant era when tobacco sales were monopolized to maximize profits and eliminate competition—this marked the inception of the first tobacco monopoly regulation in Chinese history.
Following the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, the Yichuan Industrial Co., Ltd. was transformed into the public Yichuan Tobacco Factory in Shifang County, Western Sichuan. The name "Great Wall Cigar" was bestowed by Marshal He Long in 1958. Notably, in 1972, during the diplomatic thaw between China and the United States, Great Wall cigars were selected as a national gift for the visiting U.S. President Nixon. This tradition continued, and in 1978, these cigars were again chosen as a national gift, this time for King Birendra of Nepal. Reinforcing its status as a symbol of Chinese diplomacy, in 2018, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially included Great Wall cigars in the catalog of gifts for diplomatic envoys during their international visits.
You can find some of the references used for this summary article:
http://sc.people.com.cn/n2/2023/1109/c379469-40634759.html
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/b_H8JQ3Ng5q1T6ErZ0qQLQ
https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1677432497137593477&wfr=spider&for=pc