He survived Mao’s worst disasters… and secretly saved millions.

Then he invited Richard Nixon to China and changed the world.

This is **Zhou Enlai** — China’s quiet premier for 27 years.

From famine to Cultural Revolution to ping-pong diplomacy, this *History Ignited* episode tells the complicated true story behind Billy Joel’s lyric.

**Timestamps:**

0:00 – Intro

1:20 – Who Was Zhou Enlai?

3:10 – Great Leap Forward Disaster

5:40 – Protecting Lives in the Cultural Revolution

8:15 – Ping-Pong Diplomacy & Nixon’s Visit

11:30 – Legacy & Why China Still Mourns Him

13:40 – Tea-riffic Joke!

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The Man Who Saved Millions & Welcomed Nixon | History Ignited