Before revision: During the drafting of the 1988 system, one proposal was to grant the CMC chairman the rank of first-class general (一級上將) ; Deng Xiaoping − then CMC chairman − rejected the proposal.
After revision: During the drafting of the 1988 system, one proposal was to grant the CMC chairman the rank of marshal ; Deng Xiaoping − then CMC chairman − rejected the proposal.