Communist Youth League of China
Deng studied physics at Peking University from 1964 to 1970. During university, she was secretary of the branch Communist Youth League of China. In Spring 1968, Nie Yuanzi directed Red Guards to detain Deng and her elder brother Deng Pufang. They were imprisoned in separate rooms of the physics department in an attempt to force self-criticisms from each. Deng was released relatively soon, whereas her brother was held and tortured for four months.