Xishan Society
The Xishan Society () was an association consisting of prominent politicians from Shanxi province in China. The group was formed sometime around 2007, and was described as a "loose alliance" between officials and businesspeople, and allegedly operated somewhat like a secret society. The society is discussed at length in "Datieji" ("Fighting Iron"), a book by journalist Luo Changping about the investigation into former economic official Liu Tienan. The group was said to have consisted of full and alternate members of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party who had roots or were otherwise associated with Shanxi province, and  select wealthy businesspeople. They were said to have met once every three months in the Western Hills of Beijing (hence "Xishan"). The name "Xishan" is also the characters of "Shanxi" in reverse order. Members are taken to the site of the meetings by luxury vehicles, and must surrender their mobile phones. Secretaries and romantic partners were not allowed at the meeting sites. As the organization did not have a formal charter nor any known written records, there have been suggestions that the reports about the group have been exaggerated, or that it is a fairly routine gathering of friends with  similar interests. Nevertheless, "Datieji" asserted that membership in the society was a sure "ticket to high office," and alleged that Liu Tienan had used the network to gain his promotions. Suggested members. The following people have been named in Chinese-language media reports but not independently verified.