Late Chairman Mao Zedong's former chief guard, Li Yinqiao, died on Tuesday in Beijing at the age of 82.

Li, from Anping County of northern China's Hebei Province, served Mao between August 1947 and April 1962 and then moved to Tianjin Municipality to serve as Tianjin's vice public security director. He was introduced by Mao to Han Guixin, who once took care of Mao's children, and married Han in 1948.

Li and Han co-authored a bestselling book, "Mao Zedong and his Chief Guard."

Li returned to Beijing in 1979 and acted as vice director of the administration of the Great Hall of People before working for the Ministry of Public Security three years later.

Li died of stroke and lung-infection complications and had been bedridden for years.

(Shanghai Daily September 24, 2009)