Although civilians were banned from the puff of pleasure, China's top leaders in the older generation took up the practice with gusto. Mao Zedong was often pictured with a cigarette in his hand, as in this 1957 shot of him meeting deputies from the Third National Congress of Chinese Communist Youth League, who appear to be vying to offer him a light.

The chairman and his cigarette lighting fans, 1957. [Photo/xinhuanet.com.cn]