He entered the workforce in August 1976, and joined the Chinese Communist Party in December 1981.
[citation needed] In April 1993 he was promoted to become deputy party chief of Lingshi County, a position he held until March 2000.
He was deputy secretary-general of Shanxi Provincial Government in February 2004, and held that office until June 2006.
Geng earned his name from his campaign to demolish much of the city center, relocating 40,000 of its 140,000 households, before rebuilding it in an ancient style, with a view to attracting tourists.
[4] It addresses issues including urbanization, hukou, and local government debt.