Lesser-known and interesting facts about Mao Zedong:
Mao Zedong is well known as the Chinese Communist dictator that founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949. He is best known for unifying China and is accountable for the millions of lives lost during his reign.
On December 26th, 1893, Mao Zedong was born in Shaoshan, Hunan Province of China, to Mao Yichang, a prosperous farmer, and Wen Qimei, a Buddhist. Mao Zedong’s father was known to strike him and his siblings. At 14, he got married to an older teenage girl in a marriage he never consented to. In 1911 he entered the Revolutionary Army and the Nationalist Party. In 1921 he entered the Chinese Communist Party. His political ambitions began to develop, and in 1949 he became the founding father of the People’s Republic of China.
Interesting facts about Mao Zedong:
1) Background:
Ordinarily known as Chairman Mao, he was born on December 26th, 1983. The place of his birth is Hunan Province, China. His father was a prosperous farmer and landowner. Although his father was poor at first, he gained wealth through hard work.
2) Interest in Politics:
Early on, Mao was curious about politics, where he read a lot and expanded his political beliefs. He was strongly inspired by various historical personalities such as George Washington and Napoleon Bonaparte. Although he loved studying, he was made to quit school at 13 and assist his father with the family farm.
3) Early Marriage:
Mao Zedong’s father planned his wedding to a 17-year-old girl to unify the two families when he was 14 years old. Mao never accepted the marriage, and his wife Luo Yigu died in 1910.
4) Political Inclinations:
Mao Zedong was a supporter of the National Party Kuomintang initially, which Sun Yat-sen led.
5) Occupation:
In 1918 Mao Zedong became a certified teacher.
6) Shift in Careers:
With no luck in getting employed as a teacher, Mao Zedong shifted to Beijing and served as a librarian assistant at the university.
7) Political Entrance:
In 1921 Mao Zedong joined the Chinese Communist Party.
8) Joined alliance:
For a while, the National Party and the Communist Party worked together, and Mao Zedong arose in political positions within the Communist Party.
9) Change of Events:
When the National Party’s chief, the Chinese President Sun Yat-sen, passed away in 1925, the new leader did not support the Communist Party’s beliefs and tried to exterminate them.
10) War:
The Chinese Civil War started, and it remained until after World War II when Mao Zedong’s Communist forces beat the Kuomintang National Party.
11) The Beginning:
Mao Zedong established the People’s Republic of China in 1949, making him the supreme leader of China.
12) Brutal Leader:
Those who opposed Mao Zedong were killed. He was known to be a harsh leader.
13) Harsh Methods:
Mao Zedong established numerous labour camps in China, where millions were sent, and several died.
14) Great Leap Forward:
Mao Zedong declared a proposal in 1958 to industrialize China. He called it the Great Leap Forward, and rather than making China great, it recoiled.
15) Backfire:
Due to Mao Zedong’s industrialization strategy for China, about 40 million people starved to death. The famine ended Mao’s reputation, and he lost his absolute power.
16) Comeback:
In 1966 Mao Zedong came back with a proposal for Cultural Revolution. His Red Guard assisted him in taking over China once again.
17) Same Old Methods:
Similarly, The Cultural Revolution ended up in executions and labour camps for those who opposed Mao Zedong.
18) A Feminist?:
He was passionate about promoting gender equality and women’s rights. His infamous quote further verified this, ‘Women hold half the sky!’.
He operated on several constitutional reformations that would be more accommodating for women. This incorporated equal rights such as going to school, equal job opportunities and acquiring property.
19) His Passing:
Mao Zedong died from Parkinson’s disease on September 9th, 1976, at the age of 82. He had experienced a few heart attacks in the year leading up to his death as well.
20) His Married Life:
Mao Zedong married four times and had a whole of ten children.
Some give Mao Zedong credit for China’s development that remains even today, while others consider his time as a leader ended in stagnation.
21) A Legend to this Day:
Even to this day, Mao prevails a controversial personality. His sharp judgment and clever mind stimulated reshaping the socio-political compositions of a mighty nation, and he protested against prejudice and inequalities. However, he was also regarded as harsh, and his regime may have led to the deaths of about 75 million people.
