Father of the People´s Republic of China, Mao Zedong

cctv.com 12-31-2003 10:37

As founding father of the People's Republic of China, Mao Zedong is seen as a mysterious and legendary figure by Chinese people, and even some westerners. This week, the 110th anniversary of the birth of Chairman Mao is being marked nationwide. The event has seen tens of thousands of visitors swarming to Mao's hometown - Shaoshan, in Hunan province. How do Chinese people see him in this rapidly changing environment, and what changes have taken place in his hometown?

A hundred and ten years ago today, Mao Zedong was born. Various celebrations are being held nationwide to mark the occasion. Our film crew is heading to Mao's residence in Shaoshan. The taxi driver is a local, and a copper bust of Chairman Mao takes pride of place in his car. He told us why.

A taxi Driver said,"The reason is, I worship Chairman Mao. There is a saying in Hunan province that the statue of the Chairman keeps us safe. Safety is important to me. The statue not only keeps me safe but also expresses my belief in him. He became the leader of a nation through his own efforts and overthrew the old system. No ordinary person could do that."

As well as being the birthplace of Chairman Mao, Shaoshan is also famous for its natural beauty and scenery. Chairman Mao's former residence lies at the foot of the hills where he spent his childhood. Today, the place has become a major tourist attraction visited by hundreds of people daily.

A Canadian visitor said, "I've come back from Canada. Chairman Mao is a person I respect and love. I came here to visit his former residence. Though he made some mistakes during the Cultural Revolution, in my heart he will always be the red sun and founder of the PRC."

The Chairman Mao Museum is located 300 meters from his former residence. Volumes of pictures and written material illustrate the achievements made by Chairman Mao throughout his life. This has become one of most important reasons for visiting.

Another visitor, said, "Of course, I think he was marvelous. He was the founder of our country. I think his thoughts about serving the people are quite similar to the 'Three Represents'".

"I think Mao's thoughts have practical meaning in today's society. We should promote them again. In the past few years, people have become indifferent to these thoughts. I think we should promote them because they can improve the moral standards of Chinese people." another visitor said.

A visitor said, "First, we should admit he was a major figure. What's more, he was a person with abundant charisma. This is my understanding. His thoughts on seeking the truth from facts and freeing the country from corruption have had great effect."

This Museum was built in the 60's in a contemporary architectural style. To date, it has received 40 million tourists.

Xia Zuoxing, vice curator of Mao Zedong Museum, noted, "Ten years passed since the renovation in 1993. The Museum has lagged behind in terms of materials and exhibition technology. The new exhibition room was officially opened on October 1st 2003. Brand new measures are being used for designing and mapping. This has attracted large numbers of visitors."

The new exhibition room has been open for more than a month. Cutting edge technology is used for exhibitions, which has increased its competitiveness. More importantly, it has brought social and economic benefits to Shaoshan.

Di Shuidong Museum is another former residence where Mao lived in 1966. It has attracted 25 million visitors from home and abroad since it opened to the public in 1986.

Yu Mei, assistant manager of Shaoshan Hotel, said, "A million visitors have come here every year since 1986, and this figure has remained very stable. The reason is that people worship Chairman Mao, and respect his philosophy of hard work and serving the people."

As well as the former residence of Chairman Mao, visitors can also drop in on the Mao Jia restaurant. Its owner is a 21 year-old man named Pan Bo, and all his staff are family members. His mother is a cook, his father is in charge of management and his girlfriend is a waitress. His grandmother has a small shop opposite the restaurant, where souvenirs of Mao Zedong can be bought. When she has spare time, she lends a helping hand in the restaurant. Pan Bo's home has two stories. The rooms on the second floor have been booked out for Chairman Mao's birthday celebrations. Through a decade of hard work, Pan Bo has found prosperity, and owns a car.

Pan Bo, the owner of Mao Jia Restaurant, said, "As we celebrated the hundredth anniversary of Mao's birth in 1993, we moved here and built a house. At that time, my father sold souvenirs for a living. My restaurant mainly offers local dishes that Chairman Mao liked. We produce all the ingredients, such as vegetables, pork and chicken, ourselves. The customers all like the local dishes. Our living standards has improved, and we have bought a color TV, air conditioner and a car."

Pan Bo also told us that if there were no Chairman Mao, life in his small village wouldn't be anywhere near as good as it is today. The majority of villagers have gained economically from Mao Zedong's name.

In the past, there were no special counters selling souvenirs at the Chairman Mao Museums. But this changed with the establishment of Shaoshan Di Shui Dong Travel Products Company three months ago. It conducts research into and designs all kinds of souvenirs related to Chairman Mao, and has made great profits doing so.

Luo Yan, deputy GM of Shao Shan Di Shui Dong Travel Products Company, said, "Sales have reached 0.3 million RMB or some 37,500 US dollars since our establishment three months ago. About 2,200 US dollars in tax has been turned in. Our products meet people's demands, and also express feelings towards Chairman Mao. We believe that our company has a bright future."

The Hunan Shaoshan Management Bureau has a 40-year history, and is in charge of managing all the Chairman Mao museums in this area.

Hu Dechang, deputy bureau chief of Hunan Shaoshan Management Bureau, said, "Sales revenues from tourism in Shaoshan come to about 2.5 millions US dollars each year. Tourist numbers reach 1.8 million, and there are 6000 foreign visitors. That brings social and economic benefits to this area. Our bureau turns in 750,000 US dollars tax, which promotes the development of the local economy."

When we were in Shaoshan, A seminar was being held on development and management of museums. A hot topic at the seminar was how museums should be adapted to the local social and economic environment.

Wang Xinhua, curator of Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, said, "Museums about the revolution are a medium of promoting spiritual civilization and advanced culture. Therefore, the museums face both opportunities as well as challenges. Building a socialist economy and maintaining sustainable development is a great challenge we have to face."

Like Shaoshan, there are many places in China that use famous political figures and historical events to gain economic benefits. As the hometown of Chairman Mao, Shaoshan is a good example of how fame and economic benefits can be gained at the same time.

26th of this month marks the 110th anniversary of the birth of Chairman Mao, a legendary political figure in modern Chinese history. All kinds of celebration are being held to commemorate this occasion in Shaoshan, Chairman Mao's hometown. So what changes have taken place to this city and the local people?

Editor:Zhang Wenjie  Source:CCTV.com