Death and state funeral of Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong[lower-alpha 1] (/ˈmaʊ (d)zəˈdʊŋ/;[1] December 26, 1893 – September 9, 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who became the founding father of the People's Republic of China (PRC), which he ruled as the Chairman of the Communist Party of China from its establishment in 1949 until his death on September 9, 1976, at the age of 82.

Death and funeral of Mao Zedong
Date9–18 September 1976
LocationBeijing, China
ParticipantsHua Guofeng, party and state leaders, members of the Communist Party of China, Chinese military and civilians

Death

Mao's last public appearance—and the last known photograph of him alive—was on May 27, 1976, when he met the visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto during the latter's one-day visit to Beijing.[2] At around 5:00 pm on 2 September 1976, Mao suffered a heart attack, far more severe than his previous two and affecting a much larger area of his heart. Three days later, on 5 September another heart attack rendered him an invalid. On the afternoon of 7 September, Mao's condition completely deteriorated. Mao's organs failed quickly and he fell into a coma shortly before noon where he was put on life support machines.

Mao Zedong died just after midnight, at 00:10, on September 9, 1976, at age 82. The Communist Party of China delayed the announcement of his death until 16:00 later that day, when a radio message broadcast across the nation announced the news of Mao's passing while appealing for party unity.[3]

Reactions

 Australia – Governor-General John Kerr said "I know that every member of the Chinese nation today is like a family who lost one of the most respected parents," Prime Minister John Malcolm Fraser said "With his guidance and encouragement, China has regained its national dignity and international prestige."[4]

 France – President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing said, "He (Mao) has freed China from the humiliation of the past and restored China's central position given to her by history. France will not forget that it was Chairman Mao Zedong and General De Gaulle who deeply admired him that led to the mutual development of our two countries. Close." On September 11, a citizen of Paris held a rally to mourn the death of Mao Zedong.[5]

 India – Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said, "The Government and people of India join me in sending you our sincere condolences on the death of Chairman Mao Tse-tung. He was an eminent statesman who led the resurgence and progress of the Chinese people."[6]

 Japan – Prime Minister Takeo Miki and others went to the Chinese Embassy to personally mourn and issued a statement saying that "Now, when Japan-China relations are developing, they have lost this great leader and sincerely feel sorry", and Xinhua News Agency is also official in Japan. After releasing great goodwill, he reiterated Beijing's support for Japan's claim to recover the four northern islands occupied by the Soviet Union.

 North Korea – On September 9, 1976, Kim Il-sung sent a telegram of condolence to the CPC which said "During the liberation of the motherland and the fierce struggle of the Korean people against the US imperialist armed aggressors, Comrade Mao Zedong smashed all obstacles of the domestic and foreign enemies, set off a campaign against the United States and aided the DPRK, and used blood to aid the just struggle of our people."[7] The North Korean government also designated September 10–18 as a national mourning period, with a half-flag mourning and a large-scale mourning event.[7]

 Pakistan – On September 9, President Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry issued a statement: "As the father of the Chinese revolution that has changed the lives of a quarter of the human race, Chairman Mao is one of the most outstanding leaders of all time. As a politician and thinker, he He has left an indelible mark on the annals of mankind. His death is not only a huge loss to the Chinese people but also to the people of all countries in the world." Pakistani Prime Minister Bhutto said, "Chairman Mao Zedong has always been concerned about the happiness and progress of Pakistan. This makes him live forever in our hearts. The Pakistani people mourn the death of this great man together with the brotherly Chinese people."[8]

 Republic of China – The National Assembly of the Republic of China issued a statement on September 10, calling on the mainland compatriots to strengthen the anti-communist struggle against tyranny as soon as the Mao Zedong and the party's internal power struggles intensified, and to destroy the anti-humanity and anti-human rights falsification regime at an early date. Li Yuzhen, chairman of the Republic of China Sports Association, and forty-five individual sports associations have called on mainland athletes to seize the opportunity to visit and compete abroad and to go to freedom.[9]

 Romania – President Nicolae Ceaușescu said in a telegram, "Mao Zedong was a close friend of the Romanian people. He has worked hard to develop the relationship between our two parties, the two countries and the two peoples, to benefit the people of both countries and to the cause of socialism and peace."[10]

 Soviet Union – Due to the strained Sino-Soviet relations, the Soviet Union only briefly mentioned the death of Mao Zedong in the corner of the official newspaper, and criticized Maoism on Tass.[11]

 United Kingdom – Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister James Callaghan said "His (Mao) influence far exceeds China's borders, and he will undoubtedly be remembered as a world-famous great politician."[12]

 United States – President Gerald Ford first sent a message to Beijing which said "When I visited Beijing in December 1975, I had the privilege of meeting Chairman Mao. Our conversation has promoted the development of US-China relations along the lines envisioned by our two countries. Please let me declare now as I did then, that the United States is determined to complete the normalization of our relationship on the basis of the Shanghai Communiqué. This will be an appropriate channel to praise his vision and will benefit the people of both countries."[13] In addition, he made the following remarks: "The People's Republic of China announced today the passing away of Chairman Mao Tse-Tung. Chairman Mao was a giant figure in modern Chinese History. He was a leader whose actions profoundly affected the development of his country. His influence on history will extend far beyond the borders of China. Americans will remember that it was under Chairman Mao that China moved together with the United States to end a generation of hostility and to launch a new and more positive era in relations between our two countries. I am confident that the trend of improved relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States, which Chairman Mao helped create, will continue to contribute to world peace and stability. On behalf of the United States government and the American people I offer condolences to the government and people of the People's Republic of China."[14]

 Vietnam – The Communist Party of Vietnam issued a statement saying "The Vietnamese people will always remember the respectful speech that Chairman Mao said that "the 700 million Chinese people have the strong backing of the Vietnamese people and the vast Chinese territory is the reliable rear of the Vietnamese people." We Vietnamese people are extremely grateful to Mao Zedong. The President, the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese government and the fraternal Chinese people have given us tremendous and valuable support and assistance to the revolutionary cause."[15]

 Yugoslavia – President Josip Broz Tito commented: "The death of Chairman Mao Zedong has caused the Chinese people to lose their most outstanding leader. Without him, modern China would be unimaginable."[16]

Members of the funeral committee
  1. Hua Guofeng (member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, First Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee, Premier of the State Council, Minister of Public Security)
  2. Wang Hongwen (Chairman of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee)
  3. Ye Jianying (Chairman of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Secretary General of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense)
  4. Zhang Chunqiao (President of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Premier of the State Council, Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission, Director of the General Political Department of the PLA)

Wei Guoqing, Liu Bocheng, Jiang Qing, Xu Shiyou, Ji Dengkui, Wu De, Wang Dongxing, Chen Yonggui, Chen Xilian, Li Xiannian, Li Desheng, Yao Wenyuan, Wu Guixian, Su Zhenhua, Ni Zhifu, Saifuddin Azizi , Soong Ching Ling, Guo Moruo, Xu Xiangqian, Nie Rongzhen, Chen Yun, Tan Zhenlin, Li Jingquan, Zhang Dingzhen, Cai Chang, Ulanhu, Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme, Zhou Jianren, Xu Dezhen, Hu Yuwen, Li Suwen, Yao Lianwei, Wang Zhen, Yu Qiuli, Gu Mu, Sun Jian, Su Yu, Shen Yanbing, Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai and Jiang Hua.

Funeral and memorial service

Mao's embalmed, CPC-flag-draped body lay in state at the Great Hall of the People for one week.[17] During this period, one million people (none of them foreign diplomats,[17] and many crying openly or displaying some kind of sadness)[18] filed past Mao to pay their final respects. Chairman Mao's official portrait was hung on the wall, with a banner reading: "Carry on the cause left by Chairman Mao and carry on the cause of proletarian revolution to the end", until September 17.[17] On September 17, Chairman Mao's body was taken in a minibus from the Great Hall of the people to Maojiawan to the 305 Hospital that Liu Zhisui directed, and Mao's internal organs were preserved in formaldehyde.[17]

Notes
  1. In this Chinese name, the family name is Mao.

References
  1. "Mao Zedong". Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.
  2. Chang & Halliday 2005
  3. "Mao Tse-Tung Dies In Peking At 82; Leader Of Red China Revolution; Choice Of Successor Is Uncertain". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2010. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  4. "澳大利亚总理弗雷泽的唁电". 人民日報. 1976-09-12.
  5. "法国总统德斯坦的唁电". 人民日報. 1976-09-12.
  6. "Death of Chairman Mao Tse-tung, P.M.'s Condolence Message" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 September 1976. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  7. 金日成 (1976-09-11). "金日成同志的唁电". 人民日報.
  8. "巴基斯坦總統、總理發來的唁電". 人民日報. 1976-09-11.
  9. "國代呼籲大陸同胞 及時奮起摧毀暴政". 聯合報. 1976-09-11.
  10. 齊奧塞斯庫 (1976-09-11). "齐奥塞斯库同志的唁电". 人民日報.
  11. "共匪拒收 俄共唁電". 聯合報. 1976-09-15.
  12. 詹姆斯·卡拉汉 (1976-09-12). "英国首相卡拉汉的唁电". 人民日報.
  13. "美国总统福特的唁电". 人民日報. 1976-09-14.
  14. "Remarks on the Death of Chairman Mao Tse Tung" (PDF). 1976-09-09. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  15. "越南劳动党中央、国会常务委员会和政府会议的唁电". 人民日報. 1976-09-12.
  16. 约瑟普·布罗兹·铁托 (1976-09-11). "南斯拉夫总统铁托的唁电". 人民日報.
  17. Christine Quigley (1998). Modern Mummies: The Preservation of the Human Body in the Twentieth Century (illustrated, reprint ed.). McFarland. pp. 40–42. ISBN 978-0-7864-2851-9. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  18. S. L. James. "China: Communist History Through Film". Internet Archive. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
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