Thousands pay respect on Mao's birthday
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Xinhua, December 27, 2011
Tens of thousands of Chinese flocked to the Hunan village of Shaoshan and to Beijing's Tian'anmen Square, two major shrines for Mao Zedong, as well as other public venues yesterday, burning incense, eating noodles and singing "red songs" to mark the late leader's 118th birthday.
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Thousands honor Mao Zedong on birthday on December 26.[File photo] |
Normally, the mausoleum of Mao on Tian'anmen Square in Beijing is closed on Mondays for maintenance, but yesterday it was open to tens of thousands who swarmed to the mausoleum to pay their respects.
In front of the mausoleum's south gate, about 20 people, who wore red-star caps and pinned Mao badges, faced the shrine and sang "The East Is Red," which extols the deeds of Chairman Mao and was a well-known anthem for every city and village's public address system during Mao's reign for nearly 30 years.
After bowing three times, the group punched their fists in the air while hailing "Long Live Chairman Mao."
"Chairman Mao is our great savior. Chairman Mao genuinely loved the underprivileged and hard-working people," said a tearful Nie Yeping, 57, from the southwestern city of Chongqing.
The fervent Mao devotees were only a tiny proportion of those who paid tribute to Mao on the day. In the memorial hall, dozens of bouquets were placed under the statue of Mao. The flowers came from across the country, according to the hall administrators.
Jia Cun, a 24-year-old employee with a major insurance company, said he specifically asked for the day off to visit the mausoleum.
"My gratitude to Chairman Mao propelled me to visit the mausoleum and express my reverence," Jia said.
Memorial activities were also held in a farmhouse in Shaoshan, a small hamlet nestled in the pine-dotted hillside of Hunan Province, where Mao was born. Yesterday saw twice the normal number of visitors to Shaoshan, and they were offered free bowls of noodles by the hotels and inns, as eating noodles is a ritual to wish for longevity.
"The tribute to the late leader reminds me of his revolutionary moxie, and it also inspires us to forge ahead in the spirit of solidarity," said a visitor surnamed Wang, who then joined more than 10,000 people to sing "The East is Red" before a huge bronze statue of Mao.
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