Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=9/7/2001

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

NUMBER=5-50076

TITLE=CHINA-CHAIRMAN MAO

BYLINE=LETA HONG FINCHER

DATELINE=BEIJING

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO:. China is marking the 25th anniversary of the death of Mao

Zedong (Sep. 9), founder of the People's Republic of China. Although

Chairman Mao is being held by many as being responsible for the deaths of

millions of Chinese, through his disastrous political campaigns, many

Chinese still worship him. Beijing Correspondent Leta Hong Fincher

brings us this report about the cult of Mao in modern China.

TEXT:

///CROWD SOUNDS, UP AND UNDER///

It is a typical mid-morning outside Chairman Mao's mausoleum at Tiananmen

Square. Thousands of Chinese, from around the country, are lining up

to catch a glimpse of his embalmed body. Guards order the visitors

almost all of whom are from out of town to stay silent and not to jump

ahead in the line.

Inside the cavernous hall, a computerized ticker keeps track of how many

visitors have already filed through at 10 a-m: 8550 and counting.

Finally, the line curves around into a smaller chamber, where Chairman

Mao himself lies under a case of glass, draped in a red flag, his waxen

face lit up like a lurid orange light bulb. Visitors gaze at the body

for just a few seconds, and then it's over. The back exit of the

mausoleum is filled with Mao souvenirs, which visitors eagerly snatch

up.

///MAN ACTUALITY IN CHINESE, UP AND UNDER///

This young man visiting from the far northern Harbin Province says it

was a profound experience to see the founder of Communist China in

person. He says "Chairman Mao is still a great man and that, without him, China

would not be successful today."

The official Communist party verdict on Mao Zedong is that he made what

are called "gross mistakes," during the Cultural Revolution of the late

1960's to early 70's, but that his contributions to China far outweigh his

mistakes.

Much of the rest of the world views Mao as a tyrant, whose Great Leap

Forward and Cultural Revolution campaigns were responsible for millions

of deaths. Older, educated Chinese who suffered under his

rule cannot stand to be reminded of him.

///MAN ACTUALITY IN CHINESE, UP AND UNDER///

A-60-something year-old Beijinger, Mr. Zhao, waits impatiently at the back

of the Mao mausoleum for his 20-year-old nephew from Qingdao port to

come out. Mr. Zhao says, I saw Mao's body once, years ago, in the late

1970's, when our work unit made us come. But, he says once is enough.

He says Mao did many terrible things in his life.

Yet for countless Chinese today, Chairman Mao is still a romantic ideal,

a symbol of the days when everyone was equal and strove together against

impossible odds for the common good. Twenty-first Century China may be

more prosperous than decades ago, but also faces a huge and widening

income gap, rampant official corruption and massive social dislocation caused by economic reforms.

A 53-year-old former Red Guard, Mr. Xin, says he still worships Mao.

Twenty-five years after Mao's death, Mr. Xin is able to recite long passages from

Chairman Mao's famous quotations.

///XIN ACTUALITY IN CHINESE, UP AND UNDER///

"When I worked as a teenage train driver," Mr. Xin says with enthusiasm, "I

used to answer the phone by saying, 'Fight selfishness and struggle

against revisionism!'" The slogan is one of many used to denounce class

enemies during the Cultural Revolution.

///XIN ACTUALITY IN CHINESE, UP AND UNDER///

Mr. Xin says, "When Chairman Mao was in power, no one thought of himself. We were all equal." But now, he says, "people are selfish and corrupt because everyone wants to make money."

A 52-year-old antique seller Ms. An, also reveres Mao. Her favorite

songs are the Communist eulogies to him.

///AN ACTUALITY IN CHINESE, UP AND UNDER///

Ms. An says, "He is still the leader of our country. He sacrificed a lot for the

Chinese people." She says she remembers, as a child, seeing Chairman Mao speaking from a podium on Tiananmen Square. She says she was quite excited.

Her voice lowered to a whisper, Ms. An says, "Today's leaders don't even

come close to Mao." She says, "If he were still alive, there wouldn't be all this

corruption."

Then Ms. An hears another favorite song on her tape recorder and jumps

up to turn it louder.

///FADE IN MAO SONG IN CHINESE, AND HOLD UNDER///

Almost every Chinese today still knows these lyrics by heart:

"Our beloved leader, Chairman Mao.

You are the red sun in our hearts.

May you live on and on forever."

///FADE OUT SONG///

(signed)

NEB/LHF/WD