Then run, do not walk, to read this book review. Money quote (nothing new, but so well stated):
But as Deng pragmatically observed, discrediting Mao “would mean discrediting our Party and state.” And so, in the end, Mao’s legacy as grand progenitor of the Chinese Communist Revolution was left largely intact, despite the horrors of this last revolutionary paroxysm.
And so the huge portrait of Mao looming godlike over Tiananmen Square must remain, no matter how revolting it is to idolize a man whose evil was eclipsed only by Hitler’s. The statues will stay fixed on all the unversity campuses. The mummified corpse swimming in formaldehyde will be displayed to gawking tourists. In a world of so many true heroes and saints, Mao is certainly a peculiar choice for such deification. But the Party has no choice; to do otherwise would be to admit to its own failings, and that is one thing it cannot do. The Party is infallible, omniscient and foolproof. Just ask anyone being interviewd on CCTV.
1
By Ivan
When Philip Cunningham dies, do you think they’ll mummify him too and put his body on display in Beijing?
It would be even cooler if they could put his body underneath Yang Rui’s, “assuming the position” so to speak.
October 30, 2006 @ 6:57 pm | Comment
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By Otherlisa
I love the MacFarquar series. I’ve got every volume. It’s probably not the best choice for a casual reader as it’s on the academic side in terms of style. But if you are interested in the subject, you can’t beat these books.
October 31, 2006 @ 2:55 am | Comment
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By Chip
It would be cool if a human body didn’t get all stiff after death (what’s the typical name for that?). Then, we could put in some Honda robotics into the arms and legs of Mao and make him do cool 80’s dances all day!!
October 31, 2006 @ 8:30 am | Comment