A Kinder, Gentler Mao Zedong

During Mao's time there was no corruption may be its one of reasons why people still yearning him, in addtion, when Mao was young, he was also good looking man.

Young Mao was homesome the actor in the picture. The clothes of both actors are appropriate for the 1920s and 30s.

Simon Elegant,

you say "It is rare in China to see revolutionary leaders portrayed in such an up close and personal way. "

have you seen Chinese TV series such as "Liang Jian" and "An Suan"? i guess not.

so there is no surprise of these changes.

dont pretend to know and care about china, Simon, you really dont!! i read your articles.

to Time:

i dont know how is your human resource working, why you employed some swindlers who pretend to know China?

Simon Elegant, earning easy money from Time, do Time really need these worms?

No need to be too harsh on people except for a bunch of China haters.

Brrrr... Simon pointed out in the beginning,

"This from our colleague Jodi Xu:

........."

Chill out people.

Oh, Yeah. Mao "falling in love for the first time" when he was already married. The marriage was not for love, of cause. But he was married none the less, and there is nothing wrong with it.

Simon:

You should read "Mao: The Untold Story", it is a much more realistic view of Mao as a manipulative, power hungry cad who was too lazy to learn his father's business or help with chores around the farm.

Mao was never more than a bandit thug who never stopped liking VERY young girls.

The show's title is "Qia Tong Xue Shao Nian" not "Cha Tong Xue Shao Nian" according to Pinyin.

Well, if most of Chinese people loves it, it must be a good TV show. I am looking forward to a pack of "pirated" DVDs if I can't BitTorrent a few eps anywhere.

It was Jodi Xu who wrote this post. No wonder it was more balanced than other posts.

nanheyangrouchuan: I don't like "Mao, the Untold Story". It is too biased. It was out to get Mao. It was more a commentary than a documentary. I rather read the facts, and form my own opinion on the person.

The book "Mao" was based and cites quotes of interviews with people who were alive at the time as well as pay records from Moscow and KMT historical records, not the CCP official spewage.

Mao was a lazy bum so he got kicked out of the KMT and joined up with the Soviet backed CCP where he got more pay to sit around and eat, thankfully he was so far in the countryside that Moscow's agents couldn't keep up on his (lack of) recruitment.

Can you guys do an interview with her and get to the bottom of the things? Is she really house arrested?

高耀洁自美领奖返回河南 现在“生不如死”

万维读者网 2007-04-19 16:20:32
「中国民间防爱滋病第一人」高耀洁女医生自美国领奖返回河南郑州后，再度遭到地方当局软禁。她接受香港「亚洲周刊」专访时表示，现在「生不如死」。据指出，地方政府找她麻烦的原因，主要是她拒绝官员提议，以「高耀洁」名义向国内外募款。

中国时报消息，
「亚洲周刊」说，目前高耀洁家中的电话、手机很难拨出去，外面打进来的电话又被做手脚，铃声不响。她悲叹如今处境是又聋又瞎又哑，生不如死，很想在丈夫的忌日离开人世。

八十岁的高耀洁长期关注爱滋病人和孤儿，率先披露「河南爱滋村」惨状，震惊北京及海外，但河南当局视其为麻烦人物。今年初，高耀洁准备赴美领奖，先遭河南警察包围住宅阻止其赴美，直到美国前第一夫人希拉蕊写信给胡锦涛、温家宝、吴仪，胡锦涛指示放行，才於二月二十六日赴美。

高耀洁荣获联合国爱滋病组织奖，及希拉蕊代表「生命之声」妇女组织颁发的「全球女性领袖」奖。她还在美国务院、国会演讲，介绍中国爱滋病预防问题。

四月二日高耀洁从芝加哥飞回上海，在上海她找了律师备案，不准用「高耀洁」名义收钱。在她出国前，河南政府曾以红十字会名义要求和高耀洁合作，向国内外募款，她一口回绝。

高耀洁说，她有「三不」原则：一是不接受捐款；二是不成立组织；三是不与官员合作。她表示，「现在对我施加压力，也是为钱，如果我肯跟他们合作就没事了，但我不跟他们合作」。

她说，访美期间，有人要捐款给她，有的承诺每年提供十万美元供其从事防爱滋病计画。「我婉拒，是因为收了以后，回来的日子会更难过，另外，这些钱如果花不到病人手上，还不如不收」。

由於不合作，她从上海回河南后先到开封弟弟家住了一段时间，四月十四日回到郑州家中，到家后就发现被控制。

不到二十四小时，高耀洁家中的电话失灵，她的一个秘密手机号也被当局发现，现已失效。探访者必须登记，据说公安还伪装保安来监视她的客人。

她说，「我现在被监控，变得又瞎又聋又哑，当局的行为严重违法」。老伴去世后乏人照料的高耀洁说，「我死了，他们就安心了，一了百了，但我要让大家知道，我是被这些腐败官员逼死的」。

Is "qia" even present in the Chinese language? What's the hanzi for it?... in Traditional, if possible.

Susan,

The title is 恰同學少年.

恰 (qia4)
恰似 - just like
恰好 - just right

It is just a tv series flavored with some modern elements, not as much as a factual recreation of Mao's youth, as Jodi Xu pointed out in "Even though some critics argued that the costumes were way too modern for that time, most of the audience thought it as a pleasant modification, if not totally factual. "

Though it is a stark contrast to the old-time movies with similar themes, we can not say it is better than them. "The drab-is-beautiful boiler suit" may very likely be an accurate dipiction of the fashion in that era.

I don't think the young kids hold more mixed feelings than their parents and grandparents who personally experienced the great leap forward and cultural revolution. Born in times of peace and rapid social change, I doubt there are strong feelings towards any remote revolutionary pioneers, mixed or un-mixed.

To judge Mao is a complicated issue. His mistakes and defects, especially in his later years, are obvious. But anyone who tries to deny his pivotal role in China's independence from semi-feudalism and semi-colonialism,thus laying down the fundation of a modern China, is futile. Though it's absurd to heap excessive admiration on him as a flawless semi-deity figure, it's equally ridiculous to call him a villain and a demon.

Time Magazine's correspondents are just a ordinary bunch. Don't think they are any wiser than you are and don't take what they are writing too seriously and furiously, as some moral lecture from a more advance civilization, though sometimes they do try to talk wise, as most journalists-cum-commentators do, disrepective of nationality. Learn something if there are any; rebut calmly if you think they are wrong. Keep in mind,however,that If you really try to convince people, show something concrete and tangible. Facts speak louder that words and words alone, either verbally,or digitally or on print, can not make China prosper.

great Mao,great china!!

Good comment, Perseverance. DING!

The more the handful exclusively super-rich and their less exclusive high-living elitist hired pens and mouthpieces try to put down the popular image of Mao in China, the more the vast grossly underpaid and overworked peasant-worker majority in the teeming urban squatter colonies and the able-bodied deprived rural villages look to Mao as their most vocal and consistent spokeperson China ever had so far. Talk to these peasant-worker majority (you'd need to have considerable grounding in using the Chinese language)wherever and or whenever you've the chance to interact with them, you'd find out for yourself what the vast majority of the teeming peasant-worker masses think of Mao. If not, you could at most only see the tip of the tip of the massive iceberg known as China.

"the more the vast grossly underpaid and overworked peasant-worker majority in the teeming urban squatter colonies and the able-bodied deprived rural villages look to Mao as their most vocal and consistent spokeperson China ever had so far." ?

I guess the world is still safe, as there are no, none, nada "grossly underpaid and overworked peasant-worker majority in the teaming urban squatter colonies and the able-bodied deprived rural villages" in China." There are only "super-rich" and "high-living elitist" in China.

Teeming, John. Teeming, not teaming. And where are you getting your demographic information?

Agree, agree, agree.....
Ben H:
Talk to these peasant-worker majority (you'd need to have considerable grounding in using the Chinese language)wherever and or whenever you've the chance to interact with them, you'd find out for yourself what the vast majority of the teeming peasant-worker masses think of Mao. If not, you could at most only see the tip of the tip of the massive iceberg known as China.

Yeah, Perserverance, you tell those conceited know-it-all anti-east progandarists!

To judge Mao is a complicated issue. His mistakes and defects, especially in his later years, are obvious. But anyone who tries to deny his pivotal role in China's independence from semi-feudalism and semi-colonialism,thus laying down the fundation of a modern China, is futile. Though it's absurd to heap excessive admiration on him as a flawless semi-deity figure, it's equally ridiculous to call him a villain and a demon.

"it's equally ridiculous to call him a villain and a demon."

Between the mass deaths in the great leap forward and mass self-destruction in the cultural revolution...both of which were Mao ideas, he can be labled as a villian and a demon.

(1) If Mao had died during the say, LONG MARCH...what do you think China would've been like?

(2) If the west hadn't embargoed China during the Mao's time, what would've happened?

(3) What do you think China under Liu Shao Qi's would've been like?

I watch the show. It is probably the best propaganda CCP has produced about Mao.

If the story in the show is generally consistent with the real situation, it seems that in early day, many CCP members, even though they were from well-off family, were indeed deeply concerned about China's future and the welfare of common labor.

I find it interesting to compare India and China. Both had old civilization and both were deeply humuliated by colonial occupation. India had a hero of Gandhi who asks for freedom by non-violence, while China had a rebellious bunch to take the power. Is it just accidental or inevitable?

It is quite surprising to find out how fast human beings forget tragedies.

Maybe theprophet and perseverance did not have any relatives who died during the "great leap forward" and the "cultural revolution", that is why they will look at those events as something positive for the nation.

I would like to ask them to imagine themselves and their families, being taken now, from their comfort, to a remote labor camp, for life. And then, waking up from the nightmare, tell us how good was such an "experiment".

I have a question for the Chinese nationals and I will thank in advance to anyone responding to this.

Please tell me what is the general accepted behavior in the Chinese companies, if there are foreigners working there? If there are two foreigners talking among themselves, is it acceptable to use another language than Chinese (like German, English French etc.), while some Chinese colleagues are in the same place or not and who might not understand what the two are talking about? Or such a behavior is considered impolite and reprimanded? I assume that the two foreigners know enough Chinese to be able to communicate with all others, in the work place.

Thank you for your answers/comments.

Posted by Anonymous
April 21, 2007
[1]"It is quite surprising to find out how fast human beings forget tragedies.
[2]Maybe theprophet and perseverance did not have any relatives who died during the "great leap forward" and the "cultural revolution", that is why they will look at those events as something positive for the nation."

Yes, Anonymous, your statement makes perfect sense. Make no mistakes, families of my Mom's & Dad's and themselves suffered, first, under the Japanese occupation, the civil war and then later the communist. We who'd escaped sent cooking oil, used clothings and other basic stuff to those who had remained because they believed in the cause.
This is why we are all so anti-war, for war is good for nothing. This why we hate outsiders who want to stir up sentiments. We respect and welcome anyone who want to learn and show genuine interest in us because we are genuinely interested in you; but too many of you(not all)spit in our face and then leave with your gripes. Criticise the government (from your home) all you want just as we do yours (from our homes in China) but to come to our home, enjoying the privileged wage and criticise us where we live and among us, that's just bad manners/taste. Put you in our shoes, debate or communicate with us in our language, you will have our respect, period.
" Ben H wrote: Talk to these peasant-worker majority (you'd need to have considerable grounding in using the Chinese language)wherever and or whenever you've the chance to interact with them, you'd find out for yourself what the vast majority of the teeming peasant-worker masses think of Mao."
Regarding Mao, this is what I too have found from talking to taxi drivers, students, even businessmen etc. I am just as puzzled as any outsiders. This is why I ask more than criticize China these days.
Ben H concludes: "If not, you could at most only see the tip of the tip of the massive iceberg known as China"

Whenever I see Chinese nationals living overseas who act like their host countries owe them something and how many never even try to integrate but yet they're so proud to flash their foreign passports whenever they're back in China; these people disgusts me. But since learning about how Asian immigrants are treated in the west from the aftermath reportings of the horrendous Virginia Tech incident, (Cho's deranged rantings)I now sorta understand why some overseas Asians, particularly the first generation immigrants, and some students who went abroad are the way they are. I remember how I used to envy my chinese friends who went abroad to study only to be shocked by the racial stories they tell when they return.
Really, Foreigners in China have it so much better, seriously. Think about it.

Receiving no answer to my question regarding how foreigners are treated in China, I can only guess that I should believe the stories they tell, when they come back.

Those stories match the ones I read some time ago the comments I found on the blog about the film actress Zhang Ziyi (sorry, if I am misspelling her name), about Chinese women having non-Chinese friends and the consequences.

There is no racism in china. There is also no aids and no homosexuality. We can thank Mao and the CCP for this.

"If there are two foreigners talking among themselves, is it acceptable to use another language other than Chinese (like German, English French etc.), while some Chinese colleagues are in the same place who might not understand what the two are talking about?"
Anonymous.

People speak Sichuanese, Hunanese, cantonese, whatever dialects they are comfortable with...Mandarin is the common language, so I don't see the problem here whatever your nationality be. However, i do get asked alot why I speak English to another Chinese being a chinese myself. We just say we needed the parctice that's all. Some folks are more sensitive and racist than others, and some make an issue out of every petty littlething, that's just part of human nature, here or anywhere else in the world.

Chinese history is laced with homosexual innuendos and depictions. Aids in China is common news, cadres' promiscuity and Mao's love of women and philanderings are well known to all Chinese. Lei Feng however was a young soldier who died young while being a poster boy for the PLA, and like James Dean, Lieutenant-Colonel Custer became legends beyond their true virues. What else is new?

Anonymous: "Those stories match the ones I read some time ago the comments I found on the blog about the film actress Zhang Ziyi (sorry, if I am misspelling her name), about Chinese women having non-Chinese friends and the consequences."

My african-american buddy back in the 80s had to confront racial prejudice when he decided to ask his then Korean girlfriend's hand in marriage in Hong Kong. She was too afraid to go to Korea with him so he went alone. Now these are good Christian Korean folks. The first few time he had attempted to knock on his girlfriend's family door, they literally slammed the door in his face. To make a long story short, he persisted and when he returned to HK a week later, he had the blessing and total acceptance of her family. Their kids are going to high school & college now in the States.
People are people, What have you done to win their trust?

Thanks.

I didn't know any of that.

they've got. You got to stoop pretty low to argue with them, so why bother? Just don't even lower your standards to respond to them.