Mao Zedong

Chairman of the Communist Party of China

December 26, 1893 Shaoshan, Hunan, Qing Empire

September 9, 1976(1976-09-09) (82) Beijing, People's Republic of China

March 20, 1943 – September 9, 1976

Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China For the TV series, see Mao Zedong (TV series). "Mao" redirects here. For other uses, see Mao (disambiguation). In this Chinese name, the family name is Mao (毛) and Ze (泽) is a generation name. Chairman Mao Zedong毛泽东 Mao in 1959Chairman of the Communist Party of ChinaIn office March 20, 1943 – September 9, 1976DeputyLiu Shaoqi Lin Biao Zhou Enlai Hua GuofengPreceded by Zhang Wentian (as General Secretary)Succeeded by Hua GuofengChairman of the People's Republic of ChinaIn office September 27, 1954 – April 27, 1959PremierZhou EnlaiDeputyZhu DeSucceeded by Liu ShaoqiChairman of the Central Military CommissionIn office September 8, 1954 – September 9, 1976DeputyZhu De Lin Biao Ye JianyingSucceeded by Hua GuofengChairman of the Central People's GovernmentIn office October 1, 1949 – September 27, 1954PremierZhou Enlai Personal detailsBorn(1893-12-26 ) December 26, 1893 Shaoshan, Hunan, Qing EmpireDiedSeptember 9, 1976(1976-09-09) (aged 82) Beijing, People's Republic of ChinaResting placeChairman Mao Memorial Hall, BeijingPolitical partyCommunist Party of China (1921–1976)Other political affiliationsKuomintang (1925–1926)Spouse(s)Luo Yixiu ​ ​(m. 1907; died 1910 )​Yang Kaihui ​ ​(m. 1920 ; died 1930 )​He Zizhen ​ ​(m. 1928; div. 1937)​Jiang Qing ​ ​(m. 1938 )​Children10, including: Mao Anying Mao Anqing Mao Anlong Yang Yuehua Li Min Li NaParentsMao Yichang (father)Wen Qimei (mother)Alma materHunan First Normal UniversitySignatureChinese nameSimplified Chinese毛泽东 Traditional Chinese毛澤東 TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinMáo Zédōng Bopomofoㄇㄠˊ   ㄗㄜˊ   ㄉㄨㄥ Gwoyeu RomatzyhMau Tzerdong Wade–GilesMao² Tsê²-tung¹ IPA ( listen ) WuSuzhouneseMáu Zéh-ton HakkaRomanizationMô Chhe̍t-tûng Yue: CantoneseYale RomanizationMòuh Jaahk-dūng JyutpingMou4 Zaak6-dung1 IPA Southern MinHokkien POJMô͘ Te̍k-tong Tâi-lôMôo Ti̍k-tang Courtesy nameSimplified Chinese润之 Traditional Chinese潤之 TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinRùnzhī Wade–GilesJun4-chih1 Yue: CantoneseJyutpingJeon6-zi1 Southern MinHokkien POJLūn-chi Central institution membership 1964–1976: Member, National People's Congress 1954–1959: Member, National People's Congress 1938–1976: Member, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Politburo 1938–1976: Member, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Central Committee Other offices held 1954–1959: Chairman of the People's Republic of China 1954–1976: Chairman, CPC Central Military Commission 1954–1959: President and Chairman, National Defence Council 1954–1976: Honorary Chairman, CPPCC National Committee 1949–1954: Chairman, Central People's Revolutionary Military Commission 1949–1954: Chairman, CPPCC National Committee 1949–1954: Chairman, PRC Central People's Government 1943–1956: Chairman, CPC Central Secretariat 1936–1949: Chairman, CPC Central Military Commission Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China (Inaugural holder) Hua Guofeng → Mao Zedong (December 26, 1893 – September 9, 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founding father of the People's Republic of China (PRC), which he ruled as the chairman of the Chinese Communist Party from the establishment of the PRC in 1949 until his death in 1976. Ideologically a Marxist–Leninist, his theories, military strategies, and political policies are collectively known as Maoism. Mao was the son of a prosperous peasant in Shaoshan, Hunan. He had a Chinese nationalist and an anti-imperialist outlook early in his life, and was particularly influenced by the events of the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 and May Fourth Movement of 1919. He later adopted Marxism–Leninism while working at Peking University, and became a founding member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), leading the Autumn Harvest Uprising in 1927. During the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the CCP, Mao helped to found the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, led the Jiangxi Soviet's radical land policies, and ultimately became head of the CCP during the Long March. Although the CCP temporarily allied with the KMT under the United Front during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945), China's civil war resumed after Japan's surrender—and in 1949, Mao's forces defeated the Nationalist government, which withdrew to Taiwan. On October 1, 1949, Mao proclaimed the foundation of the PRC, a Marxist–Leninist single-party state controlled by the CCP. In the following years he solidified his control through campaigns against landlords, suppression of "counter-revolutionaries", "Three-anti and Five-anti Campaigns" and through a psychological victory in the Korean War, which altogether resulted in the deaths of several million Chinese. From 1953 to 1958, Mao played an important role in enforcing planned economy in China, constructing the first Constitution of the PRC, launching the industrialisation program, and initiating the "Two Bombs, One Satellite" project. In 1955–1957, Mao launched the Sufan movement and the Anti-Rightist Campaign, with at least 550,000 people persecuted in the latter, most of whom were intellectuals and dissidents. In 1958, he launched the Great Leap Forward that aimed to rapidly transform China's economy from agrarian to industrial, which led to the deadliest famine in history and the deaths of 15–55 million people between 1958 and 1962. In 1963, Mao launched the Socialist Education Movement, and in 1966 he initiated the Cultural Revolution, a program to remove "counter-revolutionary" elements in Chinese society which lasted 10 years and was marked by violent class struggle, widespread destruction of cultural artifacts, and an unprecedented elevation of Mao's cult of personality. Tens of millions of people were persecuted during the Revolution, while the estimated number of deaths ranges from hundreds of thousands to millions, including Liu Shaoqi, the 2nd Chairman of the PRC. After years of ill health, Mao suffered a series of heart attacks in 1976 and died at the age of 82. During Mao's era, China's population grew from around 550 million to over 900 million while the government did not strictly enforce its family planning policy. A controversial figure, Mao is regarded as one of the most important individuals in the twentieth century. He is also known as a political intellect, theorist, military strategist, and poet. During Mao's era, China was involved in the Korean War, the Sino-Soviet split, the Vietnam War, and the rise of Khmer Rouge. He ruled China as an autocratic and totalitarian regime responsible for mass repression, as well as destruction of religious and cultural artifacts and sites. He was additionally responsible for vast numbers of deaths with estimates ranging from 40 to 80 million victims through starvation, persecution, prison labour and mass executions. Supporters of Mao have credited him with transforming China from a semicolony to a powerful sovereign state, with increased literacy and life expectancy.