China is observing 120th birthday of communist leader Mao Zedong. He was born on December 26, 1893. Mao was father of Chinese revolution and People’s Republic of China that was established in 1949. He governed the country as Chairman of the Communist Party of China until his death. In this position he converted China into a socialist state, with industry and business being nationalised under state ownership and socialist reforms implemented in all areas of society. Politically a Marxist-Leninist, his theoretical contribution to the ideology along with his military strategies and brand of policies are collectively known as Maoism.
On September 2, 1976, Mao suffered a heart attack, far more severe than his previous two and affecting a much larger area of his heart. X-rays indicated that his current lung infection had worsened. Mao was alert and fully awake during the crisis and he was said to have kept asking his doctors attending to him if he was in any danger and if he was going to die. Three days later on September 5, Mao’s condition was critical. Hua Guofeng called Mao’s fourth wife, Jiang Qing, back to Beijing from a trip she was taking of the countryside. She visited him for a short while before returning to her own residence in the Spring Lotus Chamber. On September 7, Mao stopped breathing from a sudden attack of pharyngitis and was barely revived by his doctors who had to perform an emergency tracheostomy to regulate his breathing. The next day, Jiang Qing visited the bedridden Mao again who appeared to recognise her, but could no longer speak and had to communicate with her and his doctors by writing on a notepad. Late in the afternoon, Mao was said to have written on his notepad to Jiang: “I feel very ill. Call the doctors.” As the doctors were attending to him, Mao suddenly fell into a coma from multiple organ failure and was put on a respirator and life support machines. He was taken off life support shortly before midnight and was pronounced dead ten minutes past midnight on September 9, 1976 at the age of 82.
