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               China Observes Mao's Birthday With Mixed Feelings

   China held scaled-back celebrations Thursday for the 120th birth
   anniversary of Mao Zedong, the founder of the People`s Republic of
   China.
   President Xi Jinping and the other six members of the Communist Party`s
   elite Politburo Standing Committee marked the occasion by paying
   respects at Mao`s mausoleum in Tiananmen Square.
   The Xinhua news agency said Mr. Xi and the other leaders bowed three
   times in front of a statue of the revolutionary leader, recalling what
   it called his "great achievements."
   But in a speech to party leaders, President Xi acknowledged Mao made
   mistakes, even though he said the country`s founding leaders should not
   be judged based on today`s standards.
   Mao`s supporters say he helped free China from foreign influence,
   pulling it out of chaos to create a unified country.
   Others blame him for the deaths of tens of millions as a result of
   controversial social experiments such as the Great Leap Forward and the
   Cultural Revolution.
   Since his death in 1976, the official government position has been to
   recognize Mao`s contributions as 70 percent positive and 30 percent
   negative.
   A poll by the state-run Global Times this week suggested Chinese view
   him even more positively than that, with 85 percent of respondents
   saying Mao`s merits outweigh his mistakes.
   Even still, those critical of Mao`s legacy seem to be increasing. The
   Global Times poll suggested the younger and more educated are less
   likely to revere the revolutionary leader.
   Confronting the socialist elements of Mao`s legacy is also complicated
   for Chinese leaders, who have undertaken a series of market reforms
   since his death.
   To deal with this contradiction, Beijing has referred to China`s hybrid
   form of economy, as not just socialist, but "socialist with Chinese
   characteristics."
   The reforms have brought great wealth to China, but they have also come
   with a rise in corruption and waste that has prompted a fierce public
   backlash.
   Reflecting these sensitivities, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for
   solemn, simple and pragmatic celebrations to mark Mao`s birthday.
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   ed-feelings/1817751.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/china-observes-maos-birthday-with-mixed-feelings/1817751.html