Mao Xinyu (born 17 January 1970)[1] is a grandson of Mao Zedong and a major general in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of the People's Republic of China.
Mao Xinyu | |
|---|---|
| 毛新宇 | |
.png) Mao in 2015 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 January 1970 People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China |
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party |
| Spouses | Hao Mingli (郝明莉)
(m. 1997; died 2003)Liu Bin (刘滨) (m. 2003) |
| Children | Mao Dongdong Mao Tianyi |
| Parent(s) | Mao Anqing Shao Hua |
| Alma mater | Renmin University of China Central Party School of the Chinese Communist Party People's Liberation Army Academy of Military Sciences |
| Profession | Historian |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  People's Republic of China |
| Branch/service |  People's Liberation Army Ground Force |
| Rank |  Major General(Shaojiang, 少将) |
| Mao Xinyu | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 毛新宇 | ||||||
| |||||||
Early life and education
editMao was born on 17 January 1970 at People's Liberation Army General Hospital in Beijing. He is the only child of Mao Anqing and Shao Hua and one of Mao Zedong's twelve grandchildren.[2] He spent the first 11 years of his life away from his parents, who were based in Russia.[3] He graduated from the History Department of Renmin University of China in 1992. He is a researcher at the People's Liberation Army Academy of Military Sciences, where he completed his doctorate.[3]
Career
editMao has written several books, including Grandfather Mao Zedong (Yeye Mao Zedong), published by the National Defence University Press in October 2003.[4]
In June 2009, Mao was controversially promoted to major general. According to the Changjiang Daily, he was the PLA's youngest general.[5] Some critics attributed the promotion to nepotism. "To have such an unqualified person become a general in China's military, it's an insult to the People's Liberation Army," said Pu Zhiqiang, a lawyer and human rights activist.[6] By contrast, Bao Goujin, a spokesman for the Academy of Military Sciences, said "he is a natural elevation. Mao's many achievements earned him the right to be promoted."[7] According to Mao, "family factors" contributed to his promotion.[8][unreliable source]
Mao is also a member of the Chinese National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, an advisory group to the central government.[9]
In September 2011, Mao began teaching Mao Zedong Thought at Guangzhou University Sontan College.[10]
Family
editMao was born to Mao Anqing, the son of Mao Zedong and Yang Kaihui,[11] and Shao Hua (邵华).
Mao's married Hao Mingli (郝明莉), a waitress, on 7 December 1997.[12] Hao was imprisoned at Qincheng Prison, known for housing political prisoners, in 2002 and died there in 2003. His second wife is Liu Bin (刘滨), an air hostess, whom he met in 2000; they have a son, Mao Dongdong (毛东东, born 2003), and a daughter, Mao Tianyi (毛甜懿, born 2008).[3]
In 2013, he stated that ""Many people have been put on an altar, including my grandfather.... But now, only by transforming them back into real people can they be understood and accepted by the public, who will then want to learn from them."[13]
References
edit- ^ "Mao Xinyu: Heir to the Chairman? Please sit down". Want China Times. Archived from the original on 20 June 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ Mao Zedong grandchildren[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c Colville, Alex (31 August 2020). "Mao Xinyu, the Chairman's potbellied grandson". supchina.com. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ "Family Cherish the Chairman". China Internet Information Center. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
- ^ "Mao grandson earns stripes". The Standard. Associated Press. 23 September 2009.
- ^ Mao's grandson, promoted to major general, faces ridicule, by John M. Glionna, Los Angeles Times, 4 August 2010
- ^ Chairman Mao’s grandson Mao Xinyu is China's youngest general Archived 14 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine, London Evening Standard, 2 August 2010
- ^ 毛新宇：晉陞少將有家庭因素 Archived 22 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine (Mao Xinyu: there are family factors in promotion to Major General)
- ^ The Asahi Shimbun, "Mao Tse-Tung's Grandson Rises Up Ranks of PLA", 5 August 2010.
- ^ "Mao's grandson to teach grandfather's philosophy". The National. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ More about Mao, from his grandson, Tapei Times, 15 January 2004
- ^ "毛新宇与郝明莉离婚 毛新宇的第一次婚姻(组图)-毛新宇与郝明莉离婚,-城市周刊". Archived from the original on 14 December 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- ^ "Cult of Mao should be reassessed, says grandson". Telegraph.co.uk. 7 March 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2014.