Daily Lessons from Life 26 December 2013 - China's Xi notes Mao's "mistakes" on 120th anniversary

"China's Xi notes Mao's "mistakes" on 120th anniversary - AFP 26 December 2013

SHAOSHAN: Communist China's President Xi Jinping acknowledged on Thursday its founding father Mao Zedong made "mistakes", as admirers celebrated the 120th anniversary of the late leader's birth with noodles and fireworks.

Mao is the centrepiece of the ruling party's pantheon and commands reverence among many Chinese, including some frustrated by the current state of the nation, but is also condemned by those who say his political and economic campaigns caused tens of millions of deaths.

The combination left authorities looking to mark the occasion with a tricky balancing act.

"Mao is a great figure who changed the face of the nation and led the Chinese people to a new destiny," Xi said in Beijing, according to the official news agency Xinhua.

But he added: "Revolutionary leaders are not gods, but human beings. (We) cannot worship them like gods or refuse to allow people to point out and correct their errors just because they are great.

"Neither can we totally repudiate them and erase their historical feats just because they made mistakes.""

Mao's sometimes autocratic rule remains a divisive topic in China, where the Communist Party's official stance is that he was "70 per cent right and 30 per cent wrong". It has never allowed an open historical reckoning of his actions.

Much of the 1.94 billion yuan ($320 million) reportedly budgeted by Shaoshan for the anniversary went up in smoke during a four-hour fireworks display, and down the throats of thousands who lined up for free noodles -- a traditional birthday meal."

I did not know that Chairman Mao was born a day after the 'commonly held belief' of birth of Jesus Christ.

Lessons for me are:

1. the '70% Right and 30% Wrong' verdict is probably right! All great men and women are great because they must have done something right, especially if the impact is beneficial to a greater number of people without overly trampling on the rights of the minority! Since no human being is a Saint, they made mistakes. And mistakes MUST be acknowledged too!;

2. IF the rumoured budget is indeed 1.94 billion yuan ($320 million) and most of them go up in smoke from firework, it is a SIN against the people of China! It is wasteful and disgraceful! I am sure the Great Helmsman will NOT approve of this. IF he does, then he perhaps am NOT that great afterall! Just my view!;

3. for those who suffered terribly from his rules and MISTAKES in the form of being tortured or loss of loved ones, HE can NEVER be great. So, what is great and what is not really depend on if you are the beneficiaries or the victims? Of course, the best verdict should be posted by neutral persons. Looking at the benefits and costs of each of his MAJOR actions and totalled them up WITHOUT any emotional attachment. That perhaps is the BEST way to know if Chairman Mao is '70% Right and 30% Wrong' or not!

Finally, for those who worshipped him like a deity or God, it is sad. I know it is tradition. I know. Still, it has no place in this day and age. There may be a Creator out there. But no dead man become that Creator or God as many religions so named the Creator.

The key for the Chinese is: where to China? What will it be after another 120 years?