Zedong

Zedong, commonly romanized as Mao Zedong (December 26, 1893 – September 9, 1976), was a Chinese revolutionary and political leader who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 and led the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for decades. Born in Shaoshan, Hunan Province, Zedong joined the CCP in 1921 and rose to prominence as a strategist and theorist. He helped formulate the party's approach to rural-based revolution and played a central role during the Long March (1934–1935).

After World War II, the CCP defeated the Kuomintang and established the PRC. As the party's leader, he promoted Mao Zedong Thought, adapting Marxism-Leninism to Chinese conditions, and pursued policies aimed at rapid social and economic transformation. The Great Leap Forward (1958–1962) and the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) were major campaigns that reshaped Chinese society; both are associated with social disruption and significant loss of life and culture. The famine linked to the Great Leap Forward and political purges during the Cultural Revolution are widely documented as grave humanitarian consequences, though assessments vary.

From 1949 to 1959, Mao also served as the head of state, and he remained the CCP's paramount leader until his death. He died in Beijing in 1976; his body was placed in the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong at Tiananmen Square. His legacy is controversial: he is credited with unifying China and establishing the PRC, but his policies caused widespread hardship. Mao Zedong Thought remains a foundational element of CCP ideology.