Reflection: Session 8 – Prof Dubey (April 24)
Officially, in the seminar, today we started learning about the modern Chinese leader, Mao Tse-tung. Although Mao ear is 1949-78, in China post 1949, they don’t refer to as ‘post’1949. On Oct 1, 1949 – Mao announces “The Chinese have stood up” – marking the end of the Century of Humiliation’. The fact that Mao was strong in his beliefs is illustrated by the fact that when asked why he does not brush his teeth, he retorted: “Don’t have to brush because the tigers don’t brush theirs”, as mentioned in the book The Private Life of Chairman Mao’.
When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was started in 1939, there were 13, including Mao. Now there are over 70 million – obviously most of the people are not members of the Party. Joining the CCP is very arduous and complicated.. It involves land reforms, ‘speaking bitterness’ session, have to volunteer for everything, need to be nominated by two members of the Party. There are Party Secretaries are in every organization/company in China like GM, Apple plants
DO YOU KNOW THAT:
* As a result of spread of 1911 Rebel Control, new ‘dating’ system was introduced. For example, under this method, date will be written as “in the 6th year of Ching dynasty”
* Gowen Sha – so far the only Chinese, who is a French citizen, won the Nobel Prize
.
