Mao Zedong is the most notable founding figure of China’s Communist Revolution and he is often called The Chairman and The Great Helmsman. His rule saw the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. Mao was a controversial figure in Chinese history. He is often criticized for his role in the Cultural Revolution and Great Leap, but he was also responsible for many of China’s most important reforms. His legacy continues to shape modern China today.

Mao & Chiang United Forces Against Japanese Invaders | Source: Wikipedia

Mao Zedong was born into a peasant family in Hunan Province on December 26th 1893. He rose through party ranks during the 1920s and 1930s as an advocate for rural land reform; he became chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) when it split from its rival Nationalist Party; led his troops against Japanese invaders during World War II; founded new socialist republics across large parts of Asia after winning victory over Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists; launched Great Leap Forward campaign aimed at rapid industrialization but resulted instead in famine which killed millions across country before being abandoned.

Mao Zedong Proclaiming the PRC 1949 | Source: Wikipedia

Mao Zedong’s legacy is complicated. On the one hand, he was responsible for some of the worst human rights violations in history, including millions of deaths during China’s Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution. However, it’s also true that under his leadership China experienced rapid economic growth and development, a trend that continues today.

China 100 Yuan | 2015 | Source: Banknote World

Banknotes Featuring Mao Zedong

You can still find portraits of him on Chinese banknotes. There are too many to list so we will name only a few. China 100 Yuan, 2015. Its obverse side features Mao Zedong. Its reverse side depicts the Hall of the People in Peking.

China 1 Yuan Banknote | 1999 | Source: Banknote World

The China 1 Yuan banknote is part of the Mao issues released in 1999 with green violet, yellow, and light blue color combinations. The notes obverse features the coat of arms of the Peoples Republic of China, orchid flowers, and a portrait of Mao Zedong who was the founder of the PRC. The banknotes reverse depicts three ponds mirroring the Moon on West Lake.

Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jiang-Qing

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