Fifty years after Mao Zedong's death, his image and ideas remain deeply embedded in China, where his portrait still dominates Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing and Communist Party rhetoric continues to draw on his thinking. For older Chinese people, revolutionary songs keep memories of his era alive, while younger generations see him as a more distant historical figure. Openly criticising his legacy, however, remains difficult.
Mao died on 9 September 1976 after more than 25 years at the head of China.
