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Mao's image is hip and trendy among many young Chinese. [Global Times]
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Four decades later, Mao is no longer worshipped as he once was, but his image can be seen everywhere. The only difference is that it has been transformed into pop culture.
Dominic Johnson-Hill, a British man who has lived in China for 16 years and owns a T-shirt store called “Plastered” in Beijing's Nanluoguxiang, frequently uses Mao's image on his products. One image sees an old portrait of Mao colored in the style of a stained glass window in a church.
"Mao Zedong was the Jesus to Chinese people," Johnson-Hill said. "I used colors of stained glass in a church as a sincere place for Westerners to reflect on Mao's status in China. I changed the stern and serious image into a new and fashionable one," he added, explaining that his work was to mark to celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of New China.
Walking along Nanluoguxiang, a popular arts and crafts lane in Beijing, Mao's image can be found on all kinds of products. T-shirts, coffee mugs, tea towels, watches and clocks all sport Mao's iconic portrait and famous quotes.
"I like the T-shirts with Mao's image on them and bags in the green military color that were popular during the Cultural Revolution," said Yu Nengda, a 23-year-old man shopping in Nanluoguxiang.
"I am not a fan of Chairman Mao, who was a polarizing figure in Chinese history, but his image is a fashion icon now and those clothes and products are pretty cool and fashionable," Yu said.
"Mao is no longer a god to our generation who never experienced the old hard days. But I do think these items are interesting," said Song, a young woman who bought a box of Mao matches. "It's very trendy to have some pieces of old stuff. In recent years, movies and TV shows all have revolutionary themes. It's a kind of nostalgia," she added.
"It is crucial for the younger generation to remember Chairman Mao andm our history," Zhu explained.
Having experienced the Cultural Revolution first hand, Zhou does not think that many young people today really know Mao.
"People wearing Mao today just feel it is fashionable," he said. "It's quite different from what we felt over four decades ago, but I think those images could inspire them to know Mao better and understand what he did." Zhou added that it is important for young people to remember the Cultural Revolution and celebrate the development of New China today.
(Global Times September 23, 2009)
