Half a century after Mao's death, fascination with the communist leader is on the rise

NPR | By Jennifer Pak

Published October 1, 2026 at 5:13 PM EDT

Half a century after the death of Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong, fascination with the chairman is growing among young Chinese people.

Jennifer Pak

Jennifer Pak is NPR’s China correspondent. She has been covering China and the region for the past two decades.

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