For the second time, I decide to bypass the mausoleum of Mao Zedong the final resting place of Mao, Chairman of the Communist Party of China. People line up for hundreds of meters every day to pay tribute to their former Great Helmsman. Flowers for this occasion can be purchased at the entrance and conveniently located at the exit are the souvenir shops. I also decided to forgo the miniature glass coffin as a souvenir.
Although Mao’s wishes were for a cremation, his body was instead embalmed. The decision for embalming seems to be an afterthought, as no preparations were in place. They wanted him displayed in the style of Lenin; so that the People could view him and pay tribute.
The People were unfamiliar with this undertaking of embalming and were not on friendly terms with the Russians, who held knowledge of the process. Initially approaching Vietnam for help with the result of a crystal display coffin developed locally. The original proposal was to use the glass coffin the USSR had provided for Sun Yat-sen after his death in 1925. The coffin was unusable as Mao was taller by two inches. The crystal coffin had nickel-plated sides and made viewing limited and unacceptable by the Chineses authorities.
A decision was made to have a suitable coffin of crystal manufactured locally, something not attempted before. There was a completion throughout China for the best coffin design.
The delay caused complications and caused shrinkage of the corpse. Some claim that Mao is a wax sculpture, placed over the actual body.
He Zizhen, Mao’s third wife, was initially barred from visiting the mausoleum but was finally allowed a single secret visit with unrealistic restrictions. She was not authorized to cry nor make any noise inside and prohibited to speak to the press.
As for the Russian, embalming has always been a piece of cake.
No comments:
Post a Comment