Mao Zhedong

Chairman Mao Zedong
毛泽东
Mao in 1963
Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
In office June 19, 1945 – September 9, 1976
Preceded by	Himself (as Chairman of the Central Politburo)
Succeeded by	Hua Guofeng
Chairman of the Central Politburo of the Communist Party of China
In office March 20, 1943 – September 28, 1956
Preceded by	Zhang Wentian (as General Secretary of the Central Committee)
Succeeded by	Himself (as Chairman of the Central Committee)
Chairman of the Central People's Government
In office October 1, 1949 – September 27, 1954
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Chairman of the People's Republic of China
1st Chairman of the People's Republic of China
In office September 27, 1954 – April 27, 1959
Preceded by	Chairman of the Central People's Government
Succeeded by	Liu Shaoqi
Personal details
Born	(1893-12-26)December 26, 1893 Shaoshan, Hunan, Imperial China
Died	September 9, 1976(1976-09-09) (aged 82) Beijing, People's Republic of China
Resting place	Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, Beijing, People's Republic of China
Political party	Communist Party of China
Other political affiliations	Kuomintang (1925–1926)
Spouse(s)	Luo Yixiu (1907–1910) Yang Kaihui (1920–1930) He Zizhen (1930–1937) Jiang Qing (1939–1976)
Children	10
Alma mater	Hunan First Normal University
Signature
Central institution membership 1964–1976: Member, National People's Congress 1954–1959: Member, National People's Congress 1938–1976: Member, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Politburo 1938–1976: Member, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th Central Committee Other offices held 1954–1959: Chairman of the People's Republic of China 1954–1976: Chairman, CPC Central Military Commission 1954–1959: President and Chairman, National Defence Council 1954–1976: Honorary Chairman, CPPCC National Committee 1949–1954: Chairman, Central People's Revolutionary Military Commission 1949–1954: Chairman, CPPCC National Committee 1949–1954: Chairman, PRC Central People's Government 1943–1956: Chairman, CPC Central Secretariat 1936–1949: Chairman, CPC Central Military Commission

Mao Zedong
"Mao Zedong" in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters
Simplified Chinese	毛泽东
Traditional Chinese	毛澤東
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Máo Zédōng Wade–Giles Mao2 Tse2-tung1 IPA [mǎu tsɤ̌.tʊ́ŋ] Wu Suzhounese Máu Zéh-ton Hakka Romanization Mô Chhe̍t-tûng Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Mòuh Jaahk-dūng IPA [mȍu tsàːk̚.tóŋ] Jyutping Mou4 Zaak6-dung1 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Mô͘ Te̍k-tong Tâi-lô Môo Ti̍k-tang

Mao Zedong or Mao Tse-tung (/ˈmaʊ dzəˈdʊŋ, zə-, -dɒŋ/; December 26, 1893 – September 9, 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary, poet, political theorist and founding father of the People's Republic of China, which he governed as the Chairman of the Communist Party of China from its establishment in 1949, until his death in 1976. His Marxist–Leninist theories, military strategies, and political policies are collectively known as Maoism or Marxism-Leninism-Maoism.

Born the son of a wealthy farmer in Shaoshan, Hunan, Mao adopted a Chinese nationalist and anti-imperialist outlook in early life, particularly influenced by the events of the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 and May Fourth Movement of 1919. Mao adopted Marxism–Leninism while working at Peking University and became a founding member of the Communist Party of China (CPC), leading the Autumn Harvest Uprising in 1927. During the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the CPC, Mao helped to found the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, led the Jiangxi Soviet's radical land policies and ultimately became head of the CPC during the Long March. Although the CPC temporarily allied with the KMT under the United Front during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–45), after Japan's defeat China's civil war resumed and in 1949 Mao's forces defeated the Nationalists who withdrew to Taiwan.