The founding father of communist China continues to elicit public adulation four decades after his death, but neither the Communist Party nor various levels of government appear to have organized events Friday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Mao Zedong's passing.

Still a national hero

A long line had formed Friday outside the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall in Tiananmen Square, awaiting the hall's 8 a.m. opening. Some people waited an hour and a half to enter the mausoleum and view Mao's embalmed corpse.

"I came to salute him on the 40th anniversary of his death," said a former public servant from Shanghai, a man in his 60s. "Chairman Mao is still a great leader even today."

The man bowed three times with his hands joined in front of him in prayer as he stood before Mao's body. Some other visitors also bowed to show their respect. In the hall's entrance, a wreath of flowers from the General Office of the Communist Party was laid at the former leader's statue.

In Shaoshan, Hunan Province, reportedly several thousand people from all over China came to commemorate the anniversary at his birthplace.

"Mao Zedong was the greatest world leader in the 20th century. Many people still cherish him even though 40 years have passed since his death," a message posted online by a well-known hawkish air force officer reads. His post attracted a number of praises, such as "Mao Zedong is immortal," from other Mao admirers.

Conflicted

In stark contrast to the public enthusiasm, Chinese governments were silent about the anniversary. No official commemorative events had been reported by the state-run Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television as of early Friday evening.

Assessing Mao's legacy has remained difficult. Mao led China's fight against Japan to a victory and provided the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party's one-party rule. But he unleashed chaos in Chinese society by starting the Cultural Revolution. Mao made mistakes in this regard, but his achievements far outweigh those mistakes, said a 1981 party resolution. The current Chinese government led by President Xi Jinping largely hews to this position, as did its predecessors.

Back in 2006, no official events to commemorate the 30th anniversary were reported. Similarly, the Chinese government avoided making a spectacle out of the 40th anniversary.

Playing it safe

Some China experts note that Xi has employed Mao's tactics in his push to consolidate power. However, a diplomatic source in Beijing highlights a clear difference between Mao and Xi. "President Xi has steered clear of demagoguery, Mao's favorite method" of wielding power, the source noted.

Xi has introduced populist policies, such as his rigorous anti-corruption campaign, but has never called for the public to take action in support of him. Xi is thought to be highly concerned about the possibility of matters getting out of control if he mobilized the public. Public frustration toward Beijing is growing as the economy slows down and various issues bubble up.

(Nikkei Asian Review)