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 4:13 PM CDT

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

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Jennifer Pak

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