Mao's last son dies

Mao's last surviving son, 83-year old Mao Anqing, died in Beijing on March 23. He was married to Shao Hua, whose half-sister Liu Siqi was the wife of his brother Mao Anying. Mao Zedong had three sons with his first wife Yang Kaihui, who was murdered by a Hunan warlord in the 30s. The eldest, Mao Anying, died at the front during the Korean War. His demise was a big blow to Mao. Younger brother Mao Anlong died in the thirties in Shanghai, presumably of an illness.

After the dead of their mother, the three Mao brothers were sent to Shanghai, to be taken care off by underground Party members, but there is no doubt they had a hard time. A beating by a policeman led to psychological problems for Mao Anqing, who nevertheless went to Moscow and became a Chinese-Russian translator.

Several obituaries have appeared in the press, but one of the most interesting, containing details not found in the others, appeared in the Shanghai Daily: Mao Zedong's last-surviving son dies.

Mao Anqing and his wife Shao Hua, a major-general in the PLA, have one son, Chairman Mao's grandson, the now 37-year old Mao Xinyu, who strongly resembles his grandfather and is studying his grandfather's writings.

Despite his famous father, Mao Anqing had a difficult life. May he now rest in peace.