Undying Belief
In China, admiration of the late chairman is not confined to Shaoshan.
In Tibet, some people still hang Mao's photo in their homes under a white Hada, a silk cloth used by Tibetans to express respect and greeting.
Zhabsang, 52, lives in Nagqu Prefecture and he is an avid Mao memorabilia collector. Over the past 30 years he has spent more than 100,000 yuan on over 10,000 pieces of "Maomorabilia."
His parents were among the one million people, or 90 percent of the region's population, that were serfs until the peaceful liberation of the region in 1959.
"I used to live in a tent as a child. But look at me now -- my home is spacious and well-lit, and I do not have to worry about food or clothing," said Zhabsang. "We should not forget the well-diggers when drinking from the well."
In north China's Shanxi province, over the past four decades, Yang Jianguang, 67, has not only purchased more than 50,000 items related to the late Chinese paramount leader, but opened a private museum.
"Yushe County, where I am from, was part of a revolutionary base set up by Chairman Mao," he said. "Under his leadership, the peasants became the masters of the country. His theories still apply today."
In Hebei, Li Xianpeng, 22, founded a Mao theory society for his fellow college students. His group has more than 200 members. "Chairman Mao has a lot of fans," he said.
"He made mistakes, but he was on the people's side," he added.
His view was shared by Mao Anping. "Chairman Mao told us to 'seek truth from the facts.' When we talk about him, we must see everything he did -- the right and the wrong," he said.
Mao Anping was a torch bearer for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. The opportunity to visit the nation's capital exposed him to the results of China's growth. "This growth, I think, is what he wanted."
