Mao the Crotch Scratcher and Other Trivial

Another book which I had disposed of, but rather reluctantly, was Jan Wong's Red China Blues.

The book started with a description of Mao Zedong's (毛泽东) grandson Mao Xinyu (毛新宇), and Wong's observation that the Mao family harbored a "disdain for bourgeois hygiene."

As Wong wrote: "Mao Zedong had been a crotch scratcher, once dropping his pants to search for lice during an interview in the 1930s with the American reporter Edgar Snow."

According to Wong, Mao studied English using the Communist Manifesto as his textbook. "No wonder he never learnt to speak English," Wong mused.

Describing her time spent in China during the Cultural Revolution, Wong added: "I, on the other hand, became fluent in Maoist lingo. Phrases like "down with the imperialists and all their running dogs" rolled off my tongue. But I couldn't say "May I please have a tube of Bright and Glorious toothpaste."

A funny account, but it also reminded me of a Mr. Zhang whom I used to work with briefly when I was in Beijing. Having grown up during the Cultural Revolution, the only English Zhang ever learnt was "Mao Zedong is the red sun in our heart" and one or two other equally propagandist and useless phrases. Like those of his generation, Zhang spoke wistfully about his wasted youth, and wished he had acquired more useful skills when he was growing up.

Coming back to Wong's book, Mao was also described as "a coarse-spoken man with a love of elegant poetry," and someone "obsessed with physical culture as a youth."

Apparently, Mao bathed in icy water even in winter and toughened the soles of his feet by climbing rocky cliffs barefoot. Hmm, if Mao was reportedly so athletic, then how come he looked so, er, portly?

For someone so egolomaniacal, it is surprising to learn that Mao had given specific directive not to celebrate his birthday, or name anything after him. Hence, even till this day there is no Mao Zedong avenue, square, park or ship. Hmm, I wonder why.