| Dr. Xinyu Mao | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 January 1970 |
| Political party | Communist Party of China |
| Spouse(s) | 郝明莉 Hao Mingli 刘滨 Liu Bin |
| Children | 毛东东 Mao Dongdong 毛甜懿 Mao Tianyi |
| Alma mater | Renmin University of China Central Party School of the Communist Party of China People's Liberation Army Academy of Military Sciences |
| Occupation | historian |
| Profession | Historian |
| Religion | Atheism |
| Military service | |
| Rank | Major General |
Mao Xinyu (Chinese: 毛新宇; pinyin: Máo Xīnyǔ), born Saturday, January 17, 1970[1], is a Chinese historian and military officer, and grandson of Mao Zedong.
Mao Xinyu graduated from the History Department of Renmin University of China in 1992. He works as a researcher at the People's Liberation Army Academy of Military Sciences, where he completed his doctorate. Among the several books he has written is Grandfather Mao Zedong (Yeye Mao Zedong), published by the National Defence University Press in October 2003.[2]
Mao won promotion to the rank of major general in the People's Liberation Army in June 2009 despite being obese. According to the Changjiang Daily, Mao is now the youngest general in the PLA.[3]
Following his promotion to general Mao was severely criticized for his weight, supposed lack of intelligence, and poor handwriting. Some critics described his promotion as nepotism. "To have such an unqualified person become a general in China's military, it's an insult to the People's Liberation Army," said Pu Zhiqiang, a lawyer and human rights activist. "Those promoted in the future as generals should feel humiliated by this," he continued.[4] “This is a natural elevation. Mao's many achievements earned him the right to be promoted,” said Bao Goujun, a spokesman for the Academy of Military Sciences.[5]
He is also a member of the Beijing Chinese People's Consultative Conference National Committee, an advisory group to the central government.[6]
In September 2011 he took up a teaching position at Guangzhou University, teaching Mao Zedong Thought at Songtian Professional College.[7]
His father, Mao Anqing (1923–2007), was a child of Mao's marriage with Yang Kaihui (杨开慧, 1901–1930). Anqing served as a Russian-Chinese interpreter for the Chinese Communist Party until he became disabled by schizophrenia.[8] His mother, Chairman Mao's daughter-in-law, was Shao Hua (邵华).
Mao Xinyu has married twice. His first wife was Hao Mingli (郝明莉), whom he married at 4:00 pm on 7 December 1997 and with whom he had no children. The first marriage ended at an unknown date, and Mao Xinyu remarried in 2003 to Liu Bin (刘滨), who was from Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province and whom he had met in 2000. Mao Xinyu and Liu Bin have one son, Mao Dongdong (毛东东, born 2003), as well as one daughter, Mao Tianyi (毛甜懿, born 2008).
Mao has described his grandfather, Mao Zedong as a "god" and "perfect man".[9]