Wen Qimei
| Wen Qimei | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 12 February 1867 |
| Died |
5 October 1919 (aged 52) Shaoshan, Hunan Province |
| Occupation | Farm labourer |
| Spouse(s) | Mao Yichang |
| Children | Mao Zedong |
Wen Qimei (12 February 1867 – 5 October 1919) was a Chinese woman who achieved notability as the mother of political leader and revolutionary Mao Zedong. Together with her husband, the farmer Mao Yichang, she lived in a rural village in Shaoshan, Hunan Province.
Early life
She was betrothed to Mao Yichang when she was thirteen and he was ten; their wedding took place five years later.[1]
Raising Mao Zedong
After the birth of Mao Zedong, his parents were presented with a rooster, as was the local custom.[2] Wen was concerned for her baby's health, having had two sons previously die in infancy. She took the baby to see a Buddhist monk who was living in the mountains, and asked her to take care of him. The nun refused, believing that baby Zedong appeared healthy.[2] From there, she traveled to her father's house in a neighbouring district, along the way stopping at a temple devoted to the bodhisattva Guan Yin, where she prayed that the deity would become Zedong's foster mother.[2]
References
Footnotes
- ↑ Pantsov & Levine 2012, p. 13
- 1 2 3 Pantsov & Levine 2012, p. 14
Bibliography
- Chang, Jung; Halliday, Jon (2005). Mao: The Unknown Story. London: Jonathan Cape. ISBN 978-0-224-07126-0.
- Feigon, Lee (2002). Mao: A Reinterpretation. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee. ISBN 978-1-56663-458-8.
- Hollingworth, Clare (1985). Mao and the Men Against Him. London: Jonathan Cape. ISBN 0224017608.
- Pantsov, Alexander V.; Levine, Steven I. (2012). Mao: The Real Story. New York and London: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4516-5447-9.
- Terrill, Ross (1980). Mao: A Biography. New York City: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-06-014243-8.
- Snow, Edgar (1961) [1937]. Red Star Over China. New York City.