The "President" accused of having caused the death of millions is people. Dozens gathered around the university to protest against the teacher. The academic committee of the Party: "False claims".
Beijing (AsiaNews) - Professor Deng Xiaochao was fired after criticizing Mao Zedong on the Chinese social network Weibo, on the occasion of 123th anniversary of the leader's birth.
Mao, who died at the age of 73 on 9 September 1976, is still officially revered by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the figure of the leader while still esteemed by the people, is now a controversial figure.
Deng, 62, is a professor of art at the Shandong Jianzhu University, in central China. In a post dated December 26, he criticizes Mao for being responsible for the famine that caused three million deaths and the Cultural Revolution, during which two million people died.
Without referring to anyone in particular, Deng had written: "Being an imperial ruler in China takes skill, you should turn your yellow robe to patched clothes, changing the anointment to a celebration of a newborn state, turning concubines into female entertainment soldiers. You should call hereditary rulers revolutionary comrades, and change the emperor’s edict into a supreme instruction. But don’t be honest about it.”
The criticism was judged too harsh by supporters of Mao, that despite the heavy restrictions on demonstrations, dozens gathered in front of the university shouting slogans and brandishing placards against the professor. Even the CCP university committee stated that Prof. Deng has made "false allegations."
Modern history is a very sensitive topic in China, so that the Party reserves the power over the claim of its accomplishments.