China through the Kaleidoscope of a Curious Traveler

The mosque had a courtyard and the adjacent building was used as a school and dorm for religious education. Noticing several Chinese Muslims lingering there, I greeted them with the universal "Salam" (Peace) and a big smile on my face. Receiving no response, I charged towards the door of the mosque to satisfy my curiosity. The host parents translated their words for me: "The mosque is not open on Sundays." I tried to talk with someone, but I was shunned. My repeated efforts trying to get to know a Chinese Muslim failed. I could not believe their apathy and lack of curiosity. For a moment, I thought perhaps they showed aversion towards me because of the short pants on me. But, I later saw the waitresses in the restaurant wearing no headscarves. I am not sure whether my experience in that mosque was an anecdotal one. But, I know for sure that the backward sectarian teachings that have replaced the progressive and liberating teaching of the Quran, have turned many so-called Muslims to zombies!

Mao here, Mao there, Mao Everywhere!

China was once among the short list of hero-worshipping totalitarian countries that included the names of their national or religious heroes in their Constitution. I learned about this strange common characteristic, when I wrote a journal article titled, Cannibal Democracies, Theocratic Secularism: the Turkish Version, which before its publication became the topic of an interdisciplinary international symposium at Cardoza Law School, Yeshiva University. The Turkish Republic's constitutionally baptized and protected hero has been Mustafa Kamal Atatürk. Saudi Arabia's constitution glorifies King Saud. Iran adds Ayatollah Khomeini to its long list of historic idols. Albania had included the name Anwar Hodja in their constitution and China had Mao Zadong!

We were just two hour away from Mao Zedung's birth place, which is now a museum attracting domestic tourists. I will leave Mao's life story and his polices to history books or Encyclopedias, and share with you a few observations of mine during our short trip to Mao's birth place.

While looking at historical pictures in the museum, our guide kept repeating some statements: "Mao picked a good home, therefore he became lucky." Or "Mao's grandfather picked the right place for his tomb; so Mao got such a position."

There is even a popular superstition about a pimple or perhaps a benign tumor on Mao's chin, which I had not even noticed until the guide enthusiastically volunteered to enlighten us: "In his middle age, when Mao moved up in leadership, a mark emerged on his chin!" I am not now sure about the alleged order of cause and effect. Perhaps she said the other way around: "When that mark emerged on his chin, Mao moved up in leadership" Either way, it is a pure nonsense, a political propaganda using superstitions in a gullible community. Unfortunately, the young and the educated guide was a believer of such superstition. She was sharing the miraculous story of the tumor on the chin with a conviction of a Mormon or Evangelical missionary.

Mao (1893-1976) who united his country after the civil war and founded the People's Republic of China in 1949 and transformed China to become one of the major powers is still revered officially. His face is on Yuan and his pictures and statues can be found everywhere in China. However, Mao's economic, social and political programs, his communist agenda, such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution lost popularity soon after his death. A series of economic and social reforms started by his successor, Deng Xiaoping, opened China up to the world, making it a major player in global economy.

Yet, many of the older generation still remember Mao positively. They may not want his policies to continue, but they appreciate his work for his nation in the past. During our visit to Mao's birth place, Shaoshan, we saw busloads of Chinese tourists visiting his birth home and buying various gift items inscribed with Mao's name and pictures. Mao was every where. Hundreds of small busts in gift shops winked at me like little pagan idols. However, one scene stood out among others.

I noticed groups of citizens marching one after another in unison behind two soldiers carrying wreaths to a huge Mao statute erected in the town's square. There were dozens of fresh ones covering the base of statue. Within ten minutes, I witnessed four or five groups of five to twenty people, offering wreaths and respect to Mao. Afterwards, they would take their pictures before the super-sized concrete Mao. It was not much different than a religious ceremony, though a very simple one. Soon after their wreaths were placed in the base of the statute, the groups would line up in rows and upon the instruction of their leaders or tourist guides, would start bowing down three times. I wondered about the meaning of the words preceded each bow. I was expecting some inspirational political slogans or something flattering remarks similar to those you find inside Chinese cookies. But, the words were no different than church bell:

"Bow once; bow twice; bow thrice!"

As an iconoclast, I found these ceremonies silly and scary. Silly, since worshipping another human being is degrading and is insult to the intelligence of an individual. I found not much difference between the worshipped and the worshipper, except the false inferiority feelings created in the minds of the subordinated people. For Pharaoh to be Pharaoh there must have been those who accepted humiliation and slavery. The astronomical power and charisma of celebrity or a leader does not originate from his or her own extraordinary powers, but depends on the illusion of inferiority created in the minds of celebrity worshippers. The idol carvers, be of political or commercial, fabricate, solicit, propagate and orchestrate popular emotions. Emotions of inferiority generate brand loyalty, adoration, admiration, money, and power for the celebrities and their entourage. It is a vicious and self-perpetuating cycle. The fame, money and power in turn, generate more emotions of inferiority that seeks affiliation with a more superior power to balance the comparative inferiority.

I also found the offering of flowers to the concrete resemblance of a dead leader scary. In fact, hero worship or human worship is the source of the many atrocities committed in the history of humanity. Those who idolize their religious or political leaders become fanatic dogmatic that do not hesitate to destroy others. Since their unity and cause is not based on reason, but on emotions, they are easily manipulated by corrupt and power-hungry politicians and their accomplice religious leaders.  Thus, you end up with superhuman celebrities like Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, Hitler, Khomeini, Atatürk and many others. Whether those celebrities were agents of peace or war, justice or injustice, their intoxicated worshipers are prone to commit all kinds of stupid and destructive acts. Sure, the biggest damage is caused by the worshippers of religious and political heroes, their ideologies, and symbols.

There I wondered the meaning of 5 stars in Chinese flag, one being bigger than the others. I learned that the larger star represents the leadership of the Communist Party and the small stars represent the four classes of people united by Mao: Workers, Peasants, Petty Bourgeoisie (Small Business Class), and National Bourgeoisie (Chinese non-governmental businessmen). There are few other interpretations and according to Wikipedia article, the most popular one is "the four stars represent the four occupations central to the state, which are Farmers, Workers, Soldiers, and Teachers."

America, the Beautiful Country

The day before our last day, I joined the two-hour Chinese language and culture class together with our 18 students. The teacher used a computer, projection machine and a big screen for the presentation. In that class I learned the Chinese for the word China and America:

China: Zhōng guó (Center/Middle Country or In Country)

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