Carl Zha Profile picture
May 22, 2021 13 tweets 8 min read Read on X
Mao’s grandson still appears in limelight bc his appearance and his grandpa. But it was Mao’s nephew Mao Yuanxin 毛远新 that was groomed for leadership during Cultural Revolution. 新 Xin in his name because he was born in Urumqi, #Xinjiang in 1941 where Mao’s brother worked
Mao's younger brother Mao Zemin was sent to USSR in 1938 via #Xinjiang for medical treatment, but outbreak of plague at Sino-Soviet border forced him to stay. He became finance minister to Soviet backed Xinjiang warlord Sheng Shicai and married Zhu Danhua
During Battle of Moscow in 1941 and in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, #Xinjiang warlord Sheng Shicai felt USSR power waning and US backed Chiang Kai-shek star rising. Sheng pledge allegiance to Chiang and purged Communists in Xinjiang. He ordered arrest and execution of Mao Zemin
Mao Yuanxin was less than 2 yr old when his Dad was executed. He and his mom were jailed 4 yrs til 1946 during KMT and Communists peace talks. That's 1st time Mao Yuanxin and his mom met Mao Zedong.
In 1951, Mao Yuanxin's mom brought him to Beijing to visit Mao. Mao Yuanxin wanted to stay in Beijing and live with Uncle Mao. Ever since Mao raised his nephew like his own son. Mao family photo: Mao and wife Jiang Qin, their daughter Li Na and Mao Yuanxin.
Mao's wife Jiang Qin also raised Mao's nephew Mao Yuanxin as her own son, even favored him over her own daughter Li Na. Jiang Qin helped setup Mao Yuanxin as the "King of Northeast" 东北王 during Cultural Revolution. He became Jiang's helper in power struggle against Zhou Enlai.
In 1975, old Mao's condition worsened, his speech slurred and rarely appeared in public. His nephew Mao Yuanxin who stayed by his side became Chairman's official channel to communicate w the world.
As Zhou Enlai diagnosed w cancer, he helped reinstated Deng Xiaoping to help run the country. Jiang Qin and Mao Yuanxin then took aim at rehabilitated Deng. Younger Mao would tell his Uncle that Deng is not excited abt implementing Cultural Revolution
Aft Zhou Enlai passed away in Jan 1976, Gang of Four prohibited large scale commemoration. On April 5th Tomb Sweeping Festival, large crowd gathered on Tiananmen Square to commemorate Zhou Enlai. Mao Yuanxin told Uncle Mao that Deng using Zhou death 2 attack Cultural Revolution
aft listening to his nephew's report, Mao ordered crackdown on Tiananmen "Riot" and purge of Deng Xiaoping frm Politburo. 50k militia were called up but bc several hundred thousands occupied the square. Beijing police waited til most went home aft 11pm to clear the square.
Soon aft Mao's death in 1976, Mao Yuanxin was arrested along w Gang of 4. Aft his return to power, Deng Xiaoping had Mao Yuanxin sentenced to 17yrs in prison. Mao only got out in 1989 on medical parole while another Tiananmen protest brewing
Deng Xiaoping as he removed Mao's successor Hua Guofeng frm power told Hua "you at least made great contribution by arresting Gang of Four, otherwise BOTH of us will be under the thumbs of Mao Yuanxin" Bc younger Mao was Mao's favorite and Hua was seen as a caretaker leader
Mao Yuanxin only appeared in public eye again in 2013 with Mao Zedong's grandson's family in #Xinjiang to commemorate 70th anniversary of the death of 陈潭秋 Chen Tanqiu, his father Mao Zemin's comrades who was also executed by warlord Sheng Shicai in Urumqi.

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More from @CarlZha

Oct 30
Chinese bro traveled to Gilgit in Pakistan administered Kashmir to marry his Kalash gf.

He met her in his travels to Gilgit a couple of yrs ago while working in Pakistan. They maintained contact, had an online relationship.

Kalash said to descend frm Alexander the Great's Macedonian Army. Recent DNA tests showed that they're not related to Greeks but rather descend frm Bronze Age Proto-Indo-European tribes that migrated to the Indian subcontinent frm the Central Asian Steppe.

There're only abt 3,000 Kalash people who adhere to their ancient religion.

I had only read abt Kalash people in National Geographics and Human Genome project. It's wild to see this content showing up on my Douyin feed.

Chinese bro stayed in her isolated Kalash mountain village for over 2 months while waiting for their marriage certification and her travel documents processedImage
It's utterly fascinating to see this Chinese bro get a front row seat to this unique culture hiding away in the mountains of Hindu Kush
Chinese bro went with his Kalash wife to visit her sister who married a 70 yr old man in an arranged marriage.

Predictably many in Douyin comments ask him to introduce them to a Kalash gf. Bro said he won't do it and won't recommend even to his own 3 single male cousins in China. He said because there's a huge linguistic/cultural difference to overcome, his own case is special because he had lived and worked in Pakistan for many years, and he met his wife during his travels. He also mentioned that it's more difficult to travel to Northern Areas in Pakistan because there're many restrictions due to its sensitive status as a disputed area with India.
Read 6 tweets
Oct 28
Hangzhou police arrested Fang Bingbing cosplayer during Halloween celebration last night.
Hot monk cosplayer dude also taken by Hangzhou police
I don't know who he is cosplaying but Hangzhou police came for him, and also made him put on his shirt
Read 5 tweets
Apr 13
In this history thread, I will talk about how the direct ancestor of Miss Russia 2011 Natalia Gantimurova led to the 1st China Russia border war and Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689.

Her ancestor Gantimur was a Tungus tribal chief who got caught up in Russian and Qing expansion 🧵
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Russian Cossacks' pursuit of fur brought them deep into Siberia Taiga in 17th century. Like Viking before them, they expanded their control via navigable rivers. They're also looking a trade route to China. Oriat Mongols they encountered told them of a Bogda Khagan (Heaven Khan) Image
Cossacks crossed Lake Baikal into Dauria or the land of Daur (people). Mongol Tüsheet Khan ruled Dauria. But Dzungar ruler Galdan Boshugtu Khan defeated Tüsheet Khan along w other Khans of Outer Mongolia, driven them to Inner Mongolia to seek protection of Qing Empire Image
Read 16 tweets
Mar 25
188cm Ukrainian cosplayer Karina at Hangzhou ad02 animation expo. Her fanbase mostly young Chinese women.

She became a cosplayer aft moving to China w her Chinese husband, gained 3.5million Douyin fans. Her husband cheated on her then drowned in Bali's Kuta Beach last Nov on his birthday during their vacation together. Her fans are glad that she seems to be doing ok now.
Karina actually became famous for cosplaying male characters. She towers over her now dead husband who's only 183cm.

Her hubby had responded to how they did photoshoot in which he appeared taller.

He cheated on her while she was pregnant. They made up just before Bali vacation and his drowning death. Karina said she tried to save him but the wave was too strong
Karina actually became famous for cosplaying male characters. She towers over her now dead husband who's only 183cm.

Her hubby had responded to how they did photoshoot in which he appeared taller.

He cheated on her while she was pregnant. They made up just before Bali vacation and his drowning death. Karina said she tried to save him but the wave was too strong
Read 11 tweets
Feb 19
Ethiopian Chinese baby. Father works for a shoe factory.

Many Chinese textile and shoe factories moved to Africa to go around the US imposed quota on Chinese manufactured goods and take advantage of The African Growth and Opportunity Act which provides duty-free treatment to goods of designated sub-Saharan African countries (SSAs)
Chinese comments on the Douyin video: "Does your shoe factories still need people?"

Many thirsty single men in China
Salary day at a Chinese textile factory in Ethiopia.

Chinese factories off-shored to Africa employ mostly local African workers with a small managerial staff send from China.

Made in Ethiopian goods will sell to the US and EU market without facing restrictions on Chinese goods
Read 4 tweets
Jan 23
Emperor Yongzheng (1722-1735) cosplaying as a French nobleman hunting tiger with traditional Chinese trident.

Yongzheng had commissioned many painting of him dressing variously as Han literati, Mongol/Turkic prince, Tibetan lama. They are collectively called 雍正行乐图 literally Yongzheng's fun pictures.Image
Yongzheng as a Turkic (Uyghur) prince. The robe is made from atlas silk produced in Xinjiang Image
Yongzheng as a Mongol noble Image
Read 9 tweets

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