The Mao Case

imperial house hold. After the overthrow of the Qing dynasty, Yuan Shikai, the first president
     of the Republic of China, took the Central South Sea as his government office site. To Yuan, who later failed to become an
     emperor himself, the choice was symbolically significant, for the Central South Sea was synonymous with the Forbidden City.
    After 1949, the Central South Sea was turned into a residential complex for the top Party leaders, enclosed by high walls,
     providing all the majestic luxury, privacy, and security imaginable for the residents inside.
    That morning, the front of the Central South Sea appeared little changed from the Qing dynasty, presenting the vermilion gate,
     red walls, and glazed yellow tiles as of old. There were two armed soldiers standing at the front entrance. The half-open
     gate revealed a large screen bearing Mao’s gilded inscription:
To serve the people
.
    Chen dialed the number sent in the text message. “Oh it’s you, Chen,” Fang responded. “Please come to the side entrance.”
    So he walked over to a shaded side street, and to the alternative entrance also guarded by an armed soldier. Fang was waiting
     for him in a booth outside. A handsome woman in her early thirties, with almond-shaped eyes and a straight nose, highly spirited
     in her army uniform, she stepped out, extending her hand, a wisp of hair straying out of her green cap.
    “So you must be Chen. The residence hasn’t been open to the public since 1989. Today you are a special visitor. Ling tells
     me you’re nostalgic.”
    “Thank you so much, Fang, for going out of your way for me,” Chen said, believing Ling hadn’t revealed his real purpose. “It’s
     one of the places I’ve always wanted to see.”
    “You don’t have to thank me,” Fang said in a crisp voice. “Ling
called us, speaking to both me and my boss. She’s a friend of mine. She’s told me of you. She asked me to do whatever possible
     for you. For one thing, I could serve as your guide — that is, if you’d like.”
    “I appreciate your offer, but I’d like to take a walk around first. If I need anything, I’ll let you know. Oh, but maybe a
     map?”
    “Some other Party leaders still live here. You are supposed to walk around only the area where Mao used to live. Here is a
     map, and Ling has something else for you,” she said, giving him a large envelope with the map on top of it.
    The bulging shape of the envelope suggested something like a book inside. He thought he could guess what it was. Once again,
     Ling had helped him, not only with access to the Central South Sea. He didn’t tear open the envelope in the presence of Fang.
    So he checked the map and headed for the Harvest Garden, the original name for Mao’s residence. In the Qing dynasty, the Harvest
     Garden had been used as a scenic imperial study. It was in the shape of a large quadrangle house, with five rooms in a row
     along each side and a courtyard in the middle.
    The Harvest Garden looked deserted that morning. Chen walked in, started looking around here and there. Some of the rooms
     were locked. He pushed open the door of the bedroom.
    What first struck him as unusual in the room was the extraordinarily big bed. Larger than a king-size one, apparently custom-made,
     but apart from its size, it was simple and plain. About a quarter of the bed was practically covered with books. It appeared
     as if Mao had slept with books.
    Chen reached out and picked one up.
Zizhi Tongjian
, sometimes called the “Mirror of the History.” It was a history book written by Sima Guang, a renowned Confucian scholar
     in the Song dynasty, intended to mirror history in such a way that emperors could learn lessons by examining it. Mao was said
     to have read it seven or eight times. Most of the books on the bed turned out to be similar classics and histories.
    According to Mao, history is an ever-continuous process of one dynasty succeeding another. Those at the bottom rise in rebellion
     to
overthrow the one at the top, though the successful rebel inevitably turns into the emperor, as corrupt and oppressive as
     was the predecessor. Being part of modern Chinese history, having actually shaped that part of history which shaped him as
     well, Mao declared, “All the theories of Marxism can be summed up in one sentence: it is justified to rebel.” As an ambitious
     and accomplished rebel, marching under the banners of Marxism and communism, Mao put to good use the