Musings on Mao Zedong

I've been reading a bit about China recently--who hasn't?---and for some reason my attention has been drawn to Mao. He is often overlooked when people mention the terrible figures of the 20th century, but if you read the following two books, you will get a fair glimpse into a person who saw little wrong in condeming 70 million Chinese to death. The first book, The Private Life of Chairman Mao was written by Li Zhi-Sui, who was Mao's personal physician for the last twenty years of his life. Li sheds light on Mao's personal proclivities, such as his unslakable sexual thirst, his avoidance of bathing and brushing his teeth (this must have beena great turn-on for his lovers), his keeping of odd hours and whimsical change of plans. Li's book is fascinating in its depiction of the habits--none of them endearing---of a horrible person. Li, however, lends little insight into the Great Leap Forward or The Cultural Revolution, Mao's two great programs to modernize China. Both of these came at terrible human cost, which Jung Chang illuminates in her book Mao: The Unknown Story. Jung Chang authored the popular Wild Swans, and readers of that book will recognize many of the grim details life under Mao. Where Li Zhi-Sui retained a small amount of affection for Mao---perhaps this is a product of proximity---Jung Chang loathes the man, and for good reason. These books, and there are many written about Mao to choose from---left me better informed about this dictator, and also a bit depressed. And I have even mentioned Mao's wife.

One question comes to mind: Why does a country with such a rich cultural heritage as China's seem intent on destroying so much of what others can only envy?