Mao Knows Best

Every city has its characteristic items that are sold to tourists at its every nook and cranny. I’m used to the normal postcard hawkers and faux watch vendors, but what I wasn’t prepared for was the Teachings of Mao Zedong book salesmen. Curious, I picked up one of the tombs very carefully, thinking that this could well be the Chinese equivalent to the Bible, and thumbed through the pages. As the cover had promised, there in English and Mandarin were the words of the Chairman, himself, for all to remember and ooh and aah at, like a modern Confucius.