Chapter 103 Zhang Yufeng is the most intimate

Journalist: “Among all these women, which one did you like the most?”

Mao: “Of course, it’s Xiaozhang. She was the most in line with my preferences and needs. Although she had the title of a secretary, whether it was a personal secretary or a confidential secretary, her final and highest position was a director-level confidential secretary at the Central Office. In reality, she was my little wife, the one closest to me in every way. I don’t need to mention how intimately she served me. She was attentive in every detail, not just in political matters, but she understood best what I wanted and what I wanted to say. Especially during my last two years, when my speech became unclear, only she could understand what I wanted to say and translate it for others to hear.”

Journalist: “It’s truly rare. Despite the 50-year age difference, she was the only person in your later years who could understand your inner thoughts. Even Jiang Qing and Zhou Enlai tried to please her, speaking highly of her in order to convey their messages to you through her.”

Mao: “Yes, Jiang Qing would send her gifts like watches, suits, and fabric, asking her to speak well of Jiang Qing in front of me, so that Jiang Qing could have more opportunities to see me. Zhou Enlai would write notes to her, addressing her with utmost respect and beginning with ‘Comrade Yufeng,’ asking her to convey messages to me. He had never been so respectful in writing to anyone else.”

Journalist: “There are many others in the central government who want to please Xiaozhang, right?”

Mao: “There’s Wang Hongwen. I made him the Vice Chairman. When he came to Changsha to see me in 1974, he mentioned that Xiaozhang was working too hard by my side, taking care of me and reading documents. He suggested that someone else should be assigned to do her laundry and cooking. I was greatly angered when I found out, and I told him that anyone who dares to interfere in my internal affairs should get out. Wang Hongwen got wind of it and quickly hurried back to Beijing in panic. If I followed Wang Hongwen’s approach, wouldn’t I be creating a second Jiang Qing? I already have one political empress. I only need Xiaozhang to continue being my obedient servant, my little wife.”

Journalist: “When you were recuperating in Changsha, did Zhou Enlai also come to see you?”

Mao: “Yes, he came to see me in Changsha in 1974 to discuss personnel arrangements. Xiaozhang complained to him, saying, ‘Chairman needs me to take care of his eating, drinking, excretion, sleeping. You don’t manage anything.’ Zhou felt embarrassed but didn’t say much. He’s not like Wang Hongwen.”

Journalist: “There are many women around you. Why did you have a special affection for Xiaozhang? How did you develop feelings for her?”

Mao: “Indeed, there were countless women around me, many of whom had a high level of education. Xiaozhang only finished primary school and became a train attendant at the age of 14. At 18, she became a server on my special train. I took notice of her because she suited my taste. She was attentive, considerate, straightforward, and stubborn. She wasn’t slick in deliberately pleasing others. She would even argue with me openly. In 1965, when she was 21, my special train arrived in Wuhan. Wang Hairong spoke up for me, saying Xiaozhang was practically treating me like a toilet, which infuriated me. As a result, when I was in a meeting with a group of people, they wanted Xiaozhang to reflect on her behavior. Surprisingly, Xiaozhang candidly said, ‘Chairman argued with me, insulted me, and even insulted my mother, so I argued back.’ She wasn’t satisfied and said, ‘Chairman insulted me first, so why should I reflect on myself?’ Out of anger, she left the meeting and went back to the special train.”

Journalist: “Did Zhang Yufeng dare to argue with you?”

Mao: “Yes, she was the only person who dared to argue with me, even more so than Peng Dehuai. She served me for over ten years, and I remember two instances of arguing. The first was after the Chinese New Year in 1965, on the special train in Wuhan. I scolded her for a small matter and even insulted her mother. She retorted in anger, which made me even more furious. I told Wang Hairong that she was unreasonable and wanted to hold a meeting to criticize her. However, when the meeting began, and everyone wanted her to reflect on her actions, she didn’t agree. She said she argued back because I insulted her first, so why should she reflect? In a fit of anger, she left and returned to the special train.

The second instance was on June 8, 1975. I asked her to read a document, but she had gone out for something. I grew impatient waiting for her and got angry when she returned. I wrote on paper, ‘Zhang Yufeng, get lost!’ She read it and retorted, ‘If I don’t get lost, then you’re just a dog.’ Her words angered me for two days.

On June 10, Dr. Li Zhisui and two other doctors came to examine me, and I was still upset. I complained to them, talking non-stop, waving my fists and stamping my feet. By that time, I had difficulty speaking clearly, and the three doctors couldn’t understand me. They asked Zhang Yufeng to translate. She refused to translate, which made me even angrier. In the end, she was forced to translate and make it clear. The doctors were shocked, but she still expressed her dissatisfaction, saying, ‘What’s the point of saying all this to the doctors?’”

Journalist: “Oh, so you insulted her and her mother first, but Xiaozhang dared to argue back, not treating you like an emperor, and even dared to insult the emperor. That’s truly rare!”

Mao: “Yes, throughout my life, I insulted, oppressed, and killed countless people, but no one dared to argue with me face-to-face. Just a glance from me, and everyone would submit obediently. Only she dared to argue with me.”

Journalist: “When did you transfer Xiaozhang from your special train to be by your side in Zhongnanhai?”

Mao: “That was in 1970 when I transferred her to Zhongnanhai to be my personal secretary.”

Journalist: “In 1972, you had an illegitimate child with Xiaozhang, right? How did you arrange it?”

Mao: “I instructed her to live in the high-ranking ward to give birth. She had a boy, but it was inconvenient for him to have the Mao surname. His name was Zhang Nanzi, indicating that he was born in Zhongnanhai. After the child was born, even Jiang Qing tried to please me by sending gifts, including diapers. During Xiaozhang’s maternity leave, her sister, Zhang Yumei, took care of me.”

Journalist: “Zhang Yufeng gave birth to a boy for you?”

Mao: “Yes, I named him Zhang Nanzi, meaning ‘son of the South Sea.’ Jiang Qing congratulated me on having a valuable child. I had him sent to the ‘Yuquanshan Nursery,’ with a dedicated caregiver. It was a specialized nursery for unmarried infants of top central leaders. Jiang Qing wanted him to have her surname, Li, but I said the child should have the same surname as the mother. So, I named him Zhang Nanzi. I can’t remember the exact year of his birth. You’ll have to read Zhang Yufeng’s memoir for more details. However, only when she is free can she write a true memoir. Memoirs published under party control can only be written according to the party’s needs and cannot be considered genuine.”

Journalist: “Did you and Zhang Yufeng have only one child?”

Mao: “There might have been two. I vaguely remember a time when Zhang Yufeng brought both boys together for a photo, with the two little suns sitting in the middle, and Zhang Yufeng and I on either side.”

Journalist: “Hong Kong newspapers published a photo of you and Zhang Yufeng after your death in 1976, with two little suns sitting in the middle. Is that photo real?”

Mao: “Yes, there were many such little suns, but I never took photos with them. Only with Zhang Yufeng, because she was by my side for many years, did I make an exception and allow her to take a photo with me.”

Journalist: “How did you handle these little suns?”

Mao: “I had them sent to the military for centralized care. They took their mother’s surname, and it was forbidden to disclose their relationship with me. If it was revealed, the women would be treated as having mental issues, either sent to psychiatric hospitals or isolated in labor camps in remote areas like the deep forests of Northeast China. They would be cut off from society and spend their remaining years there, to prevent any negative social impact on my reputation.”

Journalist: “There must have been many of these children, right? Isn’t their life very unfortunate?”

Mao: “Yes, there were enough to form a whole company, if not more. I don’t know the exact details, as I never inquired about them. Their material well-being was not a problem. Zhou Enlai took good care of them, and I heard that the State Council provided special funds for them annually. However, there might have been some issues with their mental well-being. They carried the burden of my original sin, being the offspring of gangsters and thugs, and they would naturally face discrimination in society. I hoped that through my repentance, their souls would be cleansed, and they could live normal lives in society after obtaining a new lease on life.”

Journalist: “How many women did you engage in sexual relationships with?”

Mao: “There were countless young and beautiful women who I engaged with. After playing with them, most were discarded. They were instructed to keep secrets and not utter a word. If they did, they would be deemed mentally ill and sent to psychiatric hospitals to spend their remaining years. Some of them continued to serve in various palaces, like Beidaihe, or were sent to isolated farms or forests to live out their lives. They were kept away from society to maintain my secrecy…

Some became pregnant and gave birth. They were sent to the military for care but not allowed to use the Mao surname. They took their mother’s surname. I didn’t leave behind any ‘dragon seeds.’ I only cared about my own enjoyment, not about future generations. During my lifetime, I didn’t think about them, and after my death, I couldn’t enjoy anything anymore. I didn’t want to think about them. Those who gave birth took their mother’s surname. There were enough to form a whole company, over a hundred. I don’t want to see them anymore. Let’s pretend it never happened.”

Journalist: “Oh, the child named Zhang Nanzi, later on, how was he arranged?”

Mao: “After my passing, Xiaozhang requested that the child be surnamed Mao. This request was brought up to Deng Xiaoping. Deng Xiaoping said, ‘There are too many people like this. We shouldn’t get involved or set this precedent.’ So, it came to nothing. Now, the child has grown up and lives in New Zealand. They have returned to China to visit relatives.”

Journalist: “Did Xiaozhang ever argue with you later on?”

Mao: “Minor arguments were common. We had a big argument in 1975. I wanted Xiaozhang to read some documents, but she was out. I waited for a long time until she returned, and I got angry. I wrote a note: ‘Zhang Yufeng, go away!’ She retorted: ‘If I don’t go away, you’re just a dog.’ This made me furious, and I kept writing on the paper: ‘She called me a dog! She called me a dog!’ We were at an impasse. Xiaozhang packed a small bag in anger and actually went back to her hometown in Heilongjiang. After a few days, I couldn’t bear it and instructed Wang Dongxing to bring her back.”

Journalist: “Oh, so Xiaozhang really went back to her hometown, and you asked her to come back to Zhongnanhai?”

Mao: “Yes, I couldn’t be without her. I felt uncomfortable when she wasn’t by my side. No one could replace her.”

Journalist: “That’s interesting! Jiang Qing is afraid of you and doesn’t dare to argue with you, but Xiaozhang is not afraid. Why is that?”

Mao: “Jiang Qing and I were political partners. She was the empress, and the empress still relied on the emperor to survive, so she didn’t dare to offend me. Xiaozhang had no political ambitions. At worst, she could go back and work as a train attendant. When she argued with me, it was like a husband and wife quarreling. We argued at the head of the bed and made up at the foot. It had nothing to do with political interests. So she dared to say, ‘He scolded me, why can’t I scold him? He’s a person, and I’m a person too. I’m not a dog.’”

Journalist: “So, Xiaozhang is really remarkable. She is the only Chinese person who dares to argue with you face-to-face and resist you.”

Mao: “Yes, throughout my life, for decades, countless people were scolded, manipulated, or killed by me, but no one dared to stand up against me. Only Xiaozhang. She had no demands and no worries about fame or position. She wasn’t afraid of anything. If she wanted to leave, she would leave and go back to her hometown. But I had expectations of her, and I was afraid of her leaving me.”

Journalist: “With so many powerful leaders fawning over her, trying to please her, didn’t she have a group of people around her? Didn’t she take advantage of them?”

Mao: “No, that’s the valuable aspect of Xiaozhang. She had no ambitions. In the last 2-3 years of my life, if she wanted power and formed a faction for personal gain, she would have been the most powerful person after me. She could have accomplished anything by using me as a figurehead. But she remained an individual. Apart from me, she relied on no one and didn’t build her own faction. She didn’t rely on Jiang Qing, Zhou Enlai, Hua Guofeng, or Wang Dongxing. Even after my passing, she was still alone and had no support.”

Journalist: “Hong Kong newspapers published a photo of you and Zhang Yufeng after your death in 1976, with two little suns sitting in the middle. Is that photo real?”

Mao: “Yes, there were many such little suns. I never took photos with them. Only with Zhang Yufeng because she was by my side for a long time. That’s why I made an exception and allowed her to take a photo with me.”

Journalist: “How did you handle these little suns?”

Mao: “I had them sent to the military for centralized care. They took their mother’s surname, and it was forbidden to mention their relationship with me. If it was revealed, those women would be treated as having mental problems and sent to psychiatric hospitals or isolated in labor camps in remote areas like the deep forests of Northeast China. They would live their remaining years in seclusion, to prevent any negative social impact on my reputation.”

Journalist: “There must have been many children like this. Isn’t their life very unfortunate?”

Mao: “Yes, there were enough to form a whole company, at least. I don’t know the details. I never inquired about them. Their material well-being was not a problem. Zhou Enlai took good care of them, and I heard that the State Council provided special funds for them annually. However, their mental well-being might have been problematic. They carried the burden of my original sin, being the offspring of gangsters and thugs. Naturally, they faced discrimination in society. I hoped that through my repentance, their souls would be cleansed, and they could live normal lives in society after obtaining spiritual purification. They were innocent, and after their souls were reborn, they should be able to survive in society normally.”

Journalist: “How many women have you raped and manipulated?”

Mao: “The number of young and beautiful women I played with is uncountable. Most of them were discarded after I had my way with them. They were instructed to keep secrets, not to utter a word. If they leaked anything, they would be deemed mentally ill and sent to psychiatric hospitals to spend their final years. Some continued to serve in various palaces like Beidaihe or were sent to isolated farms and forests, living out their lives away from society to keep my secrets… Some got pregnant, and their children were handed over to the military for upbringing. They were not allowed to bear my surname but took their mother’s surname. I didn’t leave behind any ‘dragon seeds.’ I only cared about my own pleasure, not about future generations. I only cared about the present. After my death, I can’t enjoy anything anymore. I no longer think about them. The children born followed their mother’s surname. There were at least a company’s worth, over 100 of them. I don’t want to see them again. Let’s just pretend it never happened.”

Journalist: “How did Deng Xiaoping arrange Zhang Yufeng?”

Mao: After my death, Zhang Yufeng requested to have herself and her two children officially recognized. She submitted three reports, but Deng Xiaoping said, ‘There are too many people like her. We can’t acknowledge them all.’ Zhang Yufeng had access to too many secrets, especially the confessions, guarantees, and self-incriminations of the Politburo members and higher-ranking officials, which I cherished as leverage for controlling their life and death. After I died, Jiang Qing wanted Zhang Yufeng to hand over the key and password to the safe deposit box. Zhang Yufeng refused, but later she gave it to Hua Guofeng, who handed it over to the Security Bureau.

Zhang Yufeng knew that she possessed too many of my secrets, and it was dangerous for her to remain in Beijing. Shortly after my death, Hua Guofeng sent her to a small secluded courtyard in Shanghai, isolating her from the world, just like He Zizhen, banished to the cold palace. It was not until 1980, for the public trial of the ‘Gang of Four,’ that she was brought back to Beijing. Since then, she has lived in the Deputy Minister’s building, but she is not allowed to speak or act recklessly.”

Journalist: “Did Zhang Yufeng write a memoir after your passing?”

Mao: “I heard that she wrote over 800,000 words in the span of three years, reminiscing about the years she spent by my side. She submitted it to the Central Propaganda Department for review, but after four months, they replied that it should not be published. The news reached my daughter and nephew, and they strongly opposed it. They said that Zhang Yufeng’s writing was too straightforward, lacking in storytelling that praises me. They believed it would tarnish my image. They were afraid that Zhang Yufeng might publish it on her own, so they proposed to buy the publishing rights for 1 million yuan. The matter is still pending.”

Journalist: “It seems that Zhang Yufeng is straightforward and honest, unlikely to fabricate stories. Her memoir reflects the true situation and reveals your true nature, which is valuable for preserving history. It will surely be published in the future.”