Mao Yichang

Mao Yichang
毛贻昌
Born15 October 1870
Died23 January 1920(1920-01-23) (aged 49)
Occupation(s)Farmer, grain merchant
SpouseWen Qimei
ChildrenMao Zedong
Mao Zemin
Mao Zetan
Mao Zejian (adopted)
Mao Yichang
Traditional Chinese毛貽昌
Simplified Chinese毛贻昌
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinMáo Yíchāng
Wade–GilesMao2 I2-Ch'ang1

Mao Yichang or Mao Rensheng[a] (15 October 1870 – 23 January 1920) was a Chinese farmer and grain merchant who achieved notability as the father of Mao Zedong. The nineteenth generation of the Mao clan, he was born and lived his life in the rural village of Shaoshanchong in Shaoshan, Hunan Province.

The son of Mao Enpu, he was raised in a poverty-stricken family of peasants. Marrying Wen Qimei when he was fifteen, he subsequently served for two years in the Xiang Army. Returning to agriculture, he became a moneylender and grain merchant, buying up local grain and selling it in the city for a higher price, becoming one of the wealthiest farmers in Shaoshan, with 20 acres of land. He and Wen had four surviving children, Zedong, Zemin, Zetan, and Zejian, the latter of whom was adopted.

  1. ^ Short 1999, p. 20.


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