Mao Zedong wrote this speech to commemorate the death of a PLA soldier, Zhang Side, a participant in the Long March who died in the collapse of a kiln when he worked in Shaanxi province.[2]: 54 In the speech, Mao quoted a phrase written by the famous Han Dynasty historian Sima Qian: "Though death befalls all men alike, it may be heavy as Mount Tai or light as a feather" (人固有一死，或轻于鸿毛，或重于泰山). Mao continued: "To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai, but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather. Comrade Zhang Side died for the people, and his death is indeed weightier than Mount Tai".
The speech, delivered on 8 September 1944, states that the CCP and the People's Liberation Army have no other goal than to serve the people.[3]: 66 It states that the CCP and its cadres should not be afraid of criticism, and if criticism is correct, they should accept it and revise their behavior accordingly.[3]: 66 It also states that everyone in the revolutionary ranks is equal regardless of title or position.[3]: 66
During the Third Front campaign to develop basic industry and national defense industry in China's interior, Serve the People was frequently assigned as reading for Third Front workers.[4]: 94
During the Cultural Revolution, the speech was widely read and people were encouraged to memorize it.[3]: 66 Its messages had the effect of serving as a code of conduct which ordinary people could use to hold officials accountable.[3]: 66–67
Contemporary usesedit
The slogan displayed on the wall of Xinhua Gate in Zhongnanhai
The slogan of serving the people reflects the influence of the Maoist principle of the mass line.[2]: 43
It is inscribed on the screen wall facing the front entrance of the Zhongnanhai compound, which houses the headquarters of the Central People's Government and the CCP.
Since 1984, during inspections of troops in the People's Liberation Army, the following ceremonial exchange is carried out:
Inspecting official: "Hello, Comrades!" (同志们好; tóng zhì men hǎo)
In 2007, actress Cameron Diaz caused a minor controversy by carrying a bag with the "Serve the People" slogan in Chinese on a tour of Peru. Many Peruvians felt the bag to be a show of support for the Maoist movement Shining Path.[6]
In 2005, author Yan Lianke wrote a satirical novel set during the Cultural Revolution titled Serve the People! about an affair between the wife of a military officer and a peasant soldier.[7][8]
Huawei founder and CCP member Ren Zhengfei states that Huawei's culture is the same as the CCP's culture, "and to serve the people wholeheartedly means to be customer-centric and responsible to society."[2]: 9 The conglomerate Hengtong Group characterizes its business mission as "Serve the people and devote to the society," also a reference to Mao's speech.[2]: 56
^The greeting 首长好 ("Hello, Leader!") was traditionally used by all leaders during troop inspections since Chairman Mao's era. However, since 2017, a distinguished 主席好 ("Hello, Chairman!") has been used when Chairman of the Central Military CommissionXi Jinping is inspecting.
^Davis, Caris (25 June 2007), "Cameron Diaz Apologizes for Fashion Faux Pas", People, retrieved 28 April 2010
^Beijing, Mary-Anne Toy (2007-07-28). "A pen for the people". The Age. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
^Schillinger, Liesl (2008-05-04). "Kissing the Cook". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
December 13, 2023
serve, people, other, uses, disambiguation, renmin, fuwu, redirects, here, film, candidate, 1998, film, chinese, 为人民服务, political, slogan, motto, chinese, communist, party, originates, from, title, speech, zedong, delivered, september, 1944, slogan, displayed,. For other uses see Serve the People disambiguation Wei Renmin Fuwu redirects here For the film see The Candidate 1998 film Serve the People Chinese 为人民服务 is a political slogan and the motto of the Chinese Communist Party CCP It originates from the title of a speech by Mao Zedong delivered in September 1944 The slogan displayed at Sun Yat sen UniversityServe the PeopleTraditional Chinese爲人民服務Simplified Chinese为人民服务TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu Pinyinwei renmin fuwuThe slogan became popular in the United States due to the strong Maoist influence on the New Left especially among the Red Guard Party the Black Panther Party and the Yellow Brotherhood of West Los Angeles 1 Contents 1 Development 2 Use in Mao era China 3 Contemporary uses 3 1 Ceremonial role 3 2 Cultural role 4 See also 5 Notes 6 External links 7 ReferencesDevelopment editMao Zedong wrote this speech to commemorate the death of a PLA soldier Zhang Side a participant in the Long March who died in the collapse of a kiln when he worked in Shaanxi province 2 54 In the speech Mao quoted a phrase written by the famous Han Dynasty historian Sima Qian Though death befalls all men alike it may be heavy as Mount Tai or light as a feather 人固有一死 或轻于鸿毛 或重于泰山 Mao continued To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather Comrade Zhang Side died for the people and his death is indeed weightier than Mount Tai The speech delivered on 8 September 1944 states that the CCP and the People s Liberation Army have no other goal than to serve the people 3 66 It states that the CCP and its cadres should not be afraid of criticism and if criticism is correct they should accept it and revise their behavior accordingly 3 66 It also states that everyone in the revolutionary ranks is equal regardless of title or position 3 66 The phrase serve the people became rhetorically important and subsequently appeared in important texts of Chinese Marxism including On the Correct Handling of Contradictions among the People 2 115 Use in Mao era China editDuring the Third Front campaign to develop basic industry and national defense industry in China s interior Serve the People was frequently assigned as reading for Third Front workers 4 94 During the Cultural Revolution the speech was widely read and people were encouraged to memorize it 3 66 Its messages had the effect of serving as a code of conduct which ordinary people could use to hold officials accountable 3 66 67 Contemporary uses edit nbsp The slogan displayed on the wall of Xinhua Gate in ZhongnanhaiThe slogan of serving the people reflects the influence of the Maoist principle of the mass line 2 43 Ceremonial role edit This section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed March 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message It is inscribed on the screen wall facing the front entrance of the Zhongnanhai compound which houses the headquarters of the Central People s Government and the CCP Since 1984 during inspections of troops in the People s Liberation Army the following ceremonial exchange is carried out Inspecting official Hello Comrades 同志们好 tong zhi men hǎo Troops Hello Leader or Chairman note 1 5 首长 主席 好 shǒu zhǎng zhǔ xi hǎo Inspecting official Comrades you have worked hard 同志们辛苦了 tong zhi men xin kǔ le Troops We Serve the people 为人民服务 wei ren min fu wu Cultural role edit In 2007 actress Cameron Diaz caused a minor controversy by carrying a bag with the Serve the People slogan in Chinese on a tour of Peru Many Peruvians felt the bag to be a show of support for the Maoist movement Shining Path 6 In 2005 author Yan Lianke wrote a satirical novel set during the Cultural Revolution titled Serve the People about an affair between the wife of a military officer and a peasant soldier 7 8 Huawei founder and CCP member Ren Zhengfei states that Huawei s culture is the same as the CCP s culture and to serve the people wholeheartedly means to be customer centric and responsible to society 2 9 The conglomerate Hengtong Group characterizes its business mission as Serve the people and devote to the society also a reference to Mao s speech 2 56 See also editServant of the People Community service Public service VolunteerismNotes edit The greeting 首长好 Hello Leader was traditionally used by all leaders during troop inspections since Chairman Mao s era However since 2017 a distinguished 主席好 Hello Chairman has been used when Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xi Jinping is inspecting External links editMao Zedong Serve the People 1944 References edit Elbaum Max 2002 Revolution in the Air Sixties Radicals Turn to Lenin Mao and Che Verso ISBN 978 1 85984 617 9 a b c d e Marquis Christopher Qiao Kunyuan 2022 Mao and Markets The Communist Roots of Chinese Enterprise Kunyuan Qiao New Haven Yale University Press doi 10 2307 j ctv3006z6k ISBN 978 0 300 26883 6 JSTOR j ctv3006z6k OCLC 1348572572 S2CID 253067190 a b c d e Han Dongping 2008 The Unknown Cultural Revolution Life and Change in a Chinese Village New York Monthly Review Press ISBN 978 1 58367 180 1 OCLC 227930948 Meyskens Covell F 2020 Mao s Third Front The Militarization of Cold War China Cambridge United Kingdom Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 1 108 78478 8 OCLC 1145096137 改慣例 首長好 變 主席好 Apple Daily 2017 07 01 Davis Caris 25 June 2007 Cameron Diaz Apologizes for Fashion Faux Pas People retrieved 28 April 2010 Beijing Mary Anne Toy 2007 07 28 A pen for the people The Age Retrieved 2023 03 30 Schillinger Liesl 2008 05 04 Kissing the Cook The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2023 03 30 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Serve the People amp oldid 1154374050, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
