Thousands of people have congregated in Shaoshan, in the southern Chinese province of Hunan, the birthplace of Mao Zedong, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his death.
According to state-owned Global Times newspaper, thousands of people from across the country paid tribute to Mao in Shaoshan, especially in the square where a bronze statue of the former leader stands.
Flowers were placed at the feet of Mao's statue - 6-metres tall and depicting him from the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China in October 1949 - by his followers.
Several visitors, according to the Times, genuflected and prayed before the statue of the dictator, whose decisions caused 70 million deaths (higher than the deaths associated with Stalin or Hitler) in the country.
The newspaper underlines that despite the West's focus on Mao's mistakes, "especially the devastating Cultural Revolution of 1966 -76, the Chinese government still recognises and highlights his undeniable role in creating a new China."
