Mao Zedong was powerful right until the very end

Mao maintained his influence until his death, even though he was physically debilitated, which is one of the interesting facts about Mao Zedong. He died on September 9, 1976, after suffering from a series of heart attacks. A lifetime of heavy smoking, as well as speculations of Parkinson's Disease, are considered to have harmed his health. Up to a million people gathered in Tiananmen Square to pay their respects during his burial ceremonies. Chairman Mao's embalmed body is freely exhibited in his tomb to this day.

For one week, Mao's embalmed body remained in state at the Great Hall of the People, wrapped in the CCP flag. One million Chinese people filed past, many of them openly sobbing or exhibiting despair, as outsiders watched on television. Mao's official photo was displayed on the wall, beside a banner that said, "Carry on the cause left by Chairman Mao and carry on the cause of proletarian revolution to the end." The body was transported in a van to the 305 Hospital on September 17, where his internal organs were preserved in formaldehyde.

On September 18, cannons, sirens, whistles, and horns were sounded simultaneously across China, and a three-minute quiet was observed. Millions of people crowded Tiananmen Square as a military band played "The Internationale." Hua Guofeng completed the event atop Tiananmen Gate with a 20-minute eulogy. Despite Mao's desire that his remains be incinerated, his body was eventually permanently displayed in the Mao Zedong Mausoleum so that the Chinese people might pay their homage.