Admirers mark 50 years since Mao's death in his Chinese hometown

Devoted followers of Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong gathered Wednesday in his hometown to pay homage, holding portraits, flags and huge floral tributes, 50 years after his death.

Mao, founder of the People's Republic, died on Sept. 9, 1976, and his life and legacy were being commemorated fervently this week by those who still revere him as a visionary leader.

As China grapples with a slowing economy, nostalgia is growing for Mao's egalitarian ideals, though historians also blame his drastic policies for mass starvation and millions of deaths.

Visitors, many of them university students, laid chrysanthemum wreaths, bottles of Chinese alcohol, and cigarettes at the foot of a 10-meter-tall (32.8 feet) bronze statue of Mao in the main square in Shaoshan, in central Hunan province.

Hundreds formed carefully organized lines to bow solemnly and observe a few seconds of silence, while others posed for photos in front of the statue.

Deng, a 28-year-old tourist, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that he had "been influenced" by Mao's spirit and had great respect for him. 

"I suddenly felt like coming here today to commemorate him, because the 50th anniversary is something that only comes around once in a lifetime."

The previous night, around 1,000 devoted admirers, some wearing the short, tunic-style suits famously worn by Mao, held an emotional ceremony at the statue.

They carried relics of a bygone era: old portraits of the leader and copies of the "Little Red Book," a collection of his quotations once nearly ubiquitous in China.

"Long live Chairman Mao!" the crowd chanted repeatedly, some pumping their fists in the air and singing revolutionary songs.