Vivian Jiang: Mao Zedong's infamous mango cult

Mao Zedong's infamous mango cult

In August 1968, factory workers overheard news of a mandatory meeting. Whispered rumors described shipments of a gift from the country's Communist leader, Chairman Mao Zedong. And sure enough, managers soon distributed a gift to every factory worker– a glass box encasing a golden wax replica of a mango. What was the meaning behind this unusual offering? Vivian Jiang investigates. [Directed by Kayu Leung, narrated by Pen-Pen Chen].

During the Cultural Revolution, workers across China received glass boxes holding wax mangoes, a curious gift from Chairman Mao. Some saw the fruit as a magical token, with rituals and myths arising around it, including boiling the mangoes to create a 'holy' broth. Yet behind this seemingly harmless gesture lay a tool of control, as the mango became a symbol of ideological loyalty and dissent could be fatal. The story of Mao's mangoes reveals how ordinary objects can be weaponized to shape obedience and silence history.