Mao's Mango Cult
How a mango became an object of worship in 1968 in China
7 mins
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.
Pen-Pen Chen
Narrator
Kayu Leung
Director
Anna Bechtol
Producer
Sadia Afrin
Associate Producer
Alex Rosenthal
Editorial Manager
Dan Kwartler
Editorial Production Assistant