Hong Kong mourns Mao Zedong’s death in 1976 – SCMP archive
This article was first published on September 10, 1976. Sense of grief in Hongkong A deep sense of grief was felt by great numbers of the people in Hongkong yesterday (September 9, 1976) when radio and television stations flashed the news of the Chairman’s passing. The news brought a cloud of gloom over celebrations of the mid-autumn festivities. Flags at a number of major building and hotels, –…
Hong Kong experienced profound grief upon learning of Chairman Mao Zedong's passing on September 9, 1976. Radio and television broadcasts across the city, including Radio Hongkong, Commercial Radio, and RTV's English Channel, quickly disseminated the news across the populace. Flags at prominent establishments, such as the Bank of China, were lowered to half-mast in a matter of hours following the announcement.
Citizens flocked to television shops to witness further updates. In Macau, cinemas halted showings for the day to pay their respects to the Chinese leader.
Professor P. B. Harris of the University of Hong Kong acknowledged the difficulty in measuring the political significance of Mao's death, stating that the country had been preparing for his demise over the past few months. He believed that Hongkong was psychologically more prepared for the event than it was a year prior, resulting in a lessened impact.
Notable figures from international diplomatic corps also expressed their condolences, emphasizing the respect for Mao's achievements and contributions to Chinese history and revolution. The future of Hong Kong, according to experts interviewed, would depend on the new political situation and decisions made by China.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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