Guangdong Farmer Collects Thirty Thousand Mao Zedong Badges

In Guangdong Province, a farmer named Li Shuyan has become an enthusiastic collector of Mao Zedong memorabilia, especially badges, statues and portraits of the Chairman. Li's collection has swollen to more than thirty thousand pieces.

Every day, Li Shuyan immerses himself endlessly with his collection of statues, portraits and badges.

You can find almost every kind, size, and shape of Mao badge in this collection. The largest is 26 centimeters in diameter, and the smallest is only 1.2 centimeters. There are badges made of clay, plastic, and bamboo. Some are even made of jade.

The statues of the Great Helmsman represent him in a variety of positions. They range in size from small busts to full-size statues and show the Chairman at various ages.

Li says most of his collection date back about thirty years. Most of the items were produced during the Cultural Revolution period of the late 1960s. And, they come from nearly every corner of the country.

Li regards every last piece of his collection as a treasure, and wouldn't think for a minute of selling any of them. He says he started the collection because he admired Mao Zedong. He hopes that his collection can be a sort of national treasure.

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