Mao Zedong (1893-1976) Chinese Porcelain pinback button 1 5/8" wide with no damage. Mao Zedong (1893-1976) was the founding father of the People’s Republic of China, which he governed from 1949 until his death. Chairman Mao is one of the most significant figures in modern world history, and also among its most controversial. His ability to modernize China, drive out imperialists, improve healthcare and education, and promote the status of women is as undeniable as his profound human rights abuses. Some estimate that Mao was responsible for 70 million deaths in his long reign—the most ever in human history.