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It is now common to hear Mao Zedong referred to as a modern-day 'emperor,' and the authors argue that Mao can best be compared to a specific imperial predecessor, Ming Taizu, the fourteenth-century peasant rebel who founded the Ming dynasty. Both rulers created autocratic regimes that violently purged political enemies; both used the power of their own words to transform the masses. Utilizing a rich mix of analysis and new translations, the book begins by examining other imperial predecessors and the elements linking Mao and Taizu, as well as critiques of Western and Chinese scholarship. The book presents translations with commentary of PRC scholars on Taizu and Mao, showing the evolution in Chinese thought toward both rulers from the Cultural Revolution to the Deng Xiaoping reform era.