Mao Zedong was one of the most powerful people in the world during his lifetime. Yet when he was born in 1893, China was still ruled by the Qing dynasty. Many people longed for a new China... and Mao led the way. He came to power in 1949, when China became a Communist nation. As China's ruler, Mao controlled all aspects of Chinese life. The Chinese people studied his writings, and pictures of Mao adorned buildings and walls throughout the country.