Part 2/9:
Mao was born on December 26, 1893, to a family of farmers. Despite initial poverty, his father, after serving in the Xiang Army, accumulated wealth through successful farming and land lending. Education became an important aspect of Mao's life as he navigated a schooling system dominated by Confucian values while being exposed, even as a child, to the emerging political ideas from the West. His discontent with traditional structures led him to resist an arranged marriage at a young age, marking his rebellious spirit.