France, Sept. 9 -- Mao died on 9 September 1976 after more than 25 years at the head of China.

In Beijing, many retired people still gather in parks to sing revolutionary songs praising Mao, mixing nostalgia with patriotic fervour.

"We love life, our motherland, our party, our army, our people and our magnificent landscapes. All these themes are present in the songs we sing," Ding Yinan, who regularly joins the singing in one Beijing park, told RFI.

Known as "red songs", the revolutionary repertoire formed part of the childhood of many Chinese retirees.

"When I have free time, I sing and it makes me happy," Wang Liqun, who was born in the 1960s, said. "These songs give meaning to my life in retirement and help me stay positive."

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