Shao Hua, a daughter-in-law of Mao Zedong, founder of both the Communist Party of China and the People's Republic of China, will hold a personal photo exhibition early next month to mark his 110th birthday.

The photo exhibition will showcase 175 photos by Shao, wife of Mao's second son Mao Anqing, at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in western Beijing from Sept. 6-9.

Shao started her photography career in the early 1950s, taking photos of late Chairman Mao Zedong with a camera brought back from the former Soviet Union by Mao Anying, Mao's eldest son.

She cherished the valuable opportunities to meet Chairman Mao and wished to record the meetings.

During her life, she has visited numerous revolutionary sites and created tens of thousands of outstanding photo works. Fascinated by the natural beauty of China, she felt that its beautiful landscapes could only be captured in pictures.

In recent years, she has switched her focus to taking pictures of dancing. The exhibition includes vivid dancing photos themed in revolutionary life, like "Shining Red Star" and "Spirit of the Yellow River", as well as those depicting modern life, like "cyberlove" for college teenagers.

Shao, chairwoman of the China Photographers' Association, is a Major General of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2003)