mao zedong, the father of mao zedong thought, published his first work in april of 1917. it was titled "a study of physical education". "analysis of the classes in chinese society" is a notable work mao zedong published prior to the start of the chinese civil war, being published in march of 1926. the "report on an investigation of the peasant movement in hunan" was published just a month before the chinese civil war began.