Preserving a body forever is an extremely complex choice born at the intersection of technology and history. Only five leaders' bodies are currently preserved worldwide, but behind this are engineering challenges beyond imagination and deep traces left by the passage of time.

The story of Lenin's cryogenic preservation actually began by chance. When Lenin died in 1924, an ordinary burial was initially planned. However, the public's mourning enthusiasm unexpectedly surged, and a decision was made to attempt to preserve the body. The initial freezing plan was halted after one month, but Soviet scientists took it seriously from there. They developed a special preservative solution to replace water in the body and inhibit bacterial growth. The core technology needed to realize Lenin's cryogenic preservation was established through this trial and error.

A constant temperature cooling system is installed in Lenin's tomb, with laboratory experts constantly monitoring. Weekly repairs are performed, and periodic comprehensive maintenance is carried out. Sometimes, minor transplant surgeries are even necessary. Through such strict maintenance, the body has been kept in perfect condition for nearly 100 years.

However, the fate of Stalin, another Soviet leader, was different. He was buried in Lenin's tomb in 1953 but was moved for cremation in 1961. A shift in historical evaluation fundamentally changed the decision to preserve the body.

Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh is an interesting example. He wished to be cremated, but his successors decided to preserve his body. During the Vietnam War, his body was secretly hidden in a mountain cave for five years, and Soviet experts completed the embalming process underground while avoiding bombings.

The preservation of Angola's Nétu body was even more complicated. Confronted with the problem of black skin pigment leakage, Soviet specialists had to develop a new pigment preservation technique specifically for this case. Today, his body is only displayed to the public once a year on his birthday.

But technology alone was not enough. Czechoslovakia's Gottwald exposed the limits of embalming technology, and in 1962, his body decayed and was cremated. Jmitrof's body was preserved for over 40 years but was moved for cremation amid the political upheavals in Eastern Europe and was buried in a cemetery.

The body of Joba Mountain in Mongolia was also cremated following the destruction of its mausoleum in 2005, in accordance with Buddhist rituals. The shift of times even changed the final destination of the body.

Ultimately, the permanent preservation of bodies is a product of both technology and history. The success of Lenin's cryogenic preservation and the disappearance of many other bodies are not merely technical issues but are influenced by the perceptions of the times. The bodies sleeping quietly in crystal coffins are not only proof of human technological progress but also mirrors reflecting the fleeting nature of history.