The Chinese have suffered dearly due to the misguided and disastrous policies of Mao Zedong . An example was the Great Leap Forward, in which millions of mainlanders perished.
Today President Hu Jintao preaches a theory of scientific development, trying to ensure policies are made according to scientific calculations rather than leaders' whims.
But Mao's spirit lingers.
As the snow that has paralysed much of the northern and central provinces now advances menacingly south, serious questions are being asked about the authorities' tendency to tinker with nature. The government's lack of preparation and co-ordination to deal with disasters is also being questioned.
More specifically, mainlanders are asking whether the snowstorm could have been partly triggered by weather officials trying to induce rain to ease the drought.
The first snowstorm began in Beijing on November 1, the earliest snow in 22 years.