How Chinese newlyweds’ copying of Communist Party constitution may shine light on plan to cut membership

What is the best aphrodisiac for a newlywed couple on their wedding night? Perhaps, rather than heading straight to bed, the bride and groom’s surest route to marital bliss would be to keep on the gown and suit and conscientiously hand copy a few hundred words of the Communist Party’s constitution.

As ridiculous as this may sound, it is apparently what a couple at the Nanchang Railway Bureau of Jiangxi province did, according to an article and photos published last week on a social media account operated by the bureau. The couple transcribed the constitution to “create fond memories of their wedding night”, gushed the article – though the photos looked staged and some news sites questioned whether they were taken on the wedding night.

Chinese newlyweds ‘copy out parts of the Communist Party constitution on their wedding night’ as part of loyalty campaign

The publicity stunt may have invited ridicule and disbelief as it went viral across the country and beyond but it brought under the spotlight an aggressive campaign to instil discipline and boost loyalty among the party’s 88 million members.

Launched in February, the campaign focuses on what official media have billed “Two Studies and One Becoming” – namely, studying both the party’s constitution and the speeches of President Xi Jinping and becoming a qualified party member.

In China, the write way to marital bliss

Since its launch, the campaign has encouraged members to transcribe the full text of the 15,000-word constitution in 100 days. Many official websites and social media accounts now feature the photos of members – from senior company executives to public prosecutors – who have met the quota of 150 words a day.

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Official media say the campaign is partly aimed at members whose confidence in communism has been shaken and who advocate Western values.