Cultural Revolution-style concert was a well-laid trap for Xi Jinping

Kwan Hing-ling believes the organisers of the Beijing concert that created a public uproar had an ulterior motive – to put pressure on the Chinese president to reverse the official verdict on the decade of upheaval

Reading Time:4 minutes

A vendor takes a nap next to posters showing Mao Zedong (centre) and Xi Jinping (left) at a market in Beijing. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:01am, 28 May 2016Updated: 11:01am, 28 May 2016

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the start of the Cultural Revolution. Reactions on the mainland had been muted at first, and the Chinese press did not seem particularly interested in reviewing the 10 years of devastating upheaval. But a “red-song concert” this month forced the whole of society to sit up.

“In A Field of Hope”, held on May 2 at the Great Hall of the People, featured performers singing and dancing to revolutionary songs popular during the Cultural Revolution, against a backdrop of propaganda posters and slogans. A display of such nostalgia for the Cultural Revolution – in the political centre of China at this politically sensitive time – raised the alarm for many people.

Those who suffered during the Cultural Revolution were particularly offended. Ma Xiaoli (馬曉力), the daughter of Ma Wenrui (馬文瑞), a former vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, wrote to Li Zhanshu (栗戰書), director of the General Office of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, criticising the attempt to “recreate the Cultural Revolution”. She requested an investigation and called for vigilance against any resurgence of ultra-leftist idealogy.

Political winds raise red flags over Cultural Revolution-style gala

Attempts to whitewash the Cultural Revolution have surfaced over the past two years, even though a party document, the 1981 “Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of the Party since the Founding of the People’s Republic”, had long ago laid down the official line. It was “a period of civil strife plotted by the leaders and exploited by counter-revolutionary groups, bringing about disaster for the party, the state and the people”, it said.

Mourners wearing pins of Mao Zedong gather for a funeral ceremony for Ai Yuejin, a Maoist professor at Nankai University and popular online lecturer, in Tianjin. Ai's fiery talks praising Mao's legacy drew followers from as far as Shanxi and Fujian provinces. Photo: AP

Rubbish collector sings Mao’s praises as Zhao the PLA veteran

Despite this, some people have been doing everything possible to reverse the verdict. The internet has been full of chatter distorting history, including praise for the Gang of Four. Strangely enough, such absurdities which defied Beijing’s verdict were allowed to spread. By contrast, articles critical of the Cultural Revolution, especially those commenting on errors made by Mao Zedong (毛澤東) in his twilight years, were labelled “improper discussion of central government policy”. Even senior officials have jumped on the bandwagon: the head of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences recently published a lengthy commentary affirming Mao’s doctrine of “continuing revolution under the dictatorship of proletariat”, the theoretical basis for launching the Cultural Revolution.

The revisionist movement appears to be reaching fever pitch. Commemorative activities looking fondly back on the national disaster have been held across the country. Participants not only criticised reforms and the open-door policy, but also denounced reform-minded state leaders as “capitalist traitors”. Some even called for another Cultural Revolution.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x