China's history of 'evil remnants' - hangovers from old regimes

Seventeen years after 1997, there are people here who still speak of “the evil remnants of colonial Hong Kong”, referring to local elites who benefited from British rule. China’s official position seems to be that as long as there’s no threat to national sovereignty, persons of any nationality can contribute to Hong Kong. Still, it’s obvious that those calling the shots here today are those who profess loyalty to Beijing.

When China was a monarchy there were no greater “evil remnants” than the relatives of the previous dynasty. These former royals, potential rallying points for rebels seeking to overthrow a fledgling dynasty, were either killed outright or placed under a form of exalted house arrest until they faded from public memory.

Zhao Mengfu (AD1254-1322) was a direct descendant of the founding emperor of the Song dynasty. Despite that lineage, Emperor Shizu of the subsequent Yuan dynasty – better known as Kublai Khan – gave Zhao a seat more exalted than that of the prime minister after being impressed by his perspicacity.

When a minister cautioned Shizu that Zhao was a scion of the previous imperial family, the emperor had the minister dismissed from his court. Zhao became a high-ranking official and served the Mongols until his death.

Today, Zhao is best known for his calligraphy.