A recent high profile appearance and comment by Mao Zedong’s nephew lead to a flurry of activity on China’s social networks, ahead of the 18th Communist Party congress.
Li Shi, also known as Mao Yuanxin, nephew of the late supreme leader Mao Zedong, made a public visit to a major national water conservancy site on October 20, marking the 60 anniversary of his uncle first proposing the project.
Li Shi left a Chinese idiom as a comment at the site: “When you drink water, think of its source.”
This has come at a sensitive time as the 18th Communist Party congress, where a once-a-decade leadership reshuffle takes place, is to be held next week.
On China’s social networking sites, most comments from netizens were negative about Li’s appearance.
Some netizens believe Li made the comment to urge people to be grateful for Mao Zedong’s rule, amid recent rumours that Mao’s philosophy will be dropped from a revised constitution at the upcoming party congress.
