Political winds raise red flags over Cultural Revolution-style gala
Disingenuous officials try to distance themselves from the show after outcry over attempts to celebrate country’s dark past
The Great Hall of the People next to Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing has long been a national symbol of power and political importance.
It’s the place where top Chinese leaders meet to make policies, receive foreign heads of state, and attend galas singing the praises of the Communist Party on important occasions.
But it came as no surprise that a storm of public outcry erupted over the news that a gala show featuring “red songs” praising late leader Mao Zedong, staged in a style reminiscent of the Cultural Revolution, was held in the hall on May 2 during the May Day break.
The concert reportedly featured songs popular in the revolution’s heyday against the backdrop of propaganda posters from the period. One of the posters urged “the people of the world to unite to defeat the American invaders and their lackeys”, a phrase from a speech Mao gave during the Korean war in the 1950s.
It came at a very politically sensitive time ahead of the 50th anniversary of the political movement, which some analysts believe started on May 16.
The concert also staged several songs to praise President Xi Jinping and featured one signature tune of Peng Liyuan, Xi’s singer wife. That fuelled further concerns over attempts by the propaganda officials to promote a cult of personality around Xi, particularly after recent reports suggested the president’s office had ordered authorities to tone down efforts to praise him.