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Liu Zhen

An allegedly unlicensed two-storey building standing in central Shanghai seems to have been spared the bulldozers after it was completely covered in posters of President Xi Jinping. But the reprieve may not last long.
Pictures taken of the large prefabricated property with Xi’s image all over the outside went viral after being shared on mainland social media, the news website Thepaper.cn reported yesterday.
However, later yesterday media photographs showed policemen removing the posters of Xi from the outside of the building.
One Chinese academic said the posters had been stuck over the building in the same way images of gods were stuck on the doors of properties in the past to scare away evil spirits.
Law now has been replaced by a man. It reflects a change of social mentality
Chen Daoyin, Chinese academic
“Deep down the psychological dynamics are the same here – [the posters were stuck there] for the purpose of self-protection,” Chen Daoyin, a professor at Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, said.
“They were trying to play with others’ fear by demonstrating the symbol of a mighty ruling power.”
Photographs of the nation’s leader were first stuck over the outside of the building on Friday, a worker at a hotel situated across the street told the website.
Chen said “nail property” owners would have turned to the mainland’s constitution or civil laws to make their protests 10 years ago, but now they appeared to be turning to the nation’s leader for inspiration over such disputes. “Law now has been replaced by a man,” he said. “It reflects a change of social mentality.”
The rule of law appeared to be gone and personality cult had returned, Chen said.
It remains unclear if the demolition will go ahead, but Chen said if the building had been constructed illegally officials would take action.
To some degree it suggests ordinary people sense [that with Xi] there is revival in the personality cult
Johnny Lau Yui-siu, Hong Kong political commentator
Thepaper.cn said the building had reportedly been built illegally and was due to be knocked down soon. The prefabricated structure – one of many “nail structures” constructed across the country over the years – has several entrances and could be a covered farmers’ market. Its old appearance also suggests that it has been standing for a number of years.
Hong Kong-based political commentator Johnny Lau Yui-siu said the use of Xi’s photograph on the outside of the building resembled an incident during the Cultural Revolution when people had covered up cultural relics and “reactionary” items with portraits of Mao Zedong in order to stop them from being destroyed by members of the Red Guard.
“What the owner of this property is doing is just another rendition of the same old tune,” Lau said. “It is a backward move ­ideologically.”
Lau said Xi had been trying to establish and reinforce his leadership since coming to power, and songs and poetry had been specially written as a tribute to him.
At this month’s National People Congress in Beijing, Tibetan delegates had worn officially produced badges that showed photographs of Xi’s face, he said.
Today it might be difficult to imagine people openly worshipping a leader such as Mao 50 years ago, Lau said. “But to some degree it suggests ordinary people sense [that with Xi] there is revival in the personality cult,” he said.
“Nail properties” have become commonplace on the mainland due to rapid urbanisation and massive infrastructure projects. Residents often refuse to leave properties, or reject low compensation levels, after local authorities and developers try to evict them and redevelop areas


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Posters of China’s President Xi Jinping put stop to bulldozers – for now

A prefabricated building, reportedly illegally constructed in Shanghai, seems to have been spared the bulldozer after being covered in posters of President Xi Jinping. Photo: SMP Pictures

Policemen remove posters of Chinese President Xi Jinping from a wall of a house in Shanghai on March 26, 2016. The house, apparently to be demolished soon, was covered with hundreds of posters earlier that day. / AFP PHOTO / JOHANNES EISELE

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.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Breaking | Posters of China’s President Xi Jinping put stop to bulldozers – for now

Breaking | Posters of China’s President Xi Jinping put stop to bulldozers – for now