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An Alternative Reinforcement of Regime Legitimacy in China

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An Alternative Reinforcement of Regime Legitimacy in China ISSN 1712-8358[Print] Cross-Cultural Communication ISSN 1923-6700[Online] Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020, pp. 29-45 www.cscanada.net DOI:10.3968/11536 www.cscanada.org Quoting the Classics: An Alternative Reinforcement of Regime Legitimacy in China KANG Zeyu[a],* [a]Doctor of Policy Studies, School of Graduate Studies, Lingnan University, HK. INTRODUCTION *Corresponding author. “No matter in which periods of pragmatic leading of the revolutions, nation- building and reforms, our Chinese Received 5 December 2019; accepted 18 February 2020 communists have always been loyal supporters and Published online 26 March 2020 protectors of the ‘Chinese splendid traditional cultures’.” Xi Jinping made this declaration in his opening speech Abstract of Commemoration for the 2, 565th Anniversary of After the opening reform of China, the revival of Confucius’ Birth in 2014 (Xinhua net, 2014). This meeting Chinese traditional culture has raised by the CCP. One discourse occurs every five years and sees the highest characteristic of this revival has emerged with the scale. This was the first time that the supreme leader of continuous adaption of the Chinese classics in speeches the CCP had attended. During this 45-minute speech, Xi of top leaders of the CCP . In particular, the current introduced 17 concepts from traditional Chinese thought president Xi Jinping likes to cite Chinese traditional (e.g. the unity of heaven and man 天人合一, the unity classics more than his two predecessors. This paper of knowledge and action 知行合一) to demonstrate examines this tendency. At the same time, the CCP their value in modern governance. He also argued propaganda department also actively matches up Xi’s that international society should preserve the diversity citation. They have published official interpretation of civilization by citing Mencius: “It is an objective books, raised Xi’s personal prestige as a Confucian regulation that all things are different from one to gentleman possessing the good values of Chinese another.” (物之不齐, 物之情也). Then Xi explicitly traditional philosophy. These values are aimed at asserted his opposition to any attempt to replace the gaining the support of the conservative climate in regime or ideology of another country, even with the Chinese society and adapted to be an alternative for background of globalization. On this point, Xi appeared the reinforcement of CCP legitimacy. This paper also to follow his predecessors Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, examines some concrete governmental policies of raising focussing on soft power, and the use of traditional this adaption and observes that Xi and the CCP have Chinese culture in diplomacy. But Xi is more active than begun to use it to connect with current social problems his predecessors in his emphasis on traditional Chinese and their solutions in China, such as officials’ morality, culture. He appeals to a much broader base of traditional social justice and equality, rule by law and nationalism. culture, to cultivate among the public a notion of its However, Xi has not matched this perfect commitment asserted morality for China’s future stability. Yet Xi and in reality. the CCP have maintained efforts to adapt traditional Key words: CCP leaders; Chinese classics; Regime classics since he came to power in 2012 and during his legitimacy; Cultural governance accumulation of power. On the way to the reinforcement of his personal prestige, Xi utilizes the mass media and CCP Kang, Z. Y. (2020). Quoting the Classics: An Alternative propaganda system to shape himself as a leader meeting Reinforcement of Regime Legitimacy in China. Cross- communist ideals. His ambition is not just continuing Cultural Communication, 16(1), 29-45. Available from: http// the party’s opening and reform policy to develop the www.cscanada.net/index.php/ccc/article/view/11536 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/11536 national economy, but also to focus on citizens’ cultural living construction. (Kerry, et al., 2018). In this process, 29 Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture Quoting the Classics: An Alternative Reinforcement of Regime Legitimacy in China Xi reminds many Chinese citizens of the Mao era (IBID, and Confucianism stand for Chinese soft power as an 2018). But Xi presents a different position from Mao international brand, providing a new alternative to Western in dealing with traditional Chinese thought. After the democracy. (Xue, 2009; Cheng, 2007) Throughout these opening reform, the perspective of totally denying of scholars’ contribution to Confucianism, even the term traditional Chinese culture has disappeared. Xi has Confucianism receives no clear definition, but parts of described his notions of splendid traditional thought and Confucian moral valuse and terms have been changed by culture as the “soul” and “root” of the nation (Xinhua net, the CCP for political and cultural use. Official propaganda 2016). “‘Splendid traditional culture’ should be a country has unified this cultural resurgence which included current and nation’s foundation for duration and promotion. Once Confucianism as “splendid traditional Chinese culture” we lost it as severing a country and nation’s expectancy” (中华优秀传统文化). In the official narrative, “splendid (Phoenix News, 2016). Similarly, “Flourishing Chinese Chinese traditional culture” promotes the development culture is a prerequisite for the great revival of the of socialist material and spiritual civilization and all the Chinese nation” (Phoenix News, 2016). Although there valuable spiritual achievements (Li, 2013). This vague are vague concepts of Confucianism in official discourse, term is continuously undergoing adaption by the CCP. the CCP still has the initiative and capacity of defining Xi has frequently cited the Chinese classics in his this “Confucianism;” when Xi Jinping visited Qufu, the speeches as part of this revival. In official discourse, hometown of Confucius, he emphasized the importance mainstream CCP propaganda has declared that they have and influence of Confucianism in Chinese history (People. encountered the ideological challenges in this period cn, 2013). In general, it seems like that Xi completely (Ren, 2012). In order to prevent this danger, the defense praised the Confucian achievement, but official discourse of Chinese characteristics was the only way to win this does not give the concrete definition of Confucianism; ideological contest (Ibid, 2012). For the contents of CCP it has just advocated the Confucian hierarchy and moral member’s cultivation in Xi Jinping’s opening speech, value such as citizens’ responsibility to be glad for their he frequently cited Confucian classics and so-called social status, the officers of party should keep their official officially defined “outstanding patriotic” intellectuals. morality (guande 官德). On the one hand, from scholars He also reiterated this revival is China’s pragmatic use of of New Confucianism such as Jiang Qing (2003), Gan Marxism and Socialism from his predecessors Hu Jintao’s Chunsong (2003), Chen Ming (2014) and Daniel A. Bell government of harmonious society (Xinhua news, 2018). (2016), they uphold the imperial Confucian value which Xi appears to see nationalism as a means of offsetting should be restored in current ideology such as Confucian the impact of slowing economic growth, which might constitutions, political meritocracy and institutional otherwise reduce the CCP’s authority and legitimacy. Confucianism. The central government has released some Many scholars have noted the revival of Confucianism space and support for this research, and absorbed part in mainland China since the 1990s, which probably of New Confucianism. Some of them pointed out the could offer the CCP a new alternative foundation for party-led Confucianism can be the compromise of the legitimacy and soft power internationally (Bell, 2010; New left of China and western libertinism (Smith et al, Billioud, 2009; Ford, 2011; William, 2011). The domestic 2018). Furthermore, the party’s promotion and lifting of resurgence of interest in traditional culture has included Confucianism could ensure their cultural leadership. The the construction of numerous research institutes and study party is interested more in the importance of the political societies, official symposiums, the restoration of historical function of Confucianism. Representative scholars sites, and an increasingly voluminous scholarship. who support stable authority rather than the revival of Through this, the CCP is attempting to establish a nexus Confucianism are Fang Keli, Chen Lai and Gan Yang. between governmental policies and this revival for “a Their perspective is that the Confucianism should be new academic interest” among official intellectuals modernized following the Modernization of China (Fang, searching “for ways of dealing with domestic current 2008), or that a fusion of both the New Left and New social and political dilemmas” (Samth et al., 2018). In Confucianism has proved the concept in Confucianism of the creation of cultural industries of traditional culture, unifying the three traditions (tong san tong 通三统). Gan the potential capacity of this revival has been explained (2005) asserted that Confucianism, Mao Zedong thought as specific Chinese culture for promoting national pride and Deng Xiaoping Theory can be connected in order and nationalism (Liu, 2014; Cheung, 2012; Li, 2009; Zou, to gain legitimacy from China’s historical civilization. 2013). But at present, the effectiveness of this revival is Besides Gan Yang and
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