XINHUA FOLLIES: IS CHINA'S MEDIA MAD ABOUT XI, OR JUST PLAIN MAD?

Xinhua outdoes its usual Orwellian locution when it tries to find the words for Xi's ineffable and indescribable genius. Is it brilliant fortune cookie wisdom or a just a deck missing a few cards?

When trying to take measure of a man who might very well be the second coming of Mao it’s important not just to take the scintillating pearls of his wisdom into account against the black background of a world facing upheaval not seen in a hundred years, but also what everyone around China is saying, often in unison, often in lockstep, often using the exact same catch-phrases, about the lofty paramount leader himself.

Xinhua offers an excellent summary in today’s big story, which pairs nicely with CCTV personality cult offerings from earlier in the week. Needless to say, the overwhelming majority of voices, in fact all of them, are in total agreement that this is a really great man we’re talking about. Who could say elsewise on national TV?

Well, that’s all fine and good, but is the paramount leader more like Confucius or more like Marx? If you answered one or the other, it’s an understandable beginner’s error because he’s commonly, and rightly, compared to both. But the correct answer is that Xi respects Confucius so much that he walks in his path. And he has the highest regard for Karl Marx, and thus has updated Marxism with a twist: the spectre stalking the land is now called “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" Happy reading of Xi’s mad moments below, all sourced from today’s really special Xinhua news story. Photos culled from today’s Xinwen Lianbo.

(Exclamation points added to the original text to reflect intellectual delight and astonishment)