Picture this: You're unpacking boxes from a childhood home and stumble on a tattered photo—a moment frozen during China's Cultural Revolution. That sense of history crashing unexpectedly into the present? It's the very paradox that defines Xi Jinping's story, one that blurs the lines between victim and victor, exile and emperor. His path to power wasn't the fairytale of princeling privilege—it was a trek through mud, humiliation, and the blurred memories of a nation in upheaval. Let's unravel how this journey defies every easy answer, and why Xi's shadow looms larger than any since Mao.
A March Through Trauma: The Long Shadow of Mao and Family Legacy
To understand the effects of the Cultural Revolution and Mao Zedong’s influence on modern Chinese politics, you need to look at the personal history of Xi Jinping and his family. Xi’s father, Xi Zhongxun, was both a hero and a victim of the Communist Party’s turbulent rise. As a high-ranking revolutionary, Xi Zhongxun survived the Long March—a grueling military retreat that began on October 16, 1934, with 130,000 Red Army soldiers. Fewer than 8,000 survived, and Xi’s father was among them. This journey, marked by starvation, disease, and constant fighting, became a foundational myth for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Mao Zedong’s leadership during the Long March earned him near-total control over the party and the military. But the same power that lifted loyalists like Xi Zhongxun also cast a long, dangerous shadow. As Mao sought to make his ideology eternal, he launched the Cultural Revolution—a campaign that would devastate families at the heart of the CCP. The Cultural Revolution effects were brutal: high-level officials, including trusted Long Marchers, were purged, humiliated, and sometimes executed. Even those closest to Mao were not safe. As one observer put it,
"Chairman Mao was responsible for all of it."
Xi Zhongxun, once celebrated, was suddenly denounced as a traitor. He was publicly restrained and criticized by Red Guards, then imprisoned in Beijing for eight years. For the children of these elite families—known as princelings—the trauma was personal and direct. At age 15, Xi Jinping was expelled from his elite Beijing school and sent into rural exile. There, he lived in a cave and performed hard manual labor, with barely enough food to survive. As one account recalls,
"He had to live in a cave and do hard manual labor. His food was barely enough for a growing young person."
This period of exile and hardship was both punishment and a turning point. The Princelings politics that emerged from the Cultural Revolution were shaped by both privilege and persecution. Mao’s policies had the power to make or break the futures of CCP elites—a legacy that Xi Jinping has reflected on throughout his rise. The trauma of these years left a deep mark, shaping not only Xi’s personal outlook but also his approach to power and control within the party.
From Outcast to Operator: Xi Jinping’s Unconventional Ascent
When you look at Xi Jinping’s rise to the top of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership, it’s clear he didn’t follow the usual path of Beijing’s elite. Despite being a “princeling”—a child of a high-ranking official—Xi’s family suffered during the Cultural Revolution. Still, as the turmoil ended, he joined the CCP, recognizing that, in this system, power is everything.
Instead of leveraging his Beijing connections, Xi made a calculated move:
"He sort of got out of their way and went to the provinces."While many of his peers fought for influence in the capital, Xi quietly accepted posts in rural and less-desirable regions. This strategy set him apart from other princelings, who were often seen as too ambitious or threatening to the party’s old guard.
- Hebei: Xi’s first major leadership role was in Hebei, a poor province near Beijing. Here, he quickly rose to Party Secretary, facing little competition from other elites.
- Fujian: Next, he moved to Fujian, a region with strong military influence. Xi climbed the ranks, becoming both party secretary and later governor. This allowed him to build ties with the military and local officials.
- Shanghai: His final provincial post came in 2007, when he was sent to Shanghai to restore the city’s reputation after a corruption scandal. In just seven months, Xi developed a reputation as a prudent, loyal leader who followed the party line.
Xi’s years in the provinces—about 17 in total—were not just about gaining experience. By avoiding Beijing’s cutthroat politics, he built a reputation as a pragmatic, hard-working party man. He was seen as someone who paid his dues, not a maverick or a threat to established power-brokers. This patient, low-profile approach made him a “safe” choice among princelings politics, especially for those wary of rivals with obvious ambition.
When the CCP Politburo needed new leadership, Xi’s record stood out.
"When she emerged at the 2007 National Congress and leadership unveiling, he was one of the nine most powerful men in the country."His unconventional ascent—marked by strategic provincial posts and quiet networking—paved the way for his return to Beijing and entry into the Politburo Standing Committee, the core of CCP leadership.
When Personality Becomes Policy: Breaking—and Restoring—CCP Traditions
In recent years, Xi Jinping's power has transformed the landscape of CCP leadership in ways not seen since Mao Zedong. At the 20th National Congress in October 2022, Xi secured a historic third term as China’s president—an event that broke with decades of established norms. This move followed his 2018 decision to abolish presidential term limits, a direct reversal of the collective leadership model that Deng Xiaoping introduced to prevent the rise of another strongman like Mao.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long relied on the Politburo Standing Committee as its core decision-making body. Traditionally, this group operated with a sense of collective responsibility and power-sharing. However, under Xi, this tradition has shifted. By centralizing authority and reducing the influence of rival factions, Xi has made the Politburo Standing Committee less collective and more focused on his own leadership. As one observer noted,
"Xi Jinping's leadership style is often compared to Mao Zedong's, with a strong emphasis on centralized control and ideological purity."
One of Xi’s most powerful tools has been his sweeping anti-corruption campaign. While officially aimed at rooting out corruption, these purges have also targeted political opponents and rival factions, allowing Xi to consolidate control over both the party and the military. This level of dominance over the CCP and the armed forces has not been seen since Mao’s era. The anti-corruption drive has reshaped the party’s internal dynamics, reinforcing Xi’s authority and discouraging dissent.
Perhaps the most significant shift under Xi is the elevation of his own doctrine, Xi Jinping Thought. In 2017, this ideology was written into the CCP’s constitution, positioning Xi’s ideas as the new guiding principle for the party and the nation. This echoes the way Mao’s ideology once unified the party around a single leader and vision. Today, Xi Jinping Thought frames China’s modernization efforts and its more assertive global stance, marking a return to personality-driven policy. As some analysts suggest,
"He may be planning to stay in power for life."
By breaking with post-Mao reforms and restoring the tradition of strongman rule, Xi has fundamentally changed the rules of power in China, making his personal vision inseparable from the future direction of the Chinese Communist Party.
Conclusion: Cycles and Paradoxes—What Xi’s Journey Tells Us About Power in 21st Century China
Xi Jinping’s rise to power is a story shaped by the deep cycles and paradoxes of Chinese history. His journey cannot be separated from the legacies of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, whose influence still shapes the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership today. Xi’s personal history—marked by both hardship and privilege—shows how, in China, individual experience is always tied to the larger story of the state.
Fifty years ago, few could have predicted that Xi would become one of the most powerful political figures in the world. Yet, as the only leader since Mao to hold such broad and largely unchecked authority, Xi Jinping’s power marks a profound transformation in the traditions of CCP leadership. Where Deng Xiaoping once encouraged power sharing to prevent the rise of another strongman, Xi has reversed this trend, centralizing control and reshaping the rules of succession and governance.
This shift is not just about one man’s ambition. It reflects the ongoing tension within the Chinese system—a dance between tradition, trauma, and the unexpected. The CCP’s efforts to avoid the chaos of the Mao era led to decades of collective leadership, but Xi’s ascent shows that even systems built to prevent absolute power can produce leaders who outlast all rivals. His story is a reminder that the past is never truly gone; it continues to influence the present in surprising ways.
Today, China’s direction under Xi balances economic ambitions with a renewed focus on party loyalty, order, and ideological unity. The machinery of the state has become more tightly linked to the personal authority of the leader. This centralization signals a new era for the CCP, where personal history and national destiny are more closely connected than ever before.
- Xi Jinping’s power is inseparable from the legacies of Mao and Deng.
- Personal stories in China often become political, shaping the Chinese Communist Party and its future.
- The evolution of CCP leadership shows that cycles of power and paradox are never far from the surface.
Xi’s journey is both a reflection of China’s history and a force shaping its future—a reminder that in modern China, the cycles of power are always turning, and the paradoxes of leadership remain unresolved.
FAQ: Untangling Xi Jinping's China—Quick Answers to Big Questions
Why is Xi Jinping compared to Mao Zedong?
Xi Jinping is often compared to Mao Zedong because both leaders have concentrated power in their own hands and reshaped the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) around their personal authority. Like Mao, Xi has surrounded himself with loyalists and promoted his own ideology—now called Xi Jinping Thought—as the guiding principle for the Party. Xi’s removal of presidential term limits and his third term as leader echo Mao’s era of lifelong rule, marking a clear departure from the collective leadership model that followed Mao’s death.
How did his family’s history affect his political style?
Xi Jinping’s family history is deeply tied to the Party’s elite. His father, Xi Zhongxun, was a revolutionary hero but later suffered persecution under Mao during the Cultural Revolution. As a teenager, Xi himself endured years of rural exile and hard labor. These experiences shaped his cautious, disciplined approach to politics and his belief in the importance of Party unity and personal loyalty. Xi’s rise through less prominent provinces also reflects a pragmatic, strategic style, likely influenced by his family’s past hardships and rehabilitation.
What is "Xi Jinping Thought"?
Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the official ideology of the CCP under Xi. It emphasizes the Party’s absolute control, national rejuvenation, and a strong, centralized leadership. By enshrining his ideas in the Party constitution, Xi has ensured his policies and worldview are unchallengeable within the CCP, much like Mao Zedong’s influence in his time.
How did abolishing term limits change the CCP?
By abolishing presidential term limits in 2018, Xi Jinping broke with the post-Mao tradition of regular leadership transitions. This move allows him to rule indefinitely, reducing uncertainty over succession but also concentrating power in a way not seen since Mao. It signals a return to strongman politics and has made the CCP’s top leadership more dependent on Xi’s personal authority.
Is the power structure in China now more like the Mao era, or is it something new entirely?
Xi’s rule combines elements from both the Mao and Deng Xiaoping periods. Like Mao, Xi has centralized power and promoted his own ideology. However, China’s governance and economy still reflect Deng’s reforms, with a focus on economic development and global engagement. The result is a hybrid system: a modernized, economically open China governed by a Party that is more tightly controlled than at any time since Mao.
What was the impact of Deng Xiaoping’s reforms on Xi’s rule?
Deng Xiaoping’s reforms opened China to the world, encouraged economic growth, and introduced collective leadership to prevent another Mao-style dictatorship. Xi Jinping has benefited from the prosperity these reforms created but has reversed the trend toward collective rule. Instead, he has reasserted the Party’s dominance and his own authority, showing that while China’s economy is shaped by Deng’s legacy, its politics are moving closer to the centralized control of the Mao era—now under Xi’s unique vision.
TL;DR: Xi Jinping's rise is as much about personal history and survival as party loyalty or ideology. From persecuted teen to the CCP's top seat, his path reveals how trauma and tradition mold Chinese power—and why understanding his story is key to grasping China today.
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