People

The names this collection cites, quotes or argues with.

Author of this book

Xi Jinping born 1953

General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the PRC, Chairman of the Central Military Commission · tier S

Author and speaker of all 135 pieces, spanning 29 November 2012 to 23 October 2022. The text says little about him in the first person; the personal recollections that do appear are incidental to the argument.

Intellectual sources

Karl Marx 1818–1883

Philosopher and political economist · tier S

Cited throughout as the theoretical authority behind the collection's framing of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Mao Zedong 1893–1976

Founder of the People's Republic of China · tier A

Invoked as the origin of the party's method and vocabulary — the collection treats his formulations as a continuing resource.

Deng Xiaoping 1904–1997

Chief architect of reform and opening up · tier A

Cited for the reform line and for the judgement that practice is the test of policy.

Friedrich Engels 1820–1895

Philosopher, collaborator of Marx · tier B

Appears alongside Marx as a source of the collection's theoretical references.

Vladimir Lenin 1870–1924

Revolutionary and theorist · tier B

Cited on party organization and on the analysis of imperialism.

Contemporaries

Zhou Enlai 1898–1976

Premier of the State Council · tier B

Named among the party's earlier leaders whose conduct is held up as an example.

Jiang Zemin 1926–2022

General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee · tier B

Named in the collection's account of the party's successive theoretical positions.

Hu Jintao born 1942

General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee · tier B

Named in the same account of successive theoretical positions.

Li Keqiang 1955–2023

Premier of the State Council · tier B

Named in the collection's references to the state administration.

Exemplars

Jiao Yulu 1922–1964

County party secretary, held up as a model official · tier A

The collection's clearest example of an official held up for conduct rather than for achievement.

Norman Bethune 1890–1939

Canadian physician who served in China · tier B

Presented as the standard of selflessness expected of party members.

Yu Gong from Liezi, Tangwen chapter

Figure from a classical parable · tier B

The parable of the man who moved a mountain, used to argue that persistent effort settles what looks impossible.

Figures quoted

Confucius 551–479 BCE

Classical philosopher · tier A

Quoted for formulations on learning, governance and conduct.

Lu Xun 1881–1936

Writer and essayist · tier A

Cited on national character and on the responsibility of writers.

Sun Yat-sen 1866–1925

Revolutionary, first provisional president · tier B

Invoked as a predecessor in the project of national revival.

Entries give the person's place in this book only; the site does not extend beyond what the text supports.