A teacher in Shaanxi Province recently made a plea through overseas social media platforms, expressing a desire to borrow money from Xi Jinping to buy a house and present a “gift” in return. Some commentators believe that while this teacher’s unconventional method of speaking out may not cause significant harm to Xi Jinping in the eyes of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), it is highly disrespectful.
In a video he recorded, the teacher mentioned facing difficulties in recent years due to not being able to afford the down payment for a house, which has stalled his marriage. With limited income and no support from relatives and friends who are also financially struggling to buy houses, he came up with a bold idea to seek money from Xi Jinping to purchase a house.
He specifically mentioned that since China’s public discourse is tightly controlled, he could only seek help from Xi Jinping by “scaling the wall” metaphorically.
“Of course, I didn’t just say these words on a whim. Since it’s a matter involving poor people, I certainly can’t come empty-handed. So, I wrote some things as a gesture of sincerity, to help you (Xi Jinping) gain a deeper understanding of the ‘contributions’ made by local governments and the domestic public opinion system to the people over the years.”
The teacher hopes to borrow money from Xi Jinping to buy a house and offer this “gift,” which may represent the numerous social issues reflected in the video.
A lengthy article showcased in the video stated: “The economy has been on the rise for decades, mainly due to the benefits reaped from participating in global trade in the past, while local real estate exploitation has reached its peak. In recent years, with the decline in foreign trade and the slowdown in the influx of external oxygen, the domestic elite are unwilling to share profits, leading to a visible wealth gap, frequent social grievances, and the emergence of the weapon of public opinion regulation, waging an ideological information war.”
The article also mentioned, “As the growth in foreign trade markets diminishes and concentrates, those facing survival constraints are experiencing unemployment or have already lost jobs, making it difficult to do business due to deflation, being unable to afford houses, repay loans, deal with unfinished construction, being afraid to have children, unable to afford medical care, feeling hopeless.” The article argues that the conditions for the “most severe economic crisis since the establishment of the CCP are now in place.”
Additionally, the teacher made a concluding remark, stating, “My wish is to become a person like Wei Zheng, but, the outcome may be more like Gan. Misfortune does not only affect me but also my family.”
Gan was the prime minister during the reign of King Zhou of Shang dynasty. Legend has it that he courageously advised King Zhou, offending him and Daji, and was later punished with the gruesome act of heart removal. By comparing himself to Gan, the teacher seems to foresee the consequences this video may bring to him.
Regarding this video, host Tang Jingyuan from “Far-sighted Commentary” expressed that the teacher’s act of seeking money from Xi Jinping to buy a house and presenting this “gift” actually reflects the many problems in current Chinese mainland society. At a time when China is in a state of universal silence, with everyone muzzled, this ordinary citizen dares to openly point out the consequences of Xi Jinping’s misrule and is prepared to face all consequences. This kind of courage is truly admirable.
Tang Jingyuan believes that while the teacher’s method of speaking out may not cause significant harm to Xi Jinping in the eyes of the CCP, it is highly disrespectful. By comparing himself to Gan, Xi Jinping naturally becomes the contemporary tyrant King Zhou, and if this had happened during Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution era, it might have led to a secret execution. This teacher may not realize that his words are unlikely to reach Xi Jinping, and in the eyes of local governments, such behavior is a major stability incident. Under the pervasive surveillance of the CCP, this teacher could easily vanish just like Peng Lifan did.
Peng Lifan (Peng Zaizhou) was arrested on October 13, 2022, in Beijing for publicly opposing Xi Jinping, calling him a “dictator traitor,” and demanding the removal of Xi Jinping from party and government positions, the universal election of the president, and the cessation of zero-covid policies. He was arrested on-site by the police and his whereabouts remain unknown.
Another mainland warrior, Qi Yiyuan (online alias Lucifer), in 2018, expressed dissatisfaction with the authoritarian system in a video recorded after Qi Yiyuan’s arrest. Zhang Pancheng, a security guard at Peking University from Heshui County, Gansu, openly criticized the authoritarian regime and was subsequently sentenced to one and a half years in prison. Less than a year after his release, Zhang Pan Cheng was once again arrested for criticizing the authorities.