Nat CastañedaMarch 12, 2018Comment

Xi cult of personality unseen in China since Mao

Nat CastañedaMarch 12, 2018Comment

President Xi Jinping, poised to rule over China indefinitely, is at the center of the Communist Party’s most colorful efforts to build a cult of personality since the death of People’s Republic founder Mao Zedong in 1976.

Xi’s image dominates the front pages of state newspapers, hours of state television broadcasts, magazine covers, posters sold at markets, billboards around parks and signs posted along sidewalks.

On television, Xi is often depicted as being wildly adored by anyone from factory workers and farmers to space engineers and soldiers who typically applaud Xi for several minutes.

The effort has prompted memories of the upheaval of Mao’s 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution. Party spokespeople reject such talk, insisting Xi is the core of its seven-member Standing Committee, not a lone strongman.

On Sunday, China’s rubber-stamp legislature approved a constitutional amendment to abolish term limits on the presidency, allowing Xi to rule indefinitely.

In this Thursday, March 1, 2018, photo, a man chats with his friend in front of posters featuring drawings of Chinese President Xi Jinping and his quotes on display for sale at a market in Beijing. Xi, poised to rule over China indefinitely, is at the center of the Communist Party’s most colorful efforts to build a cult of personality since the death of the founder of the People's Republic, Mao Zedong, in 1976. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

In this Friday, March 2, 2018, photo, residents celebrate lantern festival to mark the end of winter near a mural depicting Chinese President Xi Jinping in a residential compound for retired soldiers in Beijing. Xi, poised to rule over China indefinitely, is at the center of the Communist Party’s most colorful efforts to build a cult of personality since the death of the founder of the People's Republic, Mao Zedong, in 1976. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In this Saturday, March 3, 2018, photo, a journalist carrying magazines featuring Chinese President Xi Jinping on their front cover arrives for the opening of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Xi, poised to rule over China indefinitely, is at the center of the Communist Party’s most colorful efforts to build a cult of personality since the death of the founder of the People's Republic, Mao Zedong, in 1976. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

In this Wednesday, March 7, 2018, photo, magazines and books featuring Chinese President Xi Jinping on their front covers are displayed at the media center during the China's National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing. Xi, poised to rule over China indefinitely, is at the center of the Communist Party’s most colorful efforts to build a cult of personality since the death of the founder of the People's Republic, Mao Zedong, in 1976.(AP Photo/Andy Wong)

In this Jan. 28, 2016, photo, a vendor holds up a poster of Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan in a rural market during Chinese New Year season when locals traditionally paste new posters on the walls of their home in Binzhou in eastern China's Shandong province. Xi, poised to rule over China indefinitely, is at the center of the Communist Party’s most colorful efforts to build a cult of personality since the death of the founder of the People's Republic, Mao Zedong, in 1976. (Chinatopix Via AP)

In this Friday, March 2, 2018, photo residents walk past a poster showing Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Xi, poised to rule over China indefinitely, is at the center of the Communist Party’s most colorful efforts to build a cult of personality since the death of the founder of the People's Republic, Mao Zedong, in 1976. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

In this March 26, 2016, photo, a building to be demolished is seen covered with portraits of Chinese President Xi Jinping by the owner to highlight the disputes he has with local officials n Shanghai, China. Xi, poised to rule over China indefinitely, is at the center of the Communist Party’s most colorful efforts to build a cult of personality since the death of the founder of the People's Republic, Mao Zedong, in 1976. (Chinatopix Via AP)