This is part two of our series with Joseph Torigian, author of the definitive biography of Xi Zhongxun. This episode traces the inner world of a man navigating power politics, exile, and reform, and the legacy he left his son, Xi Jinping.
Against the backdrop of the Great Leap Forward, the Sino-Soviet split, the Cultural Revolution, and reform and opening up, we discuss…
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The moral dilemmas of a mid-level party cadre,
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What it’s like to be purged, and why the party prescribes self-criticism as therapy,
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“Frenemies” in the CCP, Deng Xiaoping’s autocratic side, and the unsung heros of the reform period,
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How Xi Zhongxun instilled party loyalty and other values in his son,
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Xi Zhongxun’s return from exile and his complicated relationship with reform,
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How Chinese leaders think about redemption, guilt, and survival,
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And a bonus: Why the PRC-produced biopic of Xi Zhongxun is so disappointing — and why his life deserves the Star Wars treatment.
Outro music: Teresa Teng - 小城故事 (YouTube Link)
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