Xi Jinping repeats imperial China’s mistakes
Lessons of a loyalty test that stifled innovation
One hopes Gui Youguang, a 16th-century Chinese bureaucrat, knew how to enjoy success in the moment. By the standards of the time, he was old when he passed the Ming dynasty’s most exacting grade of test for mandarins, after decades of failed attempts. Alas, not long after securing a jinshi degree at 59, Gui died.
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Xi Jinping repeats imperial errors”
From the November 18th 2023 edition
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