Why China won't let people compare Xi Jinping with an imperial predecessor

One of the top ten banned terms on Chinese social media is a name: Yuan Shikai, the first president of the Republic of China.

The Chinese Communist Party’s legitimacy is largely based on a supposed contrast between its “enlightened” leadership and the despotism of “Old China”. Any hint that the party is creating a new emperor must therefore be quashed. But the Chinese public know their history, and history is a potent political force in all nations – none more so than China.

In the days since the Communist Party recommended removing the limit on President Xi Jinping’s term in office, one of the top ten banned terms on Chinese social media is a name: Yuan Shikai, the first president of the Republic of