Mourning in the Shadows: Zhu Rongji's Passing Reveals China's Fear of Nostalgia The death of former Premier Zhu Rongji has sparked a wave of nostalgia among Chinese people, who remember his era as one of rapid economic growth and tentative opening to the world.
But beneath the sentimental posts on social media lies a more complex reality: the Communist Party is wary of allowing public mourning for Zhu's legacy, lest it morph into veiled criticisms of the current government under Xi Jinping.
This fear is not unfounded. The deaths of former leaders in the past have triggered widespread outpourings of grief that eventually turned into protests.