Last month, censors took note of a photo from the March, 2013 Chinese People’s Political and Consultative Conference that resurfaced on Weibo with a witty netizen caption. The photo, in which outgoing President Hu Jintao appears to be sobbing into a handkerchief next to a deadpan Xi Jinping—who would take the presidential baton weeks later—accompanied a joke referencing the broad anti-corruption campaign that has characterized Xi’s presidency to date. This joke followed closely on the tails of the Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection’s announcement of an investigation into former top Hu aide Ling Jihua.
The people finally know the former president’s pain: the polices and legal system are led by bad guys; the military leaders are all bad guys; the CPPCC are all bad guys; the vice-president, department chiefs, bureau directors, section heads, and various local officials are bad guys too; and now even the senior aide who was in charge of giving you ideas turns out to be a bad guy.
President Hu, you’ve really had a rough go of things over the last 10 years, fighting in the heart of the enemy for all this time!
It’s no wonder you’ve been crying in public lately.
Via Xinwenguangjiao (@新闻广角)
人们终于体会前国家主席的痛苦了： 管政法的是坏人； 带兵的是坏人 ；管政协的是坏人 ；副主席 、部长 、司长 、局长以及地方诸侯许多也是坏人； 就连给自己写文件出主意的大内总管也是坏人 。
胡主席啊， 你这10年也太不容易啦 ，整个就是战斗在敌人心脏啊！//难怪当众哭了。
– 转自：广角新闻 [Chinese]
Translation by Nick.
