In January 2017, the government work report of Liaoning province stated: “The cities and counties under Liaoning province falsified fiscal data in the period from 2011 to 2014.” (辽宁省所辖市、县在2011-2014年期间存在财政数据造假)
A 2018 report in Yicai, citing People’s Daily, said that the inflated figures came to nearly 20 percent of fiscal revenue over that period. According to the same report, Liaoning’s general budget revenue fell by 33.4 percent in 2015.
没大没小 No big and no small. To ignore the courtesy owed by the young to the old and by the low to the high.
顶嘴 To push back with the mouth. To argue back, usually to an elder or a superior.
犯上 To offend those above. To defy one’s elders or superiors.
老几 Which number among the siblings. Used in a rhetorical question, as in 你算老几, it shows contempt. The other person counts for nothing.
In October 2018, China Education Daily reported on new local rules for teachers in WeChat groups with parents. The education bureau of Hengshui said that teachers may not post students’ rankings or “negative information” about students in the group. Weifang ruled out naming or criticizing students, and publishing scores or rankings. A middle school in Hangzhou stated: “Teachers may not criticize anyone by name in the group.” (教师不得在群内点名批评)
On April 10, 2021, Alibaba responded to a fine of 18.228 billion yuan: “We sincerely accept it and resolutely obey.” (诚恳接受，坚决服从) In October 2021, Meituan was fined 3.442 billion yuan. Its response read: “Sincerely accept, resolutely implement.” It said that it would examine itself fully and make corrections, and would take the case as a warning.
In Chinese work chats, a common reply to a message from a leader is shoudao (收到), “received.” In December 2023, the business site Jiemian quoted an office worker: “Do not reply OK to a leader. Reply ‘received’ or ‘all right.’ That is better.”
A worker also told Jiemian: “When I reply ‘received,’ it means I know. It does not necessarily mean I will do it.”
Before the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao had taken Jingzhou and its fleet. Sun Quan called his officials together and asked for their advice. According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, all who spoke said that the best plan was to “welcome” Cao Cao, that is, to submit. Zhou Yu argued for war, and Sun Quan agreed with him.
A note to the same chapter, from the Jiangbiao Zhuan, describes what Sun Quan did next. He drew his sword and cut the desk in front of him. “Any officer or official who dares to speak again of welcoming Cao Cao will be like this desk.” (诸将吏敢复有言当迎操者，与此案同)
After the Ming abolished the chancellor, memorials to the throne went to the Grand Secretaries. They drafted a proposed reply on a slip of paper and attached it to the cover of the memorial. This was called piaoni (票拟), “drafting on a slip.” The emperor then wrote his decision on the memorial in red ink. This was called pihong (批红), “approving in red.”
If the emperor agreed, the memorial went out to be carried out. If he did not, it went back to the cabinet for a new draft. From the Xuande reign on, the red brush passed to the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial.
In 1729, the Yongzheng Emperor set up an office inside the palace to handle a war in the northwest. It became the Grand Council (军机处), and it remained until 1911. Its ministers turned the emperor’s spoken instructions into edicts. They also discussed major affairs, but their opinions went to the emperor for his decision.
Chinese Wikipedia sums up their position with a classic description. They “only transmitted and wrote, and could not add the slightest counsel in between” (只供传述缮撰，而不能稍有赞画于其间). The power of decision rested entirely with the emperor.
In early October 1950, China’s leaders debated whether to send troops to Korea. On October 2, Mao Zedong told the Soviet side that “many comrades in the Central Committee believe that we must act with caution.” At an enlarged Politburo meeting on October 4 and 5, Peng Dehuai supported Mao’s decision to send troops. On October 8, Peng was appointed commander of the Chinese People’s Volunteers.
According to the memoirs of Nie Rongzhen, Mao had first chosen Lin Biao to command, and Lin, afraid, used illness as a pretext and refused to go. One historian notes that there is no documentary evidence for this account, only the recollections of people who were there.
In 2013 and 2014, several provinces, among them Yunnan, Henan and Anhui, wrote a “speak last” rule (末位表态) into their decision procedures. Yunnan did so in June 2013, and Henan in May 2014. When a leading group discusses a decision, the other members state their views first. The top leader states a view last.
A 2014 report on the rules gave the reason: “The other members of the group speak first, and the top leader speaks last. This will help to avoid a ‘hall of one voice.'”