For many years, the beverage company Wahaha had no deputy general managers and no board of directors. A business profile from January 2022 described how its founder, Zong Qinghou, ran it: “To avoid infighting, Wahaha had no deputy post and no board. Zong Qinghou stood alone at the front of Wahaha.” He approved even budgets of a thousand yuan himself.
The Three Pats
拍脑袋决策 To decide by patting one’s head.
拍胸脯表态 To state a position by patting one’s chest.
拍屁股走人 To pat one’s backside and leave.
On August 31, 2026, the website of Qiushi, the Party’s theoretical journal, republished an article from the Tianjin magazine Branch Life that criticized all three together: “The ‘three pats’ phenomenon means deciding by patting the head, stating a position by patting the chest, and leaving by patting the backside.”
Ren Zhengfei’s Veto
In April 2019, Huawei’s board secretary, Jiang Xisheng, explained the powers of the company’s founder. “Ren Zhengfei does have a veto, but only on major matters. He does not veto everything.” He added: “He has only a veto, not the power to decide.” The company charter lists the matters it covers, among them capital increases, changes to the charter and the nomination of directors.
Ren described how he would use it: “When I want to veto something, I go and talk it over with them, and discuss my ideas together with everyone.” A 2020 report said that he had never used it.
Cutting the Desk
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)
Drafts and Red Ink
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.
The Decision to Enter Korea
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.
The Top Leader Speaks Last
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.'”
Family
Ba Jin’s novel Family (家) is set in the large Gao household in Chengdu. Grandfather Gao is the authority of the whole family. His eldest grandson, Juexin, has absorbed new ideas but still obeys tradition.
As a young man, Juexin loves his cousin Mei. He marries Ruijue instead, because his parents have arranged it. He comes to love his wife, but he never forgets Mei.
Object, Then Carry Out
Under Article 60 of the Civil Servant Law, as revised in 2018, a civil servant who believes a superior’s decision or order is wrong may propose to the superior that it be corrected or withdrawn. If the superior does not change it, or demands immediate action, the civil servant must carry it out. The superior then bears the consequences.
A civil servant who carries out a clearly illegal decision or order is held responsible for it.
The Vocabulary of Rank
一把手 The first hand. The head of a unit or organization.
拍板 To strike the board. In old trading houses, a sale was sealed by striking a wooden board. Today it means that the person in charge makes the final decision.
一言堂 The hall of one word. Once a shop’s sign for fixed prices. Today a leader who decides alone.
官大一级压死人 An official one rank higher crushes a person to death. In 2018, the Party’s discipline newspaper used the phrase to criticize an official who pulled rank.