in

University President Inspects Students in Convertible Audi

chinese-principle-in-black-audi-inspects-students-in-military-parade-01

This is currently the most-discussed article on Chinese web portal NetEase of the day, with nearly 25k comments and 200k participants…

From Netease:

Anhui University President Rides Convertible to Inspect Students, Students Shout “Hello, Leader”

Recently, the Anhui Xinhua University became a hot topic. According to Anhui Xinhua University’s official site, on September 19th, the Anhui Xinhua University’s Class of 2014 [starting year, not graduating year] put on a “grand show”.

As a performance part of the annual military education and training for new students, more than 6000 new students gathered neatly on the track field, lining up in formation to receive the leader’s “inspection”. After the inspecting of the troops ceremony formally began, Anhui Xinhua University President Shi Xiuhe boarded the car used to inspect the troops, and carried out the inspection of the ready-and-waiting new student body.

Shouts of “Hello, students!”; “Hello, leader!”; “Students, you’ve worked hard!”; and “Bring glory to Xinhua!” reverberated throughout the track field.

Information published on the Anhui Xinhua University’s website indicate that activity officially as a “military inspection”, while the car used by President Shi Xiuhe’s to inspect the new students was a black Audi convertible installed with a microphone and labeled as an “inspection” car. Shi Xiuhe stood in the car with his hands on the car’s roof, as the inspection car passed by the formation of students with the uniformed military instructor giving a salute. The event not only included a march but afterwards also had thousands of students dance in unison to “Xiao Ping Guo” [see below].

chinese-principle-in-black-audi-inspects-students-in-military-parade-03

After this incident was made public, it immediately caught the attention of netizens, with netizens commenting: “It’s rare to enjoy such a power trip in life, so niu” and “such a desire to be a government official!” Another netizen claimed, “A military inspection is not something just anyone can do. Him wanting to be like a national leader and shout slogans, really high ambitions.” Actually, the military education and training reviews conducted by schools are normally called “group drills”, while “military inspections” normally specifically refer to a ceremony conducted by armed forces for the inspection of soldiers.

In the “Regulations Regarding the People’s Liberation Army Formations”, there are clear definitions and regulations regarding “military parade and inspections”: “Military inspection may only be conducted by [Communist] Party and national leaders; the Central Military Committee chairman, vice-chairman, members, as well as military and administrative officers of the regiment or above rank, or leaders and senior officials authorized by the aforementioned. Normally, there is only one person who conducts the inspection of the troops.”

Military inspection includes both the inspection itself and the military parade, and normally both will be held, but if necessary, only one can be held. Military inspection is when the inspector passes in front of the military formation, conducting the inspection ceremony. The military parade is when the military formation marches in front of the inspection podium, to be inspected by the inspector.

chinese-principle-in-black-audi-inspects-students-in-military-parade-02

According to information published by Anhui Xinhua University, the “military inspection” and “military parade” were both held.

However, the Anhui Xinhua University leader [president] is not a Party or national leader, not a senior military official, and the “troops” inspected are not actually real military in the normal sense.

Anhui Xinhua University’s official site made no mention of whether this “military inspection” was approved by the relevant departments, so whether or not it was a military inspection in the strict sense is not clear.

The military inspections the ordinary common people are familiar with are normally those on National Day. From the 1949 founding ceremony of China to the 2009 60th anniversary of the founding of China, there have been a total of 14 national military inspection and parades. Currently, a National Day military parade is only held on every tenth anniversary.

Because military inspections are usually held during major national holidays; for the reception and sending-off of state leaders; and instances of large-scale military campaigns, triumphs, and exercises; they are spectacular displays of military might that capture the attention of the people.

chinese-principle-in-black-audi-inspects-students-in-military-parade-04

In recent years, various shanzai military parades/inspection have appeared across China. Some are not directly called a “military parade/inspection” but merely a performance, but the procedures and the formations all emulate military parades, while others are directly called “military parades/inspections”.

In 2007 a post titled “Shangdong Technology University President Wang Chunqiu Holds Large Military Inspection Ceremony” spread across the internet. This president’s use of an inspection car to inspect new students led to many negative reactions from netizens, questioning [the propriety of] a school president inspecting his students.

chinese-principle-in-black-audi-inspects-students-in-military-parade-05

According to a report from Southern Metropolitan Daily, the school indicated in an interview that the pictures are real, and the reason for using an inspection car was because there were 6000-7000 new students in the military education and training activity, which made it very large, and “at the same time, the open-top off-road vehicle used by the president and military leaders for inspecting the students was provided by the military, as a way to motivate student morale.

In 2008, a school president “military inspection” on the track and field also appeared at Huanan Agricultural University. In 2010, the Sanjiang University located in Nanjing had a school president ride an inspection car circling a track field for a “military inspection” as well.

For comparison, here is a photo of former PRC President Hu Jintao inspecting Chinese military troops during a 2009 military parade in Beijing:

china-president-hu-jintao-inspects-soldiers-military-parade-car

Comments on Netease:

城门上挂着畜牲像 [网易山西省太原市网友]:

Even daring to shanzai senior cadres/government officials?

黄易反贪局执行处处长 [网易福建省莆田市网友]:

Just by the name I can tell it is a diploma mill university [for-profit school], where you can get it as long as you pay money…

wangeastplu [网易江苏省南京市网友]:

Power can make people crazy, as well as make people retarded!

网易浙江省舟山市网友:

This 2B school president is too egotistical, and in reality is just an idiot! An Audi convertible sports car, talk about fucking niu. I can’t believe there is such a shabi + retarded school president. Definitely a corrupt bastard! And those soldiers even saluted him! Such retarded soldiers! This 2B school president must be strictly investigated, and whoever promoted this 2B school president must also be thoroughly investigated, to determine who is behind all of this! Who misled this 2B onto the car? It’s very possible that there is someone behind the scenes who is trying to get this 2B school president in trouble!!!

网易贵州省毕节市手机网友:

A retarded school president has produced many retarded students! Seriously too disgusting!

网易贵州省贵阳市手机网友:

2014 September 21st: School President Shi Xiuhe under investigation.

飆燁年華 [网易吉林省长春市手机网友]:

Sigh, when you can’t go to Chang’an Street [in Beijing], you can still fantasize on the school’s track field.

网易山东省青岛市手机网友:

Sitting here waiting for news of his arrest!

网易天津市手机网友:

This is a serious and classic incident of open opposition against the central government.

网易安徽省手机网友:

Foreign school presidents would never do something like this.

网易上海市手机网友:

It seems all military education and training events require this. Back when I was at Shanghai University and undergoing military education and training, we also had military inspections, and it was done with a convertible as well.

网易江西省赣州市手机网友:

I’m here to read the jokes.

网易浙江省湖州市手机网友:

[Our] Education [system] only has leaders and no science [scientific education methods]. Typical slave education.

网易福建省南平市武夷山市手机网友:

The school president is simply retarded. Just looking at this disgusts me.

中国山东找篮翔 [网易上海市手机网友]:

No one is making fun of thousands of students dancing to “Xiao Ping Guo“?

九点半的青春o9sm [网易江苏省盐城市手机网友]:

Tomorrow’s headline: A University President in Anhui Died Falling off a Building

最後一支烟花 [网易福建省福州市手机网友]:

When a leader sets a bad example, it will be followed by his subordinates.

After the so-called “military inspection”, the students danced en masse to the Chinese song “Xiao Ping Guo” and other viral hits:

Avatar

Written by Joe

Joe is a documentary producer and journalist based in Shanghai

55 Comments

Leave a Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Loading…

Loading…

0