[In Fact] Be Thankful to the Chinese People's Liberation Army? ... Descendants of the Red Guards Attacking BTS (Part 2)

Netflix's 'The Three-Body Problem' Reveals the Red Guards
Mao Zedong Expelled Intellectuals as Mental Aristocrats
Red Guards Evolved into Angry Youth, Zigangwu, and Xiaofenhong
"Xi Jinping Aims for Long-Term Dictatorship Through Cultural Revolution"

'If you look closely,' it conveys useful information in a somewhat disorganized manner. This is a tip for enjoying movies and series more interestingly.

*Following <Why Did the 'Good Kids' Kill the Physics Professor? (Part 1)>

*Mao Zedong considered book knowledge useless and believed that reading too many books was dangerous. At the education work symposium in February 1964, he criticized various flaws in school systems, curricula, teaching methods, and examination systems at all levels. He argued that all school systems should be shortened and curricula simplified, stating, "Studying is necessary. But not too much. The more you study, the more foolish you become." He further denied the role of book knowledge and the necessity of formal education.

*Mao Zedong even likened intellectuals to the Kuomintang. In August 1964, during a meeting with African and Latin American youth, he said, "Professors, teachers, instructors, and administrative staff at universities, middle schools, and elementary schools in any city are all Kuomintang people. Our teachers are very few. They all work for the Kuomintang and are all crazy imperialists." Furthermore, at the expanded Politburo meeting in March 1966, he stated, "Currently, most universities, middle schools, and elementary schools are monopolized by intellectuals from the bourgeoisie, petty bourgeoisie, and landlord-rich peasant classes. These people are effectively Kuomintang."

*Mao Zedong demanded a thorough ideological transformation of educated youth. The specific method was to send them to rural areas to be trained through labor. This was called 're-education through labor in the countryside.'

*In February 1964, Mao Zedong expressed anger that intellectuals all claimed to be spiritual aristocrats. "Actors, poets, playwrights, writers, and others should all be driven out of the cities and sent to the countryside, dispatched in groups to rural and factory areas... Anyone who refuses to go should not be given food." Accordingly, many intellectuals moved from urban to rural areas and engaged in labor. This was a concrete practice of ideological transformation.

*Mao Zedong's perspective and attitude toward intellectuals changed drastically starting with the Anti-Rightist Movement in June 1957. This policy was reflected in the large-scale criticism and purging of intellectuals during the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. These destructive and aberrant policies left significant impacts and aftereffects on Chinese society for a long time.

*Intellectuals were absolutely necessary people in society at that time. This was also acknowledged by the Communist Party. However, due to changes in the political situation, policies hostile to intellectuals were implemented, leading to disdain and discriminatory treatment of intellectuals by workers and peasants. Furthermore, this deprived intellectuals of motivation, causing significant damage to the development of science and culture in China.

*Deng Xiaoping became a key decision-maker in the central government at the 3rd Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee in December 1978. He clearly stated that mental labor is also labor, and intellectuals are workers. He also denied the view that intellectuals were 'spiritual aristocrats' who depended on workers and peasants. At the 6th Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee in June 1981, the resolution on certain historical issues since the founding of the country was passed, stating more clearly that "intellectuals are a main force in socialist undertakings, just like workers and peasants, and socialism cannot be built without culture and knowledge."

*Mao Zedong died on September 9, 1976. On August 19, 1978, the Red Guards, who were Mao's 'good kids,' were officially disbanded.

*The Fennu Qingnian (Angry Youth) emerged in the mid-1990s and remains active today as a Chinese internet far-right youth group. While Western Angry Youth focused on domestic social issues and sought to become agents of change, Chinese Angry Youth direct their anger solely at groups they consider enemies of China.

*Fennu Qingnian, similar in nature to the Red Guards, is not a phenomenon unique to China. After the Cold War ended in the 1990s, the collapse of bloc barriers accelerated globalization. This facilitated the movement and migration of people, as well as the free global flow of capital and goods beyond bloc boundaries. The concept of new nationalism emerged in this context. Researchers view it as a self-defense mechanism arising from the weakening of national identity due to globalization. It is argued that new nationalism appeared as states, feeling threatened in their national identity, sought to strengthen cultural identity. However, in China's case, the formation process and objectives differ somewhat from nationalism in other countries.

*In China, where the Party governs the state, the fundamental purpose of patriotic education is love for the Party (Aedang, 愛黨). The Communist Party aimed to cultivate people who follow the Party line through patriotic education. Fennu Qingnian were active in the 1990s and 2000s. Liberal intellectuals fiercely criticized their blind patriotism and Aedang ideology. In the 2010s, with the Chinese government's intensified internet censorship, both Fennu Qingnian and liberal intellectuals faded, replaced by the Zigangwo (Self-Strengthening Network). Zigangwo is a pro-government internet group centered on Chinese government officials and their families, which took control of the internet during attacks on liberal intellectuals in the early to mid-2010s. In 2016, the internet patriotic youth group Sobunhong (Little Pink) appeared and completely seized the initiative.

*Sobunhong differs somewhat in character from Zigangwo and Fennu Qingnian. Fennu Qingnian attacked both domestic and foreign targets indiscriminately. Zigangwo mainly targeted liberal intellectuals. In contrast, Sobunhong primarily attacks foreign countries. They organize the Communist Youth League and actively use framing strategies. This distinguishes them from the voluntarily organized Zigangwo and Fennu Qingnian. In 2016, there were fourteen attacks against foreign targets, five (36%) of which targeted South Korea. Attacks against another neighboring country, Japan, occurred only once.

*Famous domestic examples of Fennu Qingnian include the collective assault by Chinese students during the Seoul torch relay of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and illegal actions against Lotte Mart in China during the THAAD crisis.

*The term Fennu Qingnian (Angry Youth) first appeared in China in the 1973 Hong Kong film "Angry Youth," produced by Shaw Brothers. It tells the story of young people expressing dissatisfaction with society and seeking radical change. The term entered mainland China from Hong Kong in the 1980s and is now abbreviated as "Fenqing."

*Fennu Qingnian are divided politically into New Left, Radical Left, and Extreme Nationalist groups. While the New Left and Radical Left follow leftist ideologies, the Extreme Nationalists adhere to Chinese nationalism. In reality, leftist and nationalist ideologies are mixed, making strict distinctions difficult; it is a matter of degree. The New Left follows Marxist theory, while the Radical Left follows Mao Zedong Thought. New Left Fennu Qingnian are mainly intellectuals studying Marxism at universities. They emerged in the mid-1990s and provided ideological foundations for Fennu Qingnian until the 2000s. Initially, they criticized integration into the global capitalist system and demanded democratization. However, from 2008, they transformed into nationalists praising reform and opening-up policies and supporting the Chinese government. Radical Left Fennu Qingnian base their populism on the lower classes, advocating wealth equalization. They are the most extreme, radical, and numerous, calling for another Cultural Revolution. Extreme Nationalist Fennu Qingnian mainly consist of anti-Western forces. They fundamentally support the Chinese government and have strong Chinese nationalist tendencies. They argue that China should dominate the world. Like Maoist Fennu Qingnian, they unconditionally reject the West and harbor hatred toward it, but unlike them, they do not oppose the market economy, aligning with New Left Fennu Qingnian in this regard. While New Left and Maoist Fennu Qingnian have theoretical foundations and academic knowledge, many Extreme Nationalists have only middle or elementary school education, with some uneducated. Sobunhong, which appeared in 2016, supports mainstream ideology and has strong nationalist characteristics. Those with master's degrees account for 36%, and those with university degrees 37%.

*In China, Fennu Qingnian implies extremism, narrow-mindedness, ignorance, vulgarity, and violence. Renowned local columnist Liao Baoping criticized them as "blind patriots who fanatically reject foreigners, foolishly think highly of themselves, act rashly and noisily, and are irrational mobs," calling them "pathological nationalists." He described them as "headless emotional animals who think only about anti-American and anti-Japanese sentiments all day and never mature."

*Both the Red Guards and Fennu Qingnian are youth groups educated to adopt specific ways of thinking. The Red Guards were politically socialized, while Fennu Qingnian were educated patriotically. The ideological weapon of the former was socialist theory; for the latter, patriotism.

*Both groups exhibit characteristics of fanatical religious followers. They deeply believe conspiracy theories that Western capitalism aims to ruin China. During the Cultural Revolution, the Red Guards accelerated the revolution, claiming Western capitalism sought to destroy Chinese socialism through "peaceful evolution" (Western countries using non-violent means to induce change and dismantle socialist states). Fennu Qingnian also claim Western capitalism tries to collapse Chinese socialism via peaceful evolution. Early New Left and Radical Left Fennu Qingnian advocated halting reform and opening-up policies and returning to isolationism, rejecting China's participation in international organizations and economic and cultural exchanges with the West. Both distrusted and feared Western capitalism.

*The Red Guards and Fennu Qingnian share the trait of using violent methods for education and discipline. Young Red Guards admonished adults and forced them to apologize to Mao Zedong. Especially middle school students, who formed the core of early Red Guards, judged their teachers. Fennu Qingnian also admonish and punish foreigners or domestic dissenters on behalf of China. There have been cases where a young person in their twenties slapped a septuagenarian as a form of admonishment. Both groups believe their violent acts are not crimes but heroic actions of patriots. Moreover, as they had the support of leaders at the time, no violent acts could be legally defined as crimes. The Red Guards had Chairman Mao's support; Fennu Qingnian had the Communist Party's backing, though less overt. The former shouted "Revolution is not a crime," the latter "Patriotism is not a crime."

*Recently, internet patriotic youth organizations Sobunhong and youth Marxist organization Sochengma have been active. Sobunhong first appeared on the Jinzhang Wenshecheng website. It was named Sobunhong (Little Pink) because the homepage color was pink. Jinzhang Wenshecheng was a gathering of Korean and Japanese students, mostly female. Originally apolitical, they began making political statements at some point. They left Jinzhang Wenshecheng and started dominating Weibo, gradually spreading across the internet. Their strength as an internet group is due to close involvement by the Chinese government in their organization.

*Sobunhong consists largely of highly educated males born in the 1990s. Most were educated in patriotism from birth, unlike Fennu Qingnian, who received patriotic education from elementary or middle school. Sobunhong is overwhelmingly composed of highly educated individuals, whereas Fennu Qingnian includes many with only elementary education or no formal education.

*There was a report that Chinese netizens were angered by BTS's remarks at the US Banff Mountain Film Festival awards ceremony. The cause was related to China's distorted education about the Korean War. BTS said, "We will remember the painful history and countless sacrifices of men and women that both countries endured together." Huanqiu Shibao explained that the globally famous idol BTS caused controversy with political remarks, stating, "'We will forever remember the painful history shared by the two countries (the US and South Korea)' angered many Chinese netizens, and some fans expressed intentions to leave fan clubs. When asked why, they answered, 'Because I am Chinese' or 'Anything related to national dignity is absolutely unacceptable.' Netizens also revealed BTS's previous interview acknowledging Taiwan as a country."

*Although Huanqiu Shibao's report took the form of factual reporting, it labeled BTS's acceptance speech as a "political statement." It explained the two countries as the US and South Korea and defined BTS as Taiwan independence supporters. Korean netizens who saw the Chinese media coverage were puzzled, unable to understand which part damaged China's national dignity. The reason was found in comments left by Chinese netizens on Weibo: "BTS did not mention the many Chinese soldiers who died during the Korean War," "They did not express gratitude to Chinese soldiers." This was difficult for Koreans to understand since Chinese troops killed Koreans as enemies during the war. Demanding mourning or even gratitude for Chinese soldiers was unacceptable.

*Sobunhong holds the spirit of patriotism as a core belief in national sovereignty, territory, unity, and solidarity. They are youth internet patriotic groups fighting external groups critical of China's reality.

*Sobunhong's frequent attacks on South Korea may be because they are more familiar with Korean culture. Their first major internet attack was on the TVXQ homepage in November 2008. On June 9, 2010, they attacked the Super Junior homepage, calling it the "69 Holy War."

*The Cultural Revolution occurred due to a combination of factors: the charismatic leader Mao Zedong, populism advocating wealth equalization, Chinese nationalism aiming to lead the global socialist movement, indoctrination with Mao Zedong Thought, and the heroism-filled Red Guards. Comparing then and now, wealth equalization is the Chinese model, and the claim to lead global socialism is the Chinese Dream. Fennu Qingnian, nurtured through patriotic education, are ready to replace the Red Guards. President Xi Jinping is also preparing to replace Mao Zedong.

*Xu Ziyuan, author of "Immature Nation," stated, "The essence of the Chinese regime has never changed; it only showed a relatively mild face temporarily due to a lack of power. Once it gained confidence, it immediately revealed its original oppressive nature without reservation." With confidence gained from high economic growth, President Xi dreams of long-term dictatorship through a second Cultural Revolution.

References: Kim In-hee, published by Pureun History, "Chinese Patriotic Red Guards, Angry Youth (2021)"; Bill Hayton, translated by Jo Yulli, published by Dasan Chodang, "China Unspoken (2023)"; Kim Jae-sun, published by Korean Academic Information, "Mao Zedong and the Cultural Revolution"; Kim Beom-song, published by Yeokrak, "Mao Zedong and the Chinese Revolution 1 (2024)"; Philip Short, translated by Yang Hyun-soo, published by Gyoyangin, "Mao Zedong 2: The Red Emperor of the Cultural Revolution 1937?1976 (2019)," etc.