[Annotated] Xi Jinping's thinking is ranked alongside Mao's

Does this mean no one can challenge him?

The constitution of^[각주:1] the Chinese Communist Party defines what it means to be a party member and lists the organization's core beliefs^[각주:2]. On October 24th a new principle was added to^[각주:3] it: "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with^[각주:4] Chinese Characteristics for^[각주:5] a New Era" - quite a mouthful^[각주:6]. Xinhua, a government news agency^[각주:7], said the change was approved at^[각주:8] the end of a weeklong party congress^[각주:9], an event that takes place every five years^[각주:10]. Party leaders had been parroting^[각주:11] the party's general secretary^[각주:12] as well as president, first mentioned it (albeit without^[각주:13] his own name attached) on the opening day of^[각주:14] the gathering^[각주:15]. Bill Bishop, an American China-watcher^[각주:16], says he writes it as XJPTSCCNE "to avoid getting carpal tunnel syndrome^[각주:17]".

Talk of theory and whether someone is named in a document might sound recondite^[각주:18]. But this has huge implications^[각주:19] because it invests Mr Xi with more power than any Chinese leader since Mao Zedong. He is the first living leader^[각주:20] to be mentioned in the party's charter^[각주:21] since Mao. Deng Xiaoping's name is also in the constitution but this was an honor accorded him only after^[각주:22] he died in 1997. Mr Xi's two predecessors^[각주:23], Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, are not named. Moreover, Mr Xi's thinking uses the same term in Chinese (sixiang) as the one in Mao Zedong Thought. Deng in contrast^[각주:24] contributed only a "theory"^[각주:25] (lilun), a less elevated term^[각주:26]. No one can have more ideological authority than^[각주:27] Mr Xi. The person has become the party in a way China has not seen since Mao.

Mr Xi has made influential enemies during^[각주:28] his first five years as party chief^[각주:29], notably^[각주:30] the allies and clients of the hundreds of influential officials^[각주:31] he has had arrested for corruption^[각주:32]. He has also complained repeatedly^[각주:33] that officials lower down the bureaucracy^[각주:34] are stymying his orders^[각주:35]. This could change, because to oppose him now would be regarded more than ever as opposition to^[각주:36] the party itself. In principle^[각주:37], it could make decision-making in^[각주:38] China smoother. But it raises the risk that underlings^[각주:39] will tell Mr Xi only what they think he wants to hear, and increase the chances of bad policymaking^[각주:40]. 

It also makes the question of the succession moot^[각주:41]. By precedent^[각주:42], the general secretary should serve two five-year terms. Mr Xi's run out in^[각주:43] 2022. Under the rules that used to govern Chinese politics, he would be expected to signal his choice of^[각주:44] successor at a meeting of the Central Committee^[각주:45] that is due to^[각주:46] be held on^[각주:47] October 25th. The candidate would normally be in the new Politburo Standing Committee^[각주:48], or inner sanctum of^[각주:49] politics, that will be unveiled after^[각주:50] the brief gathering. Rumors are rife that^[각주:51] Wang Qishan, the chief graft^[각주:52]-buster^[각주:53] and close ally of Mr Xi, has been dropped from the Central Committee, and therefore will not be included in the new line-up^[각주:54]. There had been speculation that^[각주:55] Mr Xi might keep him in place^[각주:56], even though he has passed the normal retirement age of 68. 

It is not clear how much it matters now who is chosen to succeed Mr Xi, or whether he has anyone in mind^[각주:57]. With his name in the constitution, he must be the ultimate arbiter^[각주:58] of authority^[각주:59] as long as he is alive, since he - along with Marx, Lenin, Mao and Deng - defines what it is to be a good Chinese Communist. 

1. constitution ; 3. [U , C] (격식) 구조 [본문으로]
2. core belief ; (심리학) 핵심 신념(核心信念) [본문으로]
3. principle ; 2. [C] (법・규정・이론 등의 기본이 되는) 원칙[원리] [본문으로]
4. a thought on ; …에 관한 의견. [본문으로]
5. characteristics ; 1. 형질(形質) ;; 2. 문자 ;; 3. 특성치 ;; 4. 지표 ;; 5. 특유수 [본문으로]
6. mouthful ; 2. [sing.] (비격식) 길고 복잡한[발음하기 힘든] 말[구절] [본문으로]
7. news agency ; [명사] 통신사 [본문으로]
8. be approved ; 승인되다 [본문으로]
9. weeklong ; [형용사, 부사] 1주일에 걸친[걸쳐서] [본문으로]
10. take place ; (특히 미리 준비되거나 계획된 일이) 개최되다[일어나다] [본문으로]
11. parrot ; [타동사][VN] (못마땅함) (의미는 생각하지도 않고) 앵무새처럼 흉내내다 [본문으로]
12. general secretary ; [종종 G- S-] 1. (중국 공산당의) 총서기 ;; 2. (공산당·사회당의) 서기장 [본문으로]
13. albeit ; [접속사] (격식) 비록 …일지라도 [본문으로]
14. opening day ; 개막전 ;; 첫 날, 개막일, 개시일, 개장일 ; the opening day of ; ~의 첫날 [본문으로]
15. gathering ; 1. [C] (특정 목적을 위한) 모임 [본문으로]
16. watcher ; [명사] (흔히 합성어에서) (…을 정기적으로 살피고 연구하는) 연구가, 관찰자 ;; 참고 ; birdwatcher, clock-watcher [본문으로]
17. carpal tunnel syndrome ; [명사] (의학) 손목골[수근골] 증후군(장기간의 신경 압박에 의한 손과 손가락 통증), 손목 터널 증후군 [본문으로]
18. recondite ; [형용사] (격식) 많이 알려지지 않은, 잘 이해받지 못하는 ;; 미국∙영국 [|rekəndaɪt] [본문으로]
19. implications ; [명사] (예상되는) 결과, 영향 [본문으로]
20. living ; 1. (현재) 살아 있는 [본문으로]
21. charter ; 2. [C] (조직의 원칙・목적 등을 명시한) 헌장, 선언문 [본문으로]
22. accord ; (격식) 1. ~ sth to sb/sth | ~ sb/sth sth (권위・지위 등을) 부여하다 [본문으로]
23. predecessor ; (참고: successor) 1. 전임자 [본문으로]
24. in contrast ; 그에 반해서 [본문으로]
25. contribute ; 4. ~ (sth) (to sth) 기고하다; (회의・대화에서) 의견을 말하다 [본문으로]
26. elevated ; [주로 명사 앞에 씀] 1. (지위가) 높은 ;; 2. (격식) 고상한 [본문으로]
27. ideological ; [형용사] 사상적인, 이념적인 [본문으로]
28. influential ; [형용사] ~ (in sth/in doing sth) 영향력 있는, 영향력이 큰 [본문으로]
29. party chief ; 정당의 수령(首領). [본문으로]
30. notably ; [부사] 특히 [본문으로]
31. official ; [명사] [흔히 합성어에서] (고위) 공무원[관리], 임원 [본문으로]
32. arrest for ; …의 죄로 체포하다. [본문으로]
33. repeatedly ; [부사] 되풀이하여; 재삼재사; 여러 차례 [본문으로]
34. lower ; 2. (가치・특질 등을[이]) 낮추다[낮아지다] [본문으로]
35. stymie ; [타동사][VN] (sty・mie・ing 또는 sty・mying , sty・mied , sty・mied) (비격식) (계획 등을) 방해하다[좌절시키다] [본문으로]
36. opposition to ; …에 대한 반대. [본문으로]
37. in principle ; 1. 원칙적으로[이론상으로는], 원론적으로 [본문으로]
38. decision-making ; [U] (단체나 조직 내의 중요 사항에 대한) 의사 결정 [본문으로]
39. underling ; [명사] (못마땅함) 아랫사람, 부하 [본문으로]
40. policymaking ; [명사] (정부 따위의) 정책 입안. [본문으로]
41. moot ; [형용사] (美) (가능성이 적으므로) 고려할 가치가 없는 [본문으로]
42. precedent ; 1. [C , U] (판결・공식적인 결정 등의) 선례, 판례 ;; 2. [C , U] 전례 ;; 3. [U] 관례 ;; 참고 ; unprecedented [본문으로]
43. be run out ; 흐름상 "재임기간이 다되다, 마감되다, 퇴임하다" 정도의 의미 [본문으로]
44. signal ; 3. (감정・의견을 간접적으로) 표시하다[표하다] [본문으로]
45. central committee ; [the ~] (특히 구소련 공산당의) 중앙 위원회 [본문으로]
46. be due to ; ~할 예정이다 [본문으로]
47. be held ; 열리다 [본문으로]
48. Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China ; 중국공산당 중앙정치국 상무위원회 [본문으로]
49. inner sanctum ; [구어] 지성소(至聖所)(sanctum); 사실(私室), 서재, 내실(內室) [본문으로]
50. unveil ; 2. (새로운 계획・상품 등을) 발표하다 [본문으로]
51. rife ; [명사 앞에는 안 씀] 1. (바람직하지 않은 현상 등이) 만연한[널리 퍼져 있는] [본문으로]
52. graft ; [명사] (지위·직권(職權) 사용에 따른) 부정 이득, 수회(收賄), 오직(汚職) ;; 4. [U] (특히 美) 뇌물 수수; 뇌물 [본문으로]
53. -buster ; [접미사] destroyer의 뜻. [본문으로]
54. line-up ; [주로 단수로] 1. (특정 행사의) 참석 예정자들 [본문으로]
55. speculation ; 1. [U , C] ~ (that…) | ~ (about/over sth) 추측, (어림)짐작 [본문으로]
56. keep sb in (one's) place ; 남을 함부로 굴지[기어오르지] 못하게 하다 [본문으로]
57. have sb/sth in mind (for sth) ; (특히 특정 일자리 등에 대해) ~을 염두에 두다[생각하다] ;; ~을 염두 해두다, 계획하다 [본문으로]
58. arbiter ; [명사] ~ (of sth) 결정권자 [본문으로]
59. of authority ; 권위있는. [본문으로]