Chinese Political Communication: Roots in Tradition and Impacts on Contemporary Chinese Thought and Culture

This study offers a review of traditional Chinese political thought and an array of rhetorical practices in ancient China. It examines how the rhetorical features of contemporary Chinese political discourse resemble those of classical Chinese rhetoric with emphasis on worshiping of the ruler, moral/ethical appeals, ritualistic practices, and the employment of metaphors. The author argues that similar rhetorical forms have been appropriated in the Chinese political discourse to meet different political goals. Further, the author exemplifies how the political discourse used during the Chinese Cultural Revolution has dehumanized “class enemies ” and affected the way Chinese people think in more polarized terms. This study suggests that culture has enduring qualities as manifested in recurring themes and practices. At the same time, culture also transforms to meet the needs of globalization and demands for an open society. Studies of Asian culture and communication in the past have informed us of the Eastern core value of harmony and intuitive “thinking ” (Kincaid, 1987