From the New York TImes
Ridicule Turns to Affection as Chinese Social Media Embraces Jiang Zemin
By Amy Qin
For years, he was the subject of online ridicule. People poked fun at his large rectangular glasses and his high-waisted trousers. They mocked his clumsy language and sometimes uncouth behavior at official functions. They even gave him a nickname based on his purportedly amphibious features: hama (蛤蟆), or “toad.”
But in recent months, the social media tide has turned in favor of Jiang Zemin, 89, China’s former president and secretary general of the Communist Party. After years of mockery, he has emerged as something of a cult figure, the idol at the center of a tongue-in-cheek subculture known as moha wenhua (膜蛤文化) — “toad worship culture.”...
It has become increasingly risky to talk openly about the “current situation” — a phrase the Chinese sometimes use to refer to the era of President Xi Jinping. Putting a positive spin on Mr. Jiang’s qualities, some say, is a subtle way of drawing a contrast that can be interpreted as a critique of Mr. Xi.
“Xi Jinping has been so strong particularly with this online crackdown,” said Xiao Qiang, adjunct professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and founder of China Digital Times, which monitors Chinese websites. “Any negative comments about him are dangerous, so critiques have to be roundabout. Becoming a fan of a toad is one way to do that.”...