An idiom inspired by a classic Tang Dynasty poem is now a modifier commonly used in the official political speech of the CCP to refer to the need to innovate the party’s communication of its political and social agendas — ultimately making them more palatable, and more easily accepted.

“Self-revolution” refers to a process by which the Chinese Communist Party under Xi Jinping proposes to remain “pure” by rooting out corrupt and ineffectual cadres from their own ranks. Posited as Xi Jinping’s answer to the historical problem of dynastic rise and fall, it promises to confer the Party with an indefinite mandate to rule, or continued political legitimacy — all without having to stand up to external supervision or seek popular support through competitive elections.

Formally emerging during the Yan’an period (1935-1947) as the Chinese Communist Party made its revolutionary base in the northern province of Shaanxi, external propaganda refers to official communication promoting CCP agendas to audiences outside the People’s Republic of China, as distinct from “internally directed” propaganda for domestic audiences. The concept of external propaganda has been a constant but changing feature of CCP activity over the past century, and has generally sought to build international consensus and “friendship” to support China’s regional and international agendas. In the 21st century, it has taken on new urgency as the push to raise the country’s “discourse power” globally to reach a level of global influence that complements China’s growing comprehensive national power (CNP).