Une tortueuse trajectoire : patriotisme et fêtes traditionnelles dans la Chine des réformes
Résumé
A Convoluted Trajectory : Patriotism and Traditional Festivals in Reform Era China
On December 7th, 2007, the Chinese government decided to place traditional festivals on the national calendar. This event, which can be considered a textbook example of “inventing tradition”, reinforced the position of those who believe that the Communist Party uses the past in the service of an aggressive foreign policy and to reinforce national unity, which has been jeopardized by the disappearance of socialist ideology. Yet “genealogical” analysis of the decision process reveals that a phenomenon of convergence of interests and representations was at work, bringing together various milieu : Hong Kong deputies, intellectuals, economists, folklorists and businessmen. It also shows the obstacles – among others, managing the flows brought about by an increased number of holidays in such a heavily populated country – that the government encountered before ratifying the proposal. Yet China is now also a society of leisure. Proof of this can be found in the popular enthusiasm with which the government’s initiative was greeted, especially among the urban middle class, who can now profit from new vacation periods.
On December 7th, 2007, the Chinese government decided to place traditional festivals on the national calendar. This event, which can be considered a textbook example of “inventing tradition”, reinforced the position of those who believe that the Communist Party uses the past in the service of an aggressive foreign policy and to reinforce national unity, which has been jeopardized by the disappearance of socialist ideology. Yet “genealogical” analysis of the decision process reveals that a phenomenon of convergence of interests and representations was at work, bringing together various milieu : Hong Kong deputies, intellectuals, economists, folklorists and businessmen. It also shows the obstacles – among others, managing the flows brought about by an increased number of holidays in such a heavily populated country – that the government encountered before ratifying the proposal. Yet China is now also a society of leisure. Proof of this can be found in the popular enthusiasm with which the government’s initiative was greeted, especially among the urban middle class, who can now profit from new vacation periods.
Les fêtes traditionnelles contribuent à renforcer la cohésion de la nation chinoise (...), les transformer en jours fériés affirmera avec encore plus de force les traditions nationales et contribuera à la propagation de l’esprit de la nation ». Ces fortes paroles se trouvent dans la motion, rédigée par le député Zhang Guoliang en mars 2004, et signée par une centaine de députés de Hong Kong de la Conférence consultative politique du peuple chinois (CCPPC), demandant l’inscription des fêtes traditionnelles dans le calendrier officiel. Après un processus relativement rapide, la proposition sera finalement entérinée par le Conseil des affaires d’État (CAE) le 7 décembre 2007. Cette courte séquence d’événements pourrait être un cas d’école « d’invention de la tradition » justifiant la position de ceux qui considèrent que le Parti communiste utilise le passé afin de « formuler une idéologie pour sa nouvelle base sociale – la bourgeoisie urbaine et cosmopolite émergente – afin d’assurer sa cohésion et de capter sa loyauté à l’heure de la mondialisation capitaliste ». L’État chinois, privé des ressources idéologiques du socialisme, serait contraint de réinventer des coutumes, des pratiques et des rites afin de renforcer la cohésion de la nation chinoise, lancée dans une course éperdue à la puissance mondiale. [Premier paragraphe]
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