The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee's Party School, a key institution for training senior CPC officials, has finished a renovation project that involved erecting several statues of renowned communist figures and relocating a stone with a sign written by former president Jiang Zemin.
The new statues found on the campus depict key figures in communism, including Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. The statues are aligned along the axis of the campus.
A statue of Jiao Yuli, considered an outstanding example of an honest member of the Party, can be found on the east part of the campus.
According to the school, the statues were erected to boost Party spirit and inspire officials.
According to a statement by the school, "As the highest institution of learning charged with training senior and middle-ranking CPC leading cadres, our campus, though boasting a beautiful environment with trees and ponds, lacked a landscape embodying the Party spirit."
Further, it mentions: "The figures of the statues represent different phases of development for the CPC, showcasing the Party spirit of keeping up with the times."
Regarding the relocation of the stone with the sign written by Jiang, Zhuo Zeyuan, head of the political science and law department of the school, said that it was done mainly for traffic reasons with no disrespect intended for the former leaders of the Party.
According to Zhuo, when the sign was located in front of the school, passersby would take pictures, causing traffic in front of the school.
The sign has been moved to the front of the main building of the campus. The inscription of the stone, the school's name in Jiang's calligraphy, can be seen from the main street.