At least 75% of the 12,045 respondents surveyed in a Bai state media survey said that the achievements of former Bai leader Yu Zeming outweigh his mistakes, as the country prepares to mark 55 years since the establishment of the New Bai Dynasty.
Yu remains a divisive figure in the Bai Empire, where he is revered for reuniting the country and ending the 40-year political turmoil through the Eastern Expedition. As Regent from 1962 to 1989, he oversaw its transformation into a developed country and regional power in Northern Archanta. However, critics blamed him for curtailing political reforms during his ‘Benevolent Terror’, which saw the mass persecution of political critics.
The state-run Imperial Press Agency conducted the survey on Monday and Tuesday, with results suggesting that respondents held a favourable view of the late Regent.
Asked, “Do you agree that Yu Zeming’s achievements outweigh his mistakes?”, 68.3 percent of respondents in the survey said they agreed and 6.8 percent strongly agreed, while only 21.7 percent disagreed. About three percent said they did not have an answer.
Nearly 80 percent of those surveyed said that Yu’s “greatest merit” was “reuniting the Bai people”. Other merits mentioned include Yu’s economic reforms that paved the way for the country’s prosperity in the 70s.
As the father of the reigning Fengyang Emperor, Yu remains protected from criticism in Bai. Various Bai scholars and political opponents who hold negative views of Yu have faced censorship and legal action. Yu’s royal status has hindered scholars and researchers from fully exploring the scope of his political repression during his reign.
The Imperial Press Agency noted in the survey that many of the younger generation were more likely to be critical of Yu, while those born during or before the Regency held a more favourable view of Yu. The state-run media conducted the survey through telephone and online in major cities of Bai, including Xiongjing, Riqing and Port Dunghoi. A considerable portion interviewed were born from the rural areas.
