In most democracies,
the very way people file complaints tells you how well their government works.
You can vote.
You can sue.
You can organize, lobby, or protest.
But in China?
You write a physical letter to Beijing,
then pray someone reads it.
This is called Xinfang — the so-called "petition system."
It sounds like democracy.
It’s not.
1. There is No Real "Letter Culture" in China
In the U.S., mail is everywhere:
bills, contracts, court notices, political organizing.
Mail is part of society’s bloodstream.
In China:
- Most people have almost no interaction with the postal system;
- Everything runs through WeChat, local apps, or hidden backchannel networks;
- Going to a post office is rare — and can even be viewed as politically suspicious.
Thus,
when someone mails a complaint to the state,
it’s not normal civic action.
It’s an outlier.
A political anomaly.
2. Xinfang Is Not a Right — It's a Performance
The petition system has no binding legal force.
It is:
- Non-digital,
- Non-transparent,
- Non-trackable.
It functions more like a ritual —
peasants kneeling before an emperor,
begging for mercy.
You don’t get justice.
You get hope.
The system:
- Drains your energy,
- Buries your voice,
- Then blames your tone or attitude for your failure.
And if you’re unlucky?
Your petition can even be used as evidence against you.
3. A Single Letter Reveals Five Systemic Failures
This is not about letters themselves.
The fact that mailing a petition is the only "legal" way to file grievances exposes the deep structural collapse of five key systems:
| System | Intended Role | Actual Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Courts | Protect civil rights | Ignore petitioners |
| Local Governments | Solve problems | Block petitions |
| National Government | Set fair policies | Never receives real signals |
| State Media | Investigate abuses | Covers up or stays silent |
| Parliament | Provide oversight | Exists only on paper |
A petition system is a living exhibit
of five collapsed systems.
4. Why Does the CCP Keep the Petition System?
Because —
it works. For them.
- It looks like a channel for grievances;
- It feels like democracy;
- It defuses public anger into isolated, powerless channels;
- It marks troublemakers for surveillance or repression.
In short:
Xinfang is not about solving problems.
It’s about managing social risks.
It’s a pressure valve.
It’s a sorting machine.
It’s a political honeypot.
Final Words
People often say,
"China is authoritarian."
That’s true,
but it’s not specific enough.
China today is a system where:
- Feedback loops are dead;
- Courts are silent;
- Reforms are performative.
If you ever doubt this —
just look at the petition system.
It was built to look like democracy,
but it was never designed to deliver justice.
Xinfang is not democracy.
It’s not a broken version of democracy.
It’s the absence of democracy, dressed up as hope.