A Byronic Hero for China's Supremo

A little known vignette about Xi Jinping's fondness for Song Jiang, a fictional hero in the "Water Margin" of the 14th century classic, gives a peek into the private thoughts of China's most powerful man. For someone born with a red spoon in his mouth, his identification with a rebel leader is not out of character, but Song's flawed personality and self-destructive behavior raises questions about where China is going under Xi's leadership.