An Asia Times article (h/t Western Confucian) looks into the revival of Confucianism in the PRC as a possible means of distracting attention away from the killings of June 3-4. This sounds about right to me:
Party avoid accountability for the killings of untold numbers of unarmed
civilians.
"Confucianism is against killing," said writer and social critic Yu Jie. "You
cannot justify a crackdown like Tiananmen on the grounds that you were trying
to keep the country on its own track."
As I have argued before (here and here, for instance), Confucianism produces its own immanent critique of authoritarian power and resists facile nationalist appropriations. How can CCP deal with these passages?
Asking Confucius about governing, Kord Chi K'ang said: "What if I secure those who abide in the Way by killing those who ignore the Way - will that work?"
"How can you govern by killing?" replied Confucius. "Just set your heart on what is virtuous and benevolent, and the people will be virtuous and benevolent. The noble-minded have the Integrity of wind, and little people the Integrity of grass. When the wind sweeps over the grass, it bends." Analects 12.19
…
Prince T'ien asked: "What is the task of a worthy official?"
"To cultivate the highest of purposes," replied Mencius.
"What do you mean by the highest of purposes?"
the death of a single innocent person, and you defy Duty if you take
what is not yours. What is our dwelling-place if not Humanity? And
what is our road if not Duty? To dwell in Humanity and follow Duty –
that is the perfection of a great person's task." Mencius (13.33)
How many innocents died in Beijing on June 3-4, 1989?
The Useless Tree 
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