Xi Jinping in 2008 (left) and 2023. In recent years, the Chinese president has demonstrated his unique status by breaking with convention and allowing his hair to show signs of gray. Former Chinese president Hu Jintao was perhaps the most boring leader in modern times. The then-governor of New Jersey, James McGreevey, told Mr. Hu—whose hair was jet-black—that he did not look his 59 years. Mr. Hu replied: “China would be happy to share its technology in this area.”Why do Chinese leaders dye their hair?

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