Lexicographical Planning and Official Ideology: The Case of China’s National Plans for the Compilation and Publication of Lexicographical Works

In the history of the People’s Republic of China, the country’s political leadership has always attached great importance to developing its lexicographical sector and to the role of dictionaries within society. Since the mid-1970s, the Chinese government has issued and implemented three National Plans in the field of lexicography (1975-1985; 1988-2000; 2013-2025), intended to promote the compilation, revision, and publication of reference works in the country. Adopting the theoretical framework of critical lexicography, the present article addresses the topic of the interplay between lexicographical activities and ideology. Specifically, it proposes an analysis of three official documents that were issued by relevant Chinese organizations to introduce and announce the implementation of each lexicographical Plan. The key purpose of the article is thus to discuss, through the analysis of the selected documents, the ways in which the official ideology and the leadership's goals participate in framing the guiding principles and objectives of lexicographical activities in the People’s Republic of China.