If you know anything about the history of communist dictatorships, then you probably understand how ominous this is...

That was Hu Jintao, president of China from 2003 to 2013, and Emperor Xi's predecessor.

Ruthless indeed. Here's a closer look.

Look at his face as he tries to stay seated and not move:

And look at Xi's face the whole time:

Cold as ice.

This showcase immediately reminded me of Saddam Hussein's 1979 public purge. If you haven't seen that before, hoo boy. I recommend this version narrated by Chris Hitchens:

The media is all wondering "what happened to Hu Jintao?"

But again, if you know anything about communist dictatorships, then you have a pretty good idea...