So the saying goes. There is a version of it in the far east as well, described as an insider mechanism of political power in China in the video I'll link to below. General Zhang Youxia,张有侠 recently purged from the PLA Central Military Commission, is the key figure. He was no 2 in the PLA power structure only after Xi himself. A staff General on the commission Liu Zhenli was also purged, leaving Xi alone at the top after previous removals of other generals on the commission.

중국 공산당 내부 파벌 싸움에서 모두를 숙청시켜 버린 시진핑의 큰 그림! Inside the Chinese Communist Party factional fight, purge unleashed by Xi Jinping, the big picture.

So the model here for the interpretation of man/forest/sand Zhang Youxia's popular nickname 伊林沙 is interpreted in light of an Chinese expression that "the man who submits to one man, leads ten thousand," (一人之下 一万人之上 ). This is the eight character aphorism that appears on "Clark's" chin in the screenshot above. Xi intentionally had already removed a series of lower ranking general and staff officers not only from the central military commission in prior months and years, but also from other key institutions in the PLA. So the forest beneath Zhang Youxia was undercut, leaving him and Liu disconnected from the "sand" or grass roots forming the true basis of political power in China- the armed forces.

Quotes from the Clark "video" with my comments attached below. The video presentation is in Korean but the English translation is only fair in the subs. I had to keep switching back and forth between Korean and English subs to check the meaning. I also checked the Chinese subs for a few names.

"Of course, the key figure is Zhang Youxia. Zhang Youxia is known as "Yilinsha" in Chinese." 伊林沙 appears to mean man forest sand literally.

"This was given to Liu Shirong. Liu Shirong was Zhang You's former superior and Zhang You's benefactor." Liu Shirong was had been a senior military officer to Zhang also with combat experience in Vietnam also who rose up through the ranks. He was also a senior member of the Communist Party.

36:33 "He had the authority to say anything to Xi Jinping. But the matter still spread, and Liu Shirong tried to resolve the issue, but...

...At the age of 85, he was completely devastated by this sudden blow." (the conflict between Xi and Zhang having reached a turning point which the narrator believes Liu Shirong had tried to mediate for some time). It's been reported that Liu Shirong died on January 23, 2026. from uncertain cause, after the arrests of Liu Xenli and Zhang Youxia. This Korean analyst above suspects it was a heart attack induced by shock at Zhang You xia's removal. The suggestion is that Xi took advantage of Liu Shirong's ill health to make his move on Zhang.

Much of this is tea leave reading by the analyst, who described much of it as rumors, circling around and attributable to the location or neighborhood where the Central Government Offices are located in Beijing (Zhongnanhai 中南海).* The announcement of Zhang's removal in a PLA publication cited by the analyst in the video, does cite corruption as an issue in the "trampling" of law and discipline. Xi is known to have been conducting an anti-corruption campaign for years. Some of the rumors contended that Zhang and Liu arranged a coup at the Jingxi Hotel 京西飯店 (?) where Xi was allegedly scheduled to lodge. A leak caused the plot to be detected the story goes, so Xi wasn't there, and a fire fight broke out between the two sides that lasted from the night of the 18th through the night of the 20th when the coup forces were defeated by Xi's security forces. I don't think this is very credible. The narrator cites the lack of any current corroborating evidence, thus far.

The two generals were last seen on Dec. 22 at a promotion ceremony at the Central Military Commission. They did not attend the opening of a Prefecture level cadre training conference on Jan 20. Their removal was publicly announced on Jan 24. Reportedly, 17 other related officials and staff were arrested before and after Zhang's arrest. Arrests of other general officers also had taken place last October. The Chinese Internal Security Police carried out the arrests. Allegedly, Zhang's family members were also arrested. Wang Xiaohong Minister of Public Security is believed to have directed the operations. He's close to Xi and a Fujian faction member.

This from another another interpretation also explains that Zhang's power also derived from Xi.

Xi Jinping has dismissed two of China’s most senior generals. What does this mean?

The removal of Zhang and Liu at least temporarily leaves military leadership under just Xi and General Zhang Shengmin. Three other members of the Central Military Commission have lost their positions since 2024 and not been replaced.

Zhang and Liu were fairly recent appointments to even more senior positions. Both were also seen as personal supporters of Xi. The fathers of Xi and Zhang had a close relationship dating back to the early days of the CCP in the 1930s before the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

Probably got this from Baidu, can't remember the source.

*Zhongnanhai is a large palace-style government building located on West Chang'an Avenue in Xicheng District, Beijing, to the left of the Forbidden City and in front of Beihai Park. It is the location of the State Council, the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, among other government offices.

fwiw

Korean song from the fifties-

Sorrowful Taedong River, are you well as before?
Moranbong*, Eulmildae,** I miss that scenery.
The way blocked by barbed wire, 'til we meet again,
Is there news? Oh, sorrowful Taedong River

Taedong River, Pubyeokru,* I miss that boat song.
Once more I try to sing the familiar nostaglic tune.
Is there still no way to send a single letter?
Oh, I ask for news, sorrowful Taedong River

(edit fixed link to Clark TV video)