Books

The Cultural Revolution was repudiated by the Chinese government under Deng Xiaoping shortly after Mao’s death in 1976. It’s been widely criticized in Chinese media ever since.

I'm not an expert on Chinese society/culture, but my understanding is that the cultural revolution is pretty widely criticized within China. Much of the current leadership is of an age where their families were impacted, and it's not one of those things where the party expects people to say good things about it.

I've heard people say that the story itself is consistent with a Chinese worldview, and that the author is considered a loyal party member.

The Chinese version has the opening chapter in a later spot (Chapter 3 or 5, I believe).

Also, the Chinese government has admit that the Cultural Revolution was a mistake for decades (many of its modern leaders had experienced it first hand), thus, as long as it the book doesnt criticize any of its modern leadership, its fine.

Yeah, what you said. My understanding is that the english translation was re-ordered and the original Chinese was out of order to fool the sensors. The book itself wasn't that critical of the Chinese Communist Party from my recollection though. BUT I am not good at reading subtext and what not, plus I had a really hard time getting through those books. The ideas were great but the execution was very hard for me personally to get through.
I never finished the 3rd one for instance.

I have not read this book myself but it is pretty funny the kind of books that are allowed to be published in China. Books on censorship, dictatorship... I literally saw 1984 being advertised with the line "one more person reading 1984 means one more person who's free" like who are you lying to 😭 in CHINA?!

Absolutely nothing that criticize the current leadership or reveal things they want to keep under the wrap though like the cultural genocide of the Uyghurs.