Diverse views have been expressed in China's social media sphere since Wu Renbao, the retired Party chief of Huaxi village in East China's Jiangsu Province, died of lung cancer Monday at the age of 85. A controversial debate has surfaced over whether Wu ought to be remembered as a "dictator" or an "icon."

Wu is best known for his success in delivering universal prosperity to Huaxi's villagers. In the 1980s and 1990s when China scaled deregulation reforms, Wu decided as then-Party chief that the village would remain communal. He switched the village's economic model from being agriculturally-based to driven by manufacturing and trade. This move subsequently turned the village into one of the richest in China, making local residents wealthy through annual shares and dividends.

Huaxi's economic model was subsequently touted to other villages nationwide, attracting attention from overseas media.

But not everyone recalls Wu's tenure as Party chief fondly. Viewed as a "communist dictator" and "capitalist entrepreneur," he was criticized for turning Huaxi's community into a nepotistic kingdom, where his relatives occupied high posts. Wu's fourth son succeeded him in 2003 as Party chief, which invited accusations that an undemocratic dynasty was taking shape. Unlike shareholders of companies, Huaxi locals stood to lose their shares and dividends if they left the village - a condition condemned by critics as unfair. Oppression and lack of freedom were reportedly also rife in Huaxi during Wu's tenure.

Such concerns were raised when Wu was still alive. Following his death, debate has raged over whether his legacy has done more harm than good to Huaxi overall.

China's villages are in many ways a microcosm of the country. Village self-administration is seen by the Chinese public as well as many foreigners as China's democratic laboratory. Some people's concerns about the Huaxi model and Wu's iron-fist leadership reflect doubts about the management of village affairs and supervision of power held by village officials; both are core issues in village self-administration.

It's little surprise that Wu is Huaxi's most prominent claim to fame in the modern era. But what remains to be seen is how Huaxi will cope in the future out of Wu's shadow. Huaxi's miracle will hardly be sustainable if local officials are not sensitive to public demands. Debate on Huaxi after Wu should pave the way for better management of Chinese villages, provided political morale is afforded the same importance as economic prosperity.