Liu Xinjun: The Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army Spirit is an Important Manifestation of the Great Founding Spirit of the Party [1]
The spiritual pedigree of the Chinese Communists, with the Great Founding Spirit of the Party [1] as its source, is an important origin and concentrated expression of Socialist Core Values, providing inexhaustible momentum for the Communist Party of China (CPC) to move continuously from victory to victory. As a significant component of this spiritual pedigree, the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army (NAJUA) spirit profoundly embodies the Great Founding Spirit of the Party. Correcting our understanding of the intrinsic connection between the NAJUA spirit and the Great Founding Spirit of the Party is of great significance for promoting revolutionary traditions and continuing the Red lineage [2].
The Spiritual Source of the Communist Party of China
At the ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “A hundred years ago, the pioneers of the CPC founded the Party and formed the Great Founding Spirit of the Party, which consists of upholding truth and ideals, staying true to our original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. This is the Party’s source of spirit.” For over a century, the CPC has been committed to practicing its original aspiration and founding mission, actively promoting the Great Founding Spirit of the Party, and constructing the spiritual pedigree of the Chinese Communists, providing solid spiritual strength for the prosperity and development of the Party and the country.
Upholding truth and ideals is the concentrated expression of the CPC’s firm convictions. Since its founding, the CPC has established Marxism as its guiding ideology and the realization of Communism as its highest ideal, forging the persistence in truth and ideals into the spiritual lifeblood of Chinese Communists. The CPC consistently adheres to the combination of theory and practice, continuously promoting theoretical innovation and practical development. Chinese Communists defend truth with their lives and practice ideals with their actions, casting the unswerving political character of the Party’s members.
Practicing the original aspiration and founding mission is the essential requirement for the CPC’s continuous advancement. The CPC always adheres to the people-centered philosophy of development, committing itself to seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. The path toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is irreversible.
Fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice is the spiritual hallmark that tempers the will of the CPC. It is precisely because generations of Chinese Communists have fought bravely without fear of sacrifice that the CPC has been able to achieve breakthroughs in struggle time and again, rise again from setbacks, and continuously improve through summation [3].
Remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people is the fundamental guarantee for the CPC to maintain its eternal vitality. The CPC regards loyalty to the Party as the primary political requirement and the people's stance as the fundamental political position. Throughout long-term struggle, the vast number of Party members and cadres have stayed firm in their ideals and convictions, strictly observed political discipline and political rules, and consciously maintained a high degree of unity with the Party Central Committee in thought, politics, and action, practicing their solemn oaths of loyalty to the Party and faithfulness to the people with their lives. The CPC has traveled a path through countless ups and downs and hardships, yet it remains in its prime and stands at the forefront of the times. This relies on the loyalty of millions of Party members and the support of the masses.
An Important Component of the Spiritual Pedigree of Chinese Communists
The NAJUA spirit is a great revolutionary spirit forged by the CPC leading the people of Northeast China during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. It is concentrated in the firm conviction of loyalty to the Party, the national righteousness of rushing to meet the national crisis, and the heroic spirit of fighting to the last drop of blood. This spirit profoundly demonstrates the distinct political character and noble sentiments of Chinese Communists, constitutes an important part of the spiritual pedigree of Chinese Communists, and is a concrete unfolding and vivid manifestation of the Great Founding Spirit of the Party.
Firm conviction of loyalty to the Party is the core essence of the NAJUA spirit. To restore contact with the Party Central Committee, Yang Jingyu [4] organized two Westward Expeditions; Zhao Shangzi remained firm in his convictions despite being twice expelled from the Party, until his heroic death; Zhao Yiman, despite enduring brutal torture in prison, remained unyielding and sang "The Red Flag Song" as she went to her execution; Chen Hanzhang refused to surrender even when the enemy gouged out his eyes, until his tragic sacrifice. It is evident that the NAJUA was always loyal to the Party’s faith, its organization, and its theories, lines, principles, and policies, truly achieving loyalty to the Party.
National righteousness of rushing to meet the national crisis is the important support of the NAJUA spirit. This "national righteousness" (mínzú dàyì) is patriotism. After the September 18th Incident [5], the CPC prioritized national righteousness and was the first to hold high the banner of resistance against Japan. Simultaneously, the CPC dispatched cadres such as Yang Jingyu, Zhao Shangzi, Zhou Baozhong, and Li Zhaolin to the front lines of the resistance, establishing the Northeast Anti-Japanese National United Front to gather an unprecedentedly powerful force for resistance. From the fearlessness of “not begrudging one’s head for the old nation, willing to water China with hot blood,” to the commitment of “not hesitating to sacrifice one’s body for the revolution, only hoping for the early return of lost territory,” to the fortitude of “even if fearless heroes fall in battle, ten years of bloody war will still win the final dawn,” the spirit of patriotism was deeply integrated into the blood of the NAJUA officers and soldiers and implemented in every battle against the Japanese.
The heroic spirit of fighting to the last drop of blood is the prominent feature of the NAJUA spirit. The NAJUA struggle was the most arduous struggle in the history of the CPC; its long duration, complexity, and cruelty are well known. On one hand, the Japanese and puppet authorities established large-scale “collective hamlets” [6] and created “no-man’s zones,” severing the close ties between the NAJUA and the masses, leaving the NAJUA in a state of isolation and extreme hardship. On the other hand, the natural conditions were extremely harsh, leaving the NAJUA soldiers to suffer in summer from “wet clothes and ulcerated feet, gasping for breath, with skin scarred by mosquito and insect bites,” and in winter from the bitterness of “fire warming the chest, while wind chills the back.” Despite this, the NAJUA officers and soldiers used every means to overcome difficulties, persevered to conquer the harsh environment, faced death with equanimity, and fought to the bitter end—practicing their original aspiration and founding mission with their blood and casting a monument of faith with their lives, injecting powerful momentum into the War of Resistance.
Correctly Understanding the Relationship Between the NAJUA Spirit and the Great Founding Spirit of the Party
The NAJUA spirit is the concentrated expression and deep unfolding of the Great Founding Spirit of the Party in the theaters behind enemy lines in Northeast China. Relying on practice, with faith as its core and struggle as its main thread, it fully demonstrates the political character of Chinese Communists in upholding their original aspiration and fighting courageously in extremely complex environments. it is an important spiritual link that runs through the century-long history of struggle and the great practice of the people.
Firm conviction of loyalty to the Party is the concentrated expression of “upholding truth and ideals” and “remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people.” Facing severe tests such as the disparity in strength between the enemy and ourselves, the scarcity of supplies, and the temporary loss of contact with the Party Central Committee, the NAJUA always placed the Party in the highest political position and regarded faith as the fundamental spiritual pillar. The NAJUA soldiers remained firm in their convictions and stayed true to their original purpose, always engraving Marxist faith and the pursuit of national independence in their hearts and actions, fully demonstrating the political character of Chinese Communists’ loyalty to the Party and their unswerving determination. This loyalty and persistence are the very foundations upon which the Great Founding Spirit of the Party thrives.
National righteousness of rushing to meet the national crisis is a typical portrayal of “practicing the original aspiration and founding mission.” Faced with the dire situation of national peril and a shattered homeland, the NAJUA soldiers stepped forward bravely, shoulder the historical responsibility of defending the country and saving the nation from extinction. They always placed national interests and the safety of the people in the primary position, disregarding personal safety and risking their lives to build a Great Wall of steel against foreign aggression, practicing the CPC’s original aspiration and founding mission with practical actions. The heroic struggle of the NAJUA vividly embodies the CPC’s fundamental stance of representing the interests of the broadest masses of the people and its sense of mission.
The heroic spirit of fighting to the last drop of blood is a vivid demonstration of “fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice.” The NAJUA persisted in long-term guerrilla warfare in the extremely difficult environment behind enemy lines. Faced with severe tests such as mountains sealed by bitter cold and fighting in isolation, they never gave up and never feared sacrifice, tempering a heroic spirit of indomitability and regarding death as a return home. The NAJUA soldiers supported their tenacious will with firm faith and forged revolutionary loyalty with blood-soaked battles, demonstrating the noble style of Chinese Communists who set aside personal life and death to struggle unceasingly for their ideals and convictions. This fighting spirit is the sublimation of the Great Founding Spirit of the Party under extreme hardship and a concentrated reflection of the CPC’s revolutionary heroism.
The NAJUA spirit is consistent with the Great Founding Spirit of the Party, fully manifesting the profound depth of the Great Founding Spirit and serving as a precious spiritual asset for the Party. Inheriting and promoting the NAJUA spirit is of great practical significance for strengthening the “Four Confidences” [7], unswervingly and comprehensively and strictly governing the Party, and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
(The author is the Dean of the Institute of CPC History and Party Building at Jilin University)
Source: Chinese Social Sciences Net - Guangming Daily, July 1, 2025
Web Editor: Tongxin