Yang Mingyan and Zhang Qianyuan: Exploration, Experience, and Enlightenment of the Communist Party of China's Atheism Publicity and Education During the New Democratic Revolution Period
Atheistic propaganda and education is not only an important means of shaping a materialistic worldview, but also a vital way to popularize scientific knowledge, eradicate feudal superstition and religious oppression, maintain the Party’s own advancement and purity, and thereby promote ideological transformation and social progress. In The Attitude of the Workers' Party to Religion, Lenin clearly pointed out: "We must combat religion—that is the ABC of all materialism, and consequently of Marxism... It says that we must know how to combat religion, and in order to do so we must explain the source of faith and religion among the masses in a materialist way. The combatting of religion cannot be confined to abstract ideological preaching, and it must not be reduced to such preaching. It must be linked up with the concrete practice of the class movement, which aims at eliminating the social roots of religion." During the period of the New National Democratic Revolution, the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) consistently adhered to the principles of materialism. Integrating the characteristics of the revolutionary struggle and historical tasks, the Party regarded the implementation of atheistic propaganda and education and the improvement of the masses' scientific and cultural literacy as an important mission of ideological work, making pioneering efforts in this regard. However, due to the fragmented nature of historical materials, there has been relatively little research within domestic academic circles on the CPC’s conduct of atheistic propaganda and education. Therefore, a systematic review and summary of the CPC's atheistic propaganda and education during the New Democratic Revolution not only helps us further understand and grasp the practical process and historical trajectory of the Party's atheistic education but also provides beneficial historical lessons for atheistic propaganda and education in the New Era.
I. The Exploration of Atheistic Propaganda and Education by the CPC during the New Democratic Revolution Period
From the day of its founding, the CPC has always listed the promotion of scientific atheism and the eradication of feudal superstition as an important task. From the early founding period to the Land Revolution [1], the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the War of Liberation, the CPC adhered to Marxism as its guide. Based on the revolutionary tasks and actual conditions faced during different historical stages, it launched a series of atheistic propaganda and education activities with Chinese characteristics. It waged a "pioneering" struggle to achieve the ideological liberation and conceptual renewal of the suffering masses, laying the practical, ideological, and theoretical foundations for the CPC’s atheistic propaganda and education.
(1) The May Fourth Movement Period: The Starting Point of Atheistic Propaganda and Education
As the great beginning of the New Democratic Revolution, the May Fourth Movement [2] was not only a thorough anti-imperialist and anti-feudal mass movement led by the proletariat but also a great movement of ideological enlightenment. After the May Fourth Movement, following a period of ideological liberation and cultural innovation, advanced intellectuals became communists after repeatedly comparing various social trends of thought. The dissemination of Marxism gradually became the mainstream of social thought, and the CPC emerged as the times required. The CPC's historical tradition of revereing science and eradicating superstition can be traced back to the May Fourth period.
As early as the eve of the May Fourth Movement, along with the rise of the trend of "revering Confucius and restoring the old" [3], the school of "Spiritualism" (lingxue) [4] also flourished in Chinese society for a time. With the support of the Beiyang Government [5], emerging religious groups represented by the Spiritualist Society (Lingxuehui) were established one after another. Under the banners of "new science" and "extra-science," these groups vigorously promoted the immortality of the soul and the existence of ghosts and gods, publishing periodicals such as the Spiritualist Collection (Lingxue Congkan) and Spiritualist Monthly (Lingxue Yuekan) to spread theistic ideas, which profoundly hindered the in-depth development of Chinese ideological liberation. Without criticizing theism, it would be difficult to achieve the goal of ideological liberation. "Marxism has always regarded all modern religions and churches, and each and every religious organization, as instruments of bourgeois reaction that serve to defend exploitation and to befuddle the working class." Advanced intellectuals influenced by Marxism took New Youth [6] as their stronghold and shouldered the heavy responsibility of promoting science and opposing superstition, becoming the main force of atheistic propaganda and education at that time. To promote science and atheism, Chen Duxiu invited a group of renowned scientists to write for New Youth. These included Haeckel’s Monistic Philosophy translated by the famous intellectual figure Ma Junwu; The Origin and Effects of Science, The Earth Before Living Beings, and The Earth Before Mankind by Wang Xinggong; The Origin of Living Things and Darwinism by Zhou Jianren; and Refuting Spiritualism by the psychologist Chen Daqi. With professional scientific literacy and knowledge of the natural sciences, these scientists exposed the "pseudo-scientific" mask of the Spiritualists and refuted the nonsense regarding ghosts, gods, and superstitions. Among these, Haeckel’s Monistic Philosophy, based on materialistic monism, pointed out that matter is the objective substance of all existence: "The indestructibility of matter and the indestructibility of force are the fundamental laws of the world; the entire world is within the scope of these laws." It argued that humans and their unique high-level consciousness are the results of the movement and transformation of matter, powerfully criticizing idealistic theories such as God and ghosts, and receiving widespread acclaim upon publication. In addition, Chen Duxiu, Lu Xun, Yi Baisha, and others published articles in New Youth such as "Questioning the Theory of the Existence of Ghosts" and "Ancient Philosophers’ Theory of the Non-existence of Ghosts." Using materialistic perspectives and the achievements of natural science, they exposed and criticized the absurdity and harm of religious ideas about ghosts and gods from multiple angles, including history, politics, and sociology. The atheistic propaganda of New Youth had a significant impact among the populace, especially youth and students; it struck a blow against superstitious and conservative forces, awakened and catalyzed the public's awareness of revering science, and provided the ideological preparation and social foundation for subsequent atheistic propaganda and education.
After the May Fourth Movement, with the spread of Marxism in China and the founding of the CPC, atheistic propaganda and education gained the leadership of scientific theory and an advanced organization. In March 1922, to resist the cultural control and economic aggression of imperialism using Christianity as a tool, early communists such as Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao, and Luo Zhanglong, in collaboration with some prominent social figures, organized the Anti-Religious Alliance in Beijing, launching a social movement against religious superstition. During this movement, early communists and social figures used public speeches, distributed leaflets, and published journals to spread atheistic ideas to the masses. In April 1922, the Anti-Religious Alliance held a major lecture meeting at the Third Campus of Peking University. Cai Yuanpei, Li Dazhao, and others delivered speeches, pointing out that religion "hinders the spirit of searching thoroughly for truth and is a huge obstacle to human progress, and therefore we must do our utmost to oppose it." After the speeches, more than 1,000 Chinese and foreign attendees applauded the new ideas. That same month, during the North China Sports Games in Jinan, the local Party organization distributed over 12,000 anti-Christian leaflets to the visiting masses, who "expressed deep sympathy for the leaflets issued." To enhance readability and interest, the leaflets not only featured anti-Christian cartoons but also included many catchy rhymes, such as: "God is fake, Heaven is imaginary. To save ourselves, we must rely on ourselves... We must never believe in Him." In June 1922, Luo Zhanglong and others of the Peking University Party Branch edited and published the book On Anti-Religion. This book collected 33 anti-religious essays and featured a copperplate portrait of Marx along with his famous anti-religious quote, "Religion is the opium of the people," followed by three maps showing the distribution of religious "poison" across China's provinces; it circulated widely among the masses. In December 1923, Yadong Library published the two-volume Science and the View of Life. Chen Duxiu wrote the preface, using the historical materialist [7] perspective to refute the idealism of Liang Qichao, Zhang Junmai, and others. He criticized the ignorant behavior of compatriots who believed in sorcerers, ghosts, talismans, incantations, and fortune-telling, advocating for the establishment of a scientific view of life. Starting in August 1924, the Republic Daily published 25 issues of the Special Issue on Anti-Christianity. CPC members such as Chen Duxiu, Yun Daiying, and Xiao Chunu also published numerous articles in journals like China Youth and Pioneer, which not only promoted Marxist materialism and atheism but also charged that religious superstition "advocates for various deities as explanations, which is a real hindrance to human evolution," and "not only limits people's material freedom but also eternally binds their spirit and thoughts." In rural areas, while leading the peasant revolution, the Party utilized temple fairs, market days, and other opportunities to expose the hypocrisy and danger of religious superstition to the peasants in simple, easy-to-understand language. While seeing that "all feudal patriarchal ideologies and systems are tottering as the power of the peasants rises," they also clearly realized that the destruction of "superstitious concepts" "is a natural consequence of victory in the political and economic struggle. If too much force is used to artificially and forcefully engage in the destruction of these things, it will inevitably be used as a pretext by local tyrants and evil gentry" to promote counter-revolutionary slogans such as "the Peasant Association is unfilial to ancestors" or "the Peasant Association bullies the gods and destroys the Way." This showed the preliminary political strategy of using Marxism to lead atheistic propaganda and education.
Early advanced intellectuals and progressive figures used public speeches, distributed leaflets, and issued public publications to initially establish a propaganda stronghold against religious superstition, expanding the influence of atheistic education and effectively promoting the movement for ideological enlightenment and liberation. This accumulated preliminary experience for the CPC’s exploration of effective paths and methods for atheistic propaganda and education.
(2) The Land Revolution Period: The Steady Advancement of Atheistic Propaganda and Education
During the Land Revolution, the focus of the Party's work shifted to the countryside, and the military struggle against the Kuomintang reactionaries became the primary task of the revolution. With the establishment and consolidation of revolutionary base areas, the Party had to place military struggle, economic work, and political work at the forefront of the revolution. At this time, atheistic education also faced new situations and challenges. On the one hand, most revolutionary base areas were located in remote mountainous regions with poor transportation and backward culture—"over 90 percent of the people in the entire Soviet Area [8] were illiterate"—and the masses' superstitious ideas regarding ghosts and gods were extremely entrenched. On the other hand, superstitious phenomena such as praying to gods and Buddha (according to statistics, there were 3,915 temples in just 23 counties of Jiangxi), divination and geomancy, and burning incense and kowtowing were quite prevalent. Feudal clan forces were extremely powerful, seriously interfering with social stability and the revolutionary movement. To mobilize the masses to participate in military and political struggles, increase their revolutionary enthusiasm, and seize leadership and discourse power in ideological work, the Party—on the basis of abolishing feudal land ownership—integrated atheistic propaganda and education with political struggle and the construction of political power. It carried out atheistic propaganda and education tailored to local conditions, with the following explorations.
First, unifying the construction of political power with atheistic education to provide institutional guarantees. The 1934 Outline Constitution of the Chinese Soviet Republic explicitly stipulated: "[The Chinese Soviet power] absolutely implements the principle of the separation of church and state... All Soviet citizens have the freedom of anti-religious propaganda." This established the legitimacy and authority of atheistic education in the form of a fundamental law. Furthermore, the Soviet government resolutely implemented the basic principle of separating religion from education and schools, "separating religion from education and schools, prohibiting any religion from interfering with education and schools, and abolishing Confucianism, which had ruled over education and schools for thousands of years." The formulation and implementation of relevant policies and laws provided a safeguard for atheistic education and promoted the legalization and standardization of atheistic education.
Second, widely establishing schools to popularize natural science and common-sense atheism. Soviets at all levels increased the scientific and cultural quality of the people by widely establishing Lenin Primary Schools, cadre schools, adult night schools, and literacy classes, providing an educational foundation for breaking free from superstition. In the Central Soviet Area, the curricula and textbooks of various schools contained much content promoting science and opposing superstition. For example, the Workers' and Peasants' Reader used for mass literacy included sections such as "Breaking Superstition" and "The Consequences of Superstition." The Lenin Primary School textbook had a total of 205 lessons, of which 58 lessons—28.3% of the total—were about natural science, physiology, hygiene, and opposing superstition. In educating students, the textbooks used educational methods favored by the masses to promote atheistic ideas. For instance, a jingle in Lesson 21 of Volume 1 of the Communist Children’s Reader stated: "Has a mouth but cannot speak, has hands but cannot work, has feet but cannot walk, has ears and eyes but cannot hear or see. Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva, what use are you?" It used simple logic to guide children to oppose superstition, which was very persuasive. Atheistic education for cadres focused primarily on materialism and natural science education.
Third, publishing newspapers and periodicals to expand the influence of atheist education. In addition to developing formal schooling, the revolutionary base areas popularized atheist knowledge by issuing newspapers and magazines. Red China (Hongse Zhonghua), as the first official organ established by the Party in the Central Soviet Area, shouldered the propaganda mission of promoting science and opposing superstition. At that time, the masses in the Soviet areas had low levels of science and culture and poor hygienic conditions; they tended to pray to gods and Budhas when encountering diseases and plagues. Red China published a series of articles such as "Everyone Rise Up for the Epidemic Prevention Health Movement" and "The Epidemic Prevention Movement in Ruijin," requiring all regions to "extensively and deeply penetrate the health movement and the propaganda of breaking superstition," thereby conducting atheist education while popularizing the health movement. Youthful Truth (Qingnian Shishi) also opened a special column for eradicating superstition, answering questions about superstitious phenomena encountered by the masses in production and daily life, and helping them reform the concepts of religion, ghosts, and gods in their minds.
(3) The Period of the Anti-Japanese War and the Liberation War: The In-depth Development of Atheist Propaganda and Education
Under the long-term influence of imperialist and feudal oppression, modern China—especially the vast rural areas—was economically and culturally backward, and feudal superstitious phenomena were ubiquitous. Ignorant and retrograde superstitions regarding ghosts and gods not only shackled the minds of the masses and affected their production and life, but also seriously hindered the development of the revolutionary cause. Consequently, Comrade Mao Zedong listed "superstition" alongside "illiteracy" and "unhygienic habits" as the "enemies inside the minds of the masses." To promote victory in the Anti-Japanese War and the War of Liberation, the Communist Party of China (CPC), while uniting patriotic figures in religious circles and the broad masses of religious believers, emphasized that New Democratic culture is scientific and opposes all feudal and superstitious ideas. The Party incorporated the opposition to feudal superstition into the program of the New Democratic Revolution, pushing atheist propaganda and education toward greater depth in ideology and theory.
First, arming minds with Marxist theory and promoting the development of theoretical forms of atheist propaganda and education. In the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, schools at all levels arranged many courses to propagate materialism and scientific knowledge. Dialectical Materialism and The Materialist Conception of History were set as compulsory courses in higher education institutions and cadre academies, with Party leaders personally serving as lead lecturers. In 1937, Mao Zedong lectured on philosophy at the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University in Yan'an. When explaining Marxist materialism, he clearly pointed out: "Materialism means understanding the world according to its natural, original face, rather than attaching spiritual causes to explain the world." On this basis, he analyzed and criticized idealism, including beliefs in ghosts and gods. Various base areas also used Party newspapers and journals to popularize materialism and atheism to eradicate feudal superstition. Liberation Daily (Jiefang Ribao), sponsored by the CPC Central Committee, published articles opposing superstition and popularizing science, such as "Propagating Materialism," "Carrying Out the Struggle Against Sorcerers," "A Small Statistical Account of the Crimes of Sorcerers," "Against Building Temples and Encouraging Superstition," "The Law of Conservation of Matter," "The War Between Humans and the Plague," and "How to Eliminate Bacteria." Following instructions from the CPC Central Committee, the base areas actively carried out New Democratic cultural construction, developed culture and education, and popularized scientific and cultural knowledge. In September 1940, Hu Qiaomu published "An Outline Against Superstition" in China Youth (Zhongguo Qingnian). Using popular and easy-to-understand language, he allowed people to clearly recognize what superstition is, its origins, its errors, its harms, and how to overthrow it, playing an important role in strengthening atheist education.
Second, implementing systematized and diversified national education to help the masses improve their scientific quality and eradicate superstition. In the early period of the Liberation War, the Party conducted systematized and diversified education in natural science and anti-superstition through school education, social education, and cadre education, achieving excellent results. In the later period of the Liberation War, various Liberated Areas gradually established a relatively systematic and formal national education system, laying the foundation for popularizing scientific knowledge. In 1948, the North China Liberated Area explicitly stipulated that primary and secondary education must include courses in natural sciences (botany, zoology, mineralogy, chemistry, and physics) as well as physiology and hygiene to help students eliminate superstitious concepts and initially establish a materialist viewpoint. The Jiangsu-Anhui Border Region explicitly required the inclusion of scientific common sense and anti-superstition content in the curriculum, and also dealt with a number of teachers and schools that propagated theism. In 1949, the North China Higher Education Association listed Dialectical Materialism and Historical Materialism as a public compulsory course. In terms of social education, in addition to continuing methods such as winter schools and night schools, atheist education was combined with the "speaking bitterness" movement [9]. Under the organization and mobilization of the government, a group of awakened formerly superstitious masses and female sorcerers personally took the stage to use their personal experiences to expose and denounce the deception and harm of ghost and god superstitions. After listening, many people were filled with indignation and expressed that they would no longer be superstitious. In terms of cadre education, cadre academies such as the People's Revolutionary University not only set Historical Materialism as a compulsory course but also made "From Ape to Man" the first lesson of the term, requiring students to read works such as the Theses on Feuerbach and Anti-Dühring to establish a materialist worldview.
Third, vigorously carrying out popularized activities such as theater to drive atheist propaganda and education into the daily lives of the people. In the Anti-Japanese base areas, the vast majority of the masses had low cultural levels and were illiterate. To stimulate their enthusiasm for participating in atheist education, it was necessary to leverage the important role of literary and artistic activities. Drama, as an art form loved by the masses, served as an excellent vehicle for propagating science and opposing superstition. Literary and art workers in the base areas worked with the masses to create plays such as Fighting the Sorceress and The Monster-Revealing Mirror [10]. By exposing the tricks of sorcerers and shamans "playing ghosts and gods," they educated the public to see through their purpose of swindling money. This method of atheist education was highly persuasive and popular; some farmers remarked, "Performing one play is better than holding ten days of meetings." The Party also used new technologies such as radio and film to conduct atheist propaganda and education. Radio had the characteristics of wide coverage, fast transmission, and low cost; illiterate masses could also receive atheist education through broadcasts. For instance, Dalian Radio Station invited experts to host columns such as "Natural Science" and "Hygiene Knowledge," introducing science, hygiene, and atheism to the masses in simple language. Xinhua Radio Station combined qinshu [11] with atheist education to create the opera Testing the Spirit Medium. The play tells the story of a cultural instructor who uses a feigned illness to outwit a spirit medium, eventually exposing the true face of superstitious activities: "Where do ghosts and immortals come from? They are all blind arrangements by ignorant people. The spirit mediums and 'famars' [12] make chaos, playing at ghosts and gods just to make a fortune." In addition, film became a new means of conducting atheist education during this period. In 1948, the Northeast Film Studio filmed the Party's first science and education film, Preventing the Plague. The film utilized easy-to-understand methods to systematically introduce the origins, harms, and prevention methods of the plague, refuting the superstitious idea that the plague was spread by the God of Pestilence.
II. Experiences of the Communist Party of China's Atheist Propaganda and Education During the New Democratic Revolution
Atheist propaganda and education were important components of the CPC's ideological work during the New Democratic Revolution. Looking at the course of atheist propaganda and education during this period, the CPC consistently upheld Marxist atheism. Combined with national conditions of economic and cultural backwardness, and centered on core tasks such as revolutionary armed struggle and the construction of political power, the Party carried out diverse and rich forms of atheist propaganda and education. This forcefully promoted Party building, maintained ideological security, and improved the scientific and cultural literacy of the masses, accumulating rich experience in effectively advancing atheist propaganda and education.
(1) Persisting in historical materialism to improve the persuasiveness of atheist propaganda and education
Marxist atheism is based on dialectical materialism and historical materialism. It most profoundly reveals the origins, social foundations, and developmental trends of religious and superstitious activities. It is thus far the most scientific and thorough atheism and serves as the ideological guide for the CPC in conducting atheist education. However, the CPC's understanding of Marxist atheism underwent a process from shallow to deep and from one-sided to comprehensive. Accordingly, the CPC's atheist propaganda and education also underwent a process of gradual and deep development. Yet, the working method that ran through this entire process was to take historical materialism as the guide to improve the persuasiveness of atheist propaganda and education. During the Land Revolutionary War period, the CPC, based on the basic tenets of historical materialism, emphasized the ultimate decisive role of the economic and social base on atheist education. It advocated using political and economic struggle as a breakthrough point to let the masses understand the oppressive and exploitative nature of ghost and god superstitions, leading them to actively resist and eliminate such beliefs. Mao Zedong also pointed out that the elimination of superstitious concepts "is a natural result following the victory of political and economic struggles." Therefore, when conducting atheist education, one should adopt a policy of "drawing the bow but not releasing the arrow, as if poised to leap" [13]. The Warrior, the organ of the Hunan Provincial Committee, once published an article stating: "Superstition is a product of patriarchal society and a protective talisman for the feudal class to maintain its ruling position. Therefore, if we want to break superstition, we must break the ruling position of the feudal class. According to the Marxist view that religion, customs, and so on are the superstructures of the economic structure, it ought to be so." During the Anti-Japanese War and the Liberation War, the CPC clearly held that religious superstition is a reflection of social existence and will gradually wither away with socio-economic development, but this is a long historical process. Patriotic figures in religious circles and the broad masses of religious believers were also important forces in the Chinese revolution. Communist Party members must persist in Marxist atheism in their ideological beliefs, but in terms of political leadership, they must implement freedom of religious belief and continuously consolidate and expand the patriotic united front between the Party and religious circles. Criticizing theism must rely on atheist propaganda and education, rather than simply adopting administrative orders. Practice has proved that to improve the persuasiveness and targeted nature of atheist education, one must deepen the theoretical understanding of Marxist atheism.
(2) Persisting in Party leadership to improve the guidance of atheist propaganda and education
From the day of its birth, the CPC has unswervingly persisted in its Marxist atheist stance, consistently propagating Marxist materialism and atheism to the people. It can be said that Marxist atheism is the political soul and spiritual origin of the CPC, sharing a common fate with it. The series of atheist propaganda and education activities carried out during the New Democratic period were inseparable from the Party's strong leadership and vigorous support. In the Non-Religious Movement that rose in 1922, the newly founded CPC devoted great effort and energy, playing an extremely important leading role in organizing the movement: "the general headquarters of the movement was from the first day in the hands of the Central Bureau of the Communist Party." During the Land Revolutionary War, the CPC began to construct an atheist education system: regarding the institutional system, it used laws and regulations as institutional guarantees, focusing on abolishing the feudal land system and the clan system to provide a favorable social environment for atheist education; regarding the subjects of education, it took Party members, Red Army cadres, and youth as models to carry out atheist education for the whole people; regarding the methods of education, it used school education as the main channel and conducted extensive propaganda oriented toward the masses. During the Anti-Japanese War and the War of Liberation, the CPC incorporated the promotion of science and opposition to superstition into the cultural program of the New Democratic Revolution and issued the political call to "use natural science to smash the enemy's economic blockade and strike at the enemy's cultural policy." Under the Party's strong leadership and overall arrangement, the Anti-Japanese base areas and the Liberated Areas vigorously developed national education in combination with practical work. By combining atheist education with revolutionary ideological education, they gradually cleared away the ghost and god superstitions of the masses, stimulated their enthusiasm for participating in the revolution, and achieved an ideological innovation unprecedented in Chinese society.
(3) Persisting in the integration of theory with practice to improve the resonance of atheist propaganda and education
The Communist Party of China (CPC) has consistently taken the Party’s periodic tasks and work priorities as its main thread, carrying out targeted atheism propaganda and education centered on the practical needs of revolutionary struggle. During the New Democratic Revolution period, the CPC gradually recognized that without the awakening and support of the broadest masses of the people, atheism propaganda and education would become a "castle in the air." Atheism propaganda and education must implement the mass line; it is necessary not only to propagate and educate well but also to integrate and implement these efforts into the practical lives of the masses. Zhou Enlai pointed out: "Propaganda can only play the role of principled inspiration and general promotion; the most important thing depends on the masses’ own personal experience to prove it." During the Land Revolutionary War period, Shazhouba in Ruijin faced long-term drought and water shortages. The local people were superstitious about fengshui [14], fearing that digging a well to draw water would disturb the "dragon pulse" (longmai), which caused great difficulties in the production and life of the masses. After Mao Zedong learned of this, he explained the dangers of fengshui superstition to the masses and personally led Red Army soldiers to dig a well, solving the people’s problem of drinking water and breaking their superstitious thoughts through practical action.
In the summer of 1944, a severe locust plague broke out in the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Anti-Japanese Base Area. Many people believed the locusts were "divine insects" and the plague was a "heavenly disaster," flocking to temples to burn incense and beg the "Locust God" for forgiveness. Party cadres in the base area, on the one hand, propagated the causes of locust plagues and solution measures to the masses to break their superstitious concepts; on the other hand, they led the masses to actively exterminate the locusts to save the grain seedlings. By late August 1944, the majority of the locusts had been wiped out, the lives and property of millions were secured, and most of the masses abandoned their superstitious thoughts. During the War of Liberation, plague outbreaks occurred frequently in Northeast China. Many people believed the plague was the "God of Pestilence descending to earth" and resisted epidemic prevention work, causing the epidemic to spread rapidly. Local Party cadres utilized meetings, broadcasts, pamphlets, and talks to propagate scientific hygiene ideas and common-sense atheism to the masses. They mobilized human and material resources to implement a series of prevention measures—including quarantine lockdowns, vaccinations, and centralized treatment—to control the epidemic. As the epidemic was extinguished, superstitious concepts such as the "God of Pestilence" and witch doctors collapsed of their own accord. Historical facts and practical experience show that atheism education must implement the mass line, starting from solving the people’s most practical and pressing requirements to increase the power of identity in atheism propaganda and education.
(4) Effectively utilizing educational resources to increase the appeal of atheism propaganda and education One of the important reasons for the existence of theism is the lack of scientific and cultural knowledge. In the practical exploration of atheism education during the New Democratic period, the CPC effectively utilized natural science knowledge to improve the scientific and cultural quality of the masses, which also created favorable spiritual conditions for atheism education. In 1944, Mao Zedong pointed out at a propaganda work conference: "If we want the common people not to worship gods, there must be the development and popularization of science... once there is scientific knowledge, superstition can naturally be broken; without this step, they will still be superstitious." During the Yan'an period, the CPC made full use of Engels’ article The Part Played by Labour in the Transition from Ape to Man, listing it as a classic text for studying historical materialism. Theoretically, this powerfully criticized superstitious ideas such as "God created man" or "Nüwa created man" [15], becoming a classic theoretical example of our Party using Marxist works to carry out atheism propaganda and education. Mao Zedong once said humorously: "Even for those idealists, we have ways to make them not oppose us. They talk about God creating man; we talk about the transition from ape to man." Natural science knowledge is the natural partner of atheism propaganda and education. The knowledge of natural laws contained within natural science became the natural material for the Party’s atheism propaganda and education. The Liberation Daily once published an article titled "The War Between Man and the Plague," elaborating in detail on the history, causes, transmission routes, and prevention measures of the plague, emphasizing that any disease has its cause and has nothing to do with talk of ghosts and gods. Overall, the CPC has always been careful to collect and organize valuable atheism educational resources from various fields, increasing the appeal of atheism propaganda and education.
(5) Optimizing educational forms and methods to increase the infectious power of atheism propaganda and education Atheism education requires not only an ideological foundation and organizational guarantees but also the adoption of appropriate forms and methods according to the time, place, and person. In old China, economic and social development was backward, the vast majority of the masses were illiterate, and feudal superstitious thoughts were deeply rooted. If the methods of atheism education were improper, they would likely result in "half the result for twice the effort" or even cause resentment and resistance among the masses. As Lenin said, although the slogan "Down with the Tsar" was correct in the early stages of the Russian Revolution, clumsy agitators ignored forms and methods and rushed into the countryside, "and as a result, they got a beating." In the early period of the New Democratic Revolution, the CPC did not properly consider actual conditions when carrying out atheism education; the methods were too simplistic, hindering the effective progress of education. In Yongxin County, Jiangxi, the local Young Pioneers acted blindly and recklessly in carrying out atheism education, resulting in violent conflicts with masses "sending off the Goddess" [16]; in some areas where ethnic minorities gathered, overly radical work methods met with strong resistance from the local people. Through long-term practice in struggle, the CPC recognized that the rationality of the methods used in atheism propaganda and education greatly affects the educational results. Consequently, the Party began to adopt targeted educational methods for different audiences. For Party cadres, children, and youth, school education was the primary method, systematically teaching natural science, Marxist materialism, and atheism to help them recognize the essence and role of religious superstition and establish a scientific worldview. For other masses, emphasis was placed on methods such as enlightenment and guidance, comparative education, and setting up role models. Through popularized and colloquial forms—such as slogans, picture books (lianhuanhua), jingles, "fireside chats," "speak bitterness" meetings [17], songs, dances, and theater—the content of atheism education was made concrete and vivid. Regarding some common ideological problems, the CPC also utilized mass media such as newspapers, radio, and film to resolve doubts for the masses. According to the cultural quality and ideological consciousness of the masses, the Party adhered to the educational principles of teaching at different levels and tailoring instruction to the individual, thereby increasing the infectious power of atheism education.
III. Inspirations from the CPC’s Atheism Propaganda and Education during the New Democratic Revolution Period
The hundred-year history of the CPC contains the power of truth, the power of morality, and the wisdom of dialectical thinking. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that we must "better grasp and apply the historical experience of the Party’s century of struggle" and "draw wisdom and strength from the Party’s course of struggle, strengthen historical confidence, and consciously uphold ideals and beliefs." This inspires us to be adept at summarizing historical experience from various aspects of each historical period of the Party, including the experience of the Party’s atheism propaganda and education during the New Democratic Revolution. We must carry forward the Great Founding Spirit of the Party, mobilize the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups nationwide to strengthen confidence and move forward with courage, and strive untiringly to achieve the Second Centenary Goal. As Socialism with Chinese Characteristics has entered a New Era, profound changes have occurred in contemporary China’s international environment and economic society, and some new phenomena requiring urgent attention have emerged in atheism education. On the one hand, the technological revolution has not only profoundly changed people's material lives and modes of interaction but also reshaped the living space and dissemination field of atheism; the environment, subjects, scope, and methods of atheism education have undergone significant changes. On the other hand, a large number of theistic trends at home and abroad have emerged and intertwined, showing a trend of networking, concealment, and popularization in their dissemination. Erroneous trends and viewpoints that doubt or disparage atheism appear from time to time, making the mission and tasks of atheism propaganda and education even more arduous and heavy. Although the present era is very different from the New Democratic Revolution period, the successful experience of atheism propaganda and education created by the Party during that period still holds important inspirational significance for promoting atheism propaganda and education in the New Era.
(1) Adhering to the guiding position of Marxism and firmly grasping the Party’s leadership over atheism propaganda and education During the New Democratic Revolution period, the Party adhered to the historical materialist concept of history, used Marxism as an ideological weapon, and waged a struggle against religious superstition. In the New Era, the informatization of society and cultural diversification have become development trends in the ideological sphere. The in-depth development of network informatization has promoted the collision and agitation of various social thoughts in China. Theism and feudal superstition have also "resurfaced from the dregs" [18], distorting, smearing, and vilifying the Party’s atheism education, and carrying out spiritual seduction and ideological penetration against our country. The complicated and diversified trends presented by the struggle between atheism and theism require that we must always hold high the banner of Marxism and always adhere to the Party’s strong leadership over atheism education to ensure that atheism education in the New Era continuously moves forward in the correct direction.
(2) Establishing a people-centered orientation for propaganda and education The people’s standpoint is the fundamental political standpoint of the CPC. Strengthening atheism education for the masses of the people is of great significance for maintaining security in the ideological sphere and social stability. During the New Democratic Revolution period, for the sake of the people’s liberation and proceeding from the people’s standpoint, the Party resolutely initiated atheism propaganda and education. In the New Era, the CPC must still proceed from the people’s standpoint to safeguard the fundamental interests of the people. Current atheism propaganda and education is concentrated on general theories and concepts, which makes it difficult to arouse ideological resonance among the masses, carrying the risk of being detached from the reality of society and the reality of the people’s lives. Atheism education in the New Era must adhere to the principles of staying close to reality, going deep into life, and taking root among the masses. It must popularize atheism knowledge in a way that is popular, pleasing to the people, and has broad participation. It must combine "rational persuasion" with "emotional appeal" to ensure that the masses can understand, use, and spread it, continuously realizing the unity of learning, thinking, believing, and acting, and always maintaining the "backbone" position of Marxist atheism in the minds of the masses.
(3) Innovating and improving the synergy mechanism for atheism propaganda and education At present, atheism propaganda and education take administrative units such as cultural and educational departments and state-run media institutions as their main subjects, failing to achieve the broadest and most sufficient social mobilization. In some rural areas, there is a risk of atheism propaganda and education losing momentum. In the mobilization practice of atheism education in the New Era, the Party and the government must fully utilize the effective experience formed during the New Democratic Revolution period and take full advantage of the strengths of the socialist system. Through political guidance, policy support, and media propaganda, they should encourage and mobilize social organizations, enterprises, and even individuals to play a role in atheism education. This will form an all-round, diversified synergy mechanism combining central and local levels, government and market, and individuals and the market, achieving the orderly organization and full mobilization of various forces to gather more talent and resources for atheism education, and enhancing the influence, timeliness, and sustainability of atheism education.
(4) Constructing a new pattern of "Internet + Atheism Propaganda and Education" During the New Democratic Revolution period, the CPC already recognized that the forms and methods of atheism propaganda and education "must shift with the historical conditions of the time and place." In the New Era, due to its immediacy, convenience, and interactivity, network media has long become the main channel for Chinese people to obtain information; it is also the foremost front and main battlefield where atheism and theism contend for the hearts and minds of the people. "Internet + Atheism Education" is an act of integrating and extending atheism education through new network media, relying on internet technology. This mainly includes: optimizing top-level design, fully mobilizing the enthusiasm of various departments to form institutional synergy, and jointly promoting the informatization of atheism education; establishing, optimizing, and enriching "Internet + Atheism Education" platforms, using network media such as Weibo, WeChat, Kuaishou, and TikTok to enhance the influence, guidance, target-focus, and diversity of atheism propaganda and education; adhering to the combination of practicality and interest—emphasizing both the dominance and discourse power of Marxist atheism while also paying attention to using vivid video language and popular forms of expression to explain theory thoroughly and vividly; and strengthening network supervision to curb the network dissemination of theism and create a network cultural environment that advocates science and positive progress.