[Debut] Liu Haifei: "Four Nos and Two Straights" is a Full Manifestation of the Party's Fine Style of Work
Recently, several provincial Party committee secretaries have conducted in-depth grassroots research [1] using the "four nos and two directs" (sì bù liǎng zhí) approach—no prior notice, no advance greeting, no briefing, and no accompaniment; going directly to the grassroots and directly to the scene. This is not only a pragmatic measure to improve the leadership style, but also a vivid manifestation of the Party's fine traditions. Originally derived from the unannounced inspection mechanism in the field of production safety to prevent inspected units from preparing in advance and concealing hidden dangers, "four nos and two directs" has shifted from a specialized work method to a vital way for leading cadres to conduct research and ascertain the actual situation. It profoundly reflects and centrally embodies the consistent fine traditions and distinctive characteristics of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
"Four nos and two directs" is a clear manifestation of the style of seeking truth from facts and being pragmatic.
Seeking truth from facts is the living soul of Marxism and the fundamental ideological method by which the Party has led the people to glorious victories in revolution, construction, and reform. Investigation and research [1], as the "family heirloom" of the Party, is the foundation for planning tasks and the way to achieve success. However, for a period of time, some research degenerated into "going through the motions" of formalism: routes were planned in advance, sites were meticulously selected, and materials were repeatedly polished, resulting in nothing but beautiful empty talk and rigorous clichés. In some places, "classic research routes" even appeared, which the masses jokingly referred to as "touring in a car and looking through the glass." This "potted-landscape" [2] or show-style research deviates from the original intent of investigation and research and makes it difficult to reach the actual conditions of the grassroots. "Four nos and two directs" discards preset processes and breaks through inherent routines, using the direct method of no notice, no greeting, and no briefing to head straight to the grassroots frontline. Its core purpose is to grasp the actual situation and discover real problems, providing a solid basis for scientific decision-making and precision policy implementation. It can be said that "four nos and two directs" is precisely the direct manifestation of the style of seeking truth from facts and being pragmatic in the research work of the New Era.
"Four nos and two directs" is a vivid practice of the style of maintaining close ties with the masses.
Maintaining close ties with the masses is one of the Party's Three Great Styles of Work [3]. It manifests the fundamental tenet of serving the people whole-heartedly and is the lifeline and fundamental work line for the Party to maintain its lasting vitality. As early as his time working in Zhengding, Hebei, Comrade Xi Jinping's research often involved no advance greeting and going straight to the frontline—deep into villages, factories, and the homes of farmers to understand the real conditions of the people. He once said, "One must take time to walk among and look at the fellow villagers." This simple yet profound work method is a model of maintaining close ties with the masses. "Four nos and two directs" goes straight to the grassroots and the scene without layer-upon-layer accompaniment or superficial window dressing. it allows cadres to emerge from meeting rooms and piles of documents to walk into the fields, communities, and factory workshops, sitting on the same bench as the masses to speak and communicate heart-to-heart. This method tears down the "wall between hearts" separating the masses and cadres, making the masses dare to speak the truth and willing to speak honestly, allowing cadres to truly become the close friends of the masses. Therefore, "four nos and two directs" is a vivid practice of the fine style of maintaining close ties with the masses.
"Four nos and two directs" is a concrete manifestation of the style of having the courage to conduct criticism and self-criticism.
Criticism and self-criticism is also one of the Party's Three Great Styles of Work. Its core essence lies in confronting contradictions, facing problems head-on, and "turning the blade inward" [4]. For a long time, a minority of units and cadres have been accustomed to "reporting only the good news and none of the bad," being evasive/vague about problems, or even resorting to fraud and whitewashing. This unhealthy tendency not only conceals contradictions but also weakens the Party's cohesion and combat effectiveness. "Four nos and two directs" insists on no notice, no greeting, and no accompaniment. Its essence is to discard the concealing mentality of "reporting only the good news" and to take the initiative to go deep into the grassroots to discover real problems, identify their root causes, and analyze their crux. This method requires leading cadres to listen not only to "words of praise" but even more to "unpleasant truths" (nì'ěr zhī yán); they must see not only the "bright and beautiful" front, but also inspect the "dark corners" of the reverse side. This fully embodies the fine style of Communists having the courage to turn the blade inward and pursue self-revolution; it is the contemporary inheritance and practical application of the weapon of criticism and self-criticism.
"Four nos and two directs" is a powerful interpretation of the style of being brave enough to take responsibility and doing earnest work.
Being brave in taking responsibility and being good at taking action are core characteristics of a good cadre in the New Era, and they are important yardsticks for measuring the Party spirit, cultivation, and duty-performing ability of Party members and cadres. "Four nos and two directs" breaks the conventional research model and directly faces complex grassroots situations and potential contradictions and problems. This requires both the courage to face problems and the responsibility to tackle difficulties. In reality, some cadres are accustomed to "looking at flowers from a galloping horse" [5] style research and "layer-upon-layer accompaniment" style supervision—surrounded by crowds and putting on a big show. While this appears to save time and effort, it is actually a manifestation of formalism and bureaucratism, and in essence, it is an expression of not daring to touch contradictions and being unwilling to take responsibility. Choosing "four nos and two directs" means actively giving up the "comfort zone" of prior preparation and actively sinking to the frontline to face contradictions and challenges, where one can see the real difficulties at the grassroots and hear the sharp criticisms of the masses. Only those cadres who truly take the cause to heart and shoulder their responsibilities can consciously apply and persist in the "four nos and two directs" work method. It can be said that this method is a clear hallmark of Party members and cadres discarding empty vanity and daring to take responsibility and do earnest work.
"Four nos and two directs" is an inevitable requirement of the style of arduous struggle and practicing strict economy.
Arduous struggle and diligence and thrift are fine traditions of the Party. They are also the core essence of the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations and an important guarantee for our Party’s journey and growth. In some past research, notices were sent in advance, preparations were made at every level, and accompaniment was provided everywhere. Grassroots units spent large amounts of manpower, material, and financial resources preparing for inspections and research that ended up being mere formalities with little effect, resulting in a great waste of public resources. In March 2023, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee issued the Work Plan for Promoting the Practice of Investigation and Research Throughout the Party, which explicitly required that research work involve traveling with a small entourage [6], practicing strict economy, and doing away with layer-upon-layer accompaniment. Guided by the principles of no notice and no accompaniment, "four nos and two directs" simplifies processes, reduces the burden on the grassroots, and eliminates the waste of resources, allowing cadres to use their limited energy and resources "on the edge of the blade." This is both an inheritance of the fine tradition of arduous struggle and a strict implementation of the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations; it is the direct manifestation of the style of arduous struggle and practicing strict economy in the research work of the New Era.