Lin Feng: Comrade Xi Jinping's Theoretical Innovations and Practical Explorations in Investigation and Research During His Tenure in Fujian
Investigation and research is the "family treasure" [1] of the Communist Party of China and the fundamental skill for performing all work effectively. The Work Plan on Extensively Conducting Investigation and Research throughout the Party, issued by the CPC Central Committee, proposes "Five Must-Pertaining Principles" for investigation and research: one must adhere to the Party's mass line, adhere to seeking truth from facts, adhere to a problem-oriented approach, adhere to overcoming difficulties, and adhere to a systems perspective. During his tenure in Fujian, Comrade Xi Jinping "threw himself down" [2] to the grassroots, going deep among the masses into fields, workshops, docks, markets, and communities. Through practice, he explored important theoretical innovations such as "going down to the grassroots in four areas" [3] and "entering ten thousand households." [4] Today, revisiting this history holds significant enlightening meaning for Party members and cadres in the New Era to fulfill the "Five Must-Pertaining Principles" and improve their capacity for investigation and research.
Adhere to the Party's mass line and enhance sentiments by integrating with the common people to "gain ground-gas." [5]
At the opening ceremony of the training program for young and middle-aged cadres at the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance) in the spring semester of 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping admonished leading cadres: "You must take the people as your teachers and learn from them. Put aside your airs, throw yourself down to the grassroots, gain ground-gas, and understand the situation of the people. Extensively carry out investigation and research, 'dissect sparrows,' [6] discover typical examples, truly uncover the problems faced by the masses, reflect their opinions, and summarize the experiences they have created." Serving the people whole-heartedly is the fundamental purpose of the CPC. In 1988, shortly after taking office as the Secretary of the Ningde Prefectural Party Committee, Comrade Xi Jinping personally participated in the first "Prefectural and County Leaders' Reception Day for Public Visits" held in Xiapu County. He engaged in dialogue with 102 visiting community members, accepted 86 cases regarding various issues, and answered or resolved 12 on the spot, requesting relevant departments to handle the rest within a month. This transformed the practice of the masses "visiting the superiors" into cadres "visiting the subordinates," forming the significant theoretical innovation of "handling petitions at the grassroots level." In 1990, while serving as the Secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Party Committee, Comrade Xi Jinping launched the "Four Ten-Thousands" action—entering ten thousand doors, knowing the conditions of ten thousand households, resolving the worries of ten thousand households, and handling the affairs of ten thousand households—thereby expanding the breadth of contact between Party members and the masses. Adherence to the mass line is a distinctive characteristic of Comrade Xi Jinping’s investigation and research; its essence is an in-depth answer to the questions: "Who am I? For whom am I working? How should I act?"
Adhere to seeking truth from facts and perceive work styles through on-site research that "values only the factual."
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "The premise of persisting in proceeding from reality is to go deep into reality and understand reality; only in this way can we achieve seeking truth from facts." Investigation and research must not blindly follow superiors or books, but value only the factual. By integrating theory with practice, we ensure that work ideas, measures, and plans conform to actual conditions, objective laws, and the scientific spirit. Upon taking office as the Secretary of the Ningde Prefectural Party Committee, Comrade Xi Jinping did not follow the trope of "a new official lighting three fires" [7] by immediately launching the "Three Great Battles" of building a new city, developing the port, and constructing a railway. Instead, he worked tirelessly to conduct investigation and research across nine counties, 13 townships, 18 villages, and 12 factories, power stations, and schools in Eastern Fujian. He also visited neighboring areas such as Wenzhou, Cangnan, and Yueqing in southern Zhejiang. After in-depth and solid investigation, he wrote the research report How a Weak Bird Can Be the First to Fly: Reflections on the Investigation of Nine Counties in Eastern Fujian. Combining the reality of Eastern Fujian as an area that was old [8], ethnic minority, frontier, coastal/island, and poor, he proposed important theoretical innovations such as "weak birds can expect to fly first" and "poverty alleviation must first begin with the invigoration of the will." Comrade Xi Jinping insisted on proceeding from reality in all things, conducting down-to-earth research and planning development according to local conditions, setting an example for Party members and cadres to maintain a style of research based on seeking truth from facts.
Adhere to a problem-oriented approach and improve effectiveness through "immediate action" while carrying questions.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "One must not only 'physically enter' the grassroots but more importantly 'mentally reach' the grassroots. Listen to the truth, observe the real situation, truly study problems, and study real problems. We must not engage in 'show-style' research, 'potted-landscape' [9] research, or 'dragonfly-touching-the-water' [10] research." Adhering to a problem-oriented approach is a distinctive feature of Marxism. Investigation and research should take problems as the starting point for formulating policies and as the breakthrough point for opening up new situations. When Comrade Xi Jinping worked in Fuzhou, he required that cadres of the Municipal Party Committee’s Policy Research Office not sit in their offices "patting their heads to make decisions" [11] or engage in empty theoretical work moving from one policy study to another. They had to submerge themselves in the frontline at the grassroots to truly clarify situations, identify problems accurately, and propose solid countermeasures. Research findings were reflected in Fuzhou Investigation and Research on a "one report per matter" basis for decision-making reference. To solve problems promptly and promote accelerated development, Comrade Xi Jinping also innovatively proposed the work style of "acting with real earnestness, doing it immediately." Every era has its own problems. On the new journey, we must scientifically recognize, accurately grasp, and correctly resolve the major theoretical and practical problems facing China’s development and our Party’s governance, finding answers within the problems and expanding paths through investigation.
Adhere to overcoming difficulties and demonstrate responsibility by "breaking through hard problems" that the masses care about.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must extensively promote the practice of investigation and research, going more often to the frontline of the grassroots in areas we oversee, to places where difficulties are numerous, where mass opinions are concentrated, and where work has reached a stalemate. We must observe the actual situation, 'dissect sparrows,' and fully grasp the circumstances to have a clear mind." Being brave and skilled at overcoming difficulties is a necessary quality for Party members and cadres in their careers. It manifests political loyalty, demonstrates capability and quality, tests the ability to engage in struggle, and reflects a sense of responsibility. While working in Ningde, Comrade Xi Jinping used a machete to cut through thorns and reeds, braving the summer heat along mountain paths to "enter Xiadang Township three times," where he held on-site office meetings and formulated development plans based on research. Facing the problem of some Ningde cadres illegally occupying land to build private houses, Comrade Xi Jinping displayed a spirit of struggle, stating, "I would rather offend more than 3,000 cadres who illegally built houses than offend the 2.7 million people of Eastern Fujian," and resolutely investigated and punished the violations of law and discipline. The greater the cause, the more it is filled with challenges, and the more it requires shouldering heavy burdens and overcoming difficulties. On the new journey, we must use the courage of reform to overcome difficulties and an unflagging sense of responsibility to transform the results of investigation and research into actual effects for advancing work and surmounting obstacles.
Adhere to a systems perspective and achieve leapfrog development by "planning the whole" based on the long term.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "After the investigation concludes, one must engage in deep and meticulous reflection, undergoing a process of exchange, comparison, and repetition—systematizing scattered perceptions and deepening superficial ones—until the essential laws of things are found and the correct methods for solving problems are identified." The systems perspective is an important epistemology and methodology of Marxist philosophy. This requires us to conduct investigation and research from the perspective of universal interconnection rather than in isolation, and systematically rather than in fragments. While serving as the Vice Mayor of Xiamen, Comrade Xi Jinping based his work on the present while looking to the future. After thorough research on Xiamen, he organized experts and scholars to compile the 1985–2000 Xiamen Economic and Social Development Strategy, accumulating powerful potential energy for Xiamen's rapid development. Later, as Secretary of the Fuzhou Municipal Party Committee, he specifically guided the establishment of two research groups to head "North" and "South." They made systematic plans for Fuzhou’s development over the next 3, 8, and 20 years, forming the Strategic Vision for Fuzhou's 20-Year Economic and Social Development. This great "3820" strategy injected lasting momentum into Fuzhou’s sustainable development. On the new journey, the development of the Party and the country’s various undertakings faces a complex environment where strategic opportunities and risks/challenges coexist. Party members and cadres must adhere to a systems perspective, engaging in forward-looking thinking, overall planning, strategic layout, and holistic advancement for all undertakings, achieving development that organically unifies quality, structure, scale, speed, efficiency, and security.