Wang Xinyan: Xi Jinping's Theory of Seeking Truth from Facts
Seek truth from facts (shishi qiushi) is a distinctive feature of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, manifesting in every aspect of its theoretical system. It is not only the basic spirit of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era but also an important theoretical theme. The theory of seeking truth from facts constitutes the most fundamental materialistic basis of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Xi Jinping’s theory of seeking truth from facts inherits the thought on seeking truth from facts in Chinese Marxist philosophy since the time of Mao Zedong, while simultaneously endowing it with new theoretical connotations, thereby achieving the creative application and innovative development of this concept within Chinese Marxist philosophy. In Xi Jinping’s view, as the Party’s ideological line, seeking truth from facts is the essence and soul of Marxism; it is the Party's basic ideological method, work method, and leadership method, as well as the Party's ideological style and work style.
I. Seeking Truth from Facts is the Essence and Soul of Marxism
Comrade Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Marx and Engels did not directly use the term 'seeking truth from facts,' but the dialectical materialism and historical materialism they founded emphasize exactly that. Seeking truth from facts is a highly concise summary of the dialectical and historical materialist worldview and methodology, made by Comrade Mao Zedong using a Chinese idiom" [1]; it is "the essence and soul of Marxism."
(1) Seeking truth from facts as the high-level unity of Marxist worldview and methodology
The phrase "seeking truth from facts" (shishi qiushi) originates from the Book of Han: Biographies of the Thirteen Kings of Jing written by the Eastern Han historian Ban Gu [2]. In this book, Ban Gu described Liu De, Prince Xian of Hejian, as one who "cultivated learning and loved antiquity, seeking truth from facts." The Tang dynasty scholar Yan Shigu annotated "seeking truth from facts" as "striving to obtain the factual truth, seeking the genuine in every instance," meaning that in scholarship, one must master ample factual materials to arrive at correct conclusions. In the early Qing dynasty, Gu Yanwu vigorously advocated for an academic style of seeking truth from facts, opposing the frivolous attitude of empty talk regarding "mind and nature" while neglecting practical affairs. He championed "statecraft and utility" (jingshi zhiyong) [3], which exerted a significant influence on Qing dynasty scholarship. Consequently, "seeking truth from facts" became a research method widely esteemed and utilized by Qing scholars; the Qianjia School [4] even referred to their philological and exegetical studies as the "learning of seeking truth from facts." The famous Qing scholar Qian Daxin said, "The learning of a comprehensive scholar must begin with seeking truth from facts." Another famous Qing scholar, Ruan Yuan, also said, "My exposition of the classics, clarifying ancient instructions, is merely seeking truth from facts; I dare not establish something different for the sake of novelty." In the modern era, a group of scholars such as Guo Songtao, Zheng Guanying, and Liang Qichao also frequently used "seeking truth from facts" to summarize the basic spirit of Western scholarship. It is evident that in traditional Chinese culture, the idea of "seeking truth from facts" has a long history, but it was primarily valued and emphasized as an academic attitude and research method.
In the process of integrating the basic principles of Marxism with the concrete realities of the Chinese revolution and exploring the path for that revolution, Mao Zedong refined, recast, and reshaped the traditional Chinese idea of "seeking truth from facts," effectively establishing it as the Party’s ideological line. He pointed out that "seeking truth from facts" is essentially an attitude toward Marxist theory—namely, the Marxist attitude. This Marxist attitude means studying Marxist theory with a definite purpose: to find the stand, viewpoint, and method from Marxist theory to solve the theoretical and tactical problems of the Chinese revolution. "This attitude is that of 'seeking truth from facts.' 'Facts' (shi) are all the things that exist objectively; 'truth' (shi) is the internal connection of objective things, i.e., their laws; and 'seek' (qiu) is for us to study. We should proceed from the actual conditions inside and outside the country, the province, the county, and the district, and derive from them their inherent rather than fabricated laws—that is, find the internal connections of surrounding events—to serve as the guide for our action. To do this, we must rely not on subjective imagination, nor on momentary enthusiasm, nor on dead books, but on objectively existing facts. We must possess materials in detail and, under the guidance of the general principles of Marxism-Leninism, draw correct conclusions from these materials." In this discourse, Mao Zedong revealed three layers of basic meaning in "seeking truth from facts": first, proceeding from reality in all things—including understanding things, formulating lines, principles, and policies, and carrying out various tasks; second, integrating theory with practice—namely, analyzing and researching materials from objective reality "under the guidance of the general principles of Marxism" to reach correct conclusions; and third, using knowledge about the "internal connections of surrounding events"—that is, truthful understanding—as "the guide for our action," instructing practical activities and testing and developing truth through practice. In this way, seeking truth from facts is both a fundamental requirement of the Marxist worldview and methodology and the necessary ideological and work method for Communists, as well as the Party's ideological and work style. Thus, Mao Zedong endowed "seeking truth from facts" with entirely new connotations, creatively transforming it from a historical academic attitude and method into the Party’s ideological line. Based on Mao Zedong's refinement and generalization, the new Party Constitution adopted by the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 1982 provided a complete expression of the Party's ideological line of seeking truth from facts: proceeding from reality in all things, integrating theory with practice, seeking truth from facts, and testing and developing truth in practice.
The reason seeking truth from facts is called the "essence and soul of Marxism" is that it represents a high-level unity of the Marxist worldview and methodology. It prominently embodies the unity of the scientific attitude of materialism with dialectical methods; the unity of objective laws with subjective initiative; and the concrete, historical unity of the subjective and the objective, and of cognition and practice. First, seeking truth from facts emphasizes that objective things have laws of motion and change that do not depend on human will. It requires people to respect objective facts and laws, upholding the fundamental stance of Marxism’s thoroughgoing materialism—namely, dialectical materialism and historical materialism. Second, seeking truth from facts requires people to give full play to their subjective initiative—that is, to actively seek the laws of objective things under the guidance of correct theory, striving to realize the concrete, historical unity of the subjective and the objective, and of cognition and practice, thereby upholding the Marxist theory of active reflection. Third, seeking truth from facts requires people to use truthful understanding concerning objective things and their laws of development to guide practice, and to test and develop truth in practice, thereby upholding the Marxist view of practice and truth. In short, seeking truth from facts inherently integrates Marxist materialism, dialectics, the view of practice, the view of laws, and the theory of active reflection; it is the organic whole of thoroughgoing materialism and thoroughgoing dialectics.
(2) The enrichment and development of the ideological line of seeking truth from facts
The Party's ideological line of seeking truth from facts was formed during the process of the Sinicization of Marxism and has been continuously augmented, enriched, and developed as the cause of Sinicizing Marxism has advanced. That seeking truth from facts is the essence and soul of Marxism is prominently and vividly demonstrated by its status as the essence and soul of Chinese Marxism. Xi Jinping has pointed out that, as the Party's ideological line, seeking truth from facts is the essence and soul running through the theoretical achievements of the Sinicization of Marxism—that is, Chinese Marxism. In other words, it is the essence and soul of Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development.
The ideological line of seeking truth from facts was established by Mao Zedong during the leadership of the Chinese revolution and construction by combining the universal principles of Marxism with the concrete realities of the Chinese revolution. "Marx and Engels founded the ideological line of dialectical materialism and historical materialism; Comrade Mao Zedong summarized it in four large Chinese characters: 'seek truth from facts' (shi shi qiushi)." Seeking truth from facts is also the core content and spiritual substance of Mao Zedong Thought. Mao Zedong Thought was formed and developed in the process of unremitting struggle against various erroneous tendencies that deviated from the ideological line of seeking truth from facts. Therefore, Deng Xiaoping repeatedly emphasized that "seeking truth from facts" is the "starting point and fundamental point of Mao Zedong Thought" and the "essence of Mao Zedong Thought." Xi Jinping has pointed out that the living soul of Mao Zedong Thought consists of the stand, viewpoint, and method running through it, which include three basic aspects—one of which is seeking truth from facts.
In the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, the second generation of the Party's collective central leadership with Comrade Deng Xiaoping at the core provided a new generalization of the Party's ideological line by combining the characteristics of the times and the Party's practical experience. While reaffirming the principle of "seeking truth from facts," they added the new and important content of "emancipating the mind" to the Party's ideological line. Precisely because of the adherence to the ideological line of emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts, Deng Xiaoping led the entire Party to successfully break through the shackles of the "Two Whatevers" [5] and the confusion over whether something was "capitalist" or "socialist" in nature, opening up a path for modernization with Chinese characteristics. Consequently, Jiang Zemin repeatedly emphasized that "emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts is the essence of the theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics" and "the essence of Deng Xiaoping Theory." Xi Jinping has pointed out that "seeking truth from facts was the most important ideological characteristic of Comrade Deng Xiaoping's life," and that he "often said of himself that he belonged to the 'seeking truth from facts faction' and repeatedly emphasized 'letting facts speak for themselves.'"
After entering the new century, the third generation of the Party's collective central leadership with Comrade Jiang Zemin at the core conducted a thorough analysis of the vastly changed international and domestic situations. While proposing and systematically expounding the Theory of Three Represents, they infused the new connotation of "advancing with the times" into the Party's ideological line. Proposing "advancing with the times" alongside "emancipating the mind" and "seeking truth from facts" constituted a more complete, comprehensive, and time-sensitive new generalization of the Party's ideological line. Emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and advancing with the times are the decisive factors for our Party to maintain its advanced nature and are the essence of the Theory of Three Represents. Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and advancing with the times are the living soul of Marxism and our fundamental ideological weapon for adapting to new situations, understanding new things, and completing new tasks."
After the 16th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary held high the great banner of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, and the Theory of Three Represents. They earnestly studied and answered new questions in the modernization of socialism with Chinese characteristics, continuously promoted the Party's theoretical innovation, and formed the major strategic thought of the Scientific Outlook on Development, which is people-oriented, comprehensive, coordinated, and sustainable. They also infused the new connotation of "seeking truth and being pragmatic" (qiuzhen wushi) into the Party's ideological line. The Scientific Outlook on Development itself centrally embodies the requirements of emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, advancing with the times, and seeking truth and being pragmatic. Xi Jinping has pointed out that "emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, advancing with the times, and seeking truth and being pragmatic" constitute "the most distinctive spiritual substance of the Scientific Outlook on Development."
Xi Jinping believes that as the essence and soul of Marxism, although the ideological line of seeking truth from facts has been continuously infused with new theoretical connotations during its development, it is itself an organic whole. That is, as constitutive aspects of the ideological line of seeking truth from facts, emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, advancing with the times, and seeking truth and being pragmatic are inherently unified.
First, seeking truth from facts is the core of the Party's ideological line. Looking at the development of the Party's ideological line, one can see that the principle of seeking truth from facts runs through it like a "red thread," [6] while the requirements of emancipating the mind, advancing with the times, and seeking truth and being pragmatic are further developments of the principle of seeking truth from facts in light of new historical conditions. Among these, the requirement of emancipating the mind inherently embodies the principle of seeking truth from facts; the purpose of emancipating the mind is to better achieve seeking truth from facts. Xi Jinping has pointed out: "The purpose of emancipating the mind lies in better seeking truth from facts." Similarly, the requirements of advancing with the times and seeking truth and being pragmatic also inherently embody the principle of seeking truth from facts. Advancing with the times is the creative application of the principle of seeking truth from facts from a developmental perspective. Xi Jinping emphasized: "Adhering to seeking truth from facts is not a once-and-for-all matter. Having achieved seeking truth from facts at one time and place does not mean one can do so at another time and place. The conclusions drawn and experience gained from adhering to seeking truth from facts at one time and place do not mean they will be applicable at another time and place where conditions have changed." Facing changed objective realities, if our thoughts and concepts cannot advance with the times, adhering to seeking truth from facts will become an empty phrase. Seeking truth and being pragmatic is the concrete manifestation of adhering to the principle of seeking truth from facts in all practical work. Xi Jinping has pointed out that only by persisting in seeking truth and being pragmatic can we avoid various errors in practical work that violate the principle of seeking truth from facts.
Secondly, emmancipating the mind is the prerequisite for seeking truth from facts. One of the fundamental requirements of seeking truth from facts is to proceed from reality in all things. However, objective reality is in a constant state of change and development, and situations where people’s ideological understanding lags behind objective reality occur frequently; this inevitably hinders people from proceeding from reality in one way or another. Therefore, to seek truth from facts at any time, one must emancipate the mind. Xi Jinping points out that emmancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts are themselves a dialectical unity. Emancipating the mind requires our ideological understanding to break through the shackles of various outdated concepts and prejudices, to change the conservative mental state of refusing to accept new things, and to make our thinking more consistent with objective reality: "Only by emancipating the mind can we truly seek truth from facts; only by seeking truth from facts can we truly emancipate the mind." Only by continuously emancipating the mind, constantly studying new situations and solving new problems, and liberating ideological understanding from the shackles of all types of outmoded concepts, practices, and systems can we consistently and correctly grasp a changing and developing objective reality and ensure the requirements of seeking truth from facts are implemented in practice. If one follows the old ways, remains ideologically ossified, and only knows how to "follow the book" or "follow the superiors" [7], it is fundamentally impossible to seek truth from facts.
Thirdly, advancing with the times is an intrinsic requirement of seeking truth from facts. "To advance with the times means that all the Party's theories and work must reflect the nature of the times, grasp the underlying laws, and be rich in creativity." Under new historical conditions, adhering to seeking truth from facts requires us to continue vigorously promoting the Sinicization of Marxism according to the characteristics and demands of the new era. It requires us to continuously deepen our understanding of the laws governing the Communist Party's governance, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society. We must constantly promote theoretical innovation, practical innovation, institutional innovation, cultural innovation, and innovation in all other aspects, thereby achieving advancement with the times and ensuring the Party always stands at the forefront of the era in terms of theory and ideology. Xi Jinping emphasizes that "there is no end to seeking truth from facts, nor is there an end to emancipating the mind." We must constantly open up new frontiers in the development of Marxist theory through advancing with the times, conduct in-depth research into new situations under the guidance of developing Marxism, continuously solve new problems, and strive to create a new situation for all areas of work.
Finally, seeking truth and being pragmatic is the stylistic guarantee [8] for seeking truth from facts. Adhering to seeking truth from facts cannot remain merely at the level of lip service, nor can one say one thing and do another; it must be implemented in action. Implementing the principle of seeking truth from facts in practical work requires seeking truth and being pragmatic. "Seeking truth" (qiuzhen) means following the requirements of emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and advancing with the times to constantly "seek the shì" (the truth/underlying laws) in all practical work—that is, constantly exploring and summarizing laws based on a comprehensive understanding and grasp of reality, so that the proposed work ideas, plans, and measures conform to actual conditions and objective laws. "Being pragmatic" (wushi) means striving to practice and act under the guidance of correct understanding that conforms to objective laws; it means working solidly, doing practical work with real results, and constantly forging ahead; it means transforming various ideals, blueprints, plans, and visions into tangible work achievements. Only by truly seeking truth and being pragmatic in practical work can seeking truth from facts be put into practice. Xi Jinping points out: "Leading officials must seek truth and be pragmatic, vigorously carry forward our Party's fine ideological and work styles, speak the truth, do honest things, and be an honest person. This is the stylistic guarantee for adhering to seeking truth from facts."
(3) Seeking truth from facts is the winning magic weapon for the cause of Chinese revolution and construction
Precisely because seeking truth from facts is the essence and soul of Marxism, Xi Jinping recognizes and emphasizes it from the height of being the "soul of flourishing the Party and the country." He points out that our Party started its journey and has continuously grown by relying on seeking truth from facts. Our Party's history shows that whenever we adhere to seeking truth from facts, the cause of the Party and the people can develop smoothly; whenever we deviate from seeking truth from facts, the cause of the Party and the people suffers setbacks. "Practice has repeatedly proven that adhering to seeking truth from facts will allow the Party and the country to flourish; violating seeking truth from facts will lead the Party and the country astray." This important discourse is a profound summary of both positive and negative experiences and lessons in the Party's history.
The tortuous development of China's New Democratic Revolution served as the process for the formation and establishment of the Party's ideological line of seeking truth from facts, and the process by which this ideological line gradually achieved victory in the struggle against various "Left" and Right erroneous lines. In this regard, the "Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party," adopted by the Seventh Plenary Session of the Sixth CPC Central Committee in 1945, provided a systematic exposition. In summarizing the Party's history and its lessons, it emphasized that "the ideological root of whether all political, military, and organizational lines are correct or incorrect lies in whether they start from the dialectical materialism and historical materialism of Marxism-Leninism, and whether they start from the objective reality of the Chinese revolution and the objective needs of the Chinese people." The Resolution pointed out that the ideological root of various "Left" and Right erroneous lines was subjectivism and formalism; their "theory" was divorced from reality and their leadership was divorced from the masses. They practiced "self-righteousness" rather than seeking truth from facts, thereby causing heavy losses to the Chinese revolution on many occasions. Conversely, Mao Zedong, based on the universal truths of Marxism—especially dialectical materialism and historical materialism—specifically analyzed the complex situations at home and abroad and inside and outside the Party, concretely summarized the historical experience of the Chinese revolution, and formulated the correct political, military, and organizational lines for the Party during the Land Revolutionary War period, enabling the Party's cause to continuously grow. It was precisely because of adherence to this "correct Marxist-Leninist line"—the ideological line of seeking truth from facts—that the Chinese Communists, with Mao Zedong as their chief representative, combined the basic principles of Marxism with China's concrete reality, opened up the correct revolutionary path of encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing power by armed force, and founded Mao Zedong Thought, pointing out the correct direction for the victory of the New Democratic Revolution.
After the founding of New China, the first generation of the Party's collective central leadership with Comrade Mao Zedong at its core adhered to the ideological line of seeking truth from facts and strove to achieve a "second combination" of the basic principles of Marxism with China's concrete reality. They conducted arduous explorations of the path of China's socialist revolution and construction, putting forward a series of important ideas which not only enriched and developed Mao Zedong Thought but also formulated and implemented a series of correct principles and policies. They created great achievements in socialist revolution and construction, laying the fundamental political prerequisite and institutional foundation for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and providing valuable experience, theoretical preparation, and the material basis for creating socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new historical period. However, beginning in 1958, errors that seriously deviated from the ideological line of seeking truth from facts appeared in the political life of the Party and the state, such as the "Great Leap Forward" movement, the People's Commune movement, and the expansion of the Anti-Rightist Struggle. In particular, Mao Zedong deviated from the ideological line of seeking truth from facts that he himself had proposed, made a completely erroneous assessment of the class situation and the political state of the Party and the country at the time, proposed "taking class struggle as the key link," and launched and led the "Cultural Revolution." Meanwhile, the two counter-revolutionary cliques of Lin Biao and Jiang Qing exploited Mao Zedong's mistakes to engage in a large number of criminal activities that brought calamity to the country and the people, resulting in ten years of internal turmoil and causing the cause of Chinese socialism to suffer serious setbacks and losses.
After the "Cultural Revolution" ended, the second generation of the Party's collective central leadership with Comrade Deng Xiaoping at its core emphasized that seeking truth from facts is the essence of Mao Zedong Thought. They took a clear-cut stand against the erroneous view of the "Two Whatevers" [9], supported and led the discussion on the criterion of truth, and promoted the work of "bringing order out of chaos" (bōluàn-fǎnjiàn) in all fields. Under Deng Xiaoping's leadership, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee restored and re-established the ideological line of seeking truth from facts, ceased the use of the erroneous slogan "taking class struggle as the key link," decided to shift the focus of the whole Party's work to socialist modernization, and made the major decision to implement reform and opening up, achieving a great turning point of far-reaching significance in the Party's history. For over 40 years, following this ideological line of seeking truth from facts—which has been continuously enriched and developed in practice—Chinese Communists, with Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping as their chief representatives, have persisted in combining the basic principles of Marxism with China's concrete reality in different periods. They successively founded Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. They formed and continuously developed the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, profoundly answering major contemporary questions such as: what is socialism and how to build it; what kind of Party to build and how to build it; what kind of development to achieve and how to achieve it; and in the New Era, what kind of socialism with Chinese characteristics to uphold and develop and how to uphold and develop it, what kind of great modern socialist country to build and how to build it, and what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build and how to build it. They have not only continuously opened up new frontiers in the development of Chinese Marxist theory but also led the people to continuously achieve new successes in the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics, ushering in the bright prospect of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
In short, as the essence and soul of Marxism, the ideological line of seeking truth from facts is the winning magic weapon for our Party in leading the people to continuous achievements in revolution and construction, and the key to ensuring the healthy development of the cause of the Party and the country. Therefore, Xi Jinping emphasizes that all comrades in the Party must adhere to the ideological line of emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, advancing with the times, and seeking truth and being pragmatic, so as to constantly create new situations for the development of our cause and open up new frontiers for the development of Marxism.
II. Seeking truth from facts is the Party’s method of thinking, method of work, and method of leadership
The Party’s ideological line functions first and foremost as a method of thinking. A method of thinking is the approach and methodology people follow in observing and researching things and phenomena, and in analyzing and solving problems under the guidance of a certain world outlook; it is transformed from a world outlook. Seeking truth from facts is the Party's ideological line, and it manifests first as the Party's basic method of thinking. Thus, Xi Jinping points out: "Seeking truth from facts is the essence of Marxism and an important method of thinking for us Communists. All our past achievements were achieved by relying on seeking truth from facts. Today, if we want to continue pushing forward the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, we must still rely on seeking truth from facts."
(1) Seeking truth from facts is the Party's method of thinking
As the Party’s basic method of thinking, seeking truth from facts is fundamentally opposed to subjectivism. As mentioned earlier, subjectivism was the ideological root of various "Left" and Right errors in the history of the Chinese revolution and was the method of thinking of the representatives of those erroneous lines. Subjectivism has two forms of expression: one is dogmatism, and the other is empiricism. The characteristic of dogmatism is that it does not proceed from objective reality but from individual words and sentences in books. It does not use the Marxist standpoint, viewpoint, and method to study Chinese problems, summarize Chinese experience, and draw conclusions to guide practice and test those conclusions; instead, it deviates from the spirit of Marxism and treats specific phrases in Marxist texts as dogmas, without considering at all whether these phrases conform to China's actual conditions. Empiricism, on the other hand, starts from narrow experience. It is satisfied with individual, partial experiences and treats them as dogmas applicable everywhere. It does not understand the role of theory, refuses to acknowledge that "without revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement," and despises the study and application of Marxist theory. Although the starting points of empiricism and dogmatism differ, they are identical in their method of thinking: both sever the universal truths of Marxism from the concrete reality of China. Here, the error of dogmatism does not lie in valuing books or Marxist theory, but in treating specific phrases as abstract dogmas—panaceas that apply in any situation and can solve all problems unconditionally—failing to understand that Marxist principles are only a guide to action and must be applied in combination with China's reality; the error of empiricism does not lie in valuing experience, but in valuing and being satisfied only with its own narrow experience, failing to understand the necessity of taking the universal principles of Marxism as a guide to action. Both dogmatism and empiricism deviate from the principles of proceeding from reality in all things and integrating theory with practice. Both are erroneous methods of thinking that stand in direct opposition to seeking truth from facts and must be resolutely discarded and overcome.
As two fundamentally opposed thinking methods, seeking truth from facts and subjectivism embody two diametrically opposite attitudes toward Marxism. Mao Zedong provided a profound analysis and discourse on this in his article Reform Our Study. Mao pointed out that in the history of the Chinese revolution, there have been two opposing attitudes toward Marxism: one is the subjectivist attitude. The so-called subjectivist attitude toward Marxism means that instead of seeking stands, viewpoints, and methods from Marxist theory to solve China’s practical problems, one studies Marxist theory abstractly and aimlessly, studying theory merely for the sake of theory—"shooting arrows without a target" [10] in the study and research of Marxist theory. This attitude violates the basic Marxist principle of the unity of theory and practice. The other is the Marxist attitude. As previously mentioned, the so-called Marxist attitude toward Marxism is to study Marxist theory with a purpose—that is, to integrate Marxist theory with China’s reality and to seek stands, viewpoints, and methods from Marxist theory for the purpose of solving China’s practical problems. This attitude is the attitude of "shooting arrows at a target"; it is the attitude of seeking truth from facts. Mao Zedong also emphasized that the attitude of seeking truth from facts is the attitude of the unity of theory and practice, and it is the minimum attitude a Communist Party member should possess, whereas the anti-Marxist subjectivist attitude is a great enemy of the Communist Party, the working class, and the people. Only when subjectivism is overthrown can the truth of Marxism-Leninism raise its head and the revolution achieve victory. It is based on the above discourse that Xi Jinping said, "Comrade Mao Zedong also figuratively compared seeking truth from facts to 'shooting arrows at a target.' We must persist in using the 'arrow' of Marxism to shoot at the 'target' of China's revolution, construction, and reform."
(2) Seeking Truth from Facts is the Party’s Working Method and Leadership Method
As the Party's basic thinking method, seeking truth from facts is necessarily the Party's working method and leadership method as well, because working and leadership methods are nothing more than the concrete application of the thinking method in practical work or leadership work. In fact, Xi Jinping often mentions seeking truth from facts as the Party's basic thinking method, working method, and leadership method simultaneously. For example, he said, "Seeking truth from facts is the fundamental viewpoint of Marxism; it is the fundamental requirement for Chinese Communists to understand and transform the world, and it is our Party’s basic thinking method, working method, and leadership method."
Seeking truth from facts is the Party’s fundamental working method. The Communist Party of China has always attached importance to working methods, emphasizing their extreme importance in upholding the original aspiration and founding mission, assuming responsibilities, achieving goals, and completing tasks. As early as 1934, Mao Zedong said figuratively in Be Concerned with the Well-being of the Masses, Pay Attention to Methods of Work: "We must not only propose tasks but also solve the problem of the methods for completing them. Our task is to cross the river, but we cannot do so without a bridge or a boat. Unless the problem of the bridge or boat is solved, crossing the river is just idle talk. Unless the problem of method is solved, the task is just nonsense." Therefore, in the long-term practice of leading China’s revolution and construction, the Communist Party of China has continuously summarized practical experience, explored, and formed diversified and effective working methods—such as the working method of the mass line, the working method of overall consideration and all-round arrangement [11], the working method of investigation and research, and the working method of criticism and self-criticism, and so on. As the fundamental working method of the Party, seeking truth from facts is the basic spirit and soul infused into these concrete working methods. For example, the basic content of the mass line working method is "from the masses, to the masses." Mao Zedong provided an incisive exposition on this: in all the work of our Party, all correct leadership must persist in "from the masses, to the masses"—that is, taking the scattered and unsystematic ideas of the masses and concentrating them into definite principles and policies, then going to the masses to propagate and explain them, transforming them into the masses' own ideas so they will persist in them in practice, and testing whether these principles and policies are correct in the masses’ practice. Then, once again concentrating ideas from the masses and persisting in the refined principles and policies among the masses, "so on and on in an endless spiral, with the ideas becoming more correct, more vital, and richer each time." The masses are the objects of the Party's work and the subjects of all social practice; the ideas, needs, desires, and pursuits of the masses are the greatest "reality" faced by the Party's work. "From the masses" means proceeding from reality; "to the masses" means testing and developing truth in the practice of the masses. Therefore, the mass line working method of "from the masses, to the masses" is not only a concrete practice of the Party’s mass viewpoint [12] but also a vivid embodiment of the basic spirit of seeking truth from facts. To take another example, "overall consideration and all-round arrangement" also inherently embodies the spirit of seeking truth from facts. Xi Jinping pointed out that around the time of the founding of New China, Mao Zedong proposed thinking and working methods such as "overall consideration and all-round arrangement" and "playing the piano." He quoted Mao Zedong’s words: when playing the piano, all ten fingers must move; you cannot have some moving and others not, but if all ten fingers press down at the same time, there is no melody. To produce beautiful music, the movements of the ten fingers must coordinate with each other. Like playing the piano, we must grasp the central task while simultaneously grasping work in all other areas by revolving closely around the central task. Obviously, to learn and achieve "overall consideration and all-round arrangement," one must first have a comprehensive understanding of the objective reality of the overall situation, the central task within that situation, and the work of various departments. One needs to seek the "truth" [13] of the internal connections between the central task and the various departments. In short, one must first achieve seeking truth from facts.
Seeking truth from facts as the Party’s fundamental working method is prominently reflected in the Party’s leadership work. The Party's work is primarily leadership work; thus, seeking truth from facts is also the Party’s fundamental leadership method. In his article Some Questions Concerning Methods of Leadership, Mao Zedong pointed out: "In any task, we Communists must employ two methods: first, the combination of the general and the particular; second, the combination of the leadership and the masses." The method of "combining leadership and the masses" mentioned here involves the method whereby "correct leadership views can only be concentrated from the masses and then persisted in among the masses"—which is the aforementioned mass line working method of "from the masses, to the masses." It was in this very article that Mao Zedong discussed the mass line working method; that is to say, Mao emphasized the mass line working method as a leadership method of the Party. Therefore, the spirit of seeking truth from facts embodied in the mass line working method is, in fact, the basic spirit that the Party’s leadership method should possess. In 2016, Xi Jinping issued an important instruction regarding the study of Mao Zedong’s Methods of Work of Party Committees, requiring Party committees at all levels, especially their principals, to revisit this article. Methods of Work of Party Committees was part of a concluding speech made by Mao Zedong at the end of the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh CPC Central Committee in March 1949. The working methods of Party committees mentioned therein are, in effect, the leadership methods of the Party. In this text, Mao Zedong elaborated on twelve working or leadership methods, including "being a good 'squad leader,'" "placing problems on the table," "exchanging information," "asking subordinates about things you do not understand or know, and not expressing approval or disapproval lightly," "learning to 'play the piano,'" "having a 'firm grasp,'" "having 'numbers' in one's head," "issuing 'notices to reassure the public' [14]," "streamlining administration," "paying attention to uniting with comrades who hold different opinions from oneself," "guarding against arrogance," and "drawing two lines of distinction." All these methods contain the requirement of seeking truth from facts. For example, regarding the method of "asking subordinates about things you do not understand or know, and not expressing approval or disapproval lightly," Mao Zedong explained that some Central Committee documents were held back and not issued immediately precisely because certain problems within them had not yet been clarified and needed the prior input of subordinates. We must never pretend to know what we do not; we should "not be ashamed to ask subordinates" [15], be good at listening to the opinions of lower-level cadres, be a student before becoming a teacher, and consult lower-level cadres before issuing orders. For another example, regarding the method of "having 'numbers' in one's head," Mao Zedong pointed out that for any situation or problem, one must pay attention to its quantitative aspect and carry out a basic quantitative analysis. For instance, to carry out land reform, one must understand the numbers regarding how much of the population landlords, rich peasants, middle peasants, and poor peasants each account for, and how much land they each hold; only then can correct policies be formulated. In both examples, whether emphasizing "being good at listening to the opinions of lower-level cadres" or "paying attention to the quantitative aspect of situations and problems," the purpose is to achieve seeking truth from facts.
The reason seeking truth from facts has become the Party’s fundamental leadership method is that it is the Party’s ideological line and basic thinking method, while it is also closely related to the nature of the Party's leadership work. The core content of leadership work is decision-making. To make scientific decisions, one must always persist in seeking truth from facts. Xi Jinping pointed out that the decision-making process is a process of raising, analyzing, and solving problems. To improve the scientific level of decision-making and prevent the randomness and negative consequences caused by arbitrary decisions, investigation and research must be integrated throughout the entire decision-making process, making it a vital link. Whatever investigation procedures must be followed during decision-making must be strictly implemented; one cannot seek ease or fear trouble. Especially for issues involving the vital interests of the masses or the overall situation of reform, development, and stability, the principle of "no decision without investigation" and "investigation before decision" must be maintained, ensuring that all important decision-making proposals submitted for discussion are formed on the basis of in-depth investigation and extensive listening to the opinions of the masses. Xi Jinping’s emphasis on integrating investigation and research throughout the decision-making process is an emphasis on the necessity of always proceeding from objective reality—that is, always persisting in seeking truth from facts.
Xi Jinping pointed out that, overall, the Party is currently able to implement the ideological line of seeking truth from facts. The vast majority of Party members and cadres consciously guide their work with this ideological line, persisting in liberating the mind, seeking truth from facts, advancing with the times, and pioneering innovation. They have achieved remarkable results in different fields and fronts, accumulated much new experience, and demonstrated the scientific attitude and favorable image of Communists pursuing progress and truth. However, we must also clearly see that some Party members and cadres still fall short in persisting in the ideological line of seeking truth from facts, and some problems that demand attention still exist in their thinking, working, and leadership methods. For example, some are conventional and conservative, stuck in their ways, with their thinking and work lagging significantly behind the requirements of the objective situation. Some have a serious "organ style" [16], staying in their offices for long periods, unwilling to go to the grassroots, having little to no contact with the masses, failing to understand the grassroots and actual conditions, and lacking "earthly qi" [17]. Some still cling to dogmatic ways of thinking that proceed from "the book," following only "superiors" or "books" but never "reality." Some, to cater to or satisfy certain needs, speak only lies, empty words, and boasts, even resorting to fraud and deception. Some dislike hearing the truth or honest words, being unwilling to follow good advice or to admit and correct mistakes. Some seek only to protect themselves, fearing risk and turning a blind eye to erroneous things. Some do not act according to objective laws, seeking quick results and instant success, or even acting recklessly. All such manifestations are serious violations of the requirements of seeking truth from facts and fail to follow the thinking, working, and leadership methods of seeking truth from facts; they must be resolutely corrected and overcome.
(3) The Basic Path for Persisting in Seeking Truth from Facts
Xi Jinping has also profoundly elaborated on how to persist in and follow the thinking, working, and leadership methods of seeking truth from facts. In his view, to persist in and follow these methods in practice, efforts must be focused on the following aspects:
First, adhering to seeking truth from facts requires, above all, a comprehensive understanding and mastery of the "facts." Xi Jinping believes that the most fundamental task in adhering to seeking truth from facts lies in clarifying what the "facts" are—that is, understanding reality and grasping the actual situation. To this end, one must conduct systematic, in-depth, and meticulous investigation and research [18] into the actual conditions. He emphasizes that only through in-depth and solid investigation and research, by truly mastering comprehensive and authentic first-hand materials, truly understanding the actual conditions of our country in all aspects, truly recognizing the prominent problems affecting reform, development, and stability, and truly grasping the aspirations and expectations of the masses, can we truly master the "facts" and "achieve clarity of vision and a clear mind." He points out that valuing investigation and research is an important "heirloom" [19] for our Party to perform leadership work well during its long-term practice. The history of our Party's development shows that whenever the whole Party values and persists in investigation and research, the principles and policies formulated by the Party conform to objective reality, and the Party's work in various fields develops smoothly; conversely, if investigation and research are neglected, subjectivism will prevail, the Party's principles and policies will become detached from objective reality and the masses, and the Party's cause will suffer losses. He states that although technology is now advanced, communication methods are sophisticated, and information acquisition is becoming increasingly convenient and fast, none of these can replace leading cadres going to the front lines to conduct investigation and research. This is because, compared to indirectly listening to reports or reading various reporting materials, going to the grassroots to have direct contact and face-to-face discussions with the broad ranks of cadres and masses has a completely different effect on the understanding and perception of leading cadres. He also particularly emphasizes that leading cadres must not only value investigation and research, but also pay attention to learning and mastering correct methods of research, striving to improve its level and effectiveness. He points out that one purpose of investigation and research is to understand the truth and the whole picture of an issue; therefore, one must go deep into reality, the grassroots, and the masses to obtain information from all directions and through multiple channels. It is necessary both to "dissect the sparrow" [20] (analyze typical cases) and to understand the overall situation; to face both cadres and the masses; to investigate both organs and the grassroots; and to go both to places where conditions are good to summarize experience and to places where conditions are complex to study problems. Among these, the grassroots, the masses, typical cases, and places with many difficulties should be the focus of investigation and research. At the same time, one should conduct research with specific questions in mind and maintain the initiative; during the research process, in addition to "prescribed routes," there should be "self-selected actions," such as randomly visiting places that have not been prepared. This prevents investigation and research from becoming a mere formality [21] and avoids the phenomenon of "being researched" (staged visits). Only by conducting research in this way can one obtain first-hand materials, learn new situations that cannot be known in an office, and truly find new ideas and countermeasures to solve problems.
Xi Jinping emphasizes that in understanding reality and grasping the actual situation, the most important thing is to have a clear understanding and accurate grasp of the basic national conditions of our country's primary stage of socialism [22]. He says that the most prominent features of this stage are a large population, a weak foundation, and highly unbalanced development. For example, China has a population of over 1.3 billion, half of whom are in rural areas. Therefore, when considering China's urbanization, although we should learn from the relevant experience of foreign urbanization, we must never simply copy the practices of other countries. For another example, compared with Western developed capitalist countries, China implements a socialist system and is a developing country; the social systems and levels of economic and cultural development are very different. Therefore, when advancing reform and development, we must both draw on things that suit us and discern and discard those that do not. Furthermore, although China's total economic output now ranks second in the world, our per capita GDP remains low, and the problems of unbalanced, uncoordinated, and unsustainable development are very prominent. Therefore, while we certainly must fully affirm the achievements we have made and realize the solid foundation for our continued progress, we must also be particularly sober-minded about the difficulties and problems existing in the development process. "In advancing reform and development and formulating principles and policies, we must firmly base ourselves on the greatest reality—the primary stage of socialism—fully embody the inevitable requirements of these basic national conditions, and persist in starting from this reality in everything we do. We must strive to avoid any tendency to be eager for quick success by transcending reality or stages; we must resolutely correct any concepts or practices that lag behind reality, ignore profoundly changing objective facts, or are conservative and stuck in old ways."
Second, adhering to seeking truth from facts requires in-depth exploration and mastery of the laws of development of things. Xi Jinping points out, "The key to adhering to seeking truth from facts lies in 'seeking,' which means exploring and mastering the laws governing the development of things." He emphasizes that in making decisions, handling affairs, and seeking development, we must recognize and follow these laws; whether we can act according to objective laws is the key to whether our various tasks, especially leadership work, can seize the initiative and succeed. The reason he attaches such importance to studying and mastering Marxism, and emphasizes that Marxism is the "essential skill" [23] for leading cadres to succeed in their work, is precisely because Marxism profoundly reveals the inherent laws of the objective world, especially human society, and provides a "great cognitive tool" for people to observe the world, understand things, and analyze problems. At the same time, he also particularly emphasizes the need to deeply explore and grasp the laws of various aspects and fields under the guidance of Marxism, such as: the laws of human social development, the laws of socialist construction, the laws of the Communist Party's governance, the laws of economic development, the laws of the socialist market economy, the laws of social operation and governance, the laws of reform, the laws of innovative development, the laws of evolution of the international situation during the global transition period, the laws of literary and artistic work, the laws of propaganda and ideological work, the laws of ideological and political work, the laws of Party building in universities, the laws of education and talent growth, the laws of teaching and culturing people, the laws of preschool education, the laws of student growth, the laws of teacher growth and development, the laws of building ideological and political courses, the laws of building advanced professional education colleges, the laws of cadre growth and cadre education and training, the laws of youth growth, the laws of constructing social public welfare undertakings, the laws of urban construction and development, the laws of rural construction, the laws of ecological civilization construction [24], the laws of ecosystems, the laws of building a Marxist political party, the laws of managing and governing the Party, the laws of the development of the constitution and laws, the laws of legislation, the laws of justice, the laws of public security work, the laws of finance, the laws of statistical work, the laws of work related to intellectuals, the laws of work related to mass organizations, the laws of big data development, the laws of artificial intelligence development, the laws of the internet, the laws of cyberspace development and governance, the laws of scientific research, the laws of science and technology management, the laws of scientific and technological innovation, the laws of technological development and transfer, the laws of the growth and development of scientific and technological talents, the laws of agricultural science and technology, the laws of coordinated development of economic construction and national defense construction, the laws of military-civilian integration in the sector of cybersecurity and informatization, the laws of modern army building, the laws of Party building in the military, the laws of military education, the laws of military scientific research, the laws of military training, the laws of modern warfare, the laws of war guidance, the laws of the application of strategic forces, the laws of the construction, management, and combat application of army groups, and the laws of world football development, and so on.
Xi Jinping points out that practice is the basic path for people to acquire knowledge of objective laws; to recognize and grasp objective laws, one must be courageous and adept at practice. "To accumulate experience in practice, carry out theoretical sublimation, and then use it to guide and promote practice, allowing knowledge to be tested, corrected, enriched, and developed in practice—this is the fundamental way to understand objective laws and the only road to grasping them." In his view, as a necessary preparation for practical activities and an inherent link in the practical process, investigation and research are extremely important for people to understand and grasp the laws of various aspects and fields. He emphasizes that investigation and research consist of two aspects and two links: investigation and research. The effectiveness of this work is not measured by the scale on which it is launched, how long it lasts, or how well the research report is written, but by whether it is useful and whether it truly helps solve problems in work. To truly solve problems well, one must conduct in-depth research on the basis of investigation. He points out that, judging from the current situation, there are still various problems in the way leading cadres conduct investigation and research, including both insufficient investigation and insufficient research, with the latter potentially being more prominent. For example, some people go down for a quick tour, bring back a pile of materials, and consider the matter settled after writing a report; some people neither listen to research briefings nor read research materials, let alone conduct research on the basis of investigation. This so-called investigation and research—more investigation than research, more materials than analysis—cannot solve any problems. "We must fully realize that the fundamental purpose of investigation and research is to solve problems. After the investigation is over, we must carry out in-depth and meticulous thinking, performing the work of exchange, comparison, and repeated consideration. We must systematize scattered perceptions and deepen superficial perceptions until we find the essential laws of things and the correct methods for solving problems." He emphasizes that leading cadres at all levels should do as Mao Zedong required: analyze and think about the large amount of fragmented material obtained from investigations by "discarding the dross and selecting the essential, eliminating the false and retaining the true, proceeding from the one to the other and from the outside to the inside," [25] so as to grasp the essence of things through complex phenomena, discover inherent laws from surface connections, and thereby make correct decisions.
Third, adhering to seeking truth from facts requires upholding the integration of theory with practice. Xi Jinping points out that the reason we must persist in the integration of theory with practice is that theory originates from practice, must accept the test of practice, and must be further enriched and developed in practice; at the same time, theory can only realize its own value and significance when it is applied to and guides practice. Xi Jinping particularly emphasizes the following two aspects: On the one hand, theoretical workers must consciously adhere to the guidance of Marxism, deeply study major issues in the economic, cultural, and social fields of contemporary China and the world, provide scientific theoretical explanations for these issues, and provide correct solutions, truly becoming theorists who integrate theory with practice.
Xi Jinping specifically warns that while we should seriously study Marxist classics and apply the historical experience of the world socialist movement, we must never blindly copy them in isolation from China's specific reality. At the same time, we must also study theories of Western economics and political science and the experience of capitalist economic development, analyzing and drawing on their beneficial components, but likewise, we cannot blindly copy them in isolation from China's specific reality. He believes that blindly copying classical works and the historical experience of the world socialist movement, or blindly copying Western theories and the experience of capitalist development, is a departure from the principle of integrating theory with practice. He particularly emphasizes the need to vigorously promote theoretical innovation based on practice, deeply promote the combination of Marxism with the specific reality of contemporary Chinese development, continuously open up new frontiers for 21st-century Marxism, and accelerate the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. He points out that China's research in philosophy and social sciences should center on what we are doing, discovering new problems, constructing new theories, and putting forward new viewpoints from the practice of China's reform and development. In particular, it should focus on systematically summarizing the practical experience of China's reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, deeply analyzing and studying problems in the construction of China's socialist market economy, democratic politics, advanced culture, ecological civilization, and the Party's governing capacity, and deeply researching and explaining the Party's theoretical innovation. It should refine new theories with academic rigor and summarize new practices with regularity. "This is the focus and priority of building philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics." On the other hand, practical workers, especially leading cadres, must strive to study and apply Marxist theory. Xi Jinping emphasizes that for leading cadres, a firm grasp of Marxist theory is the theoretical foundation for adhering to seeking truth from facts. Without a foundation in Marxist theory and without mastering the Marxist worldview and methodology, it is difficult to perceive the essence of things through their phenomena, impossible to grasp the inherent laws of things, and difficult to avoid blindness and one-sidedness in work, making it impossible to truly seek truth from facts. He points out that the broad ranks of leading cadres should carry forward the fine academic style of integrating theory with practice, not only valuing and strengthening the study of Marxist theory, but more importantly, learning to use the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method to analyze and solve various problems encountered in practical work, drawing lessons from historical experience while constantly summarizing fresh experience, and continuously enhancing the principled, systematic, predictive, proactive, and creative nature of their work.
Fourth, to uphold the principle of seeking truth from facts, one must persist in upholding truth and correcting errors for the sake of the people's interests. As previously mentioned, a core component of the Party's ideological line of seeking truth from facts is "testing and developing truth in practice." Testing and developing truth in practice necessarily requires upholding truth and correcting errors. Only by doing so can truth be continuously developed. Upholding truth and correcting errors is both an objective necessity for testing and developing truth in practice, and an inevitable requirement for adhering to the Party's purpose and standing firm in the Party's position. Xi Jinping has emphasized on many occasions that serving the people whole-heartedly is the Party’s fundamental purpose, and the people’s position is the Party’s fundamental political position. The original aspiration and founding mission of Chinese Communists is to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation; therefore, we must always place the people in the highest position in our hearts. He stated that serving the people whole-heartedly is the fundamental starting point and ultimate goal of all the Party’s work, and it is also the fundamental point that distinguishes our Party from all other political parties. We must use the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people as the highest standard for testing all the Party’s work; that is, we must evaluate the effectiveness of our various tasks based on whether the people have truly received tangible benefits, whether the people's lives have truly improved, and whether the people's rights and interests have been truly protected. Since the Party has no special interests of its own and takes the fundamental interests of the people as its highest standard, there is no need to gloss over shortcomings, evade problems, or whitewash mistakes [26]; it must uphold truth and correct errors for the sake of the people's interests. As Xi Jinping said, to persist in seeking truth from facts, one must consciously persist in upholding truth and correcting errors for the interests of the people. Consequently, one must have the selfless fearlessness, openness, and integrity to face the truth head-on. One must have the courage to acknowledge and correct deviations in thinking and understanding, errors in decision-making, and shortcomings in work, and be able to promptly discover and effectively resolve various contradictions and problems encountered. This ensures that our various principles and policies better conform to reality, objective laws, the requirements of the times, and the aspirations of the people.
Persisting in upholding truth and correcting errors for the people's interests is an important lesson learned from the Party's century of struggle. The greatness of the Communist Party of China lies not in never making mistakes, but in its wealth of the spirit of self-revolution, its skill at learning from mistakes, and its courage to correct them. In the century-long history of the Party, during the period of the Democratic Revolution [27], the Party corrected various "Left" and Right-deviationist errors in its guiding ideology, particularly Chen Duxiu’s Right-opportunism [28] and Wang Ming’s "Left"-opportunist dogmatism [29], allowing the Chinese revolution to embark on the correct path. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee [30], the Party—on the basis of summarizing historical experience—corrected the error of "taking class struggle as the key link" [31] from the preceding period and thoroughly negated the "Cultural Revolution," putting China's socialist construction on a track of sound development. Since the 18th National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has deeply advanced the Great New Project of Party Building. With unprecedented courage and determination, it has carried out the building of Party conduct, a clean government, and the anti-corruption struggle. It has solved many chronic problems and "stubborn ailments" that people had long wanted to solve but could not. It eliminated hidden dangers within the Party, the state, and the military that could have led to serious consequences at any time, fundamentally reversing the "lax and soft" state of Party governance that had been a cause for concern. This has pushed the cause of the Party and the country toward historical achievements and historical transformations. Therefore, in his speech at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Xi Jinping pointed out: "Over the past hundred years, the Party has relied on developing people's democracy and accepting the people’s supervision from without, and on comprehensively and strictly governing the Party and promoting self-revolution from within. It has had the courage to uphold truth and correct errors, and the courage to turn the blade inward to scrape the poison off the bone [32], ensuring that the Party remains everlasting and continues to grow and develop." The Party’s century of struggle and its great achievements demonstrate that as long as it persists in upholding truth and correcting errors for the interests of the people, the Party will always stand invincible.
III. Seeking Truth from Facts as the Party's Ideological and Work Style
Ideological style refers to the attitude toward life, ideological state, and spiritual outlook formed under the guidance of a certain worldview, outlook on life, and values; work style is the concrete manifestation of ideological style in practical work. As the Party's ideological line, seeking truth from facts is not only the Party’s ideological method, work method, and leadership method, but also the Party's ideological style and work style.
(1) Seeking Truth and Being Pragmatic: The Ideological and Work Style of Seeking Truth from Facts
The ideological and work style of seeking truth from facts is centrally manifested as "seeking truth and being pragmatic" (求真务实) in thought and action. This is an inevitable requirement of the worldview of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, and the outlook on life and values determined by them. Xi Jinping pointed out: "Leading officials must seek truth and be pragmatic, vigorously carry forward our Party's fine ideological and work styles, speak the truth, do solid work, and be honest people [33]. This is the stylistic guarantee for adhering to seeking truth from facts. To persist in seeking truth and being pragmatic, one must work hard on 'seeking truth' and, even more so, make a real impact on 'being pragmatic.' In particular, one must report the truth, propose practical measures, do practical work, and seek practical results." This discourse shows that reporting the truth, proposing practical measures, doing practical work, and seeking practical results are the concrete manifestations of seeking truth and being pragmatic as an organic unity. They are also the focus of the construction of the Party's ideological and work style in the New Era.
"Reporting the truth (讲实情) means describing things as they truly are, speaking the truth, and speaking the truth of the matter." According to this discourse by Xi Jinping, reporting the truth first requires describing the original appearance of things. To do this, one must first recognize and grasp their original appearance. For leading officials, to recognize and grasp the original appearance of things, they must value and carry out investigation and research. As mentioned earlier, investigation and research are necessary requirements for adhering to seeking truth from facts as an ideological, work, and leadership method; they are the fundamental path for leading officials to fully understand and grasp the "facts" and to deeply explore and master the laws of development. In Xi Jinping's view, the conduct of investigation and research by leading officials itself involves issues of ideological and work style. First, one must "physically enter" the grassroots, and even more importantly, "mentally reach" the grassroots. "Physically entering" means looking downward and stepping downward; it means putting aside airs, bending down, and going to the front lines. One must go to both near and far places, see both good and bad situations, and hear both praise and criticism. One cannot engage in "show-style" research, "potted landscape" research [34], or "dragonfly skimming the water" research [35]. "Mentally reaching" the grassroots means having the sincerity, determination, and perseverance to comprehensively and deeply understand reality and serve the grassroots and the masses; it means not just going through the motions, not retreating in the face of difficulties, and not stopping at superficial knowledge. Only in this way can one understand the truth and truly grasp the situation thoroughly. Second, one must truly study problems and study true problems. Studying "true problems" means maintaining a strong sense of problem-awareness and a clear problem-orientation at all times—it means going into investigation and research with problems in mind and with the aim of solving them. The fundamental purpose of investigation and research is to solve problems; so-called "research" that does not study true problems or is not truly intended to solve problems is meaningless. "Truly studying" problems means conducting in-depth analysis and reflection, as Mao Zedong said: discarding the dross and selecting the essential, eliminating the false and retaining the true, proceeding from the one to the other and from the outside to the inside, so as to profoundly grasp the essence and laws of things and truly find effective ways to solve problems.
Reporting the truth also includes speaking the truth and speaking the truth of the matter. Xi Jinping emphasized: "Speaking the truth is an important manifestation of a leading official possessing the truth, holding justice, having a public heart, and possessing integrity." Whether an official seeks truth from facts in their work can be observed from various aspects, but the primary indicator is whether they speak the truth and speak honestly. Xi Jinping pointed out that the prerequisite for speaking the truth is listening to the truth. To this end, he particularly emphasized creating a favorable atmosphere where everyone speaks the truth, speaks honestly, and speaks from the heart. People should be encouraged to truthfully reflect objective reality and put forward various differing opinions. He advocates for the conscious practice of criticism and self-criticism and resolutely opposes the phenomenon of "vulgarization" in inner-Party life, such as mutual flattery and sycophancy. For example, some people are particularly skilled at "observing words and expressions" (察言观色); before a superior leader comes to investigate, they prepare several scenarios in advance, and once the leader arrives, they provide materials tailored to what they speculate the leader's intentions to be. To fundamentally eliminate this phenomenon, leading officials must proceed from objective reality during investigations. They cannot go down with a pre-set "tone" (调子); they must base their conclusions on solid and in-depth investigation and research. Regarding the various situations and problems discovered, they must respect the facts and insist on "calling a spade a spade" (有一是一), neither reporting only the good news while hiding the bad. Xi Jinping admonished leading officials that listening to the truth is actually a form of wisdom; it allows us to take fewer detours and avoid or minimize mistakes. Xi Jinping also cited a story from the Guwen Jiyao (Essentials of Ancient Prose) to illustrate the importance of creating a good atmosphere for speaking the truth. The story goes that Pei Ju, a famous official of the early Tang Dynasty, was a sycophant and flatterer when he served in the Sui Dynasty, but when he came to the Tang Dynasty, he became a loyal and upright official who dared to provide blunt advice. Xi Jinping pointed out that this historical story shows that people will only dare and be willing to speak the truth when there is a favorable atmosphere for it.
"Proposing practical measures (出实招) means deciding on work principles according to actual conditions, not raising unrealistic slogans, not setting goals that exceed the current stage, and not doing impractical things." According to this discourse by Xi Jinping, to propose practical measures, the most important thing is to decide on work principles according to actual conditions. As early as the Yan'an period, Mao Zedong made a similar argument. In the article "Reform Our Study," when explaining the "attitude of seeking truth from facts"—that is, the style of seeking truth from facts—Mao clearly pointed out that based on this attitude, we must proceed from the actual conditions we face, grasp the internal connections between various things in objective reality, and arrive at regular knowledge to serve as "the guide for our action." Xi Jinping's aforementioned judgment is actually a further development of Mao Zedong's discourse; it specifies what Mao called "the guide for our action" as "work principles" and further explains how to decide on these principles according to actual conditions. Xi Jinping particularly emphasized that we must plan all undertakings based on reality, ensuring that policies, measures, and plans conform to objective reality and its laws; we must never violate the scientific spirit or be overly ambitious.
Xi Jinping's emphasis on proposing practical measures and deciding on work principles based on actual conditions is an inheritance and development of Mao Zedong's thought on seeking truth from facts, as well as a profound summary of the Party's historical experience. In the Party's century-long history, there were several instances where work principles were not decided according to actual conditions—especially "Left" errors that exceeded the historical stage—all of which caused the Party's cause to suffer major setbacks and losses. During the period of Democratic Revolution, there was a succession of Qu Qiubai's "Left" putschism, Li Lisan's "Left" adventurism, and Wang Ming's dogmatism. Although their specific manifestations differed, they shared a common characteristic: the lines and principles they formulated exceeded the developmental stage of the revolution at that time, blurred or confused the boundaries between the democratic revolution and the socialist revolution, and subjectively rushed to transcend the democratic revolution. Consequently, they all met with disastrous failure without exception. After the founding of New China, due to our lack of experience in socialist construction and insufficient understanding of economic laws and China’s basic economic conditions—and particularly because leaders developed feelings of arrogance and complacency and exaggerated the role of subjective will—the "Great Leap Forward" and the People's Commune movement were rashly launched without serious investigation, research, or scientific demonstration. This led to a serious proliferation of "Leftist" errors, primarily characterized by the "wind of exaggeration" (浮夸风) and the "communist wind" (共产风) [36]. It is in light of these historical experiences and lessons that Xi Jinping particularly emphasized that we must clearly understand and firmly grasp the basic national condition that China is in the primary stage of socialism, and always formulate various principles and policies based on this basic national condition. Xi Jinping not only emphasizes practical measures at the strategic level, but also pays special attention to practical measures at the tactical level—that is, in various specific tasks. He opposes the raising of unrealistic slogans, the setting of goals that exceed the current stage, and the doing of impractical things out of over-ambition. For example, when talking about poverty alleviation, he said we must engage in "targeted poverty alleviation" (精准扶贫), avoid shouting slogans, and not set overly ambitious goals. In March 2016, during the "Two Sessions," Xi Jinping pointed out that lifting people out of poverty and achieving high-standard moderate prosperity are two completely different things; even after poverty is eliminated, relative poverty will exist for a long time. We must do poverty alleviation work in a down-to-earth manner and not play "numerical games."
“Doing practical work means starting from the bit by bit and beginning with concrete tasks; it requires strictly refraining from formalism and bureaucratism, and strictly refraining from empty talk.” This exposition by Xi Jinping indicates that so-called “doing practical work” (办实事) means working in a down-to-earth manner and doing things of substance. It means grasping tasks firmly and working with results (真抓实干), rather than merely engaging in “stratagems on paper” [37], indulging in grandiloquence, or letting everything remain at the level of lip service. Mao Zedong also once incisively criticized this style of grandiloquence, noting that when such people give speeches, they merely list long strings of headings—A, B, C, D and 1, 2, 3, 4—and when they write articles, they produce long-winded screeds that are actually nothing more than “claptrap to please the public” [38]. He pointed out: “This style, if used to discipline oneself, harms oneself; if used to teach others, harms others.” Xi Jinping’s criticism of the style of grandiloquence is in the same line of succession as Mao Zedong’s; both aim to emphasize practical work (实干) and oppose empty talk (空谈).
Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed that “empty talk harms the nation, while practical work flourishes the state.” He said: “‘Empty talk harms the nation, while practical work flourishes the state.’ This is an important conclusion on governance summarized from the historical experience and lessons of the people over thousands of years. The ancients said: ‘Though the path is near, one does not arrive without walking; though the task is small, it is not completed without doing,’ and ‘The value of governance lies in action; it is ordered by substance and disordered by Mere ornamentation.’ History contains many lessons of empty talk harming the nation, such as Zhao Kuo [39] during the Warring States period, who could only ‘fight on paper,’ resulting in the total annihilation of 400,000 Zhao troops, after which the State of Zhao never recovered until its demise. Such warnings of national harm are thought-provoking.” Precisely in view of these historical lessons, Xi Jinping repeatedly emphasizes the importance of practical work. In December 2012, while inspecting work in Guangdong, he stated that the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation depends on practical work, the basic realization of modernization depends on practical work, and the comprehensive building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects also depends on practical work. In April 2013, during a discussion with representatives of national model workers, he pointed out: “Happiness does not fall from the sky, and dreams do not come true automatically.” We must vigorously promote a good fashion of grasping tasks firmly and working with results throughout society. Xi Jinping has many similar expositions, such as “happiness is achieved through struggle,” “a happy and beautiful life is not dropped from the heavens but created through arduous struggle,” “socialism is not shouted out but worked out,” “the New Era is achieved through struggle,” and “all the achievements we have made over the past hundred years are the result of the united struggle of the Chinese Communists, the Chinese people, and the Chinese nation.” Xi Jinping said: “Valuing practical work and relentlessly grasping implementation (抓落实) is what I have repeatedly emphasized. If one does not settle down to grasp implementation, even the best goals and blueprints will be but ‘flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water’ [40].” He also frequently emphasizes the need to grasp work with the vigor of “leaving claw marks in iron and footprints in stone” (抓铁有痕、踏石留印). This uniquely characteristic quote from Xi Jinping fully reflects his special emphasis on “doing practical work” and his high regard for practical effort.
Xi Jinping emphasizes that to do practical work and work with results, one must have the courage to take responsibility and act (担当作为). The duty and value of cadres lie in taking responsibility and acting, not in being an official to enjoy comfort. Responsibility and action are closely linked and organically unified; action inevitably entails certain risks, and therefore action requires responsibility. Only by daring to take responsibility can one truly achieve something; inaction is, in fact, a failure of responsibility. For anything beneficial to the Party's cause and the people's interests, we must be fearless of difficulties, brave in taking responsibility, and act boldly and resolutely.
Xi Jinping also concretizes “doing practical work” or “working with results” as “starting from the bit by bit and beginning with concrete tasks,” requiring people to implement this in all aspects of their work. For example, in May 2013, when meeting with outstanding youth representatives, Xi Jinping emphasized that young people should base themselves on their own positions, work hard and pragmatically, start from small things, create first-class achievements with their industrious hands, and strive to achieve their own brilliant lives. In June 2017, while inspecting work in Shanxi, he emphasized that grasping practical matters related to people’s livelihoods must be followed through to the end, doing them one by one and year after year. In his 2018 New Year Address, Xi Jinping said: “The 19th CPC National Congress mapped out a beautiful blueprint for our country's development over the next 30-odd years. A nine-story tower rises from a pile of earth [41]. To turn this blueprint into reality, we must not indulge in fantasies or be distracted by empty clamor; we must work pragmatically, step by step.”
“Seeking practical results means being vigorous and resolute, relentlessly grasping implementation, never letting go until success is achieved, and producing substantive achievements without being ambitious for greatness, making superficial displays, or putting up flowery fronts.” According to this exposition by Xi Jinping, seeking practical results means grasping implementation relentlessly and producing substantive achievements. Emphasizing practical results is intended to oppose the floating style of being ambitious for greatness, making superficial displays, and putting up flowery fronts. In reality, some cadres crave vanity, seek empty fame, and perform hollow work. They are adept at engaging in the “fake, big, empty, and hollow” (假、大、空) to put up appearances or “water down” data [42]. They often use “flowery fronts” (花架子) to deceive the organization, put on “fake acts” to fool the masses, and create “typical examples,” “potted landscapes” [43], and “showcases” to display political performance. These look glamorous or even grand on the surface, but in substance, they are the moon in the water or flowers in a mirror. Xi Jinping points out that these various manifestations are completely contrary to the style of seeking truth from facts and must be fundamentally overcome.
The key to seeking practical results is relentlessly grasping implementation. So-called relentless implementation means daring to face problems directly, not dodging in the face of contradictions, not being afraid in the face of challenges, and not retreating in the face of difficulties. It means stepping up and standing firm during critical moments and emergencies and withstanding the test. It means grasping the key points, applying precision, daring to “gnaw on hard bones” [44], and staying focused and persistent until results are produced. Xi Jinping points out that grasping implementation should start from the following aspects: First, establishing a correct outlook on political performance (政绩观). On the issue of implementation, different outlooks on performance lead to different methods and results. An important reason why some people cannot grasp implementation and are keen on “vanity projects” (形象工程) that are flashy but impractical—or even wasteful—is that their outlook on performance has gone wrong. Specifically, they are plagued by grave individualism, seeking to build a personal image and pave the way for their own promotion while forgetting the Party’s fundamental purpose of serving the people whole-heartedly. “If our actions and work are beneficial to the state above and the people below; if they meet the requirements of both the immediate and long-term interests of the state and the people; and if they can promote economic and social development as well as national prosperity and people's happiness, then we have achieved the true political performance needed by the Party and the people.” Only by establishing such an outlook on performance and placing the starting point of implementation on being responsible to the Party and benefiting the people can we create achievements that can withstand the test of practice, the people, and history. Second, persisting with perseverance. To achieve persistence in implementation, several qualities must be forged: First, the determination and perseverance to “clutch the green mountain and never let go” [45] until the goal is reached. If implementation is not frequent, repeated, and sustained, but instead intermittent, hot and cold, or starts strong but ends weak, it is impossible to produce results. Second, carrying forward the “spirit of the nail” (钉钉子精神). Xi Jinping said that in our work, we must have the spirit of the nail. A nail is usually not driven in with a single blow; it often requires repeated strikes, one by one, until it is driven firm and solid. After one is firm, we move to the next. By continuing in this way, great results will surely be achieved. Third, having the mindset that “success does not have to be mine” (功成不必在我). With such a mindset, one can prevent and consciously correct various behaviors of seeking quick success and instant benefits, avoiding greed for immediate credit or temporary fame, and instead following one blueprint to the end—especially prioritizing and finding joy in doing work that builds foundations and benefits the long term. Third, ensuring that all measures are implemented with meticulousness and stability (落细、落稳). Some policies cannot be implemented, or implementation is inadequate or distorted; these are mostly problems of the “last kilometer” [46]. The “last kilometer” problem is often caused by supporting measures being too “coarse” or lacking sufficient refinement and quantification. Therefore, “the work of implementation must be grasped very specifically, very meticulously, and very solidly. This is also an inevitable requirement for carrying forward the fine style of seeking truth in a pragmatic way and grasping tasks firmly and working with results. In some localities, departments, and units, many problems exist objectively. The reason they are not seen, thought of, grasped, or solved is largely due to being ‘coarse’ and ‘hollow,’ and work not being specific, meticulous, or solid. The ancients said: ‘The great affairs of the world must be started from the fine details.’ The process of implementation is also a process of accumulating small victories into big ones and accumulating steps to reach a thousand miles. By starting from the fine details, implementation will daily show its effects.”
In short, telling the truth, proposing practical measures, doing practical work, and seeking practical results are the basic requirements for upholding the Party's ideological and work style of seeking truth from facts. Xi Jinping pointed out that if our leading cadres at all levels could consciously persist in seeking truth in a pragmatic way and truly tell the truth, propose practical measures, do practical work, and seek practical results at all times and in all places, then the requirement of seeking truth from facts would become concrete action in every locality, department, and unit.
2. The Construction of the Party’s Style of Seeking Truth from Facts
Xi Jinping points out that whether one persists in the ideological and work style of seeking truth from facts and being pragmatic is an important reflection of whether a leading cadre's Party spirit (党性) is pure and strong. The problem that most needs solving in persisting in seeking truth from facts is the problem of Party spirit. Leading cadres at all levels must consciously take the lead in strengthening their own Party spirit cultivation (党性修养), always uphold the fundamental purpose of serving the people whole-heartedly, and strive to cultivate an ideological state where the people's interests and the Party's cause come first, alongside a character of public-mindedness and selflessness. They must use strong Party spirit to guarantee the achievement of seeking truth from facts. He said that whether a cadre persists in seeking truth from facts can be examined from many different aspects, the most fundamental of which is to see if they tell the truth and speak facts, and whether they do practical work and seek practical results. This is especially true for the vast number of young cadres, who must base their life and work on Party spirit and take the “Three Honests” [47] style—speaking honest words, doing honest things, and being an honest person—as an important part of Party spirit cultivation, consciously persisting in seeking truth in a pragmatic way, daring to uphold the truth, and being good at independent thinking.
Xi Jinping emphasizes that the ideological and work style of seeking truth from facts and being pragmatic is a glorious tradition of the Party. As early as the Yan'an period, Mao Zedong emphasized that Communists should be models of seeking truth from facts, and only by persisting in seeking truth from facts can the established tasks be completed. During the Yan'an Rectification Movement [48], Mao Zedong not only gave an incisive exposition of seeking truth from facts but also effectively established it as the Party's ideological line. Entering the new period of reform and opening up, Deng Xiaoping emphasized even more that there must be a thorough spirit of seeking truth in a pragmatic way. He said he had not read many books; the most fundamental principle he followed was believing in Mao Zedong's “seeking truth from facts.” Precisely because of this spirit of seeking truth in a pragmatic way, Deng Xiaoping was able to correctly handle various major issues facing the Party and the state, leading the Party and the people to overcome major risks and challenges and opening a new situation for the cause of the Party and the state. Other members of the older generation of proletarian revolutionaries also possessed this thorough spirit of seeking truth in a pragmatic way. Comrade Zhu De always persisted in seeking truth from facts and being pragmatic; many of his insights were the crystallization of seeking truth from facts. Comrade Liu Shaoqi always sought truth from facts, dared to face problems directly, and was always ready to uphold the truth and correct errors; he was a brilliant example of daring to take responsibility and being courageous in creation. Comrade Zhou Enlai spent his life bravely shouldering heavy responsibilities and working his heart out with endurance; he was an outstanding model of daring to take responsibility and giving his all until his last breath. Comrade Chen Yun was rich in the spirit of seeking truth from facts; his life was a life of practicing seeking truth from facts. Comrade Wan Li possessed a pioneering spirit of seeking truth from facts and daring to explore; he always persisted in proceeding from reality in everything. Comrade Hu Yaobang possessed the excellent qualities of seeking truth in a pragmatic way and daring to take responsibility; he persisted in the principle of seeking truth from facts and practiced it personally. Comrade Liu Huaqing sought truth in a pragmatic way and grasped tasks firmly and worked with results; he was an active practitioner of seeking truth from facts. After the 13th National Congress of the CPC, the Chinese Communists, with Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao as their chief representatives, continued to struggle, always persisting in the important "magic weapon" (法宝) of seeking truth from facts, which must never be abandoned for a moment, and promoted the continuous development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Xi Jinping pointed out that after the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee [49], the Party summarized its historical experience and lessons, reestablished the ideological line of liberating the mind and seeking truth from facts, and attached great importance to grasping the construction of work styles. The spiritual outlook and work styles of the entire Party took on an entirely new look, providing an important guarantee for the cause of reform and opening up and socialist modernization. However, along with profound changes in the global, national, and Party situation, while the ideological and work styles of Party organizations at all levels and of Party members and cadres are generally good, various problems regarding work styles have increasingly confronted the entire Party. Some of these problems are extremely serious, manifesting in a concentrated manner as the "Four Winds": formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance. Among these, formalism is mainly manifested as a "sea of meetings and a wilderness of documents" [50], "flowery fists and embroidered legs" [51], the pursuit of vanity, and fraud; its essence is subjectivism and utilitarianism, and its root lies in a displaced view of political achievements and a lack of sense of responsibility. Bureaucratism is mainly manifested as being divorced from reality and the masses, acting high and mighty, self-inflation, and egotism; its essence is the lingering influence of feudal "officialdom" [52] ideology, and its root lies in a serious "official-oriented" [53] mentality and a distorted view of power. Hedonism is mainly manifested as spiritual lethargy, the pursuit of pleasure, and the prevalence of a "playboy" culture; its essence is the decline of revolutionary will and the dissipation of the spirit of struggle, and its root is that the "master switch" has not been tightened—that is, there are problems with one's worldview, outlook on life, and values. Finally, the "Four Winds" of extravagance is mainly manifested as ostentation and waste, profligacy, a luxurious lifestyle, and even corruption and degeneracy; its essence is enslavement by the ideology of the exploiting classes and the pursuit of a decayed lifestyle, and its root is ideological depravity and the inflation of material desires. These "Four Winds" seriously deviate from the Party's fundamental purpose, seriously corrupt the Party's fine style of seeking truth from facts and being realistic and pragmatic, seriously damage the relationship between the Party and the masses and between cadres and the masses, and are the problems the people loathe and react to most strongly; they are also the important source of other problems currently existing within the Party. After the 18th National Congress of the CPC [54], the Party Central Committee formulated and issued the Eight-Point Regulations and carried out an in-depth "Educational Practice Activity for the Party’s Mass Line" throughout the Party, centered on the themes of "for the people, pragmatism, and integrity." Directly focused on opposing the "Four Winds," this aimed to educate all Party members, especially leading cadres, to earnestly practice the Party’s fundamental purpose, effectively implement the Party's mass viewpoint and mass line, and carry forward the Party's glorious traditions and fine styles, including the style of seeking truth from facts and being realistic and pragmatic.
According to Xi Jinping’s exposition, carrying forward the style of seeking truth from facts and being realistic and pragmatic is an important objective of conducting the educational practice activity for the Party’s mass line and resolving the problems of the "Four Winds." To effectively solve the "Four Winds" problem, one must also persist in and carry forward the fine style of seeking truth from facts and being realistic and pragmatic. Xi Jinping noted that in the educational practice activity for the Party’s mass line, we must proceed from reality, identify the correct targets, shoot the arrow at the target [55], focus on grasping and solving principal contradictions, and strive for practical results. We must persist without letup, seeing things through from beginning to end and ensuring that what is started is finished well, so as to continuously achieve and consolidate new results in the construction of work styles. We must establish long-term mechanisms, grasping the work frequently and over the long term, and persevere in correcting the "Four Winds" while establishing new trends.
Xi Jinping emphasized that the issue of the Party's work style is by no means a small matter; it concerns the Party's image, the winning or losing of public support, and even the life or death of the Party. We must regard the construction of work styles as an eternal subject of Party building, grasping it with the tenacity of "always being on the road." We must persist in grasping the work frequently, minutely, and over the long term, ensuring that the improvement of work styles is standardized, normalized, and institutionalized. This will lead to a comprehensive improvement in the Party’s style, allow the fine style of seeking truth from facts and being realistic and pragmatic to be continuously carried forward, ensure the Party always breathes the same air and shares the same stake and heart as the people, and ensure that the requirements for comprehensively and strictly governing the Party are truly implemented.