Dai Yuqi: Persist in and Develop the "Fengqiao Experience" in the New Era to Build a Higher-Level Peaceful China
This year marks the 60th anniversary of Comrade Mao Zedong’s instruction to learn from and promote the "Fengqiao Experience" [1] and the 20th anniversary of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s instruction to uphold and develop the "Fengqiao Experience." When meeting with representatives of units selected for the national "Fengqiao-style working method," General Secretary Xi Jinping encouraged them to build on their achievements, to uphold and develop the "Fengqiao Experience" in the New Era, and to make new and greater contributions to advancing the construction of a higher-level Peaceful China. On the New Journey, if our country’s grassroots social governance is to demonstrate a new outlook and achieve new accomplishments, we must accurately grasp the essential essence of the "Fengqiao Experience," inherit and innovate the working methods of the "Fengqiao Experience" in the New Era, and deploy a "combination punch" of grassroots governance strategies.
1. The Temporal Inheritance of the "Fengqiao Experience"
Famous for its grassroots governance pattern of "not passing contradictions upward, ensuring peace and zero incidents, and never being absent from service," the "Fengqiao Experience" originated during the period of socialist construction, developed during the new period of reform and opening up, and has been innovated in the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It has continuously transformed and developed alongside changes in the principal contradiction [2] of society, demonstrating enduring and vigorous vitality.
During the Socialist Education Movement in the 1960s, as a pilot site for Zhejiang Province at the time, the cadres and masses of Fengqiao Town in Zhuji, Shaoxing, achieved remarkable results by presenting facts, reasoning, and conducting "reasoned struggle" (shuōlǐ dǒuzhēng). The core content of the "Fengqiao Experience" at its birth was to mobilize the masses through grassroots Party organizations so as not to pass contradictions and sharp problems up to higher authorities. Extended to grassroots social management, this means giving full play to the Party's political advantages, relying on grassroots organizations and the broad masses to resolve various contradictions and disputes locally, and minimizing problems by resolving them in their nascent state.
Since the beginning of reform and opening up, the "Fengqiao Experience" has consistently adhered to mobilizing and relying on the masses to innovate mass prevention and mass governance. It creatively implemented the "Four Premiers" [3] working method for contradictions and disputes—namely, "organizational building ahead of work, prediction ahead of prevention, prevention ahead of mediation, and mediation ahead of escalation." This allowed for the local digestion of a large number of disputes and general public security issues, achieving a favorable situation of "fewer contradictions, good public order, rapid development, and social-civilizational progress," becoming a national model for the comprehensive management of social security.
Entering the new century, Zhejiang was in a critical period of major economic development and social transformation. New and old problems intertwined, and contradictions and disputes increased; the "Fengqiao Experience" once again exerted its unique advantages. Xi Jinping, then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, focused on correctly handling the relationship between reform, development, and stability. He proposed important formulations such as "maintaining social harmony and stability is also a political achievement," "we want 'peace,' not 'mediocrity'," and "one must be prepared to risk their 'black gauze cap' [4] to work for the people." Under his advocacy and promotion, the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee proposed that, according to the new situations and characteristics of maintaining social stability under new circumstances, learning and promoting the "Fengqiao Experience" of the new period should be the general grasp for strengthening the comprehensive management of social security. Fengqiao Town took the lead in Zhejiang in carrying out activities to create "Peaceful [Townships]," establishing the country’s first comprehensive management work center. The "Fengqiao Experience" was further pushed into the depths of social management, exploring, innovating, and practicing a new path for social management, forming a work pattern in which "the Party and government act, the masses are relied upon, prevention starts at the source, governance is conducted according to law, contradictions are reduced, and harmony is promoted."
Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has issued a series of important instructions on upholding and developing the "Fengqiao Experience" in the New Era. He emphasized that "Party committees and governments at all levels must fully recognize the great significance of the 'Fengqiao Experience,' carry forward fine styles of work, adapt to the requirements of the times, innovate mass work methods, and be adept at using rule-of-law thinking and rule-of-law methods to resolve contradictions and problems involving the vital interests of the masses." This bestowed the "Fengqiao Experience" with new connotations of the era. The "Fengqiao Experience" in the New Era has expanded from villages to new spaces such as communities and the internet, and from the field of social security to new fields such as politics, economy, culture, society, and ecology, characterized by distinct features and wide application. In recent years, the "Fengqiao Experience" in the New Era has been successively written into the Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Several Major Issues Concerning Upholding and Improving the System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Advancing the Modernization of the National Governance System and Governance Capability, the Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party’s Centennial Endeavor, and the Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC.
2. The Value Connotation of the "Fengqiao Experience"
Looking at the developmental trajectory of the "Fengqiao Experience" from its birth to its evolution and innovation, although it has different forms of expression in different historical periods, it always demonstrates a unique value connotation that is passed down through a single lineage and remains fresh over time.
Unswervingly adhering to the Marxist standpoint of the people. The standpoint of the people is the fundamental standpoint of Marxism and the basic attribute of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The "Fengqiao Experience" is precisely an effective manifestation of the people-centered development philosophy. Everything for the masses and everything relying on the masses has always been the essence of the "Fengqiao Experience." From its inception, the "Fengqiao Experience" has consistently adhered to the main line of being people-centered, actively adapting to changes in the principal contradiction of society. It evolved from mobilizing the masses to create the experience of "not passing contradictions upward and resolving them locally," to relying on the masses for prevention and mediation to digest a large number of disputes and general security issues—forming the experience of "small matters do not leave the village, big matters do not leave the town, and contradictions are not passed upward"—and finally to the integration of self-governance, the rule of law, and the rule of virtue. This has formed the "Fengqiao Experience" of the New Era, characterized by "not passing contradictions upward, ensuring peace and zero incidents, and never being absent from service." It truly observes the people’s conditions, gathers the people’s wisdom, and unites the people’s hearts. It ensures that the masses dare to and are good at self-governance, while the government trusts and supports self-governance. By organically combining respect for the people’s principal status with the maintenance of the people’s fundamental interests, the masses become broad participants and the primary beneficiaries of grassroots social governance.
Advancing with the times to develop the theory of social governance of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The "Fengqiao Experience" is a practical exploration carried out on the basis of the universal principles of Marxism combined with the specific realities of China’s social governance, completing an effective transformation from practical experience to a theoretical paradigm. When Marx and Engels conceived of communist society, they pointed out that it would be a social form based on the principle of the comprehensive and free development of every individual. A society organized according to communist principles would organize social production in a planned way and vigorously develop the productive forces to meet the needs of all members of society. These viewpoints all contain the ideas of co-construction, co-governance, and sharing. After the founding of New China, Comrade Mao Zedong, in light of China’s reality, called for learning from the experience of Fengqiao Town: "Under the leadership of the Party, mobilize and rely on the masses, persist in not passing contradictions upward, resolve them locally, and achieve fewer arrests and good social order." As the times developed and China’s social structure underwent profound transformation, problems of unbalanced and uncoordinated development began to emerge. Xi Jinping, then Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, emphasized: "We must fully cherish the 'Fengqiao Experience,' vigorously promote the 'Fengqiao Experience,' and continuously innovate the 'Fengqiao Experience'." Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has many times issued instructions and comments on upholding and developing the "Fengqiao Experience," emphasizing: "Uphold and develop the 'Fengqiao Experience' in the New Era, accurately grasp the demands of the masses, and promptly resolve the difficulties and contradictions of the grassroots masses." General Secretary Xi Jinping’s new concepts, thoughts, and strategies regarding the persistent innovation and development of the "Fengqiao Experience" are the fundamental guidance for promoting the modernization of grassroots social governance. They fully demonstrate that the social governance system of socialism with Chinese characteristics—with the "Fengqiao Experience" as an important component—possesses unique advantages, and they point the way for the innovative development of the "Fengqiao Experience." The "Fengqiao Experience" is not only an important part of the major achievements and historical experience of the CPC's centennial struggle, but has also become an organic component of upholding and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capability.
Providing experienced methods for advancing the modernization of national governance in the New Era. The goals and methods of the "Fengqiao Experience" have always centered on social development and the resolution of contradictions, highlighting strong era-specific characteristics and showing broad prospects for grassroots social governance. Currently, the changes of the world, of the times, and of history are unfolding in unprecedented ways, requiring national governance—especially grassroots social governance as the microscopic foundation—to continuously update its concepts and methods. The "Fengqiao Experience" persists in the principal status of the masses and activates the vitality of the masses in participating in social governance; it persists in innovating the legalization of dispute mediation, encouraging the broad masses to respect, study, observe, and use the law to enhance rule-of-law constraints; it persists in combining national macro-policies with regional social realities and combining traditional culture with the spirit of the times to create a culture of the rule of virtue; and it persists in the application of digital innovation carriers to extend the governance space from offline to online, innovating new technologies of digital governance and creating a social governance pattern of co-construction, co-governance, and sharing. This helps provide reference and inspiration for grassroots governance in the New Era, promoting the transformation of precious grassroots governance experience into the "panorama" of Chinese governance, and accelerating the pace of modernizing national governance.
3. Constructing a Higher-Level Peaceful China
Constructing a Peaceful China is an important goal of social governance in the New Era, and the "Fengqiao Experience" is an important grasp for achieving this goal. For 60 years, the "Fengqiao Experience" has set out from Fengqiao, continuously advancing with the times and undergoing iterative upgrades, reflecting enduring and vigorous vitality. "Fengqiao-style working methods" have emerged across the country like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Only by upholding and developing the "Fengqiao Experience" in the New Era and creating a harmonious and stable social environment can we make new and greater contributions to advancing the construction of a higher-level Peaceful China.
Uphold the Party's leadership, combined with mobilizing and relying on the masses. The Party's leadership is the political soul of the "Fengqiao Experience" and reflects its essential characteristics. "Mobilizing and relying on the masses" is the essence of the "Fengqiao Experience," running through every historical period of its existence. As an important practical experience of the CPC, the key to the success of the "Fengqiao Experience" is to give full play to the leadership core role of the Party in overseeing the overall situation and coordinating all parties. Since Comrade Mao Zedong issued the instruction in 1963 that "all localities should emulate this, and after pilot testing, promote its implementation," the "Fengqiao Experience" has become a model for upholding and implementing the Party's mass line and has continuously formed new experiences with characteristics of the times. Only by fully recognizing the great significance of the "Fengqiao Experience," carrying forward fine styles of work, and adapting to the requirements of the times can we truly uphold the "Fengqiao Experience" well and implement the Party's mass line well. Only by deeply tapping into the social governance wisdom hidden among the masses and promptly refining and sublimating innovative measures in mass work can the experience and effectiveness of our work play a positive role on a larger scale and stimulate the endogenous power of social governance.
Persist in the supremacy of the people, focusing on the urgent, difficult, and anxious problems of the masses. The people are the creators of history and the fundamental force determining the future and destiny of the Party and the country. The supremacy of the people is the core concept of the "Fengqiao Experience," and realizing the interests of the people is its fundamental value orientation. The "Fengqiao Experience" always puts the needs and interests of the masses first, pays attention to their practical problems, and focuses on their urgent, difficult, and anxious issues. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must persist in treating the small matters of the masses as our own big matters, starting from the things the masses care about and the things that satisfy them." On the New Journey into the New Era, to continue leveraging the advantages of the "Fengqiao Experience" and build a higher-level Peaceful China, we must realize, maintain, and develop the fundamental interests of the broadest majority of the people. Through extensive investigation and research and a deep understanding of the true needs of the masses, we must always maintain a problem-oriented approach, discovering and correcting embryonic and trend-related problems early to prevent them from breeding or deteriorating. By effectively preventing and resolving potential risks and problems, we can truly transform social governance experience into the great practice of creating a better life for the people and constructing a higher-level Peaceful China.
Persist in systems thinking and improve a comprehensive mechanism for multifaceted prevention, mediation, and resolution. Social security is managed by society; comprehensive management is grasped comprehensively. The most prominent feature of the "Fengqiao Experience" in the New Era is the persistence in coordinating development and addressing the root causes. By firmly grasping the grassroots foundations, it promotes the standardization, institutionalization, and legalization of grassroots social governance, minimizing contradictions and risks by resolving them at the grassroots level. By integrating various resources and forces, the "Fengqiao Experience" forms a comprehensive mechanism with multifaceted participation and governance, takes all aspects of social governance into consideration, and effectively resolves problems by coordinating the interests of all parties. To uphold and develop the "Fengqiao Experience" in the New Era, we must promote multi-party participation, continuously innovate mechanisms, and encourage more subjects—including the government, enterprises, community organizations, and residents—to participate in and govern together. We must establish mechanisms for consultation, cooperation, and co-governance, and explore ways to improve channels for political, ideological, organizational, capacity, and mechanical leadership, providing more innovative power for the construction of a Peaceful China.