Chen Long and Zhang Tao: A Review of Research on Chen Yun Since the New Century

As a key member of the Party's first and second generation of central collective leadership, Chen Yun made significant contributions to the development of the Party and the country's cause. As 2025 marks the 120th anniversary of Chen Yun's birth, comprehensively systematically reviewing domestic research results since the turn of the century is of positive significance for further advancing the study of Chen Yun’s life and thought within the perspective of the New Era, and for better inheriting and promoting Chen Yun's noble spiritual character.

I. Overview of Research

Since the beginning of the new century, the successive publication and revision of historical documents and materials related to Chen Yun’s life and thought, the emergence of a large number of research monographs and papers, and the leadership and promotion provided by academic institutions and conferences have greatly advanced the prosperity and depth of Chen Yun studies, while also revealing several new research trends.

First, the compilation and publication of relevant documents and foundational historical materials have provided important new evidence for Chen Yun studies. For example, in 2000, Jiang Zemin inscribed the title for the Selected Manuscripts of Chen Yun, jointly edited and published by the Central Documents Research Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Central Archives. It collects 221 items—including telegrams, letters, instructions, outlines, study notes, and reading annotations—written by Chen Yun between 1939 and 1994. Most were published for the first time, making it an essential original text for Chen Yun studies. In the same year, the Fourth Research Department of the Central Documents Research Office edited and published In Memory of Chen Yun, which features selected articles written by Party and state leaders, veteran comrades, economists, figures from the arts and culture circles, family members, and close staff. These articles record Chen Yun's major historical deeds, discuss his primary thoughts, and praise his spiritual character. They hold significant historical reference value and led to a subsequent boom in the publication of Chen Yun documentaries, oral histories, interviews, commemorative collections, and pictorial biographies.

In 2005, on the centenary of Chen Yun’s birth, the Central Documents Research Office not only released the three-volume Collected Works of Chen Yun but also compiled and published the two-volume Biography of Chen Yun. The Collected Works include important articles, manuscripts, speeches, and talk records from 1935 to 1986, most of which were publicized for the first time. The Biography records Chen Yun’s intellectual life and achievements, particularly presenting his important deeds and thoughts following the founding of New China. In 2015, on the 110th anniversary of his birth, the Central Documents Research Office published a revised edition of the Chronological Life of Chen Yun (Chen Yun Nianpu). Based on the 2000 version, this edition incorporated existing research results and added many new historical materials and documents. Richer and more detailed, it integrates documentary, academic, ideological, and biographical qualities, serving as an authoritative chronological work. That same year, the Central Documents Research Office released a four-volume edition of the Biography of Chen Yun. Compared to the 2005 version, the new edition was updated and supplemented with content regarding Chen Yun's important thoughts and practices during the new period of reform and opening up, as well as his new contributions to economic and Party building. This made the biography more complete, providing not only more detailed accounts of his life but also in-depth analyses of his key thoughts and decisions—such as his role in reform and opening up and his reflections on economic structural reform—allowing readers to gain a more comprehensive understanding of his thought and contributions.

Second, the consecutive emergence of a vast array of research results has greatly enriched Chen Yun studies. According to a search of the "Duxiu" database using "Chen Yun" as a subject term, between 2000 and 2024 (excluding original historical documents), there were over 150 types of research monographs, essay collections, and albums, with publication peaks occurring around the 100th and 110th anniversaries of his birth. Representative works include Chen Yun’s Extraordinary Path by Sun Yeli and Xiong Lianghua (People's Publishing House, 2001); the two-volume Review of Chen Yun Research compiled by the Chen Yun Research Group of the Central Documents Research Office (Central Documents Publishing House, 2004); Chen Yun and Investigation and Research by Liu Jiadong (Central Documents Publishing House, 2004); Research on Chen Yun's Economic Philosophical Thought by Jin Bangqiu (Central Documents Publishing House, 2005); Chen Yun at Historical Moments by Chi Aiping and Xiong Lianghua (People's Publishing House, 2005); Chen Yun's Later Years by Yang Mingwei (People's Publishing House, 2005); Chen Yun in Daily Life edited by Yu Jundao (Central Documents Publishing House, 2005); Chen Yun's Personality and the Building of the Party's Advanced Nature edited by Zhu Mingde (CPC Central Party School Press, 2006); Chen Yun by Zhu Jiamu, Chi Aiping, and Zhao Shigang (Central Documents Publishing House, 2010); the essay collections On Chen Yun (2010) and Further Discussions on Chen Yun (2020) by Zhu Jiamu (Central Documents Publishing House); Research on Chen Yun's Decision-Making Thought (2011) and Research on Chen Yun's Leadership Thought (2017) by Liu Yaojing (People's Publishing House); Research on Chen Yun and the Sinicization of Marxism by Wang Shuhui (Tianjin People's Publishing House, 2014); Chen Yun's Exploration of the Path of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics by Zhang Feng'ao (People's Publishing House, 2015); Chen Yun and the Institutional Building of the Communist Party of China by Yan Aiyun (People's Publishing House, 2015); Chen Yun Research Series: Chen Yun and Party Building by Fang Zhong (People's Publishing House, 2017); and The Wisdom of Chen Yun by Cao Yingwang (Shanghai People's Publishing House, 2021), among others.

Regarding academic papers, a search of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database for journal articles published between 2000 and 2024 using "Chen Yun" as a subject term—excluding reprints and non-research items—reveals approximately 4,500 journal articles, with two peaks in 2005 and 2015. Scholars such as Zhu Jiamu, Chi Aiping, Zhang Feng’ao, Cao Yingwang, Wang Jiayun, and Dong Zhikai rank among the most prolific. Research content covers all periods of Chen Yun’s life, with themes including his historical contributions, economic thought, Party building thought, philosophical thought, ideological methods, and spiritual character. Furthermore, Chen Yun studies have become a popular topic for master’s and doctoral theses. A title search in CNKI containing "Chen Yun" shows that since the first master's thesis in 2001 (Dai Daxin's Research on Chen Yun's Agricultural Thought, Hunan Normal University), a total of 198 theses have been produced by 2024. These include 7 doctoral dissertations and 191 master's theses, with Shandong Normal University, East China Normal University, Yan'an University, Hunan Normal University, and Northeast Normal University producing the highest numbers. Research themes primarily involve Party building, economic thought, ideological and political education, "people's livelihood" ^[1] thought, and investigation and research. The periods studied mainly cover the Yan'an period, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the early years of the People's Republic of China, and the early period of reform and opening up, with most studies addressing contemporary value or practical enlightenment.

Third, academic institutions and conferences have played a positive role in leading and promoting Chen Yun studies since the start of the century. On one hand, institutions and groups such as the Central Party History and Documentation Research Institute, the National History Society of China, the "Chen Yun and Contemporary China" Research Center of the Institute of Contemporary China, the Chen Yun Memorial, and the Branch for Research on Chen Yun’s Life and Thought have exerted significant leadership. For instance, in addition to publishing Chen Yun's important works, the official website of the Central Party History and Documentation Research Institute features a dedicated Chen Yun research column. The academic seminars hosted by the "Chen Yun and Contemporary China" Research Center have become an important platform for domestic academic exchange. The Chen Yun Memorial has organized the collation of his cultural artifacts, the authentication of his personal belongings, and research into historical facts. The "Chen Yun and Contemporary China" Research Center also collaborated with the Chen Yun Memorial to establish a website that integrates research results, provides an exchange platform, and releases research news and historical data to promote resource sharing.

On the other hand, the National History Society of China, the "Chen Yun and Contemporary China" Research Center, and the Chen Yun Memorial—either independently or in collaboration with local governments and universities—have organized numerous academic conferences. Among these, the "Chen Yun and Contemporary China" Academic Seminar is the representative national platform. The annual themes of this seminar closely align with the central work of the Party and the state and the tasks of the times. For example, the themes of the 3rd, 6th, 11th, 12th, and 13th seminars were "Chen Yun and the Founding and Construction of New China," "Chen Yun and the Exploration of the Path of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics," "Chen Yun and the Governance Experience of New China," "Chen Yun Research and the New Era of Reform and Opening Up," and "Chen Yun and the 70 Years of New China," respectively. These focused on Chen Yun’s thoughts and historical contributions regarding socialist construction, reform and opening up, and the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 15th seminars focused on "Chen Yun and Party Building," "Research on Chen Yun and the Party’s Historical Experience," "Chen Yun's Party Building Thought and the Comprehensive Improvement of the Scientific Level of Party Building," "Chen Yun and the Study of Party and National History," "Chen Yun in Key Historical Periods," and "The Centenary of the CPC and Chen Yun," emphasizing his contributions to Party history and Party building. The 10th, 14th, 16th, and 17th seminars focused on "Chen Yun's Thought and the 'Four Comprehensives' Strategic Layout," "Chen Yun and the Comprehensive Building of a Moderately Prosperous Society," "Chen Yun Research and the Spirit of the 20th National Congress," and "Chen Yun and Chinese-path Modernization," aiming to provide historical experience and ideological reference for the Party Central Committee’s governance in the New Era.

Broadly speaking, as historical materials have become more abundant, the academic and theoretical communities have paid increasing attention to Chen Yun. The research perspective has gradually shifted from evaluating historical contributions to the multi-dimensional interpretation of ideological themes—extending from economic thought, Party building theory, and philosophy to views on people’s livelihoods, ecology, culture, and foreign affairs. In terms of methodology, there is an attempt to break through the narrative paradigm of historiography by introducing interdisciplinary theories—combining economics, management, political science, sociology, and quantitative statistics—and applying digital technologies. In terms of content, the research remains tethered to the themes of the era and the central tasks of the Party and state development, showing a trend of prosperity.

II. Research Focuses

The focus of the academic and theoretical communities regarding Chen Yun has evolved with the discovery and publication of new materials. Overall, many gratifying results have been achieved in the new century. In particular, research on Chen Yun’s philosophical thought, Party building thought, economic thought, and spiritual character has been especially prominent.

(1) Research on Chen Yun's Philosophical Thought

Chen Yun adhered to the guidance of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, serving as a model for learning and implementing Marxist philosophy in practice. Simultaneously, he promoted the development of Marxist philosophy—especially its Sinicization—and enriched the theory of Sinicized Marxism. Chen Yun was adept at using Marxist philosophy to analyze problems, tightly integrating the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete realities to crystallize his own philosophical thought. Lu Jianjie argues that among the Party’s high-ranking cadres and leaders, Chen Yun was...

"A model for studying philosophy, applying philosophy, and striving for philosophical innovation," his philosophical thought of "not following the higher-ups, not following books, but following only reality" deepened the materialist foundation of "Chinese Marxist philosophy." His philosophical concepts of "exchange, comparison, and repetition" deepened the epistemology of "Chinese Marxist philosophy" and the theory of historical creation regarding the masses creating history; furthermore, his philosophical thoughts on "balance, coordination, and development" made valuable contributions to the economic philosophy of "Chinese Marxist philosophy." Yang Zongli and Yang Mingwei argue that Chen Yun’s "leadership style, thinking methods, and work methods demonstrate the philosophical thinking of a Marxist statesman, which is both based on seeking truth from facts and characterized by dialectical reflection." Li Shaojun points out that Chen Yun not only emphasized the importance of studying Marxist philosophy himself but also advocated for leading cadres within the Party to study it, believing that "studying Marxist philosophy is basic ideological construction" and that "mastering philosophy is a lifelong benefit." Wang Shuhui analyzed the necessity of Chen Yun’s understanding of the Sinicization of Marxism from three dimensions—theoretical, practical, and cultural—and examined Chen Yun's specific practices and the major ideas formed in promoting the Sinicization of Marxism. Wang argues that "in the process of promoting the Sinicization of Marxism, Chen Yun always followed the principles of persisting in integrating theory with practice and seeking truth from facts, adhering to the practical and mass viewpoints, and upholding a comprehensive perspective; this reflects the vivid characteristics of the unification of materialism and dialectics, inheritance and innovation, nationality and timeliness, and principle and flexibility."

The theoretical content of Chen Yun’s philosophical thought is mainly manifested in the aspects of "realism" ^[2], "dialectics," and the "mass view of history." His philosophical summary of "no following the higher-ups, not following books, but following only reality; exchange, comparison, and repetition" is also referred to as the "Fifteen-Character Formula" ^[3], which has received continuous attention from the academic and theoretical communities. Zhu Jiamu points out that Chen Yun’s "Fifteen-Character Formula" is a means to achieve seeking truth from facts, a way for leading cadres to clarify facts and make scientific decisions, and an important method for elevating the study of Marxist philosophy to the height of the Party's fundamental self-construction. Liu Jiadong, on the other hand, provides a comprehensive discussion on the ideological origins, proposal, development, main practices, and ideological connotations of Chen Yun’s "Fifteen-Character Formula," arguing that Chen Yun’s philosophical contribution lies primarily in summarizing practical experience to highly condense the effective path to realizing the essence of Mao Zedong Thought—seeking truth from facts—the core of which is the "Fifteen-Character Formula." Luo Jiuping elucidates the main connotations of Chen Yun’s philosophical thought through Chen Yun’s materialism of "not following the higher-ups, not following books, but following only reality"; his dialectical thinking method of "exchange, comparison, and repetition"; his epistemology of "spending more than 90% of the time researching the situation and less than 10% of the time deciding policy"; and his mass view of history characterized by "Communists acting as servants for the masses." Ren Zhijiang and others elaborated on the formation process, substantive connotation, practical experience, and contemporary enlightenment of Chen Yun’s "realist view" (i.e., "realism"), arguing that Chen Yun’s "realist view" "creatively completed the unity of ontology, epistemology, praxeology, and axiology, and represents a major innovation and development of Marxist philosophical theory and Mao Zedong’s philosophical thought." Jin Bangqiu deeply analyzed the philosophical thoughts and methods contained in Chen Yun’s economic theories, arguing that "only by delving deep into Chen Yun’s economic theories can one more specifically, accurately, and completely understand and grasp his philosophical thought," and that "Chen Yun’s economic philosophical thought consists of a series of philosophical viewpoints and methods permeated throughout his economic theories, forming a cross-relationship closely linked with his philosophical thought and economic theories." Hou Shudong points out that Chen Yun’s philosophy belongs to applied philosophy, "embodying the most essential feature of Marxist philosophy: its practicality." Yan Yanzi also believes that the spiritual substance and distinct characteristic of Chen Yun’s philosophical thought is "realism."

The methodology contained in Chen Yun’s philosophical thought possesses important practical significance for Chinese Communists in improving their "mastery" ^[4] of Marxism and for governance in the New Era. Chen Linhui points out that this methodology is mainly manifested in the philosophical thinking paradigm of "mastering philosophy is a lifelong benefit," the essence of materialist dialectics in "not following books, not following the higher-ups, but following only reality," and the epistemological method of "exchange, comparison, and repetition." Liu Jiadong detailed Chen Yun’s practical investigative and research activities from the Yan'an period to the period since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee ^[5], and analyzed and summarized Chen Yun’s research methods, including "staying at a selected primary-level unit for investigation" ^[6], "inviting people up for talks," "special-topic investigation," "accumulating information anytime and anywhere," and "closely integrating investigation with research," emphasizing that Chen Yun’s investigation and research methods still hold important enlightenment today. Cao Yingwang, through a thorough combing of various aspects of Chen Yun’s work, summarized Chen Yun’s wisdom into a "Hundred-Character Mantra," which includes: "not following the higher-ups, not following books, but following only reality; exchange, comparison, and repetition"; "the difficulty lies in clarifying the situation, not in deciding policy"; "doing big things starts with doing small things"; "better to be steady than to act impulsively"; "first, eat; second, build"; "seventy percent economics, thirty percent politics"; "without agriculture there is no stability, without grain there is chaos"; "in economic work, one must consider all aspects and make overall plans with all factors taken into account"; and "truly seek welfare for the people." He argues that this wisdom, imbued with philosophical thinking, still has important guiding significance for current work in finance and economics, Party building, and culture.

(II) Research on Chen Yun’s Thought on Party Building

Chen Yun led the Party’s organizational work for a long period, forming a relatively complete body of thought on Party building that touches upon all aspects of building the Party. Chen Yun’s thought on Party building both inherited Marxist Party-building theory and integrated closely with China’s reality, taking the solution of the Party’s practical problems as its starting point to carry out localized innovation, possessing a clear practical orientation.

Regarding the theoretical content of Chen Yun’s thought on Party building, many scholars have conducted systematic reviews. Yu Yunyao summarized the content of Chen Yun’s thought on Party building into ten aspects: emphasizing the high importance of Party building and Party leadership, and stressing the advancement of China’s revolution, construction, and reform and opening-up through strengthening Party building and improving Party leadership; emphasizing that possessing strong Party spirit is the primary requirement for a member, and listing "striving for communism for a lifetime" as the first criterion for a Communist Party member; emphasizing that study is the responsibility of a Communist Party member, and that senior cadres should lead the way in diligent study and become models of learning; profoundly discussing the relationship between democracy and centralism, and emphasizing that there is no such thing as "relaxing the constraints" ^[7] regarding the principle of Party spirit and Party discipline; clearly raising the issue of the conduct of the governing party to the level of "matter of life and death for the Party"; proposing a series of important ideas and principles for strengthening cadre work, emphasizing that in selecting cadres one must "attach equal importance to integrity and ability, with integrity as the priority"; attaching great importance to the construction of primary-level Party organizations, proposing that branches should substantially play the role of a core fortress; and emphasizing leadership styles and work methods, proposing that work must involve an "artistic style of leadership" and "flexible methods of work," etc. Li Zhongjie also summarized the main content of Chen Yun’s thought on Party building into ten major aspects, including: thoughts on the Party’s historical position and leadership role; thoughts on the Party’s ideological line; thoughts on the vanguard and exemplary role of Party members; thoughts on the construction of the Party’s cadre ranks; thoughts on the education of the Party’s cadres; thoughts on the construction of the Party’s democratic centralism; thoughts on the construction of the Party’s primary-level organizations; thoughts on the relationship between the Party and the masses and the Party’s mass work; thoughts on the Party’s leadership styles and work methods; and thoughts on the construction of Party conduct and clean government. Ding Junping and others outlined the main contents of Chen Yun’s thought on Party building through many of his original assertions such as "study is the responsibility of a Communist Party member," "the issue of the conduct of the governing party is a matter of life and death for the Party," and "discipline inspection work should study new situations and adapt to new situations." In addition to holistic reviews, there are also many analyses of individual components of Chen Yun’s thought on Party building. Among them, the thought on the construction of Party conduct is the most discussed. Wang Jian and Liu Chengjun point out that "the issue of Party conduct is the logical starting point of Chen Yun’s thought on Party building," "the construction of the cadre ranks is the logical intermediary," and "the cause of the Party is the logical end point." Zhu Jiamu, by combing through Chen Yun’s discourses on the construction of the conduct of the governing party across various historical periods, summarized Chen Yun’s specific propositions for managing the conduct of the governing party: strengthening political and Party spirit education for the broad membership and leading cadres; adhering to the selection standard of cadres possessing both integrity and ability with integrity as the priority; promoting the spirit of adhering to principles and not being afraid of offending people within the Party; giving play to the role of the Party's discipline inspection departments; and requiring leading cadres at all levels, especially senior cadres, to lead by example.

Scholars share a high degree of consensus regarding the historical contribution and practical significance of Chen Yun’s thought on Party building. Yan Aiyun points out: "Chen Yun’s thoughts and practices regarding the Party's institutional construction are inseparable from the practices of the entire Party; they interact with and complement the relevant thoughts of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, becoming a tributary flowing into these two major theoretical systems. Many of his important ideas and insightful insights were directly praised and affirmed by Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, becoming important principles guiding Party building. They not only played a major role in strengthening and improving Party building but also made historical contributions to the formation and development of Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory." Fang Zhong believes that Chen Yun’s thought on Party building is an important component of Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory, "representing the specification, supplementation, and development of Mao Zedong’s theory of Party building" and "is interconnected with, influences, and reflects Deng Xiaoping’s theory on Party building." Li Zhongjie emphasizes that Chen Yun’s thought on Party building "not only made important contributions to the Sinicized Marxist theory of Party building but also has practical guiding significance for our advancement of the construction of the Party’s governing capacity and advanced nature today." Wei Xiaoliu believes that "Chen Yun’s work in the Party’s ideological construction, organizational construction, conduct construction, and the construction of a clean government and anti-corruption has made outstanding contributions to promoting the Sinicization of Marxist Party-building theory." Zhong Ligong believes that Chen Yun’s thought on Party building plays a fundamental role in the theory of building a governing party and is complementary to Deng Xiaoping’s theory on Party building. Zhu Yueyi points out: "In the new historical period, Chen Yun’s thought on Party building holds equally significant theoretical and practical significance for the Chinese Communist Party—which faces the tests of governing capacity, reform and opening up, and the changing international environment—in maintaining the education of the advanced nature of Party members." Zhu Jiamu discussed the practical significance of Chen Yun’s thought on Party building for comprehensively and strictly governing the Party from four aspects: strictness in ideology, organization, conduct, and discipline. He believes that in-depth research and publicity of Chen Yun’s thought on Party building is conducive to providing intellectual support for effectively implementing the strategic deployments for comprehensively and strictly governing the Party by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core.

(III) Research on Chen Yun’s Economic Thought

Chen Yun is generally regarded as the Party’s expert on economic affairs. His theories and practices in economics directly influenced China’s economic development, hold long-term significance for China’s socialist modernization, and have become a focus of sustained discussion in academic and theoretical circles. Scholars have approached the content and characteristics of Chen Yun’s economic thought mainly from two perspectives.

One perspective is to grasp it through the history of its development. Li Chengrui and Zhu Jiamu, by elucidating the history of the development of Chen Yun’s economic thought, summarized six major aspects of Chen Yun’s socialist economic thought, namely:

“Thoughts on constructing a socialist economy for the benefit of the people based on China’s actual conditions (Teleology and Methodology)”; “Thoughts on managing comprehensive balance and developing social productive forces in a planned and proportional manner (Theory of Comprehensive Balance)”; “Thoughts on the coordinated development of economic construction with population, environment, and resources (Theory of Coordinated Development)”; “Thoughts on ensuring that the economic system suits the nature of the productive forces, correctly handling the relationship between the primary and supplementary parts of diverse ownership forms and various economic operating mechanisms, and continuously improving and developing socialist relations of production (Theory of Primary-Supplementary Relations)”; “Thoughts on actively and soberly carrying out external economic exchanges to serve the construction of China’s independent and self-reliant socialist economic system (Theory of Internal-External Relations)”; and “Thoughts on the necessity for economic workers to maintain strong political and mass perspectives, and for economic departments to strengthen the role and authority of ideological and political work to ensure economic work advances firmly along the socialist path (Theory of Political-Economic Relations).” Marxist standpoints, viewpoints, and methods constitute a “red thread” running through these points, possessing distinct practical characteristics. Zhu Jiamu also conducted a historical investigation into Chen Yun’s thoughts on the relationship between planning and the market, namely: “exerting the regulatory role of the market under a planned economy,” “combining the planned economy with market regulation,” “taking the planned economy as primary and market regulation as supplementary,” and the “metaphor of the 'bird and the cage' ^[8].” Chi Aiping pointed out that the trajectory from the “large-scale planning, small-scale freedom” proposed in the 1950s, to the complete conception of the “three mainstays and three supplements ^[9],” to the economic structural reform policy of “planned economy as primary, market regulation as supplementary,” and finally to the “birdcage economy” ^[10] thought of enlivening the micro-level under macro-control, clearly reflects Chen Yun’s arduous exploration and contribution to the path of economic structural reform during his long-term practice. Wang Jie examined the developmental process of Chen Yun’s market economy thought, arguing that it began during the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region period, formed a framework for a planned commodity economy on the eve of the founding of the People's Republic of China, was sublimated into the “three mainstays and three supplements” model while correcting “Left” errors in practice, and created the theory of a comprehensively balanced market economy. In the early period of reform and opening up, it formed a complete system of the “three doubles plus four crossings” model, laying the foundation for the establishment of the socialist market economy.

Another perspective interprets this from the angle of core viewpoints. Zhu Jiamu pointed out that the core of Chen Yun’s economic thought is “seeking progress while maintaining stability” and “enlivening without chaos.” Economic construction and reform, economic development, economic invigoration, and opening to the outside world must be built respectively on the foundations of guaranteeing people’s livelihoods, proportional and high-quality/high-efficiency development, macro-control, and “taking ourselves as the mainstay.” Zong Han summarized Chen Yun’s economic thought into “ten basic principles”: economic development is the primary task; modernization must proceed from national conditions and national strength; the real issue is the peasant issue; the scale of construction must correspond to national strength and leave some margin; comprehensive balance and proportional development; combining centralization and decentralization by expanding the powers of localities and enterprises; “three mainstays and three supplements”; doing whatever benefits the common people; persisting in the socialist nature of economic construction and economic structural reform; and looking at the big picture while starting from the small details, not following superiors or books blindly but only seeking truth from facts. Based on an 1982 interview with Chen Yun, Li Shangzhi specifically elaborated on Chen Yun’s “birdcage economy” thought, namely the dialectical relationship between enlivening the economy and national planning. Cao Yingwang examined Chen Yun’s thoughts relevant to China’s economic structural reform and the policy of opening up, arguing that Chen Yun was the first to advocate for economic structural reform, supported the household contract responsibility system in agriculture ^[11], was the first among Party leaders to systematically study the relationship between planning and the market, and played an important role in promoting the country's establishment of the socialist market economy system and reform and opening up.

Many scholars have noted that the theoretical content of Chen Yun’s economic thought is inseparable from the methods it contains; these methods are both components of his economic thought and his working methods. Xiong Xiaolin and others examined the main contents of Chen Yun’s “Theory of Comprehensive Balance” and compared it with Mao Zedong’s thought on “overall planning and all-round consideration” and Deng Xiaoping’s thought on “letting some people get rich first to lead others toward wealth.” They argued that Chen Yun’s theory of comprehensive balance offers important insights for promoting common prosperity. Tao Lei believes that seeking progress while maintaining stability is an important economic policy and method that Chen Yun consistently advocated and upheld; it seeks “progress” while requiring “stability,” with the focus on “stability,” emphasizing comprehensive balance and focusing on the overall planning of coordinated development. Peng Qinghong and Wu Xiaorong focused on discussing several of Chen Yun’s economic ideas and working methods—such as “seeking truth from facts,” “comprehensive balance,” “overall planning and all-round consideration,” and “seeking progress while maintaining stability.” They argued these methods are valuable experiences derived from combining the basic principles of Marxism with the specific realities of China’s economic construction. They are scientific thoughts and working methods verified in the practice of leading New China’s economic construction and remain significantly instructive for our current work in economic and social development. Wei Jikun analyzed the value of econometric analysis in Chen Yun’s economic thought, arguing that it was an important method for Chen Yun to understand, research, and solve China’s economic problems, characterized by truth-seeking in exploring facts, law-seeking in exploring patterns, and dialectical adherence to the unity of opposites.

Notably, thoughts on people’s livelihoods (minchang) have been a topic of significant attention in Chen Yun economic research since the start of the new century. Zhu Jiamu believes that Chen Yun’s thoughts on people’s livelihoods are “closely linked to his thoughts on building Party conduct.” Tian Zhijie pointed out that “Chen Yun’s thought on people’s livelihoods is the core of his economic ideological system.” Liu Shengtao discussed the connotation, practice, and characteristics of Chen Yun’s livelihood thought, arguing that “Chen Yun’s ‘livelihood’ thought is an inheritance and major transformation of Sun Yat-sen’s ‘Principle of Minsheng’ ^[12], an important part of Chen Yun’s economic thought, and the starting point for his research and formulation of economic policy.” Shao Yong further elaborated on the main contents, arguing that “guiding work with Marxist epistemology and methodology and persisting in viewing problems from global and long-term perspectives are the hallmarks of Chen Yun’s livelihood thought.” In addition, scholars have explored Chen Yun’s thoughts on agricultural economy, opening to the outside world and how to treat capitalism, and resolving economic crises. Chen Yun’s outstanding performance and historical contributions in the economic sphere have ensured that academic research on his economic thought maintains long-term momentum. As the American scholar David M. Bachman pointed out, Chen Yun left an intellectual legacy to posterity, especially to China’s economic leaders; he was the “foremost recovery and troubleshoot specialist” who helped the Chinese economy emerge from multiple instances of economic chaos. He will also go down in the history of the People's Republic of China as the first to advocate using the market to supplement planning.

(4) Research on Chen Yun’s Spirit and Demeanor

In the historical process of China’s revolution, construction, and reform, a large number of outstanding Communists “made of special stuff” ^[13] emerged, and Chen Yun is a representative among them. Excavating and researching historical materials on Chen Yun’s life and inheriting and carrying forward the noble spirit and demeanor of the older generation of revolutionaries like Chen Yun is also a focus of the academic and theoretical communities, involving two main aspects.

The first is directly reflecting Chen Yun’s spirit and demeanor by excavating and organizing historical materials of his life during the various periods of revolution, construction, and reform, and editing and publishing biographies, oral histories, interview records, and commemorative collections. In 2005, the Third Research Department of the CPC Central Committee Literature Research Office edited and published Chen Yun’s Family Tradition: Interviews with Yu Ruomu and Chen Yun’s Children, based on interviews with Chen Yun’s wife Yu Ruomu and his five children. In 2015, the same department, in collaboration with the Chen Yun Memorial Hall, edited and published Chen Yun’s Family Tradition and Chen Yun’s Calligraphic Style. Compared to the 2005 volume, the 2015 Chen Yun’s Family Tradition interviewed a broader range of subjects, including Chen Yun’s personal staff, with much of the content being published for the first time. The editors believe that Chen Yun’s “noble character and demeanor, as well as his strict demands on his family, children, and staff, are widely praised within the Party as a model.” The book Chen Yun’s Calligraphic Style selects over 70 pieces of Chen Yun’s handwriting from different historical periods, displaying his calligraphic art and the spiritual temperament it contains through a combination of images and text. In the preface, Zhu Jiamu pointed out: “Appreciating and savoring Comrade Chen Yun’s calligraphy is a way to understand him and enter his inner world, as well as a method for learning from his spirit and style.” Chen Jinhua pointed out in the preface to Approaching Chen Yun: A Compilation of Oral History Archival Materials: “Looking at Comrade Chen Yun’s glorious life and studying his thoughts, practice, career, and life, the most profound education for people is his spirit of seeking truth from facts. This was his consistent style and a character trait he held unswervingly throughout his life.”

The second is interpreting and promoting his noble spirit and demeanor through the study of his thoughts and life. At the symposium commemorating the 110th anniversary of Comrade Chen Yun’s birth, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: “The firm ideals and convictions, strong principles of Party spirit, the style of seeking truth and being pragmatic, the simple sentiments of a public servant, and the spirit of diligent study exhibited by Comrade Chen Yun are forever worthy of our learning.” Chen Yuan noted that the spiritual wealth left by Chen Yun includes “unswerving ideals and convictions, a work style of seeking truth from facts, a noble demeanor of being diligent in administration for the people, extraordinary courage in persisting in the truth, and a noble temperament of being indifferent to fame and wealth.” Chen Qun believes that the precious spiritual wealth left by Chen Yun is concentrated in the Selected Works of Chen Yun, summarized in three aspects: “proposing several guiding thoughts that socialist economic construction should follow,” “consolidating the Party ideologically, organizationally, and in style,” and “persisting in a scientific attitude and dialectical method of seeking truth from facts.” Zhao Tianyuan pointed out that “being clean and honest, and empathizing with the hardships of the masses, is another sentiment and spirit that Chen Yun most admired,” and this spirit must not be lost. Yu Yongding believes that Chinese economic theory researchers should earnestly study Chen Yun’s spirit of “weishi” (focusing on reality), advance with the times, and deepen their understanding of the two resource allocation methods of market and planning. Li Dianren emphasized that we should learn from Chen Yun’s spirit of seeking truth from facts and his courage to take responsibility—the noble demeanor of being brave in performing duties without avoiding "tasks"; the loyal heart of advising the Party without fearing "danger"; the selfless sentiment of daring to be responsible without pushing away "accountability"; and the scholarly attitude of lifelong learning without ceasing "study." Li Hongfeng summarized Chen Yun’s personal charisma as a “model of diligent study,” a “model of firm conviction,” a “model of adhering to principle,” a “model of loving and serving the people,” a “model of arduous struggle,” and a “model of modesty and prudence,” arguing that Chen Yun “achieved an organic combination and perfect unity of governing the Party, governing the country, governing the family, and self-cultivation.” Bi Jingjing argued that we should promote Chen Yun’s spirit of seeking truth from facts within the coordinated promotion of the “Four Comprehensives” strategic layout, and like Chen Yun, persist in a Marxist outlook on truth, national conditions, problems, missions, and overall planning.

In addition to the main research topics above, research on Chen Yun’s ecological thought, cultural thought, and thoughts on the development of spiritual civilization has also made certain progress, enriching the themes and expanding the content of Chen Yun studies.

III. Research Outlook

From the above summary, it can be seen that since the start of the new century, along with the gradual publication of documentary materials, research on Chen Yun’s life and thoughts has progressively deepened. There are both summary analyses of his ideological methods and detailed reviews of specific work. It highlights both the key points and characteristics of his thought and demonstrates the noble spirit and demeanor in his life deeds. However, there are still areas that can be further expanded and deepened.

First, research can be further expanded from the hundred-year perspective of the history of the development of the Sinicization of Marxism. Chen Yun held an important political status as a key member of both the first and second generations of the Party’s central collective leadership. Chen Yun lived through the various historical periods of China’s revolution, construction, and reform, and played an important role at key historical moments. He made significant contributions to the formation and development of Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory, and the developmental process of his thought is also the process of the continuous advancement and deepening of the Sinicization of Marxism. To deepen the study of Chen Yun’s life and thoughts from the hundred-year perspective of the development of the Sinicization of Marxism means seeing how Chen Yun, in the process of promoting the combination of basic Marxist principles with Chinese reality, continuously advanced the Sinicization of Marxism in a consistent yet time-advancing manner, and how he upheld the fundamentals and broke new ground to push toward new frontiers of Marxism. It also means summarizing and analyzing Chen Yun’s historical contributions from the hundred-year perspective of the development of the Sinicization of Marxism and understanding and grasping his historical position from a broader vision. This both broadens the research horizon and expands the content of the study of the Sinicization of Marxism.

Second, research can strengthen comparative analysis while deepening holistic study. This holistic study refers first to the continuity of historical development. Chen Yun spanned two generations of central collective leadership ^[14] and lived through different historical periods of the Chinese revolution, construction, and reform. Although the themes of the times and historical tasks differed across these periods, these variations do not affect the continuity of historical development. History must not be fragmented, and more importantly, the study of Chen Yun’s life and thought must not be fragmented as a result. Chen Yun’s life and thought constitute an organic whole; therefore, related research should not be severed into discrete parts. Instead, Chen Yun should be studied holistically as a major historical figure within the history of the Party and the history of the Sinicization of Marxism. At the same time, while research on specific areas such as Chen Yun’s philosophical thought, Party-building thought, and economic thought is already quite abundant, it is increasingly necessary to grasp these specialized inquiries from a holistic perspective. By revealing the status and function of these specific fields within Chen Yun’s theoretical system, we can better understand his life and intellectual legacy. On the other hand, while deepening holistic research, comparative studies can be further strengthened. For example, Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, and Chen Yun are all examplars of how the Communist Party of China (CPC) values investigation and research ^[15], excels at it, and uses it to solve problems. Although their general methods and principles of investigation and research were consistent, they each possessed distinct characteristics. Through comparative study, we can identify patterns, discover content with methodological uniqueness, and highlight the contemporary value of their thought processes.

Third, research on the relationship between Chen Yun and Chinese-path modernization can be further deepened. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Chinese-path modernization is a major achievement our Party has attained through arduous exploration and practice, involving immense hardship and great sacrifice, while leading the people of all ethnic groups throughout the country. We must cherish it all the more, always adhere to it, and continuously expand and deepen it.” This provides two insights for the study of Chen Yun’s life and thought. On the one hand, Chinese-path modernization is a major historical outcome of the Party’s long-term exploration and practice, formed and advanced on the basis of relay-like exploration by generation after generation of Chinese Communists. Chen Yun made many important contributions to the exploration of China’s cause of modernization, and it is necessary to further organize and summarize these contributions. On the other hand, Chinese-path modernization is the greatest theoretical and practical theme in contemporary China. Research on historical figures and the thought produced in a historical era can only generate lasting vitality by resonating with the theme of the current times; only by echoing the themes of the era can its theoretical and spiritual charm be increasingly highlighted. Therefore, further deepening research on the relationship between Chen Yun and Chinese-path modernization will help Chen Yun’s important ideas gain contemporary vitality and assist in deepening the understanding of the theoretical content and historical development of Chinese-path modernization.

Fourth, research on Chen Yun’s spiritual character and style ^[16] can be further deepened. At the symposium commemorating the 120th anniversary of Comrade Chen Yun’s birth, General Secretary Xi Jinping again emphasized that we must learn from and carry forward Chen Yun’s noble spiritual character and style. Deepening this research is of great theoretical and practical significance for solving the unique challenges facing a large Party ^[17] in its governance of the state, and for New Era Party members and cadres to strengthen their theoretical armament, maintain a firm political stance, solidify their ideals and convictions, enhance their Party spirit ^[18], and cultivate a deep commitment to the people. Further deepening research on Chen Yun’s spiritual character and style also requires strengthening the excavation of historical materials, emphasizing interdisciplinary analysis, and systematically integrating existing archives and documents to refine and summarize the noble spirit contained within Chen Yun’s rich thought and practice. At the same time, it is necessary to pay closer attention to realistic problems and the characteristics of the times, grasp the new changes in the global situation, the national condition, the state of the Party, and the principal contradiction ^[19] in Chinese society. Research and promotion of Chen Yun’s spiritual character and style must be closely integrated with the central tasks of the Party and the country's development to assist in the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.