Scientifically Grasping the Dialectical Relationship between Party Spirit, Party Conduct, and Party Discipline

A strong Party spirit, fine conduct, and strict discipline are the distinctive characteristics of the Communist Party of China. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline form an organic whole, with Party spirit as the foundation, Party conduct as the manifestation, and Party discipline as the guarantee.” [1]1 Xi Jinping’s remarks at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, January 2022. This important exposition profoundly embodies the systematic thinking behind governing the Party and running it strictly in the new era, providing an important guideline for persistently focusing on rectifying conduct, enforcing discipline, and combating corruption. We must scientifically grasp the dialectical relationship between Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline, adhere to simultaneously promoting Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline, and truly integrate the three — the principle of Party spirit, the manifestation of conduct, and the guarantee of discipline — as an organic whole. Only in this way can we ensure that the Party never changes its nature, its color, or its flavor, and that the Party always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

坚强的党性、优良的作风、严明的纪律是中国共产党的鲜明特点。习近平总书记指出: “党性、党风、党纪是有机整体，党性是根本，党风是表现，党纪是保障。” 这一重要论述深刻体现了新形势下管党治党的系统思维，为持之以恒抓好正风肃纪反腐提供了重要遵循。我们必须科学把握党性党风党纪的辩证关系，坚持党性党风党纪一起抓，切实把党性原则、作风表现和纪律保障三者有机融合，将党性党风党纪作为有机整体推进，这样才能确保党永远不变质、不变色、不变味，使党始终成为中国特色社会主义事业的坚强领导核心。

I. Party Spirit Is the Internal Foundation That Nurtures Party Conduct and Party Discipline

一、党性是涵养党风党纪的内在根本

Party spirit is a core concept in the theory of Marxist party building, vividly reflecting a political party’s class foundation, ideals and beliefs, purpose and consciousness, capabilities and conduct, and spiritual outlook. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Party spirit is, in the final analysis, a matter of standpoint. Whether Communists are thinking about problems, conducting research, making decisions, or handling affairs, they must stand on the standpoint of the Party and the people, and must not put personal interests first. This is the principle of Party spirit for Communists.” For a Communist Party member to speak of Party spirit means to strengthen Party consciousness, to remember that one’s primary identity is that of a Communist Party member and one’s primary duty is to work for the Party, to be loyal to the organization, to be of one mind and one heart with the Party at all times, and always to take the Party’s banner as one’s banner, the Party’s will as one’s will, and the Party’s mission as one’s mission.

党性是马克思主义政党建设理论的一个核心概念，鲜明体现出一个政党的阶级基础、理想信念、宗旨意识、能力作风、精神面貌等。习近平总书记指出：“党性说到底就是立场问题。共产党人无论是想问题、搞研究，还是作决策、办事情，都必须站在党和人民立场上，而不能把个人利益放在第一位。这就是共产党人的党性原则。”共产党员讲党性，就是要强化党的意识，牢记自己第一身份是共产党员，第一职责是为党工作，做到忠诚于组织，任何时候都与党同心同德，始终以党的旗帜为旗帜、以党的意志为意志、以党的使命为使命。

Party spirit represents the Party’s fundamental standpoint and value orientation, determines the fundamental nature of Party conduct and Party discipline, and is the internal basis for purifying Party conduct and strictly enforcing Party discipline. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “What determines a person is their moral character; what determines a Party member is their Party spirit.” [2]2 Xi Jinping’s remarks at the National Conference on Organizational Work, July 2018. Party spirit, as the cornerstone for a Party member to establish themselves, pursue their career, articulate their views, and cultivate their virtue, determines a Party member’s worldview, outlook on life, and value system. Practice has proven that without a strong Party spirit as the foundation, one will lack reverence for Party discipline in one’s heart, and high standards and strict requirements in conduct will be out of the question. The root cause of many cadres’ problems is impure Party spirit and selfish motives; the dike in the depths of their thinking is not firmly built, making misconduct and improper conduct inevitable. “If you want a tree to grow tall, you must first make its roots firm.” [3]3 A classical allusion from the Tang dynasty essay “On Admonishing the Emperor of Tang” (谏太宗十思疏) by Wei Zheng, emphasizing the importance of a solid foundation. Only by cultivating Party spirit, this “study of the mind,” can one solve the “master switch” problem of worldview, outlook on life, and value system, and continuously enhance Party spirit awareness.

党性代表着党的根本立场和价值取向，决定着党风、党纪的根本性质，是净化党风、严明党纪的内在依据。习近平总书记指出：“决定一个人如何的是品行，决定一名党员如何的是党性。”党性作为党员立身、立业、立言、立德的基石，决定党员的世界观、人生观、价值观。实践证明，没有坚强的党性作为根基，内心就会缺乏对党纪的敬畏，作风上的高标准严要求也就无从谈起。很多干部出问题，根子是党性不纯、私心作祟，思想深处的堤坝筑得不牢，行为不端、作风不正也就在所难免。“求木之长者，必固其根本。”只有修好党性这个“心学”，才能解决好世界观、人生观、价值观这个“总开关”问题，不断提高党性觉悟。

Rectifying Party conduct and strictly enforcing Party discipline both ultimately aim to strengthen Party spirit. Only by strengthening Party spirit can conduct be correct and discipline strict, and can there be a situation where the people are of one mind, society is stable, and the cause flourishes. A strong Party spirit is not innate, nor can it be forged overnight; it must be pursued, practiced, and elevated over a lifetime. It must be treated as a lifelong matter, advanced step by step, day after day, constantly refined and sublimated through regular cultivation and regular enlightenment. First, strengthen theoretical study. Firmness in politics and firmness in Party spirit are inseparable from firmness in theory. Persist in running ideological and theoretical arming through the entire process, improve and implement the “first agenda” [4]4 “First agenda” (第一议题) refers to the practice in Party organizations of making the study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era the first item on the agenda of meetings. and collective study systems, deeply study, thoroughly understand, and faithfully practice Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, promote the sublimation of Party spirit through theoretical clarity, and continuously build the foundation of faith, replenish the calcium of the spirit, and steady the helm of thought. Second, strengthen Party spirit education. Deeply carry out education on ideals and beliefs, the Party’s purpose, the Party’s history, revolutionary traditions, and clean governance and integrity, guide and promote Party members and cadres to unswervingly uphold their original aspiration and founding mission, consciously cultivate great virtue, abide by public virtue, and strictly observe private virtue, and forever maintain the political character of Communists. Third, emphasize social practice. Communists improve their cultivation in the social practice of transforming the world, while also achieving success in their cause; this is what we often call “cultivation depends on practice, and success comes naturally.” Improving cultivation in practice and achieving success in practice are important principles that Communists should follow in making contributions and establishing careers. Party members and cadres should take the initiative to step out of their “comfort zones,” experience wind and rain, see the world, and strengthen their bones in complex and severe struggles; take on more “hot potatoes” and be more “ants on a hot pan,” [5]5 “Hot potatoes” (烫手山芋) and “ants on a hot pan” (热锅蚂蚁) are Chinese idioms describing difficult, urgent, or stressful tasks that test one’s capabilities. tempering their character and forging their Party spirit on the front lines of work where contradictions and risks are prominent and reform tasks are heavy. Fourth, strictly enforce inner-Party political life. Deepen the implementation of systems such as the “three meetings and one lesson,” [6]6 “Three meetings and one lesson” (三会一课) refers to the system of regular branch committee meetings, branch general membership meetings, Party group meetings, and Party lessons. democratic life meetings, dual organizational life for leading cadres, democratic evaluation of Party members, and heart-to-heart talks, make good use of the weapon of criticism and self-criticism, and temper Party spirit in serious and rigorous inner-Party political life.

正党风、严党纪，落脚点都在于强党性。只有强党性，才能作风正、纪律严，才有民心顺、社会稳、事业兴的局面。坚强的党性不会与生俱来，也不可能在一朝一夕之间铸就，而是需要用一生去追求、去实践、去提升，必须当作一辈子的事，循序渐进、日复一日，在常修常炼、常悟常进中不断精进、实现升华。一是加强理论学习。政治上的坚定、党性上的坚定都离不开理论上的坚定。坚持把思想理论武装贯穿始终，健全落实“第一议题”、集体学习制度，深学细悟笃行习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，以理论清醒促进党性升华，不断筑牢信仰之基、补足精神之钙、把稳思想之舵。二是强化党性教育。深入开展理想信念、党的宗旨、党的历史、革命传统、党风廉政教育，引导和推动党员、干部始终不渝坚守初心使命，自觉明大德、守公德、严私德，永葆共产党人政治本色。三是注重社会实践。共产党人在改造世界的社会实践中提高修养，同时也获得事业的成功，这就是我们常说的“修行靠实践，功到自然成”。在实践中提高修养，在实践中获得成功，是共产党人建功立业应遵循的重要原则。党员、干部要主动走出“舒适圈”，在复杂严峻的斗争中经风雨、见世面、壮筋骨；多接“烫手山芋”，多当“热锅蚂蚁”，在矛盾风险突出、改革任务繁重的工作一线砥砺品质、锤炼党性。四是严肃党内政治生活。深化落实“三会一课”、民主生活会、领导干部双重组织生活、民主评议党员、谈心谈话等制度，用好批评和自我批评武器，在严肃认真的党内政治生活中锤炼党性。

II. Party Conduct Is the Vivid Manifestation of the Externalization of Party Spirit and Party Discipline

二、党风是党性党纪外化的生动表现

Party conduct is the vivid manifestation of a political party, reflecting its characteristics, political character, and spiritual outlook, and is the external expression of Party spirit and Party discipline. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Our Party, as a Marxist ruling party, must not only have powerful force of truth but also have powerful force of personality. The force of truth is concentratedly embodied in our Party’s correct theory, and the force of personality is concentratedly embodied in our Party’s fine conduct.” [7]7 Xi Jinping’s remarks at a meeting commemorating the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, July 2016. Attaching great importance to the building of Party conduct is a consistent political consciousness of Marxist political parties. Both history and reality show that if a ruling party does not pay attention to conduct building and allows unhealthy tendencies to erode the Party’s body, it risks losing the people’s support and even losing political power. Therefore, only by always strictly demanding of itself, persistently improving its own conduct, and closely connecting Party-mass and cadre-mass relations can the Communist Party of China win the people’s support and endorsement, and can it always remain invincible.

党风是一个政党的生动表现，反映着政党特质、政治品格和精神面貌，是党性、党纪的外在表现。习近平总书记指出：“我们党作为马克思主义执政党，不但要有强大的真理力量，而且要有强大的人格力量。真理力量集中体现为我们党的正确理论，人格力量集中体现为我们党的优良作风。” 高度重视党的作风建设，是马克思主义政党一贯的政治自觉。历史和现实都表明，执政党如果不注重作风建设，听任不正之风侵蚀党的肌体，就有失去民心、丧失政权的危险。因此，中国共产党只有始终从严要求自己，坚持改进自身作风，密切党群干群关系，才能赢得人民的拥护和支持，才能始终立于不败之地。

The Party’s conduct is the Party’s image, bearing on the support of the people and the life and death of the Party. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The issue of conduct is essentially an issue of Party spirit. For us Communists, whether we can solve the problem of conduct is a very important yardstick for measuring our faith in Marxism, our belief in socialism and communism, and our loyalty to the Party and the people. We must not only use iron discipline to rectify various blatant violations of discipline on the surface, but also keep our eyes wide open, and no matter how unhealthy tendencies ‘change in seventy-two ways,’ [8]8 A reference to the classic Chinese novel *Journey to the West*, where the Monkey King can transform into seventy-two different forms, used here as a metaphor for the many disguises of unhealthy tendencies. we must ferret them out and deal with them no matter how many there are.” It can be seen that fine Party conduct is both a nourishment and promotion of Party spirit and a maintenance and reinforcement of Party discipline. Problems in conduct are by no means trivial matters; once left unchecked, the pillar of ideals and beliefs will waver or even collapse. Unhealthy tendencies often become the hotbed for breeding serious corruption problems. It is precisely under the influence of these unhealthy tendencies that some Party member leading cadres, faced with various temptations, dismantle their ideological defense line and ultimately embark on the path of illegal and criminal behavior. Therefore, we must be adept at examining and grasping Party conduct from a political perspective, seeing through appearances to grasp the essence, rectifying the source ideologically, consolidating the foundation, correcting deviations and stopping errors, relying on disciplinary supervision to strengthen constraints and form deterrence, and continuously improving the long-term mechanism for conduct building.

党的作风就是党的形象，关系人心向背，关系党的生死存亡。习近平总书记指出：“作风问题本质上是党性问题。对我们共产党人来讲，能不能解决好作风问题，是衡量对马克思主义信仰、对社会主义和共产主义信念、对党和人民忠诚的一把十分重要的尺子。我们既要用铁的纪律整治各种面上的顶风违纪行为，更要睁大火眼金睛，任凭不正之风‘七十二变’，也要把它们揪出来，有多少就处理多少。”可见，优良的党风，既是对党性的滋养促进，也是对党纪的维护加固。作风上出问题，绝不是小事，一旦放任不管，理想信念支柱就会动摇乃至坍塌。不正之风往往成为滋生严重腐败问题的温床，一些党员领导干部也正是因为这些不正之风的影响，在形形色色的诱惑面前解除了思想防线，最终走上违法犯罪的不归之路。因此，要善于从政治上看、政治上抓党风，透过表象看清本质，从思想上正本清源、固本培元、纠偏止错，靠纪律监督强化约束、形成震慑，不断健全作风建设长效机制。

The work of improving Party conduct is always ongoing and never rests; it cannot be done superficially, nor can it start strong and then fade away, nor can it be merely a passing fad. The key to grasping Party conduct lies in making it routine and long-term, effectively using the spirit of thorough self-revolution to continuously deepen the work of improving Party conduct, and through fine conduct that continually wins the trust of the people, displaying the good image of our Party’s organizations at all levels and its contingent of Party members as having a strong Party spirit and strict Party discipline. At present, it is necessary to implement the spirit of the Central Committee’s Eight-Point Regulations and its rules for implementation, grasp the regional, sectoral, and periodic characteristics of the work on conduct, focus on deeply rectifying problems that commonly occur and repeatedly arise, strictly investigate and punish those who violate discipline in defiance of regulations, effectively prevent and control hidden and mutated phenomena, strengthen the two-way force of investigating corruption through conduct and correcting conduct through corruption, increase the intensity of warnings, reminders, and public exposure at important nodes, and resolutely prevent the resurgence of hedonism and extravagance; resolutely rectify the deep-rooted maladies of formalism and bureaucracy, closely monitor phenomena of a mistaken outlook on political performance, vigorously correct the construction of political performance projects that waste resources and burden the people, as well as problems such as mountains of documents and seas of meetings, overlapping supervision, inspection, and research, excessive documentation of work, layer upon layer of task escalation, and “formalism at the fingertips,” dig deep into the roots, identify the crux, carry out precise rectification with sustained effort, focus on correcting unhealthy practices that increase the burden on grassroots units, ensure that grassroots cadres can work with a light load, and devote their time, energy, and wisdom to seeking development; deepen the rectification of unhealthy practices among the masses, permeate fine conduct into every link and step of mass work, effectively solve problems for the people, vigorously rectify misconduct and chaos, and win the trust and support of the masses through the tangible results of handling practical matters for the people’s livelihood; improve relevant systems to provide a solid institutional guarantee for promoting the routinization and long-term effectiveness of the work on improving Party conduct, plug the institutional loopholes that breed unhealthy practices from the system and mechanism, and consolidate the achievements of improving conduct through reform measures.

作风建设永远在路上，永远没有休止符，不可蜻蜓点水，不可虎头蛇尾，不可只是一阵风。抓党风的关键在于常态化、长效化，切实以彻底的自我革命精神将党的作风建设持续引向深入，以不断取信于民的优良作风，展示我们党的各级组织和党员队伍党性坚强、党纪严明的良好形象。当前，必须落实中央八项规定及其实施细则精神，把握作风建设地区性、行业性、阶段性特点，抓住普遍发生、反复出现的问题深化整治，对顶风违纪行为从严查处，对隐形变异现象有效防治，强化由风查腐、由腐纠风双向发力，加大重要节点警示提醒、通报曝光力度，坚决防止享乐奢靡歪风反弹回潮；坚决纠治形式主义、官僚主义顽瘴痼疾，紧盯政绩观错位现象，强力纠正劳民伤财搞政绩工程，以及文山会海、督查检查调研扎堆、工作过度留痕、任务层层加码、“指尖上的形式主义”等问题，深挖根源、找准症结，精准纠治、久久为功，着力纠治加重基层负担的不正之风，确保基层干部轻装上阵，把时间、精力、智慧用在谋发展上；深化整治群众身边不正之风，把优良作风渗透到群众工作的每一个环节和步骤中去，切实为民解难、狠抓纠风治乱，以办好民生实事的实际成效赢得群众信赖支持；健全相关制度，为推进党的作风建设常态化、长效化提供坚实制度保障，从体制机制上堵塞滋生不正之风的漏洞，以改革的办法固化作风建设成果。

III. Party Discipline Is the Institutional Guarantee for Safeguarding Party Spirit and Party Conduct

三、党纪是守护党性党风的制度保障

Party discipline is the lifeline of the Party and the “ruler” for governing the Party and managing it. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “Our Party is a Marxist political party organized on the basis of revolutionary ideals and iron discipline; strict discipline is the Party’s glorious tradition and unique advantage.” Over the past century and more, an important factor and key reason why our Party has been able to withstand various risks and tests and overcome all kinds of difficulties and challenges is that it has always attached great importance to discipline building, using strict discipline to ensure the Party’s unity and solidarity, and maintaining the Party’s high degree of cohesion and strong combat effectiveness.

党的纪律是党的生命线，是管党治党的“戒尺”。习近平总书记指出：“我们党是靠革命理想和铁的纪律组织起来的马克思主义政党，纪律严明是党的光荣传统和独特优势。”一百多年来，我们党之所以能够经受住各种风险考验，战胜这样那样的困难和挑战，一个重要因素和关键原因就是始终高度重视纪律建设，以严明的纪律保证了党的团结和统一，保持了党的高度凝聚力和强大战斗力。

Party discipline highlights rigidity, regulates conduct and words, and promotes the tempering of Party spirit. Only by continuously strengthening the building of Party discipline can we lay the institutional foundation for tempering Party spirit and purifying Party conduct. Strict discipline not only has a deterrent and constraining function, warning Party members and cadres not to cross the bottom line or touch the red line, but also has an educational and guiding function, shaping values and behavioral expressions, enabling Party members and cadres to clearly know what they can and cannot do, thereby gradually transforming from heteronomy to self-discipline through subtle influence, accumulating into fine Party conduct, and achieving the sublimation of Party spirit cultivation. It can be seen that the stricter Party discipline is, the denser the institutional net is woven, the more it helps to exercise and enhance Party spirit, and the easier it is to form a good Party conduct and government conduct. Without the rigid constraints of strict Party discipline, the work on conduct and Party spirit education would be difficult to sustain, and there would be no transformation of Party conduct and Party spirit through custom. Therefore, only by continuously strengthening the building of Party discipline can we lay the institutional foundation for tempering Party spirit and purifying Party conduct, and achieve political clarity and social transparency.

党纪凸显刚性，规范作风言行，促进党性锤炼。只有不断加强党的纪律建设，才能为锤炼党性、净化党风奠定制度基础。严明的纪律，既具有震慑约束功能，警示党员、干部不能越底线碰红线，也具有教育引导功能，塑造价值理念和行为表现，使党员、干部清楚地知道什么能干、什么不能干，从而在潜移默化中由他律转化为自律，积淀成为优良的党风，实现党性修养的升华。可见，党纪越严，制度之网织得越密，越有助于党性的锻炼和提升，也越容易形成良好的党风政风。如果没有严格党纪的刚性约束，作风建设、党性教育就难以持久地进行下去，也就没有党风党性的成风化俗。因此，只有不断加强党的纪律建设，才能为锤炼党性、净化党风奠定制度基础，才能实现政治清明、社会清朗。

A firm Party spirit and fine Party conduct must be guaranteed by strict Party discipline, formed and maintained through persistent disciplinary constraints. Therefore, it is necessary to always adhere to a strict tone, strict measures, and a strict atmosphere, to uphold and establish the Party’s discipline and rules, and to promote Party members and cadres in enhancing their disciplinary consciousness, improving their Party spirit cultivation, and cultivating fine conduct. To strengthen the building of Party discipline, it is necessary to earnestly carry out education and learning on Party discipline, guiding Party members to study, understand, clarify, and abide by discipline, truly transforming discipline into political consciousness, ideological consciousness, and action consciousness, achieving a state of reverence in the heart, caution in words, and restraint in actions, preventing the slide from “breaching discipline” to “breaking the law” and from minor mistakes to major errors; strictly implement and uphold Party discipline, deeply understand that the life of Party discipline lies in its implementation, the authority of Party discipline lies in its observance, and the effectiveness of Party discipline lies in its maintenance, ensuring that Party discipline truly becomes a live “high-voltage line,” rather than a “paper tiger” or a “scarecrow,” truly achieving equality before Party discipline, no exceptions before Party discipline, and no special Party members within the Party who are not bound by disciplinary constraints; do a good job in supervision, discipline enforcement, and accountability, insist on putting disciplinary rules first, investigate and punish every violation of the Party Constitution and Party discipline as soon as it is discovered, focus on rectifying violations of political discipline and political rules, promptly discover and address the problem of the “seven have-somes” [9]9 The “seven have-somes” (七个有之) refers to seven types of political misconduct, such as having some people who defy the Party Central Committee’s decisions or engage in factionalism, which were identified by Xi, effectively make iron discipline “grow teeth” and show its power, making cadres take it seriously, stay alert, and know when to stop; highly unify strict management and supervision with encouraging responsibility and action, accurately apply the “four forms” [10]10 "Grasping them together" (一起抓) refers to the integrated approach of simultaneously strengthening Party spirit, improving Party conduct, and enforcing Party discipline, as emphasized in the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party., concretely implement the “three distinctions” [11], and seamlessly carry out work on tolerating and correcting mistakes, cracking down on false accusations, and clarifying and rehabilitating names, clearly supporting those who take responsibility, those who are accountable, and those who work hard.

坚定的党性、优良的党风必须以严明的党纪作保障，在持之以恒的党纪约束中形成并保持。因此，必须始终坚持严的基调、严的措施、严的氛围，把党的纪律规矩挺起来、立起来，推动党员、干部增强纪律自觉、提高党性修养、涵养优良作风。加强党的纪律建设，必须认真开展党纪学习教育，引导党员学纪、知纪、明纪、守纪，真正把纪律转化为政治自觉、思想自觉、行动自觉，做到心有所畏、言有所戒、行有所止，防止从“破纪”走向“破法”、小错酿成大错；严格执行和维护党的纪律，深刻认识党的纪律的生命在于执行，党的纪律的威严在于遵守，党的纪律的效力在于维护，确保党的纪律真正成为带电的“高压线”，而不能成为“纸老虎”、“稻草人”，真正做到党纪面前人人平等，党纪面前没有例外，党内不允许有不受纪律约束的特殊党员；抓好监督执纪问责，坚持把纪律规矩挺在前面，对违反党章党规党纪问题，发现一起查处一起，重点纠治违反政治纪律和政治规矩行为，及时发现、着力解决“七个有之”问题，切实让铁纪“长牙”、发威，让干部重视、警醒、知止；把从严管理监督和鼓励担当作为高度统一起来，准确运用“四种形态”，具体落实“三个区分开来”，贯通做好容错纠错、打击诬告陷害、澄清正名等工作，旗帜鲜明为担当者担当、为负责者负责、为干事者撑腰。

IV. Party Spirit, Party Conduct, and Party Discipline Form an Organic Whole

四、党性、党风、党纪是有机整体

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC: “We must work on Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline as a whole, consolidate the foundation and nurture the root from the ideological perspective, enhance Party spirit awareness, strengthen the ability to resist corruption and prevent degeneration, and cultivate the noble spirit of being ‘unable to be corrupted by riches and honors, unable to be swayed by poverty and lowliness, and unable to be subdued by power and force.’” [12] The inherent consistency of Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline determines that we cannot treat the relationship among the three in isolation, nor can we separate them, falling into a mechanical governance situation of “treating the head when the head aches, treating the foot when the foot hurts.” Instead, we must use a perspective of universal connection, comprehensive system, and development and change to view and handle the relationship between Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline, treating them as an organic and unified whole, making efforts in simultaneous force, same-direction force, and comprehensive force; “working on them as a whole” can form the comprehensive effect of tempering Party spirit, purifying Party conduct, and strictly enforcing Party discipline.

习近平总书记在党的二十大报告中指出：“坚持党性党风党纪一起抓，从思想上固本培元，提高党性觉悟，增强拒腐防变能力，涵养富贵不能淫、贫贱不能移、威武不能屈的浩然正气。”党性、党风、党纪的内在一致性，决定了我们不能孤立地把握三者之间的关系，更不能把三者割裂开来，陷入“头痛医头、脚痛医脚”机械治理局面，而是要用普遍联系、全面系统、发展变化的观点来看待和处理党性党风党纪的关系，把它们当作一个有机统一的整体，在同时发力、同向发力、综合发力上下功夫，“一起抓”才能形成锤炼党性、纯洁党风、严明党纪的综合功效。

Make efforts in simultaneous force. Grasping Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline as an organic whole is not a division into three stages, nor a separation into three links, but requires simultaneous force and integrated advancement as Party building measures. The three have their respective emphases: grasping Party spirit focuses on education and guidance, ideologically resisting selfish thoughts and disciplinary motives; grasping Party conduct focuses on rectification and containment, promptly discovering and eliminating unhealthy practices and disciplinary signs; grasping Party discipline focuses on punishment and deterrence, increasing the cost of disciplinary violations, making violators suffer losses and pay a price under heavy pressure and severe punishment. Only by exerting simultaneous force, ensuring that working on Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline as a whole are coordinated in action orientation, mutually reinforcing in the implementation process, and complementary in work effectiveness, can the entire Party feel at every moment the soul-forging effect of grasping Party spirit, the rectifying effect of grasping Party conduct, and the disciplinary effect of grasping Party discipline.

在同时发力上下功夫。抓党性党风党纪作为一个有机整体，不是三个阶段的划分，也不是三个环节的割裂，而是需要同时发力、一体推进的党建举措。三者各有侧重，其中，抓党性侧重教育和引导，从思想上自觉抵制私心杂念和违纪动机；抓党风侧重纠治和遏制，及时发现清除不正之风和违纪苗头；抓党纪侧重惩治和威慑，提高违纪成本，让违纪者在高压重拳之下得不偿失、付出代价。只有通过同时发力，确保党性党风党纪一起抓在行动取向上相互配合、在实施过程中相互促进、在工作成效上相得益彰，才能让全党上下每时每刻都能感受到抓党性带来的铸魂效能、抓党风带来的正风效能、抓党纪带来的肃纪效能。

Make efforts in same-direction force. Same-direction force refers to accurately grasping the mutual relationships and coupling effects of the various elements of Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline, so that they advance toward a common goal and direction, forming a joint force for governing the Party and managing it. Whether grasping Party spirit, Party conduct, or Party discipline, the goal is to build the Party into a vibrant Marxist ruling party that always stays at the forefront of the times, enjoys the heartfelt support of the people, is brave in self-revolution, can withstand various tests, and is full of vitality. To achieve this goal, our Party must promote comprehensive and strict governance of the Party with the spirit of thorough self-revolution, focusing on solving the unique problems of a large party such as “how to always remain true to our original aspiration and founding mission, how to always unify thought, will, and action, how to always possess strong governing capacity and leadership level, how to always maintain a spirit of entrepreneurship and hard work, how to always be able to promptly discover and solve our own problems, and how to always maintain a clean and upright political ecosystem.” Therefore, “working on Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline as a whole” must revolve around how to solve these unique problems of a large party, achieve the goal of Party building, achieve answering the same questions and exerting force in the same direction, fully leverage the overall effect and sharp weapon role of addressing both symptoms and root causes, and improve the ability and effectiveness of governing the Party and managing it.

在同向发力上下功夫。同向发力是指通过准确把握党性党风党纪各要素的相互关系和耦合作用，使之朝着一个共同目标和方向前进，形成管党治党的合力。无论抓党性党风还是党纪，其目标都是要把党建设成为始终走在时代前列、人民衷心拥护、勇于自我革命、经得起各种风浪考验、朝气蓬勃的马克思主义执政党。为实现这一目标，我们党必须以彻底的自我革命精神推进全面从严治党，着力解决“如何始终不忘初心、牢记使命，如何始终统一思想、统一意志、统一行动，如何始终具备强大的执政能力和领导水平，如何始终保持干事创业精神状态，如何始终能够及时发现和解决自身存在的问题，如何始终保持风清气正的政治生态”等大党独有难题。因此，“坚持党性党风党纪一起抓”必须围绕如何破解这些大党独有难题，实现党建目标，做到同题共答、同向发力，充分发挥标本兼治的整体效应和利器作用，提高管党治党的能力和效果。

Effort must be made in comprehensive application. So-called comprehensive application refers to the scientific integration of various existing elements in practical work, forming a holistic force through systemic integration and complementary advantages. Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline each have different characteristics and follow different laws of operation. Party spirit is fundamental; in the final analysis, it is a matter of stance. Party conduct directly affects the internal atmosphere and political ecology of the Party. Party discipline is a rigid institutional constraint. Only with strong Party spirit as a guarantee, and by fully leveraging the value-oriented function of Party discipline in punishing evil and promoting good, correcting deviations and regulating conduct, can we overcome and avoid the chronic problem of conduct that "improves when grasped tightly but rebounds when relaxed." Therefore, "grasping them together" should, while respecting the nature and characteristics of each element, achieve mutual articulation, organic integration, and coordinated advancement, so that Party members and cadres strengthen their Party spirit in the process of rectifying conduct and enforcing discipline, build a complete disciplinary system while strengthening Party spirit, maintain a clean and upright internal Party political environment, and effectively enhance the overall effectiveness of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party.

在综合发力上下功夫。所谓综合发力，指在实际工作中，对各种既有要素进行科学整合，通过系统集成与优势互补，形成一个整体性的力量。党性、党风、党纪各自具备不同特点，有不同的运行规律。党性是根本，说到底是立场问题；党风直接关系党内风气和政治生态；党纪则是一种刚性的制度约束。只有以坚强的党性作保证，充分发挥党纪惩恶扬善、纠偏规约的价值导向功能，才能克服和避免“抓一抓就好转、松一松就反弹”的作风顽疾。所以，“一起抓”应当在尊重各要素性质特点的前提下，实现相互衔接、有机贯通、协同推进，使党员、干部在正风肃纪中增强党性，在增强党性中构建完备纪律体系，保持风清气正的党内政治生态，切实增强全面从严治党的总体效果。

(Author’s bio: Executive Director of the Institute for CPC History and Party Building, Sun Yat-sen University; Research Fellow at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Guangdong Province)

（作者简介：中山大学中共党史党建研究院执行院长、广东省习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心