The Oath-Taking Ceremony for Party Membership in the Century-Long Course: Theoretical Interpretation, Modes of Practice, Functional Value

The oath-taking ceremony for Party membership is a necessary procedure in the work of Party organizations for developing new members, representing the solemn commitment of new members to the Party, the state, and the people. “Oath-taking” refers to “when joining an organization or assuming a post, under a certain ceremony, publicly uttering words expressing loyalty and determination”; “ceremony” generally refers to “a set of behavioral patterns that are symbolic, performative, and prescribed by cultural tradition.” On June 18, 2021, on the eve of the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited the Museum of the Communist Party of China and led Party members and leading cadres in solemnly reaffirming the oath of Party membership. This was not only a reenactment of the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership but also a profound reaffirmation of the Party’s original aspiration and founding mission. As a basic component of red ceremonies, the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership has, over the more than one hundred years since the founding of the Party, passed through historical stages from initial emergence to basic stabilization to continuous development and improvement. The authors study the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership from both theoretical and practical perspectives, which is crucial for exploring how to use the grand ceremony system of a major Party and major state as a fulcrum to further “tell the story of the Communist Party of China to the world and enhance the international influence of our Party and state,” a major proposition.

入党宣誓仪式是党组织发展新党员工作的必经程序，代表着新党员对党、国家和人民的郑重承诺。“宣誓”是指“参加某一组织或担任某一职务时，在一定的仪式下当众说出表示忠诚和决心的话”；“仪式”通常是指“象征性的、表演性的、由文化传统所规定的一整套行为方式”。2021年6月18日，在中国共产党成立100周年即将到来之际，习近平总书记前往中国共产党历史展览馆，带领党员领导同志庄严地重温入党誓词。这不仅是对入党宣誓仪式的复现，更是对党的初心和使命的深刻重申。作为红色仪式的基本组成部分，入党宣誓仪式在建党百余年来历经由初具雏形到基本定型再到不断发展完善的历史阶段。笔者从理论与实践双重视角出发研究入党宣誓仪式，对探索如何以大党大国荣典制度为支点、进一步“面向世界讲好中国共产党的故事，提升我们党和国家的国际影响力”这一重大命题至关重要。

I. Theoretical Interpretation of the Oath-Taking Ceremony for Party Membership

一、入党宣誓仪式的理论阐释

As an important link in the organizational construction of the Communist Party of China, the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership inherits theories and ideas concerning Party building from Marx and Engels. Although the oath-taking ceremony has kept pace with the times, bearing distinct imprints of the era, it has, over a long period, manifested relatively stable basic attributes amid change and development.

入党宣誓仪式作为中国共产党组织建设的重要环节，传承于马克思、恩格斯关于党的建设等相关理论及思想。尽管宣誓仪式因时因地与时俱进，带有鲜明的时代烙印，但长期以来，其在变化发展中表现了相对稳定的基本属性。

(1) Theoretical Origins: The Rules of the Communist League

（一）理论溯源：《共产主义者同盟章程》

The emergence of the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership was a historical necessity; the formation and development of the ceremony presupposed the dissemination of Marxist theory in China. In 1847, Marx and Engels established the first international proletarian political party armed with scientific socialism, namely the Communist League. As the reorganizers and core figures of the Communist League, Marx and Engels drafted and passed the Rules of the Communist League at the Second Congress. Article 50 of Chapter 10 explicitly stipulated the oath-taking ceremony and oath for joining the League: “The chairperson of the branch reads and explains Articles 1 to 49 of the Rules to the member being admitted, emphasizes in a brief speech the duties the entrant should fulfill, and then asks him, ‘So, are you willing to join this League?’ If the latter answers, ‘Willing!’, then the chairperson requires him to pledge to fulfill all duties of a member, declares him a member, and enrolls him in the branch at the next meeting.” Among these, the questions posed to the new entrant were: “(a) Do you believe that the principle of common ownership of property is the truth? (b) Do you consider it necessary to establish a strong League to realize these principles as quickly as possible? Are you willing to join such a League? (c) Do you pledge unswervingly to propagate the principle of common ownership of property in word and deed and to promote its realization? (d) Do you pledge to keep the existence and all affairs of the League confidential? (e) Do you pledge to obey the resolutions of the League?” Marx and Engels completed the preliminary exploration of the oath-taking ceremony in the form of questions and answers. This was the first oath of a proletarian political party in the history of the international communist movement.

入党宣誓仪式的产生是历史的必然，仪式的形成和发展以马克思主义理论在中国的传播为前提。1847年，马克思、恩格斯建立了世界上第一个以科学社会主义武装起来的国际无产阶级政党，即共产主义者同盟。作为共产主义者同盟的改组者和核心人物，马克思、恩格斯于第二次代表大会中起草并通过了《共产主义者同盟章程》，其中第十章第五十条对入盟宣誓仪式及誓词进行了明确规定：“支部主席向被接收入盟的盟员宣读和说明章程的第一条到第四十九条，要在简短的讲话中特别强调入盟者应尽的义务，然后向他发问‘那末，你愿意加入这个同盟吗？’如果后者回答：‘愿意！’，那末主席就要他保证尽盟员的一切义务，然后宣布他为盟员并在下一次会议上将他编入支部。”其中，新入盟者被问到的问题分别是：“（a）你相信财产公有的原则是真理吗？（b）你认为要尽快地实现这些原则，建立一个强有力的同盟是必要的吗？你愿意加入这样一个同盟吗？（c）你保证始终不渝地用言语和行动来传播财产公有的原则并促其实现吗？（d）你保证对同盟的存在及其一切事情保守机密吗？（e）你保证服从同盟的决议吗？”马克思、恩格斯以问答的形式完成了对宣誓仪式的初步探索，这是国际共产主义运动史上第一个无产阶级政党的誓词。

Since the birth of the Communist Party of China in 1921, it has always taken Marxism as its theoretical foundation and practical guide. Undoubtedly, the core ideas concerning ceremonies in the Rules of the Communist League were also fully drawn upon and absorbed by our Party’s oath-taking ceremony. As an important basis for the formation of the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership, this exploration first had a profound impact on the oath-taking ceremony of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. Lenin integrated theory with Russian reality, clarified the standards and requirements for Party membership in the process of formulating the rules of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, and shaped the ideology of the Soviet Russian Communist Party. This in turn provided a solid theoretical foundation for the standardization of the process of joining the Communist Party of China, becoming an important component of intra-Party construction. It can be said that the joining ceremony recorded in the Rules of the Communist League is the direct theoretical source of the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership of the Communist Party of China.

自1921年中国共产党诞生以来，就始终将马克思主义作为自己的理论基础和实践指南。毋庸置疑，《共产主义者同盟章程》中关于仪式的核心思想，也被我们党的宣誓仪式充分借鉴和吸收。作为入党宣誓仪式形成的重要基础，这种探索首先对俄国社会民主工党宣誓仪式产生了深远影响。列宁将理论与俄国实际相结合，在俄国社会民主工党章程的制定过程中明确了入党的标准要求，塑造了苏俄共产党意识形态。这又为中国共产党入党流程的规范化提供了坚实的理论基础，成为党内建设的重要组成部分。可以说，《共产主义者同盟章程》中所记载的入盟仪式，是中国共产党入党宣誓仪式的直接理论来源。

(2) Basic Attributes: Class Character, People’s Character, and Advanced Character

（二）基本属性：阶级性、人民性和先进性

Although the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership has different forms of expression, it has always adapted to the Party’s program, nature, and tasks in a given historical period. Over a long period, the ceremony has formed relatively stable and distinct basic attributes, mainly manifested as class character, people’s character, and advanced character.

入党宣誓仪式虽有不同表现形式，但均适应一定历史时期党的纲领、性质和任务。长期以来，仪式形成了相对稳定、鲜明的基本属性，主要表现为阶级性、人民性和先进性。

First, class character. Since its founding, our Party has always represented the fundamental interests of the working class and the broad masses of the people. The Constitution of the Communist Party of China stipulates: “The Communist Party of China is the vanguard of the Chinese working class, and at the same time the vanguard of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.” The class character of the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership lies precisely herein. No matter how the specific forms change, the ceremony always contains elements reflecting its class character. First, the environmental arrangement of the ceremony. In the early days of our Party’s founding, when new Party members held the oath-taking ceremony, portraits of pioneers of the international communist movement would be hung, clearly reflecting the stance of the working class. Around September 1922, at the Anyuan Road and Mine Workers’ Club, when new Party members joined the Party, “portraits of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Luxemburg, and Liebknecht were hung on the wall.” [1]1 The Anyuan Road and Mine Workers’ Club was a legal organization of the Communist Party of China in the Anyuan coal mine area in Jiangxi province, established in 1922, which played a key role in organizing workers’ strikes. Second, the specific procedures of the ceremony. The “Internationale” was composed by Eugène Pottier, one of the leaders of the Paris Commune, and is a famous battle song of the international communist movement. In 1927, after Mao Zedong personally led six new Party members in holding the oath-taking ceremony, he proposed adding the singing of the “Internationale” to the original procedures; “thereafter, when various battalions and companies held the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership, they all included the item of singing the ‘Internationale’.” [2]2 This refers to Mao Zedong’s leadership of the Autumn Harvest Uprising in 1927, during which he conducted an oath-taking ceremony for new Party members among the insurgent forces. Incorporating the “Internationale” as an important part of the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership is a significant manifestation of the ceremony’s working-class stance. Third, the oath content in the ceremony. The content of the oath is an intuitive embodiment of the class character of the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership. For example, the earliest oath for Party membership included content such as “class struggle, carry out revolution”; today, the oath enshrined in the Constitution of the Communist Party of China since the 12th National Congress of the CPC [3]3 The 12th National Congress of the CPC was held in 1982, which formally adopted the current version of the Party Constitution and the standardized oath for Party membership. similarly includes content such as “fight for communism all my life.” It can be said that the class character of the Communist Party of China is not only integrated into the struggles of blood and fire but is also condensed in the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership.

第一，阶级性。我们党自成立之日起，就始终代表工人阶级和广大人民的根本利益。《中国共产党章程》规定：“中国共产党是中国工人阶级的先锋队，同时是中国人民和中华民族的先锋队。”入党宣誓仪式的阶级性正在于此。无论具体形式如何变化，仪式中都会包含体现其阶级性的要素。首先，仪式的环境布置。在我们党成立初期，新党员举行入党宣誓仪式时会挂上国际共产主义运动先驱画像，鲜明体现了工人阶级立场。1922年9月前后，在安源路矿工人俱乐部中，新党员入党时，“墙上挂了马克思、恩格斯、列宁、卢森堡、李卜克内西的像”。其次，仪式的具体流程。《国际歌》是由巴黎公社领导人之一的欧仁·鲍狄埃所作，是著名的国际共产主义运动战歌。1927年，毛泽东亲自带领6名新党员举行入党仪式后，提出在原有流程之外加入唱《国际歌》这一环节，“此后各营连举行入党宣誓仪式，都有唱《国际歌》一项”。将《国际歌》作为入党宣誓仪式的重要环节，是仪式具有工人阶级立场的重要表现。再次，仪式中的宣誓誓词。誓词内容是入党宣誓仪式阶级性的直观体现，譬如：最早的入党宣誓誓词中就有“阶级斗争，实行革命”的内容；而如今，自党的十二大载入《中国共产党章程》的誓词同样有“为共产主义奋斗终身”的内容。可以说，中国共产党的阶级性不仅融于血与火的斗争中，同样也凝练于入党宣誓仪式中。

Second, people’s character. Over more than one hundred years, although the content and form of the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership have constantly changed, its spiritual core has never changed; it has always inspired generations of Chinese Communists to advance along the path of seeking happiness for the people. On the one hand, in terms of the oath, during the era of revolutionary war, the Party’s mission was to overthrow the “three great mountains” [4]4 The “three great mountains” is a standard Chinese Communist term for imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucratic capitalism, which the Party claimed oppressed the Chinese people before 1949. weighing on the people and establish a new China truly ruled by the people; the oath always contained content starting from the interests of the people, such as “sacrifice personal interests for the masses” and “fight all one’s life for the liberation of all China and the liberation of the suffering people of the whole world.” In peacetime, the Party’s mission is to continuously improve the people’s living standards and realize the people’s aspirations for a better life; the oath equally reflects content such as “be ready at all times to sacrifice everything for the Party and the people.” On the other hand, in terms of ceremony participants, since the period of the New Democratic Revolution, the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership has shown a trend of large-scale development, reflected in the increasing number of non-Party activists and masses able to participate in the ceremony. For example, on October 19, 1948, the oath-taking ceremony of Shijiazhuang worker leader Song Dekui invited all non-Party comrades from the factory to participate. [5]5 Song Dekui was a model worker in the Shijiazhuang textile industry, known for his labor activism in the late 1940s. Another example: on January 20, 1949, when building and rectifying the Party in Jianxi Sandao Yingzi Village, it was emphasized that “new Party members take the oath to join the Party in public.” [6]6 Jianxi Sandao Yingzi Village refers to a locality in the Jianxi region (part of present-day Heilongjiang province) during the land reform and Party-building campaigns of the late 1940s. In summary, the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership was formed in the Party’s practice during the periods of revolution, construction, reform and opening up, and the New Era, and has always served all links of adhering to development for the people, development relying on the people, and development achievements shared by the people.

第二，人民性。百余年来，尽管入党宣誓仪式的内容和形式不断变化，其精神内核却从未改变，它始终激励着一代代中国共产党人沿着为人民谋幸福的道路不断前行。一方面，就誓词而言，在革命战争年代，党的使命是推翻压在人民头上的“三座大山”，建立真正由人民当家作主的新中国，誓词中始终包含着诸如“牺牲个人为群众谋利益”“为解放全中国、解放全世界受苦受难的人们奋斗终生”等从人民利益出发的内容；在和平年代，党的使命是不断提高人民生活水平，实现人民对美好生活的向往，誓词中同样体现着“随时准备为党和人民牺牲一切”等内容。另一方面，就仪式参与者而言，新民主主义革命时期以来，入党宣誓仪式呈现规模化发展趋势，体现在能够参与仪式的非党员积极分子和群众越来越多。例如：1948年10月19日，石家庄工人领袖宋德奎的入党仪式邀请了全厂非党同志参加。又如：1949年1月20日，建西三道营子村整党建党时强调，“新党员当众入党宣誓”。总之，入党宣誓仪式形成于党在革命、建设、改革开放和新时代各个时期的实践，并且始终服务于坚持发展为了人民、发展依靠人民、发展成果由人民共享的全部环节。

Third, advanced nature. As a Marxist political party, the Communist Party of China has advanced nature as its essential attribute. On the one hand, advanced nature is embodied in the specific forms of the ceremony. In different environments such as the front lines of war and the rear areas of liberated zones, the ceremony takes various forms, including regular Party admission, battlefield Party admission, and secret Party admission. The infectiousness and influence brought by these ceremonial forms have played an important role in the Party’s organizational building and in the ideological and political education of Party members. For example, the *Ji-Re-Cha Herald* reported: “Various units of the Northwest People’s Liberation Army, in the fierce battle against Hu Zongnan’s 36th Division, launched a movement to kill the enemy, perform meritorious service, join the Party, transfer Party membership, and strive to become model Party members. The Party committee of the Second Brigade of a certain unit studied and formulated specific methods for battlefield Party admission… Anyone who, in completing the most difficult combat tasks, demonstrates qualifications meeting the conditions for Party membership may have their request to join the Party accepted and be admitted into the Party. In three consecutive days of fighting, a certain unit admitted a large number of meritorious soldiers into the Party, transferred Party memberships, and elected model Party members.” On the other hand, advanced nature is even more reflected in the ceremony’s adherence to Marxism as its guiding ideology. The basic principles of Marxism indicate the historical laws and direction of development of human society; they are scientific and advanced. The CPC takes Marxism as its guiding ideology, and its advanced nature is manifested in all its work, including the Party’s nature and purpose. As an important component of Party building, the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party likewise follows the Marxist worldview and values.

第三，先进性。中国共产党作为马克思主义政党，先进性是其本质属性。一方面，先进性体现在仪式的具体形式上。仪式在战争前线、解放区后方等不同环境中，有常规入党、火线入党和秘密入党等各种形式，这些仪式形式所带来的感染力、影响力在党的组织建设和党员思想政治教育方面起到了重要作用。例如，《冀热察导报》报道：“西北人民解放军各部在痛战胡匪三十六师的战斗中，开展杀敌立功入党、转党、争取当模范党员的运动。某部二大队党委研究出火线入党的具体办法……凡在完成最艰难的战斗任务中表现够党员条件者，即可接受其入党请求，吸收入党。在连续三天的战斗中，某部即吸收了大批立功战士入党、转党，并选出了模范党员。”另一方面，先进性更体现在仪式以马克思主义为指导思想。马克思主义基本原理指明了人类社会的历史规律和发展方向，是科学的、先进的。中国共产党把马克思主义作为自己的指导思想，其先进性体现在党的性质、宗旨等全部工作中。入党宣誓仪式作为党的建设工作的重要组成部分，同样也遵循马克思主义世界观和价值观。

II. Modes of Practice of the Oath-Taking Ceremony for Joining the Party

二、入党宣誓仪式的践行方式

The oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party has evolved over the course of more than a century, developing multiple practical forms as the era, environment, and specific conditions have changed. In addition to the regular Party admission ceremony, there are also forms such as battlefield Party admission, secret Party admission, and posthumous Party recognition ceremonies, all of which have played an important role in the Party’s organizational building.

入党宣誓仪式在百余年历程中发展演变，随着时代、环境和具体条件的变化而发展出多种实践形式，除常规性入党仪式之外，还有火线入党、秘密入党和党员追认仪式等形式，均在党的组织建设中发挥了重要作用。

(A) Regular Party Admission

（一）常规入党

Looking at the century-long development of the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party, the social and historical environment in which the ceremony is situated gives it distinct characteristics of timeliness and practicality. These characteristics are more concretely expressed in the marked differences in the ceremonial procedures across different historical periods.

纵观入党宣誓仪式百年发展，仪式所处社会历史环境使其存在鲜明的时代性、实践性特质，这种特质更具体表现为仪式流程在不同历史时期的明显差异性。

On the one hand, there are differences in the common procedures of the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party across different historical periods. Regarding the “salute” link, its object has undergone changes from the “school flag” (red, rectangular, with the character “school” in the upper corner), to the Party flag and a portrait of Chairman Mao, to the Party flag and portraits of revolutionary mentors, until after the convening of the Party’s 12th National Congress in 1982, when the Party flag became the unified object of the salute nationwide. [7]7 The 12th National Congress of the CPC was held in September 1982; it adopted a new Party Constitution that standardized many Party procedures. Regarding the link of singing “The Internationale,” although Mao Zedong proposed incorporating it into the ceremonial procedure as early as the Agrarian Revolutionary War period, according to documentary research, this proposal was truly widely applied only after the founding of New China. [8]8 The Agrarian Revolutionary War period (1927–1937) refers to the decade of civil war between the CPC and the Kuomintang after the failure of the First United Front. Regarding the figures who give speeches and addresses, before the Party’s 12th National Congress in 1982, these were mostly the introducers, the oath-takers, and representatives of the higher-level Party committee who gave speeches and addresses; during the New Democratic Revolution period, youth representatives and others were also invited to give speeches. Since the procedure for the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party was enshrined in the *Constitution of the Communist Party of China*, due to the continuous enhancement of the ceremony’s standardization and scale, speeches and addresses are usually given by representatives of the Party organization and preparatory Party members, and a free speech segment has also been set up, allowing every individual participating in the oath-taking ceremony to take part. [9]9 The *Constitution of the Communist Party of China* is the Party’s fundamental statute, first adopted at the Party’s 1st National Congress in 1921 and revised at subsequent congresses. As for the oath itself, before the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party was formally enshrined in the *Constitution of the Communist Party of China*, it also underwent a process of gradual deepening, moving from the superficial to the profound, and progressively improving.

一方面，不同历史时期的入党宣誓仪式在共同流程上存在差异。就“致敬”这一环节而言，其对象历经“校旗”（红色、长方形、上角缀“校”字）、党旗和毛主席像、党旗及革命导师像等变化，直至1982年党的十二大召开后，党旗才成为全国范围内统一的宣誓对象；就唱《国际歌》这一环节而言，虽然毛泽东早在土地革命战争时期就提出将其纳入仪式流程，但据资料考证，这一提议真正广泛应用是在新中国成立以后。就讲话致辞的人物而言，1982年党的十二大之前，多为介绍人、宣誓人以及上级党委发言致辞，新民主主义革命时期还会邀请少年代表等发表讲话。自入党宣誓仪式流程载入《中国共产党章程》以来，由于仪式的正规化、规模化程度的不断增强，通常都由党组织代表以及预备党员代表发言致辞，同时设置了自由发言环节，使得每位参与宣誓仪式的个体都能参与其中。就誓词而言，在入党宣誓仪式正式载入《中国共产党章程》前，也历经了由浅入深、由表及里、逐步完善的过程。

On the other hand, apart from the differences in common procedures, there were also special ceremonial procedures in different periods. For example, during the War of Liberation period, the ceremony included the link “the chairperson reports the significance of the meeting”; during the Socialist Revolution period, there was “observe three minutes of silence in tribute to comrades who heroically sacrificed their lives for the Party’s cause,” and so on. [10]10 The War of Liberation (1945–1949) is the CPC’s term for the Chinese Civil War after the defeat of Japan. The Socialist Revolution period (1949–1956) refers to the early years of the People’s Republic of China, when the CPC carried out land reform and the nationalization of industry. Although these procedures have not been continued, they still possess value for their era.

另一方面，除共同流程的差异之外，不同时期还有特殊的仪式流程，例如：解放战争时期仪式环节中包括“主席报告开会意义”、社会主义革命时期则有“向为党的事业奋斗英勇殉难的同志敬默三分钟”等，这些流程虽然未曾沿用，但仍具有时代价值。

Over the century-long development of the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party, although the ceremonial procedures have differed greatly, the oath-taking ceremonies for joining the Party in different eras also have their uniformity, embodied in the core link of the ceremony—raising the fist and taking the oath. Raising the right fist to shoulder height is a physical element of the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party, carrying important political connotations. It symbolizes the determination and confidence to join the Party with “wholehearted devotion, unwavering commitment, and resolute struggle,” making abstract spiritual beliefs concrete and tangible.

入党宣誓仪式发展百年来，尽管仪式的流程具有极大差异，但是不同时代的入党宣誓仪式却也有其统一性，体现为仪式的核心环节——握拳宣誓。右手握拳过肩是入党宣誓仪式的形体要素，具有重要政治内涵，象征着“全心全意、坚定不移、坚决斗争”的入党决心和信心，使抽象性精神信仰得以形象化、具象化。

In summary, the differences and uniformity of the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party both reflect the Party’s historical changes and its great course of development and growth. No matter how the ceremonial procedures change, the communist faith and revolutionary will they uphold have laid a solid foundation for the development and growth of the CPC.

总之，入党宣誓仪式的差异性和统一性，均体现了党的历史变迁和发展、壮大的伟大历程。不论仪式流程如何变迁，其坚守的共产主义信仰与革命意志为中国共产党的发展、壮大奠定了坚实基础。

(B) Battlefield Party Admission

（二）火线入党

Over the more than one hundred years since the Party’s founding, battlefield Party admission, as an important method of joining the Party, has held a unique position. The battlefield Party admission ceremony refers to a situation under special circumstances, such as the outbreak of war or disaster, where the Party organization simplifies the necessary procedures for joining the Party, admitting individuals who have already demonstrated certain talents and contributions as Party members, in order to meet the urgent needs of Party organizational building.

党成立百余年来，火线入党作为一种重要的入党方式有其独特地位。火线入党仪式是指在特殊情况下，诸如战争或灾难爆发等情境下，党组织简化入党者必经的入党程序，将已表现出一定才干和贡献的个体吸收为党员，以满足党组织建设的紧急需求。

Compared with regular Party admission, battlefield Party admission, as an abnormal method of joining the Party, can produce a stronger shock effect under special circumstances, demonstrating the Party organization’s cohesion and decision-making ability. For the selected individual, battlefield Party admission is a lofty honor, symbolizing the Party organization’s high recognition of them; for other members of the Party organization, the deeds of battlefield Party admission have a great encouraging effect, thereby strengthening Party members’ loyalty to the Party.

与常规入党相比，火线入党这一非常态的入党方式，在特殊背景下能够产生更强的震撼力，彰显党组织的凝聚力和决策力。对于被选中的人而言，火线入党是一项崇高的荣誉，象征党组织对其高度认可；对于党组织的其他成员来说，火线入党的事迹有极大的勉励作用，进而可加强党员们对党的忠诚度。

The course of battlefield Party admission runs through four key historical periods in the Party’s more than one hundred years of history, exhibiting unique forms in different contexts. Specifically, it can be broadly divided into two important stages: the era of revolutionary war and the era of peaceful development.

火线入党的历程贯穿于党百余年历史的四个关键历史时期，在不同情境下表现出独特形式，具体来讲，大体可以分为革命战争年代与和平发展年代两个重要阶段。

In the era of revolutionary war, including the New Democratic Revolution period, it was mainly manifested as battlefield Party admission on the battlefield. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the War of Liberation, and the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, the Party organization faced the test of war, and Party membership candidates often performed outstandingly in harsh combat environments, being formally approved for Party admission on the battlefield. [11]11 The War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950–1953) is the official Chinese name for the Korean War, in which Chinese forces intervened on the side of North Korea.

在革命战争年代，包括在新民主主义革命时期，主要表现为战场火线入党。在抗日战争、解放战争以及抗美援朝战争中，党组织面临战争考验，党员候选人常常在严峻的战斗环境下表现出色，于火线正式被批准入党。

In the era of peaceful development, mainly referring to the period after reform and opening up, but also including the period of socialist revolution and construction, the Party and the state have a relatively stable environment for peaceful development, but they sometimes still face severe and complex challenges, such as natural disasters. During this period, battlefield Party admission is mainly manifested in critical moments such as epidemic response and disaster relief, where some outstanding Party membership candidates are formally approved to join the Party organization due to their heroic and fearless actions. It is worth noting that although battlefield Party admission has unique manifestations in different historical periods, its core spirit has run through it all along, namely, the individual’s heroic and fearless dedication to the interests of the Party organization and the state.

在和平发展年代，主要是指改革开放以后，也包括社会主义革命和建设时期，党和国家拥有相对稳定的和平发展环境，但有时仍会面临严峻复杂的挑战，如：自然灾害等。这一时期，火线入党的情况主要表现为在抗疫和救灾等关键时刻，一些杰出的党员候选人因其英勇无畏的行为被正式批准加入党组织。值得注意的是，火线入党虽然在不同历史时期有着独特的表现形式，但其核心精神一直贯穿于其中，即个人为党组织和国家的利益而英勇无畏地投身奋斗。

In summary, battlefield Party admission, as an important method of joining the Party, has undergone evolution across different historical periods in the CPC’s more than one hundred years of history, manifested in forms such as battlefield admission, disaster relief admission, and epidemic response admission, reflecting the Party’s flexibility, mobility, and firm will. Battlefield Party admission has both witnessed the indomitable spirit of advancing courageously in the Party’s more than one hundred years of history and demonstrated the communists’ original aspiration and sense of responsibility.

总之，火线入党作为一种重要的入党方式，在中国共产党百余年历程中经历了不同历史时期的演变，表现为战场入党、抗灾入党和抗疫入党等形式，体现党的灵活机动性和坚定意志。火线入党既见证了党的百余年历程中勇往直前的坚韧精神，更展现了共产党人的初心与担当。

(C) Secret Party Admission

（三）秘密入党

Secret Party admission refers to a ceremonial form conducted under special backgrounds and circumstances, using strictly confidential and secret procedures for the oath-taking. Compared with ordinary methods of joining the Party, the process and results of secret Party admission are generally not disclosed to the public, and the requirements for the political loyalty and organizational discipline of the person joining the Party are stricter, requiring them to firmly uphold the Party’s leadership, implement the Party’s line, and defend the Party organization. Its purpose is to ensure that the Party member’s identity, tasks, and the Party’s confidential information are not leaked, and to rapidly supplement the Party membership in emergency situations.

秘密入党是指在特殊背景和情况下，采用严格保密和机密性质的程序进行宣誓的仪式形式。相较于一般入党方式，秘密入党的过程和结果一般不对外公开，对入党者的政治忠诚度和组织纪律性要求更为严格，要求他们能够坚定地拥护党的领导、贯彻党的路线并捍卫党组织。其目的是确保党员身份、任务和党的机密信息不被泄露，并在紧急情况下迅速增补党员队伍。

Secret Party admission mainly occurred during the New Democratic Revolution period, especially under the persecution and brutal rule of the Kuomintang, when our Party was forced to adopt this method of joining the Party. [12]12 The Kuomintang (KMT) was the ruling party of the Republic of China, which fought a civil war with the CPC from 1927 to 1949. Secret Party admission was mostly concentrated in the period from the failure of the First United Front to the end of the Long March, playing a key role in adding fresh strength to the CPC and preserving its combat effectiveness. [13]13 The First United Front (1924–1927) was a coalition between the CPC and the KMT against warlords and imperialists; it collapsed when the KMT turned on the CPC. The Long March (1934–1935) was the strategic retreat of the CPC’s Red Army from KMT encirclement, a foundational event in Party history. The ceremony was usually held in a simple manner at a concealed location, and sometimes the oath-taking ceremony was temporarily canceled due to the special identity of the person joining the Party.

秘密入党主要是在新民主主义革命时期，特别是在国民党的迫害和残酷统治下，我们党被迫采取的一种入党方式。秘密入党大多集中于第一次国共合作失败后至长征结束期间，为中国共产党增添有生力量、保存战斗实力起到关键作用。仪式通常是在隐蔽的地点以简单的方式举行，有时也会因为入党者的特殊身份而暂时取消宣誓仪式。

Apart from the typical cases discussed above, secret Party admission also includes other specific instances. Although detailed ritual records are absent due to the special status of those admitted, the overall procedure still holds significant reference value. For example: In September 1931, members of the secret Party branch of the 26th Route Army held a clandestine meeting in Ningdu county town to discuss winning over Zhao Bosheng to join the Party. Later, Zhao Bosheng contacted Luo Yaping for a private conversation and requested to join the Chinese Communist Party. Ultimately, the branch decided that Wang Chao would represent the Party organization in discussing Party membership with Zhao Bosheng, with Luo Yaping as his introducer, and reported this to the Party Central Committee. In October, Zhao Bosheng was formally approved for Party membership. Constrained by his former position as chief of staff of the 26th Route Army, no formal admission ceremony could be held; he could only join the Party secretly. After joining, Zhao Bosheng led the Ningdu Uprising to victory, making a tremendous contribution to the Party’s cause.

除上述典型案例以外，秘密入党也有其他特定案例。尽管由于入党者的特殊身份而没有详细的仪式记录，但整体流程仍具有重要的参考价值。例如：1931年9月，第26路军地下特支成员在宁都县城秘密举行会议，商讨争取赵博生入党的问题。后来，赵博生联系罗亚平进行单独谈话，要求加入中国共产党。最终，特支决定由王超代表党组织出面与赵博生谈入党问题，罗亚平为介绍人，并上报党中央。10月，赵博生正式被批准加入党组织。囿于他曾任过第26路军参谋长，无法举行正式入党仪式，只能秘密加入中国共产党。入党后，赵博生领导了宁都起义并获得胜利，为党的事业作出了巨大贡献。

Secret Party admission held great significance in the history of the Chinese revolution. It was not merely a simple ritual form but represented the Party’s high concern for the safety of its members and Party secrets. Secret admission played an irreplaceable role in enabling the Party to resist suppression and persecution by hostile forces and to maintain the stable operation of the Party’s core strength.

秘密入党在中国革命史上意义重大，它不仅仅是一种简单的仪式形式，更代表了共产党对党员安全和党的机密的高度关注。秘密入党对于党抵御敌对势力的打压和迫害、维护党的核心力量的稳定运作，起到了不可替代的作用。

(4) Posthumous Admission Ceremony

（四）党员追认仪式

The posthumous admission ceremony refers to a special oath-taking ceremony held by the Party organization when an applicant, who died before receiving formal Party approval or taking the oath, is judged on the basis of their firm determination to join the Party demonstrated in actual deeds and assessed for eligibility according to Party membership standards. The purpose is to supplement and confirm the Party membership of the deceased, recognize them as an official member of the Chinese Communist Party, and educate all Party members and the masses through their deeds. The “Detailed Rules for the Work of the Chinese Communist Party on Developing Party Members” stipulates the posthumous admission ceremony. Article 28 of Chapter IV states: “Those who have made heroic sacrifices for the interests of the Party and the people in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, whose deeds are outstanding, who have had a relatively broad influence within a certain scope, who consistently behaved well during their lifetime and who once expressed a request to join the Party to the Party organization, may be posthumously admitted as Party members. Posthumous admission must be strictly controlled; it shall be decided through discussion by the Party organization of the member’s work unit, reviewed by the higher-level Party committee, and approved by the provincial-level Party committee.”

党员追认仪式，是指某位入党者在生前尚未获得党组织的正式入党批准和未举行入党宣誓仪式的情况下，党组织依据其在实际行动中表现出的坚定入党决心，并考察其是否符合党员资格标准后，举行的特殊入党宣誓仪式。目的是对入党者的党员身份进行补充和确认，承认其正式成为中国共产党的一员，并以其事迹教育全体党员和群众。《中国共产党发展党员工作细则》对追认仪式作了规定，其中第四章第二十八条指出：“对在中国特色社会主义事业中为党和人民利益英勇献身，事迹突出，在一定范围内有较大影响，生前一贯表现良好并曾向党组织提出过入党要求的人员，可以追认为党员。追认党员必须严格掌握，由所在单位党组织讨论决定后，经上级党委审查，报省一级党委批准。”

The posthumous admission ceremony runs through all four historical periods since the founding of the Party. Each posthumously admitted member, with their unique qualities and outstanding performance, manifests the character of selfless dedication, firm ideals and convictions, indomitable struggle, and the lofty qualities of contributing to national and social progress.

追认仪式贯穿于党成立以来的四个历史时期，每位被追认的党员均以其独特的品质和优秀表现，彰显了无私奉献的品格、坚定的理想信念、百折不挠的奋斗精神以及为民族和社会进步而贡献的崇高品质。

During the period of the New Democratic Revolution and the period of socialist revolution and construction, communist fighters who sacrificed for the revolutionary cause of the Party and the state were the main subjects of the posthumous admission ceremony. In 1944, Zou Taofen, who had devoted his life to the patriotic democratic cause, dictated his will on his deathbed and submitted a request to join the Party: “Please ask the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party to strictly review my lifelong history of struggle. If it is deemed qualified, please posthumously admit me to the Party.” On October 7, the *Liberation Daily* published the Central Committee’s telegram of condolence to his family, which stated, “Accept Comrade Zou Taofen’s dying request and regard this as the Party’s honor,” formally posthumously admitting him as a Chinese Communist Party member, highly praising and evaluating the great cause to which he had devoted his life.

在新民主主义革命时期以及社会主义革命和建设时期，为党和国家革命事业而牺牲的共产主义战士是追认仪式的主要对象。1944年，将一生致力于爱国民主事业的邹韬奋，在生命垂危之际口授遗嘱，提出了入党申请：“请中国共产党中央严格审查我一生奋斗历史。如其合格，请追认入党。”10月7日，《解放日报》刊载了中共中央电唁其家属的回信，其中提到“接受邹韬奋先生临终请求，并引此为吾党的光荣”，正式将他追认为中共党员，高度赞誉和评价了他一生从事的伟大事业。

On October 12, 1952, at the height of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, a napalm bomb exploded near the position where soldier Qiu Shaoyun was lying in ambush. To avoid exposing the target, he chose to forgo self-rescue and died a heroic death. His sacrifice made a major contribution to the Volunteer Army’s capture of Hill 391. Subsequently, the higher-level Party committee posthumously admitted him as a Chinese Communist Party member and awarded him the title “Model Youth League Member”; the headquarters of the Chinese People’s Volunteers recorded Qiu Shaoyun with a special merit citation and posthumously awarded him the title “First-Class Hero.”

1952年10月12日，正值抗美援朝战争激烈时刻，战士邱少云埋伏的位置旁一颗燃烧弹爆炸了，为了不暴露目标，他选择放弃自救，壮烈牺牲。其牺牲为志愿军战士攻占391高地作出了重大贡献。此后，上级党委追认他为中共党员，追授“模范青年团员”称号；中国人民志愿军总部追记邱少云特等功，并追授他“一级英雄”称号。

After reform and opening up, specific events in particular periods produced exemplary figures who made major contributions to the cause of the Party and the state. During the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Li Ruizhi remained steadfast at her post. After three days of fighting on the pandemic front line, she suddenly collapsed and later died of a heart attack despite rescue efforts. Li Ruizhi had submitted an application for Party membership before her death. To commend her advanced deeds and further promote the political essence of Communist Party members in the New Era, in accordance with relevant intra-Party regulations, following discussion and decision by the Party organization of Li Ruizhi’s former work unit and review by the higher-level Party committee, the Hebei Provincial Party Committee approved the posthumous admission of Li Ruizhi as a Chinese Communist Party member.

改革开放以后，特定时期的特定事件造就了为党和国家事业作出重大贡献的典型人物。2021年抗击新冠疫情期间，李瑞芝一直坚守在工作岗位，她在抗疫前线奋战3日后却突然晕倒，后因心梗抢救无效去世。李瑞芝生前已向党组织递交入党申请书，为表彰其先进事迹，进一步弘扬新时代共产党员的政治本色，根据相关党内法规，经李瑞芝生前所在单位党组织讨论决定和上级党委审查，河北省委批准追认李瑞芝为中国共产党党员。

In summary, the posthumous admission ceremony is not only an important form of recognition that affirms the contributions of the deceased and motivates other Party members to work actively, but also a crucial means of enhancing the Party organization’s cohesion and inheriting and promoting the great founding spirit of the Party. It has important theoretical and practical significance.

总之，党员追认仪式不仅是肯定入党者所作贡献、激励其他党员积极工作的重要表彰形式，也是增强党组织凝聚力、传承和弘扬伟大建党精神的重要途径，具有重要理论意义和实践意义。

III. The Functional Value of the Oath-Taking Ceremony for Party Membership

三、入党宣誓仪式的功能价值

Over more than a century, the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership has gradually become institutionalized, standardized, and proceduralized, playing an indispensable role in the Party’s political, ideological, and organizational building. No matter how its practical forms change, it directly influences every generation of Chinese Communists through its specific appeal. The functional value of the oath-taking ceremony should be understood more deeply from the perspectives of the individual, the group, and the whole.

百余年来，入党宣誓仪式逐步走向制度化、规范化和程序化，在党的政治建设、思想建设和组织建设中不可或缺。不论实践形式如何变化，它都以特定感召力，直接影响着每一代中国共产党人。应从个体、群体及整体等视角出发，更加深入地理解入党宣誓仪式的功能价值。

(1) Forging the Political Faith of Individual Party Members

（一）锻造党员个体政治信仰

The oath-taking ceremony for Party membership plays an indispensable role in the transformation of the political identity of probationary Party members. This ceremony is not only a formal recognition of Party membership but also a symbol of individual growth and assumption of responsibility.

入党宣誓仪式在预备党员政治身份转换中扮演着不可或缺的角色。这一仪式不仅是党员身份的正式认可，更是个体成长和责任担当的象征。

First, the oath-taking ceremony, through commitment and solemn swearing, makes Party members more clearly aware of their individual political faith and mission responsibility. Faith is a basic moral principle that all members of a community must observe, while ritual is the practice of this moral principle. In terms of the arrangement of the ritual setting, symbols with profound significance are generally used, which can often directly touch the hearts of each individual joining the Party. In the core link of the ritual, the participant solemnly recites the oath of Party membership to express communist faith and firm commitment to the Party organization, stimulating a stronger sense of mission and responsibility. For example, in the Jinggangshan History Museum, a faded piece of red cloth bears a Party oath written by He Yeduo: “Sacrifice the individual, keep strict secrets, class struggle, strive for revolution, obey Party discipline, never betray the Party.” Shortly after joining the Party, he died heroically in a battle, fulfilling his solemn oath with his life. Second, the oath-taking ceremony helps establish correct ideological concepts and behavioral norms. In the ceremony, Party members receive Party education and clarify Party discipline and regulations, which helps individuals uphold the Party’s requirements in daily work and life, become model Party members, and lead the masses around them. In addition, processes such as battlefield admission, posthumous admission ceremonies, and the addition of links to commemorate martyrs in oath-taking ceremonies during special periods not only enhance Party members’ Party spirit but also long-term inspire and guide Party members to practice the Party’s fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly and forever maintain the Party’s advanced nature and purity.

第一，入党宣誓仪式通过承诺和庄严宣誓，使党员更加明确个体的政治信仰和使命责任。信仰是一种所有共同体成员都要遵守的基本道德准则，而仪式则是这种道德准则的实践。在仪式场景布置方面，一般采用具有深刻象征涵义的符号，这往往能够直接触动每一个入党者个体的内心。在仪式核心环节中，入党者通过郑重宣读入党誓词以表达共产主义信仰和对党组织的坚定承诺，激发自身更强烈的使命感和责任感。例如：井冈山历史博物馆中，一块褪色红布上记载着一份贺页朵的入党誓词：“牺牲个人，言首秘蜜（严守秘密），阶级斗争，努力革命，伏（服）从党其（纪），永不叛党。”他入党不久以后，就在一次战斗中英勇牺牲，用生命实践了入党时的庄重誓言。第二，入党宣誓仪式有助于树立正确的思想观念和行为准则。在仪式中，党员接受党的教育，明确了党纪党规，这有助于个体在日常工作和生活中秉持党的要求，成为模范党员，引领身边的群众。此外，诸如火线入党、党员追认仪式以及特殊时期在宣誓仪式中增加的纪念英烈环节等仪式过程，不仅提升了党员的党性修养，也长期激励并指导着党员实践党全心全意为人民服务的宗旨，永葆党的先进性与纯洁性。

(2) Constructing Group Organizational Culture

（二）构建群体性组织文化

The oath-taking ceremony for Party membership, by virtue of its inherent unity and specific prescriptiveness, plays an important role in strengthening the construction of the Party organization’s culture.

入党宣誓仪式凭借其内在统一性和特殊规定性，在加强党组织文化构建方面起到了重要作用。

First, the ritual possesses strong organizational discipline and collective identity. It plays an irreplaceable role in shaping ideology. Party ideology lies at the core of Party culture; it is a cognitive system and value system shared by a political party, with symbolic meaning, performing functions such as “guidance,” “justification,” “cohesion,” “mobilization,” and “constraint.” The ritual itself and ritual culture are a unity in which various elements interact. In the oath-taking ceremony for Party membership, there are linguistic element symbols such as the “oath,” action element symbols such as “clenching the fist,” sound element symbols such as the “Internationale,” and other types of element symbols. These element symbols have continuously developed and changed over the Party’s century-long course, realizing the concretization of the Party’s ideology in a mediated form, achieving the inheritance of Marxist political party culture and its adaptation to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

第一，仪式具有极强的组织纪律性以及集体认同感。在塑造意识形态中发挥了不可替代的价值作用。政党意识形态居于政党文化构成中的核心，是一个政党所共同遵循的具有符号意义的认知系统和价值体系，发挥着“导向”“辩护”“凝聚”“动员”“约束”等功能。仪式本身和礼仪文化是各种要素相互作用的统一体，在入党宣誓仪式中，有着“誓词”等语言要素符号、“握拳”等动作要素符号、“国际歌”等声音要素符号以及其他各类要素符号，这些要素符号在党的百余年历程中不断发展变更，以中介化的形式实现了党的意识形态的具象化，实现了马克思主义政党文化的承继和其中国化时代化的发展。

Second, in the ceremony, through the solemn oath, Party members express a firm commitment to a common faith and common goals. This collective commitment not only integrates Party members into a shared value framework at the symbolic level, but also enhances cohesion and a sense of collaboration among Party members by establishing social identity and belonging. The oath-taking ceremony, through formal ritualistic language, enables Party members to express their loyalty to the Party and their belief in the Party’s core values in a collective setting. This process both emphasizes the collective strength of the Party and promotes the social participation and political engagement of Party members. Therefore, the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party can be regarded as an important tool in the internal organizational management of a political party, helping to strengthen Party members’ sense of unity and collaboration, thereby promoting the stability and development of the Party.

第二，在仪式中，党员通过庄严的宣誓，表达了对共同信仰和共同目标的坚定承诺。这一集体承诺不仅在象征层面将党员融入共同的价值框架，还通过建立社会认同和归属感，增强党内成员之间的凝聚力与协作意识。宣誓仪式通过正式的仪式性言辞，使党员在集体环境中表达对党的忠诚和对党的核心价值观的信仰。这一过程既强调了党的集体力量，又促进了党员的社会参与和政治投入。因此，入党宣誓仪式可被视为政党内部组织管理中的重要工具，有助于强化党员的团结协作意识，进而促进政党的稳定与发展。

(3) Promoting the Three-Dimensionalization of the Party’s Image

（三）推动政党形象立体化

The Party’s image is the overall impression and evaluation of a political party’s ideas, behavior, and performance by the public; it is a composite result of the Party’s objective performance and the public’s subjective perception. The Party’s image is intangible, but it can be made tangible through concrete means. The oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party relies on symbolic symbols, ritual language, and the like to construct the Party’s image, achieving emotional resonance and value alignment with the people through display and transmission in a certain manner.

政党形象是公众对一个政党理念、行为和政绩的总体印象与评价，是政党客观表现和公众主观认知的综合结果。政党形象是无形的，但它能够通过具象化手段，化无形于有形。入党宣誓仪式对政党形象的构建依赖象征符号、仪式语言等，通过一定方式给予的展示和传递，实现了与民众的情感共鸣与价值共振。

On the one hand, symbolic symbols and ritual language are the material carriers for constructing the Party’s image. As a foundation and important component of political rituals, the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party creates a solemn and serious ritual atmosphere through object symbols such as the “Party flag” and “Party emblem” and other scene elements, reflecting the Party’s historical heritage and fine traditions, and shaping an image of a Party with a long history and profound foundation. On the other hand, ritual language is the spiritual expression of the Party’s image construction. In the core link of the ritual, the “clenched-fist oath,” the ritual constructs the Party’s image three-dimensionally through language, thereby enhancing the fullness and credibility of the Party’s image, deepening Party members’ faith in the communist cause and the Party’s leadership, and also shaping the Party’s image as one that upholds correct values and holds lofty ideals.

一方面，象征符号、仪式语言是政党形象构建的物质载体，入党宣誓仪式作为政治仪式的基础和重要组成部分，通过物件符号诸如“党旗”“党徽”等场景要素营造庄重严肃的仪式氛围，体现党的历史传承和优良传统，塑造历史悠久和底蕴深厚的政党形象；另一方面，仪式语言是政党形象构建的精神表达，在“握拳宣誓”这一仪式核心环节中，仪式通过语言将政党形象立体地构建起来，从而提升了政党形象的丰满度、可信度，加深了党员对共产主义事业和党的领导的信仰，也塑造了党奉行正确价值观、秉持崇高理想的政党形象。

Since the founding of the Party, the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party has evolved over more than a century, playing a crucial role in different historical periods. It is precisely through the oath-taking ceremony that the Party transmits the characteristics of its image to internal Party members and external society. This not only has important theoretical guidance and behavioral directional significance for correctly understanding the Chinese Communist Party, fulfilling the oath and pledge, and practicing Party discipline and regulations, but also greatly enhances the cohesion of Party organizations, continuously promoting the development of the Party’s and the nation’s cause.

党成立以来，入党宣誓仪式历经百余年流变，在不同历史时期都承担着至关重要的角色，正是通过宣誓仪式，党向内部党员和外部社会传递政党形象特征，不仅对正确认识中国共产党、履行誓词誓言、践行党规党纪具有重要的理论指导以及行为指向意义，还极大地增强了党组织的凝聚力，推动党和国家的事业不断发展。

Additional Discussion

余论

The oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party is the foundation and an important component of red rituals. The ritual is not only a collective condensation of Party members’ faith and responsibility, but also an important manifestation of the Party’s original aspiration and founding mission. Entering the New Era and embarking on a new journey, the inspirational power of the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party is increasingly strengthened, providing insights for enriching and perfecting the grand ceremony system of the major Party and major country of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. As an important part of red ritual culture, the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party is an important achievement of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and is also a foundational link in the system of grand ceremonies for the major Party and major country. As General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “The oath to join the Party does not have many words, and remembering them is not difficult; what is difficult is lifelong adherence. Every Party member must remember the oath to join the Party, constantly compare themselves against it, and remain unwavering and unyielding for life.” [15]15 Xi Jinping, speech at the ceremony marking the centenary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party, July 1, 2021. In the future, we must continuously explore the value connotation of the oath-taking ceremony for joining the Party through various forms, constantly strengthen Party members’ understanding and practice of the oath to join the Party, and with even more splendid chapters, continuously enrich and perfect the grand ceremony system of the major Party and major country of socialism with Chinese characteristics, writing new glories for the Chinese Communist Party in the New Era.

入党宣誓仪式是红色礼仪的基础和重要组成部分。仪式不仅是党员的信仰与担当的集体凝聚，也是党初心与使命的重要彰显。步入新时代，迈上新征程，入党宣誓仪式的感召力也日趋增强，对新时代丰富和完善中国特色社会主义大党大国典礼制度具有启示意义。作为红色礼仪文化的重要组成部分，入党宣誓仪式是马克思主义中国化时代化的重要成果，也是大党大国荣典制度的基础性环节。正如习近平总书记所强调的，“入党誓词字数不多，记住并不难，难的是终身坚守。每个党员要牢记入党誓词，经常加以对照，坚定不移，终生不渝”。未来，我们要通过多种形式不断深入挖掘入党宣誓仪式的价值内涵，不断强化党员对入党誓词的理解和践行，以更加绚丽的篇章，不断丰富和完善中国特色社会主义大党大国典礼制度，续写新时代中国共产党新的辉煌。

(Author bios: Gao Fujin, second-level professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Marxism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Lu Yuanyi, School of Marxism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

（作者简介：高福进，上海交通大学马克思主义学院二级教授，博士生导师；卢媛熠，上海交通大学马克思主义学院）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心