Winning Historical Initiative through the Self-Purification of the Party’s Work Style

“The Party’s work style bears on the Party’s image, on popular support, and on the Party’s survival or extinction.” General Secretary Xi Jinping’s this

“党的作风关系党的形象，关系人心向背，关系党的生死存亡。”习近平总书记这一振聋发聩的判断和警示，从历史、时代和大局的高度，深刻阐明了作风建设的极端重要性。

The history of the Communist Party of China spanning more than 100 years proves that strengthening the Party's work style building is a process of continuously achieving self-purification and winning historical initiative. Such a process has been carried out in the past, is being carried out now, and will continue to be carried out in the future. For the Party to break free from the strange cycle of historical periodicity,[1]1 "Historical periodicity" (历史周期率) refers to the cyclical pattern of rise and fall, order and chaos in Chinese dynastic history, a concept famously raised by the democratic figure Huang Yanpei during a 1945 conversation with Mao Zedong in Yan'an. it must maintain historical sobriety amid the long-ringing alarm bells, unremittingly grasp the Party's work style building, and ensure that the Party can win the initiative and the future under any complex conditions.

中国共产党100多年的历史证明，加强党的作风建设，是一个不断实现自我净化、赢得历史主动的过程。这样的过程过去在进行、现在在进行、将来仍然要进行。党要跳出历史周期率的怪圈，就必须在长鸣的警钟声中保持历史的清醒，坚持不懈抓好党的作风建设，确保党在任何复杂条件下都能赢得主动、赢得未来。

Self-Tempering on the Journey of Exploration and Endeavor

在探索奋进的征程中自我淬炼

The four characters "life-and-death existence" (生死存亡) carry the weight of a thousand jun.[2]2 "Jun" (钧) is an ancient Chinese unit of weight, equivalent to about 30 kilograms. The phrase "字字千钧" (each character weighs a thousand jun) is a Chinese idiom meaning words of great weight and significance. For more than 100 years, they have always hung like a high-alarm bell, sounding along the historical journey of the Communist Party of China.

“生死存亡”四个字，字字千钧。100多年来，它始终像一个高悬的警钟，敲响在中国共产党的历史征程上。

From the setting sail on the Red Boat,[3]3 The "Red Boat" refers to the boat on Nanhu Lake in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, where the First National Congress of the CPC concluded in July 1921, symbolizing the founding of the Party. our Party has demonstrated fine work styles such as daring to be the first, bravely undertaking the mission, going deep into the grassroots, organizing the masses, fighting heroically, and fearing no sacrifice. During the Great Revolution,[4]4 The "Great Revolution" (大革命) refers to the period of the First United Front between the CPC and the Kuomintang (1924-1927), aimed at overthrowing the warlords and foreign imperialism. the Party Central Committee issued the Party's first anti-corruption document, the "Circular of the Enlarged Meeting of the Central Committee — Resolutely Clean Out Corrupt Elements," which effectively purified the Party's membership.

从红船启航，我们党就展示出敢为人先、勇担使命，深入基层、组织群众，英勇奋斗、不怕牺牲等良好作风。大革命期间，党中央发出党的历史上第一个反腐文件《中央扩大会议通告——坚决清洗贪污腐化分子》，有效净化了党员队伍。

The Chinese Communists, represented by Comrade Mao Zedong, deeply conducted investigation and research on China's national conditions and found the unique Jinggangshan path.[5]5 The "Jinggangshan path" refers to the strategy of establishing rural revolutionary base areas and encircling the cities from the countryside, pioneered by Mao Zedong after the failed Autumn Harvest Uprising in 1927. However, the "Left" dogmatist error, characterized by copying books and foreign experience, led to the failure of the Fifth Counter-Encirclement Campaign.[6]6 The "Fifth Counter-Encirclement Campaign" (1933-1934) was the CCP's military campaign against the Kuomintang's fifth encirclement campaign. Its failure, due largely to "Left" dogmatist military leadership, forced the CCP to abandon its base areas and begin the Long March. These two opposite results illustrate how great a role the Party's ideological work style and ideological line play in the life and death of the Party.

以毛泽东同志为代表的中国共产党人，深入开展对中国国情的调查研究，找到了独特的井冈山道路。但是，以照搬书本和外国经验为特点的“左”倾教条主义错误，导致第五次反“围剿”失败。正反两种结果，说明了党的思想作风和思想路线对党的生死存亡起着多大的作用。

Drawing lessons from the painful experience, at the Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Party in 1938,[7]7 The Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee (1938) was a key CCP meeting during the War of Resistance Against Japan, which affirmed Mao Zedong's leadership and the line of adapting Marxism to Chinese conditions. the Communist Party of China for the first time explicitly put forward the task of "adapting Marxism to the Chinese context" (马克思主义中国化). Subsequently, through the Yan'an Rectification Movement,[8]8 The Yan'an Rectification Movement (1942-1944) was a Party-wide ideological education campaign aimed at correcting non-proletarian thought and establishing Mao Zedong Thought as the guiding ideology. "opposing subjectivism to rectify the style of study, opposing sectarianism to rectify the Party's work style, and opposing Party stereotypes to rectify the style of writing," the Party's work style building was raised to a new level. The Seventh National Congress of the Party[9]9 The Seventh National Congress of the CPC (1945) was held in Yan'an and formally established Mao Zedong Thought as the Party's guiding ideology. summarized the fine work styles formed in the Party's long-term struggle into the Three Great Work Styles, namely, the style of integrating theory with practice, the style of maintaining close ties with the masses, and the style of self-criticism. The Party Central Committee's effective local governance in Yan'an created a sharp contrast between the clean governance of the anti-Japanese base areas and the extravagant corruption of the Kuomintang-controlled areas. The huge disparity between the "Yan'an work style" and the "Xi'an work style" led many democratic personages to assert: China's hope lies in Yan'an.

吸取惨痛教训，在1938年党的扩大的六届六中全会上，中国共产党第一次明确提出了“马克思主义中国化”的任务。之后，通过延安整风运动，“反对主观主义以整顿学风，反对宗派主义以整顿党风，反对党八股以整顿文风”，党的作风建设提高到新的水平。党的七大把党在长期奋斗中形成的优良作风概括为三大作风，即理论和实践相结合的作风、和人民群众紧密地联系在一起的作风以及自我批评的作风。党中央在延安卓有成效的局部执政，使抗日根据地的为政清廉与国民党统治区的奢靡腐败形成鲜明对照，“延安作风”和“西安作风”的巨大反差让许多民主人士断言：中国的希望在延安。

Before the Party Central Committee set out for Beijing to take the "imperial examination,"[10]10 "Taking the imperial examination in Beijing" (进京赶考) is a metaphor used by Mao Zedong on the eve of the CCP's entry into Beijing in 1949, likening the Party's assumption of national power to a scholar taking the imperial examination, emphasizing the need to pass the test of governance. the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the Party[11]11 The Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee (March 1949) was held in Xibaipo, Hebei Province, and laid out the Party's policies for the transition from rural to urban focus and the founding of the People's Republic. put forward the "Two Musts," namely, "comrades must be taught to remain modest, prudent, and free from arrogance and rashness in their work, and comrades must be taught to preserve the style of plain living and hard struggle." "Not becoming Li Zicheng"[12]12 Li Zicheng was a peasant rebel leader who overthrew the Ming Dynasty in 1644 but quickly lost power due to corruption and internal strife. "Not becoming Li Zicheng" was a warning against repeating this historical failure. was the first goal of "taking the imperial examination in Beijing."

党中央“进京赶考”前，党的七届二中全会提出“两个务必”，即“务必使同志们继续地保持谦虚、谨慎、不骄、不躁的作风，务必使同志们继续地保持艰苦奋斗的作风”。“不当李自成”，这是“进京赶考”的第一个目标。

The founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 marked the Communist Party of China becoming the ruling party holding state power nationwide. How to build socialism in China and how to strengthen the Party's self-building under the conditions of governance — the Communist Party of China carried out arduous explorations. Although there were occasional stumbles, the will remained firm; although there were twists and turns, there were still commendable achievements. Practice answered: the goal of "not becoming Li Zicheng" was achieved. Today, the Communist Party of China has been in power for over 75 years, becoming the world's largest ruling party with over 99 million members, leading a big country with a population of over 1.4 billion, and having significant global influence. The effectiveness of the Party's self-tempering in work style is evident to all.

1949年中华人民共和国的成立，标志着中国共产党成为掌握全国政权的执政党。如何在中国建设社会主义，如何在执政条件下加强党的自身建设，中国共产党进行了艰辛探索。虽然时有趔趄，但意志一直坚定；虽然曾遭曲折，但仍然可圈可点。实践作答：“不当李自成”的目标实现了。今天，中国共产党执政已经超过75年，成为拥有9900多万名党员、领导着14亿多人口大国、具有重大全球影响力的世界第一大执政党，党在作风上自我淬炼的成效有目共睹。

The longer-term goal of the Communist Party of China is to break free from the strange cycle of historical periodicity.

中国共产党更长远的目标，是跳出历史周期率的怪圈。

As early as the eve of the founding of New China, the "Common Program of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference,"[13]13 The Common Program of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, adopted in September 1949, served as the de facto constitution of the People's Republic of China until the adoption of the formal constitution in 1954. which served as a provisional constitution, specifically stipulated: "All state organs of the People's Republic of China must practice a clean, frugal, and people-serving revolutionary work style, severely punish corruption, prohibit waste, and oppose the bureaucratic style of work that is divorced from the masses."

早在新中国成立前夕，具有临时宪法地位的《中国人民政治协商会议共同纲领》就专门规定：“中华人民共和国的一切国家机关，必须厉行廉洁的、朴素的、为人民服务的革命工作作风，严惩贪污，禁止浪费，反对脱离人民群众的官僚主义作风。”

Just over a month after the founding of New China, the Central Committee of the CPC made the "Decision on the Establishment of the Central and Local Party Discipline Inspection Commissions." In April 1952, the "Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Punishing Corruption" were promulgated. This was the first regulation on punishing corruption promulgated after the founding of New China, clearly expressing our Party's determination to punish corruption. In 1956, the Eighth National Congress of the Party[14]14 The Eighth National Congress of the CPC (1956) was the first Party congress held after the founding of the PRC, focusing on the tasks of socialist construction and Party building under conditions of governance. summarized the experiences and lessons of seven years of governance and those of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, put forward new requirements for the Party's work style building, emphasizing the need to uphold and carry forward the Party's tradition of the mass line, oppose bureaucracy, and strengthen the Party's ties with the masses; uphold the principles of democratic centralism and collective leadership, oppose personality cults and arbitrary decisions by individuals; uphold the ideological line of integrating theory with practice and seeking truth from facts, oppose subjectivism; and safeguard the Party's unity and solidarity, oppose sectarianism.

新中国成立刚刚一个多月，中共中央就作出《关于成立中央及各级党的纪律检查委员会的决定》。1952年4月，《中华人民共和国惩治贪污条例》公布。这是新中国成立后颁布的第一部惩治贪污条例，鲜明表达了我们党惩治腐败的决心。1956年，党的八大总结执政七年以及苏联、东欧的经验教训，对党的作风建设提出新的要求，强调要坚持和发扬党的群众路线的传统，反对官僚主义，密切党与人民群众的联系；坚持民主集中制和集体领导原则，反对个人崇拜和个人专断；坚持理论联系实际、实事求是的思想路线，反对主观主义；维护党的团结和统一，反对宗派主义。

Reform and opening up was a historic decision that determined the fate of contemporary China. It made the Communist Party of China take on new historical responsibilities and also posed new challenges and tests to the Communist Party of China.

改革开放是决定当代中国命运的历史性决策。它使中国共产党挑起了新的历史重任，也对中国共产党提出了新的挑战和考验。

Summing up historical experience and facing practical tests, our Party put forward that "the work style of the ruling Party is a matter of life and death for the Party," "the issue of the Party's work style must be grasped firmly and grasped forever," and "grasp reform and opening up with one hand, and grasp punishing corruption with the other."

总结历史经验，面对现实考验，我们党提出，“执政党的党风问题是有关党的生死存亡的问题”，“党风问题必须抓紧搞，永远搞”，“一手抓改革开放，一手抓惩治腐败”。

Using "life and death" to awaken the entire Party is a thunderclap that deafens the ears! Without reform, China would have no way out; but if it fails the test of reform and opening up and becomes corrupt, the Party will collapse. Therefore, on the journey of ushering in the new historical period of reform and opening up, the Party must win historical initiative through the self-purification of the Party's work style.

用“生死存亡”警醒全党，振聋发聩！不改革，中国就死路一条；但如果过不了改革开放这一关，腐败了，党也就垮台了。所以，党必须在开创改革开放历史新时期的征途上，以党风的自我净化赢得历史的主动。

In the process of bringing order out of chaos (拨乱反正),[15]15 "Bringing order out of chaos" (拨乱反正) refers to the period after the Cultural Revolution (1976-1978) when the Party corrected the errors of the "Left" line and restored normal political and economic order. the Communist Party of China committed itself to restoring the Party's fine traditions and work styles. The Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Party[16]16 The Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee (December 1978) is a landmark meeting that launched the policy of reform and opening up and shifted the Party's focus to economic development. re-established the ideological line of emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts, and at the same time, restored the fine tradition of democratic centralism, putting forward the task of institutionalizing and legalizing democracy. This plenary session achieved a great turning point of far-reaching significance in the Party's history. Subsequently, the Party re-established the discipline inspection commissions, formulated the "Guiding Principles for Inner-Party Political Life," and adopted the "Resolution on Certain Historical Issues of the Party Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China."[17]17 The "Resolution on Certain Historical Issues of the Party Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China" (1981) was a key Party document that systematically evaluated the history of the PRC, including the Cultural Revolution, and affirmed Mao Zedong's historical status.

在拨乱反正中，中国共产党致力于恢复党的优良传统和作风。党的十一届三中全会重新确立了解放思想、实事求是的思想路线，同时，恢复党的民主集中制的优良传统，提出了使民主制度化、法律化的任务。这次全会实现了党的历史上具有深远意义的伟大转折。随之，党恢复建立了纪律检查委员会，制定了《关于党内政治生活的若干准则》，通过了《关于建国以来党的若干历史问题的决议》。

As the tide of reform surged, it inevitably stirred up some mud and sand; as the window of opening opened, flies and mosquitoes also flew in. In response to the resurgence of unhealthy tendencies inside and outside the Party, the Party Central Committee promptly took measures to curb various forms of evil winds from encroaching.

改革大潮兴起，必会卷起一些泥沙；开放之窗打开，也会有苍蝇蚊子飞入。针对党内外不正之风的泛起，党中央及时采取措施，制止各种形式的歪风侵袭。

After the Fourth Plenary Session of the Thirteenth Central Committee of the Party,[18]18 The Fourth Plenary Session of the Thirteenth Central Committee (June 1989) was convened in the aftermath of the the Party Central Committee comprehensively strengthened work style building and made a decision on strengthening the Party's ties with the masses. While putting forward the historical task of establishing a socialist market economy, it resolutely advanced the new great project of Party building, put forward comprehensive requirements for the Party's ideological work style, style of study, work style, leadership style, and lifestyle, and in particular, made the anti-corruption struggle the focus of work style building, emphasizing that the fight against corruption is a serious political struggle.

党的十三届四中全会后，党中央全面加强作风建设，作出关于加强党同人民群众联系的决定。在提出建立社会主义市场经济历史任务的同时，坚决推进党的建设新的伟大工程，对党的思想作风、学风、工作作风、领导作风、生活作风提出全面要求，特别是把反腐败斗争作为党风建设的重点，强调反腐败是一场严重的政治斗争。

In the new century and new stage, the Party, from the height of maintaining its advanced nature, further created a new situation in work style building. It strengthened the Party's governance capacity and advanced nature building, exercised supervision and restraint over power, established and improved the system for punishing and preventing corruption, built the core socialist values, established the socialist concept of honor and disgrace,[19]19 "Farewell My Concubine" (霸王别姬) refers to the tragic story of Xiang Yu, a warlord of the late Qin dynasty, who was defeated and forced to part from his beloved concubine Yu Ji before his death. It is used here as a metaphor for the catastrophic failure and collapse of a ruling power. and made serving the people, being pragmatic, and being clean the basic requirements for Party members and cadres. It vigorously promoted the style of maintaining close ties with the masses, the style of seeking truth and being pragmatic, the style of hard struggle, and the style of criticism and self-criticism. At the same time, it seriously investigated and dealt with cases of abuse of power, embezzlement, and bribery by leading cadres, corrected unhealthy tendencies in departments and industries, and focused on solving problems that the masses strongly reflected and that seriously infringed upon their interests.

新世纪新阶段，党从保持先进性的高度，进一步开创作风建设的新局面。加强党的执政能力和先进性建设，对权力加以监督制约，建立健全惩治和预防腐败体系，建设社会主义核心价值体系，树立社会主义荣辱观，把为民、务实、清廉作为对党员干部的基本要求。大兴密切联系群众之风、求真务实之风、艰苦奋斗之风、批评和自我批评之风。同时，严肃查办领导干部滥用权力、贪污贿赂的案件，纠正部门和行业不正之风，着力解决群众反映强烈的、严重侵害群众利益的问题。

Winning the Initiative in the Game of the Two Overall Situations

在两个大局的博弈中赢得主动

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has coordinated the two overall situations of domestic and international affairs, overseen the great struggle, the great project, the great cause, and the great dream, and propelled socialism with Chinese characteristics into a New Era.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央统筹国内国际两个大局，统揽伟大斗争、伟大工程、伟大事业、伟大梦想，推动中国特色社会主义进入了新时代。

Looking at the world, changes unseen in a century are accelerating. Examining the domestic situation, our country is in a critical period for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, while at the same time, the road ahead still faces many difficulties and challenges. The greater the risks, the more numerous the challenges, and the heavier the tasks, the more necessary it is to strengthen the Party's work style building.

放眼世界，百年未有之大变局正加速演进。审视国内，我国正处在实现中华民族伟大复兴的关键时期，同时前进道路上仍面临着许多难关和挑战。风险越大、挑战越多、任务越重，越要加强党的作风建设。

“If a ruling party does not pay attention to work style building and allows unhealthy tendencies to erode the Party’s body, it risks losing popular support and even its grip on power,” and “Our Party’s governing foundation is very solid, but if work style problems are not properly resolved, there could even come a moment like ‘the Farewell My Concubine’,”[1]1 "Historical periodicity" (历史周期率) refers to the cyclical pattern of rise and fall, order and chaos in Chinese dynastic history, a concept famously raised by the democratic figure Huang Yanpei during a 1945 conversation with Mao Zedong in Yan'an. General Secretary

“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”，“我们党的执政基础很牢固，但如果作风问题解决不好，也有可能出现‘霸王别姬’这样的时刻”，习近平总书记向全党发出警示。

The historical echo of "Farewell My Concubine" [19]19 "Farewell My Concubine" (霸王别姬) refers to the tragic story of Xiang Yu, a warlord of the late Qin dynasty, who was defeated and forced to part from his beloved concubine Yu Ji before his death. It is used here as a metaphor for the catastrophic failure and collapse of a ruling power. — a tragedy that has resounded for millennia — must never appear in the time tunnel of the Chinese Communist Party! The alarm bell of survival or extinction, sounded once again, strikes with such force, contains such profound implications, stirs such powerful reverberations, and spreads so widely that it is deeply shocking.

“霸王别姬”这一悲凉千年的历史回响，决不能出现在中国共产党的时光隧道里！再一次敲响的生死存亡之警钟，敲击力度之大、内含意蕴之深、激起声浪之强、扩散范围之广，令人震撼。

On December 4, 2012, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee reviewed and approved the "Eight-Point Regulations of the 18th Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Improving Work Style and Maintaining Close Ties with the Masses." This was the first important intra-Party regulation formulated after the 18th National Congress of the CPC. Subsequently, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, central Party departments, and various localities quickly formulated corresponding regulations and detailed rules to strictly implement the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations.

2012年12月4日，中共中央政治局会议审议通过《十八届中央政治局关于改进工作作风、密切联系群众的八项规定》。这是党的十八大之后制定的第一部重要党内法规。随后，中央纪委、中央各部门以及各地区迅速制定相应规定、细则，严格贯彻落实中央八项规定精神。

The central Eight-Point Regulations targeted the "Four Forms of Decadence" [20]20 "Four Forms of Decadence" (四风) is a standard abbreviation in CPC discourse for formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance.. Some problems existing within the Party were concentrated in the manifestations of formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance — the "Four Forms of Decadence." At that time, the "Four Forms of Decadence" were the problems the masses most detested and complained about most strongly, and they were also a major source of damage to Party-mass and cadre-mass relations. If the problem of the "Four Forms of Decadence" was solved well, it would create better conditions for solving other problems within the Party.

中央八项规定剑指“四风”。党内存在的一些问题，集中表现在形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风这“四风”上。“四风”是其时群众深恶痛绝、反映最强烈的问题，也是损害党群干群关系的重要根源。“四风”问题解决好了，党内其他一些问题解决起来也就有了更好条件。

The central Eight-Point Regulations do not encompass all the requirements for Party work style building, but they seized upon the most prominent and urgent practical problems in real life, solving them with thunderous measures, thereby promoting the fight against corruption and driving the improvement of the Party's work style, government conduct, social customs, and public morals. One move on the chessboard activates the entire game. The central Eight-Point Regulations have become the starting point and the calling card of work style building in the New Era.

中央八项规定不是党的作风建设要求的全部内容，但它抓住了现实生活中最突出、最紧迫的实际问题，以雷霆手段切实加以解决，以此推动反腐败斗争，带动党风、政风、民风、世风的好转。一子落地，满盘皆活。中央八项规定已成为新时代作风建设的抓手和名片。

The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core led by example, took the lead in setting an example, strictly implemented the Eight-Point Regulations without cutting corners or making compromises, and set a benchmark for the entire Party through concrete actions.

以习近平同志为核心的党中央以身作则，率先垂范，严格执行八项规定，不打折扣，不做变通，以实际行动为全党立起标杆。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The Eight-Point Regulations are neither the highest standard nor the ultimate goal; they are only the first step in improving our work style, the basic requirement that we as Communists should meet."

习近平总书记指出：“八项规定既不是最高标准，更不是最终目的，只是我们改进作风的第一步，是我们作为共产党人应该做到的基本要求。”

The Party Central Committee made grasping work style an important entry point and focus for advancing the great new project of Party building in the New Era, adhered to comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, implemented the responsibility for managing and governing the Party, and integrated the implementation of the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations into the Party's political building, theoretical building, organizational building, work style building, discipline building, as well as institutional building and the fight against corruption, comprehensively raising the scientific level of Party building.

党中央把抓作风作为推进新时代党的建设新的伟大工程的重要切入点和着力点，坚持全面从严治党，落实管党治党责任，把贯彻落实中央八项规定精神融入党的政治建设、思想建设、组织建设、作风建设、纪律建设以及制度建设和反腐败斗争之中，全面提高党的建设科学化水平。

Successive Party congresses, plenary sessions of the Central Committee, plenary sessions of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and other important meetings all put forward requirements for persistently improving the Party's work style. The Party Central Committee successively formulated important documents such as the "Code of Integrity and Self-Discipline of the Communist Party of China" and the "Guidelines for Political Life within the Party under the New Situation," and revised the "Regulations on Disciplinary Action of the Communist Party of China" multiple times, placing political building first and emphasizing Party discipline and rules. Efforts to rectify formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance were intensified, and various disciplinary violations and corruption cases were investigated and dealt with under high pressure.

历次党代会、中央全会、中央纪委全会等重要会议，都对持之以恒抓好党的作风建设提出要求。党中央先后制定《中国共产党廉洁自律准则》、《关于新形势下党内政治生活的若干准则》等重要文件，多次修订《中国共产党纪律处分条例》，把政治建设摆在首位，强调党的纪律和规矩。加大纠治形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风的力度，以高压态势查处各种违纪行为和腐败案件。

The unremitting efforts in work style building in the New Era represent the Party's firm attitude in coping with the tests of long-term governance, reform and opening up, the market economy, and the external environment, as well as its resolute countermeasures against the dangers of mental slackness, insufficient capability, detachment from the masses, and passive corruption. It is a great baptism of self-purification. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core persistently rectified work style and enforced discipline, waged an unprecedented fight against corruption, curbed unhealthy practices that had long gone unchecked, and corrected deep-seated problems that had persisted for years, achieving historic and groundbreaking accomplishments in comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, producing all-round and far-reaching impacts. The Chinese Communist Party has won greater historical initiative in the new great test of survival or extinction.

新时代作风建设驰而不息，是党应对长期执政、改革开放、市场经济、外部环境考验的坚定态度，也是应对精神懈怠、能力不足、脱离群众、消极腐败危险的坚决反制，是自我净化的伟大洗礼。以习近平同志为核心的党中央持之以恒正风肃纪，开展史无前例的反腐败斗争，刹住了一些长期没有刹住的歪风，纠治了一些多年未除的顽瘴痼疾，使全面从严治党取得了历史性、开创性成就，产生了全方位、深层次影响。中国共产党在新一轮生死存亡的大考中赢得了更大的历史主动。

Maintaining Historical Sobriety Amid the Long-Ringing Alarm Bell

在长鸣的警钟声中保持历史的清醒

Over more than 100 years of work style building, the Chinese Communist Party has achieved historic accomplishments and accumulated rich experience. The achievements gratify us; the experience deepens our thinking.

中国共产党100多年的作风建设，取得了历史性的成就，也积累了丰富的经验。成就令我们欣慰，经验深化我们的思考。

Reflection One: The Party's work style is a direct expression of the Party's nature and vitality.

思考之一：党的作风是党的性质和生命力的直接表现。

The Party's work style refers to the behavioral orientation and stylistic characteristics manifested in the Party's thinking and activities. In terms of content, it includes study style, writing style, meeting style, ideological style, work style, leadership style, and lifestyle. The Party's work style is the Party's image.

党的作风，是党在思维和活动中表现出来的行为取向和风格特点。就其内容而言，有学风、文风、会风、思想作风、工作作风、领导作风、生活作风等。党的作风，就是党的形象。

The Party's image is the cognitive result and value judgment formed in people's minds about the Party's features, based on all behaviors implemented by the Party according to its own nature, through the external display and transmission of certain information. The formation of the Party's image depends on the three main links of subject, object, and intermediary, and is fundamentally formed and determined by the Chinese Communist Party itself as the subject.

党的形象，是党基于自身性质而实施的所有行为，通过向外部展示和传输某种信息，然后在人们头脑中形成的关于党的面貌的认知结果和价值判断。党的形象的形成，取决于主体、客体和中介三个最主要的环节，根本上是由中国共产党这个主体自己形成和决定的。

The Party's work style displays the Party's perceptible and knowable external image, but in essence, it is the embodiment and reflection of the Party's nature, fundamental purpose, value orientation, organizational status, and all its behaviors. What kind of party is the Chinese Communist Party? How are the Party's advanced nature and vitality? What is the relationship between the Party and the masses? All these can be manifested and measured through the Party's work style.

党的作风，展示了党的可感可知的外部形象，但本质上，是党的性质、根本宗旨、价值取向、组织状况和全部行为的体现和反映。中国共产党是一个什么样的党？党的先进性和生命力如何？党与人民群众的关系如何？都能从党的作风上表现出来，并加以测度。

For this reason, work style becomes the barometer and thermometer of the Party's nature and state. The Party's work style is not only related to the Party's image but also to the Party's life. A good work style indicates that the Party is in a state full of vitality and vigor; a bad work style indicates that the Party's body has developed certain diseases and malignant tumors that urgently need treatment.

正因为如此，作风成为党的性质和状态的晴雨表、温度计。党的作风不仅关系党的形象，而且关系党的生命。好的作风表明，党正处于充满活力、蓬勃向上的状态；坏的作风表明，党的肌体已经出现了某种病症和毒瘤，急需医治。

Reflection Two: Always understand and strengthen the Party's work style building from the perspective of survival or extinction.

思考之二：始终从生死存亡的高度，认识和加强党的作风建设。

The development of the Chinese Communist Party over more than 100 years has always been linked to work style building. The four words "survival or extinction" constantly warn us of the risks and challenges we face and urge us to unswervingly strengthen the Party's work style building.

中国共产党100多年的发展，始终与作风建设联系在一起。“生死存亡”四个字，时时警示我们面临的风险和挑战，敦促我们坚定不移加强党的作风建设。

Facts have repeatedly proven that work style building is a game of survival or extinction. In different historical periods, work style building has certain themes and characteristics, but in each period, it concerns the Party's fate and its survival or extinction. With a correct work style, the people support the Party; with an incorrect work style, the people are dissatisfied. If the Party loses the support of the people, its ruling foundation will collapse. Effectively solving work style problems allows the Party to be full of vitality; conversely, it is very likely to encounter setbacks and fall into a dangerous situation.

事实反复证明，党风建设是一种生死存亡的博弈。在不同的历史时期，作风建设有一定的主题和特点，但每一时期的作风建设，都关系党的命运，关系党的生死存亡。作风正，人民拥护；作风不正，人民不满。如果失去了人民的支持，党的执政基础就会垮塌。有效地解决作风问题，党就充满生机活力；反之，就很有可能遇到挫折，陷入危险的境地。

Amid the constantly ringing alarm bell, the Chinese Communist Party maintains a high degree of vigilance, unremittingly strengthens and improves work style building, and continuously realizes the Party's self-purification and self-renovation. Thus, at every important historical juncture, it has enhanced the Party's cohesion, combat effectiveness, and creativity, seized the initiative in development and progress, and ensured the gradual realization of the Party's original aspiration and founding mission.

中国共产党在时时敲响的警钟声中，保持高度的警惕，始终不懈地加强和改进作风建设，不断实现党的自我净化和自我革新，因而在一个个重要历史关头，增强了党的凝聚力、战斗力和创造力，掌握了发展前进的主动权，保证了党的初心和使命的逐步实现。

Reflection Three: The Party's work style building is a process that is forever "on the road."

思考之三：党的作风建设是一个永远“在路上”的过程。

According to the Marxist viewpoint, the world is not a collection of ready-made things but a collection of processes. All things are in an infinite process of movement and development. Therefore, whether it is the Party's cause or Party building, it is a process of gradual advancement and continuous deepening.

按照马克思主义的观点，世界不是既成事物的集合体，而是过程的集合体。万事万物都处在运动发展的无限过程之中。所以，无论党的事业，还是党的建设，都是一个渐次推进、不断深入的过程。

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, "Work style problems are stubborn and recurrent. Forming a fine work style cannot be achieved once and for all, nor can overcoming a bad work style be accomplished overnight." "Work style building is always on the road." Achievements are on the road; shortcomings are also on the road. It was on the road in the past, it is on the road now, and it will still be on the road in the future.

习近平总书记强调，“作风问题具有顽固性和反复性，形成优良作风不可能一劳永逸，克服不良作风也不可能一蹴而就”，“作风建设永远在路上”。成绩，是在路上；不足，也是在路上。过去在路上，现在在路上，将来仍然在路上。

Being on the road means we must keep moving forward; being on the road means we cannot have any thought of taking a breather or resting on our laurels. We need the drive to leave a mark where we step and grab iron with our bare hands [21]21 "Leave a mark where we step and grab iron with our bare hands" (踏石留印、抓铁有痕) is a Chinese idiom meaning to work with determination and produce tangible results., and the tenacity to start well and end well, and to be good at what we do and bring it to completion. No matter which node we are on the road, we must persistently advance comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, continuously eliminate all viruses that erode the Party's healthy body, vigorously foster a political ecosystem and social environment of uprightness and integrity, and forever maintain the Party's vitality and vigor.

在路上，就要不断前进；在路上，就不能有任何喘口气、歇歇脚的念头。要有踏石留印、抓铁有痕的劲头，要有善始善终、善作善成的韧劲。无论在路上的哪个节点，都必须持之以恒推进全面从严治党，不断清除一切侵蚀党的健康肌体的病毒，大力营造风清气正的政治生态和社会环境，永葆党的生机和活力。

Reflection Four: Answer the Historical "Heavenly Questions" with Two Historical Answers.

思考之四：以两个历史性答案回答历史性“天问”。

On the path of revolution, construction, and reform, the Chinese Communist Party has raised a series of "heavenly questions" [22]22 "Heavenly questions" (天问) is a reference to the long poem "Heavenly Questions" (Tianwen) by the ancient poet Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BCE), which poses a series of profound questions about the universe, nature, and history. Here it is used figuratively to mean profound and fundamental questions about the Party's fate.. How to break out of the historical cycle of rise and fall [23]23 "Historical cycle of rise and fall" (历史周期率) refers to the theory, famously discussed by the historian Huang Yanpei during a 1945 meeting with Mao Zedong, that all Chinese dynasties historically went through a cycle of rise, peak, decline, and fall. The CPC's challenge is to break out of this cycle. is one of the greatest "heavenly questions."

中国共产党在革命、建设、改革的道路上，提出了一系列“天问”般的问题。如何跳出历史周期率，就是最大的“天问”之一。

Faced with this “heavenly question,” Comrade Mao Zedong gave the first answer, which was the “new path of democracy.” [24]24 “Heavenly question” (天问) is a classical allusion to the long poem “Heavenly Questions” by the ancient poet Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BCE), which poses a series of cosmological and historical riddles. Here it refers metaphorically to the fundamental challenge of the “historical cycle.” “Only when the people supervise the government will the government not dare to slack off. Only when everyone takes responsibility will there be no ruin of the state and the death of the ruler.” [25]25 “Ruin of the state and the death of the ruler” (人亡政息) is a four-character idiom from the Confucian classic *The Doctrine of the Mean*, meaning that when a leader dies, his policies also cease.

面对这个“天问”，毛泽东同志给出了第一个答案，这就是“民主新路”。“只有让人民来监督政府，政府才不敢松懈。只有人人起来负责，才不会人亡政息。”

After more than a hundred years of struggle, and especially since the practice of the 18th National Congress of the CPC [26]26 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership. of the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has led our Party to give a second answer, which is self-revolution. The 20th National Congress of the CPC demanded “leading social revolution through the Party’s self-revolution” and stressed that “the fight against corruption is the most thorough self-revolution.”

经过百余年奋斗特别是党的十八大以来的实践，习近平总书记领导我们党又给出了第二个答案，这就是自我革命。党的二十大要求，“以党的自我革命引领社会革命”，强调“反腐败是最彻底的自我革命”。

The increasingly complex international and domestic situation ensures that the new road of taking the examination [27]27 “New road of taking the examination” (新的赶考之路) is an internal Party metaphor originating from Mao Zedong’s remark in 1949 that entering Beijing to govern was like “taking an examination,” is full of risks and challenges. How to break out of the historical cycle [28] remains a severe test for the Communist Party of China. The Communist Party of China on the new journey of the New Era can only achieve the Party’s self-purification, self-improvement, self-renovation, and self-enhancement by persistently strengthening the Party’s work style construction with a thorough spirit of self-revolution and by improving the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party.

日趋复杂的国际国内形势，注定了新的赶考之路充满风险和挑战。如何跳出历史周期率，依然是对中国共产党的严峻考验。新时代新征程上的中国共产党，只有以彻底的自我革命精神，驰而不息加强党的作风建设，健全全面从严治党体系，才能不断实现党的自我净化、自我完善、自我革新、自我提高。

Fifth Reflection: The Party must be both highly “purified” and full of vitality.

思考之五：党既要高度“净化”，也要活力四射。

The development of society requires not only order and balance but also momentum and vitality. Reform and opening up, fundamentally, was about solving the problem of a past lack of vitality, stimulating the momentum and vitality of social development through the adjustment and transformation of the system. One of the greatest changes in Chinese society over the past few decades is that it has become “alive.”

社会的发展，既需要秩序、平衡，更需要动力、活力。改革开放从根本上来说，就是解决过去缺乏活力的问题，通过体制的调整和变革，激发社会发展的动力和活力。几十年来中国社会的最大变化之一，就是搞“活”了。

But after becoming “alive,” it is also easy for some chaotic phenomena to appear. Many problems in the Party’s work style are a reflection and manifestation of this chaos. Therefore, it is necessary to unswervingly implement comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. Through unremitting efforts, the Party’s work style, government conduct, folk customs, and social atmosphere have all been significantly purified.

但“活”了后，也很容易出现一些乱象。党的作风上的很多问题，就是这种乱象的反映和表现。因此，必须坚定不移全面从严治党。经过不懈努力，党风、政风、民风和社会风气都得到了显著净化。

Treating an illness is not meant to kill the patient, but to revive the patient. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The purpose of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party is not to restrict people to death, making them overcautious and timid, turning things into a stagnant pool of lifelessness and inaction, but rather to create a positive, healthy, entrepreneurial political ecosystem and good environment by clarifying direction, establishing rules, rectifying conduct, and strengthening immunity.”

治病，不是为了把人治死，而是为了把人治活。习近平总书记指出：“全面从严治党的目的不是要把人管死，让人瞻前顾后、畏首畏尾，搞成暮气沉沉、无所作为的一潭死水，而是要通过明方向、立规矩、正风气、强免疫，营造积极健康、干事创业的政治生态和良好环境。”

Therefore, strengthening the construction of the Party’s work style requires both resolutely purifying the Party’s conduct and ensuring that the Party is a Party full of vitality, thereby stimulating social vitality, so that Chinese society is not only a stable and orderly society but also a vibrant society.

所以，加强党的作风建设，既要坚决净化党风，又要保证党是一个活力四射的党，从而激发社会活力，使中国社会不仅是一个稳定有序的社会，更是一个生机勃勃的社会。

(Author: Vice President of the Chinese Society for the History of the CPC, Member of the Advisory Committee for the Central Marxist Theory Research and Construction Project)

（作者：中国中共党史学会副会长、中央马克思主义理论研究和建设工程咨询委员会委员）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心