Deeply Understanding the Methodology of Strengthening Party Conduct Building in the New Era

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has taken conduct building as an important starting point for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, deeply advanced Party conduct building with the spirit of self-revolution, formed General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourse on strengthening Party conduct building, and guided Party conduct building in the New Era to achieve new results and present a new atmosphere. At a time when the whole Party is carrying out study and education on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations, deeply understanding the methodology of strengthening Party conduct building in the New Era will help the whole Party further grasp General Secretary Xi Jinping’s relevant discourse and requirements on why our Party should grasp conduct building, what to grasp, and how to grasp it, providing a sound intra-Party ecology for comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央把作风建设作为全面从严治党的重要抓手，以自我革命精神深入推进党的作风建设，形成习近平总书记关于加强党的作风建设的重要论述，指导新时代党的作风建设取得新成效、呈现新气象。在全党开展深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育之际，深刻理解新时代加强党的作风建设的方法论，有助于全党进一步领会习近平总书记关于我们党为什么抓、抓什么、怎样抓作风建设的相关论述要求，为以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业提供良好的党内生态。

The Mutual Penetration of “Root” and “Form”

“本”与“形”的相互贯通

“Faith is the root, conduct is the form.” General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline are an organic whole; Party spirit is the foundation, Party conduct is the manifestation, and Party discipline is the guarantee.” Unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems are mutually reinforcing and share the same origin. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee has insisted on combating the “Four Forms of Decadence”[1]1 The “Four Forms of Decadence” (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism, and extravagance, which were identified as key targets of Party conduct reform after the 18th National Congress of the CPC., combating corruption, and opposing privileged thinking and privileged phenomena through multiple simultaneous measures, with the aim of grasping Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline together and advancing the Party’s self-revolution in an integrated manner through the dialectical unity of “root” and “form.” At the same time, only by firmly establishing the “root” of faith can a solid foundation be provided for conduct building. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “When the root is upright, the form gathers; when the root is not upright, the form will surely scatter. To maintain and develop the Party’s fine conduct, firmly establishing ideals and convictions is fundamental.” For the vast number of Party members and cadres, ideological slippage is the most serious pathological change. The reason formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism, and extravagance emerge is that some comrades have not tightened their “master switch,” have not properly resolved issues of worldview, outlook on life, and values, and lack a correct view of right and wrong, a correct view of righteousness and benefit, a correct view of power, and a correct view of career. Only by working hard to establish the root and consolidate the foundation can we prevent unhealthy winds and evil influences from approaching and attaching themselves.

“信念是本，作风是形。”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。”不正之风和腐败问题互为表里、同根同源。党的十八大以来，党中央坚持反“四风”、反腐败、反对特权思想和特权现象多管齐下，目的就是将党性党风党纪一起抓，以“本”和“形”的辩证统一一体推进党的自我革命。同时，只有坚定信念之“本”，才能为作风建设提供坚实的根基。习近平总书记指出：“本正而形聚，本不正则形必散。保持和发扬党的优良作风，坚定理想信念是根本。”对广大党员、干部来说，思想上的滑坡是最严重的病变，之所以会出现形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风，就在于一些同志的“总开关”没拧紧，世界观、人生观、价值观问题没有解决好，缺乏正确的是非观、义利观、权力观、事业观。只有在立根固本上下功夫，才能防止歪风邪气近身附体。

The Dialectical Unity of “Large” and “Small”

“大”与“小”的辩证统一

“A dike collapses from an ant hole; qi leaks through a needle tip.” To strengthen Party conduct building in the New Era, it is necessary to advance conduct building based on the grand strategy of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, while also finding breakthroughs for strengthening conduct building; it is necessary to form a grand climate of promoting healthy tendencies, while also breaking the small climate of unhealthy tendencies. On the one hand, find small entry points from the grand strategy. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has taken strengthening Party conduct building as the opening move of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, and within strengthening Party conduct building, has taken the formulation and implementation of the Eight-Point Regulations as the breakthrough, finding the entry point for strengthening conduct building. On the other hand, strengthening conduct building must see the big from the small and drive the big with the small. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Small matters and minor details are a mirror; in small matters and minor details, there is Party spirit, there are principles, and there is character.” The Eight-Point Regulations seem to be “small matters” like a mooncake or a meal, but they reflect the “great wisdom” that minor integrity is not lost and the great path is not deviated from, embodying the dialectical thinking of “starting from the small, seeing the big from the small, and driving the big with the small,” and are a working method that unifies strategy and tactics, prompting Party members and cadres to see Party spirit, conduct, and original aspiration in small matters and minor details. Practice has proven that once the Eight-Point Regulations were implemented, the entire chessboard of conduct building came alive. Small entry points bring about big changes; small entry points form a big climate. By grasping small matters and minor details, the grand strategy of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party is driven to be implemented.

“堤溃蚁穴，气泄针芒。”新时代加强党的作风建设，既要立足于全面从严治党的大战略推进作风建设，又要找到加强作风建设的突破口；既要形成弘扬正气的大气候，又要打破风气不正的小气候。一方面，从大战略中找到小切口。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央将加强党的作风建设作为全面从严治党的开局之举，又在加强党的作风建设中以制定和落实中央八项规定破题，找到了加强作风建设的突破口。另一方面，加强作风建设要以小见大、以小带大。习近平总书记指出：“小事小节是一面镜子，小事小节中有党性、有原则、有人格。”中央八项规定看似是一块月饼、一顿饭的“小事”，但反映的是小节不失范、大道不偏离的“大智慧”，体现的是“从小抓起，以小见大，以小带大”的辩证思维，是将战略与策略相统一的工作方法，促使党员干部在小事小节中见党性、见作风、见初心。实践证明，八项规定一子落地，作风建设满盘皆活。以小切口带来大变化，以小切口形成大气候。通过抓小事小节，带动全面从严治党的大战略得到贯彻执行。

The Organic Combination of “Strictness” and “Substance”

“严”与“实”的有机结合

“Things have their root and branch; affairs have their end and beginning.” General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “When we grasp conduct building, in the final analysis, we hope that cadres at all levels can establish and develop good conduct, being strict in self-cultivation, strict in the use of power, and strict in self-discipline, while also being substantive in planning affairs, substantive in starting undertakings, and substantive in being a person.” This embodies the dialectical unity of being a person and doing things, and of action requirements and working methods. On the one hand, the requirements of strictness are manifested through substantive measures. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “‘Three Stricts and Three Substantives’[2]2 “Three Stricts and Three Substantives” (三严三实) is a slogan for cadre conduct: be strict in self-cultivation, strict in the use of power, and strict in self-discipline; be substantive in planning affairs, substantive in starting undertakings, and substantive in being a person. is a kind of conduct, a kind of spirit, and also a standard, a realm.” In the New Era, comprehensively and strictly governing the Party and strengthening Party conduct building, the key lies in strictness. The Communist Party of China is a Marxist political party with advanced nature and purity, a political organization that is the “two vanguards”[3]3 The “two vanguards” (两个先锋队) refers to the CPC’s dual character as the vanguard of the Chinese working class and the vanguard of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation., and embodying the requirements of strictness in all aspects of Party building is the Party’s foundation for standing. On the other hand, substantive measures are to better implement the requirements of strictness. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Only through solid work can we rejuvenate the country; only through solid work can we make the country strong; only through solid work can we enrich the people.” Carrying out conduct building cannot stop at the level of slogans, cannot be superficial, but must, through taking real action and making regulations, implement things that already have clear norms, restrain things that do not conform to norms, and standardize things that have no norms, striving toward a stricter and tighter standard. To achieve strictness and substance, the most difficult and core issue is how to treat oneself. Only by cultivating oneself, using power, disciplining oneself, planning affairs, starting undertakings, and being a person according to the strict standard and realm can one be a good person and a good official.

“物有本末，事有终始。”习近平总书记指出：“我们抓作风建设，归根到底，就是希望各级干部都能树立和发扬好的作风，既严以修身、严以用权、严以律己，又谋事要实、创业要实、做人要实。”这体现了为人和干事、行动要求与工作方法的辩证统一。一方面，严的要求通过实的举措得以彰显。习近平总书记指出：“‘三严三实’是一种作风、一种精神，也是一个标准、一个境界。”新时代全面从严治党，加强党的作风建设，关键在严。中国共产党是具有先进性和纯洁性的马克思主义政党，是“两个先锋队”的政治组织，在党的各方面建设中体现严的要求是党的立身之举。另一方面，实的举措是为了更好贯彻严的要求。习近平总书记指出：“实干方能兴邦、实干方能强国、实干方能富民。”开展作风建设，不能只停留在口号层面，不能不痛不痒，而必须通过动真格、作规定，就要落实一些已经有明确规范的事情，就要约束一些不合规范的事情，就要规范一些没有规范的事情，朝严一点、紧一点的标准去努力。做到严和实，最难最核心的是如何对待自己，只有按照严的标准和境界来修身、用权、律己和谋事、创业、做人，才能把人做好、把官当好。

The Balanced Consideration of “Above” and “Below”

“上”与“下”的兼顾并举

“Conduct is formed by those above; customs are transformed by those below.” The experience of our Party proves that leading cadres setting an example and taking the lead in all aspects is an effective leadership method and working method, and it is also an effective method in strengthening conduct building. On the one hand, improving conduct must be top-down, with those above taking the lead. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Everything is like this: those above do, those below imitate; those above lead, those below follow; what those above like, those below will be even more fond of; what those above dislike, those below will not do; if those above loosen by an inch, those below will loosen by a foot.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, advancing comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and strengthening Party conduct building have both insisted on starting from the Party Central Committee and being strict with senior cadres. Grasping the “key minority” of leading cadres means grasping the “ox nose” of Party governance and Party management. Through leading cadres at all levels taking the lead in transforming conduct, one level sets an example for the next, one level leads the next in doing, forming a “leading goose effect.” On the other hand, realize the linkage effect of those below promoting those above. Strengthening conduct building is aimed at the whole Party; only when the conduct of all Party members is good can we promote comprehensive and strict governance of the Party in the New Era to achieve better results. Through the mutual unity of those above taking the lead and those below promoting, the remarkable effect of “when those above and below share the same desire, they prevail” has been achieved.

“风成于上，俗化于下。”我们党的经验证明，领导干部在各个方面坚持以身作则、以上率下是一种有效的领导方法和工作方法，在加强作风建设方面也是一种有效的方法。一方面，改进作风必须自上而下、以上率下。习近平总书记指出：“凡事都是这样的，上行下效，上率下行，上有所好、下必甚焉，上有所恶、下必不为，上面松一寸、下面松一尺。”党的十八大以来，推进全面从严治党、加强党的作风建设，都是坚持从党中央做起、从高级干部严起。抓住领导干部这个“关键少数”，就抓住了管党治党的“牛鼻子”。通过各级领导干部带头转变作风，一级做给一级看、一级带着一级干，形成了“头雁效应”。另一方面，实现以下促上的联动效应。加强作风建设，是对全党而言的，只有全体党员作风优良了，才能推动新时代全面从严治党取得更好成效。通过以上率下和自下而上的相互统一，实现了“上下同欲者胜”的显著成效。

The Mutual Reinforcement of “Governance” and “Institutions”

“治”与“制”的互摄共生

“It is better to retreat and weave a net than to stand by the pond and long for fish; it is better to remove the firewood from under the cauldron than to skim the boiling water in the pot.” To strengthen Party conduct building in the New Era, it is necessary to handle the dialectical relationship between “governance” and “institutions.” On the one hand, strengthening institutional building is the foundation. Fundamentally, grasping conduct building relies on institutions. In our Party’s history, there have also been relevant normative documents on streamlining meetings and documents, practicing strict economy and opposing waste, and conducting investigation and research, but clarifying norms does not mean solving problems. This shows that ensuring conduct building through institutional building must “take real action,” cannot be overly cautious, and cannot be empty slogans. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “We must focus on the long term, address both symptoms and root causes, establish and improve rules and regulations, tighten the institutional cage, and ensure that the institutions formed are workable, have strong guiding force, and can be effective for a long time.” In the New Era, our Party has run institutional building through the entire process of conduct building and other Party building, strengthened the improvement and perfection of intra-Party regulations, and built a comprehensive and strict governance system for the Party, providing institutional guarantees for advancing Party conduct building. On the other hand, the crux of strengthening conduct building lies in “governance.” The transformation of conduct building from treating symptoms to treating root causes must rely on the rule of law. By using legal means to correct conduct and enforce discipline, and through rigid institutional provisions and strict institutional implementation, we can ensure that improving conduct is standardized, normalized, and long-lasting. Through the mutual reinforcement of “governance” and “institutions,” conduct building is promoted to have rules to follow and to address both symptoms and root causes.

“临渊羡鱼不如退而结网，锅内扬汤不如釜底抽薪。”新时代加强党的作风建设，要处理好“治”与“制”的辩证关系。一方面，加强制度建设是基础。从根本上说，抓作风建设要靠制度。我们党的历史上也有关于精简会议和文件、厉行勤俭节约、调查研究等相关规范性文件，但是规范明确了不等于问题解决了。这说明，以制度建设保障作风建设必须“动真格”，不能搞四平八稳，不能是空洞口号。习近平总书记指出，“要着眼长远、标本兼治，建立健全规章制度，把制度笼子扎紧，确保形成的制度行得通、指导力强、能长期管用”。新时代，我们党将制度建设贯穿作风建设以及党的其他建设全过程，加强党内法规制度的健全和完善，构建起全面从严治党制度体系，为推进党的作风建设提供了制度保障。另一方面，加强作风建设，要害在“治”。作风建设由治标向治本转变要靠法治，通过运用法治手段纠风肃纪，以刚性的制度规定和严格的制度执行，才能确保改进作风规范化、常态化、长效化。通过“治”与“制”的互摄共生，推动作风建设有规可依、标本兼治。

The Coordinated Linkage of “Regularity” and “Long-Term”

“常”与“长”的协同联动

“Sailing against the current, one cannot slacken a single push of the pole; dripping water wears through stone, not a single drop can be abandoned or delayed.” From long-term practice, conduct building has only a starting point and no end point; it is an eternal theme. In strengthening Party conduct building in the New Era, it is necessary to handle the dialectical relationship between “regularity” and “longevity”: we must both grasp it regularly to see normalcy, grasp it deeply to see concrete measures, and grasp it persistently to see lasting effects. Conduct building has a stubborn and recurrent nature; its value lies precisely in the two words “regularity” and “longevity.” On the one hand, from the perspective of regularity, in the New Era our Party has pushed Party committees (Party groups) at all levels and their “first-in-command” to earnestly fulfill the main responsibility for conduct building, urging leading cadres at all levels to effectively improve their work style, thereby ensuring that responsibilities are implemented and grounded, maintaining the tenacity of regular effort. On the other hand, from the perspective of longevity, in the New Era our Party has proposed that conduct building is always on the way, designating the Central Eight-Point Regulations [4]4 The Eight-Point Regulations: A set of rules issued by the CPC Central Committee in December 2012 to reduce bureaucracy, extravagance, and formalism among Party officials, often cited as a key measure in the anti-corruption campaign under as a long-term effective iron rule and hard benchmark, establishing and improving long-term mechanisms to promote Party members and cadres in persistently serving the people, being pragmatic, and remaining clean, maintaining the patience of long-term effort. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must grasp it with the momentum of leaving marks on stone and grabbing iron with bare hands, seeing things through to the end and making them succeed, preventing a strong start and a weak finish.” By coordinating the dialectical relationship between “regularity” and “longevity,” we guide social and popular conduct with fine Party conduct.

“逆水行舟，一篙不可放缓；滴水穿石，一滴不可弃滞。”从长期的实践来看，作风建设只有起点没有终点，是个永恒的主题。新时代加强党的作风建设，要处理好“常”与“长”的辩证关系，既要经常抓、见常态，又要深入抓、见实招，还要持久抓、见长效。作风建设具有顽固性反复性，作风建设贵在常、长二字。一方面，从抓常看，新时代我们党推动各级党委（党组）及其“一把手”切实履行作风建设主体责任，督促各级领导干部切实改进工作作风，从而确保责任落实落地，保持常抓的韧劲。另一方面，从抓长看，新时代我们党提出作风建设永远在路上，将中央八项规定确定为长期有效的铁规矩、硬杠杠，建立健全促进党员干部坚持为民务实清廉的长效机制，保持长抓的耐心。习近平总书记指出：“我们要以踏石留印、抓铁有痕的劲头抓下去，善始善终、善作善成，防止虎头蛇尾。”通过统筹好“常”与“长”的辩证关系，以优良党风引领社风民风。

(The author is Dean and Professor of the School of Marxism at Lanzhou University)

（作者系兰州大学马克思主义学院院长、教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心