On the Distinctiveness of the Chinese Communist Party’s Theoretical Development

As a Marxist political party, the Chinese Communist Party stands out among the world’s political parties, demonstrating in all respects the scientific nature and practicality of the theory of a major world party, and proving through practice the “capability” of the Chinese Communist Party, the “goodness” of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the “validity” of Marxism. The Chinese Communist Party itself is a party conceived by scientific theory and armed with scientific theory; theoretical development is not only the genetic code and practical driving force of its success, enabling it always to “stand on the correct side of history,” but also one of its finest

作为马克思主义政党，中国共产党在世界政党中一枝独秀，全方位展现了一个世界大党理论方面的科学性及其实践性，以实践证明了中国共产党的“能”、中国特色社会主义的“好”、马克思主义的“行”。中国共产党本身就是由科学理论孕育并用科学理论武装的政党，理论发展不仅是其成功的基因密码和实践动力，使之始终能够“站在历史正确的这一边”，而且是其最优良品质之一。习近平指出：“我们党的历史，就是一部不断推进马克思主义中国化的历史，就是一部不断推进理论创新、进行理论创造的历史。”在中国共产党百余年发展历史中，产生了毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观、习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想等重大创新理论成果。然而，中国共产党的创新理论并没有得到世界范围内普遍承认，一方面是“中国共产党的理论创新能力和意义被西方大大低估”，主要是囿于意识形态掣肘等原因，对中国共产党作为新型政党的理论发展的应有认识与评价较为缺乏，另一方面是因为一些势力故意质疑、抹黑和打压中国共产党理论发展能力与成就。中国共产党的理论发展是一个动态发展过程，是一个历史自觉与历史主动的过程，是一个守正与创新的过程，也是一个合规律与目的的过程，呈现出鲜明而独有的特性。从哲学本体论、价值论、认识论与方法论视角探讨中国共产党理论发展嬗变的特点，不仅对于探究中国共产党胜利与成功奥秘、讲好中国故事有意义，而且有助于推进党的创新理论体系化研究与学理化阐释。

I. Upholding Fundamental Principles and Breaking New Ground: The Ontological Characteristic of the Chinese Communist Party’s Theoretical Development

一、守正创新：中国共产党理论发展的本体论特性

In the ontological sense, the theoretical development of the Chinese Communist Party is the upholding of fundamental principles and breaking new ground in Marxism. This is the first principle of the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical development. The Chinese Communist Party is a great Marxist political party. Marxism gave birth to the Chinese Communist Party theoretically and fulfilled it practically. The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC clearly states: “The reason why the Chinese Communist Party was able to achieve success and why socialism with Chinese characteristics was able to achieve success is, in the final analysis, that Marxism works, and that Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times works.” Marxism is the origin of the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical development. In its origin, the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical development is the development of Marxism, not of any other theory. Without Marxist theory and the Marxist standpoint, there would be no theoretical development of the Chinese Communist Party. The theoretical development of the Chinese Communist Party is the upholding, inheritance, development, and innovation of Marxism. This is the ultimate nature of the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical development, and also the most fundamental characteristic of all its theoretical development. Therefore, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, inheriting and developing, become the characteristics of the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical development at the ontological level.

在本体论意义上，中国共产党的理论发展就是对马克思主义的守正创新，这是中国共产党理论发展的第一性原理。中国共产党是伟大的马克思主义政党，马克思主义在理论上孕育了中国共产党，在实践上成就了中国共产党。党的二十大报告明确指出：“中国共产党为什么能，中国特色社会主义为什么好，归根到底是马克思主义行，是中国化时代化的马克思主义行。”马克思主义是中国共产党理论发展的本原，中国共产党的理论发展在本原上就是对马克思主义而不是其他理论的发展，离开马克思主义理论与马克思主义立场就没有中国共产党的理论发展。中国共产党的理论发展就是对马克思主义的坚守、继承、发展、创新，这是中国共产党理论发展的最终本性，也是中国共产党一切理论发展的最基本特性，因此，守正创新、继承发展就成为中国共产党理论发展在本体论层面的特性。

The conformity of Marxism with the laws of objective reality and with the purposes of humanity determines the inevitability of the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical development. The view of history, as an original theory of Marxism, is a great creation in the history of human thought. Marx replaced the narrative of history based on ideas with a narrative of history based on reality, replaced the self-defined and self-evolving abstract concepts of the past with the mode of material production and forms of intercourse, and replaced conceptual history as the foundation of the view of history, thereby constructing a completely new and scientific view of history — historical materialism. “Just as Darwin discovered the law of development of organic nature, so Marx discovered the law of development of human history.” Marxism scientifically reveals that the development of human society is a natural historical process from lower to higher stages. The materiality and givenness of the productive forces determine that the development of human society is not a chaotic or arbitrary choice; people must obey the laws of the development of human society itself just as they obey the laws of nature. More importantly, Marxism is a doctrine concerning the complete emancipation of the world’s proletariat and all of humanity. From the very beginning, it has represented the interests of the vast majority of people and the direction of humanity’s future development, taking the realization of the free and comprehensive development of the individual as the theoretical goal. By elaborating the consistency between the emancipation of the proletariat and the emancipation of all humanity, it arrives at the conclusion that the proletariat can only ultimately emancipate itself by emancipating all humanity. Marxism centrally reflects the interests and ideal pursuits of the vast majority of people, distinctly embodies the soul and conscience of the progress of human civilization, and radiates the most sublime brilliance of human nature in human society.

马克思主义的合规律性与合目的性决定了中国共产党理论发展的必然性。历史观作为马克思主义原创性理论，是人类思想史上伟大创造，马克思用现实的历史叙事替代观念的历史叙事，用物质生产方式和交往形式替代以往自我规定和自我演化的抽象观念，替代概念史作为历史观的基础，建构了全新、科学的历史观——唯物史观。“正像达尔文发现有机界的发展规律一样，马克思发现了人类历史的发展规律。”马克思主义科学揭示了人类社会发展是一个由低级到高级的历史自然过程，生产力的物质性与既定性决定了人类社会发展不是杂乱无章、随心所欲的选择，人们必须像服从自然界规律一样，服从人类社会自身发展规律。更为重要的是，马克思主义是关于全世界无产阶级和全人类彻底解放的学说，从一开始就代表绝大多数人的利益和人类未来发展方向，把实现人的自由而全面发展作为理论归宿，通过阐述无产阶级解放同全人类解放的一致性，得出无产阶级只有解放全人类才能最终解放自己的结论，马克思主义集中反映了绝大多数人的利益和理想追求，鲜明体现了人类文明进步的灵魂和良心，闪烁着人类社会人性最崇高光辉。

Marxism not only “fights for the truth” but also fights for the interests of “the suffering people of the whole world.” The dialectical unity of the scientific criterion and the value criterion enables it to stand at the commanding heights of truth and morality. Without Marxism, the theoretical development of the Chinese Communist Party would be water without a source, a tree without roots. More than 170 years have passed, and Marxism has achieved the unity of conformity with the laws of objective reality and conformity with the purposes of humanity, being endowed with new connotations in different eras. Marxism has always been “the living soul of civilization,” a participant in and a powerful promoter of the contemporary historical process. Xi Jinping points out: “Although the era we live in has undergone tremendous and profound changes compared with the era in which Marx lived, from the broad perspective of five hundred years of world socialism, we are still in the historical era indicated by Marxism.” Marxism itself is also a product of theoretical innovation and development. The Chinese Communist Party is the real-life carrier of the soul of Marxism. Theoretical development is the original gene of the Chinese Communist Party. Upholding the fundamental principles of Marxism’s conformity with the laws of objective reality and innovatively developing its conformity with the purposes of humanity are the requirements of the Chinese Communist Party’s nature and the undertaking of its mission.

马克思主义不仅“为真理而斗争”，而且为“全世界受苦的人”的利益而斗争，科学尺度和价值尺度的辩证统一使其站在真理与道义制高点。没有马克思主义，中国共产党的理论发展就是无源之水、无本之木。170多年过去，马克思主义实现了理论的合规律性与合目的性统一，在不同时代被赋予新的内涵。马克思主义始终是“文明的活的灵魂”，是当代历史进程的参与者和强有力的推进者。习近平指出：“尽管我们所处的时代同马克思所处的时代相比发生了巨大而深刻的变化，但从世界社会主义五百年的大视野来看，我们依然处在马克思主义所指明的历史时代。”马克思主义本身也是理论创新发展的产物，中国共产党是马克思主义灵魂的现实载体，理论发展是中国共产党的本来基因，对马克思主义合规律性的守正与合目的性的创新发展，是中国共产党性质的要求与使命的担当。

The theoretical development of the Chinese Communist Party is the upholding of fundamental principles and breaking new ground in the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. As a “weapon of criticism,” the real task of Marxism is to promote social revolution. Its appearance in China was the theoretical need of the changes and development of modern Chinese society. However, the need for theory is not equivalent to the realization of theory. Whether Marxism can “grasp the masses” in China and become a theoretical tool for “changing the world” depends on whether Marxism can take root in China’s social reality and achieve adaptation to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Any theory that aims to change the world faces the dilemma of “knowing is easy, doing is difficult.” Theoretical design must necessarily pass through the link of practice. The practical application of the general principles of Marxism “must be carried out in accordance with the historical conditions existing at the time, in each case.” A guide is a direction, not a ready-made action plan; it must necessarily undergo a process of theoretical re-innovation. Engels long ago pointed out: “Marx’s whole way of thinking is not a doctrine, but a method. It provides no ready-made dogmas, but points of departure for further research and the method for this research.”

中国共产党理论发展是在马克思主义中国化时代化过程中的守正与创新。马克思主义作为“批判的武器”，其真正任务在于推进社会革命，它在中国的出场是中国近代社会变化与发展的理论需要。然而，理论的需要不等于理论的实现，马克思主义在中国能不能“掌握群众”并成为“改变世界”的理论工具，取决于马克思主义能不能植根于中国社会现实，实现中国化与时代化。任何一种旨在改变世界的理论都面临“知易行难”的困境，理论设计必然经过实践环节，马克思主义一般原理的实际运用，“随时随地都要以当时的历史条件为转移”，指南是方向不是现成行动方案，必然经过一个理论再创新过程，恩格斯早已指出：“马克思的整个世界观不是教义，而是方法。它提供的不是现成的教条，而是进一步研究的出发点和供这种研究使用的方法。”

Mao Zedong Thought is the first landmark major achievement in the theoretical development of the Chinese Communist Party. It is a model of developing Marxism through inheritance and innovating Marxism while upholding fundamentals. During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, creatively applied the Marxist stand, viewpoint, and method, elucidated the concrete conditions of Chinese society and its class relations, clarified the basic semi-colonial and semi-feudal social nature of Chinese society at that time and its principal contradiction, criticized and rectified the “Left” and Right errors that had brought enormous losses to the revolutionary cause, initially explored a revolutionary path suited to China’s concrete conditions — “encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing political power by armed force” — and put forward innovative theories such as protracted war, guerrilla warfare, and the all-people’s anti-Japanese national united front. It answered and resolved major epochal themes such as what the New Democratic Revolution was and how to carry it out, producing works including *Oppose Book Worship*, *On Protracted War*, *On Practice*, and *On Contradiction*. These not only contain rich fundamental principles of Marxism but also radiate a national brilliance, forming a scientific and systematic theory of the New Democratic Revolution and laying a solid theoretical foundation for the victory of the New Democratic Revolution. During the period of socialist revolution and construction, Mao Zedong proposed a “second integration”: “The most important thing is to think independently and integrate the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete realities of China’s revolution and construction. During the democratic revolution, we suffered great losses before we successfully achieved this integration and won the New Democratic Revolution. Now, in the period of socialist revolution and construction, we must carry out a second integration to find the path for building socialism in China.” Mao Zedong and others put forward a series of original theoretical viewpoints integrating the basic principles of Marxism with the concrete realities of New China, producing brilliant works such as *On the Ten Major Relationships* and *On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People*, pushing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times to a new height.

毛泽东思想是中国共产党理论发展的第一个标识性重大成果，是在继承中发展马克思主义、在守正中创新马克思主义的典范。在新民主主义革命时期，以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人创造性运用马克思主义立场、观点、方法，阐明了中国社会具体实际和阶级关系，明确了当时中国社会半殖民地半封建的基本社会性质及主要社会矛盾，批判并整肃给革命事业带来巨大损失的“左”倾和右倾错误，初步探索出适合中国社会具体实际的“农村包围城市，武装夺取政权”的革命道路，提出论持久战、游击战、全民族抗日统一战线等创新理论，回答和解决了什么是新民主主义革命，如何进行新民主主义革命等重大时代主题，产生了《反对本本主义》《论持久战》《实践论》《矛盾论》等著作，不但蕴含丰富的马克思主义基本原理，而且闪烁着民族性光辉，形成科学而系统的新民主主义革命理论，为新民主主义革命胜利奠定了坚实理论基础。在社会主义革命与建设时期，毛泽东提出“第二次结合”：“最重要的是要独立思考，把马列主义的基本原理同中国革命和建设的具体实际相结合。民主革命时期，我们吃了大亏之后才成功地实现了这种结合，取得了新民主主义革命的胜利。现在是社会主义革命和建设时期，我们要进行第二次结合，找出在中国怎样建设社会主义的道路。”毛泽东等提出把马克思主义基本原理与新中国具体实际相结合的一系列原创性理论观点，产生了《论十大关系》《人民内部基本矛盾问题》等光辉著作，把马克思主义中国化时代化推向新高度。

During the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, important achievements in the development of Marxist theory emerged, mainly comprising Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of the “Three Represents,” and the Scientific Outlook on Development, which initially formed the main framework of the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Applying the Marxist stand, viewpoint, and method, they creatively answered major epochal questions. Taking upholding and developing the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics as the main thread, from bringing order out of chaos to building a socialist market economy, from proposing “one central task and two basic points” [n1] to establishing the epochal theme of peace and development, from comprehensive and strict governance of the Party to adhering to a people-oriented, comprehensive, coordinated, and sustainable development, they demonstrated the immense power of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and achieved a new leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Entering the New Era, the theoretical development of the Chinese Communist Party has continued to deepen and advance. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is in the same lineage as Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of the “Three Represents,” and the Scientific Outlook on Development. The Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have profoundly summarized the Party’s historical experience in struggle. Based on the concrete realities of socialism with Chinese characteristics entering the New Era, they have explored and put forward a series of historically significant and original new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies concerning major epochal topics such as: what kind of socialism with Chinese characteristics to uphold and develop in the New Era and how to uphold and develop it; what kind of strong modern socialist country to build and how to build it; and what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build and how to build it. This has once again achieved a new leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，产生了以邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观为主要内容的马克思主义理论发展的重要成果，初步形成了中国特色社会主义理论体系的主体架构，以马克思主义立场、观点、方法创造性回答了重大时代性问题，以坚持和发展中国特色社会主义道路为主线，从拨乱反正到建设社会主义市场经济，从提出“一个中心、两个基本点”到确立和平发展的时代主题，从全面从严治党到坚持以人为本、全面协调可持续发展，展现了马克思主义中国化的巨大力量，实现了马克思主义中国化时代化新的飞跃。进入新时代，中国共产党理论发展继续深化与推进，习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想与马克思列宁主义、毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观一脉相承。以习近平同志为主要代表的中国共产党人深刻总结党的奋斗历史经验，基于中国特色社会主义进入新时代的具体实际，对围绕新时代坚持和发展什么样的中国特色社会主义、怎样坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，建设什么样的社会主义现代化强国、怎样建设社会主义现代化强国，建设什么样长期执政的马克思主义政党、怎样建设长期执政的马克思主义政党等重大时代课题进行探索并提出一系列具有历史性与原创性的新理念、新思想、新战略，再一次实现了马克思主义中国化时代化的新飞跃。

“If we deviate from or abandon Marxism, our Party will lose its soul and lose its direction.” The theoretical development of the Chinese Communist Party has always adhered to the “substance” of Marxism, upholding the fundamentals of Marxism in content and creating what is new in Marxism in the process.

“背离或放弃马克思主义，我们党就会失去灵魂、迷失方向。”中国共产党的理论发展始终坚持马克思主义“本体”，在内容上守马克思主义之正、在过程中创马克思主义之新。

II. Affinity to the People: The Axiological Characteristic of the Chinese Communist Party’s Theoretical Development

二、人民性：中国共产党理论发展的价值论特性

The realization of the comprehensive and free development of the human individual is the value ideal of Marxism. The objectivity of human social practice gives rise to the regularity of human history, while the subjectivity of human social practice also produces the purposiveness of human history. Therefore, while elucidating the objectivity of the laws of development of human society, Marxism also points out that the history of human society is a process of pursuing value and creating value, and concludes that the masses of the people are the drivers and creators of human history, and that the complete liberation of the masses of the people is the goal of historical development. Consequently, on the one hand, human development is both the theoretical starting point of Marxism and its fundamental value orientation. Marxism is the theory of the people; affinity to the people is the soul of Marxist theory; affinity to the people has become the fundamental value stance of the Chinese Communist Party; the theoretical development of the Chinese Communist Party has never departed from this value orientation of affinity to the people. On the other hand, the basic principle of historical materialism that “the people are the creators of history” determines the inevitability of a Marxist party respecting the people’s initiative. Respecting the people’s initiative is a valuable experience of the Chinese Communist Party in its century-long struggle. The Chinese Communist Party not only believes that “theory, once grasped by the masses, also becomes a material force,” but also believes that “the emancipation of the working class must be the act of the working class itself.” The wisdom of the masses of the people is the living source and inexhaustible driving force of the theoretical development of the Chinese Communist Party. Respecting the people’s initiative is the basic path of the theoretical development of the Chinese Communist Party, inevitably reflecting the brilliance of collective wisdom.

实现人的全面自由发展，是马克思主义的价值理想。人类社会实践活动的客观性形成了人类历史的规律性，而人类社会实践活动的主观性也产生人类历史的目的性。因此，马克思主义在阐明人类社会发展规律客观性的同时，也指出人类社会历史是一个追求价值和创造价值的过程，并得出人民群众是人类历史的推动者和创造者、人民群众的彻底解放是历史发展目的的结论。因此，一方面，人的发展是马克思主义的理论起点，也是它的根本价值旨归，马克思主义是人民的理论，人民性是马克思主义理论的灵魂，人民性成为中国共产党的根本价值立场，中国共产党的理论发展始终没有离开人民性这一价值指向。另一方面，“人民是历史的创造者”这一唯物史观的基本原理决定了马克思主义政党尊重人民首创精神的必然性，尊重人民的首创精神是中国共产党百年奋斗的宝贵经验，中国共产党不但相信“理论一经掌握群众，也会变成物质力量”，而且相信“工人阶级的解放应当是工人阶级自己的事情”。人民群众的智慧是中国共产党理论发展的源头活水和不竭动力，尊重人民群众的首创精神是中国共产党理论发展的基本路径，必然折射出集体智慧的光辉。

In the theoretical vision of Mao Zedong Thought, the core idea that the people are the makers of history runs through the period of revolution and construction. During the New Democratic Revolution, Mao Zedong concretized the concept of the people from the very beginning within the context of the Chinese revolution, making “who are our enemies, who are our friends” an important theoretical question at the outset of the revolution, making “let the poor and suffering people stand up and be masters” the revolutionary purpose, and granting the people their due status as the subject of history. From the confident expression of “a single spark can start a prairie fire” to the assertion at the Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art that “the question of ‘for whom’ is a fundamental question, a question of principle,” from the proposition in *On Protracted War* that “the soldiers and the people are the foundation of victory,” to the profound elaboration on the meaning of serving the people in *Serve the People*, from the elevation of the people to the status of “God” in *The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains*, to the inclusion of serving the people in the Party Constitution adopted at the Seventh National Congress of the CPC, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, endowed the concept of “the people” with rich value determinations. The people are not only the subject of value goals but also the subject of ethical evaluation. Mao Zedong said: “Another notable hallmark distinguishing us Communists from any other political party is our closest ties with the broadest masses of the people. Our starting point is to serve the people wholeheartedly and never for a moment divorce ourselves from the masses; to proceed in all cases from the interests of the people and not from the interests of individuals or small groups; and to understand the identity of our responsibility to the people and our responsibility to the leading organs of the Party.” In Mao Zedong Thought, the people’s initiative was affirmed to an unprecedented degree. Mao Zedong vividly elucidated the people’s initiative, wisdom, and immense power with the saying “three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge Liang, the master mind”: “Among the Chinese people, there are actually thousands upon thousands of ‘Zhuge Liangs.’ Every village, every town, has its own ‘Zhuge Liang.’” In the report to the Seventh National Congress of the CPC, Mao Zedong solemnly and clearly pointed out the importance of the people’s initiative: “As long as we rely on the people, firmly believe that the people’s creative power is inexhaustible, and therefore trust the people and become one with them, then any difficulty can be overcome, and no enemy can overwhelm us, but only be overwhelmed by us.” This theoretically answered the major theoretical questions of the CPC regarding “who I am,” “whom I rely on,” and “for whom I act,” making an original contribution to adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Mao Zedong also creatively applied materialist dialectics to propose the methodology of theoretical innovation: “from the masses, to the masses.” “The masses have great creative power… we should go among the masses, learn from them, synthesize their experience into better, more systematic principles and methods.” This fundamentally echoed the Marxist epistemology of practice—cognition—practice, provided methodological support for the value of the people-centered principle, and indicated the practical direction of the CPC’s theoretical development.

在毛泽东思想理论视野中，人民是历史的创造者这一核心思想贯穿于革命和建设时期。在新民主主义革命时期，毛泽东从一开始就把人民概念在中国革命的语境下加以具体化，使“谁是我们的敌人、谁是我们的朋友”在革命之初就成为一个重要理论问题，使“让穷苦人民翻身做主人”成为革命宗旨，使人民有了应然的历史主体地位，从“星星之火，可以燎原”自信表达到延安文艺座谈会上提出“为什么人的问题，是一个根本的问题，原则的问题的力量”，从《论持久战》提出“兵民是胜利之本”，到《为人民服务》中对为人民服务内涵的深刻阐述，从《愚公移山》中把人民奉为上“上帝”，再到把为人民服务写入党的七大《党章》，以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人赋予“人民”这一概念以丰满的价值规定性，人民不但是价值目标的主体，而且是伦理评价的主体。毛泽东说：“我们共产党人区别于其他任何政党的又一个显著的标志，就是和最广大的人民群众取得最密切的联系。全心全意地为人民服务，一刻也不脱离群众；一切从人民的利益出发，而不是从个人或小集团的利益出发；向人民负责和向党的领导机关负责的一致性；这些就是我们的出发点。”在毛泽东思想中，人民群众的首创精神得到前所未有的肯定，毛泽东用“三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮”生动阐明了人民群众的首创智慧和磅礴力量：“中国人民之间，实在有成千上万的‘诸葛亮’，每个乡村，每个市镇，都有那里的‘诸葛亮’。”在党的七大报告中，毛泽东郑重而明确指出了人民群众首创精神的重要性：“只要我们依靠人民，坚决地相信人民群众的创造力是无穷无尽的，因而信任人民，和人民打成一片，寻就任何困难也能克服，任何敌人也不能压倒我们，而只会被我们所压倒。”这就从理论上回答了中国共产党在“我是谁”“依靠谁”“为了谁”等层面的重大理论问题，为马克思主义中国化时代化作出了原创性贡献。毛泽东还充分运用唯物辩证法创造性提出了“从群众中来，到群众中去”理论创新的方法论，“群众有伟大的创造力……我们应该走到群众中间去，向群众学习，把他们的经验综合起来，成为更好的有条理的道理和办法”。这就从根本上呼应了实践—认识—实践的马克思主义认识论，使人民性价值观获得方法论支撑，指明了中国共产党理论发展的实践方向。

In Deng Xiaoping Theory, as in Mao Zedong Thought, the people hold a core position as the subject of value. One of the most distinctive features of Deng Xiaoping Theory is its people-centered character, which, in the practical process of its formation, was specifically manifested as “respecting the masses, loving the people, always paying close attention to the interests and wishes of the broad masses, and taking ‘whether the people support it,’ ‘whether the people approve it,’ ‘whether the people are happy with it,’ and ‘whether the people accept it’ as the starting point and ultimate goal for formulating all policies and guidelines.” Importantly, in the vision of Deng Xiaoping Theory, the understanding of the people-centered character was elevated to the level of the essence of socialism: “The essence of socialism is to liberate and develop the productive forces, eliminate exploitation and polarization, and ultimately achieve common prosperity. … Taking the socialist road means gradually achieving common prosperity.” The “three favorable criteria” [2]2 “民心是最大的政治” (popular support is the greatest politics) — a phrase from Xi Jinping, emphasizing that the will of the people is the most important political consideration.—namely, “whether it is favorable to developing the productive forces of a socialist society, whether it is favorable to increasing the overall national strength of a socialist country, and whether it is favorable to raising the people’s living standards”—represent a deepening and development of historical materialism and the people-oriented thought in fine traditional Chinese culture. In elaborating the relationship between the Party and the people, Deng Xiaoping proposed that attention should be paid to the fact that “in today’s China, it is absolutely impermissible to leave the Party’s leadership and extol the spontaneity of the masses,” emphasizing the unity of Party spirit and the people-centered character, and stressing the need to regard the masses as the true makers and masters of history, believing that the masses can liberate themselves. The reason the CPC can become the vanguard is precisely by playing the role of leading the masses, “because, and only because, it is the wholehearted servant of the masses, it reflects the interests and will of the masses, and it strives to help the masses organize themselves to fight for their own interests and will.” For the people, the political party “does not regard the masses as its own tool, but consciously recognizes itself as a tool of the masses for completing specific historical tasks in a specific historical period.” Such a positioning of the political party is an adherence to the Marxist view of the people and also a development of Marxist political party theory. Like Mao Zedong Thought, the people’s initiative was fully affirmed in Deng Xiaoping Theory. “In terms of the choice of relations of production, the masses have the most say.” Deng Xiaoping pointed out more than once that many decisions in reform and opening up were the result of respecting the people’s initiative: “Many things in reform and opening up were put forward by the masses in practice; they are the wisdom of the masses, the collective wisdom.” “The household contract responsibility system in rural areas was invented by the peasants. Many things in rural reform were created at the grassroots level; we took them, processed and improved them, and used them as national guidance.”

人民在邓小平理论中与在毛泽东思想中一样，有着价值主体的核心地位。邓小平理论最鲜明特征之一就是人民性，在其产生的实践过程中具体表现为，“尊重群众、热爱人民、总是时刻关注广大人民的利益和愿望，把‘人民拥护不拥护’、‘人民赞成不赞成’、‘人民高兴不高兴’、‘人民答应不答应’作为制定各项方针政策的出发点和归宿”。重要的是，在邓小平理论视野中，对人民性的认识被提升到社会主义本质高度：“社会主义的本质，是解放生产力，发展生产力，消灭剥削，消除两极分化，最终达到共同富裕。……走社会主义道路，就是要逐步实现共同富裕。”“三个有利于”观点，即“是否有利于发展社会主义社会的生产力，是否有利于增强社会主义国家的综合国力，是否有利于提高人民的生活水平”，是对唯物史观和中华优秀传统文化中民本思想的深化和发展。在阐述党与人民的关系时，邓小平提出要注意“在今天的中国，决不应该离开党的领导而歌颂群众的自发性”，强调党性和人民性的统一，强调把人民群众看作历史真正创造者和主人，相信群众自己能够解放自己。中国共产党之所以能够成为先锋队，就是发挥领导人民群众的作用，“正因为，而且仅仅因为，它是人民群众的全心全意的服务者，它反映人民群众的利益和意志，并且努力帮助人民群众组织起来，为自己的利益和意志而斗争”。政党对于人民来说，“工人阶级政党不是把人民群众当作自己的工具，而是自觉地认定自己是人民群众在特定的历史时期为完成特定的历史任务的一种工具”。这样的政党定位是对马克思主义人民观的坚守，也是对马克思主义政党理论的发展。与毛泽东思想一样，人民群众的首创精神在邓小平理论中得到充分肯定，“就生产关系的选择方面，人民群众最有发言权”。邓小平不止一次指出改革开放许多决策都是尊重人民群众首创精神的结果，“改革开放中许许多多的东西，都是群众在实践中提出来的，是群众的智慧、集体的智慧”。“农村搞家庭联产承包，这个发明权是农民的。农村改革中的好多东西，都是基层创造出来，我们把它拿来加工提高作为全国的指导。”

The important thought of the “Three Represents” [3]3 “得民心者得天下” (those who win the people’s hearts win the world) — a classical Chinese saying from the *Mencius* and later political thought, expressing the idea that popular support is the key to political power., as another landmark achievement in the development of the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics, deepened the Marxist people-centered character, expanded the scope of the people as subjects, highlighted the core position of the people as subjects of value, and embodied the theoretical essence of the CPC governing for the people. The CPC’s consistent representation of the development requirements of advanced productive forces is for the people; its consistent representation of the forward direction of advanced culture is for the people; and its consistent representation of the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people is even more so for the people. In terms of respecting the people’s initiative, in 1998, when summarizing four experiences from two decades of rural reform, Jiang Zemin listed as an important one “the necessity to respect the peasants’ initiative,” pointing out that “the household contract responsibility system, township enterprises, and villagers’ self-governance are all great creations of hundreds of millions of our people under the leadership of the Party.” In his *Speech at the National Conference on Commending the Fight against the Flood and Providing Disaster Relief*, Jiang Zemin stated: “The people are the inexhaustible source of strength for our cause. It is precisely because we firmly rely on the people that our Party and state can continuously write the great epic of revolution, construction, and reform.” The Scientific Outlook on Development proposed from the perspective of the ruling party that “power is exercised for the people, feelings are tied to the people, and plans are made for the people,” and from the perspective of development that “development is for the people, development relies on the people, and the fruits of development are shared by the people,” further expanding and highlighting the socialist attribute and connotation of the people. The concept of “respecting the people’s initiative” was formally and publicly expressed for the first time in Hu Jintao’s *Speech at the Celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China*.

“三个代表”重要思想作为中国特色社会主义理论发展又一标志性成果，深化了马克思主义的人民性，拓展了人民群众的主体范围，突出了人民的核心价值主体地位，体现中国共产党执政为民的理论本质。中国共产党始终代表先进生产力的发展要求是为了人民，始终代表先进文化的前进方向是为了人民，始终代表最广大人民的根本利益更是为了人民。在尊重人民群众的首创精神方面，1998年江泽民在总结二十年农村改革四条经验中，重要的一条就是“必须尊重农民的首创精神”，指出“包产到户、乡镇企业和村民自治，都是在党的领导下我国亿万人民的伟大创造”。江泽民《在全国抗洪抢险总结表彰大会上的讲话》中指出：“人民是我们事业发展取之不尽的力量源泉。正是因为紧紧依靠人民，我们的党和国家才能够不断书写革命、建设、改革的伟大史诗。”科学发展观从执政党角度提出了“权为民所用、权为民所用、情为民所系、利为民所谋”，从发展角度提出“发展为了人民、发展依靠人民、发展成果由人民共享”，进一步拓展并彰显了社会主义的人民属性与人民内涵，“尊重人民首创精神”这一概念在胡锦涛《庆祝中国共产党成立90周年大会上的讲话》中得到首次正式公开表述。

Vivid theses related to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, such as “the people are the country” [1]1 “人民就是江山” (the people are the country) — a phrase from Xi Jinping, meaning that the people are the foundation and substance of the state., “popular support is the greatest politics” [2]2 “民心是最大的政治” (popular support is the greatest politics) — a phrase from Xi Jinping, emphasizing that the will of the people is the most important political consideration., and “the Communist Party works for the people,” embody the perfect linkage between the people-centered nature of Marxism and the people-oriented thought in fine traditional Chinese culture, infusing Marxism with a more vibrant and comprehensive connotation of people-centeredness. Xi Jinping emphasizes: “The people’s standpoint is the fundamental political standpoint of the Chinese Communist Party, the hallmark that distinguishes a Marxist party from other parties. The Party’s sharing of weal and woe, life and death with the people, and its maintenance of flesh-and-blood ties with them, is the fundamental guarantee for the Party to overcome all difficulties and risks.” Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era fully displays the people-centered sentiment and people’s standpoint, adheres to the fundamental purpose of the people’s happiness in the process of theoretical construction, clearly defines the people as the subject of value, and at the same time unswervingly relies on the people’s strength, firmly believing that the people are the subject of practice. Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed “respecting the people’s pioneering spirit” and “respecting the masses’ pioneering spirit.” During his inspection tour in Sanming, Fujian Province in March 2021, he clearly stated: “One guiding ideology of the Communist Party in doing things is to respect the masses’ pioneering spirit; the masses are the true heroes.” The view of respecting the masses’ pioneering spirit also appears explicitly in the *Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century* and the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC.

“人民就是江山”“民心是最大的政治”“共产党就是给人民办事的”等习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的相关生动论断，体现了马克思主义的人民性与中华优秀传统文化中的民本思想的完美联结，为马克思主义注入更为鲜活而全面的人民性内涵。习近平强调：“人民立场是中国共产党的根本政治立场，是马克思主义政党区别于其他政党的显著标志。党与人民风雨同舟、生死与共，始终保持血肉联系，是党战胜一切困难和风险的根本保证。”习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，全面展现了以人民为中心的人民情怀与人民立场，在理论建构过程中坚守人民幸福这一根本宗旨，明确人民是价值主体，同时坚定不移地依靠人民力量，坚信人民为实践主体。习近平多次强调，“尊重人民首创精神”“尊重群众首创精神”。2021年3月，他在福建三明考察时明确指出：“共产党做事的一个指导思想，就是尊重群众首创精神，群众是真正的英雄。”尊重群众首创精神的观点亦明确出现于《中共中央关于党的百年奋斗重大成就和历史经验的决议》与党的二十大报告。

“All theories that are divorced from the people are pale and feeble, and all theories that do not benefit the people have no vitality.” Looking back over the more than one hundred years of the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical development, through different eras, the common feature is adherence to the basic viewpoints and basic methods of Marxism, holding high the banner of people-centeredness. The Chinese Communist Party is thoroughly versed in the historical law that “those who win the people’s hearts win the world” [3]3 “得民心者得天下” (those who win the people’s hearts win the world) — a classical Chinese saying from the *Mencius* and later political thought, expressing the idea that popular support is the key to political power., completely breaks through the limitations of the instrumental value of humanism in traditional Chinese culture, comprehensively realizes the theoretical self-awareness that the people are the creators of history, endows people-centeredness with era-specific connotations in different times, makes people-centeredness the conscious starting point and value destination of the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical development, and, on the basis of respecting the masses’ pioneering spirit, achieves a theoretical self-awareness that combines the weapon of criticism with the criticism of weapons in its own theoretical development.

“一切脱离人民的理论都是苍白无力的，一切不为人民造福的理论都是没有生命力的。”纵观中国共产党百余年理论发展史，经历不同时代，其共同特征是遵循马克思主义的基本观点和基本方法，高擎人民性旗帜，中国共产党熟谙“得民心者得天下”的历史规律，彻底突破了中国传统文化中人本主义工具性价值的局限，全方位实现了人民是历史创造者的理论自觉，在不同时代赋予人民性以时代化内涵，使人民性成为中国共产党理论发展自觉的出发点与价值归宿，并在尊重人民群众首创精神的基础上，使自身在理论发展方面实现了批判的武器与武器的批判相结合的理论自觉。

III. Seeking Truth from Facts: The Epistemological Characteristic of the Chinese Communist Party’s Theoretical Development

三、实事求是：中国共产党理论发展的认识论特性

On the basis of its critique of idealism or intuitive materialism, Marxism introduces practice into epistemology, and the subject of knowledge also shifts from the individual to the community, revealing the essence and laws of development of human knowledge, thereby bringing about a revolutionary transformation in traditional abstract and interpretive epistemology — giving rise to a practical epistemology of “changing the world.” The process of the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical development carries forward and develops Marxist practical epistemology, enabling it to scientifically understand the world on the path of theoretical innovation, and to stand on the side of truth and on the correct side of history in the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. As a great achievement of human rational knowledge, Marxism possesses highly abstract theoretical characteristics. To take root, blossom, and bear fruit on Chinese soil and achieve new leaps, it cannot lack the concretization of the epistemological link; otherwise, it would be impossible to generate and establish corresponding practical concepts, and it would be impossible to directly guide China’s specific revolutionary and construction practices. The universality of the general laws of the basic principles of Marxism and the particularity of China’s concrete reality determine the necessity and inevitability of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. “The correct theory must be explained and developed in combination with the specific situation and according to existing conditions.” [4]4 “正确的理论必须结合具体情况并根据现存条件加以阐明和发挥” — a quotation from Marx and Engels, *The German Ideology* (1845-46), in the context of their critique of abstract theory. It is insufficient to explain this solely by the universality and particularity of contradiction, because it involves the dialectical relationship between guiding theory and practical activity. Marx and Engels were also very clear about the actual application of their theory — “it must be applied everywhere and at all times in accordance with the historical conditions existing at the time.” [5]5 “随时随地都要以当时的历史条件为转移” — a quotation from the 1872 Preface to the *Communist Manifesto* by Marx and Engels. The content of rational knowledge often does not correspond directly to the objective reality. In the works of the classical Marxist writers, “there was no Hunan or Hubei in China, nor was there China’s Chiang Kai-shek or Chen Duxiu.” [6]6 “并没有中国的湖南、湖北，也没有中国的蒋介石和陈独秀” — a reference to Mao Zedong’s argument in his 1941 essay *Reform Our Study* that classical Marxist texts did not contain specific analyses of Chinese conditions or figures. The “original” Marxism still requires a process of re-cognition involving “explanation and development.” On the one hand, how do the subjects of practice view Marxist theory — as a method or as dogma? On the other hand, China’s concrete reality can only be grasped after the subjects of practice have understood and comprehended it. An epistemological link is needed to connect and transform scientific theory and practical reality. In other words, the abstractness and generality of Marxism as a general law do not directly correspond to China’s concrete reality; Marxist theory cannot provide the specific knowledge, value knowledge, or applied knowledge required for its implementation in China. Therefore, the epistemological link is the epistemological basis for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, an objective requirement for the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical innovation, and also an important space for theoretical innovation. Seeking truth from facts is the product of the Sinicization of Marxist epistemology, becoming the epistemological principle for exploring the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

马克思主义在对唯心主义或直观唯物主义的批判基础上，把实践引入认识论，认识主体亦由个体转向共同体，揭示了人类认识的本质及发展规律，使传统抽象性、解释性认识论发生革命性转变——产生“改造世界”的实践认识论。中国共产党理论发展的过程，贯彻并发展了马克思主义实践认识论，使自身在理论创新道路上能够科学认识世界，在马克思主义中国化过程中站在真理的一边、站在历史正确的一边。马克思主义作为人类理性认识的伟大成果有着高度理论抽象性特征，要在中国大地落地生根、开花、结果，实现新的飞跃，就不能缺少认识环节的具体化，否则就不可能产生和建立相应的实践理念，就不能直接指导中国具体的革命和建设实践。马克思主义基本原理一般规律的普遍性与中国具体实际的特殊性，决定了马克思主义中国化时代化的必要性与必然性，“正确的理论必须结合具体情况并根据现存条件加以阐明和发挥”，仅用矛盾的普遍性与特殊性来解释是不够的，因为涉及指导理论与实践活动之间的辩证关系，马克思、恩格斯对于他们理论的实际运用态度也非常明确——“随时随地都要以当时的历史条件为转移”，理性认识的内容与现实客体往往不是直接对应的关系，在经典马克思主义作家那里，“并没有中国的湖南、湖北，也没有中国的蒋介石和陈独秀”，“原生态的”马克思主义还要经过一个“阐明与发挥”的再认识过程，一方面，实践主体如何看待马克思主义理论问题，是方法还是教条？另一方面，对于中国具体实际，也只有在实践主体认识与理解之后才能把握，科学理论与现实实践之间需要认识环节来衔接与转换。换言之，马克思主义作为一般规律所具有的抽象性与概括性，并不直接对应中国具体实际，马克思主义理论不可能提供其在中国落地过程中所需的具体性认识、价值性认识、应用性认识。因此，认识环节是马克思主义中国化时代化的认识论根据，是对中国共产党理论创新的客观要求，也是理论创新的重要空间所在，实事求是是马克思主义认识论中国化的产物，成为探索马克思主义中国化时代化的认识论原则。

Mao Zedong Thought is a model of consciously applying the Marxist epistemological standpoint; seeking truth from facts has always been the epistemological thread in the process of establishing Mao Zedong Thought. If the *Analysis of the Classes in Chinese Society* and the *Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan* during the Great Revolution period, which used class analysis, contradiction analysis, and investigation and research methods to analyze the concrete reality of the Chinese revolution at that time, were Mao Zedong’s initial attempts at practical epistemology and had pioneering significance for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, then the famous works of the Jinggangshan period, such as *Why Is It That Red Political Power Can Exist in China?*, *The Struggle in the Jinggang Mountains*, *A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire*, and *Oppose Book Worship*, are brilliant cases of the conscious application of practical epistemology. In particular, *Oppose Book Worship* sharply opposes dogmatism and loudly proclaims, “No investigation, no right to speak.” At this point, Mao Zedong had already begun to consciously place theory under the scrutiny of practice, including Marxism; the standard of practice had shifted from recognition based on prior experience to conscious reflection and identification. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, *On Protracted War*, *On Contradiction*, and *On Practice* were skillful applications of Marxist epistemology. In particular, *On Practice* and *On Contradiction* systematically and creatively developed Marxist practical epistemology. Within the theoretical horizon of Mao Zedong Thought, human beings can only acquire regular knowledge and theory about the external world through social practice. The subtitle of *On Practice* is “On the Relation Between Knowledge and Practice — Between Knowing and Doing.” Only “through practice can truth be discovered, and through practice can truth be verified and developed.” In 1941, Mao Zedong provided a Chinese-style interpretation of “seeking truth from facts” in *Reform Our Study*: “‘Facts’ are all the things that exist objectively, ‘truth’ is the internal connection of objective things, that is, ‘regularity,’ and ‘seeking’ means we study them.” The formation process of Mao Zedong Thought is a process of consciously accepting, applying, and further creatively highlighting the status of practice within Marxist practical epistemology. In this process, the factual knowledge of Marxism is concretely transformed into the applied knowledge needed for Chinese practice. Practical epistemology is an important component of Mao Zedong Thought, powerfully advancing the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

毛泽东思想是自觉运用马克思主义认识论立场的典范，实事求是一直是毛泽东思想创立过程的认识论线路。如果说大革命时期《中国社会各阶级的分析》和《湖南农民运动考察报告》中运用阶级分析方法、矛盾分析方法、调查研究方法，分析当时中国革命的具体实际，是毛泽东对实践认识论的初步尝试，对马克思主义中国化有着开创性意义，那么，井冈山时期《中国的红色政权为什么能够存在？》《井冈山的斗争》《星星之火，可以燎原》《反对本本主义》等名篇则是自觉应用实践认识论的精彩案例，尤其《反对本本主义》鲜明提出反对教条主义，大声疾呼“没有调查，就没有发言权”。此时，毛泽东已开始有意识地把理论置于实践考察之下，这其中包括马克思主义，实践标准已由先前经验基础上的认可，转为自觉反思与认同。抗日战争时期《论持久战》《矛盾论》《实践论》是对马克思主义认识论娴熟的运用，尤其是《实践论》与《矛盾论》，对马克思主义实践认识论进行了系统性和创造性发展。在毛泽东思想理论视域中，人只有在社会实践中才能获得对外界的规律性知识和理论，《实践论》副标题就是“论认识和实践的关系——知和行的关系”。只有“通过实践而发现真理，又通过实践而证实真理和发展真理”。1941年，毛泽东在《改造我们的学习》中对“实事求是”进行了中国式阐释：“‘实事’就是客观存在着的一切事物，‘是’就是客观事物的内部联系，即‘规律性’，‘求’就是我们去研究。”毛泽东思想的形成过程就是马克思主义实践认识论自觉接受、运用并进一步创造性彰显实践地位的过程，并在这一过程中把马克思主义事实性认识具体转化为中国实践所需要的应用性认识，实践认识论是毛泽东思想重要的组成部分，有力推进了马克思主义中国化时代化进程。

The “emergence” of Deng Xiaoping Theory was a demand of the overall situation for a renewed understanding of China’s concrete reality and the theme of world development. In the early period of reform and opening up, epistemology once again became a vital practical issue. Faced with the fetters of the “two whatevers,”[7]7 The “two whatevers” (两个凡是) refers to the slogan “We firmly uphold whatever policy decisions Chairman Mao made, and we unswervingly follow whatever instructions Chairman Mao gave,” which was used after Mao’s death to resist the correction of Cultural Revolution-era policies. Deng Xiaoping pointed out: “This is an important theoretical question, a question of whether we adhere to historical materialism.” In the process of bringing order out of chaos, Deng Xiaoping fully affirmed the historical status of Mao Zedong Thought, unequivocally reaffirmed that practice is the sole criterion for testing truth, promoted the restoration of the ideological line of seeking truth from facts, and summarized the essence and soul of the Mao Zedong Thought system as “seeking truth from facts,” stating that “in the past, all the victories we achieved in revolution relied on seeking truth from facts; now, to realize the four modernizations, we must likewise rely on seeking truth from facts.” This was a “return” to the Marxist epistemology of practice. In 1988, ten years after reform and opening up, Deng Xiaoping said during a meeting with the President of Mozambique: “The basic spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of our Party is to emancipate the mind, think independently, and formulate policies based on our own reality. Because building socialism in China is something that cannot be found in Marx’s writings, nor in Lenin’s writings; each country has its own conditions and its own experiences, so we must think independently. This applies not only to economic issues but also to political issues.” Within the horizon of Deng Xiaoping Theory, “seeking truth from facts” and “practice” achieved a correspondence; the process of practice is the process of seeking truth from facts, linking facts, practice, and the criterion of truth, thereby further deepening the epistemology of Mao Zedong Thought.

邓小平理论的“出场”是对中国具体实际和世界发展主题再认识的大局诉求，在改革开放初期，认识论再度成为一个至关重要的现实问题。面对“两个凡是”的禁锢，邓小平指出：“这是个重要的理论问题，是个是否坚持历史唯物主义的问题。”在拨乱反正过程中，邓小平充分肯定了毛泽东思想的历史地位，旗帜鲜明地重申实践是检验真理的唯一标准，推动恢复实事求是的思想路线，并把毛泽东思想体系的本质与灵魂概括为“实事求是”，指出“过去我们搞革命所取得的一切胜利是靠实事求是，现在我们要实现四个现代化同样要靠实事求是”，这是马克思主义实践认识论的“回归”。1988年，在改革开放10年后，邓小平在会见莫桑比克总统时说：“我们党的十一届三中全会的基本精神是解放思想，独立思考，从自己的实际出发来制定政策。因为在中国建设社会主义这样的事，马克思的本本上找不出来，列宁的本本上也找不出来，每个国家都有自己的情况，各自的经历也不同，所以要独立思考。不但经济问题如此，政治问题也如此。”在邓小平理论的视野中，“实事求是”和“实践”实现了对应，实践过程意即实事求是过程，把事实、实践与真理标准相联系，进一步深化毛泽东思想的认识论。

Jiang Zemin pointed out in his report to the 15th National Congress of the CPC: “Seeking truth from facts is the essence of Marxism-Leninism, the essence of Mao Zedong Thought, and also the essence of Deng Xiaoping Theory.” This major judgment likewise runs through the important thought of the Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. “Seeking truth from facts” has become a red thread of epistemology running through the theoretical development of the Communist Party of China. The Scientific Outlook on Development is a development concept that adheres to a people-centered, comprehensive, coordinated, and sustainable approach; its connotation fully embodies the Marxist epistemology of practice, representing a conscious understanding of the world situation, national conditions, and the lessons of the rise and fall of various countries, as well as a summation of China’s own practical experience in development. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era constitutes a systematic and thorough cognition of the new concrete situations and new problems of China in the New Era, containing a strong implication of the Marxist epistemology of practice. The proposal of the Second Integration[8]8 The Second Integration (第二个结合) refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with the best of traditional Chinese culture, proposed by Xi Jinping in 2021 as a deepening of the original “Two Integrations.” means that the Communist Party of China in the New Era has reached a new height in understanding the laws governing the development of Chinese civilization. A series of new viewpoints and new judgments—such as building whole-process people’s democracy, the whole Party vigorously promoting the practice of investigation and research, and adhering to a problem-oriented approach and problem consciousness—further enrich and consolidate the theoretical foundation of the Marxist epistemology of practice in the New Era. Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized seeking truth from facts: “Emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and keeping pace with the times are the living soul of Marxism and the fundamental ideological weapon for us to adapt to new situations, understand new things, and accomplish new tasks”; “Seeking truth from facts is the fundamental viewpoint of Marxism and the fundamental requirement for Chinese Communists to understand and transform the world; it is our Party’s basic method of thinking, working, and leading. No matter in the past, present, or future, we must all proceed from reality in everything, link theory with practice, and test and develop truth in practice”; “Proceeding from reality in everything is the starting point and落脚点[9]9 The Chinese term 落脚点 (luòjiǎo diǎn) literally means “foothold” or “point of landing,” and here is used figuratively to mean the ultimate goal or foundation. for us to consider problems, make decisions, and handle affairs. The prerequisite for proceeding from reality is to go deep into reality and understand reality; only in this way can we achieve seeking truth from facts.” On the new journey of further deepening reform comprehensively, Xi Jinping further emphasized: “We must make good use of existing reform achievements and important experiences, emancipate the mind, seek truth from facts, keep pace with the times, and be pragmatic and realistic, fully mobilize the initiative of all sides, and make every effort to organize and implement the reform tasks.”

江泽民在党的十五大报告中指出：“实事求是是马克思列宁主义的精髓，是毛泽东思想的精髓，也是邓小平理论的精髓。”这一重大论断同样贯穿于“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观、习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，“实事求是”已成为贯穿中国共产党理论发展的一条认识论红线。科学发展观是坚持以人为本，全面、协调、可持续的发展观，其内涵充分体现了马克思主义实践认识论，是对世情、国情和各国兴衰成败经验教训的认识自觉，是对我国自身发展实践经验的总结。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是对新时代中国具体的新情况、新问题系统透彻的认知，包含强烈的马克思主义实践认识论意蕴。“第二个结合”的提出意味着新时代中国共产党人对中华文明发展规律的认识达到新高度，建设全过程人民民主、全党大兴调研之风、坚持问题导向与问题意识等一系列新观点新论断，进一步丰富并筑牢马克思主义实践认识论在新时代的理论根基。习近平多次强调实事求是，“解放思想、实事求是、与时俱进，是马克思主义活的灵魂，是我们适应新形势、认识新事物、完成新任务的根本思想武器”“实事求是，是马克思主义的根本观点，是中国共产党人认识世界、改造世界的根本要求，是我们党的基本思想方法、工作方法、领导方法。不论过去、现在和将来，我们都要坚持一切从实际出发，理论联系实际，在实践中检验真理和发展真理”“坚持一切从实际出发，是我们想问题、作决策、办事情的出发点和落脚点。坚持从实际出发，前提是深入实际、了解实际，只有这样才能做到实事求是”。在进一步全面深化改革新征程上，习近平更强调：“要运用好已有的改革成果和重要经验，解放思想、实事求是、与时俱进、求真务实，充分调动各方面积极性，全力抓好改革任务的组织实施。”

IV. “The Two Integrations”: The Methodological Characteristics of the Theoretical Development of the Communist Party of China

四、“两个结合”：中国共产党理论发展的方法论特性

In 2021, Xi Jinping proposed the “Two Integrations”[10]10 The “Two Integrations” (两个结合) refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture, first proposed by Xi Jinping in 2021. at the celebration of the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, and emphasized in the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC: “Only by integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture, and by adhering to the application of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, can we correctly answer the major questions raised by the times and practice, and can we always maintain the vigorous vitality and strong vitality of Marxism.” The consistency and overlap between epistemology and methodology in many aspects often make it difficult to distinguish between them in theoretical research. Cognition is the soul of method, but cognition itself is not method. As a universal method for understanding things, methodology has conclusions that are principled and operable, pointing to the pathway for understanding things. The Marxist methodology is the embodiment of its ontology, axiology, and epistemology in practice; it is the principle by which theory is translated into practice in the process of moving from “interpreting the world” to “changing the world.” The weapon of criticism cannot replace the criticism of weapons; the clarification of epistemology does not mean the completion of practice. If “seeking truth from facts” is the most prominent feature of the theoretical innovation of the Communist Party of China in the dimension of epistemology, then the “Two Integrations” are the prominent methodological characteristics of the theoretical innovation of the Communist Party of China. The “Two Integrations” are the fundamental method for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, the methodology consciously applied by the Communist Party of China in the process of theoretical development in various historical periods to guide the handling of several basic relationships—such as history and reality, theory and practice, critique and construction, and fact and value—in the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. It can be said that the “Two Integrations” are an important perspective for observing the theoretical development of the Communist Party of China and also have clear methodological significance for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. For the theoretical development of the Communist Party of China, “integration” is the process of the interconnection and organic unity between the universality of the basic tenets of Marxism and the particularity of China’s theoretical needs.

2021年，习近平在庆祝中国共产党成立100周年大会上提出“两个结合”，并在党的二十大报告中强调：“只有把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，坚持运用辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义，才能正确回答时代和实践提出的重大问题，才能始终保持马克思主义的蓬勃生机和旺盛活力。”认识论与方法论在很多方面的一致性与交叉性，往往导致在理论研究中难以区分。认识是方法的灵魂，但认识本身不是方法，方法论作为认识事物的普遍方法，其结论有着原则性、可操控性，指向认识事物的途径。马克思主义方法论是其本体论、价值论和认识论在实践中的体现，是由“解释世界”走向“改变世界”过程中理论落地为实践的原则。批判的武器代替不了武器的批判，认识论的澄明并不意味着实践上的完成。如果说，“实事求是”是中国共产党理论创新在认识论维度最明显特征，那么，“两个结合”则是中国共产党理论创新突出的方法论特质，“两个结合”是马克思主义中国化时代化根本方法，是各个历史时期中国共产党在理论发展过程中自觉运用马克思主义的方法论，引领马克思主义中国化时代化过程中处理历史与现实、理论与实践、批判与建构、事实与价值等几对基本关系。可以说，“两个结合”是观察中国共产党理论发展的一个重要视角，对马克思主义中国化时代化亦有明显的方法论意义。“结合”对中国共产党理论发展来说，就是马克思主义基本原理普遍性与中国理论需要特殊性相互联系与有机统一的过程。

During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, by integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s concrete realities, our Party shook off the fetters of dogmatism and book worship, embarked on the victorious path of encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing state power by armed force, and gave shape to Mao Zedong Thought, which guided the New Democratic Revolution to successive victories. Mao Zedong’s essay “Oppose Book Worship” points out: “We say Marxism is correct, not because Marx was some kind of ‘prophet,’ but because his theory has been proved correct in our practice and in our struggle. Our struggle needs Marxism.” “We must study the ‘book’ of Marxism, but it must be integrated with China’s actual conditions.” This shows that the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, began to reflect consciously on Marxism’s national adaptability on the basis of a profound understanding of Marxism. In 1938, at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Party, Mao Zedong elaborated in detail and from a methodological height on the inevitability and necessity of integrating Marxism with China’s concrete realities: “Marxism must be realized through its integration with the specific characteristics of our country and through a certain national form. The great power of Marxism-Leninism lies precisely in its connection with the concrete revolutionary practice of each country. For the Chinese Communist Party, it is to learn to apply the theory of Marxism-Leninism to the concrete environment of China. A Communist Party that has become an integral part of the great Chinese nation, flesh and blood with this nation, cannot talk about Marxism in abstraction, divorced from China’s characteristics. Therefore, to make Marxism concrete in China, so that in every manifestation it carries the necessary Chinese characteristics, that is, to apply it according to China’s characteristics, has become a problem that the whole Party urgently needs to understand and solve.” One year later, in 1939, in the introductory remarks to “The Communist,” Mao Zedong, proceeding from the 18-year history of the Chinese Communist Party, once again deepened the theory of integrating Marxism with China’s concrete realities. It can be said that by this time adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times had become the theoretical self-consciousness of the Chinese Communist Party, and the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s concrete realities had become the conscious methodology of the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical development. This viewpoint is a main methodological thread running through the formation of Mao Zedong Thought and also constitutes an important component of Mao Zedong Thought.

新民主主义革命时期，通过马克思主义基本原理与我国具体实际相结合，我们党摆脱了教条主义与本本主义掣肘，走上农村包围城市、武装夺取政权的胜利之路，形成了毛泽东思想，指导新民主主义革命不断取得胜利。毛泽东《反对本本主义》一文指出：“我们说马克思主义是对的，决不是因为马克思这个人是什么‘先哲’，而是因为他的理论，在我们的实践中，在我们的斗争中证明了是对的。我们的斗争需要马克思主义。”“马克思主义的‘本本’是要学习的，但是必须同我国的实际情况相结合。”这表明以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人在深刻理解马克思主义基础上开始对其民族适应性进行自觉思考，1938年，毛泽东在党的六届六中全会上从方法论高度详细而充分地阐明了马克思主义与中国具体实际相结合的必然性与必要性：“马克思主义必须和我国的具体特点相结合并通过一定的民族形式才能实现，马克思列宁主义的伟大力量，就在于它是和各个国家具体的革命实践相联系的。对于中国共产党说来，就是要学会把马克思列宁主义的理论应用于中国的具体环境。成为伟大中华民族一部分而和这个民族血肉相联的共产党，离开中国特点来谈马克思主义，只是抽象的空洞的马克思主义。因此，使马克思主义在中国具体化，使之在其每一表现中带着必须有的中国的特性，即是说，按照中国的特点去应用它，成为全党亟待了解并亟需解决的问题。”一年后1939年，在《〈共产党人〉发刊词》中，毛泽东从中国共产党18年历史出发，再次对马克思主义与中国具体实际相结合进行了理论深化。可以说，此时马克思主义中国化时代化已成为中国共产党的理论自觉，马克思主义基本原理与中国具体实际相结合已成为中国共产党理论发展的自觉方法论。这一观点是毛泽东思想形成的一条方法论主线，亦构成毛泽东思想的重要组成部分。

Deng Xiaoping Theory held high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, restored the authority of the Marxist epistemology of practice, correctly appraised the great historical status of Mao Zedong Thought, achieved a rectification of the ideological line, scientifically elucidated the essence of Mao Zedong Thought, and inherited and developed the methodology of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. Deng Xiaoping pointed out: “We firmly believe in Marxism, but Marxism must be integrated with China’s actual conditions. Only Marxism that is integrated with China’s actual conditions is the true Marxism we need.” Within the purview of Deng Xiaoping Theory, China’s concrete realities were explicitly expressed as the concrete practice of the “four modernizations,” “pointing toward the strategic goals of national development, making the ‘integration’ more targeted and effective, further deepening the connotation of ‘integration,’ and enhancing the vitality and creativity of the universal truths of Marxism in guiding China.” It must be especially stated that putting forward socialism with Chinese characteristics as the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s concrete realities is a major theoretical innovation of the Chinese Communist Party and itself constitutes the theme and methodology of Deng Xiaoping Theory.

邓小平理论高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜，恢复了马克思主义实践认识论的权威，正确评价了毛泽东思想伟大的历史地位，实现了思想路线的拨乱反正，科学阐明了毛泽东思想的精髓，继承发展了马克思主义中国化的方法论。邓小平指出：“我们坚信马克思主义，但马克思主义必须与中国实际相结合。只有结合中国实际的马克思主义，才是我们所需要的真正的马克思主义。”在邓小平理论视野中，中国具体实际被明确表达为“四个现代化”的具体实践，“指向了国家发展的战略目标使‘结合’更具有针对性和实效性，进一步深化了‘结合’的内涵，增强了马克思主义普遍真理指导中国的生命力和创造力”。需要特别申明的是，提出中国特色社会主义是马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合是中国共产党的重大理论创新，本身亦构成邓小平理论的主题与方法论。

The important thought of the “Three Represents,” through the Marxist view of the dialectical relationship between a Marxist political party and advanced productive forces and advanced culture, and taking the fundamental interests of the broadest majority of the people as the highest standard, elucidated the major issue of “what kind of party to build and how to build it” in the process of socialist modernization. The Scientific Outlook on Development is a development concept that adheres to a people-centered, comprehensive, coordinated, and sustainable development; it is a theoretical innovation based on the basic tenets of Marxism, grounded in the basic national conditions of the primary stage of socialism, summarizing China’s development practice, and adapting to China’s development requirements. The important thought of the “Three Represents” and the Scientific Outlook on Development both closely followed the themes of the times, deepened the integration of Marxism with China’s concrete realities from the perspective of the developmental demands of the times, broadened the scope of this integration from the perspective of the world situation, and injected new connotations into adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

“三个代表”重要思想以马克思主义政党与先进生产力和先进文化的辩证关系、以最广大人民的根本利益为最高标准的马克思主义观，阐明了在社会主义现代化进程中“建设一个什么样的党，怎样建设党”的重大问题。科学发展观是坚持以人为本，全面、协调、可持续的发展观，是基于马克思主义基本原理，立足社会主义初级阶段基本国情，总结中国发展实践，适应中国发展要求的理论创新。“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观都是紧扣时代主题，从时代发展要求角度加深了马克思主义同中国具体实际相结合的深度，从世界形势角度拓宽了马克思主义同中国具体实际相结合的广度，为马克思主义中国化时代化注入新内涵。

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era “has made original Chinese contributions to the development of Marxism, provided a guide to action for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and contributed Chinese wisdom and a Chinese approach to building a community with a shared future for mankind and creating a better world.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have adopted a series of strategic measures, advanced a series of transformative practices, achieved a series of breakthrough advances, and obtained a series of landmark achievements. The fundamental reason lies in the fact that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, integrating the practical requirements of the New Era, has injected new impetus into adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Creatively putting forward the outstanding thesis of the “Two Integrations” is a major theoretical contribution of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to scientific socialism; the important discourse on the “Two Integrations” itself constitutes an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. From the perspective of theoretical development, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is itself a product of the “Two Integrations.” Therefore, the “Two Integrations” represent a scientific summation of the Chinese Communist Party’s more than one hundred years of historical experience in struggle, greatly expanding the depth and breadth of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and embodying the methodological self-consciousness of our Party’s theoretical development over more than a century.

习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想“为发展马克思主义作出了中国的原创性贡献，为实现中华民族伟大复兴提供了行动指南，为推动构建人类命运共同体、建设更加美好的世界贡献了中国智慧和中国方案”。党的十八大以来，我们采取一系列战略性举措，推进一系列变革性实践，实现一系列突破性进展，取得一系列标志性成果，根本原因就在于习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想结合新时代的实践要求，为马克思主义中国化时代化注入新动力。创造性提出“两个结合”这一卓越论点，是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想对科学社会主义的重大理论贡献，“两个结合”重要论述本身是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的重要组成部分。从理论发展角度看，习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想本身也是“两个结合”的产物。因此，“两个结合”对中国共产党百余年奋斗历史经验的科学总结，极大拓展了马克思主义中国化时代化深度与广度，体现了我们党百余年来理论发展的方法论自觉。

History influences the present and also looks toward the future. We look back on the history of the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical development from a philosophical perspective and attempt to discuss and summarize the distinctiveness of this process, aiming to deeply understand that the process of the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical development is a process of continuously opening up new horizons in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, a process in which the Chinese Communist Party persistently pursues truth, reveals truth, and practices truth. This helps us correctly grasp the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and, in the process of continuously answering the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times, consciously implement the “Six Musts” [11]11 The “Six Musts” (六个坚持) refers to the six principles that must be adhered to in the work of the Party and the state in the New Era: upholding the Party’s comprehensive leadership, taking a people-centered approach, deepening reform and opening up, carrying forward the spirit of struggle, adhering to the rule of law, and upholding the principal position of the people. These are derived from the report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC. to advance the Party’s theoretical development and innovation.

历史影响当下，也观照未来。我们从哲学视角回溯中国共产党理论发展历史并试图讨论与归纳这一过程的独特性，旨在深刻认识中国共产党的理论发展过程是一个不断开辟马克思主义中国化时代化新境界的过程，是中国共产党持续追求真理、揭示真理、笃行真理的过程，有助于我们正确把握习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的世界观与方法论，在不断回答中国之问、世界之问、人民之问、时代之问过程中自觉贯彻“六个坚持”，推进党的理论发展与创新。

Source: *Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping Theoretical Research*, Issue 9, 2024.

文章来源：《毛泽东邓小平理论研究》2024年第9期

Online Editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆