Forging the Spiritual Pillar of Chinese Communists with the Great Founding Spirit of the Party

The great founding spirit of the Party is an important manifestation of the advanced attributes of the Communist Party of China, and it is also the solid foundation of the strong spiritual pillar of all Chinese Communists. The great founding spirit of the Party provides the fundamental guidance for promoting Chinese Communists to practice the Party’s nature and purpose and fulfill its historical mission under new historical conditions.

伟大建党精神是中国共产党先进属性的重要体现，也是全体中国共产党人强大精神支柱的牢固根基。伟大建党精神为推动中国共产党人在新的历史条件下践行性质宗旨、完成历史使命提供了根本遵循。

The great founding spirit of the Party is rooted in the Communist Party of China’s profound insight into the scientific theory of Marxism and its deep grasp of the laws governing the development of human society, the laws governing the construction of socialism, and the laws governing the governance of the Communist Party.

伟大建党精神，根植于中国共产党对马克思主义科学理论深刻洞察与对人类社会发展规律、社会主义建设规律和共产党执政规律的深刻把握。

As the essence of modern human philosophy and social science, Marx and Engels, based on the reality of 19th-century Western European capitalism, founded Marxism with the liberation of all humanity as its goal, revealing the laws of the development of human society, especially the laws of capitalist transformation. The Communist Party of China, after more than a century of struggle, whether in favorable circumstances or adverse currents, even at historical junctures facing severe challenges of survival, has unswervingly adhered to truth and upheld ideals. In the final analysis, this stems from its faithful belief in and vigorous practice of Marxism, especially Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and the laws of social development it reveals.

作为近代以来人类哲学社会科学的精华，马克思恩格斯立足于19世纪西欧资本主义的实际，创立了以全人类解放为奋斗目标的马克思主义，揭示了人类社会发展规律尤其是资本主义变革规律。历经百余年奋斗的中国共产党，无论是身处顺境还是遭遇逆流，甚至在面临生死存亡严峻挑战的历史关头，一直矢志不渝地坚持真理、坚守理想。归根到底，在于对马克思主义尤其是中国化时代化的马克思主义及其揭示的社会发展规律的忠诚信奉与奋力实践。

The great founding spirit of the Party is nurtured in fine traditional Chinese culture and is a positive result of the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture.

伟大建党精神，孕育于中华优秀传统文化，是马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合的积极成果。

Commitment to mission, fearlessness of sacrifice, and heroic struggle are fine genes in the fine traditional Chinese culture that has continued for thousands of years without interruption. “Through yellow sand, a hundred battles wear through the golden armor; without breaking Loulan, we shall not return” [1]1 A line from the Tang-dynasty poet Wang Changling’s poem “Starting from the Army,” expressing the determination of soldiers to fight to the end. embodies the military’s spirit of dedication and defending the country, the family-nation sentiment. “Worry before the world’s worries, rejoice after the world’s joys” [2]2 A line from the Song-dynasty official Fan Zhongyan’s essay “Record of Yueyang Tower,” expressing a leader’s priority for the public good. embodies the spirit of responsibility of those in government who are concerned about the country and the people. “The rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of every individual” [3]3 A phrase from the Qing-dynasty scholar Gu Yanwu, emphasizing the civic duty of every individual to the nation. embodies each individual’s duty, responsibility, and commitment to the nation and the country, inherently demanding fearlessness of sacrifice and a willingness to struggle. “Sacrifice life to face national calamity, see death as a return home” [4]4 A line from the Tang-dynasty poet Cao Zhi’s poem “White Horse,” praising sacrifice for the country., “Since ancient times, who has not died? Leave a loyal heart to illuminate history” [5]5 A line from the Song-dynasty poet Wen Tianxiang’s poem “Crossing the Lingding Ocean,” expressing loyalty unto death., “I laugh at the sky with sword in hand, leaving my liver and gall, two Kunlun mountains” [6]6 A line from the late-Qing reformer Tan Sitong’s poem “Prison Wall Inscription,” expressing defiance in the face of execution. all embody the distinctive characteristics of the Chinese nation in facing adversity and misfortune with fearlessness of sacrifice and heroic struggle. Chinese Communists have inherited the fine spiritual qualities of the Chinese nation and regard adherence to principles and the courage to take responsibility as basic qualities that Party members must possess. Not forgetting the original aspiration and founding mission, being brave in taking responsibility and acting, and forever maintaining the spirit of struggle are not only a summary of our Party’s experience along the way but also a vivid portrayal of the great role fine traditional Chinese culture plays in contemporary China.

使命担当、不怕牺牲、英勇斗争，是绵延数千年未曾中断的中华优秀传统文化中的优良基因。“黄沙百战穿金甲，不破楼兰终不还”，体现的是军人勇于献身、保家卫国的家国情怀；“先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐”，体现的是从政者忧国忧民的担当精神；“天下兴亡，匹夫有责”，则体现了每个个体对民族、对国家的义务责任和使命担当，内在地要求不怕牺牲、勇于斗争。“捐躯赴国难，视死忽如归”“人生自古谁无死？留取丹心照汗青”“我自横刀向天笑，去留肝胆两昆仑”均体现了中华民族面对逆境厄运不怕牺牲、英勇斗争的鲜明特质。中国共产党人继承了中华民族优良的精神品质，并将坚持原则、敢于担当视为党员必须具备的基本素质。不忘初心、牢记使命，勇于担当作为，永葆斗争精神，既是我们党一路走来的经验总结，也是中华优秀传统文化在当代中国发挥巨大作用的生动写照。

The great founding spirit of the Party is built on a firm people’s standpoint and elevates the firm belief in relying on the people to create historical great achievements.

伟大建党精神，建立在牢固的人民立场之上，升华了依靠人民创造历史伟业的坚定信念。

Marx and Engels pointed out, “The Communists are not a special party opposed to other working-class parties. They have no interests separate and apart from those of the proletariat as a whole” [7]7 A quotation from Marx and Engels’ *Communist Manifesto*., and in the process of the liberation of the proletariat, “the Communists always represent the interests of the movement as a whole.” The original aspiration and mission of Chinese Communists are to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. For more than a century, Chinese Communists have poured out their lives and blood to forge a founding spirit that includes practicing the original aspiration, being loyal to the Party, and living up to the people. This is the fundamental spiritual driving force for the Communist Party of China to endure countless hardships, pay various costs, continuously advance, and achieve brilliant successes. As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “The country is the people, and the people are the country.” [8]8 A paraphrase of Xi Jinping’s statement during his 2021 inspection tour, emphasizing the unity of the Party and the people. Since the New Era, our Party, through continuous struggle, has won the battle against poverty, historically solving the problem of absolute poverty; we have deeply advanced the battle against pollution, bringing about historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes in ecological and environmental protection; we have thoroughly implemented the people-centered development philosophy, continuously exerting efforts in ensuring children’s education, learning, labor remuneration, medical care, elderly care, and support for the weak, achieving all-round improvement in people’s lives, making their sense of gain, happiness, and security more substantial, more guaranteed, and more sustainable. We have always adhered to the people’s standpoint, always maintained flesh-and-blood ties with the people, and united and led the people to jointly create historical great achievements. These are all concrete practices of the great founding spirit of the Party in revolution, construction, reform and opening up, and the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.

马克思恩格斯指出，“共产党人不是同其他工人政党相对立的特殊政党。他们没有任何同整个无产阶级的利益不同的利益”，在无产阶级的解放进程中“共产党人始终代表整个运动的利益”。中国共产党人的初心和使命，就是为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴。百余年来，中国共产党人用生命和鲜血浇筑出包括践行初心、对党忠诚、不负人民在内的建党精神，这是中国共产党历经千辛万苦、付出各种代价不断前进并取得辉煌成就的根本精神动力。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，习近平总书记指出，“江山就是人民，人民就是江山”。新时代以来，我们党经过接续奋斗，打赢脱贫攻坚战，历史性地解决了绝对贫困问题；我们深入推进污染防治攻坚战，生态环境保护发生历史性、转折性、全局性变化；我们深入贯彻以人民为中心的发展思想，在幼有所育、学有所教、劳有所得、病有所医、老有所养、弱有所扶上持续用力，人民生活全方位改善，获得感、幸福感、安全感更加充实、更有保障、更可持续。我们始终坚持人民立场，始终保持同人民群众的血肉联系，团结带领人民共同创造历史伟业。这些都是伟大建党精神在革命、建设、改革开放与新时代中国特色社会主义事业中的切实实践。

The great founding spirit of the Party is a vivid summary of the high historical consciousness and initiative of Chinese Communists.

伟大建党精神，是中国共产党人高度的历史自觉和主动精神的生动概括。

For more than a century, the Communist Party of China has united and led the Chinese people to win the great victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, establish and consolidate New China, and make major decisions such as reform and opening up. These are all positive results of deeply observing the trends of the times, conforming to the general trend of world development, and grasping historical initiative by proceeding from China’s actual conditions. Whether it is “adhering to truth and upholding ideals,” “practicing the original aspiration and undertaking the mission,” or “fearing no sacrifice and fighting heroically,” “being loyal to the Party and living up to the people,” all reflect the historical consciousness that the Communist Party of China, as the leading subject, should possess. Adhering to truth enables the Party to constantly correct mistakes in complex historical processes and always maintain the correct direction of progress. Upholding ideals enables the Party not to waver due to difficulties and always maintain high revolutionary morale. Chinese Communists’ infinite loyalty to the Party, their heroic struggle and willingness to sacrifice for the cause of the Party and the people, and their interpretation of the original aspiration and founding mission of living up to the people through concrete actions are the source of the Party’s strength. Strong historical consciousness and historical initiative run through all aspects of the Party’s leadership in revolution, construction, reform and opening up, and the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics over the past century, and thus become the key support of the great founding spirit of the Party.

百余年来，中国共产党团结带领中国人民赢得抗日战争伟大胜利、建立并巩固新中国、作出改革开放等重大决策，这些都是深刻洞察时代潮流、顺应世界发展大势、坚持从中国实际出发把握历史主动的积极成果。无论是“坚持真理、坚守理想”“践行初心、担当使命”，还是“不怕牺牲、英勇斗争”“对党忠诚、不负人民”，都体现了中国共产党作为领导主体应有的历史自觉。坚持真理使得党能够在复杂的历史进程中不断修正错误，始终坚定正确的前进方向。坚守理想使得党能够不为困难而动摇，始终保持昂扬的革命斗志。中国共产党人对党的无限忠诚为党和人民的事业英勇斗争、勇于献身，用实际行动诠释不负人民的初心使命，是党的力量所在。强烈的历史自觉和历史主动，贯穿于百余年来党领导革命、建设、改革开放与中国特色社会主义伟大事业的各个方面，并由此成为伟大建党精神的关键支撑。

The 20th National Congress of the CPC clarified the goal of comprehensively building a modern socialist country and comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and outlined the overall strategic arrangement for comprehensively building a great modern socialist country. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “Realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is by no means something that can be achieved easily, by beating drums and gongs; it requires more arduous and strenuous efforts.” [9]9 A quotation from Xi Jinping’s report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017, In order to cope with the risks and challenges on the new journey and withstand any test, we must forge the spiritual pillar of Chinese Communists with the great founding spirit of the Party, thereby gathering the mighty force of unity, and then creating a new situation of comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese-path modernization.

党的二十大明确了全面建设社会主义现代化国家、全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的奋斗目标，擘画了全面建成社会主义现代化强国总的战略安排。习近平总书记指出，“实现中华民族伟大复兴，绝不是轻轻松松、敲锣打鼓就能实现的，要付出更为艰巨、更为艰苦的努力”。为了应对新征程上的风险挑战、经受任何考验，我们必须以伟大建党精神铸牢中国共产党人的精神支柱，从而凝聚起众志成城的磅礴力量，进而开创以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的新局面。

(The author is Deputy Director and Professor of the Teaching and Research Department of Scientific Socialism at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance).)

（作者系中共中央党校（国家行政学院）科学社会主义教研部副主任、教授）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心