Keeping Secrets Is a Glorious Tradition and Fine Style of the Party

Secrecy work concerns national security and developmental interests. Keeping the secrets of the Party and the state is not only a concrete manifestation of abiding by the Party’s discipline and rules, but also a glorious tradition and fine style of the Party. On 1 May 2024, the newly revised *Law of the People’s Republic of China on Guarding State Secrets* came into effect. We warmly recall the glorious deeds of older-generation revolutionaries such as Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Deng Xiaoping, who personally practiced secrecy work; this has important practical significance for inheriting and carrying forward the Party’s glorious traditions and fine styles.

保密工作事关国家安全和发展利益。保守党和国家秘密既是遵守党的纪律规矩的具体体现，也是党的光荣传统和优良作风。2024年5月1日，新修订的《中华人民共和国保守国家秘密法》开始施行。我们深情回顾毛泽东、周恩来、邓小平等老一辈革命家身体力行做好保密工作的光辉事迹，对于传承发扬党的光荣传统和优良作风，具有重要的现实意义。

Firmly Establish Ideals and Convictions, Be Absolutely Loyal to the Party

坚定理想信念，对党绝对忠诚

General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Maintaining and developing the Party’s fine style, firmly establishing ideals and convictions is the foundation” and “The key to judging whether a cadre has ideals and convictions lies in whether he is loyal to the Party.” During the revolutionary war years, especially in the face of the enemy’s White Terror, the older-generation revolutionaries always regarded “keeping the Party’s secrets” as more important than life itself, using concrete actions to interpret the solemn oath of loyalty to the Party.

习近平总书记指出：“保持和发扬党的优良作风，坚定理想信念是根本”“衡量干部是否有理想信念，关键看是否对党忠诚”。老一辈革命家在革命战争年代特别是面对敌人的白色恐怖，始终把“保守党的秘密”看得比生命更重要，用实际行动诠释忠诚于党的铮铮誓言。

Comrade Mao Zedong, at the very beginning of secretly establishing the early organization of the Changsha Communist Party, put life and death out of his mind. In 1923, after being ordered arrested by the Hunan warlord Zhao Hengti, he still resolutely carried out a series of even more covert revolutionary activities in accordance with the instructions of the Central Bureau of the CPC. Whether going to Guangzhou to participate in the Party’s Third National Congress, or going to Hunan to secretly establish a local organization of the Kuomintang, or fulfilling the duties of “Secretary of the Central Bureau” in the Shanghai central leading organs, he was always single-mindedly for the Party and worked selflessly. In 1925, he and his wife Yang Kaihui returned to Shaoshan, went deep among the peasant friends, secretly established the CPC Shaoshan Branch, and led the “leveling prices and blocking exports” grain struggle. Warlord Zhao Hengti heard the news and urgently telegraphed the Xiangtan County Militia Bureau to “dispatch fast soldiers to arrest Mao Zedong.” Fortunately, he learned of it in advance, disguised himself as a doctor, and escaped safely. In 1927, on the road to Tonggu to secretly launch the Autumn Harvest Uprising, Comrade Mao Zedong was unfortunately captured by the militia but eventually escaped. Regarding this incident, when he spoke with American journalist Edgar Snow in 1936, he said, “Those militiamen were ordered to take me to the militia headquarters to be executed… It was not until we were about two hundred yards from the militia headquarters that I got my chance,” escaping death by a hair’s breadth. Comrade Mao Zedong truly faced countless brushes with death for the revolution; and the sacrifice of relatives like Yang Kaihui was undoubtedly a heavy blow to him. Even so, Comrade Mao Zedong always adhered to his ideals and firmly established his convictions, winning one victory after another in the struggle against the enemy.

毛泽东同志在秘密创建长沙共产党早期组织之初，便将生死置之度外。1923年，被湖南军阀赵恒惕下令通缉后，他仍然坚决按照中共中央局的指示，开展了一系列更加隐秘的革命活动。无论是赴广州参加党的第三次全国代表大会，还是到湖南秘密筹建国民党地方组织，抑或是在上海中央领导机关履行“中央局秘书”职责，始终一心为党、忘我工作。1925年，他和妻子杨开慧回到韶山，深入农友，秘密建立中共韶山党支部，并领导了“平粜阻禁”谷米斗争。军阀赵恒惕闻讯，急电湘潭县团防局“派快兵逮捕毛泽东”。所幸他事先闻讯、化装为郎中，顺利脱险。1927年，毛泽东同志在赶赴铜鼓秘密发动秋收起义的路上，不幸被民团抓住，最终脱险。对这件事，他1936年同美国记者埃德加·斯诺谈话时说，“那些民团奉命把我押到民团总部去处死……直到离民团总部大约二百码的地方，我才得到了机会”，死里逃生。毛泽东同志为革命可谓九死一生；而杨开慧等亲人的牺牲，对他无疑都是沉痛的打击。即便这样，毛泽东同志始终坚守理想、坚定信念，在对敌斗争中赢得一次又一次的胜利。

Comrade Deng Xiaoping encountered “the two greatest dangers” during his early years engaged

邓小平同志早年在上海从事党的秘密工作期间遇到“最大的两次危险”。一次发生在1928年4月15日。那天，就在中共临时中央政治局常委罗亦农被捕的前一刻，他刚刚离开现场，因而幸免于难。邓小平同志后来回忆说：“我去和罗亦农接头，办完事，我刚从后门出去，前门巡捕就进来了，罗亦农被捕。我出门后看见前门特科一个扮成擦鞋子的同志用手悄悄一指，就知道出事了，就差不到一分钟的时间。”同年还发生了另一次危险。当时，邓小平同志同周恩来、邓颖超夫妇同住一处。中央特科得到内部情报，说巡捕发现了周恩来同志的住处，便立即通知他们搬家。但邓小平同志没能接到通知。当他回家敲门时，巡捕正在搜查。万幸的是，里面有个特科内线，听到敲门声，故意答应了一下。邓小平同志一听声音不对，马上就离开了。对此，他后来不无感慨地说：“那个时候很危险呀！半分钟都差不得！”“我们在上海作秘密工作，非常的艰苦，那是吊起脑袋在干革命。”尽管如此，他始终为党工作、矢志不渝。正如他当初在苏联写下的自传那样，“我来莫的时候，便已打定主意，更坚定地把我的身子交给我们的党，交给本阶级。从此以后，我愿意绝对地受党的训练，听党的指挥，始终为无产阶级的利益而争斗。”

Comrade Ren Bishi was arrested twice while carrying out Party tasks after the failure of the Great Revolution. Facing the enemy's brutal torture, though tormented to the point of death, he never revealed his identity. Particularly during his arrest in 1929, the enemy alternated threats with inducements and even applied electric torture. Zhou Punong, who was imprisoned with him at the time, later recalled: "Comrade Bishi said to me after his first torture session: 'We Communists are made of special material; we must withstand the test and be ready at any time to sacrifice our lives for our cause.'" It was precisely under his instruction and example that Zhou Punong remained unyielding and fought tenaciously against the enemy. At the moment of life-or-death choice, they would rather sacrifice themselves than reveal their identity as Communist Party members, resolutely upholding the Party's secrets.

任弼时同志在大革命失败后，执行党的任务时曾两次被捕。面对敌人酷刑，尽管被折磨得死去活来，他始终没有暴露身份。特别是1929年那次被捕，敌人威逼利诱，还施以电刑。当时被捕入狱的周朴农曾经回忆，弼时同志在第一次受刑后对我说：“我们共产党人是用特殊材料制成的，要经得住考验，随时准备用自己的生命去殉我们的事业。”正是在他的教诲和带动下，周朴农始终坚贞不屈，与敌人顽强斗争。生死抉择时刻，他们宁肯牺牲自己，也没有暴露共产党员身份，坚决做到了严守党的机密。

Strictly Adhering to Secrecy Discipline, Always Exercising the Utmost Caution

严守保密纪律，始终慎之又慎

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Our Party is a Marxist political party organized by revolutionary ideals and iron discipline; strict discipline is the Party's glorious tradition and unique advantage." "As a Party member, iron discipline must be enforced." The older generation of revolutionaries, through long-term practical struggle, deeply understood the extreme importance of strictly observing discipline, especially the Party's secrecy discipline, and insisted on putting strictness first and being meticulous without slackening.

习近平总书记指出：“我们党是靠革命理想和铁的纪律组织起来的马克思主义政党，纪律严明是党的光荣传统和独特优势”“身为党员，铁的纪律就必须执行”。老一辈革命家经过长期斗争实践，深知严守纪律特别是严守党的保密纪律的极端重要性，坚持严字当头、慎密不怠。

In his article "How to Be a Communist Party Member," Comrade Chen Yun stated: "A Communist Party member's resolute and conscious observance of Party discipline is his duty. He must not only struggle against all tendencies that undermine Party discipline but also focus on struggling against his own words and actions that undermine Party discipline, making himself a model of observing Party discipline." He also emphasized: "Every Party member must heighten political vigilance to the utmost, strictly observe the discipline of the Party's secret work, and struggle against all dangerous tendencies that neglect or undermine the Party's secret work. Any internal Party matter not open to the public must not be arbitrarily publicized outside the Party; any secret matter that need not be disclosed to other Party members must not be casually discussed among them."

陈云同志在《怎样做一个共产党员》一文中指出：“一个共产党员坚决地自觉地遵守党的纪律是他的义务。他不仅应该与一切破坏党纪的倾向作斗争，而且要着重与自己的一切破坏党纪的言论行动作斗争，使自己成为遵守党纪的模范。”他同时强调：“每个党员必须高度地提高政治警惕性，严守党的秘密工作的纪律，并且与一切忽视、破坏党的秘密工作的危险倾向作斗争。任何党内的不对外公开的事件，不准任意向党外宣传；任何对其他党员没有必要说出的秘密事件，不准在其他党员中乱说。”

Comrade Deng Yingchao, in her article "A Communist Party Member Who Strictly Observed Secrecy Discipline," revealed Comrade Zhou Enlai's past practice of strictly keeping secrets. After their marriage, they agreed and reminded each other: "Under all circumstances, we must strictly observe Party discipline and guard Party secrets." They believed: "Party discipline admits of no exception for any Party member. The more responsible a Party member, the more he must set an example, the more he must consciously observe discipline and strictly guard Party secrets." Comrade Zhou Enlai was especially tight-lipped at critical moments. Comrade Deng Yingchao recalled his departure to lead the Nanchang Uprising, recording: "When he was about to leave Wuhan, he told me around dinner time that he would leave that very evening for Jiujiang. What he was going to do, how long he would stay—he said nothing. I was so accustomed to secrecy that I asked nothing. At that time, the enemy was at the gate, and everyone was filled with hatred. We simply clasped hands tightly in silence and said goodbye. After this parting, when would we meet again? In those years of white terror, whether between comrades or between husband and wife, every parting in life truly meant a farewell in death! It was only later, after reading the Kuomintang newspapers, that I learned the Nanchang Uprising had occurred."

邓颖超同志在《一个严格遵守保密纪律的共产党员》中披露周恩来同志严守秘密的往事。他们婚后约定并相互提醒：“一定要在任何情况下都严格遵守党的纪律，保守党的机密。”他们认为：“党的纪律对于每一个党员来说都绝无例外。越是负责的党员，越应该以身作则，越应该自觉遵守纪律，严守党的机密。”周恩来同志在紧要关头，尤其守口如瓶。邓颖超同志回忆他去领导南昌起义时记述道：“要离开武汉的时候，在晚饭前后才告诉我，他当晚就要动身去九江。去干啥，呆多久，什么也没有讲。我对保密已成习惯，什么也没有问。当时，大敌当前，大家都满腔仇恨。我们只是在无言中紧紧地握手告别。这次分别后，不知何日相会？在白色恐怖的岁月里，无论是同志间，夫妇间，每次的生离，实意味着死别呀！后来还是看了国民党的报纸，才知道发生了南昌起义。”

Comrade Mao Zedong once wrote an inscription: "Guard secrets with the utmost caution." Facing the severe and complex situation, he was especially prudent about secrecy work. Before the Southern Anhui Incident, to deal with unforeseen circumstances, he, Zhu De, and Wang Jiaxiang telegraphed Ye Ting and Xiang Ying on December 1940: "Secret documents must be burned; guard strictly against surprise attacks." Subsequently, they again telegraphed Ye Ting and Xiang Ying: "Your secret documents and telegrams must all be burned; do not keep a single scrap of paper, lest they fall into enemy hands when crossing the blockade line. Your codes must be carried personally by the responsible comrades." During the Huaihai Campaign, in a telegram to the General Front Committee, he instructed: "This telegram is sent only to Liu, Chen, and Deng. Please ask Comrade Xiaoping to show it to Su and Tan when they come to your place for a meeting, then burn it after reading to guard secrecy."

毛泽东同志曾经题词：“保守机密，慎之又慎。”面对严峻复杂的形势，他对保密工作尤为审慎。皖南事变前，为应对不测，他和朱德、王稼祥1940年12月致电叶挺、项英：“秘密文件必须烧毁，严防袭击。”随后再次电告叶挺、项英：“你们的机密文件电报须一律烧毁，切勿保留片纸只字，以免在通过封锁线时落入敌人手中，你们的密码须由负责人带在自己身上。”淮海战役时，他在给总前委的电报中叮嘱：“此电只发刘陈邓，请小平负责于粟谭至你处开会时，给粟谭二人一阅，阅后焚毁，保守机密。”

Persisting in Setting an Example, Ensuring the Safety of Secrets

坚持以身作则，确保秘密安全

General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: "If a person does not set an example, others will not follow; if a person does not take the lead, others will not believe." Leading cadres must strictly demand of themselves, take the lead in acting according to the Party Constitution, take the lead in observing Party discipline and rules, and take the lead in managing their relatives, children, and staff. In this regard, the older generation of revolutionaries insisted on leading by example from the top, setting a model for us.

习近平总书记强调：“人不率则不从，身不先则不信。”领导干部必须严格要求自己，带头按党章办事，带头遵守党的纪律和规矩，带头管好亲属子女和身边工作人员。老一辈革命家在这方面，坚持以上率下，为我们作出了榜样。

Comrade Liu Shaoqi strictly kept secrets himself, and also imposed strict demands on those around him, including secretaries, guards, and family members, emphasizing the absolute need to keep Party and state secrets. Secretaries Wu Zhenying and Liu Zhende once wrote, "In May 1953, Comrade Liu Shaoqi specially convened a meeting of secretarial staff and put forward three hopes for everyone: first, to be able to sit still; second, to be reliable; third, not to think about what personal gains one might achieve here." [6]6 "Sit still" (坐得住) and "reliable" (靠得住) are colloquial expressions in Chinese political culture, meaning, respectively, to have the patience and discipline to remain at one's post without restlessness, and to be trustworthy and dependable in carrying out duties. During this, he specifically reminded them, "You read many documents and know many things; this requires you to keep secrets and observe discipline." Comrade Liu Shaoqi repeatedly stressed: "Do not say what should not be said, do not ask what should not be asked, do not look at what should not be looked at—these three sentences apply to everyone, including my children." On one occasion, Liu Zhende received an important notice and immediately reported the situation to Comrade Liu Shaoqi. Also present at the time were Comrade Wang Guangmei and one of the children. After hearing the report, Comrade Liu Shaoqi's expression instantly became very stern. Afterwards, Comrade Wang Guangmei told Liu Zhende that when there were "little ears" present, work matters should not be discussed, saying, "Comrade Shaoqi's requirements for family members regarding secrecy are very strict; he never tells me things I should not know."

刘少奇同志自己严格保守秘密，对身边人员包括秘书、警卫等以及家人也都从严要求，强调绝对保守党和国家机密。秘书吴振英、刘振德曾撰文道，“1953年5月间，刘少奇同志曾专门召集秘书人员开过一次会，向大家提出了三点希望：一是坐得住；二是靠得住；三是不要想个人在这里有什么作为。”其间特别提醒，“你们看的文件多，知道的事情多，这就要求你们保守机密，遵守纪律”。刘少奇同志多次强调：“不该说的不说，不该问的不问，不该看的不看，对谁都是这三句话，包括对我的孩子们也都一样。”一次，刘振德接到重要通知，即向刘少奇同志报告情况。当时在场的还有王光美同志以及一个孩子。刘少奇同志听了，表情瞬时变得很严肃。事后，王光美同志告诉刘振德，有“小耳朵”在场，就不要谈工作上的事情，“少奇同志对家庭成员的保密要求是很严格的，他从不向我讲不该我知道的事情。”

In terms of secrecy, Comrade Chen Yun imposed very strict requirements on his family. During the Yan'an period, he reached an understanding with his wife, Yu Ruomu. At that time, Comrade Chen Yun served as head of the Organization Department of the Central Committee, while Yu Ruomu studied at the Yan'an School of Marxism-Leninism. Their conversations never touched on work matters. If someone came to their home to report on work, Comrade Yu Ruomu would always voluntarily withdraw. Years later, Comrade Yu Ruomu recalled: "The cave dwelling had an inner and outer room. When leading comrades came to talk with him, I had nowhere to stay, so I could only go outside to the hillside and wait for a while." After the founding of New China, Comrade Chen Yun's demands on his family were equally strict. His daughter once recalled: "It was probably around 1962 or 1963. Father was in charge of the national economy. To withdraw currency from circulation, the state implemented high-priced commodities, and the market sold some high-grade pastries, high-grade sweets, and other high-priced goods. That summer, Mother bought a towel blanket, which was a high-priced commodity. After buying it, she was quite happy. But the next day, the newspaper published that because our national economy had recovered to a certain level, high-priced commodities could be abolished, and from that day on, all commodities were reduced to regular prices. My mother complained a bit to him, asking why he hadn't said anything. Father said: 'I am in charge of the economy; this is a state economic secret. How could I casually talk about it in my own home? I must take the lead in observing Party discipline.'" After many years of revolutionary struggle and work practice, Comrade Chen Yun had long made keeping Party and state secrets an iron rule and a habit.

在保密方面，陈云同志对家属要求非常严格。在延安时期，他同妻子于若木就达成默契。当时陈云同志担任中央组织部长，于若木在延安马列学院学习。他们之间谈话，从不涉及单位工作。如遇到有人来家汇报工作，于若木同志总是主动回避。多年后，于若木同志回忆：“窑洞是里外间，领导同志来找他谈话，我没地方呆，只好到院子外面的山坡上呆一会儿。”新中国成立后，陈云同志对家人要求同样严格。他的女儿曾回忆：“大概是1962年或1963年的时候，父亲主管国家经济工作，为了回笼货币，国家实行了高价商品，市场上销售一些高级点心、高级糖和其他高价商品。那年夏天，妈妈买了一床毛巾被，就是高价商品，买完以后还挺高兴的。等到第二天报纸登出来，因为我们国家经济已经恢复到一定水平，可以取消高价商品了，从今天起，所有的商品都降为平价。我母亲就有点抱怨他，怎么不说一声。爸爸说：‘我是主管经济的，这是国家的经济机密，我怎么可以在自己家里随便讲？我要带头遵守党的纪律。’”历经多年革命斗争和工作实践，陈云同志早已经把保守党和国家秘密作为铁律、形成习惯。

Looking up to the mountain, one feels its height; seeing the virtuous, one thinks of equaling them. [7]7 "Looking up to the mountain, one feels its height; seeing the virtuous, one thinks of equaling them" (高山仰止，景行行止) is a classical Chinese allusion from the *Book of Songs* (《诗经》), often used to express admiration for a person of great virtue and the aspiration to emulate them. On the new journey of the New Era, facing new circumstances such as the increasingly rich connotations of national security and the complex interplay of internal and external factors, we must center on the overall work of the Party and the state, thoroughly implement a holistic approach to national security, and continuously advance the high-quality development of secrecy work. Secrecy work in the New Era concerns the Party's long-term governing position, concerns national security, concerns the people's well-being, and concerns national rejuvenation. We must strengthen our mission and responsibility, inherit and carry forward the Party's glorious traditions and fine styles, fulfill our duties with concrete actions, and strive to contribute more to comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization.

高山仰止，见贤思齐。新时代新征程上，面对国家安全内涵日益丰富、内外因素错综复杂等新情况，我们要围绕党和国家工作大局，深入贯彻总体国家安全观，不断推进保密工作高质量发展。新时代保密工作，关乎党的长期执政地位、关乎国家安全、关乎人民幸福、关乎民族复兴，要强化使命担当，传承发扬党的优良传统和作风，以实际行动履职尽责，努力为以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业贡献更多力量。

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心