Burnish the "Golden Card" of the Central Eight-Point Regulations

The ancients said: "In seeking the way of governance, nothing takes precedence over rectifying customs." [1]1 The “Four Forms of Decadence” (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, the four undesirable work styles that the CPC has targeted in its campaign to improve Party conduct since 2013. The Party's work style is the Party's image; it concerns the support of the people and determines the success or failure of the Party's and the nation's undertakings. The Central Eight-Point Regulations are not only a "golden card" for strengthening the Party's work style in the New Era, but also an important fulcrum for leveraging a major transformation in Party governance and discipline, propelling the century-old Party to continuously radiate vigorous vitality through self-revolution. [2]2 A classical Chinese saying, often used to emphasize the need for persistent, unremitting effort in the face of difficulty. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "We must resolutely implement the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations, rectify work style with strict discipline, and enrich the effective pathways of self-revolution; we must combat corruption and punish evil with the force of a thunderbolt, and fight the tough and protracted battle of self-revolution."

古人云：“求治之道，莫先于正风俗。”党的作风就是党的形象，关系人心向背，决定党和国家事业成败。中央八项规定不仅是新时代加强党的作风建设的一张“金色名片”，而且是撬动管党治党大变局的重要支点，推动百年大党在自我革命中不断焕发蓬勃生机。习近平总书记指出，“必须坚决落实中央八项规定精神、以严明纪律整饬作风，丰富自我革命有效途径；必须坚持以雷霆之势反腐惩恶，打好自我革命攻坚战、持久战”。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has begun by formulating and implementing the Central Eight-Point Regulations to break new ground. It has resolutely corrected formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance; resolutely eradicated privileged thinking and privileged behavior; resolutely rectified unhealthy practices and corruption issues around the masses; promoted the continuous improvement of Party conduct, government conduct, and social conduct; ushered in a new atmosphere of "the Eight-Point Regulations changing China"; and advanced the Party's self-revolution with the effect of "one move activating the whole board." [3]3 A Chinese idiom meaning that a single strategic move can activate the entire situation, often used to describe the decisive impact of the Eight-Point Regulations. Since March 2025, the entire Party has carried out education and study on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations. Thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations provides a concrete starting point for advancing the Party's self-revolution. It is of great significance for creating a clean and upright political ecosystem within the Party, deeply advancing comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, and providing a strong work-style guarantee for the great cause of building a strong country and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央从制定和落实中央八项规定开局破题，坚决纠治形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风，坚决破除特权思想和特权行为，坚决整治群众身边不正之风和腐败问题，推动党风政风社风持续向上向善，迎来“八项规定改变中国”新气象，推进党的自我革命呈现“一子落满盘活”的效果。2025年3月以来，全党开展深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育。深入贯彻中央八项规定精神，为推进党的自我革命提供具体抓手，对于营造风清气正的党内政治生态，深入推进全面从严治党，为强国建设、民族复兴伟业提供坚强作风保障，具有重要意义。

First, take putting the people first as the value standpoint for thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations, persistently rectify formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance that the people strongly resent, and adhere to the correct value orientation for advancing the Party's self-revolution.

其一，把人民至上作为深入贯彻中央八项规定精神的价值立场，持续纠治人民群众反映强烈的形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风，坚守推进党的自我革命的正确价值导向。

The Central Eight-Point Regulations and their implementation rules are scientific institutional arrangements for the Political Bureau of the Central Committee to improve its work style and maintain close ties with the masses. Behind the institutional norms lies a clear value orientation of putting the people first. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: "Always adhere to zero tolerance, treat the Central Eight-Point Regulations as iron rules and hard constraints, seriously investigate and punish the 'four forms of decadence' [4]4 The "four forms of decadence" (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance. that violate discipline openly or in disguised and mutating forms, and urge Party members and cadres to resolutely oppose privileged thinking and privileged phenomena, and firmly establish a correct view of power, outlook on political performance, and view of career." Against the backdrop of the entire Party carrying out education and study on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations, the vast majority of Party members and cadres integrate study, inspection, and rectification. They deeply study and meticulously comprehend General Secretary Xi Jinping's important discourses on strengthening the Party's work style and the Central Eight-Point Regulations and their implementation rules. They thoroughly and comprehensively examine and compare themselves to see whether benefiting the people is the fundamental yardstick for measuring their view of power, outlook on political performance, and view of career; whether there are problems such as alienation of the view of power, misplacement of the outlook on political performance, and distortion of the view of career; and promptly correct erroneous behaviors such as ignoring the demands of the masses and harming the interests of the masses that occur in the exercise of power. Take promptly solving the work-style problems strongly resented by the people as an important entry point for advancing the Party's self-revolution. Continuously deepen the correction of the "four forms of decadence" issues. Improve the institutional mechanisms for preventing and controlling formalism and bureaucratism. Continuously and deeply carry out special governance work on hedonism and extravagance. Seriously investigate and punish prominent issues such as illegal eating and drinking, illegal official receptions, illegal acceptance and giving of gifts and money, illegal distribution of subsidies and allowances, illegal use of public funds for tourism, and illegal use of official vehicles and office spaces. Promote a completely new look in Party and government conduct, lead social and popular conduct to be positive and healthy, and safeguard the Party's image in the hearts of the people. The effectiveness of thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations should be reflected in solving the urgent, difficult, and anxious problems of the masses. Target the pain points and difficulties in people's livelihood areas such as education, employment, and medical care to carry out centralized rectification. With the spirit of self-revolution that turns the blade inward, implement precise accountability for leading cadres who are inactive, slow to act, act arbitrarily, or act falsely on issues concerning the most immediate and realistic interests of the people, such as education and medical care, ecological environment protection, food and drug safety, and social security. Enhance the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security, and win the trust of the people with the results of self-revolution.

中央八项规定及其实施细则是推动中央政治局改进工作作风、密切联系群众的科学制度安排，在制度规范背后蕴含着人民至上的鲜明价值导向。习近平总书记强调：“始终坚持零容忍，把中央八项规定作为铁规矩、硬杠杠，严肃查处顶风违纪、隐形变异的‘四风’问题，督促党员、干部坚决反对特权思想和特权现象，树牢正确权力观、政绩观、事业观。”在全党开展深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育的背景下，广大党员干部一体推进学查改，深学细悟习近平总书记关于加强党的作风建设的重要论述和中央八项规定及其实施细则，深入全面地对照检视自身是否把为民造福作为衡量权力观、政绩观、事业观的根本标尺，是否存在权力观异化、政绩观错位、事业观扭曲等问题，及时纠正在履职用权中出现的漠视群众诉求、损害群众利益等错误行为。把及时解决人民群众反映强烈的作风问题，作为推进党的自我革命的重要切入点，持续深化纠治“四风”问题，健全防治形式主义、官僚主义制度机制，持续深入开展享乐主义、奢靡之风专项治理工作，严肃查处违规吃喝、违规公务接待、违规收送礼品礼金、违规发放津补贴、违规公款旅游、违规使用公车和办公用房等方面的突出问题，推动党风政风焕然一新，引领社风民风积极健康，维护党在人民心中的形象。要把深入贯彻中央八项规定精神的成效，体现在解决群众急难愁盼问题上，瞄准教育、就业、医疗等民生领域的痛点难点开展集中整治，以刀刃向内的自我革命精神，对在教育医疗、生态环境保护、食品药品安全、社会保障等涉及人民群众最关心最直接最现实的利益问题上不作为、慢作为、乱作为、假作为的领导干部实施精准问责，增强人民群众的获得感、幸福感、安全感，以自我革命的成效取信于民。

Second, take improving the working mechanism for joint investigation of work-style and corruption as an important focus for thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations, promote the integrated deepening of rectifying work-style and fighting corruption, and consolidate the clean governance foundation for advancing the Party's self-revolution.

其二，把健全风腐同查工作机制作为深入贯彻中央八项规定精神的重要着力点，推动正风反腐一体深化，夯实推进党的自我革命的廉洁政治根基。

In 2022, the General Office of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection issued the "Opinions on Implementing the Requirements of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, Perseveringly Implementing the Spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations, and Deepening the Correction of the 'Four Forms of Decadence' Work," which regards "deeply investigating and meticulously examining the integrated problems of work-style and corruption, and improving the working mechanism for joint investigation of work-style and corruption" as an important measure for perseveringly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations. The work report of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC made important arrangements for "improving the working mechanism for joint investigation and joint governance of work-style and corruption," regarding it as an important focus for "normalizing and long-term deepening of the implementation of the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations." [5]5 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection was held in January 2023. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC points out: "Corruption is the biggest cancer that endangers the Party's vitality and combat effectiveness, and anti-corruption is the most thorough self-revolution." In the process of thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations, whether the chain from work-style to corruption and from work-style to corruption can be cut off in time directly affects the actual effectiveness of the CPC's self-revolution. Based on the complex relationship where unhealthy practices and corruption issues share the same root and are intertwined, thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations should take improving the working mechanism for joint investigation of work-style and corruption as an important focus, enhancing the comprehensive effectiveness of integrated correction of work-style and corruption. Research and formulate opinions on joint investigation and joint governance of work-style and corruption. Improve the institutional mechanisms for investigating corruption from work-style and correcting work-style from corruption. Use "joint investigation" to severely punish intertwined work-style and corruption issues, and use "joint governance" to eradicate the common roots of work-style and corruption. Deeply investigate the sources of funds, purposes and reasons, and organizers and participants of issues such as illegal eating and drinking and illegal acceptance and giving of gifts and money. Strengthen analysis and judgment. Deeply verify whether there are phenomena such as cliques and interest exchanges behind the "four forms of decadence" issues. Build a work chain for investigating corruption from work-style. For cases where work-style and corruption are integrated, follow the clues to dig deeper, tear apart the "network of relationships," cut off the "chain of interests," resolutely eliminate corruption issues such as interest transfer and power-money transactions hidden behind unhealthy practices, and cut off the chain of interests from work-style to corruption.

2022年中央纪委办公厅印发《关于贯彻党的二十大部署要求 锲而不舍落实中央八项规定精神深化纠治“四风”工作的意见》，把“对风腐一体问题深挖细查，健全风腐同查的工作机制”作为锲而不舍落实中央八项规定精神的一项重要举措。党的二十届中央纪委三次全会工作报告对“健全风腐同查同治工作机制”作出重要部署，将其作为“常态长效深化落实中央八项规定精神”的重要着力点。党的二十大报告指出：“腐败是危害党的生命力和战斗力的最大毒瘤，反腐败是最彻底的自我革命。”在深入贯彻中央八项规定精神中，能否及时斩断由风及腐、由风变腐的链条，直接影响中国共产党推进自我革命的实际成效。基于不正之风与腐败问题同根同源、互为表里的复杂关系，深入贯彻中央八项规定精神应将健全风腐同查的工作机制作为重要着力点，提升风腐一体纠治的综合效能。研究制定风腐同查同治的意见，健全由风查腐和由腐纠风的制度机制，以“同查”严惩风腐交织问题，以“同治”铲除风腐共性根源。深挖违规吃喝、违规收送礼品礼金等问题的资金来源、目的事由、组织参与人员等情况，加强分析研判，深入核查“四风”问题背后是否存在团团伙伙、利益交换等现象，构建由风查腐工作链。对于风腐一体案件要循线深挖，撕开“关系网”、斩断“利益链”，坚决清除不正之风背后隐藏的利益输送、权钱交易等腐败问题，斩断由风及腐利益链。

Third, take promoting the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work-style construction as the practical orientation for thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulations, integrate the investigation and punishment of "four forms of decadence" issues with deepening reform, improving institutions, and promoting governance, and consolidate the institutional foundation for advancing the Party's self-revolution.

其三，把推进作风建设常态化长效化作为深入贯彻中央八项规定精神的实践导向，将查处“四风”问题同深化改革、完善制度、促进治理贯通起来，夯实推进党的自我革命的制度基础。

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “On the issue of improving work style, we cannot retreat, nor are we permitted to retreat. We must maintain the tenacity for constant effort and the patience for long-term effort, seek normality through persistence, and seek lasting effectiveness from institutional building.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has incorporated work-style improvement into the track of institutionalization, formulated the Eight-Point Regulations and their implementing rules, and included the failure to thoroughly implement the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations and their implementing rules among the accountability situations in basic intra-Party regulations such as the Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Accountability, thereby providing a strong institutional guarantee for thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations and correcting the “Four Forms of Decadence” [1]1 The “Four Forms of Decadence” (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, the four undesirable work styles that the CPC has targeted in its campaign to improve Party conduct since 2013.. In response to work-style problems strongly reflected by the masses, intra-Party regulations and normative documents such as the Regulations on Practicing Thrift and Opposing Waste in Party and Government Organs, the Provisions on the Administration of Domestic Official Receptions in Party and Government Organs, and the Notice on Stopping the Construction of New Office Buildings and Auditoriums and Clearing Office Space in Party and Government Organs have been issued to specifically regulate work such as practicing thrift, official receptions, and office space management, using institutions to consolidate the achievements of Party work-style building. Thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations requires adhering to a problem-oriented approach, taking the correction of the “Four Forms of Decadence” as the problem orientation for advancing the Party’s self-revolution, linking the investigation and punishment of “Four Forms of Decadence” problems with deepening reform, improving institutions, and promoting governance, and promoting the normalization and long-term effectiveness of Party work-style building. It is necessary to accurately grasp the regional, sectoral, and stage-specific characteristics of work-style building, deeply apply the method of case-type analysis, conduct in-depth analysis and judgment on “Four Forms of Decadence” problems that are stubborn, recurrent, and universal, and identify the institutional roots and mechanistic conditions that lead to their continuous emergence. It is necessary to adhere to the integration of investigation, reform, and governance, plan and deploy anti-corruption and work-style rectification measures together with reform initiatives, rely on typical cases to promote reform through cases, promote institution-building through cases, and promote governance through cases, construct a strict institutional system for preventing and controlling “Four Forms of Decadence” problems, and consolidate the institutional foundation for advancing the Party’s self-revolution from the dimension of work-style building.

习近平总书记指出：“在改进作风问题上，我们不能退，也退不得，必须保持常抓的韧劲、长抓的耐心，在坚持中见常态，向制度建设要长效。”党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央把作风建设纳入制度化轨道，制定中央八项规定及其实施细则，把落实中央八项规定及其实施细则精神不力纳入《中国共产党问责条例》等基础性党内法规的问责情形之中，为深入贯彻中央八项规定精神、纠正“四风”提供了有力制度保障。针对人民群众反映强烈的作风问题，出台了《党政机关厉行节约反对浪费条例》《党政机关国内公务接待管理规定》《关于党政机关停止新建楼堂馆所和清理办公用房的通知》等党内法规和规范性文件，专门规范厉行节约、公务接待、办公用房管理等工作，用制度巩固党的作风建设成果。深入贯彻中央八项规定精神要坚持问题导向，将纠正“四风”作为推进党的自我革命的问题导向，把查处“四风”问题同深化改革、完善制度、促进治理贯通起来，推动党的作风建设常态化长效化。准确把握作风建设的地区性、行业性、阶段性特点，深入运用类案分析方法，对具有顽固性、反复性、普遍性的“四风”问题开展深入分析研判，查清导致不断滋生的制度根源和机制条件。坚持查改治贯通，将防腐纠风与改革举措一体谋划部署，依托典型案件开展以案促改、以案促建、以案促治，构筑防治“四风”问题的严密制度体系，从作风建设维度夯实推进党的自我革命的制度基础。

“Sailing against the current, one cannot slacken the pole even for a moment; dripping water wears through stone, one cannot abandon a single drop even for an instant.” [2]2 A classical Chinese saying, often used to emphasize the need for persistent, unremitting effort in the face of difficulty. Work-style building is a protracted war. The Eight-Point Regulations are not a short-term regulation; they are a long-term effective iron rule and hard bar. Continuously carrying out education and learning on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations is an effective form for promoting the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work-style building. We must always adhere to governing the Party with the spirit of reform and strict standards, fight the protracted war, the tough battle, and the battle for hearts and minds in work-style building, adhere to simultaneously grasping Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline, link the rectification of conduct, the enforcement of discipline, and the fight against corruption, continue to work hard on constancy and length, strictness and solidity, depth and detail, and use the solid results of education and learning to continuously burnish this “golden card” of the Eight-Point Regulations.

“逆水行舟，一篙不可放缓；滴水穿石，一滴不可弃滞。”作风建设是持久战。中央八项规定不是短期的规定，是长期有效的铁规矩、硬杠杠。持续开展深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育是推进作风建设常态化长效化的有效形式。我们要始终坚持用改革精神和严的标准管党治党，打好作风建设持久战、攻坚战、攻心战，坚持党性党风党纪一起抓，正风肃纪反腐相贯通，继续在常和长、严和实、深和细上下功夫，用学习教育的扎实成效持续擦亮中央八项规定这张“金色名片”。

(This article is a phased result of the National Social Science Fund Youth Project “Research on the Generation Mechanism and Governance Path of Alienation Phenomena in Grassroots Accountability” (21CZZ050))

（本文系国家社科基金青年项目“基层问责异化现象的生成机理与治理路径研究”（21CZZ050）阶段性成果）

(The author is an Associate Professor at the Research Center for Intra-Party Regulations, Wuhan University)

（作者系武汉大学党内法规研究中心副教授）