The “Proper Bearing” of a Communist Party Member

Guo Rugui, a “military elite,” was a Communist Party mole embedded in the Kuomintang for eighteen years. Yet he nearly was exposed because of his “bearing.” During the Huaihai Campaign, Du Yuming reported to Chiang Kai-shek that Guo Rugui was “so incorruptible as to be hard to understand”—he never touched money or women, even his sofa at home was patched, and “his words and deeds are very much like a Communist Party member.” [1]1 The Huaihai Campaign (1948–1949) was a decisive military engagement in the Chinese Civil War. Du Yuming was a senior Kuomintang general; Chiang Kai-shek was the leader of the Kuomintang.

“军界精英”郭汝瑰，是我党潜伏国民党内部18年的卧底将军。却因“样子”，差点暴露。淮海战役期间，杜聿明向蒋介石揭露郭汝瑰“廉得让人难以理解”，色财不沾，连家里的沙发都打上补丁，“言行作风很像是共产党员”。

Similarly, the historian Fan Wenlan was also an underground Party member and had been arrested on suspicion of being a “Communist suspect.” Peking University President Jiang Menglin interceded with Chen Guofu on his behalf, saying that Fan “had always been upright, cherished his students, and lived a hard and simple life.” Chen Guofu replied, “That alone is enough to prove Fan Wenlan is a Communist Party member.” [2]2 Chen Guofu was a senior Kuomintang official and head of its secret police apparatus.

无独有偶。历史学家范文澜也是地下党员，曾因“共党嫌疑”被逮捕。北大校长蒋梦麟找到陈果夫求情，说其“一向为人正直，爱护学生，生活艰苦朴素”。陈果夫却说“就这一点已足以说明范文澜是共产党员”。

It is evident that Communist Party members have a “proper bearing.”

可见，共产党员有着“应有的样子”。

What is this “proper bearing”?

“应有的样子”是什么？

It is that once the fire of ideal and conviction is kindled, it never goes out. Yang Jingyu, Zhao Shangzhi, Zuo Quan, Peng Xuefeng… during the War of Resistance Against Japan, countless Communist Party members “preserved the righteous spirit for heaven and earth, and preserved their full moral character for the individual,” propping up the iron-blooded backbone of the Chinese nation with their flesh and blood. [3]3 Yang Jingyu, Zhao Shangzhi, Zuo Quan, and Peng Xuefeng were Communist Party military commanders killed in the War of Resistance Against Japan (1937–1945). It is precisely because of firm ideals and convictions that they can be seen in ordinary times, stand out at critical moments, and step forward in times of crisis.

是理想信念之火一经点燃，就永远不会熄灭。杨靖宇、赵尚志、左权、彭雪枫……抗日战争时期，无数共产党员“为天地存正气，为个人全人格”，以血肉之躯挺起中华民族的铁血脊梁。正是因为有坚定的理想信念，才能平常时候看得出来、关键时刻站得出来、危急关头豁得出来。

It is taking the people’s aspiration for a better life as the goal of struggle. Huang Wenxiu escaped the mountains through education, then unhesitatingly returned to the mountains to help fellow villagers escape poverty; Zhang Guimei has been rooted in the border region for decades, and even when wracked with illness, she still devotes herself to education as always. [4]4 Huang Wenxiu and Zhang Guimei are contemporary Communist Party members celebrated for their work in poverty alleviation and education, respectively. On the fertile soil of practice in the New Era, such Communist Party members are too numerous to count. They constantly strive for the well-being of the people, forging the solid foundation of our Party’s governance.

是把人民对美好生活的向往作为奋斗目标。黄文秀靠读书走出大山，又义无反顾回馈大山，帮助乡亲们脱贫；张桂梅数十年如一日扎根边疆，即便病痛缠身，仍一如既往献身教育事业。新时代的实践热土上，这样的共产党员数不胜数。他们始终为增进人民福祉而不懈努力，铸就了我们党坚固的执政根基。

It is being bright in great virtue, guarding public virtue, and strict in private virtue, governing with virtue. Yang Shanzhou paid his own meal expenses when going to the countryside or on business trips and never used official cars for private purposes; Yang Yegong always maintained clean and self-disciplined conduct, hanging the words “No Gifts Admitted” above his door. [5]5 Yang Shanzhou was a retired Party official who spent his later years planting trees on a barren mountain; Yang Yegong was a People’s Liberation Army commander known for his integrity. “The way of governance is rooted in self-cultivation.” Countless Communist Party members take Party spirit cultivation as a lifelong task, repeatedly tempering and elevating it, persistently practicing it in their own conduct, living a clean life and dedicating their whole lives, thereby burnishing our Party’s political character.

是明大德、守公德、严私德，为政以德。杨善洲，下乡和出差自己交伙食费、公车从不私用；杨业功，始终保持廉洁自律，将“携礼莫入”挂在门楣上。“为政之道，修身为本”。无数共产党员把党性修养作为终身课题，反复淬炼升华、持续身体力行，清廉一生、奉献一生，才能擦亮我们党的政治本色。

Members of the Communist Party of China stand among the broadest masses of the people, possessing the “proper bearing” of Chinese people: loving life, working diligently, being sincere and plain, valuing sentiment and righteousness, integrating the “small self” into the “greater self,” and working together with hundreds of millions of people, down to earth and unremittingly, for a better life and national prosperity.

中国共产党党员站在最广大人民之中，有着中国人“应有的样子”：热爱生活、勤奋工作、真诚朴实、重情重义，将“小我”融入“大我”，与亿万人民一道，为美好生活、国家昌盛而脚踏实地、不懈奋斗。

Yet they are also “not ordinary,” using the “small self” to achieve the “greater self”: playing a vanguard and exemplary role in production, work, and study; stepping forward and fearing no sacrifice to protect the interests of the state and the people in the face of difficulties and dangers; daring to venture into “no-man’s-land” and daring to “be the first to eat the crab,” opening up new horizons for national development through tenacious struggle.

他们又“不普通”，用“小我”成就“大我”：在生产、工作、学习中，发挥先锋模范作用；面对困难和危险，为保护国家和人民利益挺身而出、不怕牺牲；敢于闯“无人区”、敢于“第一个吃螃蟹”，以顽强斗争为国家发展开辟新天地。

The Communist Party of China is the world’s largest political party; a large party must have a large-party bearing. This large-party bearing is embodied in the “proper bearing” of every Communist Party member.

中国共产党是世界上最大的政党，大就要有大的样子。大的样子，就体现在每一名共产党员“应有的样子”中。

Since March of this year, the entire Party has earnestly carried out study and education on thoroughly implementing the Eight-Point Regulations. [6]6 The Eight-Point Regulations are a set of 2012 Party rules aimed at curbing bureaucracy, extravagance, and formalism among officials. The vast majority of Party officials and members have generally undergone a concentrated process of ideological tempering, Party spirit training, and political discipline, and have generally gained a renewed understanding, deepened awareness, and taken renewed action regarding the Party’s self-revolution, achieving an overall improvement in the Party’s work style. Many members of the public have reported seeing the Communists’ most serious attitude and seeing the “proper bearing” of Party members.

今年3月以来，全党扎实开展深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育，广大党员干部普遍经历了一次集中的思想淬炼、党性锻炼、政治历练，普遍对党的自我革命进行了再认识再深化再行动，党的作风实现整体性提升。很多群众反映，看到了共产党人最讲认真的态度，看到了党员“应有的样子”。

When Party members have bearing, the Party has strength. Promoting the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work style improvement is a lasting guarantee for Party members to maintain their “proper bearing.” Facing the complex and changing internal and external environment and the arduous and heavy tasks of reform and development, Party officials and members must constantly temper their Party spirit, persist in learning, cultivating, and improving themselves until old age, and thereby gather the mighty force to advance the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation while adhering to the original aspiration and winning the people’s hearts.

党员有样子，党就有力量。推进作风建设常态化长效化，是党员保持“应有的样子”的长久保障。面对复杂变化的内外部环境、艰巨繁重的改革发展任务，党员干部不断锤炼党性，坚持活到老、学到老、修养到老，就能在坚守初心、赢得民心中汇聚起推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业的磅礴力量。

Strength originates from work style. Persistently improving work style is also the “proper bearing” of every Party member. Let the lamp of faith burn long, constantly strengthen the sense of purpose and the sense of responsibility; when every Party member has more bearing, our Party will have great bearing, and our country will have great strength!

力量源自作风。持之以恒改作风，也是每一名党员“应有的样子”。让信仰之灯长明，不断强化宗旨意识、责任意识，每一名党员都更有样子，我们党就会很有样子，我们的国家也就会很有力量！

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧