“Mainstay” Is a Vivid Footnote to the Correct Outlook on Political Performance

The outlook on political performance is a mirror; it not only reflects the Party spirit cultivation of leading cadres but also determines their weight in the hearts of the masses. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: “In the face of work difficulties, one must have the drive to ‘know there are tigers in the mountains yet go straight for the mountains,’ actively seek concrete measures to overcome difficulties, be willing to step forward and rise to the occasion, and truly become the mainstay that leads the masses in fighting risks and weathering hardships.” [1]1 This is a direct quotation from Xi Jinping, drawn from his speeches on the need for officials to tackle difficulties head-on. The three characters “mainstay” carry a weight of a thousand jun. [2]2 “Jun” is an ancient Chinese unit of weight; “a thousand jun” is a classical idiom meaning extremely heavy. It is not conferred by office, nor is it self-proclaimed; it is earned through action in one risk and trial after another. To establish and practice a correct outlook on political performance requires leading cadres not only to hold the fort when the wind is calm but also to be trustworthy and reliable for the masses when the wind is high and the waves are rough.

政绩观是面镜子，不仅映照出领导干部的党性修养，更决定了其在群众心中的分量。习近平总书记深刻指出：“面对工作难题，要有明知山有虎、偏向虎山行的劲头，积极寻找克服困难的具体对策，豁得出来、顶得上去，真正成为带领人民群众战风险、渡难关的主心骨。”“主心骨”三个字，分量千钧。它不是职务赋予的，更不是自封的，而是在一次次风险考验中干出来的。树立和践行正确政绩观，要求领导干部不只会在风平浪静中守摊子，更要在风高浪急时让群众信得过、靠得住。

Being willing to step forward depends on a spirit of drive. The masses regard leading cadres as their mainstay not because of how high their positions are or how moving their statements are, but because of whether they dare to charge forward in the face of risk, whether they can hold firm in the face of difficulties, and whether they care about the urgent and difficult matters of the masses. This kind of willingness to step forward at critical moments is more persuasive than any statement. In reality, a small number of leading cadres cling to the mentality of “better to do nothing than to make a mistake,” skirting around problems when they encounter them and dodging risks when they appear. In their view, “not making decisions” means no decision-making errors, “not doing things” means no mistakes in doing things, and “not sticking one’s neck out” means no accountability. This logic deviates from the core essence of the correct outlook on political performance. If a locality’s development shows no improvement and the people’s urgent concerns and difficulties go unaddressed, the more “stable” such “peace officials” [3]3 “Peace officials” (太平官) is a colloquial term for officials who avoid taking risks or making changes to keep their positions stable and trouble-free. are in their posts, the lower the masses’ trust becomes. A mainstay must step forward at critical moments, dare to make decisions, be able to settle matters, and be willing to bear responsibility, giving the masses a sense of security. True political performance is never “guarded” into existence; it is “forged” through charging forward amid stormy seas.

豁得出来，靠的是闯劲。群众把领导干部当作主心骨，并不是看职务有多高、表态有多动听，而是看风险面前敢不敢冲、难题面前能不能顶、群众的急事难事上不上心。这种关键时刻豁得出来，比任何表态都更有说服力。现实中，少数领导干部抱持“只要不出事，宁愿不做事”的心态，遇到难题绕着走，碰到风险躲着行。在他们看来，“不决策”就不会决策失误，“不做事”就不会做错事，“不出头”就不会被问责。这种逻辑背离了正确政绩观的核心要义。一个地方发展没有起色，百姓急难愁盼无人过问，这样的“太平官”当得越“稳”，群众的信任度就越“低”。主心骨，关键时刻就得挺身而出，敢拍板、能定夺、肯担责，让群众心里有底。真正的政绩，从来不是“守”出来的，而是在惊涛骇浪中“闯”出来的。

Rising to the occasion depends on capability. The current tasks of reform, development, and stability are unprecedentedly heavy, and the contradictions, risks, and challenges are unprecedentedly numerous. Courage alone to “go straight for the mountains where tigers are” is not enough; one must also have the ability to recognize the “tiger” and the strategy to break the deadlock. True responsibility is not blind or reckless action; it requires deep investigation and research, solid countermeasures, and precise solutions. The reason Jiao Yulu [4]4 Jiao Yulu (1922–1964) was a CPC county Party secretary in Lankao, Henan, celebrated as a model official for his selfless work to combat natural disasters despite terminal illness. became the mainstay of the people of Lankao is not that he could shout slogans, but that he endured his illness to visit over 100 production brigades across the entire county, [5]5 A “production brigade” was the basic rural economic and administrative unit under the People’s Commune system (1958–1984). got to the bottom of the “three evils,” [6]6 The “three evils” (三害) in Lankao at the time referred to sandstorms, waterlogging, and saline-alkali soil. and came up with concrete governance measures, becoming a model of “rising to the occasion.” In contrast, a small number of leading cadres lack not the volume of their statements but the footsteps that go deep into the front line. As a result, “stepping forward” turns into “reckless action,” and “rising to the occasion” turns into “adding to the chaos.” “Rising” is not about displaying the courage of a mere individual; it depends on the genuine skill of persistent, long-term effort.

顶得上去，凭的是本领。当前改革发展稳定任务之重、矛盾风险挑战之多前所未有，光有“偏向虎山行”的胆量还不够，还得有识“虎”之能、破局之策。真正的担当不是盲干硬干，而是要求调查研究要深、对策措施要实、破解办法要准。焦裕禄之所以能成为兰考人民的主心骨，不是因为他会喊口号，而是因为他忍着病痛跑遍全县100多个生产大队，摸清了“三害”的底数，拿出了治理的具体办法，成为“顶得上去”的典范。反观少数领导干部，不缺表态的嗓门，缺的是深入一线的脚步，结果豁得出来变成了“蛮干”，顶得上去变成了“添乱”。“顶”不是逞匹夫之勇，而是靠久久为功的真功夫。

Leading the masses means gathering people’s hearts. No matter how strong an individual is, they cannot be stronger than unity of purpose. A mainstay is by no means a lone hero; it is a core force that unites people’s hearts. The wisdom and strength of the masses are inexhaustible. Only by going down to the front line, sitting on the same bench as the masses, truly listening, truly observing, and truly asking, can the “golden ideas” of the masses be turned into the “golden key” for solving problems. In reality, a small number of leading cadres misunderstand the “mainstay.” Some try to do everything themselves, resulting in cadres working while the masses watch, unable to form a single rope. [7]7 “Forming a single rope” (拧成一股绳) is a Chinese idiom meaning to unite and work together as one. Others are accustomed to issuing orders, turning “leading” into “commanding,” which fails to win the masses’ approval. The key to turning the masses from “I am told to do it” into “I want to do it” lies in taking the lead. Shouting oneself hoarse is not as good as rolling up one’s sleeves and getting to work. When leading cadres charge ahead, the masses will naturally follow. What the masses need is not a “flash-in-the-pan” hero but a “constant presence” they can rely on. Leading cadres are leaders, but leading is not commanding, nor is it doing everything for them. “Stepping forward” at critical moments is responsibility; “bending down” in ordinary times is the real work. A true mainstay must not only be able to handle things independently but also be able to pool collective strength, so that the masses see hope, gain real benefits, and taste the sweetness. Only when cadres and masses are of one heart can they break metal. [8]8 “When people are of one heart, they can break metal” (人心齐，泰山移) is a Chinese proverb meaning unity is invincible.

带领群众，聚的是人心。个人再强，也强不过众志成城。主心骨绝不是孤胆英雄，而是凝聚人心的核心力量。群众的智慧和力量是无穷的，唯有沉到一线，和群众坐在一条板凳上，真听、真看、真问，才能把群众的“金点子”变成破解难题的“金钥匙”。现实中，少数领导干部对“主心骨”有误解，有的包打天下，结果干部在干、群众在看，拧不成一股绳；有的习惯发号施令，把“带领”变成了“命令”，群众并不买账。让群众从“要我干”变成“我要干”，关键在带头。喊破嗓子不如甩开膀子，领导干部冲在前头，群众自然跟上来。群众要的不是“昙花一现”的英雄，而是“始终在场”的依靠。领导干部是带领者，但带领不是命令，更不是包办。关键时刻“豁得出来”是担当，平常时候“俯下身子”是功夫。真正的主心骨既要能独当一面，更能汇聚合力，让群众看到希望、得到实惠、尝到甜头。只有干群同心，方能其利断金。

The people’s hearts are the greatest politics. When the masses regard leading cadres as their mainstay, it is a trust and, even more, a heavy responsibility. “Being willing to step forward and rising to the occasion” is a vivid footnote to the correct outlook on political performance. It requires long-term Party spirit cultivation, demands that leading cadres always place the people highest in their hearts, discard the comfort of “peace officials” and the calculations of “petty schemes,” and neither shirk responsibility, shrink from challenges, nor avoid difficulties. Leading cadres at all levels must be willing to step forward to shoulder responsibility, rise to the occasion to solve problems, bend down to gather people’s hearts, and truly become the mainstay that the masses trust, rely on, and cannot do without.

民心是最大的政治。人民群众把领导干部当主心骨，是一份信任，更是沉甸甸的责任。“豁得出来、顶得上去”是正确政绩观的鲜明注脚，需要长期的党性锤炼，要求领导干部始终把人民放在心中最高位置，摒弃“太平官”的安逸和“小算盘”的算计，在责任面前不推诿、在挑战面前不退缩、在困难面前不躲避。各级领导干部必须豁得出来扛起责任，顶得上去破解难题，俯下身子凝聚人心，真正成为人民群众信得过、靠得住、离不开的主心骨。