How the Red Army Built Discipline on the Long March

2026 marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army’s Long March. The victory of the Long March was the key to turning the Chinese revolution from danger to safety, and it was an earth-shaking revolutionary feat in human history, forging a great Long March spirit that transcends time and remains ever fresh. General Secretary Xi Jinping has profoundly pointed out the three severe tests the Red Army faced during the Long March: ferocious and brutal pursuing troops and blocking enemies, harsh and adverse natural conditions, and fierce struggles against erroneous ideas within the Party. Looking back on this magnificent expedition, it is clear that strong discipline-building was an important guarantee for the Red Army to overcome severe tests and ultimately win victory. On this, Comrade Zhu De once incisively summarized: “On the Long March, we relied on discipline to eat.” Strict adherence to discipline is both an important connotation of the Long March spirit and the key to interpreting the miracle of the Long March and passing on the red genes.

2026年是中国工农红军长征胜利90周年。长征的胜利，是中国革命转危为安的关键，更是人类历史上惊天动地的革命壮举，铸就了跨越时空、历久弥新的伟大长征精神。习近平总书记深刻指出红军长征途中面临的三大严峻考验：凶恶残暴的追兵阻敌、严酷恶劣的自然环境、同党内错误思想的激烈斗争。回望这段波澜壮阔的远征历程，可以清晰地看到，强有力的纪律建设是红军战胜严峻考验、最终赢得胜利的重要保证。对此，朱德同志曾精辟总结：“长征时我们就是靠纪律吃饭的。”严守纪律既是长征精神的重要内涵，也是我们解读长征奇迹、传承红色基因的关键所在。

Fully play the foundational role of discipline education, strengthen the awareness of obeying discipline

充分发挥纪律教育的基础性作用，强化遵纪意识

Strict discipline is a glorious tradition and unique advantage of the Party. From the day of its founding, the Communist Party of China inscribed strict discipline on its banner; this was a clear hallmark distinguishing our Party from other domestic political parties at the time. The Red Army, created under the Party’s leadership, carried forward this fine tradition from its inception, but strict discipline was not achieved overnight, nor was it achieved once and for all; it required long-term persistence and a multi-pronged approach. Among these, discipline education played a foundational role. During the Long March, the Party Central Committee and the Central Revolutionary Military Commission strengthened Red Army discipline education through multiple channels.

纪律严明是党的光荣传统和独特优势。中国共产党从成立之日起，就把严明纪律写在自己的旗帜上，这是我们党不同于当时国内其他政党的鲜明标志。党领导创建的红军自成立起就发扬这一优良传统，但严明纪律的形成不是一蹴而就，也不是一劳永逸，而是需要长期坚持、多管齐下。其中，纪律教育起到基础性作用。长征途中，党中央、中革军委通过多种渠道加强红军纪律教育。

Strict requirements through documents and directives. Strict military discipline was a distinctive feature and important guarantee for the Party and the Red Army in winning the support of the masses amid the “encirclement and suppression” campaigns of powerful reactionary forces, and in continuously growing stronger. The surviving Red Army historical materials contain a large number of documents and directives on disciplinary requirements. For example, at the very start of the Central Red Army’s Long March in October 1934, the General Political Department of the Red Army issued the “Political Work Instructions for Current Operations,” which set forth disciplinary requirements in clear language for all commanders and fighters. The “Instructions” stated: “Patiently educate every soldier to absolutely obey orders, strictly observe discipline, not forcibly buy goods, not indiscriminately attack local bullies, not infringe on the interests of the masses, and develop close relations with the masses.” Those who violated discipline or breached principles were to be “severely punished.” Another example: on February 16, 1935, before the second crossing of the Chishui River, the Party Central Committee and the Central Revolutionary Military Commission jointly issued the “Appeal to All Commanders and Fighters,” explaining in detail the Red Army’s next march plan while also raising disciplinary requirements, pointing out that “strictly enforcing our troops’ discipline and strengthening our work among the local residents are important conditions for winning over the broad masses of workers and peasants.” Issuing work plans in written form is an important working method and fine tradition of our Party in advancing all kinds of undertakings. For the Red Army of that era, issuing written orders provided clear, unified action guidelines for the entire army, and more importantly, it used rigid constraints to enforce military discipline and unify commands, ensuring that orders were followed and steps were coordinated.

通过文件、指令等方式严格要求。军纪严明是党和红军在强大反动势力“围剿”中获得人民群众支持、不断发展壮大的鲜明特征和重要保障。当前留存的红军史料中有大量关于纪律要求的文件指令。例如，1934年10月，中央红军长征一开始，红军总政治部就发出《对目前行动的政治工作训令》，以明文对全体指战员提出纪律要求。《训令》指出：“要耐心教育每个战士，绝对服从命令，严守纪律，不强买，不乱打土豪，不侵犯群众利益，与群众发生亲密关系。”对破坏纪律、违反原则的人员要“严厉的处罚”。再如，1935年2月16日，在二渡赤水前，党中央、中革军委联合发出《告全体指战员书》，详细解释红军下一步行军计划，同时对纪律提出要求，指出“严肃我们部队的纪律，加强我们在地方居民中的工作，是争取广大工农群众的重要条件”。以书面形式部署工作，是我们党推进各项事业发展的重要工作方法和优良传统。对当年的红军而言，发布书面命令既能提供清楚明确、全军统一的行动依据，更以刚性约束严明军纪、统一号令，确保令行禁止、步调一致。

Using newspapers to conduct discipline education. Unlike the current peaceful environment with abundant choices for spiritual activities, the Red Army’s spiritual life during the Long March was relatively impoverished. But the more materially harsh the environment, the more spiritual support was needed. Reading newspapers was a popular leisure activity for Red Army soldiers during breaks in the march. Among these, the *Red Star* newspaper was the organ of the Central Revolutionary Military Commission and the only newspaper accompanying the Party Central Committee and the Central Red Army on the Long March; it was deeply loved by Red Army commanders and fighters. The Party Central Committee and the Central Revolutionary Military Commission actively used the *Red Star* newspaper to conduct discipline education. In August 1935, the Red Army faced a severe grain shortage in the Sichuan-Kham-Tibet region, and some comrades, anxious to procure grain, made erroneous statements. An editorial in the *Red Star* newspaper criticized: “These few comrades have already wavered and gone wild in the face of difficulties, forgetting that the Red Army’s discipline is an iron discipline, the foundation on which the Red Army’s life relies.” The *Red Star* also published specific cases of discipline violations. For example, issue No. 3 of 1934 of the *Red Star* reported: A certain sergeant surnamed Yuan, from a certain unit, had arbitrarily taken the property of the masses and shot and killed the livestock and poultry raised by the masses in Futian. After investigation, he refused to obey orders and refused to correct his behavior, and continued to deliberately violate discipline. “He has now been executed by a higher-level organ.” Compared with documents and directives, newspapers had the characteristics of vivid language and closeness to daily life. The *Red Star* used cases from among the soldiers themselves and events close at hand to conduct case-based education and timely reminders, achieving good educational results.

利用报纸开展纪律教育。不同于当前和平环境下有着丰富的精神活动选择，红军在长征途中的精神生活比较匮乏。但越是在物质极为艰苦的环境下，越需要精神层面的支撑。读报是当时红军战士在行军间隙比较流行的休闲方式。其中《红星》报是中革军委机关报，是跟随党中央和中央红军长征的唯一报纸，深受红军指战员喜爱。党中央和中革军委积极利用《红星》报开展纪律教育。1935年8月，红军在川康藏区面临严重的粮食紧缺，有些同志因急于筹粮发出错误言论，《红星》报社论批评说：“这些少数同志已经在困难的面前动摇和发狂，忘记了红军的纪律是铁的纪律，是红军生命所依托的基础。”《红星》报还刊登违反纪律的具体案例。比如，1934年第3期《红星》报刊载：某部上士袁某，在富田时乱拿群众财物、枪杀群众养的牲口家禽，经查实后不服从命令、拒不改正，并继续有意破坏纪律，“现已经上级机关执行枪决”。与文件指令相比，报纸的特点是语言生动、贴近生活。《红星》报通过身边人身边事，开展案例教育和及时提醒，起到了很好的教育效果。

Simplifying disciplinary points into easy-to-remember slogans. Influenced by the economic and social development conditions of the time, many Red Army soldiers were illiterate. The content of Party and Red Army documents and newspapers often had to be relayed layer by layer and passed on by word of mouth. In such circumstances, simple and easy-to-remember disciplinary points were especially necessary. Comrade Mao Zedong was deeply familiar with China’s social conditions and had unique methods for army building. During the Jinggangshan period, he summarized Red Army discipline as the “Three Main Rules of Discipline and Six Points for Attention,” which achieved very good results. This fine tradition was carried forward during the Long March. For example, in January 1935, after the Red Army occupied Zunyi, the General Political Department of the Red Army issued the “Eight Points for Attention When Entering Zunyi,” including “Do not enter the homes of the masses without reason!” and “Pay attention to hygiene, do not defecate or urinate carelessly!” These “Eight Points for Attention” used simple colloquial language, and the content to be noted was closely related to daily life, making it easy for soldiers to remember, and thus naturally achieving good results.

简化纪律要点为易记的口号。受当时经济社会发展条件影响，很多红军战士是文盲，党和红军的文件、报刊内容往往需要层层传达、口口相传，这时候简单易记的纪律要点就显得尤为必要。毛泽东同志深谙中国社会现状，对军队建设有着独到办法。井冈山时期，他将红军纪律总结为“三大纪律、六项注意”，就取得了很好的效果。这一优良传统在长征期间得到发扬，例如，1935年1月，红军占领遵义后，红军总政治部下发《进遵义城的八项注意》，包括“无事不要进群众家里去！”“注意卫生，不乱屙屎尿！”等。这“八项注意”使用的都是简单口语，要注意的内容跟生活紧密相关，很容易被战士记住，自然容易取得好的效果。

Strengthening discipline education is a foundational and routine task in comprehensively strengthening the Party’s discipline-building. Although the Red Army was often in urgent military situations during its campaigns, the more critical the moment, the stricter military discipline had to be. The Party and the Red Army, starting from issuing clear written requirements, using newspapers to conduct popular education, and using simple slogans for daily education, built a multi-dimensional educational system, fully playing the foundational role of discipline education.

加强纪律教育是全面加强党的纪律建设的一项基础性、经常性工作。虽然红军转战期间经常军情急迫，但越是紧要时刻，越是要军纪严明。党和红军从发布书面明确要求、利用报纸开展普及教育、通过简单口号开展日常教育等方式入手，构筑起一套立体的教育体系，充分发挥了纪律教育的基础性作用。

Insist on grasping work style and discipline together, fully carry forward the glorious tradition of mass work

坚持作风纪律一起抓，充分发扬群众工作的光荣传统

The mass line is the Party’s fundamental working line. Since the Jinggangshan period, when Comrade Mao Zedong proposed that the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army should not only fight but also do mass work, the work style and discipline of the Party and the Red Army’s mass work have been emphasized together. The “Three Main Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention” were both discipline and a reflection of work style. This fine tradition played an important role during the Red Army’s campaigns, especially when passing through ethnic minority areas.

群众路线是党的根本工作路线。自井冈山时期毛泽东同志提出工农红军不仅要打仗，而且要做群众工作后，党和红军群众工作的作风和纪律就是一起强调一起抓。“三大纪律、八项注意”既是纪律，又体现作风。这一优良传统在红军转战途中，尤其是穿越民族地区时发挥了重要作用。

Publicly proclaiming the Party’s ethnic policies and disciplinary work style was in fact a way of inviting the masses to supervise and judge. In July 1945, when the democratic personage Huang Yanpei asked Mao Zedong in a Yan’an cave dwelling how to break out of the historical cycle of dynastic rise and fall — the “cave-dwelling question” — Mao gave the answer: “Let the people supervise the government.” In fact, the Chinese Communist Party had been doing this since the Soviet Areas period, and it was also implemented during the Long March. In May 1935, the Central Red Army reached the Daliangshan Yi ethnic area. Due to historical reasons, the Yi people at that time lived in extreme poverty and generally distrusted Han people. To pass smoothly through the Yi-inhabited region, the Party Central Committee and the Central Revolutionary Military Commission posted a notice in the name of Red Army Commander-in-Chief Zhu De: “The Red Army’s ten-thousand-li Long March is irresistible wherever it goes; now it has arrived in western Sichuan, respecting Yi customs. Military discipline is extremely strict, not moving a single thread or grain; grain is bought at fair prices, and payment is made in full.” In August 1935, the 25th Red Army reached Xinglong Town in the Ningxia Hui region, where Hui people lived in concentrated communities. Due to blocked information and reactionary propaganda by the Kuomintang, the Hui masses here were full of fear and suspicion of the Red Army; many had fled into the deep mountains before the Red Army arrived. Before entering Xinglong Town, the 25th Red Army issued a notice of “Three Prohibitions and Four Points for Attention”: “Prohibition against stationing in mosques, prohibition against attacking Hui landlords, prohibition against eating meat with lard in Hui homes; pay attention to respecting Hui customs and habits, pay attention to using Hui water buckets when drawing water from wells, pay attention to avoiding young women, pay attention to practicing fair buying and selling.” Every time the Party and the Red Army arrived at a new place, they first made public their mass policies. This in fact gave the masses a concrete standard for supervision. It demonstrated both the Party’s and the Red Army’s confidence in military discipline and was a form of self-imposed pressure, thereby winning the trust of the masses.

将党的民族政策和纪律作风公告宣示，实际上是请人民群众来监督评判。1945年7月，毛泽东同志在延安窑洞回答民主人士黄炎培提出的如何跳出历史周期率的“窑洞之问”时，给出了“让人民来监督政府”的答案。实际上，中国共产党在苏区时期就一直这样做，在长征期间也是这样执行的。1935年5月，中央红军到达大凉山彝族地区。由于历史原因，当时彝族人民生活极其贫困，对汉族普遍不信任。为顺利通过彝族聚居区域，党中央、中革军委以红军总司令朱德名义贴出布告：“红军万里长征，所向势如破竹；今已来到川西，尊重彝人风俗。军纪十分严明，不动一丝一粟；粮食公平购买，价钱交付十足。”1935年8月，红二十五军到达回民聚居的静宁县兴隆镇。由于消息闭塞和国民党的反动宣传，这里的回族群众对红军充满疑惧，很多人在红军到来前都逃进了深山。在进驻兴隆镇前，红二十五军发布“三大禁令、四项注意”公告：“禁止驻扎清真寺，禁止打回族的土豪，禁止在回民家中吃大荤；注意尊重回族人民的风俗习惯，注意用回民水桶在井里打水，注意回避青年妇女，注意实行公买公卖。”党和红军每到一地先公开群众政策，实际上是让人民群众有了一个监督的具体标准，这既体现了党和红军对军纪的自信，又是一种自我加压，从而赢得了群众信任。

By earnestly implementing ethnic policies and displaying disciplined conduct, the Red Army won the people's trust through concrete actions. Before passing through the Greater Liangshan Yi region, the Party Central Committee instructed all Red Army units to study the Party's ethnic policies and military discipline in depth, strictly requiring commanders and fighters to respect Yi customs and commit no trespass whatsoever. Because the policy and discipline education was thorough, the soldiers put into practice the public pledges they had previously posted, enabling the Red Army not only to pass through the Yi region smoothly but also to expand the Party's political influence through exemplary conduct, with many Yi youths enthusiastically joining the Red Army.

认真落实民族政策、展现纪律作风，以实际行动取信于民。在通过大凉山彝族地区前，党中央部署红军各部队深入学习党的民族政策和军队纪律，严格要求指战员尊重彝族风俗，做到秋毫无犯。由于政策纪律教育到位，战士们以实际行动践行之前贴出的公开承诺，使红军不但顺利通过彝族地区，还以模范行动扩大了党的政治影响，许多彝族青年踊跃参加红军。

In Xinglong Town, Red Army soldiers likewise carried out mass work while strictly observing discipline. What they saw and heard with their own eyes dispelled the Hui masses' doubts about and fear of the Party and the Red Army. One elderly Hui man in the area said: "I have lived to such an old age, but this is the first time I have seen such a righteous and benevolent army!" When the Red Army left Xinglong Town, the entire town, men and women, old and young, gathered along the main road to see them off, and several dozen Hui youths joined the Red Army, responsible for liaison and propaganda work along the route.

在兴隆镇，红军战士同样在严守纪律的前提下开展群众工作。亲见亲闻打破了回族群众对党和红军的怀疑和恐惧。当地一个回族老人说：“我活了这么大年纪，还是头一回见到这样的仁义之师！”红军离开兴隆镇时，全镇男女老少齐聚大道旁欢送，几十名回族青年参加红军，负责沿途联络宣传工作。

Comrade Mao Zedong vividly pointed out: "The Long March is a declaration, the Long March is a propaganda team, the Long March is a seeding machine." The Red Army's exemplary conduct won the broad masses' genuine support and enthusiastic backing for the Party and the Red Army, and strict military discipline and fine conduct provided the basic guarantee for this. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: "Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline form an organic whole; Party spirit is the foundation, Party conduct is the manifestation, and Party discipline is the guarantee." During the Long March, many Red Army soldiers were not yet Party members and had not yet met the requirements of Party spirit, but the successful practice of simultaneously enforcing conduct and discipline had already been established. History proves that strong Party spirit, fine Party conduct, and strict Party discipline are the secret to our Party's ability to endure countless hardships and remain ever-renewing, to be tested time and again and emerge tempered into steel.

毛泽东同志形象地指出：“长征是宣言书，长征是宣传队，长征是播种机。”红军的模范行动赢得了广大人民群众对党和红军的真心拥护和大力支持，而严明的军纪、优良的作风为此提供了基本保障。习近平总书记指出：“党性、党风、党纪是有机整体，党性是根本，党风是表现，党纪是保障。”长征期间，很多红军战士还不是党员，还没有提出党性的要求，但作风纪律一起抓的成功做法已经建立起来。历史证明，坚强的党性、优良的党风、严明的党纪，是我们党饱经磨难而生生不息、久经考验而百炼成钢的奥秘所在。

Strengthen supervision and enforcement of discipline, using iron discipline to guarantee the Red Army's accomplishment of its main tasks

强化监督执纪，以铁的纪律保障红军主要任务的达成

Strict supervision and enforcement of discipline is a fundamental requirement for a Marxist political party to maintain its advanced nature and purity, and it is also a precious historical experience accumulated over the Party's more than one hundred years of struggle. In July 1921, the First Party Congress's "First Program of the Communist Party of China" [n] clearly stipulated that Party members sent from one locality to work in another "must be subject to strict supervision by the local executive committee." At the same time, "the finances, activities, and policies of local committees shall be subject to supervision by the Central Executive Committee." During the Central Soviet Area period, the Party and the Red Army established discipline inspection and supervision organs, formulated relevant laws and regulations, punished a number of violators of laws and discipline, and accumulated experience in discipline building. This experience continued to be implemented during the Long March.

从严监督执纪是马克思主义政党保持党的先进性和纯洁性的根本要求，也是党在百余年奋斗中积淀的宝贵历史经验。1921年7月，党的一大通过的《中国共产党第一个纲领》就明确规定，由一地派去其他地区工作的党员，“一定要受地方执行委员会的严格监督”。同时，“地方委员会的财务、活动和政策，应受中央执行委员会的监督”。在中央苏区时期，党和红军建立了纪检监察机构，制定了相关法律法规，惩处了一批违法违纪人员，积累了纪律建设的经验。这些经验在长征途中继续得到贯彻执行。

Establishment of specialized supervisory organs. The vitality of discipline lies in its enforcement. To guarantee the smooth progress of the strategic shift and the effective implementation of Red Army discipline, from the start of the Long March the Party and the Red Army established supervisory organs at various levels to maintain military discipline, adapting to different situations. When the Red Army was preparing to set out, the General Political Department instructed that the work of collection teams and blocking teams be strengthened, "to eliminate straggling and desertion to the enemy during the march." Along the Long March, at the army corps, division, and regiment levels, specialized discipline inspection teams were organized. Before the troops set out each day, they inspected whether borrowed civilian housing was tidy and whether there had been any violations of mass discipline. After entering ethnic minority areas, political and military organs frequently sent people to inspect the implementation of discipline, and companies specially appointed inspectors to guarantee the enforcement of discipline. When harvesting wheat and gathering grain in ethnic minority areas, the General Political Department required all political organs and political instructors not only to explain in detail the "Circular on Harvesting the Wheat of the Fan People" [n] but also to send people daily to inspect, and those who seriously violated the Circular were to be sent to the tribunal for judgment. From the above examples, it can be seen that the Red Army strictly enforced military discipline, establishing specialized or temporary inspection organs for various possible disciplinary violations during the march, ensuring that all discipline was strictly observed.

设置专门监督机构。纪律的生命力在于执行。为保障战略转移的顺利进行和红军纪律的有效实施，自长征开始，党和红军就针对不同情况，成立各级监督机构，负责维护军纪。红军准备出发时，总政治部就指示加强收容队、拦阻队的工作，“消灭行军中的落伍与逃跑投敌现象”。长征途中，在军团、师、团都组织专门的纪律检查队，在部队每天出发前，检查借住民居是否整洁、有没有违反群众纪律等情况。进入民族地区后，政治军事机关还经常派人检查纪律执行情况，连队专门设立检查员负责保障纪律的执行。在民族地区割麦筹粮时，总政治部要求各政治机关和指导员不仅要详细传达解释《关于收割番人麦子问题的通令》，而且要每日派人去检查，对于严重违反《通令》的人，送裁判所裁决。通过以上例子可见，红军对军纪抓得很紧，针对行军可能出现的各种违纪情况，都设立了专门或临时的检查机构，确保各项纪律得到严格遵守。

Severe punishment for those who violated discipline. The Long March was conducted under harsh conditions where the test of life and death was ever-present. Without iron military discipline, and without strict enforcement of that discipline, completing the 25,000-li [n] march and the battles along the way would have been unimaginable. During the Long March, Tan Yonghua, a scout for the Central Military Commission Column, was tried by public court and executed for repeatedly extorting the masses, embezzling public funds, and brutally mistreating guides, causing most guides to flee. Li Yuanming, a political instructor of a telephone company, was also tried by public court and executed for dereliction of duty that caused the company to lose 48 men, as well as for embezzling public funds and arbitrarily seizing the people's property, creating a bad influence. These acts damaged the image of the Party and the Red Army, and thereby could affect the survival and development of the Chinese revolution; such severe punishment served as a powerful warning to all Red Army soldiers.

对违反纪律的人从严处置。长征是在随时面临生死考验的严酷环境下进行的，没有铁一般的军纪，不严格执行军纪，完成二万五千里的转战是不可想象的。长征途中，军委纵队侦察员谭永华，因多次勒索群众、贪污公款、粗暴对待向导，导致多数向导逃跑，被公审枪决。电话队指导员李元明因玩忽职守致使该队减员48人，他还贪污公款、乱拿群众财物，造成恶劣影响，同样被公审枪决。这些行为损害了党和红军的形象，进而会影响中国革命的生存发展，这样严厉的惩治对所有红军战士会起到强烈的警示作用。

Every generation has its own Long March. On the Long March of the New Era, we must persistently advance the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, continuously sharpen Party discipline, and strengthen Party discipline building. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: "Strict supervision and enforcement of discipline is a sharp tool for the Party's self-revolution; violations of discipline and law must be resolutely dealt with." We must carry forward and develop the precious experience of the Party and the Red Army in strict supervision and enforcement of discipline, always remembering that the anti-corruption struggle must first be viewed from a political perspective: if we do not offend hundreds or thousands of corrupt elements, we will offend the more than 1.4 billion people. We must calculate the political account and the account of where the people's hearts lie, neither wronging the innocent nor letting the guilty off, catching problems early and nipping them in the bud, so that Party members and cadres can carry out reform and innovation and start new undertakings while abiding by rules and discipline.

每一代人有每一代人的长征路。在新时代的长征路上，我们要持之以恒推进全面从严治党，不断严明党的纪律、加强党的纪律建设。习近平总书记指出：“从严监督执纪是党的自我革命的利器，对违纪违法问题必须坚决处理。”我们要继承发扬党和红军从严监督执纪的宝贵经验，牢记反腐败斗争首先要从政治上看，不得罪成百上千的腐败分子，就要得罪14亿多人民，算明白政治账、人心向背账，毋枉毋纵，抓早抓小、防微杜渐，让党员干部在遵规守纪中改革创新、干事创业。