Mao Zedong and Seeking Truth from Facts

Seeking truth from facts is one of the three basic aspects of the living soul of Mao Zedong Thought, and it is the starting point and fundamental point of Mao Zedong Thought. In long-term practice, Mao Zedong insisted on integrating the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism with China’s actual conditions, focusing on solving the practical problems of China’s revolution and construction, providing correct answers that conformed to China’s actual conditions, arriving at correct understandings that conformed to objective laws, and founding Mao Zedong Thought, which provided an ideological weapon and laid an ideological foundation for China’s revolution, construction, and reform.

实事求是是毛泽东思想活的灵魂的三个基本方面之一，是毛泽东思想的出发点和根本点。在长期实践中，毛泽东坚持把马克思列宁主义的基本原理同中国实际相结合，着眼解决中国革命和建设的实际问题，作出符合中国实际的正确回答，得出符合客观规律的正确认识，创立了毛泽东思想，为中国革命、建设、改革提供了思想武器，奠定了思想基础。

“Make Marxism Concrete in China”

“使马克思主义在中国具体化”

Mao Zedong was the great pioneer of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. He creatively resolved a series of major issues concerning the integration of the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism with China’s specific realities, led the Party and the people to victory in the New Democratic Revolution, established the basic system of socialism, achieved foundational successes in socialist construction, and rendered immortal contributions to the development of the Party and the people’s cause.

毛泽东是马克思主义中国化的伟大开拓者，创造性地解决了马克思列宁主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合的一系列重大问题，领导党和人民取得新民主主义革命的胜利，确立社会主义基本制度，取得社会主义建设的基础性成就，为党和人民事业发展创立了不朽功勋。

In his youth, Mao Zedong was influenced by the tradition of practical application of knowledge in Huxiang culture. [1]1 This quote is from Deng Xiaoping’s speech “The Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party” (1981), reflecting the post-Mao assessment of Mao’s legacy. The large plaque inscribed with “seeking truth from facts” at the Yuelu Academy in Changsha, Hunan, left a deep impression on him. During his studies at the Hunan First Normal School, he emphasized social investigation, advocating not only reading “books with words” but also “books without words.” Together with Xiao Zisheng, Cai Hesen, and others, he went on “study tours” to conduct social research and understand social conditions. [2]2 The Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee (1938) was a key Party meeting during the War of Resistance Against Japan, where Mao’s leadership was consolidated and the policy of “adapting Marxism to the Chinese context” was formally advanced. During the summer of 1917, Mao Zedong and Xiao Zisheng, without carrying a single coin, spent over a month traveling more than 900 li, roaming through five counties including Changsha and Ningxiang, extensively contacting people from all walks of life in urban and rural areas, learning much about local customs and conditions, and writing many notes. After reading Mao Zedong’s study-tour notes, his classmates praised him, saying, “Though penniless, his heart is concerned with the world.”

毛泽东在青年时期，受到湖湘文化经世致用传统的影响，湖南长沙岳麓书院“实事求是”的硕大匾额给他留下了深刻印象。在湖南第一师范求学期间，他注重社会调查，倡导不仅要读“有字之书”，还要读“无字之书”，曾同萧子升、蔡和森等“游学”，进行社会调研，了解社会状况。1917年暑期期间，毛泽东、萧子升两人不带一文钱，历时一个多月，走了900多里路，漫游长沙、宁乡等五县，广泛接触城乡各阶层的人，了解了不少风土民情，写下许多笔记。同学们读过毛泽东的游学笔记后，称赞他“身无分文，心忧天下”。

The October Revolution sent Marxism-Leninism to China through the roar of cannon. [3]3 The October Revolution refers to the 1917 Bolshevik-led uprising in Russia that established the world’s first socialist state. Advanced elements such as Li Dazhao, Chen Duxiu, and Mao Zedong, who were painstakingly seeking to “transform China and the world,” saw the way out for China’s problems in the truth of Marxism-Leninism. After Mao Zedong accepted that Marxism was a correct interpretation of history, his faith in Marxism never wavered, and his steps in pursuing truth never ceased. During the Great Revolution, he conducted a 32-day investigation of the peasant movement in rural Hunan and wrote the “Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan.” Based on the actual conditions he learned through field investigation, he proposed that revolutionaries must attach extreme importance to the peasant struggle and support the peasant revolutionary movement, refuting various fallacies inside and outside the Party that denounced the peasant movement. This was also Mao Zedong’s first article to be introduced abroad, offering many insights for solving the peasant problem in China and even in the international communist movement.

十月革命一声炮响，给中国送来了马克思列宁主义。苦苦探寻“改造中国与世界”的李大钊、陈独秀、毛泽东等先进分子，从马列主义的真理中看到了解决中国问题的出路。毛泽东在接受了马克思主义是对历史的正确解释后，对马克思主义的信仰就再也没有动摇，追求真理的脚步也从未停顿。大革命时期，他在湖南农村进行32天的农民考察工作，写出了《湖南农民运动考察报告》，根据实地调查了解到的情况，提出革命党人要极端重视农民斗争，支持农民的革命运动，批驳党内外责难农民运动的各种谬论。这也是毛泽东第一篇被介绍到国外的文章，对于解决中国乃至国际共产主义运动中的农民问题都有很多启示。

After the failure of the Great Revolution, proceeding from China’s national conditions, Mao Zedong led the military and civilians to establish the first rural revolutionary base area in the Jinggang Mountains, opening up the correct revolutionary path of encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing state power by armed force—a path different from the October Revolution’s urban armed uprising to seize power. In the practice of revolutionary struggle, he concluded: “The victory of the Chinese revolution requires Chinese comrades to understand China’s conditions.” Based on the characteristics of Chinese society and the Chinese revolution, he systematically elaborated the idea of encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing state power by armed force, developing the Marxist-Leninist doctrine on seizing state power by armed force. In the Central Soviet Area, he conducted a series of social investigations, writing investigative reports such as “Xunwu Investigation,” “Changgang Township Investigation,” and “Caixi Township Investigation,” using the Marxist standpoint, viewpoint, and method to analyze and solve practical problems in China’s countryside, sparking a wave of investigation and research in the Central Soviet Area and creating the scene of Soviet Area cadres “walking mountain paths at night to visit poor peasants.”

大革命失败后，毛泽东从中国的国情出发，领导军民在井冈山建立第一个农村革命根据地，开辟了农村包围城市、武装夺取政权的正确革命道路，这是一条不同于俄国十月革命城市武装起义夺取政权的道路。在革命斗争的实践中，他得出结论：“中国革命斗争的胜利要靠中国同志了解中国情况。”根据中国社会和中国革命的特点，他较为系统地阐述关于农村包围城市、武装夺取政权的思想，发展了马克思列宁主义关于武装夺取政权的学说。他在中央苏区进行一系列社会调查，写下《寻乌调查》《长冈乡调查》《才溪乡调查》等调研报告，运用马克思主义的立场观点方法，分析和解决中国农村的实际问题，在中央苏区兴起调查研究的热潮，形成苏区干部“夜走山路访贫农”的景象。

The path of the Chinese revolution was not smooth sailing; it was full of thorns and hardships. In particular, the erroneous leadership of Wang Ming’s “Left” dogmatism within the Party caused enormous losses to the Chinese revolution. [4]4 Wang Ming was a leader of the “Left” dogmatist line within the CPC in the early 1930s, whose policies contributed to severe setbacks for the revolution. After the Central Red Army arrived in northern Shaanxi, Mao Zedong reviewed the history of the Agrarian Revolutionary War period, summed up the Party’s experience and lessons from the height of the ideological line, and wrote important works such as “On Practice” and “On Contradiction,” “consciously and systematically creating the Party’s ideological tradition.” He demonstrated the importance of integrating the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution in the unity of theory and practice, laying the theoretical foundation for systematically putting forward the ideological line of seeking truth from facts.

中国革命的道路并不是一帆风顺的，而是荆棘丛生、充满坎坷，特别是王明“左”倾教条主义在党内的错误领导给中国革命造成极大损失。中央红军到达陕北后，毛泽东回顾土地革命战争时期的历史，从思想路线的高度总结党的经验教训，写下《实践论》《矛盾论》等重要著作，“自觉地有系统地开创了党的思想传统”，在理论和实践的统一上论证马克思列宁主义普遍真理与中国革命具体实践相结合的重要性，为系统提出实事求是的思想路线奠定了理论基础。

In 1938, at the Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Party, Mao Zedong formally put forward the major proposition of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, emphasizing: “To make Marxism concrete in China, so that in every manifestation it carries the necessary Chinese characteristics, that is, to apply it according to China’s characteristics, has become a problem that the entire Party urgently needs to understand and solve.” [5]5 The Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee was a key CPC meeting in 1938 that affirmed Mao’s leadership and the policy of united front resistance against Japan. The major proposition of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context in fact resolved the major theoretical and practical problem that the Party had faced since its founding: how to integrate the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with China’s specific realities, thereby leading the Chinese revolution to ultimate victory.

1938年，毛泽东在党的扩大的六届六中全会上正式提出马克思主义中国化的重大命题，强调：“使马克思主义在中国具体化，使之在其每一表现中带着必须有的中国的特性，即是说，按照中国的特点去应用它，成为全党亟待了解并亟须解决的问题。”马克思主义中国化的重大命题，事实上解决了党从成立后一直面临的重大理论和实践问题，即如何将马克思列宁主义的普遍真理与中国的具体实际相结合，从而引领中国革命取得最终胜利。

After the Southern Anhui Incident, Mao Zedong painfully pointed out that the root cause of the incident was that “some comrades did not link the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete reality of the Chinese revolution” and “did not understand the reality of the Chinese revolution, nor did they understand Chiang Kai-shek, who had been anti-communist for ten years.” [6]6 The Southern Anhui Incident (1941) was a military clash in which Nationalist forces attacked the Communist New Fourth Army, severely damaging it. Starting in 1942, Mao Zedong led the entire Party in the Rectification Movement, proposing to combat subjectivism to rectify the style of study, combat sectarianism to rectify the style of Party relations, and combat Party stereotypes to rectify the style of writing, giving the entire Party a profound Marxist ideological education. This had positive significance for breaking the erroneous tendency within the Party to dogmatize Marxism, sanctify the resolutions of the Communist International, and sanctify the experience of the Soviet Union. He excavated the contemporary value of fine traditional Chinese culture, endowed classical idioms such as “seeking truth from facts” with new meanings, and profoundly revealed the scientific connotation and basic requirements of seeking truth from facts: “‘Facts’ are all things that exist objectively, ‘truth’ is the internal connection of objective things, that is, the law, and ‘seeking’ means we study.” He pointed out that one must proceed from actual conditions to derive the inherent rather than fabricated laws, that is, to find the internal connections of surrounding events as a guide for action, emphasizing that “this attitude is one of seeking truth from facts, without any intention of currying favor or showing off. This attitude is a manifestation of Party spirit, and it is the Marxist-Leninist style of unifying theory and practice.” When Mao Zedong concurrently served as president of the Central Party School, he formulated the school motto “Seek truth from facts, do not indulge in empty talk” and personally inscribed the school motto “Seek truth from facts,” which was embedded at the gate of the Central Party School. From Yan’an to Beijing, the Central Party School has inherited this, making it the most eye-catching symbol.

皖南事变后，毛泽东曾痛心地指出：事件发生的根本原因是，“有同志没有把普遍真理的马列主义与中国革命的具体实际联系起来”，“没有了解中国革命的实际，没有了解经过十年反共的蒋介石”。从1942年开始，毛泽东领导全党进行整风，提出反对主观主义以整顿学风、反对宗派主义以整顿党风、反对党八股以整顿文风，使全党受到深刻的马克思主义的思想教育，对于破除党内把马克思主义教条化、把共产国际决议和苏联经验神圣化的错误倾向具有积极意义。他挖掘中华优秀传统文化的时代价值，赋予实事求是等古典成语新的涵义，深刻揭示实事求是的科学内涵和基本要求，“‘实事’就是客观存在着的一切事物，‘是’就是客观事物的内部联系，即规律性，‘求’就是我们去研究”。他指出，要从实际情况出发，引出其固有的而不是臆造的规律性，即找出周围事变的内部联系，作为行动的向导，强调“这种态度，有实事求是之意，无哗众取宠之心。这种态度，就是党性的表现，就是理论和实际统一的马克思列宁主义的作风”。毛泽东兼任中央党校校长时，制定了“实事求是、不尚空谈”的校训，并亲自题写“实事求是”的校训，嵌在中央党校大门口。从延安到北京，中央党校将此继承下来，成为最引人注目的标识。

After the founding of New China, Mao Zedong led the Party and the people in the socialist revolution, established the basic system of socialism, and explored the path of socialist construction suited to China’s conditions. Based on China’s historical and actual conditions, the Party determined a policy of peaceful redemption for capitalists, relatively smoothly advancing the transformation of capitalist industry and commerce, realizing the peaceful redemption of the bourgeoisie that Marxist classical writers had once envisioned, and enriching the Marxist-Leninist theory of scientific socialism. Facing the new problem of exploring China’s own path of socialist construction, Mao Zedong proposed taking the experience and lessons of the Soviet Union as a mirror and following a path suited to oneself according to one’s own national conditions, emphasizing: “What we need to learn are things that belong to universal truth, and learning must always be integrated with China’s actual conditions.” He delivered speeches such as “On the Ten Major Relationships” and “On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People,” proposing the correct handling of the ten major relationships in China’s socialist construction, strictly distinguishing and correctly handling contradictions between ourselves and the enemy and contradictions among the people, and so on. He analyzed the causes of losses caused by the Great Leap Forward and other movements, called on the entire Party to vigorously promote the practice of investigation and research, proceed from reality in everything, and demanded that 1961 become a year of seeking truth from facts and a year of investigation and research. [7]7 The Great Leap Forward (1958–1962) was a campaign for rapid industrialization and collectivization that led to economic difficulties and famine.

新中国成立后，毛泽东领导党和人民进行社会主义革命，确立社会主义基本制度，探索适合中国国情的社会主义建设道路。党根据我国的历史和现实条件，确定对资本家实行和平赎买的政策，比较顺利地推进了资本主义工商业改造，实现了马克思主义经典作家曾经设想的对资产阶级的和平赎买，丰富了马克思列宁主义的科学社会主义理论。面对探索中国自己建设社会主义道路的新问题，毛泽东提出要以苏联的经验教训为鉴戒，根据本国国情走适合自己的道路，强调：“我们要学的是属于普遍真理的东西，并且学习一定要与中国实际相结合。”他发表《论十大关系》《关于正确处理人民内部矛盾的问题》等讲话，提出正确处理我国社会主义建设的十大关系，严格区分和正确处理敌我矛盾和人民内部矛盾，等等。他分析“大跃进”运动等造成损失的原因，号召全党大兴调查研究之风，一切从实际出发，要求1961年成为实事求是年、调查研究年。

After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Party, the Party studied and applied Mao Zedong Thought in a complete and accurate manner, restored the fine tradition of seeking truth from facts that Mao Zedong had advocated, made the historic decision to shift the focus of the work of the Party and the state to economic construction and to carry out reform and opening up, and propelled the Party and the state to achieve great accomplishments that have attracted worldwide attention. As Deng Xiaoping said: “In many respects, we are now doing what Comrade Mao Zedong once proposed but did not do, correcting what he opposed wrongly, and doing well what he did not do well. For a considerable period to come, we will still be doing this.” [1]1 This quote is from Deng Xiaoping’s speech “The Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party” (1981), reflecting the post-Mao assessment of Mao’s legacy.

党的十一届三中全会后，党完整准确地学习和运用毛泽东思想，恢复毛泽东倡导的实事求是的优良传统，作出把党和国家工作中心转移到经济建设上来、实行改革开放的历史性决策，推动党和国家取得举世瞩目的伟大成就。正如邓小平所说：“从许多方面来说，现在我们还是把毛泽东同志已经提出、但是没有做的事情做起来，把他反对错了的改正过来，把他没有做好的事情做好。今后相当长的时期，还是做这件事。”

“Creating new theories, writing new works”

“创造新的理论，写出新的著作”

The classical Marxist writers did not directly use the term “seeking truth from facts,” but the scientific theory they founded emphatically stresses precisely seeking truth from facts. In the long-term practice of the Chinese revolution and construction, Mao Zedong put forward a series of original and important ideas on seeking truth from facts, which run through both his scientific writings and his correct practice in guiding the Chinese revolution and construction. With standpoints, viewpoints, and methods characterized by the distinctive features of Chinese Communists, he enriched and developed Marxism, giving it a Chinese style and Chinese manner.

马克思主义经典作家没有直接用过“实事求是”这个词汇，但他们创立的科学理论突出强调的就是实事求是。在中国革命和建设的长期实践中，毛泽东提出一系列关于实事求是的原创性重要思想，既贯穿他的科学著作中，也贯穿他指导中国革命和建设的正确实践中，以具有中国共产党人特色的立场观点方法，丰富和发展了马克思主义，使马克思主义有了中国风格、中国气派。

Adhere to integrating theory with practice, and study and solve problems starting from reality. On the eve of the founding of New China in 1949, in order to refute the White Paper *United States Relations with China* published by the U.S. State Department, Mao Zedong wrote five commentaries, including “Cast Away Illusions, Prepare for Struggle” and “The Bankruptcy of the Idealist Conception of History,” providing a theoretical explanation of the causes and victory of the Chinese revolution. He concluded: “The reason why Marxism-Leninism has produced such a great effect when it came to China is that China’s social conditions had such a need, that it became connected with the practice of the Chinese people’s revolution, and that it was grasped by the Chinese people.” He attached importance to the guiding role of scientific theory in practice, pointing out: “For a political party guiding a great revolutionary movement, it is impossible to achieve victory without revolutionary theory, without historical knowledge, and without a profound understanding of the actual movement.” He demanded that the study of scientific theory adhere to the scientific attitude of seeking truth from facts, that Marxist-Leninist theory must be adapted to China’s actual conditions, and pointed out: “Marxist ‘textbooks’ must be studied, but they must be integrated with China’s actual conditions. We need ‘textbooks,’ but we must correct the textbookism that divorces itself from actual conditions.” He emphasized that theory must arise from practice and must be proven in practice, pointing out: “There is only one kind of true theory in the world, and that is theory drawn from objective reality and proven in objective reality; nothing else can be called the theory we speak of.” He humorously said that for those who like to talk about empty theory, “one should stretch out a finger to scrape their face,” and for those whose theory is divorced from reality, he proposed revoking their qualification as “theorists.”

坚持理论联系实际，一切从实际出发来研究和解决问题。1949年新中国成立前夕，为批驳美国国务院发表的《美国与中国的关系》白皮书，毛泽东撰写了《丢掉幻想，准备战斗》《唯心历史观的破产》等5篇评论，对中国革命的发生和胜利的原因作了理论上的说明，他总结道：“马克思列宁主义来到中国之所以发生这样大的作用，是因为中国的社会条件有了这种需要，是因为同中国人民革命的实践发生了联系，是因为被中国人民所掌握了。”他重视科学理论对实践的指导作用，指出：“指导一个伟大的革命运动的政党，如果没有革命理论，没有历史知识，没有对于实际运动的深刻的了解，要取得胜利是不可能的。”要求学习科学理论坚持实事求是的科学态度，马克思列宁主义理论要与中国的实际相适应，指出：“马克思主义的‘本本’是要学习的，但是必须同我国的实际情况相结合。我们需要‘本本’，但是一定要纠正脱离实际情况的本本主义。”强调理论必须从实践中产生，又需要在实践中证明，指出：“真正的理论在世界上只有一种，就是从客观实际抽出来又在客观实际中得到了证明的理论，没有任何别的东西可以称得起我们所讲的理论。”他风趣地说，对于好谈空洞理论的人，“应该伸出一个指头向他刮脸皮”，对于理论脱离实际的人，就提议取消他的“理论家”的资格。

Marxist-Leninist theory is a guide to action, not a dogma; it is necessary to “make Marxism concrete in China.” As early as 1920, Mao Zedong pointed out: “An doctrine is like a flag; once the flag is raised, people have something to look to and know where to go.” In its early period, due to insufficient theoretical preparation, the Party made mistakes and took detours, causing major losses to the cause of the Party and the people. In the long-term practice of the Chinese revolution and construction, Mao Zedong recognized that Marxism is the most correct, most scientific, and most revolutionary truth, arising from objective reality and proven in objective reality, and is the compass guiding the Chinese revolution to victory. However, scientific theory must be integrated with concrete reality to truly play its role; theory must never be treated as dogma but should be regarded as a guide to action. Mao Zedong emphasized: “The books of these old ancestors of Marx must be read, and their basic principles must be observed; this is the first point. But any Communist Party in any country, any intellectual circle in any country, must create new theories, write new works, and produce its own theorists to serve the current politics; relying solely on the old ancestors will not do.” He put forward the major task of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, emphasizing that Marxist theory must be innovated and developed according to new practice: “Marxism must certainly move forward; it must develop with the development of practice and cannot stagnate. If it stops, always sticking to the same set, it will have no life.”

马克思列宁主义理论是行动的指南，而不是教条，要“使马克思主义在中国具体化”。早在1920年，毛泽东就指出：“主义譬如一面旗子，旗子立起了，大家才有所指望，才知所趋赴。”党在早期由于理论准备不足不够，曾犯过错误、走过弯路，给党和人民的事业造成重大损失。在中国革命和建设的长期实践中，毛泽东认识到马克思主义是从客观实际中产生，又在客观实际中获得了证明的最正确最科学最革命的真理，是引导中国革命走向胜利的指南针。但是，科学理论必须与具体实际相结合才能真正发挥作用，决不能把理论当作教条，而应该作为行动指南。毛泽东强调：“马克思这些老祖宗的书，必须读，他们的基本原理必须遵守，这是第一。但是，任何国家的共产党，任何国家的思想界，都要创造新的理论，写出新的著作，产生自己的理论家，来为当前的政治服务，单靠老祖宗是不行的。”他提出马克思主义中国化的重大任务，强调要根据新的实践，创新和发展马克思主义理论，“马克思主义一定要向前发展，要随着实践的发展而发展，不能停滞不前。停止了，老是那么一套，它就没有生命了”。

Adhere to the scientific attitude of seeking truth from facts, and oppose erroneous tendencies such as subjectivism and dogmatism. Mao Zedong once inscribed for the *Commemorative Album of the Seventh National Congress*: “Seek truth from facts, and refrain from empty talk.” Facing China’s special national conditions and the missions and tasks undertaken by the Party, Mao Zedong emphasized that “only a scientific attitude and a responsible spirit can lead our nation to the road of liberation,” and this serious scientific attitude is “seeking truth from facts.” He stressed that seeking truth from facts and the close connection between theory and practice are the minimum attitude for a Party member’s strong Party spirit, demanding that Communist Party members be honest people, speak honest words, do honest deeds, maintain a scientific and revolutionary practical spirit, and steadily advance to achieve final victory. Summarizing the Party’s experiences and lessons, he criticized the errors of subjectivism, dogmatism, and empiricism, emphasized the need to adhere to the attitude of seeking truth from facts and advancing with the times, and pointed out: “Deciding work policies according to actual conditions is the most basic working method that all Communist Party members must firmly remember.” He said: “In our history, there have been many kinds of Marxism: fragrant Marxism, stinking Marxism, living Marxism, dead Marxism. If you pile all these Marxisms together, there are many. What we want is fragrant Marxism, not stinking Marxism; living Marxism, not dead Marxism.”

坚持实事求是的科学态度，反对主观主义、教条主义等错误倾向。毛泽东曾为《七大纪念册》题词“实事求是，力戒空谈”。面对中国的特殊国情和党所承担的使命任务，毛泽东强调“惟有科学的态度和负责的精神，能够引导我们民族到解放之路”，这种严肃的科学的态度就是“实事求是”。他强调实事求是、理论与实际密切联系，是党员党性坚强的起码态度，要求共产党员当老实人，说老实话，做老实事，保持科学的、革命的实际精神，脚踏实地夺取最终胜利。他总结党的经验教训，批判主观主义、教条主义、经验主义的错误，强调要坚持实事求是、与时俱进的态度，强调：“按照实际情况决定工作方针，这是一切共产党员所必须牢牢记住的最基本的工作方法。”他说：“我们历史上的马克思主义有很多种，有香的马克思主义，有臭的马克思主义，有活的马克思主义，有死的马克思主义，把这些马克思主义堆在一起就多得很。我们所要的是香的马克思主义，不是臭的马克思主义；是活的马克思主义，不是死的马克思主义。”

No investigation, no right to speak; earnestly and persistently conduct practical investigation work. Mao Zedong regarded investigation and research as the primary task of leadership work and the basis for determining policy, pointing out: “The correct and unwavering struggle strategy of the Communist Party can never be produced by a few people sitting in a room; it can only be produced in the process of the masses’ struggle, that is, it can only be produced from practical experience. Therefore, we need to constantly understand social conditions and constantly conduct practical investigations.” He emphasized that without investigation, there is no right to speak, and without correct investigation, there is also no right to speak, vividly pointing out: “Investigation is like ‘ten months of pregnancy,’ and solving a problem is like ‘one day of childbirth.’ Investigation is solving the problem.” He proposed that one must be respectful and diligent, have the determination to look downward and the equal spirit of being willing to be a primary school student, maintain a thirst for knowledge, and patiently and persistently conduct practical investigation work over a long period. He put forward many methods for investigation and research, such as both “riding a horse to look at flowers” and, more importantly, “dismounting to look at flowers,” dissecting “sparrows,” inviting experienced people to hold investigation meetings, conducting individual oral inquiries, collecting county gazetteers, prefectural gazetteers, provincial gazetteers, and family genealogies for study, and conducting analysis and synthesis on the basis of detailed possession of investigation materials, and so on.

没有调查就没有发言权，要认真长期地做实际调查工作。毛泽东把调查研究作为领导工作的首要任务和决定政策的基础，指出：“共产党的正确而不动摇的斗争策略，决不是少数人坐在房子里能够产生的，它是要在群众的斗争过程中才能产生的，这就是说要在实际经验中才能产生。因此，我们需要时时了解社会情况，时时进行实际调查。”强调不做调查没有发言权，不做正确的调查同样没有发言权，形象地指出：“调查就像‘十月怀胎’，解决问题就像‘一朝分娩’。调查就是解决问题。”他提出必须恭谨勤劳，有眼睛向下的决心和甘当小学生的平等精神，保持求知的渴望，耐心地长期地做实际调查工作。提出不少关于调查研究的方法，比如既要“走马观花”，更要“下马看花”，解剖“麻雀”，邀集有经验的人开调查会，个别口头询问，收集县志、府志、省志、家谱加以研究，在详细占有调查材料的基础上进行分析和综合，等等。

“Communist Party members should be models of seeking truth from facts”

“共产党员应是实事求是的模范”

In October 1938, at the Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Party, Mao Zedong first proposed the concept of “seeking truth from facts,” emphasizing: “Communist Party members should be models of seeking truth from facts and models of far-sightedness. For only by seeking truth from facts can the determined tasks be accomplished; only with far-sightedness can the direction of advance not be lost.” [2]2 The Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee (1938) was a key Party meeting during the War of Resistance Against Japan, where Mao’s leadership was consolidated and the policy of “adapting Marxism to the Chinese context” was formally advanced. Whether in the past, present, or future, we must inherit and carry forward the fine tradition and style of seeking truth from facts advocated by Mao Zedong, adhere to proceeding from reality in everything, integrating theory with practice, seeking truth from facts, testing and developing truth in practice, and being models of seeking truth from facts.

1938年10月，毛泽东在党的扩大的六届六中全会上首次提出“实事求是”的概念，强调：“共产党员应是实事求是的模范，又是具有远见卓识的模范。因为只有实事求是，才能完成确定的任务；只有远见卓识，才能不失前进的方向。”无论过去、现在还是未来，必须传承和弘扬毛泽东提倡的实事求是的优良传统和作风，坚持一切从实际出发，理论联系实际，实事求是，在实践中检验真理和发展真理，做实事求是的模范。

Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology upon which our Party and our country are founded and thrive. After reading works such as *The Communist Manifesto*, Mao Zedong established a lifelong faith in Marxism, and *The Communist Manifesto* accompanied him throughout his life. Whenever he encountered a problem, he would consult *The Communist Manifesto*, sometimes reading a paragraph or two, sometimes the entire text. He not only studied the Chinese edition of *The Communist Manifesto* but also learned the English edition, making dense annotations. He said: “As long as I live one day, I must study one day, learning as much as possible; otherwise, what will I do when I meet Marx?” After Mao Zedong’s death, staff found six copies of *The Communist Manifesto* by his bedside—two published before the founding of New China, two large-print editions published after the founding of New China, and two English editions. Mao Zedong read Marxist-Leninist works with such devotion that he even forgot to eat and sleep. During the Long March, while ill and lying on a stretcher, he still read Marxist-Leninist books. “When he was reading, no one could disturb him. He did not speak, concentrated on reading, and kept marking lines in the books. Sometimes he read all night. When the Red Army reached Mao’ergai, there was nothing to eat and everyone was hungry, but he still read Marxist-Leninist books without interruption.”

马克思主义是我们立党立国、兴党兴国的根本指导思想。毛泽东在读了《共产党宣言》等著作后，确立起对马克思主义的终生信仰，《共产党宣言》也伴随了他的一生。每当遇到问题，他就翻阅《共产党宣言》，有时阅读一两段，有时全篇地读。他不仅研读中文版《共产党宣言》，还学习英文版《共产党宣言》，并作了密密麻麻的批注，他说：“我活一天就要学习一天，尽可能多学一点，不然，见马克思的时候怎么办？”毛泽东去世后，工作人员在他的床头发现了6本《共产党宣言》——新中国成立前出版的两本，新中国成立后的大字本两本、英文版两本。毛泽东阅读马列著作甚至到了废寝忘食的程度，长征途中，他患病躺在担架上仍然读马列主义的书，“看书的时候，别人不能打扰他，他不说话，专心阅读，还不停地在书上打杠杠。有时通宵地读。红军到了毛儿盖，没有东西吃，肚子饿，但他读马列书仍不间断”。

Practicality is a distinctive feature of Marxism. The Party leading the people in revolution, construction, and reform has always aimed to solve China’s real problems. Mao Zedong believed that Marxist theory is truth and a science that every revolutionary should learn, but he did not memorize and repeat isolated phrases of Marxism, nor did he treat Marxism as immutable dogma. Instead, he insisted on proceeding from reality in everything and integrating theory with practice. He pointed out: “If our Party has one hundred to two hundred comrades who have systematically, not fragmentarily, and practically, not hollowly, mastered Marxism-Leninism, it will greatly enhance our Party’s fighting capacity.” He once used a couplet to portray those who divorced theory from practice: “Reeds on the wall, top-heavy, with shallow roots; bamboo shoots in the mountains, sharp-tongued, thick-skinned, and hollow-bellied,” [8]8 This couplet, attributed to the Ming dynasty scholar Xie Jin, uses natural imagery to mock people who are superficially impressive but lack substance and depth. sharply satirizing the dogmatists who were detached from China’s reality. He emphasized: “The great power of Marxism-Leninism lies precisely in its connection with the concrete revolutionary practice of each country. For the Chinese Communist Party, it means learning to apply the theory of Marxism-Leninism to China’s specific environment.”

实践性是马克思主义的显著特征，党领导人民干革命、搞建设、抓改革，从来都是为了解决中国的现实问题。毛泽东认为马克思主义理论是真理，是每一个革命者都应该学习的科学，但他并不是背诵和重复马克思主义的个别词句，更不是把马克思主义当成一成不变的教条，而是坚持一切从实际出发，理论理论实际。他指出，“如果我们党有一百个至二百个系统地而不是零碎地、实际地而不是空洞地学会了马克思列宁主义的同志，就会大大地提高我们党的战斗力量”。他曾经用一副对联给那种理论脱离实际的人画像——“墙上芦苇，头重脚轻根底浅；山间竹笋，嘴尖皮厚腹中空”，辛辣地讽刺那些脱离中国实际的教条主义者。他强调：“马克思列宁主义的伟大力量，就在于它是和各个国家具体的革命实践相联系的。对于中国共产党说来，就是要学会把马克思列宁主义的理论应用于中国的具体的环境。”

Marxism is a scientific theory with strong vitality, but the classical Marxist writers did not exhaust truth; rather, they opened the path for seeking and developing truth. Mao Zedong said: “When Marx was alive, he could not see all the problems that would arise later, nor could he solve all those problems at that time. Russia’s problems could only be solved by Lenin, and China’s problems can only be solved by the Chinese.” The Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, integrated the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism with China’s concrete practice, founded Mao Zedong Thought, and achieved the first historic leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. The Seventh National Congress of the CPC established Mao Zedong Thought as the guiding ideology of the Party and wrote it into the Party Constitution. In his report on the revision of the Party Constitution, Liu Shaoqi pointed out: “Mao Zedong Thought is the thought that unifies the theory of Marxism-Leninism with the practice of the Chinese revolution; it is China’s communism, China’s Marxism.” Mao Zedong Thought “is the greatest gain and the greatest glory of our Party and our people in their long struggle, and it will benefit our nation for distant generations to come.”

马克思主义是科学的理论，具有强大生命力，但马克思主义经典作家并没有穷尽真理，而是为寻求真理和发展真理开辟了道路。毛泽东说过：“马克思活着的时候，不能将后来出现的所有的问题都看到，也就不能在那时把所有的这些问题都加以解决。俄国的问题只能由列宁解决，中国的问题只能由中国人解决。”以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人，把马克思列宁主义的基本原理同中国的具体实践结合起来，创立了毛泽东思想，实现了马克思主义中国化的第一次历史性飞跃。党的七大确立毛泽东思想为党的指导思想并写入党章，刘少奇在作关于修改党章的报告时指出：“毛泽东思想，就是马克思列宁主义的理论与中国革命的实践之统一的思想，就是中国的共产主义，中国的马克思主义。”毛泽东思想“是我们党和我国人民在长期奋斗中最大的收获与最大的光荣，它将造福于我国民族至遥远的后代”。

Without investigation and research, there can be no integration of theory with practice, nor can there be adherence to the ideological line of seeking truth from facts. In 1961, to overcome severe economic difficulties, Mao Zedong advocated restoring the fine tradition of seeking truth from facts and investigation and research, calling three times for a vigorous upsurge in investigation and research. He said: “Our Party has a tradition of seeking truth from facts, that is, integrating the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with China’s reality. But since the founding of New China, especially in recent years, we have not had a clear grasp of the actual situation, probably because we have become high officials. I myself have become a high official. The kind of investigation and research I did in Jiangxi in the past, I now do very little of.” Just then, his secretary Tian Jiaying brought him an article that had been lost for many years and recently rediscovered, titled *Investigation Work* (later published under the revised title *Oppose Book Worship*; when the second edition of the *Selected Works of Mao Zedong* was revised and published in 1991, this was the only article added). [9]9 The “Soviet Area” refers to the revolutionary base areas established by the Chinese Communist Party in the late 1920s and early 1930s, particularly in Jiangxi and Fujian provinces, before the Long March. More than thirty years had passed, but Mao Zedong had never forgotten this article. Seeing it again, he was exceptionally delighted, as if finding a treasure. He said: “Finding it is as important as finding a lost child in the Soviet Area.” In March, Mao Zedong distributed this article at the Central Work Conference in Guangzhou to draw the whole Party’s attention to investigation and research. In his speech, he said: “My experience has always been this: whenever I am worried and have no way out, I go and do investigation and research. Once I do investigation and research, the solution emerges, and the problem is solved.” He organized and guided three investigation teams, led by Tian Jiaying and others, to go deep into the rural grassroots, setting an example for the whole Party to vigorously promote investigation and research. This also played an important role in helping the Party Central Committee get a clear picture of the economic and social situation, make correct adjustments based on seeking truth from facts, and overcome severe difficulties.

离开调查研究，就谈不上理论与实际相结合，也就谈不上坚持实事求是的思想路线。1961年，为了渡过严重的经济困难，毛泽东倡导恢复实事求是、调查研究的优良传统，曾3次号召大兴调查研究之风。他说：“我们党是有实事求是传统的，就是把马列主义的普遍真理同中国的实际相结合。但是建国以来，特别是最近几年，我们对实际情况不大摸底了，大概是官做大了。我这个人就是官做大了，我从前在江西那样的调查研究，现在就做得很少了。”恰在这时，他的秘书田家英送来了失散多年、不久前被重新发现的一篇文章《调查工作》（后来公开发表时改题为《反对本本主义》，1991年《毛泽东选集》第二版修订出版，这是唯一补上去的一篇文章）。30多年过去了，毛泽东对这篇文章一直念念不忘，再次见到格外欣喜，如获至宝，说：找到它就像找到遗失在苏区的孩子一样重要。3月，毛泽东在广州中央工作会议上印发了这篇文章，以引起全党对调查研究的重视，他在讲话时说：“我的经验历来如此，凡是忧愁没有办法的时候，就去调查研究，一经调查研究，办法就出来了，问题就解决了。”他组织和指导3个调查组，由田家英等人带队，深入农村基层，为全党大兴调查研究作了表率，也为党中央摸清经济社会状况，作出实事求是的正确调整，克服严重困难，起到了重要作用。

General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Seeking truth from facts is the fundamental viewpoint of Marxism, the fundamental requirement for Chinese Communists to understand and transform the world, and the basic method of our Party’s thinking, work, and leadership.” On the new journey of the New Era, we must raise the level of Marxist theory and its application, unswervingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to consolidate souls and inspire action; we must adhere to the Two Integrations, [10]10 The Two Integrations refer to the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of China’s traditional culture. apply scientific methods such as the “Six Musts” [11]11 The “Six Musts” are six principles for theoretical innovation: must uphold the Party’s overall leadership, must adhere to a people-centered approach, must deepen reform and opening up, must carry forward the spirit of struggle, must uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, and must promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. to advance theoretical innovation of the Party, and courageously promote theoretical innovation on the basis of practice; we must adhere to integrating theory with practice, respect science, respect practice, and respect laws, discovering and developing truth in practice, and realizing and testing truth through practice; we must make good use of the treasured method of investigation and research, adhere to the Party’s mass viewpoint and mass line, set aside airs, get down to the grassroots, go deep into reality, the masses, and the grassroots, enhance the foresight and effectiveness of work, and make scientific decisions that stand the test of history and practice.

习近平总书记指出：“实事求是，是马克思主义的根本观点，是中国共产党人认识世界、改造世界的根本要求，是我们党的基本思想方法、工作方法、领导方法。”新时代新征程，必须提高马克思主义理论水平和运用能力，坚持不懈用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想凝心铸魂；必须坚持“两个结合”，运用好“六个必须坚持”等推进党的理论创新的科学方法，勇于推进实践基础上的理论创新；必须坚持理论联系实际，尊重科学、尊重实践、尊重规律，在实践中发现真理、发展真理，用实践来实现真理、检验真理；必须用好调查研究这个传家宝，坚持党的群众观点和群众路线，放下架子、扑下身子，深入实际、深入群众、深入基层，增强工作的预见性和实效性，作出经得起历史和实践检验的科学决策。

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心