Drawing Theoretical Innovation Wisdom from the People’s Creativity

When presiding over the sixth collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed the need to “focus on drawing theoretical innovation wisdom from the people’s creativity.” This is a profound grasp and vivid application of Marxist epistemology and the mass view of history, a scientific summation of the Party’s historical experience in theoretical innovation, and it points out the stance, direction, and pathway for advancing the Party’s theoretical innovation.

习近平总书记在主持二十届中共中央政治局第六次集体学习时强调，要“注重从人民群众的创造中汲取理论创新智慧”。这是对马克思主义认识论和群众史观的深刻把握和生动运用，是对党的理论创新历史经验的科学总结，为推进党的理论创新指明了立场、方向和途径。

I. The People’s Creative Practice Is the Inexhaustible Source of Marxist Theoretical Innovation

一、人民的创造性实践是马克思主义理论创新的不竭源泉

The viewpoint of life and practice is the primary and fundamental viewpoint of Marxist epistemology. The Marxist view of practice holds that practice is the basis of cognition and the fundamental driving force behind the development of cognition. It is in practice that people reflect countless phenomena of the objective external world into their minds, forming perceptual knowledge, continuously accumulating the material of perceptual knowledge, and using abstract thinking to grasp the essence of things, the totality of things, and the internal relations of things, thereby achieving a leap to form rational knowledge.

生活、实践的观点是马克思主义认识论的首要的和基本的观点。马克思主义实践观认为，实践是认识的基础，是认识发展的根本动力。人们正是在实践中把无数客观外界的现象反映到头脑中形成感性认识，不断积累感性认识的材料，并运用抽象思维抓住事物的本质、事物的全体和事物的内部联系，实现飞跃形成理性认识。

As Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out, “Where do correct ideas come from? Do they fall from the sky? No. Are they innate in one’s own mind? No. Correct ideas can only come from social practice, and from the three practices of social production, class struggle, and scientific experiment.” Whether rational knowledge is truth, and whether it correctly reflects the essence and laws of things, must also be tested through practice. At the same time, the objective world is eternally and dialectically moving and developing, and the process by which people acquire truth also cycles and repeats endlessly. Practice has no end, and theoretical innovation has no end. Marxism does not end truth but opens the path to truth. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “The theoretical innovation we promote is theoretical innovation on the basis of practice, not utopian speculation sitting in an ivory tower. We must insist on discovering truth and developing truth in practice, and use practice to realize truth and test truth.”

正如毛泽东同志指出的那样，“人的正确思想是从哪里来的？是从天上掉下来的吗？不是。是自己头脑里固有的吗？不是。人的正确思想，只能从社会实践中来，只能从社会的生产斗争、阶级斗争和科学实验这三项实践中来。”理性认识是不是真理，是否正确反映了事物的本质和规律，还必须通过实践来检验。同时，客观世界永恒辩证地运动发展着，人们获取真理的过程也不断循环往复。实践没有止境，理论创新也没有止境，马克思主义并没有结束真理，而是开辟了通向真理的道路。习近平总书记指出：“我们推进理论创新是实践基础上的理论创新，而不是坐在象牙塔内的空想，必须坚持在实践中发现真理、发展真理，用实践来实现真理、检验真理。”

Marxism is the theory of the people, and affinity to the people is the essential attribute of Marxism. Marxism is the doctrine of the liberation of the proletariat, and the historical position of the proletariat itself determines that it can only ultimately liberate itself by liberating all of humanity. Marx and Engels pointed out in the *Communist Manifesto*: “The proletarian movement is the independent movement of the immense majority, in the interests of the immense majority.” The Communist Party of China, as a Marxist political party, has always had a unity and consistency between its Party spirit and its affinity to the people. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out that our Party was founded “because the people needed it.” General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “The people’s standpoint is the fundamental political standpoint of the Communist Party of China and a distinctive sign that distinguishes a Marxist political party from other political parties.” The Communist Party of China was born for the people and thrives because of the people. The Party’s theory is a theory loved, recognized, and possessed by the people, and a powerful ideological weapon guiding the people in understanding and transforming the world. Throughout the historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform and opening up, our Party has continuously advanced theoretical innovation. Its purpose is to ensure the scientific nature of theoretical guidance through continuous theoretical innovation, and to better transform innovative theories into practical forces for seeking happiness for the people and rejuvenation for the nation.

马克思主义是人民的理论，人民性是马克思主义的本质属性。马克思主义是关于无产阶级解放的学说，而自身所处的历史地位决定了无产阶级只有解放全人类才能最终解放自己。马克思和恩格斯在《共产党宣言》中指出：“无产阶级的运动是绝大多数人的，为绝大多数人谋利益的独立的运动。”中国共产党作为马克思主义政党，其党性和人民性从来都是一致的、统一的。毛泽东同志指出，我们党是“因为人民需要才成立的”。习近平总书记强调：“人民立场是中国共产党的根本政治立场，是马克思主义政党区别于其他政党的显著标志。”中国共产党为人民而生、因人民而兴，党的理论是为人民所喜爱、所认同、所拥有的理论，是指导人民认识世界和改造世界的强大思想武器。我们党在革命、建设、改革各个历史时期不断推进理论创新，其目的就是通过持续不断的理论创新确保理论指导的科学性，更好地将创新理论转化成为人民谋幸福、为民族谋复兴的实践力量。

The Marxist view of practice and the people’s standpoint are inherently unified. Practice is a social activity, a social material activity in which humans actively transform the world, and an activity of the masses of the people in transforming the world. Ultimately, the masses of the people are the decisive force in transforming the world. Marx and Engels pointed out that “the ‘task’ and its ‘activity’ are prescribed for history by the masses” and “history is the activity of the masses.” Historical materialism “for the first time enables us to study with the precision of natural science the social conditions of the life of the masses, and the changes in these conditions.” The masses of the people are the subjects of social practice and the creators of history. The masses of the people not only create material wealth but also create spiritual wealth.

马克思主义实践观和人民立场是内在统一的。实践是社会性的活动，是人类能动地改造世界的社会性的物质活动，是人民群众改造世界的活动，归根到底，人民群众是改造世界的决定力量。马克思和恩格斯指出，“群众给历史规定了它的‘任务’和它的‘活动’”，“历史活动是群众的活动”。历史唯物主义“第一次使我们能以自然科学的精确性去研究群众生活的社会条件以及这些条件的变更”。人民群众是社会实践的主体，是历史的创造者。人民群众不仅创造了物质财富，也创造了精神财富。

Our Party has always affirmed the significant role of the masses of the people in theoretical innovation. Comrade Mao Zedong emphasized, “The masses have great creative power. Among the Chinese people, there are indeed thousands upon thousands of ‘Zhuge Liangs’.” [1]1 Zhuge Liang was a famous strategist and statesman of the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 CE), often used in Chinese as a byword for great wisdom and resourcefulness. “The things in the *Selected Works of Mao Zedong* were taught to us by the masses.” Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out, “The success of our reform and opening up does not rely on books, but on practice, on seeking truth from facts,” and “Many things in rural reform were created by the grassroots; we took them, processed and elevated them, and used them as national guidance.” General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “Marxism is a theory that speaks for the people and on behalf of the people. It was created to change the destiny of the people and has been enriched and developed in the practice of the people’s liberation. The people’s creative practice is the inexhaustible source of Marxist theoretical innovation.”

我们党历来肯定人民群众在理论创新中的重大作用。毛泽东同志强调，“群众有伟大的创造力。中国人民中间，实在有成千成万的‘诸葛亮’”。“《毛选》里的这些东西，是群众教给我们的。”邓小平同志指出，“我们改革开放的成功，不是靠本本，而是靠实践，靠实事求是”，“农村改革中的好多东西，都是基层创造出来，我们把它拿来加工提高作为全国的指导。”习近平总书记强调：“马克思主义是为人民立言、为人民代言的理论，是为改变人民命运而创立、在人民求解放的实践中丰富和发展的，人民的创造性实践是马克思主义理论创新的不竭源泉。”

Facts have proven that the masses of the people are at the forefront of practice, most sensitive to changes in practice, have the deepest feelings about them, and are also the most intelligent. What problems theoretical innovation needs to solve is determined by the needs of the people’s practice; what content theoretical innovation should possess is contained in the process of the people’s practice; whether the results of theoretical innovation are good or not, whether the people support them, approve them, are happy with them, or agree with them is an important measure. Why the Communist Party of China can succeed and why socialism with Chinese characteristics works is, in the final analysis, because Marxism works, and because Marxism adapted to the Chinese context works. Marxism adapted to the Chinese context works, which means that the Party’s innovative theory that comes from the masses works.

事实证明，人民群众身处实践最前沿，对实践变化感知最敏感、感受最深切，也最聪慧。理论创新要解决什么问题，人民群众实践的需要说了算；理论创新要具备什么内容，人民群众实践的过程包含着答案；理论创新成果好不好，人民群众拥护不拥护、赞成不赞成、高兴不高兴、答应不答应是重要衡量标准。中国共产党为什么能，中国特色社会主义为什么好，归根到底是马克思主义行，是中国化时代化的马克思主义行。中国化时代化的马克思主义行，也就是从群众中来的党的创新理论行。

II. The Achievements of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context and the Needs of the Times Are the Crystallization of the Practical Experience and Collective Wisdom of the Party and the People

二、马克思主义中国化时代化成果是党和人民实践经验和集体智慧的结晶

Looking back at history, every step of theoretical innovation and every theoretical leap of the Communist Party of China has originated from the wisdom, exploration, and creation of the people. The achievements of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times are all the crystallization of the practical experience and collective wisdom of the Party and the people.

回顾历史，中国共产党每一步理论创新、每一次理论飞跃，无不源自于人民的智慧、人民的探索、人民的创造。马克思主义中国化时代化成果，都是党和人民实践经验和集体智慧的结晶。

During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, a series of rural investigations opened up new ideas. Comrade Mao Zedong deeply recognized that the peasant question was the basic question of the Chinese revolution, and the peasants were the main force of the Chinese revolution. He summarized the experiences created by the Hunan peasant movement concerning carrying out the agrarian revolution, seizing rural political power, and establishing peasant armed forces, forming a revolutionary theory of “encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing state power by armed force,” which differed from the Russian urban-centered approach and conformed to China’s actual conditions. Continuously gathering the experiences and lessons of the Party’s and the people’s revolutionary practice, he gradually formed a complete theory of New Democracy. During the period of socialist revolution and construction, Comrade Mao Zedong led the Party in promoting a vigorous atmosphere of investigation and study, based on the practice of the masses of the people, learning from all walks of life, forming theoretical achievements concerning socialist transformation, socialist contradictions, and the guidelines for socialist construction, and initiating the “second” integration of Marxism with China’s specific realities. [2]2 The “second” integration refers to Mao Zedong’s call in the late 1950s for a further integration of the universal principles of Marxism with China’s specific practice, following the first integration that produced the New Democratic Revolution theory.

新民主主义革命时期，一系列农村调查打开了思路，毛泽东同志深刻认识到，农民问题是中国革命的基本问题，农民是中国革命的主力军。他总结了湖南农民运动创造的有关开展土地革命、夺取农村政权、建立农民武装等经验，形成了“农村包围城市，武装夺取政权”的不同于俄国城市中心论、与中国实际相符合的革命理论，不断汇聚党和人民革命实践的经验教训，逐步形成完整的新民主主义理论。社会主义革命和建设时期，毛泽东同志带领全党大兴调查研究之风，立足人民群众的实践，向各行各业取经，形成了有关社会主义改造、社会主义矛盾、社会主义建设方针等理论成果，开启了马克思主义同中国具体实际的“第二次”结合。

During the period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, major reform measures such as the implementation of the household contract responsibility system in rural areas, the rise of township enterprises, the restructuring of state-owned enterprises, and the development of the non-public sector of the economy all came from the bold exploration and creative practice of the masses of the people, providing rich nourishment for the formation of the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In his comments on the draft report to the 14th National Congress of the CPC, Comrade Deng Xiaoping wrote, “Many things in reform and opening up were put forward by the masses in practice,” “It is absolutely impossible for one person to come up with anything new by racking his brains,” and “This is the wisdom of the masses, the wisdom of the collective.” Every breakthrough and development in the understanding and practice of reform and opening up, the emergence and development of every new thing in reform and opening up, and the creation and accumulation of experience in every aspect of reform and opening up all came from the practice and wisdom of hundreds of millions of people.

改革开放和社会主义现代化建设时期，农村家庭联产承包责任制的推行、乡镇企业的兴起、国有企业的改制、非公有制经济的发展等重大改革举措，都来自人民群众的大胆探索和创造性实践，为中国特色社会主义理论的形成提供了丰富营养。邓小平同志在对党的十四大报告送审稿的意见中写道，“改革开放中许许多多的东西，都是群众在实践中提出来的”，“绝不是一个人脑筋就可以钻出什么新东西来”，“这是群众的智慧，集体的智慧”。改革开放在认识和实践上的每一次突破和发展，改革开放中每一个新生事物的产生和发展，改革开放每一个方面经验的创造和积累，无不来自亿万人民的实践和智慧。

As socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era, Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have adhered to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the finest traditional Chinese culture, and have engaged in profound reflection and scientific judgment on a series of major theoretical and practical issues concerning the development of the Party and the state in the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping has organically unified the upholding of people-centeredness with the adherence to a problem-oriented approach, extensively going down to the grassroots frontline for investigation and research, systematically summarizing the creative practical experience of the people, and insisting on development relying on the people, development for the people, and development achievements shared by the people, thereby putting forward a series of original new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies for governing the country. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the fruit of arduous theoretical exploration rooted in the vivid practice of the people.

中国特色社会主义进入新时代，以习近平同志为主要代表的中国共产党人，坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，对关系新时代党和国家事业发展的一系列重大理论和实践问题进行了深邃思考和科学判断。习近平总书记把坚持人民至上与坚持问题导向有机统一起来，广泛深入基层一线考察调研，系统总结人民群众创造性实践经验，坚持发展依靠人民、发展为了人民、发展成果由人民共享，提出了一系列原创性治国理政新理念新思想新战略。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，是扎根于人民群众的生动实践进行艰辛理论探索的成果。

III. Advancing the Party’s Theoretical Innovation Must Follow the Mass Line

三、推进党的理论创新要走好群众路线

“Adhering to theoretical innovation” is one of the historical experiences of the CPC’s century-long struggle. The “Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party’s Century-Long Struggle” [3]3 The “Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party’s Century-Long Struggle” was adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC in November 2021. points out: “As long as we have the courage to continuously advance theoretical innovation in light of new practice and are adept at using new theory to guide new practice, we will surely enable Marxism to demonstrate even greater and more convincing truth-power on Chinese soil.” The fundamental reason why our Party has been able to achieve major accomplishments in various historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform, and to lead the people in completing arduous tasks that other Chinese political forces could not, lies in its mastery of the scientific theory of Marxism and its continuous advancement of theoretical innovation in light of new realities, thereby enabling the Party to wield powerful truth-power. We must continuously deepen our understanding of the laws governing the Party’s theoretical innovation and achieve richer theoretical innovation results on the new journey of the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes, “All our work practices must follow the mass line, and advancing the Party’s theoretical innovation must also follow the mass line; we must never engage in behind-closed-doors fabrication, sit around and engage in empty talk, or lapse into utopian thinking.” Following the mass line of the New Era in theoretical innovation means closely connecting with the people, frequently going deep among the people, firmly relying on the people, sincerely taking the people as our teachers, honestly learning from the people, and humbly seeking advice from the people, thereby obtaining an inexhaustible source of practical strength and theoretical wisdom.

“坚持理论创新”是中国共产党百年奋斗的历史经验之一。《中共中央关于党的百年奋斗重大成就和历史经验的决议》指出：“只要我们勇于结合新的实践不断推进理论创新、善于用新的理论指导新的实践，就一定能够让马克思主义在中国大地上展现出更强大、更有说服力的真理力量。”我们党之所以能够在革命、建设、改革各个历史时期取得重大成就，能够领导人民完成中国其他政治力量不可能完成的艰巨任务，根本在于掌握了马克思主义科学理论，并不断结合新的实际推进理论创新，使党掌握了强大的真理力量。我们要不断深化对党的理论创新的规律性认识，在新时代新征程上取得更为丰硕的理论创新成果。习近平总书记强调，“我们的各项工作实践要走好群众路线，推进党的理论创新也要走好群众路线，决不能闭门造车、坐而论道、流于空想”。在理论创新中走好新时代群众路线，就是要紧密联系人民群众、经常深入人民群众、紧紧依靠人民群众，真心拜人民为师，诚心向人民学习，虚心向人民求教，得到源源不断的实践力量和理论智慧。

Vigorously promote investigation and research throughout the Party. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out, “Our task is to cross the river, but without a bridge or a boat we cannot cross,” and “All conclusions arise from the end of investigation, not from its beginning.” Investigation and research are precisely the bridge and ferry connecting the starting point and the endpoint of theoretical innovation. Investigation and research must first establish the correct position. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “In front of the people, we are forever primary school students; we must consciously take the people as our teachers, seek advice from the capable, and ask for strategies from the wise; we must fully respect the will expressed by the people, the experience they have created, the rights they possess, and the role they play.” Only by setting aside one’s airs, getting down to the grassroots, and becoming a friend of the common people will the common people be willing to speak; only by listening to both pleasant words and unpleasant words, and dispelling the people’s misgivings, can one hear words not usually heard; only by being adept at guiding the people and achieving ideological resonance with them can one hear more useful words. Investigation and research must also pay attention to methods and approaches: it is necessary to conduct strategic research on the overall situation, as well as targeted research to “dissect a sparrow and discover typical cases” [4]4 “Dissect a sparrow” (解剖麻雀) is a Mao-era metaphor for in-depth case study: by thoroughly analyzing a single typical example, one grasps the general pattern.; it is necessary to conduct systematic research from history to the present, as well as forward-looking research on new situations in the New Era. One must not merely glance at flowers from horseback or skim the surface; one must dismount to look at the flowers, penetrate the surface to grasp the essence, understand the internal connections of the research situation and the general laws it reflects, and obtain valuable raw materials for theoretical innovation. Currently, the whole Party is deeply engaged in the thematic education on studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Leading cadres at all levels must firmly establish historical materialism, strengthen the mass viewpoint and the sense of purpose, adhere to both goal-orientation and problem-orientation, step out of government offices and sink down to the grassroots frontline, extensively listen to the voices of the people, consciously ask the people for advice and for their needs, use the Party’s innovative theories to study and solve prominent problems related to development needs, reform urgencies, grassroots expectations, and people’s aspirations, and at the same time draw inspiration for theoretical and practical innovation from the genuine insights of the people.

在全党大兴调查研究。毛泽东同志指出，“我们的任务是过河，但是没有桥或没有船就不能过”，“一切结论产生于调查情况的末尾，而不是在它的先头”。调查研究就是连接理论创新起点和终点的桥梁和渡船。调查研究首先要摆正自己的位置。习近平总书记强调：“在人民面前，我们永远是小学生，必须自觉拜人民为师，向能者求教，向智者问策；必须充分尊重人民所表达的意愿、所创造的经验、所拥有的权利、所发挥的作用。”只有放下架子、扑下身子，做老百姓的朋友，老百姓才愿意开口讲话；只有既听顺耳话，也听逆耳言，打消老百姓的顾虑，才能听到平时听不到的话；只有善于引导老百姓，与老百姓达成思想共振，才能听到更多有用的话。调查研究也要注重方式方法，既要围绕全局做好战略性调研，也要针对重点“解剖麻雀，发现典型”；既要做系统的、由历史到现状的调研，也要做新时代新情况的前瞻性调研。不能走马观花、浮光掠影，必须下马看花、由表及里，把握调研情况的内在联系及反映的一般规律，取得有价值的理论创新原材料。当前，全党正在深入开展学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想主题教育，各级领导干部要树牢唯物史观，强化群众观点和宗旨意识，坚持目标导向和问题导向，走出机关沉到基层一线，广泛倾听人民群众的声音，自觉问计于民、问需于民，运用党的创新理论研究解决好发展所需、改革所急、基层所盼、民心所向的突出问题，同时从人民群众的真知灼见中获取理论创新和实践创新灵感。

Summarize fresh experience from the creative practice of the people, elevate it to rational understanding, and refine it into new theoretical achievements. Lenin pointed out that the wisdom of millions of creators will create something far superior to the greatest genius’s foresight. The practice of the people is the raw material for theoretical innovation, and our Party bears the responsibility of integrating, systematizing, perfecting, and sublimating it. Comrade Mao Zedong emphasized, “We should go among the masses, learn from them, synthesize their experience into better, more systematic principles and methods.” Investigation and research are two successive and indispensable links. Investigation is the foundation of research; research is the deepening of investigation. Investigation is about obtaining raw materials; research is about digesting raw materials. If one only investigates but does not research, only a broken bridge remains between the Party’s theoretical innovation and the practice of the people. It is necessary to write the second half of the investigation and research essay, deepen research on the basis of investigation, focus on the transformation and application of research results, start from visible and tangible phenomena, and study the essence hidden behind the phenomena; start from the direct practices of the people, and summarize and refine new theories and policies of universal applicability. At present, changes of the world, of the times, and of history are unfolding in ways unprecedented in a century; the “two overall situations” [5]5 “Two overall situations” (两个大局) refers to the overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the overall situation of changes unseen in a century in the world. are accelerating their evolution and deeply interacting; China’s development has entered a period of strategic opportunities, risk challenges, and increasing uncertainties and unpredictable factors. This makes it even more necessary for us to adhere to a people-centered approach, respect the people’s pioneering spirit, and fully stimulate the creative power latent in the people. We must emphasize the unity of top-level design and asking the people for advice, continuously gain new understanding, make new generalizations, and form new achievements from summarizing the creative practice of the people, and persistently advance the Party’s theoretical innovation.

从人民群众的创造性实践中总结新鲜经验，上升为理性认识，提炼出新的理论成果。列宁指出，千百万创造者的智慧会创造出一种比最伟大的天才预见还要高明得多的东西。人民群众的实践是理论创新的原材料，我们党承担着将其整合起来、系统起来、完善起来、升华起来的责任。毛泽东同志强调，“我们应该走到群众中间去，向群众学习，把他们的经验综合起来，成为更好的有条理的道理和办法”。调查和研究是前后相继、缺一不可的两个环节。调查是研究的基础，研究是调查的深化；调查是获取原材料，研究是消化原材料。只调查不研究，党的理论创新和人民群众的实践之间就只剩下了一座断桥。要写好调查研究的后半篇，在调查的基础上深化研究，注重调研成果的转化运用，从看得见、摸得着的现象出发，研究隐藏在现象背后的本质；从人民群众的直接做法出发，总结提炼普遍适用的新理论新政策。当前，世界之变、时代之变、历史之变正以前所未有的方式展开，“两个大局”加速演进并深度互动，我国发展进入战略机遇和风险挑战并存、不确定难预料因素增多的时期，更需要我们坚持以人民为中心，尊重人民首创精神，充分激发蕴藏在人民群众中的创造伟力。注重顶层设计与问计于民相统一，不断从总结人民群众的创造性实践中获得新认识、作出新概括、形成新成果，持续推进党的理论创新。

Improve the long-term mechanism for following the mass line, so that the practical wisdom of the people continuously flows into the Party’s innovative theory. The practice of the people never stops, so the Party’s theoretical innovation never stops, and drawing theoretical innovation wisdom from the people must never stop. Once detached from the people, theoretical achievements become feeble and pale, and the wisdom for theoretical innovation gradually dries up. Since the Party’s theoretical innovation comes from the masses, our Party must go to the masses even more. To improve the long-term mechanism for following the mass line, it is necessary to strengthen education on the Marxist mass viewpoint, so that the vast number of Party cadres and members never forget that the people are the creators of history, respect, protect, and promote the people’s pioneering spirit, willingly become primary school students of the people, and approach the people with a humble attitude. Enhance the capacity for investigation and research work, improve the evaluation and incentive mechanism for research results, so that Party cadres and members are adept at quickly narrowing the distance with the people, skilled at guiding the people to impart practical wisdom, and good at discerning the voice of the times from the people’s new opinions, new suggestions, and new demands, discovering new changes in practice, and excavating new elements for theoretical innovation. Fully promote people’s democracy, and smooth the channels for offering suggestions and for criticism and supervision. The clever tricks of the masses are the fresh material for theoretical innovation; the criticism of the masses is the direction for improving theoretical innovation. Let the big and small suggestions of the masses be promptly submitted, and both positive and negative opinions be expressed. Cultivate a contingent of theoretical workers adept at learning from the people, who do not stop at studying Marxist “textbooks” but also proceed from national conditions, from the people’s practice and back to the people’s practice, writing their theses on the land of the motherland, providing strong academic support for integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the finest traditional Chinese culture.

完善走好群众路线的长效机制，让人民群众的实践智慧源源不断地进入党的创新理论。人民群众的实践不止步，党的理论创新就不停步，向人民群众汲取理论创新智慧也不能停步。一旦脱离人民群众，理论成果就会苍白无力，理论创新的智慧就会逐渐枯竭。党的理论创新从群众中来，我们党就要更多地到群众中去。完善走好群众路线的长效机制，要加强马克思主义群众观点教育，让广大党员干部时时不忘人民群众是历史的创造者，尊重、保护、发扬人民首创精神，心甘情愿当人民群众的小学生，以虚心的态度走到人民群众中去。增强调查研究工作能力，完善调研成果考评激励机制，使党员干部善于快速和人民群众拉近距离，善于引导人民传授实践智慧，善于从人民群众新意见、新建议、新要求中洞察时代的声音，发现实践的新变化，挖掘理论创新的新元素。充分发扬人民民主，畅通建言献策渠道和批评监督渠道。群众的妙招是理论创新的鲜活素材，群众的批评是理论创新的改进方向，要让群众的大小建议及时递得上来，正面和反面意见都讲得出来。培养一支善于向人民群众学习的理论工作者队伍，不止步于马克思主义的“本本”研究，还要从国情出发，从人民的实践中来、到人民的实践中去，把论文写在祖国大地上，为马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合提供有力的学术支撑。

Online editor: Zhang Fujun

网络编辑：张福军