Mao Zedong’s Exploration of the Construction of a Large Party and Its Empirical Lessons

“The Communist Party of China is the world’s largest political party” and is “the core force leading our cause.” How to build a large party that can lead our cause to prosperity and strength, and to make the party stronger and more robust, is an important part of Party building and an unremitting pursuit of Chinese Communists. “Comrade Mao Zedong is the founder of our Party’s theory of Party building.” During the period of the new-democratic revolution and the period of socialist revolution and construction, Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, carried out arduous explorations on the issue of building a large party. The valuable experience and ideological wisdom contained therein hold important revelatory significance for us in advancing comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and in enhancing the historical consciousness and proactive spirit needed to advance the great new project of Party building.

“中国共产党是世界上最大的政党”，是“领导我们事业的核心力量”。如何建设一个领导我们事业走向兴旺发达的大党，把党建设得更加坚强有力，是党的建设的重要内容，也是中国共产党人的不懈追求。“毛泽东同志是我们党党的建设理论的奠基人。”在新民主主义革命时期与社会主义革命和建设时期，以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人就大党建设问题进行了艰辛探索，其中蕴藏的宝贵经验和思想智慧，对于我们推进全面从严治党，增强推进党的建设新的伟大工程的历史自觉和主动精神，具有重要启示意义。

I. Mao Zedong’s In-depth Exploration of the Issue of Building a Large Party

一、毛泽东对大党建设问题的深入探索

In the great practice of leading China’s new-democratic revolution and socialist revolution and construction, Mao Zedong integrated the Marxist theory of Party building with China’s concrete reality, scientifically analyzed the world situation, national conditions, and Party conditions, and not only explicitly set the goal of “building a large party” but also effectively solved multiple Party-building difficulties faced in different periods, enabling the Party to continuously develop and grow and to always remain a strong leading core.

在领导中国新民主主义革命与社会主义革命和建设的伟大实践中，毛泽东把马克思主义建党学说和中国具体实际相结合，科学分析世情国情党情，不仅明确提出“建设一个大党”的目标，而且有效破解了不同时期党面临的多项建设难题，使党不断发展壮大，始终成为坚强领导核心。

(1) Deeply Grasping the Historical Task of the Communist Party of China to “Bring About a Great Turnaround for the Chinese Nation,” and Clearly Setting Forth the Goal of “Building a Large Party”

（一）深刻把握中国共产党“使中华民族来一个大翻身”的历史任务，鲜明提出“建设一个大党”的目标

Focusing on national rejuvenation is a prominent feature of Mao Zedong’s thinking on the issue of building a large party. After the Opium War, due to the invasion of Western powers and the corruption of feudal rule, China gradually became a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. From that time on, realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation became the greatest dream of the Chinese nation; striving for national independence and the liberation of the people, and achieving national prosperity and the people’s well-being, became the historical tasks of the Chinese people. From its very founding, the Communist Party of China took transforming China as its mission, shouldered this historical task without hesitation, and closely integrated it with the realization of the Party’s lofty ideals.

着眼于民族复兴，是毛泽东思考大党建设问题的一个突出特点。鸦片战争以后，由于西方列强入侵和封建统治腐败，中国逐步成为半殖民地半封建社会。从那时起，实现中华民族伟大复兴，成为中华民族最伟大的梦想；争取民族独立、人民解放和实现国家富强、人民幸福，成为中国人民的历史任务。中国共产党一经成立，就以改造中国为己任，义无反顾肩负起这个历史任务，并将其与实现党的远大理想紧密结合起来。

The first program adopted at the Party’s First National Congress clearly stipulated socialism and communism as its goals for struggle, emphasizing that “the revolutionary army must overthrow the power of the capitalist class together with the proletariat” and “recognize the dictatorship of the proletariat until the end of class struggle.” The Party’s Second National Congress explicitly put forward the democratic revolutionary program of opposing imperialism and feudalism, and adopted the first Party Constitution and related resolutions, making clear stipulations on the goal of Party building, emphasizing the need to build a “large mass party capable of carrying out the proletarian revolution” and to be “the vanguard of the revolutionary movement for the proletariat.”

党的一大通过的第一个纲领，旗帜鲜明地把社会主义和共产主义规定为自己的奋斗目标，强调“革命军队必须与无产阶级一起推翻资本家阶级的政权”，“承认无产阶级专政，直到阶级斗争结束”。党的二大明确提出了反帝反封建的民主革命纲领，并通过第一个党章及相关决议案，对党的建设目标作出明确规定，强调要建设一个“能够实行无产阶级革命大的群众党”，能够“为无产阶级做革命运动的急先锋”。

In December 1925, Mao Zedong pointed out in “Analysis of the Classes in Chinese Society”: “A revolutionary party is the guide of the masses, and no revolution ever succeeded when the revolutionary party led them astray.” In May 1937, he further emphasized at the National Congress of the Communist Party of China: “To guide a great revolution, there must be a great party.” The revolution led by the Communist Party of China is a great revolution, guided by Marxism, to realize communism and national rejuvenation, different from all previous revolutions in Chinese history. Mao Zedong prominently highlighted the significance of the Party’s leadership and Party building for the revolutionary cause and the great cause of national rejuvenation, pointing the direction for the Party to continuously develop and grow in leading and advancing the great cause.

1925年 12月，毛泽东在《中国社会各阶级的分析》中指出：“革命党是群众的向导，在革命中未有革命党领错了路而革命不失败的。”1937年 5月，他在中国共产党全国代表会议上进一步强调：“指导伟大的革命，要有伟大的党。”中国共产党领导的革命，是在马克思主义指导下实现共产主义、实现民族复兴的伟大革命，不同于以往中国历史上的所有革命。毛泽东突出强调了党的领导及党的建设对于革命事业和民族复兴伟业的重要意义，为党在领导和推进伟大事业中不断发展壮大指明了方向。

On this basis, Mao Zedong clearly set forth the goal and task of “building a large party.” In May 1939, at the mobilization meeting for in-service cadre education in Yan’an, he emphasized that the Communist Party of China “now bears the task of defeating Japanese imperialism and establishing a new China, which requires us to build a large party,” “not a party of a ‘rabble,’ but an independent, combat-effective party.” Thereafter, Mao Zedong always centered on the mission of “bringing about a great turnaround for the Chinese nation” and “bringing about a great liberation for the Chinese people,” placing the goal of building a large party in a prominent position, reflecting his basic orientation on what kind of Marxist political party the Communist Party of China should be built into.

在此基础上，毛泽东鲜明提出“建设一个大党”的目标任务。1939年 5月，他在延安在职干部教育动员大会上强调，中国共产党“现在担负着打倒日本帝国主义、建立新中国的任务，需要我们建设一个大党”，“不是一个‘乌合之众’的党，而是一个独立的、有战斗力的党”。此后，毛泽东始终围绕“使中华民族来一个大翻身”，“使中国人民来一个大解放”的使命任务，把建设大党这个目标摆在突出位置，体现了他对把中国共产党建设成一个什么样的马克思主义政党的基本定位。

(2) Deeply Analyzing the Objective Situation of the Party’s Ranks Growing and Becoming a “Nationwide Large Party,” and Creatively Proposing and Advancing the “Great Project” of Party Building

（二）深刻分析党的队伍发展壮大并成为“全国性的大党”的客观形势，创造性提出和推进党的建设“伟大的工程”

After the formation of the second Kuomintang-Communist cooperation, with the extensive development of the all-people’s War of Resistance, the Party’s scope of activities rapidly expanded, and Party organizations and Party membership grew rapidly. By the end of 1938, the number of Party members nationwide had increased from over 40,000 at the outbreak of the all-people’s War of Resistance to over 500,000. At the same time, problems of ideological impurity, organizational impurity, and style impurity brought about by the rapid expansion of the ranks became increasingly prominent. In August 1939, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China adopted the “Decision on Consolidating the Party,” emphasizing that “the central task for the coming period is to sort out, tighten, tighten, and consolidate the Party’s organizational work.”

第二次国共合作形成后，随着全民族抗战的广泛开展，党的活动范围迅速扩大，党组织和党员队伍迅速发展。到 1938年底，全国党员人数从全民族抗战爆发时的 4万多人增加到 50多万人。与此同时，由于队伍迅速扩大而带来的思想不纯、组织不纯、作风不纯等问题日益凸显。1939年 8月，中共中央政治局作出《关于巩固党的决定》，强调“以整理、紧缩、严密和巩固党的组织工作为今后一定时期的中心任务”。

Two months later, in order to better enable the entire Party to adapt to the changing situation and better solve the problems existing within the Party, the Party Central Committee launched the organ journal *The Communist*. In the inaugural essay he wrote for the journal, Mao Zedong explicitly identified the united front, armed struggle, and Party building as the Party’s “three magic weapons” for defeating the enemy in the revolution, and, in connection with actual conditions, profoundly expounded on the issue of Party building. He demanded that all Party comrades fully recognize that the Party was “no longer what it used to be,” that it had “become a nationwide large party,” deeply understand that Party building is a “great project,” a “glorious and serious task,” and closely combine the quantitative development of Party membership with the improvement of quality, closely combine the Party’s ideological building, political building, and organizational building, and set forth the overall goal and overall task of “building a nationwide, mass-based, ideologically, politically, and organizationally fully consolidated Bolshevikized Communist Party of China.”

两个月后，为了推动全党更好地适应形势变化，更好地解决党内存在的问题，党中央创办了机关刊物《共产党人》。毛泽东在为刊物所写的发刊词中，明确提出统一战线、武装斗争、党的建设是党在革命中战胜敌人的“三大法宝”，并联系实际情况，深刻阐述了党的建设问题。他要求全党同志充分认识党已经“不是从前的样子”，已经“成为全国性的大党”，深刻理解党的建设是一项“伟大的工程”、一个“光荣而又严重的任务”，并把党员数量的发展与质量的提高紧密结合，把党的思想建设、政治建设、组织建设紧密结合，提出“建设一个全国范围的、广大群众性的、思想上政治上组织上完全巩固的布尔什维克化的中国共产党”的总目标、总任务。

To advance this “great project,” the Communist Party of China carried out a rectification movement [1]1 A classical allusion to a scene in the traditional Chinese novel *The Story of the Stone* (also known as *Dream of the Red Chamber*), used here to describe the rapid and disorderly succession of political actors. across the entire Party, pioneering the method of strengthening Party building through centralized intra-Party education. Through this universal Marxist ideological education movement, the ideological line of seeking truth from facts became deeply rooted in people’s hearts, the Party became more united and unified ideologically, politically, and organizationally, laying an important ideological and political foundation for winning the War of Resistance Against Japan and the War of Liberation. Elevating Party building to the height of a “great project” and using centralized intra-Party education to advance this “great project” shows that Mao Zedong’s understanding of building a large party had become more conscious and profound; this was an important achievement of his creative application of the Marxist theory of Party building, combined with the practical experience of Party building.

为了推进这项“伟大的工程”，中国共产党在全党范围内开展了整风运动，开创了通过党内集中教育加强党的建设的先河。经过这次普遍的马克思主义的思想教育运动，实事求是的思想路线深入人心，党在思想上、政治上、组织上更加团结统一，为夺取抗日战争和人民解放战争的胜利，奠定了重要的思想政治基础。把党的建设提高到“伟大的工程”的高度，并以党内集中教育来推进这个“伟大的工程”，表明毛泽东对大党建设的认识更加自觉和深刻，这是他结合党的建设的实践经验，创造性运用马克思主义建党学说的重要成果。

(3) Deeply Perceiving the New Situation and New Tasks of Holding State Power Nationwide, and Closely Combining the Construction of a Large Socialist Country with the Building of a Large Marxist Party

（三）深刻洞察执掌全国政权的新形势新任务，把社会主义大国建设与马克思主义大党建设紧密结合起来

On the eve of the founding of New China, focusing on the new situation of soon governing the entire country, Mao Zedong, at the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the Party, issued the admonition and demand to the entire Party: “Comrades must be taught to remain modest, prudent, and free from arrogance and rashness, and comrades must be taught to remain hardworking and plain in their style of work,” i.e., the “Two Musts.” He reminded the entire Party not to lose revolutionary will due to the change in status, to be vigilant against the growth of sentiments such as arrogance and complacency, pleasure-seeking, and considering oneself a meritorious official, to withstand the “attack of sugar-coated bullets” from the bourgeoisie, to pay attention to strengthening self-building, and to prepare for building New China.

新中国成立前夕，着眼于即将在全国执政的新形势，毛泽东在党的七届二中全会上，向全党发出“务必使同志们继续地保持谦虚、谨慎、不骄、不躁的作风，务必使同志们继续地保持艰苦奋斗的作风”即“两个务必”的告诫和要求，提醒全党不能因地位变化而丧失革命意志，要警惕骄傲自满、贪图享乐、以功臣自居等情绪的滋长，要经得起资产阶级“用糖衣裹着的炮弹的攻击”，注意加强自身建设，为建设新中国作好准备。

After the founding of New China, the Party’s position, environment, orientation, and the tasks it faced underwent a fundamental change. How to continue to uphold and strengthen the Party’s leadership, to make the Party stronger and more robust under new historical conditions, to ensure that the Party always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialist revolution and construction, and thereby to unite and lead the people in striving for national prosperity, national rejuvenation, and the people’s well-being, became a major issue facing Chinese Communists. Mao Zedong, from the perspective of the overall and long-term development of the Party and the people’s cause, firmly grasped the relationship between building a large country and building a large party, actively explored the laws of governing party building, deeply pondered and planned for this major issue of the times, and clearly took improving governance capacity and preventing corruption and degeneration as the two key issues of Party building.

新中国成立后，党所处的地位、环境、方位以及面临的任务发生了根本变化。如何继续坚持和加强党的领导，在新的历史条件下把党建设得更加坚强有力，确保党始终成为社会主义革命和建设事业的坚强领导核心，进而团结带领人民为实现国家富强、民族振兴、人民幸福而奋斗，就成为摆在中国共产党人面前的重大问题。毛泽东站在党和人民事业全局和长远发展的角度，紧紧抓住大国建设与大党建设的关系，积极探索执政党建设规律，对这一重大时代课题进行了深刻思考和谋划，旗帜鲜明地把提高执政能力和防止腐化变质作为党的建设的两个关键问题。

To build a great socialist country and consolidate the Party’s governing position, the first requirement is to strive to improve the Party’s governing capacity. Mao Zedong repeatedly demanded that the whole Party strengthen its study and learn as quickly as possible the entirely new skills of economic construction and state governance, stressing that “the grave task of economic construction is placed before us. Things we are familiar with will soon be laid aside, while things we are unfamiliar with are compelling us to do them” and that “we must learn what we do not know.” In the practice of leading the advancement of China’s socialist modernization, Mao Zedong called on the whole Party to gain a deep understanding of the situation and grasp the actual conditions, to soberly recognize that “China is a large country, and the situation is extremely complex,” and to “constantly bear in mind that China is a large socialist country, but also a poor one economically backward.” He also set forth clear requirements on specific issues, such as stressing the need to “handle well the relationship between the central and local authorities,” holding that “this is a very important issue for a large country and a large party like ours.”

建设社会主义大国，巩固党的执政地位，首先要努力提高党的执政能力。毛泽东一再要求全党加强学习，尽快学会经济建设和治理国家的全新本领，强调“严重的经济建设任务摆在我们面前。我们熟习的东西有些快要闲起来了，我们不熟习的东西正在强迫我们去做”，“我们必须学会自己不懂的东西”。在领导推进我国社会主义现代化建设的实践中，毛泽东号召全党深入了解情况、掌握实情，要清醒认识“中国是一个大国，情况极为复杂”，要“经常想到我国是一个社会主义的大国，但又是一个经济落后的穷国”。他还对一些具体问题提出明确要求，如强调要“处理好中央和地方的关系”，认为“这对于我们这样的大国大党是一个十分重要的问题”。

To build a great socialist country and consolidate the Party’s governing position, it is also necessary to continuously advance self-revolution and prevent the Party from degenerating and becoming corrupt. Mao Zedong drew on the lessons of history and led the launch of the “Three-Anti” and “Five-Anti” campaigns[2]2 The Gutian Congress (December 1929) was the Ninth Party Congress of the Fourth Red Army, whose resolution, drafted by Mao Zedong, emphasized ideological and organizational Party building, particularly correcting non-proletarian ideas within the army., severely punishing corrupt elements such as Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan[3]3 The Yan’an Rectification Movement (1942–1945) was a Party-wide campaign to study Marxism-Leninism, correct subjectivist and sectarian tendencies, and unify ideological understanding around Mao Zedong Thought. with heavy penalties. To meet the needs of Party building, especially the anti-corruption struggle, under Mao Zedong’s guidance and concern, our Party also adopted a series of major measures in areas such as institutional building and work style building, notably establishing the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Party discipline inspection commissions at all levels, responsible for examining and handling violations of Party discipline by departments directly under the Central Committee, Party organizations at all levels, Party cadres, and Party members.

建设社会主义大国，巩固党的执政地位，还要持续推进自我革命，防止党腐化变质。毛泽东汲取历史的经验教训，领导开展了“三反”“五反”运动，重典惩治了刘青山、张子善等腐化分子。为了适应党的建设特别是反腐败斗争的需要，在毛泽东的指导关心下，我们党还在制度建设、作风建设等方面采取了一系列重大举措，特别是成立了中央及各级党的纪律检查委员会，负责检查、处理中央直属各部门和各级党的组织、党的干部及党员违犯党的纪律的行为。

To resolve the problems of corruption, waste, and bureaucracy existing within Party and government organs, Mao Zedong also led the launch of rectification campaigns and Party consolidation movements, demonstrating to the people of the whole country through concrete actions that the Chinese Communist Party would never tolerate corrupt practices of using the governing position to seek personal gain. Through these efforts, the Party not only preserved the hardworking and frugal style of the revolutionary war years and maintained close ties with the masses, but also continuously improved its ability to govern the country through study and practice, proving with concrete actions that as a large Marxist party, it is “not only good at destroying the old world,” but also “good at building a new world,” and capable of “carrying out a great struggle whose forms of struggle have many different characteristics from those of past eras.”

为了解决党政机关内部存在的贪污、浪费现象和官僚主义问题，毛泽东还领导开展整风和整党运动，用实际行动向全国人民表明中国共产党绝不容忍利用执政地位谋取私利的腐败现象。经过努力，党不仅保持了革命战争年代的艰苦奋斗作风，保持了同人民群众的密切联系，而且通过学习和实践不断提高治理国家的能力，用实际行动证明自己作为马克思主义大党，“不但善于破坏一个旧世界”，而且“善于建设一个新世界”，能够“进行同过去时代的斗争形式有着许多不同特点的伟大的斗争”。

II. Mao Zedong’s Basic Approach to Building a Large Party

二、毛泽东关于大党建设的基本思路

“Comrade Mao Zedong led the people in forging a great, glorious, and correct Chinese Communist Party,” and “creatively resolved a series of major issues in building a Marxist party under the special social and historical conditions of China, building the Party into a Marxist party armed with scientific theory and revolutionary spirit, having flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, and fully consolidated ideologically, politically, and organizationally.” On the question of building a large party, Mao Zedong carried out unremitting exploration, achieved notable results, and accumulated rich experience. His basic approach can be roughly summarized in the following four aspects.

“毛泽东同志带领人民锻造了伟大光荣正确的中国共产党”，“创造性地解决了在中国这种特殊的社会历史条件下建设马克思主义政党的一系列重大问题，把党建设成为用科学理论和革命精神武装起来的、同人民群众有着血肉联系的、思想上政治上组织上完全巩固的马克思主义政党”。在大党建设问题上，毛泽东进行了不懈探索，取得了显著成效，积累了丰富经验。其基本思路，大致体现在以下四个方面。

(1) Emphasizing that a large party must have a great sense of responsibility, ensuring the Party becomes the “core force” leading the development of the cause

（一）强调大党要有大担当，确保党成为领导事业发展的“核心力量”

Mao Zedong’s thinking on the question of building a large party was always closely centered on the Party’s mission and tasks. In October 1938, at the Enlarged Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee, he specifically elaborated on “The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War,” demanding that the whole Party deeply understand the Chinese Communist Party’s major responsibility in leading the War of Resistance Against Japan and building a new China, and “form a strong core among the people of the whole country.” The demand he explicitly raised at that time to “build a large party” was likewise closely tied to the task of the War of Resistance, namely, to overcome “the danger of capitulation, splitting, and retrogression, to preserve the national united front as far as possible, to preserve cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and to strive for continued resistance, continued unity, and continued progress.” In December 1939, in *The Chinese Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party*, he again stressed that “no other political party, whether bourgeois or petty-bourgeois, is capable of leading” the two great revolutions—the new-democratic revolution and the socialist revolution—to their complete fulfillment “except the Chinese Communist Party.” In November 1948, Mao Zedong wrote an article to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the October Revolution, pointing out profoundly from the perspective of the international communist movement that “to make a revolution, a revolutionary party is needed” and that “without a revolutionary party founded on the Marxist-Leninist revolutionary theory and in the Marxist-Leninist revolutionary style, it is impossible to lead the working class and the broad masses of the people to defeat imperialism and its running dogs.”

毛泽东关于大党建设问题的思考，始终紧密围绕党的使命任务展开。1938年 10月，他在扩大的六届六中全会上专门阐述了“中国共产党在民族战争中的地位”，要求全党深刻认识中国共产党领导抗日战争和建设新中国的重大责任，“在全国人民中形成一个坚强的核心”。他在当时明确提出的“建设一个大党”的要求，同样紧扣抗日战争的任务，就是要克服“投降、分裂和倒退的危险，尽可能地保持民族统一战线，保持国共合作，而争取继续抗日、继续团结和继续进步”。1939年 12月，他在《中国革命和中国共产党》中再次强调，领导新民主主义革命和社会主义革命“这样两个伟大的革命到达彻底的完成，除了中国共产党之外，是没有任何一个别的政党（不论是资产阶级的政党或小资产阶级的政党）能够担负的”。1948年 11月，毛泽东为纪念十月革命 31周年撰写文章，从国际共产主义运动的视野，深刻指出“既要革命，就要有一个革命党”，“没有一个按照马克思列宁主义的革命理论和革命风格建立起来的革命党，就不可能领导工人阶级和广大人民群众战胜帝国主义及其走狗”。

After the founding of New China, Mao Zedong repeatedly stressed on various occasions that the Chinese Communist Party is the leading core of China’s socialist cause, and that this is the fundamental guarantee for building China into a great socialist country. In September 1956, in his opening address to the Eighth National Congress of the Party, he pointed out that the Chinese Communist Party was more consolidated than ever before and had become “the core force uniting the people of the whole country in carrying out socialist construction.” In May 1957, when receiving all the delegates to the Third National Congress of the Chinese New Democratic Youth League, he stressed: “The Chinese Communist Party is the leading core of the entire Chinese people. Without this core, the socialist cause cannot be victorious.” Practice has fully proven that the greater the sense of responsibility, the greater the undertaking that can be accomplished, and the greater the responsibility shouldered, the greater the achievement that will be attained. Voluntarily shouldering the great responsibility of people’s liberation and national rejuvenation is the inexhaustible driving force that inspires the Chinese Communist Party to build itself into a strong party, and it is also an important reason why the Party can fully mobilize, unite, and lead the people of the whole country to continuously win victories.

新中国成立后，毛泽东在不同场合反复强调，中国共产党是我国社会主义事业的领导核心，这是把我国建设成为伟大社会主义国家的根本保证。1956年 9月，他在党的八大开幕词中指出，中国共产党较之以往更加巩固了，已经成为“团结全国人民进行社会主义建设的核心力量”。1957年 5月，他在接见中国新民主主义青年团第三次全国代表大会全体代表时强调：“中国共产党是全中国人民的领导核心。没有这样一个核心，社会主义事业就不能胜利。”实践充分证明，有多大担当才能干多大事业，尽多大责任才会有多大成就。自觉肩负起人民解放、民族复兴的大担当，是激励中国共产党把自己建设成为强大政党的不竭动力，也是党能够充分调动和团结带领全国人民不断夺取胜利的重要原因。

(2) Emphasizing that a large party must have a great sense of commitment, consistently practicing the fundamental purpose of “serving the people wholeheartedly”

（二）强调大党要有大情怀，始终践行“全心全意为人民服务”的根本宗旨

Marxism holds that the people are the true heroes and the creators of history. In the *Communist Manifesto*, Marx and Engels solemnly declared: “All previous historical movements were movements of minorities, or in the interest of minorities. The proletarian movement is the independent movement of the immense majority, in the interest of the immense majority.” Mao Zedong stressed that the Party’s fundamental purpose is to serve the people wholeheartedly, and that the mass line is the Party’s fundamental work line; it is necessary to persist in doing everything for the masses, relying on the masses, coming from the masses, and going to the masses. In November 1941, in his speech at the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region Council, he solemnly pointed out: “The Communist Party is a political party that works for the interests of the nation and the people; it itself has no private interests to pursue.” In July 1943, in the *Declaration of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party on the Sixth Anniversary of the War of Resistance*, he again stressed: “Communists are a special kind of people; they seek no private interests at all, but only the welfare of the nation and the people. They are rooted among the people,” and “always take the interests of the masses as the starting point for considering problems.” In April 1945, in his political report to the Seventh National Congress of the Party, *On Coalition Government*, he further pointed out that the starting point of the Communist Party’s work is “to serve the people wholeheartedly and never for a moment divorce ourselves from the masses; to proceed in all cases from the interests of the people and not from the interests of individuals or small groups; and to be consistent in our responsibility to the people and our responsibility to the leading organs of the Party.” After the victory of the revolution, Mao Zedong consistently stressed this point. In October 1949, in a conversation, he said that all the Party’s work is for the interests of the people: “Fighting is for the liberation of the people; peaceful liberation, unity and transformation are also for the interests of the people.” In March 1957, in a speech at a conference of Party cadres in Jinan, he pointed out that the Communist Party must “serve the people wholeheartedly, not half-heartedly or with two-thirds or three-quarters of a heart.” It is precisely for this reason that Mao Zedong consistently opposed bureaucracy, holding that it “makes the Communist Party look unlike itself in the eyes of the people and greatly damages the prestige of the Communist Party.”

马克思主义认为，人民是真正的英雄，是历史的创造者。马克思、恩格斯在《共产党宣言》中庄严宣告：“过去的一切运动都是少数人的，或者为少数人谋利益的运动。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。”毛泽东强调，党的根本宗旨是全心全意为人民服务，群众路线是党的根本工作路线，必须坚持一切为了群众，一切依靠群众，从群众中来，到群众中去。1941年 11月，他在陕甘宁边区参议会的演说中郑重指出：“共产党是为民族、为人民谋利益的政党，它本身决无私利可图。”1943年 7月，他在《中共中央为抗战六周年纪念宣言》中再次强调：“共产党员是一种特别的人，他们完全不谋私利，而只为民族与人民求福利。他们生根于人民之中”，“总是以群众的利益为考虑问题的出发点”。1945年 4月，他在党的七大政治报告《论联合政府》中进一步指出，共产党的工作出发点就是“全心全意地为人民服务，一刻也不脱离群众；一切从人民的利益出发，而不是从个人或小集团的利益出发；向人民负责和向党的领导机关负责的一致性”。革命胜利之后，毛泽东一如既往地强调这一点。1949年 10月，他在一次谈话时说，党的一切工作都是为了人民的利益，“打仗，是为人民求解放；和平解放，团结改造，也是为了人民的利益”。1957年 3月，他在济南党员干部会议上讲话指出，共产党“要全心全意为人民服务，不要半心半意或者三分之二的心三分之二的意为人民服务”。也正因为如此，毛泽东一贯反对官僚主义，认为这“在人民面前把共产党表现得不像样子，大大损害了共产党的威信”。

The magnitude of commitment determines the scope and realm of vision, and determines how far a political party can go. The great commitment of placing the people in the highest position in one’s heart is the source of strength for the Chinese Communist Party to build itself into a strong party, and it is also the key to the Chinese Communist Party winning the support of the masses and remaining invincible.

情怀的大小决定了格局与境界，决定了一个政党能走多远。把人民放在心中最高位置的大情怀，是中国共产党把自己建设成为强大政党的力量源泉，也是中国共产党得到人民群众拥护、立于不败之地的关键所在。

(3) Emphasizing that a large party must have great principles, upholding and carrying forward “the revolutionary and Bolshevik tradition”

（三）强调大党要有大原则，坚持和发扬“革命的与布尔什维克的传统”

On the political stage of modern China, more than 300 political parties and groups emerged one after another, truly a case of “you sing and I come on stage.” [1]1 A classical allusion to a scene in the traditional Chinese novel *The Story of the Stone* (also known as *Dream of the Red Chamber*), used here to describe the rapid and disorderly succession of political actors. One important reason the Communist Party of China stood out was its choice of Marxism, this scientific theory, as its guide to action, and its resolute struggle against all kinds of non-proletarian ideology within the Party. Proceeding from the concrete national conditions, Mao Zedong attached great importance to building the Party ideologically; this was a distinctive feature of his thinking on the problem of building a large party.

在中国近代的政治舞台上，先后出现过大大小小 300多个政党和政治团体，可谓“你方唱罢我登场”。中国共产党之所以脱颖而出，一个重要原因在于选择了马克思主义这一科学理论作为行动指南，坚决同党内各种非无产阶级思想作斗争。毛泽东从具体国情出发，高度重视从思想上建设党，这是他思考大党建设问题的一个鲜明特点。

In November 1928, in a report written to the Central Committee, he pointed out that strengthening the leadership of proletarian ideology was “a very important problem,” otherwise “the tendency will be to go wrong.” In December 1929, in the Gutian Congress Resolution, [2]2 The Gutian Congress (December 1929) was the Ninth Party Congress of the Fourth Red Army, whose resolution, drafted by Mao Zedong, emphasized ideological and organizational Party building, particularly correcting non-proletarian ideas within the army. he analyzed in detail the political and ideological situation within the Red Army’s Party organizations, pointing out that erroneous ideas such as individualism and subjectivism “greatly hinder the implementation of the Party’s correct line,” and that if they were not thoroughly corrected, the Party would inevitably be unable to shoulder the tasks of the Chinese revolutionary struggle. In June 1937, at a meeting of the Politburo of the Central Committee, he pointed out that it was necessary to deeply understand the Party’s line and traditions: “the revolutionary and Bolshevik tradition is the orthodox tradition of our Party, encompassing all the good things in politics, organization, and work style.” This enabled the Party “to maintain the Party, unite the Party, consolidate the Party, overcome errors within the Party, and fight resolutely against the enemy to achieve revolutionary results, thereby creating the status of a large party trusted by the class and the people.”

1928年 11月，他在写给中央的报告中提出，加强无产阶级思想领导是“一个非常重要的问题”，否则“其趋向是会要错误的”。1929年 12月，他在古田会议决议中详细分析红军党内的政治思想状况，指出个人主义、主观主义等错误思想“对于执行党的正确路线，妨碍极大”，若不彻底纠正，必然担负不起中国革命斗争的任务。1937年 6月，他在中央政治局会议上指出，必须深刻认识党的路线和传统问题，“革命的与布尔什维克的传统，这是我们党的正统，包括政治上的、组织上的、工作作风上的一切好的东西”，这使得我们“能够维持党，团结党，巩固党，克服党内错误，并同敌人作坚决战斗而得到革命的成绩，造成阶级及人民信任的大政党的地位”。

During the Yan’an Rectification Movement, [3]3 The Yan’an Rectification Movement (1942–1945) was a Party-wide campaign to study Marxism-Leninism, correct subjectivist and sectarian tendencies, and unify ideological understanding around Mao Zedong Thought. Mao Zedong further emphasized raising the Party’s level of Marxism as a whole, while also summing up the Party’s history and engaging in deep reflection on how to make the Party “more Bolshevik.” In November 1942, at the Senior Cadres’ Conference of the Northwest Bureau, he explained Stalin’s “Twelve Conditions for Bolshevization of the Party,” [4]4 Stalin’s “Twelve Conditions for Bolshevization of the Party” (1925) outlined requirements for building a communist party on the Leninist model, including ideological unity, discipline, and ties to the masses. stressing that “the Communist Party of China is, from the perspective of its line, work, experience, level of consciousness, and ties with the masses, a Bolshevik party.” Combining the Party’s history and revolutionary practice, he elaborated on how to make the CPC more Bolshevik from several aspects, including politics, ideology, and discipline. The reason Mao Zedong attached such importance to this problem was that it was the very foundation of building a large party. In September 1956, in his opening address to the Eighth National Congress of the Party, he again stressed: “The victories of our revolution and construction are all victories of Marxism-Leninism. Closely linking the theory of Marxism-Leninism with the practice of the Chinese revolution is our Party’s consistent ideological principle.”

在延安整风中，毛泽东进一步强调要提高全党的马克思主义水平，同时总结党的历史，对如何使党“更加布尔什维克化”进行了深入思考。1942年 11月，他在西北局高级干部会议上讲解斯大林的《论布尔什维克化十二条》，强调“中国共产党从它的路线、工作、经验、觉悟程度、同群众的联系来说，是一个布尔什维克党”，并结合党的历史和革命实践，从政治、思想、纪律等几个方面就如何使中国共产党更加布尔什维克化进行了阐发。毛泽东之所以如此重视这个问题，原因在于这是建设一个大党的根本所在。1956年 9月，他在党的八大开幕词中再次强调：“我国的革命和建设的胜利，都是马克思列宁主义的胜利。把马克思列宁主义的理论和中国革命的实践密切地联系起来，这是我们党的一贯的思想原则。”

Practice has fully proven that the banner is the direction, and the banner is the strength. Always holding high the great banner of Marxism and unswervingly taking the socialist path is a fundamental principle by which the Communist Party of China has built itself into a strong political party, and it is also the spiritual pillar that keeps the Party from becoming arrogant or impatient in times of victory and favorable circumstances, and from being dispirited or wavering in times of difficulty and adversity.

实践充分证明，旗帜就是方向，旗帜就是力量。始终高举马克思主义伟大旗帜，坚定不移走社会主义道路，是中国共产党把自己建设成为强大政党的一条根本原则，也是党在胜利和顺境时不骄傲不急躁，在困难和逆境时不消沉不动摇的精神支柱。

(4) Emphasizing that a large party must have great unity, “making the Party as solid as iron”

（四）强调大党要有大团结，“使党铁一样地巩固起来”

To enhance the combat effectiveness of the proletarian party and to defeat powerful enemies, Marxism has always stressed maintaining Party unity and solidarity through iron discipline. Lenin profoundly pointed out: “Maintaining the unity of the Party and realizing the unity of will of the vanguard of the proletariat are the basic conditions for ensuring the victory of the dictatorship of the proletariat.” During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, the Communist Party of China was for a long time in a situation where the enemy was strong and we were weak, making it all the more necessary to ensure Party unity and solidarity. In August 1937, Mao Zedong pointed out in “On Contradiction”: “For a party to lead the revolution to victory, it must rely on the correctness of its own political line and the consolidation of its organization.” In August 1943, at the opening ceremony of the Second Department of the Central Party School, he said earnestly: Our tasks are very arduous; we must “make our Party more unified,” “form a large party”; we must ensure that “everyone can fear no sacrifice, be infinitely loyal, be able to connect with the masses, be able to work independently, be able to observe discipline, and unite as one to resolutely fight the enemy.”

为了提高无产阶级政党的战斗力，为了战胜强大的敌人，马克思主义一贯强调以铁的纪律维护党的团结统一。列宁深刻指出：“保持党的统一和实现无产阶级先锋队的意志的统一是保证无产阶级专政胜利的基本条件。”新民主主义革命时期，中国共产党长期处于敌强我弱态势，更加需要保证党的团结统一。1937年 8月，毛泽东在《矛盾论》中指出：“一个政党要引导革命到胜利，必须依靠自己政治路线的正确和组织上的巩固。”1943年 8月，他在中央党校第二部开学典礼上语重心长地说：我们的任务很艰巨，必须“使我们党更统一”，“结成一个大党”；要使“每一个人都能够不怕牺牲，能够无限忠心，能够联系群众，能够独立工作，能够遵守纪律，团结一致地坚决地向敌人斗争”。

After the founding of New China, in order to unite the entire Party’s strength for socialist revolution and construction, Mao Zedong likewise emphasized strengthening and maintaining Party unity and solidarity. For example, in 1957, during a meeting of provincial and municipal Party secretaries in Qingdao, he stressed the need to implement the Party’s democratic centralism well and strive to create a political situation that is “both centralized and democratic, both disciplined and free, both unified in will and personally cheerful and lively,” so that “the Party and the state are more consolidated” and it is “beneficial to socialist revolution and socialist construction.” At the same time, he also emphasized the need to correctly handle inner-Party struggle and strive to achieve unity through struggle. In March 1958, in his speech at the Chengdu Conference, he pointed out: “To talk only about unity and solidarity, without struggle, is not Marxism-Leninism.” It was necessary to scientifically understand the dialectics of unity and struggle, and to pay attention to “achieving new unity on a new foundation through struggle.”

新中国成立后，为了凝聚全党力量进行社会主义革命和建设，毛泽东同样强调加强和维护党的团结和统一。比如，1957年他在青岛召开的省市委书记会议期间强调，要贯彻好党的民主集中制，努力造成一个“又有集中又有民主，又有纪律又有自由，又有统一意志、又有个人心情舒畅、生动活泼”的政治局面，这样“党和国家较为巩固”，也“利于社会主义革命和社会主义建设”。同时，他还强调要正确对待党内斗争，努力以斗争求团结。1958年 3月，他在成都会议上的讲话中指出，“只讲团结一致，不讲斗争，不是马列主义”，要科学认识团结与斗争的辩证法，注意“经过斗争，在新的基础上达到新的团结”。

Practice has fully proven that unity is strength, and only unity can bring victory. Continuously consolidating the great unity of the entire Party and constantly enhancing the Party’s cohesion, combat effectiveness, leadership, and appeal are important reasons why the Communist Party of China has built itself into a strong political party, and are the necessary path for the Party to lead the people in creating great historical achievements.

实践充分证明，团结就是力量，团结才能胜利。不断巩固全党的大团结，不断增强党的凝聚力、战斗力、领导力、号召力，是中国共产党把自己建设成为强大政党的重要原因，是党领导人民创造历史伟业的必由之路。

3. Practical Revelations for Solving the Unique Problems of a Large Party

三、对解决大党独有难题的现实启示

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC in October 2022 explicitly raised the major proposition of “always maintaining the sobriety and firmness to solve the unique problems of a large party.” In January 2023, Xi Jinping pointed out in his speech at the Second Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection: “Our Party is the world’s largest political party, established under the guidance of Marxist party-building theory and in accordance with the principle of democratic centralism, and has been in power for a long time in the world’s most populous country. With a long history, a large number of members, and a huge scale, it has both the great advantage of accomplishing great things and building great achievements, and it also faces special difficulties in governing the Party and the country.” He further summarized the main manifestations of the unique problems of a large party and the ways to solve them using the “six how to always.” [5]5 The “six how to always” (六个如何始终) refers to six persistent challenges for a large ruling party: how to always remain true to the original aspiration and keep the mission firmly in mind; how to always unify thought, will, and action; how to always possess the ability and wisdom to lead; how to always maintain the spirit of struggle and the drive to take on challenges; how to always be clean and honest and exercise power properly; and how to always prevent and overcome laxity and danger.

2022年 10月党的二十大报告明确提出了“必须时刻保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定”的重大命题。2023年 1月，习近平在二十届中央纪委二次全会上的讲话中指出：“我们党是在马克思主义建党学说指导下、按照民主集中制原则建立起来的世界最大政党，在世界上人口最多的国家长期执政，历史久、人数多、规模大，既有办大事、建伟业的巨大优势，也面临治党治国的特殊难题。”他还进一步用“六个如何始终”概括了大党独有难题的主要表现及其破解之道。

Solving the unique problems of a large party is an important part of Party building in the New Era and a key issue in the construction of the CPC as a large party. Combining history and reality, and revisiting Mao Zedong’s exploration of the problem of building a large party and its results, has important revelatory value for our deep understanding of the main manifestations of the unique problems of a large party and the ways to solve them.

解决大党独有难题，是新时代党的建设的重要内容，是中国共产党大党建设的关键议题。把历史和现实相结合，重温毛泽东关于大党建设问题的探索及其成果，对于我们深刻认识大党独有难题的主要表现及其破解之道，具有重要启示价值。

(1) Persist in seeking benefits for the nation and the people, always remaining true to the original aspiration and keeping the mission firmly in mind [6]6 “Original aspiration and founding mission” (初心使命) is a key concept in Xi Jinping’s political discourse, referring to the Party’s founding goal of serving the people and achieving national rejuvenation.

（一）坚持为民族、为人民谋利益，始终做到“不忘初心、牢记使命”

Mao Zedong pointed out: “Because we serve the people, we are not afraid of criticism from others if we have shortcomings. No matter who points them out, we will correct them. If what you say is right, we will do it. If your method is beneficial to the people, we will follow it.” In response to Huang Yanpei’s historical question about escaping the cycle of rise and fall, [7]7 Huang Yanpei (1878–1965), a prominent educator and democratic figure, asked Mao Zedong in 1945 how the CPC could avoid the historical cycle of dynastic rise and fall. Mao’s answer emphasized popular supervision as the solution. Mao Zedong clearly replied: We have already found a new path, and that is “only by letting the people supervise the government can the government not dare to slack off.”

毛泽东指出：“因为我们是为人民服务的，所以，我们如果有缺点，就不怕别人批评指出。不管是什么人，谁向我们指出都行。只要你说得对，我们就改正。你说的办法对人民有好处，我们就照你的办。”面对黄炎培提出的跳出周期率的历史之问，毛泽东更是明确回答说：我们已经找到新路，这就是“只有让人民来监督政府，政府才不敢松懈”。

The reason the Communist Party of China, having come this far, has been able to grow from over 50 Party members to the world’s largest governing party with over 98 million members, is fundamentally that all its work takes the people’s interests as the fundamental consideration. Whatever the people oppose or hate, the Party resolutely corrects or guards against, thereby winning the people’s support and endorsement.

中国共产党一路走来，之所以能够从 50多名党员发展壮大到拥有 9800多万名党员的世界第一大执政党，根本原因就在于所有工作都以人民利益为根本考量，人民群众反对什么、痛恨什么，党就坚决纠正什么、防范什么，从而赢得人民群众的拥护和支持。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has profoundly grasped the new situation and new tasks confronting our Party, emphasizing that “never forget why you started, and you can accomplish your mission” and that “the original aspiration and founding mission of Chinese Communists is to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation.” It has exerted force in both thought and institutions simultaneously and in concert, educating and guiding the broad ranks of Party members and cadres to rectify the source and consolidate the foundation in thought, to bear in mind the fundamental question of what the Chinese Communist Party is and what it is to do, and to forever maintain the political character of Communists. This enlightens us that solving the unique problems of a large party must always uphold the Party’s ideals, convictions, and purposes, adhere to a people-centered approach, take the people’s interests as the starting point and落脚点 [8]8 The Chinese term 落脚点 (luòjiǎo diǎn) literally means “foothold” or “point of landing”; in this context it signifies the ultimate objective or end point of all work. of all work, “always seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, always maintain the Party’s flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, and forever preserve the Party’s advanced nature and purity,” and resolutely guard against all dangers that violate the original aspiration and founding mission and shake the Party’s foundation.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央深刻把握我们党面临的新形势新任务，强调“不忘初心，方得始终”，“中国共产党人的初心和使命，就是为中国人民谋幸福，为中华民族谋复兴”，并从思想和制度两个方面同向发力、同时发力，教育引导广大党员、干部从思想上正本清源、固本培元，牢记中国共产党是什么、要干什么这个根本问题，始终保持共产党人政治本色。这启示我们，解决大党独有难题必须始终坚守党的理想信念宗旨，坚持以人民为中心，把人民的利益作为一切工作的出发点和落脚点，“始终为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴，始终保持党同人民群众的血肉联系，永葆党的先进性和纯洁性”，坚决防范一切违背初心和使命、动摇党的根基的危险。

(2) Persist in Grasping Ideological Education, Always Achieve “Unity of Thought, Unity of Will, and Unity of Action”

（二）坚持掌握思想教育，始终做到“统一思想、统一意志、统一行动”

Mao Zedong pointed out: “We must build a centralized and unified Party” so that “the steps of our entire Party are aligned and we strive for a common goal.” He emphasized that grasping ideological education “is our foremost business” and “the central link in uniting the whole Party to carry out great political struggles.” He likened the Marxist world outlook and methodology to the “common language” within the Party, repeatedly stressing that “studying philosophy (world outlook, methodology) is extremely important” and that “with dialectical materialist thought, many things are saved and many mistakes are avoided.”

毛泽东指出：“我们一定要建设一个集中的统一的党”，“使我们全党的步调整齐一致，为一个共同目标而奋斗”。他强调，掌握思想教育“是我们第一等的业务”，“是团结全党进行伟大政治斗争的中心环节”。他把马克思主义世界观和方法论比喻为党内“共同语言”，反复强调“学哲学（宇宙观，方法论）极为重要”，“有了辩证唯物论的思想，就省得许多事，也少犯许多错误”。

Throughout its journey, the Chinese Communist Party, at every major historical juncture, has insisted on using Marxism and its sinicized innovative theories to unify the thinking of the entire Party. Every intra-Party centralized education has consistently made theoretical study the primary task and carried it through from beginning to end, laying a solid ideological foundation for the unity and solidarity of the whole Party. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has emphasized that “unity in thought is the deepest, most enduring, and most reliable guarantee of the Party’s unity and solidarity,” continuously promoting the use of the latest achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times to arm the entire Party, educating and guiding the broad ranks of Party members and cadres to constantly strengthen the Four Consciousnesses [9]9 The Four Consciousnesses (四个意识) refer to the consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership., firm up the Four Confidences [10]10 The Four Confidences (四个自信) refer to confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics., and achieve the Two Upholds [11]11 The Two Upholds (两个维护) refer to upholding the core position of General Secretary Xi Jinping in the Party Central Committee and the Party as a whole,, always maintaining a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee in thought, politics, and action, and jointly forging the Party into “a piece of hard steel.”

中国共产党一路走来，每逢重大历史关头，都坚持用马克思主义及其中国化创新理论统一全党思想，每次党内集中教育都坚持把理论学习作为首要任务并贯穿始终，为全党团结统一奠定坚实思想基础。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央强调“思想上的统一是党的团结统一最深厚最持久最可靠的保证”，持续推动用马克思主义中国化时代化最新成果武装全党，教育引导广大党员、干部不断增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，始终在思想上政治上行动上同党中央保持高度一致，共同把党锻造成“一块坚硬的钢铁”。

This enlightens us that solving the unique problems of a large party must persist in building the Party through ideology and strengthening the Party through theory, especially in deeply studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, mastering the world outlook and methodology of this thought and the standpoints, viewpoints, and methods that run through it, striving to achieve “unity of thought, unity of will, and unity of action,” and promoting the entire Party to “always think with one mind and exert strength in one direction on major issues and in severe situations, achieving cohesion and unity, ensuring that the whole Party is closely united around the Party Central Committee and advances in step.”

这启示我们，解决大党独有难题必须坚持思想建党、理论强党，特别是深入学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，熟练掌握这一思想的世界观方法论和贯穿其中的立场观点方法，努力“统一思想、统一意志、统一行动”，推动全党“在重大问题、严峻形势面前始终心往一处想、劲往一处使，做到凝心聚力、众志成城，确保全党紧密团结在党中央周围，步调一致向前进”。

(3) Persist in Overcoming Capability Panic, Always Achieve “Possessing Strong Governing Capacity and Leadership Level”

（三）坚持克服本领恐慌，始终做到“具备强大的执政能力和领导水平”

Mao Zedong pointed out: “We want to build a large party; our cadres must study or it won’t do.” Leading cadres must learn while doing, increasing their abilities in practice. If they do not strengthen study and improve their capabilities, “they cannot lead work, cannot improve work, and cannot build a large party.” Mao Zedong explicitly emphasized that “Communists should understand all kinds of things.” The Chinese Communist Party has always attached importance to grasping the study of the entire Party, especially leading cadres, improving capabilities, adapting to changes, and seizing the initiative through creative study, continuously opening up new prospects for the development of the cause. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that “only those who are fond of learning can make progress” and that “Chinese Communists have relied on study to get to where they are today, and they will inevitably rely on study to move toward the future.”

毛泽东指出：“我们要建设大党，我们的干部非学习不可。”领导干部要边学边干，在实践中增长才干，如果不加强学习、提高本领，“就不能领导工作，不能改善工作与建设大党”。毛泽东明确强调，“共产党人就应该懂得各种各样的事情”。中国共产党历来重视抓全党特别是领导干部的学习，在创造性学习中提高本领、适应变化、掌握主动，不断开创事业发展新局面。党的十八大以来，习近平多次强调“好学才能上进”，“中国共产党人依靠学习走到今天，也必然要依靠学习走向未来”。

He explicitly demanded that all comrades in the Party, especially leading cadres at all levels, must be both politically competent and professionally capable, unceasingly strengthening their learning ability, political leadership ability, reform and innovation ability, scientific development ability, law-based governance ability, mass work ability, ability to grasp implementation, and ability to manage risks.

他明确要求全党同志特别是各级领导干部既要政治过硬，也要本领高强，一刻不停地增强学习本领、政治领导本领、改革创新本领、科学发展本领、依法执政本领、群众工作本领、狠抓落实本领、驾驭风险本领。

This enlightens us that solving the unique problems of a large party must value study and be good at study, persist in study, study, and more study, practice, practice, and more practice, strive to “possess strong governing capacity and leadership level,” “keep pace with the times to improve the level of scientific, democratic, and law-based governance, overcome the insufficient capability and capability panic existing in the cadre ranks, ensure adaptation to the requirements of the New Era and possession of the ability to lead modernization construction, achieve political competence and professional capability, and be worthy of the heavy responsibility of national rejuvenation.”

这启示我们，解决大党独有难题必须重视学习、善于学习，坚持学习、学习、再学习，实践、实践、再实践，努力“具备强大的执政能力和领导水平”，“与时俱进提高科学执政、民主执政、依法执政水平，克服干部队伍中存在的能力不足、本领恐慌，确保适应新时代要求、具备领导现代化建设能力，做到政治过硬、本领高强，堪当民族复兴重任”。

(4) Persist in Perpetual Struggle, Always Achieve “Maintaining the Mental State of Undertaking Undertakings and Starting Enterprises”

（四）坚持永久奋斗，始终做到“保持干事创业精神状态”

Mao Zedong pointed out that “the Communist Party is to struggle” and “even after ten thousand years, it will still struggle.” He emphasized that Communist Party members must “play a vanguard and exemplary role in all aspects,” “possess political foresight,” “be full of the spirit of struggle and the spirit of sacrifice,” and “always be firm and brave in the face of difficulties.” Over the past hundred years and more, it is precisely because Party cadres and members have always rushed ahead and worked in the forefront, playing a vanguard and exemplary role, leading the broad masses to overcome difficulties, that we have achieved one victory after another.

毛泽东指出，“共产党就是要奋斗”，“一万年以后，也要奋斗”。他强调，共产党员要“在各方面起其先锋的模范的作用”，要“具有政治远见”，“充满着斗争精神和牺牲精神”，“在困难面前总是坚定的，勇敢向前的”。百余年来，正是因为党员干部始终冲在前、干在先，发挥先锋模范作用，带领广大群众攻坚克难，我们才取得一个又一个胜利。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has explicitly emphasized the need to carry forward the spirit of struggle, to dare to struggle and be good at struggle. Xi Jinping pointed out: “The reason our Party, after a hundred years of vicissitudes, remains in its prime and, after enduring many hardships, continues to thrive, is precisely because of that powerful spirit of revolution plus hard work”; “Socialism is built through hard work; the New Era is achieved through struggle.” He has repeatedly warned all comrades in the Party not to lose themselves amidst a chorus of applause, and to be soberly aware that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will by no means be achieved easily, and that they must be prepared to make more arduous and more strenuous efforts. This enlightens us that solving the unique problems of a large party must carry forward the spirit of carrying the revolution through to the end, “always maintain the mental state of undertaking undertakings and starting enterprises,” “always maintain the spirit of hard struggle, vigor, and vitality,” always maintain the revolutionary fighting spirit and the sobriety of the “examination” [12]12 The “four tests” refer to the tests of governance, reform and opening up, the market economy, and the external environment., “go all out to overcome various difficulties and challenges on the road ahead, and rely on tenacious struggle to continuously open up new horizons for the development of the cause.”

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央明确强调要发扬斗争精神，要敢于斗争、善于斗争。习近平指出：“我们党之所以历经百年而风华正茂、饱经磨难而生生不息，就是凭着那么一股革命加拼命的强大精神”；“社会主义是干出来的，新时代是奋斗出来的”。他多次告诫全党同志不能在一片喝彩声中迷失自我，必须清醒认识到中华民族伟大复兴绝不是轻轻松松就能实现的，必须准备付出更为艰巨、更为艰苦的努力。这启示我们，解决大党独有难题必须发扬将革命进行到底的精神，“始终保持干事创业精神状态”，“始终保持艰苦奋斗、奋发有为的精气神”，始终保持革命的斗志、“赶考”的清醒，“全力战胜前进道路上各种困难和挑战，依靠顽强斗争不断打开事业发展新天地”。

(5) Persist in Self-Revolution, Always Achieve “Timely Discovery and Resolution of One’s Own Problems”

（五）坚持自我革命，始终做到“及时发现和解决自身存在的问题”

Mao Zedong pointed out: Regularly reviewing work “is the only effective method to resist the erosion of various political dust and political microorganisms against our comrades’ thoughts and our Party’s organism.” If shortcomings are not corrected in time, “it will be impossible to take our work a step further, and it will be impossible to take a step further in the great cause of integrating the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution.”

毛泽东指出：经常地检讨工作，“是抵抗各种政治灰尘和政治微生物侵蚀我们同志的思想和我们党的肌体的唯一有效的方法”，如果不及时纠正缺点，“就无法使我们的工作更进一步，就无法使我们在将马克思列宁主义的普遍真理和中国革命的具体实践互相结合的伟大事业中更进一步”。

Throughout its journey, the Chinese Communist Party has also experienced twists and turns and mistakes, but it has never concealed its faults or avoided treatment; instead, it has dared to face problems directly and use the weapon of self-revolution to solve them. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has emphasized that “a strong party is forged in self-revolution” and that “we must promote the Party’s self-revolution with the courage to face problems squarely and the consciousness to turn the blade inward.” Taking the improvement of work style as the entry point for strict governance of the Party and Party management, it has concentrated on resolving the formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance existing within the Party, curbing some unhealthy tendencies that had not been curbed for many years, solving many stubborn and chronic diseases that had long remained unresolved, and eliminating serious hidden dangers existing within the Party, the state, and the military.

中国共产党一路走来，也出现过曲折和失误，但从不讳疾忌医，而是敢于直面问题，运用自我革命的武器来解决问题。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央强调“强大的政党是在自我革命中锻造出来的”，“必须以正视问题的勇气和刀刃向内的自觉不断推进党的自我革命”，并以作风建设为切入点从严治党管党，集中解决党内存在的形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风，刹住了一些多年未刹住的歪风邪气，解决了许多长期没有解决的顽瘴痼疾，清除了党、国家、军队内部存在的严重隐患。

At the same time, the Party Central Committee has also clearly stressed that the “four tests”[12]12 The “four tests” refer to the tests of governance, reform and opening up, the market economy, and the external environment. and “four dangers”[13]13 The “four dangers” refer to the dangers of mental slackness, incompetence, disengagement from the masses, and corruption. facing the Party will exist for a long time, and that Party building, especially the building of a clean government and the fight against corruption, faces many stubborn and recurrent problems, and that there must be no mood of slackening, resting, fatigue, or war-weariness. This teaches us that solving the unique problems of a large party must adhere to a problem-oriented approach, maintain strategic resolve, “promptly discover and resolve problems existing within itself,” “uphold truth, correct errors, always follow the tide of the times and the will of the people, carry forward experience, and draw lessons from setbacks,” advance comprehensive and strict governance of the Party in depth, carry self-revolution through to the end, and “always stay at the forefront of the times and advance in the correct direction amid the historical process of profound changes in the world situation.”

同时，党中央还明确强调，党面临的“四大考验”和“四种危险”将长期存在，党的建设特别是党风廉政建设和反腐败斗争面临不少顽固性、多发性问题，决不能有松劲歇脚、疲劳厌战的情绪。这启示我们，解决大党独有难题必须坚持问题导向，保持战略定力，“及时发现和解决自身存在的问题”，“坚持真理、修正错误，始终顺乎潮流、顺应民心，发扬经验、吸取教训”，把全面从严治党向纵深推进，把自我革命进行到底，“在世界形势深刻变化的历史进程中始终走在时代前列、朝着正确方向前进”。

(6) Persist in rectifying the Party’s style of work, always striving to “maintain a clean and upright political ecosystem”

（六）坚持整顿党的作风，始终做到“保持风清气正的政治生态”

Mao Zedong pointed out: “As long as our Party’s style of work is completely upright, the whole nation will learn from us.” Rectifying the Party’s style of work mainly means “opposing subjectivism to rectify the style of study, opposing sectarianism to rectify the style of Party relations, and opposing Party stereotypes[14]14 “Party stereotypes” (党八股) refers to a rigid, formulaic, and empty style of writing and speech within the Party, criticized by Mao Zedong in his 1942 rectification campaign. to rectify the style of writing.” He also summarized the “style of integrating theory with practice, the style of maintaining close ties with the masses, and the style of self-criticism” as the Party’s three major styles of work. Over the past century and more, the Communist Party of China, from the height of the life-and-death importance of the Party’s work style, has consistently strengthened the building of the Party’s work style and has formed fine traditions such as stressing politics, stressing the overall situation, abiding by rules, and abiding by discipline.

毛泽东指出：“只要我们党的作风完全正派了，全国人民就会跟我们学。”整顿党的作风，主要是“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”。他还将“理论和实践相结合的作风，和人民群众紧密地联系在一起的作风以及自我批评的作风”概括为党的三大作风。百余年来，中国共产党从事关党的生死存亡的高度，一以贯之加强党的作风建设，并形成了讲政治、讲大局、守规矩、守纪律等优良传统。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to leading all aspects of Party building with political construction, emphasizing that “purifying intra-Party political life and cleansing the intra-Party political ecosystem are inherent requirements of the great struggle and the great project, and are important magic weapons for our Party to uphold its nature and purpose.” It has grasped and tightened these as fundamental and foundational issues in Party building, promoting a renewal of the atmosphere of intra-Party political life, a marked improvement in the intra-Party political ecosystem, a significant enhancement of the Party’s creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness, a further consolidation of the Party’s unity and solidarity, and a marked improvement in Party-mass relations. This teaches us that solving the unique problems of a large party must continuously strengthen the building of work style, strive to “cultivate a healthy and positive intra-Party political culture, continuously purify the intra-Party political ecosystem, and gather the powerful positive energy that drives out evil and promotes good,” and constantly enhance the political nature, contemporary relevance, principled nature, and combativeness of intra-Party political life.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚持以政治建设统领党的建设各项工作，强调严肃党内政治生活、净化党内政治生态“是伟大斗争、伟大工程的题中应有之义，是我们党坚持党的性质和宗旨的重要法宝”，将其作为党的建设中带有根本性、基础性的问题抓紧抓好，推动党内政治生活气象更新，党内政治生态明显好转，党的创造力、凝聚力、战斗力显著增强，党的团结统一更加巩固，党群关系明显改善。这启示我们，解决大党独有难题必须不断加强作风建设，努力“涵养积极健康的党内政治文化，持续净化党内政治生态，汇聚激浊扬清的强大正能量”，不断增强党内政治生活政治性、时代性、原则性、战斗性。

Reviewing history is for the sake of better marching into the future. “The best commemoration of Comrade Mao Zedong is to continue pushing forward the cause he initiated.” Revisiting Mao Zedong’s exploration of the problem of building a large party and its empirical lessons is precisely to draw wisdom and strength from it, to deeply advance the great new project of Party building in the New Era on the new journey, to continuously eliminate all factors that harm the Party’s advanced nature and purity, to continuously remove all viruses that erode the Party’s healthy organism, to ensure that the Party never deteriorates, never changes its color, never changes its flavor, to ensure that the Party “being large must have the bearing of a large party,” to always remain the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and to continuously push forward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

回顾历史是为了更好地走向未来，“对毛泽东同志的最好纪念，就是把他开创的事业继续推向前进” 。重温毛泽东关于大党建设问题的探索及其经验，就是要从中汲取智慧和力量，在新征程上深入推进新时代党的建设新的伟大工程，不断清除一切损害党的先进性和纯洁性的因素，不断清除一切侵蚀党的健康肌体的病毒，确保党永远不变质、不变色、不变味，确保党“大就要有大的样子”，始终成为中国特色社会主义事业的坚强领导核心，不断把中华民族伟大复兴的历史伟业推向前进。

(Author: Mao Sheng, Researcher at the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee)

（作者：毛胜，中共中央党史和文献研究院研究员）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心