The Unique Value of the *Annals of the Communist Party of China* (Period of the New Democratic Revolution) by Qu Qingshan

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, with the approval of the Party Central Committee, the *Annals of the Communist Party of China* (Period of the New Democratic Revolution) (hereinafter referred to as the *Annals*), compiled by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, has recently been published by the CPC History Publishing House and released nationwide. The compilation and publication of the *Annals* is of great significance.

在新中国成立75周年之际，经党中央批准，中央党史和文献研究院编著的《中国共产党编年史》（新民主主义革命时期）（以下简称《编年史》）近日由中共党史出版社出版，在全国公开发行。编写出版《编年史》，具有十分重要的意义。

The publication of the *Annals* responds to the new circumstances and new requirements facing Party history and literature work in the New Era.

《编年史》的出版，顺应了新时代党史和文献工作面临的新形势新要求

Compiling the *Annals* is a major political task assigned to the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China by the Party Central Committee. In June 2010, the Party Central Committee issued the *Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Strengthening and Improving Party History Work under the New Circumstances*, which explicitly stated that “gradually compiling and publishing annals” is an important task of Party history work. Thereafter, the *Annals* was successively included in the five-year work plan of the former Party History Research Office of the Central Committee and the two five-year work plans of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Central Committee. In February 2023, after completing the compilation and publication of the Chinese and English editions of *The CPC: A Hundred-Year History*, we, after careful consideration, restarted and focused on advancing the compilation of the *Annals* for the period of the New Democratic Revolution. After more than a year and a half of sustained effort, the *Annals* for the period of the New Democratic Revolution has finally been published. The publication of the *Annals* responds to the new circumstances and new requirements facing Party history and literature work in the New Era; it can be said to have emerged in response to the times and at the right moment.

编写《编年史》，是党中央交给中央党史和文献研究院的一项重大政治任务。2010年6月，党中央印发《中共中央关于加强和改进新形势下党史工作的意见》，明确提出“逐步编纂出版编年史”是党史工作的一项重要任务。在这之后，《编年史》先后列入原中央党史研究室五年工作规划和中央党史和文献研究院两个五年工作规划。2023年2月，我们在完成了《中国共产党的一百年》中、英文版的编写出版任务后，经过慎重考虑，重新启动并着重推进新民主主义革命时期《编年史》的编写工作。经过一年半多的持续攻坚，新民主主义革命时期《编年史》终于出版了。《编年史》的出版，顺应了新时代党史和文献工作面临的新形势新要求，可谓应时而生、恰逢其时。

What “times” does the publication of the *Annals* respond to, and what “moment” does it meet? This “time” is the time of the New Era; it is the new requirements and new expectations of the Party Central Committee and all sectors of society for Party history and literature work; it is the new circumstances and new opportunities facing Party history and literature work in the New Era. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to the Party’s history, and has attached great importance to the summarization, study, education, and publicity of Party history, placing it in an important position in the governance of the country. General Secretary Xi Jinping has delivered a series of important speeches and made a series of important expositions, profoundly elucidating the historical value of our Party’s century-long struggle, profoundly elucidating our Party’s scientific understanding, basic viewpoints, and major conclusions regarding the Party’s history, and profoundly answering major questions such as why to study Party history, what to learn from Party history, and how to study Party history, elevating our Party’s understanding of its own history to a new height. In 2021, the whole Party deeply carried out the study and education of Party history, achieving important political, theoretical, practical, and institutional results; the vast majority of Party members and cadres received a comprehensive and profound political education, ideological tempering, and spiritual baptism. In 2022, the report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC proposed combining theoretical armed with the normalization and long-term effectiveness of carrying out Party history study and education. In February of this year, the Party Central Committee issued the *Regulations on the Work of Party History Study and Education* and issued a notice, requiring “Party committees (Party groups) at all levels to earnestly grasp the study, publicity, and implementation of the *Regulations*,” and “to combine Party history study and education with doing the central work well, guiding Party members and cadres to establish a correct view of Party history, and transforming the learning results into a powerful driving force for doing practical work.” All these have provided both rare opportunities and raised higher requirements for Party history and literature work.

《编年史》的出版应了什么“时”、逢了什么“时”呢？这个“时”，就是新时代之“时”，就是党中央和社会各界对党史和文献工作的新要求和新期待，就是新时代党史和文献工作面临的新形势和新机遇。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央高度重视党的历史，高度重视党史总结、学习、教育、宣传，并将其摆在治国理政的重要位置。习近平总书记发表一系列重要讲话、作出一系列重要论述，深刻阐明我们党百年奋斗的历史价值，深刻阐明我们党关于党的历史的科学认识、基本观点、重大结论，深刻回答为什么学党史、从党史中学什么、怎样学党史等重大问题，把我们党对党的历史的认识提升到了一个新高度。2021年，全党深入开展党史学习教育，取得重要政治成果、理论成果、实践成果、制度成果，广大党员、干部受到一次全面深刻的政治教育、思想淬炼、精神洗礼。2022年，党的二十大报告提出，坚持理论武装同常态化长效化开展党史学习教育相结合。今年2月，党中央印发《党史学习教育工作条例》并发出通知，要求“各级党委（党组）要认真抓好《条例》的学习宣传和贯彻落实”，“把党史学习教育同做好中心工作结合起来，引导党员干部树立正确党史观，把学习成果转化为干事创业的强大动力”。这些都给党史和文献工作既提供了难得机遇，也提出了更高要求。

The decision to start and focus on advancing the compilation and publication of the *Annals* for the period of the New Democratic Revolution was made on the basis of a profound grasp of the new requirements and new expectations of the Party Central Committee and all sectors of society for Party history and literature work, and a profound understanding of the new circumstances and new opportunities facing Party history and literature work in the New Era. After unremitting efforts, the *Annals* has now been published. This is a product of conforming to the times and circumstances, advancing with the times, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, and acting proactively. It is another important achievement of Party history and literature work in the New Era, and a concrete action by Party history and literature workers to forge ahead in the New Era and make contributions in the New Era.

启动并着重推进新民主主义革命时期《编年史》的编写和出版工作，就是在深刻把握党中央和社会各界对党史和文献工作的新要求和新期待、深刻认识新时代党史和文献工作面临的新形势和新机遇基础上作出的慎重决策。经过不懈努力，现在《编年史》出版了，这是顺时应势、与时偕行、守正创新、积极作为的产物，是新时代党史和文献工作取得的又一重要成果，是党史和文献工作者奋进新时代、建功新时代的具体行动。

The publication of the *Annals* enriches the composition of basic Party history works.

《编年史》的出版，丰富了党史基本著作的构成

Before the publication of the *Annals*, the basic Party history works that could be called such, approved for publication by the Party Central Committee, mainly included *The History of the Communist Party of China*, Volumes 1 and 2, *The CPC: A Hundred-Year History*, *Major Events in the 100-Year History of the Communist Party of China (July 1921 – June 2021)*, and *A Concise History of the Communist Party of China*. However, these works all adopt a general historical approach, are highly condensed, outline the essentials, and extract the essence from the vast material, with a relatively limited volume. For the deep-level and diverse needs of academia and the broad masses of cadres and the people in studying, understanding, and using Party history, they are still insufficient and “do not quench the thirst.” If we compare our Party’s history to a towering tree, the content described by existing basic Party history works such as *The History of the Communist Party of China*, Volumes 1 and 2, and *The CPC: A Hundred-Year History* constitutes the tall trunk and outline of this tree, but does not fully present the tree’s luxuriant foliage and its various components. To better meet the deep-level and diverse needs of Party history research and all sectors of society, it is very necessary to introduce more authoritative basic Party history works that can reflect the luxuriant foliage of this tree of Party history and the microscopic details of this picture scroll. The *Annals* published this time strives to become such a work.

在《编年史》出版前，经党中央批准出版的能够称作党史基本著作的主要包括《中国共产党历史》第一卷、第二卷和《中国共产党的一百年》《中国共产党一百年大事记（1921年7月—2021年6月）》《中国共产党简史》等。但是，这些著作都采用通史的写法，而且高度凝练、提纲挈领、取精用宏，体量比较有限，对于学术界和广大干部群众学党史、知党史、用党史的深层次、多样性需求来说，还不够用、还“不解渴”。如果把我们党的历史比作一棵参天大树，《中国共产党历史》第一卷、第二卷和《中国共产党的一百年》等既有党史基本著作所描写的内容构成了这棵大树挺拔的主干和轮廓，而没有完整呈现大树的枝繁叶茂和各个组成部分。为了更好满足党史研究和社会各界的深层次、多样性需求，就很有必要推出更多能够反映党的历史这棵大树的枝繁叶茂、这幅画卷的微观细节的权威党史基本著作。这次出版的《编年史》就力求成为这样的著作。

This work covers one volume per year from 1921 to 1949, totaling 29 volumes and over 9 million characters. It focuses on recording our Party’s important activities in politics, military affairs, economy, culture, society, foreign relations, and Party building during the period of the New Democratic Revolution, comprehensively reflecting the history of the Communist Party of China leading the Chinese people to win the great victory of the New Democratic Revolution through unremitting struggle, fearless sacrifice, theoretical exploration, benefiting the people, and self-construction. It strives to integrate political nature, authority, documentary value, ideological content, academic rigor, and vividness into one. It is the most content-rich and voluminous annalistic basic Party history work to date. The publication of the *Annals* can be organically matched, mutually supplemented, and cross-validated with existing basic Party history works, greatly enriching and expanding the composition of basic Party history works. The relevant content in basic Party history works such as *The History of the Communist Party of China*, Volume 1, plus the content of these 29 volumes of the *Annals*, should basically be able to comprehensively, systematically, and three-dimensionally reflect our Party’s history during the period of the New Democratic Revolution. Whether for the broad masses of cadres and the people or for experts and scholars in Party history research, the combination and matching of these basic works further enriches the content of this historical period of the Party.

这部著作从1921年到1949年每年1卷，共计29卷、900多万字，着重记述新民主主义革命时期我们党在政治、军事、经济、文化、社会、对外关系、党的建设等各方面的重要活动，全面反映中国共产党带领中国人民夺取新民主主义革命伟大胜利的不懈奋斗史、不怕牺牲史、理论探索史、为民造福史、自身建设史，努力集政治性、权威性、资料性、思想性、学术性、生动性于一体，是迄今为止内容最丰富、体量最庞大的一部编年体党史基本著作。《编年史》的出版，可以与已有党史基本著作有机搭配、彼此补充、互为印证，大大丰富和拓展党史基本著作的构成。《中国共产党历史》第一卷等党史基本著作中的相关内容，加上这29卷《编年史》的内容，应该基本上能够比较全面、系统、立体反映我们党在新民主主义革命时期的历史。无论是对于广大干部群众来说，还是对于党史研究的专家学者而言，这些基本著作组合和配套进一步丰富了党的这一历史时期的内容。

The publication of the *Annals* fills a gap in Party history research.

《编年史》的出版，填补了党史研究的空白

The Chinese nation has since ancient times possessed a fine tradition of preserving history, studying history, and governing through history, accumulating and developing a variety of genres for the compilation of historical texts. The compilation of historical texts can be divided into different genres according to different criteria. For example, according to the temporal and spatial boundaries of the history to be recorded, they can be broadly divided into general histories, dynastic histories, and national histories; according to whether the main thread of content arrangement is chronology, figures, or events, they can be broadly divided into the annalistic style, the biographical style, the narrative style, and so forth. Among these, the annalistic style is a genre of historical text that emerged relatively early in China and developed to a very mature stage, possessing its own unique value, and it remains a basic form commonly adopted by various types of historical works to this day. When we conduct research on Party history and write basic Party history works, we should also pay attention to adopting this genre. As early as 1980, Comrade Hu Qiaomu [n1] proposed that “if we are to advance China’s historical science to a new level, we must open up broader fields of research,” and not merely focus on compiling general histories. Comrade Hu Qiaomu’s viewpoint is highly enlightening for our research and writing of Party history. Among the large-scale Party history works already published in China, such as *The History of the Communist Party of China*, Volumes I and II, and *The Communist Party of China: A Century of History*, all adopt the general history approach; although some annalistic-style Party history works have also been published, such as *Major Events in the History of the Communist Party of China* compiled by the former Party History Research Office of the CPC Central Committee, and *Major Events in the Hundred-Year History of the Communist Party of China (July 1921 – June 2021)* compiled by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, their scale and weight are relatively limited. This determines that systematically writing the history of our Party during the period of the New Democratic Revolution in the annalistic style naturally has the significance of filling a gap.

中华民族自古就有存史、学史、治史的优良传统，积累形成了史书编纂的多种体裁。史书的编纂，根据不同标准可以划分为不同体裁。比如，按照所要记叙的历史的时空界限，可以大致划分为通史、断代史、国别史；按照内容编排的主要线索是年代、是人物、还是事件，可以大致划分为编年体、纪传体、纪事本末体；等等。其中，编年体是我国较早出现并发展得非常成熟的一种史书体裁，有其独特的价值，至今仍是各类史学著作普遍采用的一种基本形式。我们开展党史研究、撰写党史基本著作，也应该注意采用这种体裁。早在1980年，胡乔木同志就提出，“我们要把中国的历史科学推进到一个新的高度，就必须开辟更广阔的研究领域”，而不能只注重编写通史。胡乔木同志这个观点对我们研究和编写党的历史是很有启迪意义的。在目前国内已经出版的大部头的党史著作中，像《中国共产党历史》第一卷、第二卷和《中国共产党的一百年》等，都是采用通史的写法；虽然也出版了一些编年体的党史著作，如原中央党史研究室编写的《中国共产党历史大事记》，以及中央党史和文献研究院编写的《中国共产党一百年大事记（1921年7月—2021年6月）》等，但不论是体量还是分量，都相对比较有限。这就决定了以编年体的体裁，把我们党在新民主主义革命时期的历史系统写出来，自然就具有填补空白的意义。

The *Chronicle*, as its name suggests, should adopt the annalistic style. Whether this genre can reflect Party history, how it reflects it, and what the result looks like—there was previously no complete, formed model to refer to; progress could only be made through exploration and summarization. During the compilation process, the research group broke away from the habitual thinking of writing general Party histories and primarily adopted the annalistic style. Using a clear timeline and important junctures, they linked and connected the developmental thread of Party history, organizing it by year into volumes, by month into chapters, and recording day by day. They meticulously designed the core content and timing of entries, striving to make the temporal coordinates of Party history’s development and evolution clear at a glance and the logical thread distinct and explicit. At the same time, the research group also supplemented this with the narrative style where necessary for the flow of the text, appropriately “packaging” and “merging” some important Party history events, in order to present the complete context, causes, and consequences of events in a relatively systematic way. Taking the annalistic style as the main approach, supplemented by the narrative style, with time as the warp and events as the weft—this method of writing is not only innovative in genre but also effectively increases the readability and vividness of the content. The publication of the *Chronicle* is a valuable achievement born of courageous exploration and adept innovation, and it holds exploratory and pioneering positive significance in filling gaps in Party history research and innovating Party history research methods.

《编年史》，顾名思义，其体裁就应当是编年体。以这样的体裁反映党史，能不能反映、怎么样反映、反映出来是个什么样子，此前并没有一个完整的成型的模子可以参考，只能在摸索和总结中前进。在编写过程中，课题组打破之前撰写党史通史的思维惯性，主要采用编年体这一体裁，用鲜明的时间线和重要的关节点，串联和贯通党史的发展脉络，按年设卷、每月成章、逐日记叙，精心设计条目的核心内容和出现时间，努力做到党史发展演进的时间坐标一目了然、逻辑线条清晰明确。同时，课题组还根据行文需要辅助采用纪事本末体的体裁，对一些重要党史事件适当进行“打包”“合并”，以求比较完整系统地呈现事件的来龙去脉、前因后果。以编年体为主、辅之以纪事本末体，以时间为经、以事件为纬，这样的写法，不仅本身就具有体裁上的创新性，而且也有效增加了内容的可读性和生动性。《编年史》的出版，是勇于探索、善于创新取得的宝贵成果，在填补党史研究空白、创新党史研究方法方面，具有探索性、开创性的积极意义。

The publication of the *Chronicle* provides another authoritative textbook and basic reader for the study, research, publicity, and education of Party history.

《编年史》的出版，为开展党史学习、研究、宣传、教育提供了又一部权威教材和基础读本

Regarding how to view Party history, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the need to adhere to a correct view of Party history. In November 2021, at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee [n2], concerning the question of “summarizing the major achievements and historical experience of the Party’s century-long struggle,” General Secretary Xi Jinping emphatically stressed three points: First, “we must adhere to the methodology of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, and view the Party’s history from a concrete and historical, objective and comprehensive, connected and developmental perspective.” Second, “we must adhere to a correct view of Party history and establish a grand view of history, accurately grasp the theme, main line, mainstream, and essence of the Party’s historical development, correctly treat the mistakes and twists and turns the Party experienced on its path forward, draw experience from successes, learn lessons from mistakes, and continuously open up the path to victory.” Third, “we must take a clear stand against historical nihilism, strengthen ideological guidance and theoretical analysis, clarify vague understandings and one-sided interpretations of some major historical issues in Party history, and better get to the root of the matter.” In December of the same year, at the special thematic meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Party history learning and education [n3], General Secretary Xi Jinping further emphasized the need to “solemnly, comprehensively, and authoritatively make a scientific summary of the Party’s history, and on this basis persistently advance the summary, study, education, and publicity of Party history, so that a correct view of Party history is established more deeply and broadly, and that orthodox history becomes the consensus of the entire Party and the whole society.” In these important expositions, General Secretary Xi Jinping prominently emphasized the character “correct” (正). Whether it is “correct view of Party history,” “correct treatment,” “getting to the root of the matter” (正本清源), or “orthodox history” (正史), the key word is “correct.” This requires that when we conduct Party history study, research, publicity, and education, especially when compiling Party history works, textbooks, and readers, we must always adhere to and implement the standard and requirement of “correctness,” uphold historical materialism and a correct view of Party history, narrate and promote orthodox history and credible history, and get to the root of the matter while eliminating the false and retaining the true. The compilation of the *Chronicle* has earnestly implemented such requirements, striving to write an orthodox Party history work.

关于如何看待党的历史，习近平总书记反复强调要坚持正确党史观。2021年11月，在党的十九届六中全会上，关于如何“总结党的百年奋斗重大成就和历史经验”的问题，习近平总书记着重强调了三点：一是“要坚持辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义的方法论，用具体历史的、客观全面的、联系发展的观点来看待党的历史”。二是“要坚持正确党史观、树立大历史观，准确把握党的历史发展的主题主线、主流本质，正确对待党在前进道路上经历的失误和曲折，从成功中吸取经验，从失误中吸取教训，不断开辟走向胜利的道路”。三是“要旗帜鲜明反对历史虚无主义，加强思想引导和理论辨析，澄清对党史上一些重大历史问题的模糊认识和片面理解，更好正本清源”。同年12月，习近平总书记在中央政治局召开的党史学习教育专题民主生活会上又强调，要“郑重、全面、权威地对党的历史作出科学总结，并在此基础上持之以恒推进党史总结、学习、教育、宣传，让正确党史观更深入、更广泛地树立起来，让正史成为全党全社会的共识”。习近平总书记在这些重要论述中，突出强调了一个“正”字，无论是“正确党史观”“正确对待”，还是“正本清源”“正史”，关键词都是一个“正”字。这就要求我们开展党史学习、研究、宣传、教育，特别是在编写党史著作、党史教材、党史读本时，必须始终坚持和贯彻“正”的标准和要求，坚持唯物史观和正确党史观，讲述和弘扬正史、信史，要正本清源、激浊扬清。《编年史》的编写就切实贯彻了这样的要求，努力书写一部党史正史著作。

During the compilation process, the *Chronicle* firmly adhered to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, earnestly studied and implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions and directive instructions on Party history and literature work, adhered to dialectical materialism and historical materialism, adhered to a correct view of Party history, adhered to emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts, adhered to the unity of Party spirit and scientific spirit, strictly followed the Party’s three historical resolutions [n4] and a series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new conclusions of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core regarding Party history, paid attention to referencing basic Party history works already approved for publication by the Party Central Committee, accurately grasped the theme, main line, mainstream, and essence of the Party’s historical development, took a clear stand against historical nihilism, highlighted the key content of each period, ensured that major events were not omitted, important figures were given due prominence, and important evaluations had authoritative bases. In short, this is an orthodox history work and authoritative textbook that adheres to and applies a correct view of Party history in writing the history of our Party during the period of the New Democratic Revolution. It can serve as a basic reader and reference book for promoting the normalization and long-term effectiveness of Party history learning and education, for promoting the entire Party and the whole society to learn and use Party history well, and for educating, enlightening, moving, and inspiring people with the Party’s history.

《编年史》在编写过程中，牢牢坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，认真学习贯彻习近平总书记关于党史和文献工作的重要论述和重要指示批示精神，坚持辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义，坚持正确党史观，坚持解放思想、实事求是，坚持党性原则和科学精神相统一，严格遵循党的三个历史决议和以习近平同志为核心的党中央关于党的历史的一系列新思想新观点新论断，注重参考党中央已经批准出版的党史基本著作，准确把握党的历史发展的主题主线、主流本质，旗帜鲜明反对历史虚无主义，突出各个时段重点内容，确保重大事件不遗漏，重要人物浓墨重彩，重要评价有权威依据。总之，这是一部坚持和运用正确党史观书写我们党在新民主主义革命时期历史的正史著作和权威教材，可以成为推动党史学习教育常态化长效化，推动全党全社会学好党史、用好党史，用党的历史教育人、启迪人、感化人、鼓舞人的基础读本和工具书。

(Author: Qu Qingshan, President of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee)

（作者：曲青山，中央党史和文献研究院院长）

Online Editor: Jin Qiu

网络编辑：金秋