Comrade Mao Zedong’s Profound Elucidation of Firmly Upholding the Correct Political Direction during the Yan’an Period

During the 13 years when the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was in Yan’an, one very important reason why the CPC was able to achieve the historic transformation from small to large and from weak to strong, lead the people to victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, and lay the foundation for victory in the People’s War of Liberation, lay in its consistent adherence to the correct political direction and its scientific handling of the relationship between the lofty ideal and the current tasks. Firmly upholding the correct political direction is the core content and essence of the Yan’an Spirit. During the Yan’an period, Comrade Mao Zedong made many incisive and vivid expositions on firmly upholding the correct political direction. Reviewing these expositions remains of great significance for our adherence to the correct political direction today. “The political direction is like a person’s head.”

中共中央在延安的13年里，中国共产党之所以能够实现由小到大、由弱到强的历史性转变，领导人民取得抗日战争的胜利，并为人民解放战争的胜利奠定基础，其中一个很重要的原因就在于始终坚持正确的政治方向，科学地处理好远大理想与当前任务的关系。坚定正确的政治方向是延安精神的核心内容与精髓。延安时期，毛泽东同志对坚定正确的政治方向曾有过许多精辟而生动的论述，重温这些论述，对于我们今天始终坚持正确政治方向仍有着重要意义。“政治方向好像是一个人的头”

The concept of firmly upholding the correct political direction was initially put forward by Comrade Mao Zedong as a requirement for running the Counter-Japanese Military and Political University (abbreviated as Kangda) and the Northern Shaanxi Public School (abbreviated as Shaan Gong). On March 5, 1938, Comrade Mao Zedong wrote an inscription for the Kangda Alumni Association, for the first time explicitly stating Kangda’s school-running policy and talent cultivation goal: “An unswerving political direction, a hard-working style of work, coupled with flexible and mobile strategy and tactics, will surely enable us to expel Japanese imperialism and establish a free and liberated New China.” On March 19 of the same year, in his speech at the opening ceremony of the Fifth Brigade of Kangda’s Fourth Intake, he further pointed out that at Kangda one must learn to fight, but also learn politics, with greater emphasis on military affairs. Politics governs military affairs, and the two must be unified and coordinated. At Kangda, one must learn the correct political direction, the revolutionary style of hard struggle, and flexible strategy and tactics.

坚定正确的政治方向，最初是毛泽东同志为抗日军政大学（简称抗大）和陕北公学（简称陕公）提出的办学要求。1938年3月5日，毛泽东同志为抗大同学会题词，首次明确提出了抗大的办学方针和人才培养目标：“坚定不移的政治方向，艰苦奋斗的工作作风，加上机动灵活的战略战术，便一定能够驱逐日本帝国主义，建立自由解放的新中国。”同年3月19日，他在抗大第四期第五大队开学典礼上讲话时又指出，在抗大要学习打仗，也要学习政治，更着重于军事。政治是管着军事的，二者又要统一地配合起来。在抗大要学到正确的政治方向、艰苦奋斗的革命作风和灵活的战略战术。

Thereafter, Comrade Mao Zedong elaborated on this policy many times. On April 1, 1938, Shaan Gong held the opening ceremony for its second intake, and Comrade Mao Zedong attended and delivered a speech. He said that the reason the Communist Party was trusted by the people was that its political direction represented the will of the overwhelming majority of the entire Chinese people, and its work style inherited the glorious traditions of the Chinese nation. He also gave a concrete explanation of what constitutes the unswerving political direction of Communists. He pointed out that the Communist Party has one direction, a political direction. This direction, which the people of the whole country consider good, is to overthrow imperialism and complete democratic politics. This political direction represents the opinions of the overwhelming majority of the entire Chinese people. This is the general direction that the CPC has put forward over the past seventeen years, the general direction that the people of the whole country endorse. There is also another direction, which is the ideal of socialism. Comrade Mao Zedong emphasized: “This political direction is to indicate the path the people of the whole country should take. The political direction is like a person’s head; only when there is a head can the other parts move.” (Mao Zedong: “On the Issue of Cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party” (April 5, 1938), *Party Documents*, 1995, Issue 4)

此后，毛泽东同志多次对这一方针进行阐发。1938年4月1日，陕公举行第二期开学典礼，毛泽东同志参加典礼并发表讲话。他说，共产党之所以被人们信仰，是由于她的政治方向代表了全中国绝大多数人的意愿，她的工作作风继承了中华民族的光荣传统。他还对什么是共产党人坚定不移的政治方向作了具体的解释。他指出，共产党有一个方向，政治的方向。这一个方向，全国人民都以为是好的，那就是打倒帝国主义，完成民主政治。这个政治方向是代表全中国绝大多数人的意见的。这是中共十七年来提出的总方向，全国人民都赞成的总方向。还有一个方向，就是社会主义的理想。毛泽东同志强调：“这个政治方向就是指示全国人民要走的路。政治方向好像是一个人的头，有了头其他各部分才能动作。”（毛泽东：《国共两党合作问题》（一九三八年四月五日），《党的文献》1995年第4期）

On April 9 of the same year, at the opening ceremony of the Third Brigade of Kangda’s Fourth Intake, in response to a student’s question about what they would learn at Kangda, Comrade Mao Zedong further pointed out: “First, learn a political direction. There can be many different political directions; you must learn a correct political direction, that is, the correct political direction of fighting Japan, how to fight Japan, and why Japanese imperialism can certainly be defeated. Second, learn a work style to achieve and complete this political direction—a hard-working style of work. Only with this style can you achieve and complete the above political direction. Third, learn some strategy and tactics. Kangda is a military school; you must learn to be a soldier and learn some military skills.” In short, at Kangda one must learn a firm and correct political direction, a hard-working style of work, plus flexible strategy and tactics. “With these three things, we can finally defeat the enemy.”

同年4月9日，在抗大第四期第三大队开学典礼上，毛泽东同志在回答学员提出的来抗大学什么这个问题时，进一步指出：“首先是学一个政治方向。政治方向可以有许多不同的方向，你们要学一个正确的政治方向，这就是要打日本、怎样打日本、为什么日本帝国主义一定能打倒的正确的政治方向。其次要学一个达到及完成这种政治方向的工作作风——艰苦奋斗的工作作风。必得有这种作风才能达到及完成以上的政治方向。再次是要学点战略战术。抗大是军事学校，要学做一个军人，学点军事本领。”总之，在抗大要学到坚定正确的政治方向、艰苦奋斗的工作作风，加上灵活的战略战术。“有了这三样东西，我们便能够最后战败敌人。”

Only a correct political direction can provide correct guidance for the future of the country and the people; only then can the Chinese nation continue to advance on the right path and have a bright future. Only by choosing the correct political direction can an individual closely link their personal struggle with the destiny of the country and the nation, and only then can they become a person beneficial to the people and to society.

只有正确的政治方向，才能给国家和人民的前途以正确的指向，中华民族才会在正确的道路上不断前行，也才会有光明的未来。一个人只有选择正确的政治方向，才能将个人的奋斗与国家民族的命运紧密联系在一起，也才能使自己成为一个有益于人民、有益于社会的人。

A correct political direction must be unswervingly upheld

正确的政治方向必须做到坚定不移

To firmly uphold the correct political direction, one must not only choose the correct political direction but also remain unswerving in that direction. In fact, while choosing the correct political direction is certainly not easy, consistently upholding such a direction is even more difficult. Among the representatives who attended the First National Congress of the CPC, some dropped out midway and did not persist to the end; amidst the bloody storm after the failure of the Great Revolution, some weak-willed individuals could not withstand the test of the harsh environment and left the Party’s ranks; after the outbreak of the All-Out War of Resistance, a few individuals within the revolutionary ranks succumbed to the temptation of high office and generous salaries offered by the Kuomintang and the Japanese puppets. Undoubtedly, the political direction these defectors initially chose was correct, but they lacked revolutionary steadfastness and ultimately betrayed their own correct choice. Therefore, Communists must not only choose the correct political direction but also possess the firm consciousness and unchanging perseverance to uphold this correct political direction.

坚定正确的政治方向，既要选择正确的政治方向，更要对这样的政治方向做到坚定不移。事实上，选择正确的政治方向固然不易，但始终坚定这样的政治方向更难。在出席中共一大的代表中，就有人中途退出没有坚持到底；在大革命失败后的腥风血雨里，亦有意志薄弱者未能经受残酷环境的考验离开了党的队伍；全民族抗战爆发后，革命队伍中也有个别人经不起国民党和日伪高官厚禄的诱惑。无疑，这些退出者一开始选择的政治方向是正确的，但他们没有革命的坚定性，最后背离了自己的正确选择。因此，共产党人不但要选择正确的政治方向，而且还要具有坚持这个正确政治方向的坚定自觉与不变恒心。

On April 30, 1938, as the students of the Second Brigade of Kangda’s Third Intake were about to graduate, Comrade Mao Zedong attended the graduation ceremony and delivered a speech. He said that all members of the Eighth Route Army should become models for the whole country. The role of a model lies not in verbal statements but in practical action; it lies not in raising both hands to endorse Marxism, but primarily in implementing Marxism in practice. He called on everyone to learn the spirit of the Foolish Old Man who moved mountains, to completely remove the three mountains of imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucratic capitalism. [1]1 The “three mountains” refers to imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucratic capitalism, which Mao Zedong identified as the main oppressors of the Chinese people before the revolution. In his speech, he again demanded that the students have a firm and correct political direction, a hard-working and plain-living style of work, and flexible and mobile strategy and tactics. To illustrate the extreme importance of these three elements, he used the characters from *Journey to the West* [2]2 *Journey to the West* is a classic 16th-century Chinese novel about the monk Tang Seng’s pilgrimage to India to obtain Buddhist scriptures, accompanied by his three disciples and a dragon horse. as a vivid analogy. He said: “Tang Seng [3]3 Tang Seng is the central character of *Journey to the West*, a Buddhist monk on a pilgrimage to retrieve sacred scriptures. was single-mindedly determined to go to the Western Heaven to obtain the scriptures. He endured eighty-one tribulations and never turned back; his direction was unswerving. But he also had shortcomings: he was careless and lacked vigilance, and he couldn’t recognize the enemy when they changed their guise. Zhu Bajie [4]4 Zhu Bajie is a half-human, half-pig disciple of Tang Seng in *Journey to the West*, known for his gluttony and laziness but also his strength and endurance. had many shortcomings, but he had one virtue: he was not afraid of hardship. It was he who dug through the Stinky Persimmon Alley. Sun Wukong [5]5 Sun Wukong is the Monkey King, a powerful and clever disciple of Tang Seng in *Journey to the West*, known for his agility and trickery but also his impulsiveness. was very flexible and agile, but his greatest shortcoming was that his direction was not firm; he was half-hearted. Don’t underestimate that little white dragon horse [6]6 The white dragon horse is a transformed dragon prince who serves as Tang Seng’s steed in *Journey to the West*, known for his silent endurance and reliability.; it sought neither fame nor profit, worked hard in obscurity, and brought the scriptures back. This is a simple, down-to-earth style worthy of our emulation.” The story Comrade Mao Zedong told enlightens us that for an organization or a group to achieve success, it must have the correct direction, firm conviction, indomitable courage, and a spirit of hard struggle. Communists seek the true scriptures of Marxism; the goals they must achieve are loftier, the mission they bear is more glorious, and they must make tremendous efforts, remain unswerving in the correct political direction, and be unwavering in the pursuit of the correct faith they have chosen.

1938年4月30日，抗大第三期第二大队的学员即将毕业之际，毛泽东同志出席毕业典礼并发表讲话。他说，八路军都应当成为全国的模范。模范作用不在于口头上说，而在于事实上做；不在于两只手举起来赞成马克思主义，主要的在于实际中去实行马克思主义。他要求大家学习愚公挖山的精神，把帝国主义、封建主义和官僚资本主义三座山统统移掉。在讲话中再次要求学员们具有坚定正确的政治方向、艰苦朴素的工作作风、灵活机动的战略战术。为了说明这三者的极端重要性，他用《西游记》中的人物作了生动形象的说明。他说，唐僧这个人，一心一意想去西天取经，遭受了九九八十一难，百折不回，他的方向是坚定不移的，但他也有缺点：麻痹、警惕性不高，敌人换个花样就不认识了。猪八戒有许多缺点，但有一个优点，就是不怕艰苦。臭柿胡同就是他拱开的。孙猴子很灵活，很机动，但他最大的缺点是方向不坚定，三心二意。别小看了那匹小白龙马，它不图名，不为利，埋头苦干，把经取回来，这是一种朴素、踏实的作风，是值得我们取法的。毛泽东同志讲述的这个故事启示我们，一个组织、一个团体要想取得成功，就必须有正确的方向、坚定的信念、百折不挠的勇气、艰苦奋斗的精神。共产党人要取的是马克思主义的真经，要实现的目标更崇高，肩负的使命更光荣，必须付出巨大的努力，在正确的政治方向上坚定不移，为追求自己所选择的正确信仰而矢志不渝。

On May 30, 1939, Comrade Mao Zedong attended the award ceremony for model youth held by the Northwest Youth National Salvation Association. In his speech, he stated that the Chinese youth movement has a fine revolutionary tradition, namely “perpetual struggle.” The Communist Party inherits this tradition, has passed it down, and must continue to pass it on in the future. He explicitly stated that one must have a correct political direction, but having only this correct political direction is not enough; if one discards it after three or five years, isn’t that in vain? Therefore, after having the correct political direction, one must also be firm; that is, one must have a “firm and correct political direction.” This direction must be unshakable; one must have the moral integrity to uphold this direction, being “neither corrupted by riches and honors, nor moved by poverty and lowliness, nor subdued by power and force.” [7]7 This phrase is a classical Chinese idiom from the Mencius, describing the moral integrity of a true gentleman who remains steadfast in the face of temptation, poverty, or coercion. To firmly uphold the correct political direction, one must be supported by firm ideals and convictions. Only by taking the firming of ideals and convictions as the foundation for strengthening Party spirit can one withstand all kinds of tests and not lose one’s way on the path forward. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out that as long as one has firm ideals and convictions and an unremitting spirit of struggle, and does every ordinary thing down-to-earth, all ordinary people can achieve extraordinary lives, and all ordinary work can create extraordinary achievements.

1939年5月30日，毛泽东同志参加西北青年救国会举行的模范青年授奖大会，他在讲话中提出，中国青年运动有很好的革命传统，那就是“永久奋斗”，共产党是继承这个传统的，现在传下来了，以后更要继续传下去。他明确提出在政治上要有一个正确的方向，但是光有这个正确的政治方向是不够的，过了三年五年，就把它丢了，那还不是枉然？所以，有了正确的政治方向后，还要坚定，就是说，要有“坚定正确的政治方向”。这个方向是不可动摇的，要有富贵不能淫，贫贱不能移，威武不能屈的骨气来坚持这个方向。坚定正确的政治方向，必须有坚定的理想信念作支撑，唯有把坚定理想信念作为加强党性修养的根本，才能经受住种种考验，在前行的道路上不迷失方向。习近平总书记指出，只要有坚定的理想信念、不懈的奋斗精神，脚踏实地把每件平凡的事做好，一切平凡的人都可以获得不平凡的人生，一切平凡的工作都可以创造不平凡的成就。

To firmly uphold the correct political direction, one must bear “two kinds of responsibility: the actual tasks of the present and the lofty ideals of the future.” Clearly, the political direction that Comrade Mao Zedong repeatedly referred to during the Yan’an Period was precisely the goal that Chinese Communists strive to achieve, and the development path taken to realize this goal. There is no doubt that the most fundamental and long-term political direction that Communists should always uphold is socialism and communism. However, at that time, China was a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. To realize socialism and then communism, it was first necessary to overthrow the reactionary rule of imperialism and feudalism and carry out a democratic revolution against imperialism and feudalism. Therefore, the overall political direction of Chinese Communists was to advance towards the lofty ideal of socialism and communism, but the specific political direction needed to be constantly adjusted in accordance with the development of the national conditions and the situation, that is, the historical juncture at which the Party found itself.

坚定正确政治方向必须担负“现时实际任务与将来远大理想两种责任”。很显然，毛泽东同志延安时期反复提到的政治方向，其实就是中国共产党人奋斗所要实现的目标，以及为实现这一目标所走的发展道路。毫无疑问，共产党人最根本最长远应当始终不变的政治方向，就是社会主义和共产主义，但当时中国处于半殖民地半封建社会，要实现社会主义进而实现共产主义，必须首先推翻帝国主义和封建主义的反动统治，开展反帝反封建的民主革命。因此，中国共产党人总的政治方向，就是朝着社会主义、共产主义这个远大理想努力前行，但具体政治方向需要随着国情、形势的发展即党所处的历史方位而不断调整。

In early May 1937, before the outbreak of the full-scale War of Resistance Against Japan, the National Congress of the Communist Party of China was convened in Yan’an. Comrade Mao Zedong delivered a report at the congress on the current political situation and the Party’s tasks. In light of the situation where the Kuomintang and the Communist Party were about to achieve a second round of cooperation, the Anti-Japanese National United Front was basically taking shape, and the Red Army was about to be reorganized and dispatched to the front lines of the War of Resistance, Comrade Mao Zedong reminded the entire Party that, in order to unite and jointly resist Japan, the Communist Party of China advocated implementing Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Three Principles of the People as the common political foundation for Kuomintang-Communist cooperation. However, this did not mean abandoning one’s own political ideals or changing one’s own political development direction. Therefore, “Communists will never abandon their ideals of socialism and communism; they will pass through the stage of the bourgeois-democratic revolution to reach the stage of socialism and communism. The Communist Party of China has its own political and economic program. Its highest program is socialism and communism, which is different from the Three Principles of the People.” [8]8 The Three Principles of the People (nationalism, democracy, and people’s livelihood) were the political platform of Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of the Republic of China. During the first Kuomintang-Communist united front (1924-1927), the CPC accepted them as a basis for cooperation while maintaining its own communist goals. When making the concluding remarks for the congress, in response to someone’s question about the future of the revolution, Comrade Mao Zedong clearly pointed out that the task of the Chinese Communist Party was to write two articles: the first part was the democratic revolution, and the second part was socialism. “Only when the first part is well written can the second part be well written. Resolutely leading the democratic revolution is the condition for winning the victory of socialism.” “We are advocates of revolutionary transformation, advocating the transformation of the democratic revolution towards the direction of socialism.”

全民族抗战爆发前的1937年5月上旬，中国共产党全国代表会议在延安召开。毛泽东同志在会上作目前政治形势和党的任务的报告，根据国共两党将实现第二次合作、抗日民族统一战线基本形成、红军即将改编开赴抗日前线的形势，毛泽东同志提醒全党，为了团结一致共同抗战，中国共产党倡导实行孙中山先生的三民主义，以此作为国共合作的共同政治基础，但不等于放弃自己的政治理想，改变自己的政治发展方向。因此，“共产党人决不抛弃其社会主义和共产主义的理想，他们将经过资产阶级民主革命的阶段而达到社会主义和共产主义的阶段。中国共产党有自己的政治经济纲领。其最高的纲领是社会主义和共产主义，这是和三民主义有区别的”。在为会议作结论时，针对有人提出的革命前途问题，毛泽东同志明确指出，中国共产党的任务是做好两篇文章，上篇是民主革命，下篇是社会主义，“只有上篇做好，下篇才能做好。坚决地领导民主革命，是争取社会主义胜利的条件”。“我们是革命转变论者，主张民主革命转变到社会主义方向去”。

To firmly uphold the correct political direction, it is necessary to unify the Party’s highest program and its minimum program, both cherishing lofty ideals and steadfastly engaging in the great cause the Party is currently undertaking. In October 1938, Comrade Mao Zedong delivered the political report “On the New Stage” at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Party, clearly stating: “In China, any loyal Marxist simultaneously bears two kinds of responsibility: the actual tasks of the present and the lofty ideals of the future. And one should understand: only when the actual tasks of the present are accomplished as thoroughly as possible can there be a basis and foundation for developing to the stage of the lofty ideals of the future. The so-called lofty ideals of the future are communism, which is the most perfect social system for humanity.” Revolutionary ideals are higher than the sky. Without lofty ideals, one is not a qualified Communist Party member; talking about lofty ideals while divorcing oneself from practical work is also not a qualified Communist Party member. Rooted in the War of Resistance Against Japan and the People’s Liberation War, linking the long-term interests of the Chinese people, and achieving the independence and liberation of the Chinese nation were the basic contents of the correct political direction during the Yan’an Period. To firmly uphold the correct political direction required the vast majority of Party members to both establish the lofty ideals of socialism and communism and consciously stand on the front line of the War of Resistance Against Japan and the People’s Liberation War, giving full play to their vanguard and exemplary role in the revolutionary war.

坚定正确的政治方向，就要把党的最高纲领和最低纲领统一起来，既胸怀远大理想，又脚踏实地地投入党正在进行的伟大事业。1938年10月，毛泽东同志在党的六届六中全会上作《论新阶段》的政治报告，明确指出：“在中国，任何忠实的马克思主义者，他是同时具有现时实际任务与将来远大理想两种责任的。并且应该懂得：只有现时的实际任务获得尽可能彻底的完成，才能有根据有基础地发展到将来的远大理想那个阶段去。所谓将来的远大理想，就是共产主义，这是人类最美满的社会制度”。革命理想高于天。没有远大理想，不是合格的共产党员；离开现实工作而空谈远大理想，也不是合格的共产党员。立足于抗日战争和人民解放战争，贯通中国人民的长远利益，达到中华民族的独立和解放，是延安时期正确政治方向的基本内容。坚定正确的政治方向，要求广大党员既确立社会主义和共产主义远大理想，又自觉站到抗日战争和人民解放战争的第一线，在革命战争中充分发挥先锋模范作用。

Today, the political direction we must adhere to is the lofty ideal of communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and it is to comprehensively advance the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization. The most important thing for the Party in leading the people in governing the country is to uphold the correct political direction, always maintain our Party’s political character, and always advance along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Political direction is extremely important for a political party, Party organizations, and Party cadres and members. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “As Party cadres, no matter where you work or in what position, you must strengthen your Party spirit stance and political awareness, withstand the tests of storms and waves, and must not go astray or deviate in political direction.” We must always adhere to the correct political direction, firmly maintain our political stance, and consciously integrate all our efforts and struggles, all our dedication and sacrifice, closely with this political direction, and make new and greater contributions to it.

今天，我们所要坚守的政治方向，就是共产主义远大理想和中国特色社会主义共同理想，就是以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业。党领导人民治国理政，最重要的就是坚持正确政治方向，始终保持我们党的政治本色，始终沿着中国特色社会主义道路前进。政治方向对政党、党的组织、党员干部来说都极端重要。习近平总书记指出：“作为党的干部，不论在什么地方、在哪个岗位上工作，都要增强党性立场和政治意识，经得起风浪考验，不能在政治方向上走岔了、走偏了。”我们必须始终坚持正确的政治方向，站稳政治立场，自觉将自己的一切努力与奋斗、一切奉献与牺牲，与这个政治方向紧密结合起来，并为之作出新的更大贡献。

Source: Guangming Theory, November 21, 2024

文章来源：《光明理论》2024年11月21日

Online Editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆