The Traditional Cultural Foundation of the “Three Imperatives”

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “All comrades in the Party must remain true to our original aspiration and founding mission, must remain modest, prudent, and hard-working, and must have the courage and ability to carry on our fight, strengthen historical confidence, enhance historical initiative, and write a more splendid chapter of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.” [1]1 The “Three Imperatives” (三个务必) were put forward by Xi Jinping in his report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC in October 2022. The “Three Imperatives” embody the high political wisdom and outstanding political character of the Communist Party of China. They are not only the upholding and innovation of Marxist theories on Party building, political power building, and Party organization, but also the inheritance and development of fine traditional Chinese culture. Adhering to the Second Integration, deeply excavating and scientifically grasping the fine traditional Chinese cultural foundation of the “Three Imperatives” has important theoretical significance and practical value for accurately understanding their ideological essence and practical requirements.

习近平总书记指出：“全党同志务必不忘初心、牢记使命，务必谦虚谨慎、艰苦奋斗，务必敢于斗争、善于斗争，坚定历史自信，增强历史主动，谱写新时代中国特色社会主义更加绚丽的华章。”“三个务必”蕴含着中国共产党的高超政治智慧和卓越政治品格，既是对马克思主义政党建设、政权建设和政党组织理论的守正与创新，也是对中华优秀传统文化的继承与发展。坚持“第二个结合”，深入挖掘和科学把握“三个务必”的中华优秀传统文化底蕴，对于准确把握其思想精髓和实践要求，具有重要理论意义和实践价值。

I

一

The value stance of seeking happiness for the people and the mission of striving for the rejuvenation of the nation contained in “remaining true to our original aspiration and founding mission” are the product of combining the Marxist people’s standpoint with the people-oriented value concept inherent in fine traditional Chinese culture.

“务必不忘初心、牢记使命”蕴含的为人民谋幸福的价值立场和为民族谋复兴的使命担当，是马克思主义人民立场与中华优秀传统文化蕴含的民本价值理念相结合的产物。

As early as the Xia and Zhou dynasties, ancient sages had already deeply recognized the importance of the people’s strength and the people’s hearts. For example, the opening of the “Songs of the Five Sons” in the *Book of Documents* states: “The people are to be cherished, not looked down upon. The people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is firm, the state is tranquil.” [2]2 The “Songs of the Five Sons” (五子之歌) is a chapter in the *Book of Documents*, an ancient Chinese classic. The phrase “the people are the foundation of the state” is a foundational expression of Chinese people-oriented thought. During the pre-Qin period, sages further emphasized the importance of pacifying the people, valuing the people, and benefiting the people from the dimension of how to correctly handle the relationship between the sovereign and the people. Examples include Laozi’s “The sage has no fixed heart; he takes the people’s heart as his heart,” Confucius’s “Benefit the people by taking advantage of what is beneficial to them,” Mencius’s “The people are the most important; the spirits of land and grain come next; the sovereign is the least important,” and Xunzi’s “Heaven gives birth to the people, not for the sake of the sovereign; Heaven establishes the sovereign, for the sake of the people.” [3]3 These are classic statements from pre-Qin philosophers: Laozi (Daoist), Confucius (Confucian), Mencius (Confucian), and Xunzi (Confucian), respectively.

早在夏周时期，先贤们就已经深刻认识到民力、民心的重要性。如《尚书·五子之歌》开篇就提出“民可近，不可下。民惟邦本，本固邦宁”。先秦时期，先贤们进一步从如何正确处理君王与百姓关系的维度，强调了安民、重民、利民的重要性。如老子的“圣人无常心，以百姓心为心”，孔子的“因民之所利而利之”，孟子的“民为贵，社稷次之，君为轻”，以及荀子的“天之生民，非为君也；天之立君，以为民也”等。

The people-oriented value concept inherent in fine traditional Chinese culture is highly compatible with the Marxist people’s standpoint. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly quoted classic phrases that embody traditional Chinese people-oriented thought. For example, in 2014, in an important speech at the first summary and second deployment meeting of the Party’s mass line education and practice campaign, he quoted the Qing dynasty scholar Wan Sida’s saying: “Matters that benefit the people, even as small as a hair, must be promoted; matters that harm the people, even as trivial as a tip, must be eliminated.” [4]4 Wan Sida (1633–1683) was a Qing dynasty scholar. The quote is from his work *Zhou Guan Xin Bian* (New Compilation of the Zhou Offices). In 2018, when presiding over a collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, he quoted the famous saying of the Song dynasty great Confucian Zhu Xi: “The state takes the people as its foundation; the altars of state are also established for the people.” [5]5 Zhu Xi (1130–1200) was a leading Song dynasty Neo-Confucian scholar. The quote is from his commentary on the *Mencius*. General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward important judgments such as “The country is the people, and the people are the country. To take the country and defend it is to defend the people’s hearts” and “The people’s hearts are the greatest politics, determining the success or failure of the cause,” explaining the essential attribute and distinctive character of Marxism—its people-centered nature—and highlighting our Party’s firm people’s standpoint and profound people’s sentiment.

中华优秀传统文化蕴含的民本价值理念与马克思主义人民立场高度契合。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记多次引用体现我国传统民本思想的经典句段，例如，2014年，在党的群众路线教育实践活动第一批总结暨第二批部署会议上的重要讲话中，引用清代学者万斯大的“利民之事，丝发必兴；厉民之事，毫末必去”。2018年，在主持中共中央政治局集体学习时，引用宋代大儒朱熹的名句“国以民为本，社稷亦为民而立”。习近平总书记提出“江山就是人民、人民就是江山，打江山、守江山，守的是人民的心”“民心是最大的政治，决定事业兴衰成败”等重要论断，阐释了人民性这一马克思主义的本质属性和鲜明品格，彰显了我们党坚定的人民立场、深厚的人民情怀。

“Remaining true to our original aspiration and founding mission” is the inheritance and development of the essence of traditional Chinese people-oriented thought. It is our Party’s creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture in light of the new requirements of social development and progress in the New Era. On the new journey, to “remain true to our original aspiration and founding mission,” we must fully recognize the contemporary value of traditional Chinese culture’s emphasis on the people, remember that the Party’s roots lie in the people and its strength lies in the people, persist in doing everything for the people and relying on the people, firmly establish a sense of public service, love the people, respect the people, always internalize the historical mission of the people’s happiness, national rejuvenation, and human liberation as the Party’s political aspiration and political responsibility, and uphold the political stance of the unity of the Party’s spirit and the people’s character.

“务必不忘初心、牢记使命”，是对中国传统民本思想精华的继承和发展，是我们党结合新时代社会发展进步的新要求对中华优秀传统文化进行的创造性转化和创新性发展。新征程上，“务必不忘初心、牢记使命”，就要充分认识中华优秀传统文化重民本的时代价值，牢记党的根基在人民，力量在人民，坚持一切为了人民，一切依靠人民，牢固树立公仆意识，热爱人民、尊重人民，始终把人民幸福、民族复兴、人类解放的历史使命内化为党的政治抱负和政治担当，坚守中国共产党党性与人民性相统一的政治立场。

II

二

The Party’s wisdom of self-discipline, self-warning, and seeking truth from facts, and its political character contained in “remaining modest, prudent, and hard-working,” are the crystallization of combining the Marxist spirit of self-revolution with the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation of humility, self-restraint, and vigorous endeavor.

“务必谦虚谨慎、艰苦奋斗”蕴含的中国共产党自律自警、求真务实的政党智慧、政治品格，是马克思主义自我革命精神与中华民族谦恭虚己、奋发有为的传统美德相结合的结晶。

The *Book of Changes* states: “The way of Heaven diminishes the full and increases the humble; the way of Earth transforms the full and flows to the humble… the way of humanity dislikes the full and loves the humble.” [6]6 The *Book of Changes* (易经) is an ancient Chinese divination and philosophical text, one of the Confucian classics. This means that the way of humility or modesty is a universal law of the operation, change, and development of all things in the world. The “Counsels of the Great Yu” in the *Book of Documents* emphasizes the regular significance of the “way of humility” for individuals and social development from both positive and negative aspects, stating: “Fullness invites loss; humility receives benefit—this is the way of Heaven.” [7]7 The “Counsels of the Great Yu” (大禹谟) is a chapter in the *Book of Documents*. Thinkers after the pre-Qin period further extended humility and modesty as essential virtues for individuals in conducting themselves in society and for sovereigns in governing the state and winning the people’s hearts. For example, the famous Tang dynasty prime minister Wei Zheng said: “Thinking of the danger of high position, one should be modest and restrain oneself; fearing the overflow of fullness, one should think of the sea receiving all rivers.” [8]8 Wei Zheng (580–643) was a chancellor of the Tang dynasty, known for his outspoken remonstrance. The quote is from his memorial to Emperor Taizong. At the same time, among the traditional virtues passed down through generations of the Chinese nation, the fine qualities of humility and modesty have always been accompanied by the spiritual temperament of vigorous endeavor and unremitting self-improvement.

《易经》提出“天道亏盈而益谦，地道变盈而流谦……人道恶盈而好谦”，意思是说，谦逊或谦恭之道是世间万物运行、变化、发展的普遍规律。《尚书·大禹谟》从正反两个方面强调“谦之道”之于个体以及社会发展的规律性意义，提出“满招损，谦受益，时乃天道”。先秦以后的思想家们则将谦恭、谦逊进一步引申为个体为人处世和君王为政治国、赢得民心的必备美德。如唐朝名相魏征言：“念高危，则思谦冲而自牧；惧满溢，则思江海下百川。”同时，在中华民族世代相传的传统美德中，谦恭、谦逊的美好德行历来与刚健有为、自强不息的精神气质如影随形、相伴而生。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly quoted classic sayings from ancient thinkers that praise and advocate modesty, prudence, and hard work, such as “A scholar cannot but be broad-minded and resolute, for his burden is heavy and his road is long” and “Born in hardship, die in comfort,” [9]9 The first quote is from the *Analects of Confucius* (Zengzi’s saying); the second is from the *Mencius*. to admonish and encourage the entire Party to enhance its awareness of potential dangers, maintain and carry forward the fine traditions of guarding against arrogance and rashness, being vigorous and enterprising, and working hard, strengthen its sense of crisis, be cautious and mindful of the future, and always maintain the style of hard struggle.

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记多次引用古代思想家颂扬倡导谦虚谨慎、艰苦奋斗的经典名句，如“士不可以不弘毅，任重而道远”“生于忧患，死于安乐”等，用以告诫激励全党，增强忧患意识，保持和发扬戒骄戒躁、刚健有为、奋发进取的优良传统，增强忧患意识、慎终追远，始终保持艰苦奋斗的作风。

“Remaining modest, prudent, and hard-working” is our Party’s inheritance and development of the Chinese nation’s cultural tradition of humility, modesty, and striving for progress, in light of the new situations and tasks facing Party building in the New Era. On the new journey, to be modest, prudent, and hard-working, we must always maintain political sobriety and political firmness, always adhere to self-motivation and self-warning, persist in upholding truth and correcting errors, always guard against “the state and state organs changing from public servants into masters of society,” [10]10 This is a paraphrase of a warning by Friedrich Engels in his introduction to Marx’s *The Civil War in France*, about the danger of state power becoming independent from and dominating society. and forever maintain the advanced nature and purity of the Party’s organism.

“务必谦虚谨慎、艰苦奋斗”是我们党结合新时代党的建设面临的新形势、新任务，对中华民族谦恭谦虚、奋发图强的文化传统的继承和发展。新征程上做到谦虚谨慎、艰苦奋斗，就要时刻保持政治清醒与政治坚定，始终坚守自励自警，做到坚持真理、修正错误，时刻防范“国家和国家机关由社会公仆变为社会主人”，永葆政党肌体的先进性和纯洁性。

III

三

The revolutionary and combative nature contained in “having the courage and ability to carry on our fight” is the product of combining the Marxist spirit of struggle with the Chinese nation’s struggle wisdom, which has been upheld since ancient times, that “struggle leads to gain; submission leads to loss.”

“务必敢于斗争、善于斗争”蕴含的革命性和斗争性，是马克思主义斗争精神与中华民族自古以来秉承的“斗则得，服则失”的斗争智慧相结合的产物。

Mythological stories such as Nüwa mending the sky, Kuafu chasing the sun, Jingwei filling the sea, and the Foolish Old Man moving mountains, which have been passed down from ancient times to the present, are vivid expressions of the simple and primitive combative temperament and the great spirit of daring to fight heaven and earth inherent in the cultural genes of the Chinese nation. [11]11 These are four well-known ancient Chinese myths: Nüwa repaired the sky after a cosmic catastrophe; Kuafu chased the sun until he died of thirst; Jingwei, a bird, tries to fill the sea with twigs and stones; the Foolish Old Man attempts to remove two mountains blocking his house. They demonstrate the spiritual outlook of ancient Chinese ancestors who dared to face challenges directly and courageously struggle against nature. Confucianism advocates the moral personality of “sacrificing life for righteousness and giving up life for benevolence” and the spiritual orientation of “not being corrupted by wealth and status, not being swayed by poverty and lowliness, and not being subdued by power and force,” which contain high praise for fearless combative qualities and spirit. Laozi proposed that “water benefits all things without contending, and dwells in places that all people disdain, thus it is close to the Way,” [12]12 This is a passage from the *Dao De Jing* (Laozi). which endows struggle with dialectical connotations from the dimension of individual strategies for conducting oneself in society—that is, the “non-contention” of water is precisely for the sake of more effective resistance—also embodying traditional Chinese struggle wisdom.

中华民族从远古流传至今的女娲补天、夸父追日、精卫填海、愚公移山等神话故事，是对中华民族文化基因中蕴含的朴素而原始的斗争气质，和敢于战天斗地伟大斗争精神的生动表达，展现了我国古代先民敢于直面挑战，勇于与自然抗争的精神风貌。儒家崇尚“舍生取义，杀身成仁”的道德人格，以及“富贵不能淫，贫贱不能移，威武不能屈”的精神取向，其中蕴含着对无所畏惧的斗争品质、斗争精神的高度赞扬。老子提出“水善利万物而不争，处众人之所恶，故几于道”，又从个体为人处世策略的维度赋予斗争以思辨性内涵，即“水之不争”恰恰是为了更有力的抗衡，也蕴含着中华传统的斗争智慧。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Over the past hundred years, in responding to various difficulties and challenges, our Party has tempered its backbone and character of not fearing strong enemies, not fearing risks, daring to struggle, and daring to win. This is our Party’s most distinctive trait and characteristic.” “The establishment of the Communist Party of China, the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the implementation of reform and opening up, and the advancement of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era were all born in struggle, developed in struggle, and strengthened in struggle.” He has also repeatedly quoted classic phrases from ancient thinkers that praise the spirit and will of struggle, such as “Since ancient times, who has not died? Let me leave a loyal heart shining in the annals of history,” “If it benefits the country, I would give my life for it; how can I avoid it because of misfortune or seek it because of blessing?” “After thousands of blows and strikes, it remains firm; let the winds blow from all directions, east, west, south, and north,” and “Where the will is directed, nothing hard can resist; even sharp soldiers and fine armor cannot stop it,” [13]13 These four quotes are, respectively, from Wen Tianxiang (Song dynasty poet and martyr), Lin Zexu (Qing dynasty official), Zheng Xie (Qing dynasty poet and painter), and an anonymous ancient saying. to educate and inspire the entire Party to inherit and carry forward the fine tradition of the Chinese nation of daring to struggle and being good at struggle, to strengthen the will to struggle, and to enhance the ability to struggle.

习近平总书记指出：“一百年来，在应对各种困难挑战中，我们党锤炼了不畏强敌、不惧风险、敢于斗争、勇于胜利的风骨和品质。这是我们党最鲜明的特质和特点。”“建立中国共产党、成立中华人民共和国、实行改革开放、推进新时代中国特色社会主义事业，都是在斗争中诞生、在斗争中发展、在斗争中壮大的。”他还多次引用古代思想家颂扬斗争精神和斗争意志的经典句段，如“人生自古谁无死，留取丹心照汗青”“苟利国家生死以，岂因祸福避趋之”“千磨万击还坚劲，任尔东西南北风”“志之所向，无坚不入，锐兵精甲，不能御也”，用以教育和激励全党继承和弘扬中华民族敢于斗争、善于斗争的优良传统，坚定斗争意志，增强斗争本领。

On the new journey of the New Era, to keep in mind “having the courage and ability to carry on our fight,” we must focus on drawing nourishment from the traditional struggle wisdom of the Chinese nation, comprehending the struggle integrity, struggle backbone, and struggle courage in fine traditional Chinese culture, grasp the laws of change in the principal contradiction and central tasks of society, perceive the arduousness, complexity, and long-term nature of the great struggle, enhance the initiative in struggle, master the methods of struggle, elevate the consciousness of struggle, and fulfill the missions and tasks entrusted by the times.

新时代新征程牢记“务必敢于斗争、善于斗争”，就要注重从中华民族传统斗争智慧中汲取养分，从中领悟中华优秀传统文化中斗争气节、斗争风骨和斗争胆识，通过把握社会主要矛盾、中心任务的变化规律，洞察伟大斗争的艰巨性、复杂性和长期性，增强斗争主动，掌握斗争方法，提升斗争自觉，完成时代赋予的使命与任务。

(Author: Yang Junling, specially appointed researcher of the Beijing Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Dean and Professor of the School of Marxism, China University of Geosciences [Beijing])

（作者：杨峻岭，系北京市习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心特约研究员，中国地质大学〔北京〕马克思主义学院院长、教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心