Mao Zedong’s Exploration of the Party’s Propaganda Work during the Yan’an Period and Its Contemporary Implications

Propaganda work, as the Party’s mouthpiece, is an important component of the Party’s cause, guarding the Party’s ideological and public opinion front, and serving as a crucial channel for the Party to connect with the masses. During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, the Party’s propaganda work always served the revolutionary cause. From the day of its founding, the Communist Party of China attached great importance to propaganda work, disseminating revolutionary theory, organizing and mobilizing the masses, and waging struggle against the enemy, thereby providing spiritual support for the development of the Party’s cause. During the Yan’an Period, Mao Zedong deeply discerned the general trend of history, grasped the laws of revolution amidst a complex and volatile revolutionary environment, regarded the Party’s propaganda work as a “major task” driving the development of the Chinese revolution, made full use of various propaganda resources, flexibly adopted multiple propaganda strategies, and actively carried out propaganda work. This not only won widespread understanding from various sectors of the domestic population but also gained sympathy and assistance from the international community, broke through the news blockade and public opinion demonization by the Japanese aggressors and the Kuomintang reactionaries, established a positive image of the Communist Party of China, and secured a favorable environment for promoting the victory of the Chinese revolution.

宣传工作作为党的喉舌，是党的事业的重要组成部分，守护着党的思想舆论阵地，是党联系人民群众的重要渠道。在新民主主义革命时期，党的宣传工作始终服务于革命工作。从成立之日起，中国共产党就非常重视宣传工作，通过传播革命理论、组织动员群众、开展对敌斗争，为党的事业发展提供了精神支撑。延安时期，毛泽东深刻洞察历史大势，透过纷繁复杂的革命环境把握革命规律，将党的宣传工作视为推动中国革命发展的“重大的工作”，充分利用各种宣传资源，灵活采取多种宣传策略，积极开展宣传工作，不仅争取到国内各界群众的普遍理解，也获得了国际社会的同情与援助，打破了日本侵略者和国民党反动派的新闻封锁和舆论妖魔化，树立了中国共产党正面形象，为推动中国革命胜利赢得有利环境。

I. Discerning the General Trend of History, Deeply Grasping the Important Role of Propaganda Work

一、洞察历史大势，深刻把握宣传工作的重要作用

Mao Zedong always attached great importance to propaganda work, clearly stating that “grasping ideological leadership is the first priority in grasping all leadership.” This assertion profoundly reveals the core position of ideological leadership in the Party’s overall leadership. Propaganda work is the practical carrier of ideological leadership, while ideological leadership is the goal to be achieved through propaganda work. Mao Zedong consistently viewed the Party’s propaganda work from the overall perspective of the development of the Chinese revolution, regarding it as “the first major task.” He believed that propaganda work was not only a supporting measure for political work but also a necessary supplement to military work and an effective lever for diplomatic work—truly a “major task” concerning the development of the Chinese revolutionary cause. This fully reflects his historical foresight and prescience. During the Yan’an Period, under Mao Zedong’s leadership, the Party’s propaganda work resonated with political, military, diplomatic, cultural, and other revolutionary endeavors, organically integrating into the overall cause of the Chinese revolution and playing a tremendous role in promoting revolutionary development.

毛泽东历来十分重视宣传工作，明确指出“掌握思想领导是掌握一切领导的第一位”，这一论断深刻揭示了思想领导在党的全面领导中的核心地位。宣传工作是思想领导的实践载体，而思想领导则是宣传工作的实现目标。毛泽东始终站在中国革命发展全局的高度，视党的宣传工作为“第一个重大的工作”，认为宣传工作既是政治工作的配套举措，又是军事工作的必要补充，还是外交工作的有效抓手，是真正关乎中国革命事业发展的一项“重大的工作”。充分体现了他的历史前瞻性和预见性。延安时期在毛泽东的领导下，党的宣传工作与政治、军事、外交、文化等革命工作交相呼应，有机统一到中国革命的整体事业中，为推动革命发展发挥了巨大作用。

(A) Propaganda Work Is an Important Means of “Expanding Political Influence and Winning Over the Broad Masses”

（一）宣传工作是“扩大政治影响争取广大群众”的重要手段

As early as the initial period of the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base Area, Mao Zedong presciently demanded that the Red Army do a good job in propaganda work, pointing out that “the task of Red Army propaganda work is to expand political influence and win over the broad masses.” At the Gutian Congress, he emphasized that “the Red Army’s propaganda work is the Red Army’s first major task” and regarded it as “the Red Army’s main task.” [1]1 The Gutian Congress (December 1929) was the Ninth Party Congress of the Fourth Red Army, held in Gutian, Fujian Province. It produced the *Gutian Resolution*, which emphasized the importance of Party building and political work in the Red Army. At a Secretariat meeting of the Central Committee in 1939, Mao Zedong particularly stressed the importance of doing a good job in external propaganda, arguing that establishing an external propaganda organ at that time was “even more important than establishing a Party branch.” [2]2 The Central Secretariat was the executive body of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee during the Yan’an period. This sufficiently demonstrates Mao Zedong’s special emphasis on propaganda work. He once vividly pointed out: “Not only are teachers propagandists, journalists are propagandists, literary and artistic workers are propagandists, but all our work cadres are also propagandists.” [3]3 This quote is from Mao’s speech at the Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art (May 1942). In Mao Zedong’s view, propaganda work was an important aspect of revolutionary work, an indispensable link in spreading revolutionary ideas, educating the broad masses, and uniting enormous forces to ultimately win revolutionary victory.

早在井冈山革命根据地初创时期，毛泽东就前瞻性地要求红军要做好宣传工作，指明“红军宣传工作的任务，就是扩大政治影响争取广大群众”。他在古田会议时强调，“红军的宣传工作是红军第一个重大的工作”，并将其视为“红军的主要任务”。在1939年中央书记处会议上，毛泽东特别强调做好对外宣传工作，认为在当时建立对外宣传机关“甚至比建立党部还重要”。这足以看出毛泽东对宣传工作的特别重视。他曾十分形象地指出：“不但教员是宣传家，新闻记者是宣传家，文艺作者是宣传家，我们的一切工作干部也都是宣传家。”在毛泽东看来，宣传工作是革命工作的重要方面，是传播革命思想、教育广大群众、团结巨大力量以最终赢得革命胜利所不可或缺的一环。

Mao Zedong believed that propaganda work was an important means of “expanding political influence and winning over the broad masses.” On the one hand, propaganda work must adhere to the principle of Party spirit, grasp the correct orientation of public opinion, make it fully conform to Party policy, obey and serve the Party’s central work, so as to expand political influence and ensure the success of the Party’s cause. On the other hand, Mao Zedong consistently adhered to the mass line in propaganda work, emphasizing that propaganda work must “consider the audience,” “understand the masses,” “fit the masses’ sentiments in struggle,” and “shoot the arrow at the target,” so that the Party’s policies and guidelines could be deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, win the support of the masses, and win popular support and consolidate strength for the revolutionary cause.

毛泽东认为宣传工作是“扩大政治影响争取广大群众”的重要手段。一方面，宣传工作要坚持党性原则，把握正确的舆论导向，使之完全符合于党的政策，服从并服务于党的中心工作，以扩大政治影响，确保党的事业的成功。另一方面，毛泽东在宣传工作中始终坚持群众路线，强调宣传工作要“看对象”，要“了解群众”“切合群众的斗争情绪”，做到“有的放矢”，这样才能使党的方针政策深入人心，赢得群众的支持，为革命工作争取民心、凝聚力量。

Under Mao Zedong’s guidance, Party organizations at all levels established propaganda organs, strengthened propaganda forces, founded various newspapers and magazines, and consciously and objectively publicized the Party’s work in strengthening political power in the base areas, developing production and prospering the economy, improving the people’s living standards, and leading the resistance behind enemy lines, which played a positive role in promoting the development of the Chinese revolutionary cause.

在毛泽东指导下，各级党组织纷纷建立宣传机关，加强宣传力量，创办各类报纸杂志，自觉将党在根据地加强政权建设、发展生产繁荣经济、改善人民群众生活、领导敌后抗战等各方面工作客观真实地宣传出去，对推动中国革命事业发展起到积极作用。

(B) Propaganda Work Is an Important Weapon for “Uniting Ourselves and Defeating the Enemy”

（二）宣传工作是“团结自己，战胜敌人”的重要武器

Emphasizing propaganda work was an important manifestation of Mao Zedong’s adherence to “living Marxism.” Mao Zedong adhered to the scientific method of Marxism, consciously integrating propaganda work with military work as an important means of defeating the enemy. Mao Zedong once pointed out: “To defeat the enemy, we must first rely on the army that holds guns. But merely having such an army is not enough; we also need a cultural army, which is an indispensable army for uniting ourselves and defeating the enemy.” [4]4 This quote is from Mao’s speech at the Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art (May 1942). He believed that doing a good job in propaganda work was conducive to educating and mobilizing the broad masses to enhance military strength, while doing a good job in military work provided practical material for carrying out propaganda work; the coordination of these two tasks would generate greater strength. Mao Zedong always regarded “holding propaganda leaflets in the left hand and bullets in the right hand” as a fine tradition of Chinese Communists, a necessary condition for unifying internal thought, winning external support, and uniting enormous forces to defeat the enemy.

重视开展宣传工作是毛泽东坚持“活的马克思主义”的重要表现。毛泽东坚持马克思主义的科学方法，自觉将宣传工作与军事工作相统一，作为战胜敌人的重要手段。毛泽东曾指出：“要战胜敌人，首先要依靠手里拿枪的军队。但是仅仅有这种军队是不够的，我们还要有文化的军队，这是团结自己、战胜敌人必不可少的一支军队。”他认为，做好宣传工作有利于教育和发动广大人民群众以增强军事力量，做好军事工作又为开展宣传工作提供现实素材，两项工作相互配合将会形成更大力量。毛泽东始终将“左手拿宣传单，右手拿枪弹”作为中国共产党人的优良传统，是统一内部思想、争取外部支持、团结巨大力量以战胜敌人的必要条件。

Mao Zedong not only regarded propaganda work as an important component of revolutionary struggle but also elevated it to a strategic level, treating propaganda work as an important means of defeating the enemy.

毛泽东不仅将宣传工作视为革命斗争的重要组成部分，而且将其提升到战略高度，将宣传工作作为战胜敌人的重要手段。

First, through propaganda, clarify the Party’s propositions and refute erroneous ideas. Mao Zedong emphasized that propaganda work was “a part of the entire cause, a cog and a screw.” [5]5 This quote is from Mao’s essay “The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War” (October 1938). During this period, Mao Zedong, by writing and publishing important works such as *On Protracted War*, actively propagated the Party’s program for the War of Resistance and the strategies and tactics for defeating the enemy, clearly elucidated the balance of forces between China and Japan as well as the stages and trends of the war, forcefully refuted erroneous ideas such as “the theory of national subjugation” and “the theory of quick victory,” unified people’s ideological understanding, and strengthened their confidence and determination.

第一，通过宣传阐明党的主张，驳斥错误思想。毛泽东强调宣传工作是“整个事业的一部分，是齿轮和螺丝钉”。这一时期，毛泽东通过撰写和发表《论持久战》等重要著作，积极宣传党的抗战纲领、战胜敌人的战略战术，清晰阐明了中日双方的力量对比以及抗战的发展阶段与发展趋势，有力驳斥了“亡国论”“速胜论”等错误思想，统一了人们的思想认识，坚定了他们的信心和决心。

Second, through propaganda, carry out organization and mobilization, uniting all forces that can be united. During the Yan’an Period, Mao Zedong attached great importance to propaganda work and regarded it as an important means of organization and mobilization. He not only personally participated in the organization and leadership of propaganda work but also mobilized the masses through various methods. For example, in November 1943, Mao Zedong delivered a speech titled *Get Organized!* at the Central Committee’s reception for model workers of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, emphasizing the need to organize the masses to lay the foundation for propagating the Party’s correct propositions. [6]6 The Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region was the main CPC base area during the Yan’an period, with Yan’an as its capital. At the same time, he also used educational institutions such as night schools and winter schools to conduct political common-sense education, enhancing the people’s national consciousness and confidence in the War of Resistance.

第二，通过宣传开展组织动员，团结一切可以团结的力量。延安时期，毛泽东高度重视宣传工作，并将其作为组织动员的重要手段，不仅亲自参与宣传工作的组织和领导，还通过多种方式宣传动员群众。如1943年11月，毛泽东在中共中央招待陕甘宁边区劳动英雄代表大会上作《组织起来》的讲话，强调要将群众组织起来，为宣传党的正确主张奠定基础。同时，他还通过夜校、冬学等教育机构，开展政治常识教育，提高民众的民族觉悟和抗战信心。

Third, through propaganda, educate the broad cadres and masses, improving their ability to struggle against the enemy. During the Yan’an Period, Mao Zedong advocated combining propaganda work with organizational work, forming the unity of the “gun barrel” and the “pen barrel.” He believed that propaganda work was not only a tool for political mobilization but also an important means of ideological education. By widely propagating the Party’s line, principles, and policies, the revolutionary consciousness of the masses could be enhanced, their political awareness could be raised, and they could better serve the revolutionary struggle.

第三，通过宣传教育广大干部群众，提高对敌斗争本领。延安时期，毛泽东主张将宣传工作与组织工作相结合，形成“枪杆子”和“笔杆子”的统一。他认为，宣传工作不仅是政治动员的工具，更是思想教育的重要手段。通过广泛宣传党的路线方针政策，可以增强群众的革命意识，提高他们的政治觉悟，更好地服务于革命斗争。

Under Mao Zedong’s leadership, propaganda organs everywhere strengthened guidance over news and public opinion, producing a large number of works such as *The Song of Going to the Front* and *Wielding the Halberd Eastward, Besieging Rugao City*, which unified thought, boosted morale, and gathered great strength for the Chinese revolutionary cause.

在毛泽东的领导下，各地宣传机关加强新闻舆论引导，涌现出《上前线歌》《挥戈东向围攻如皋城》等一大批作品，统一了思想、鼓舞了士气，为中国革命事业凝聚了伟大力量。

II. Maintaining Historical Sobriety, Scientifically Grasping the Complex Situation and Basic Principles of Propaganda Work

二、保持历史清醒，科学把握宣传工作的复杂形势和基本原则

Accurately grasping the situation and principles is an important prerequisite for doing a good job in propaganda work. Faced with the complex and volatile situation of the Yan’an Period, only by accurately grasping the situation and adhering to correct principles could it be ensured that the direction of propaganda work would not deviate, its intensity would not diminish, and practical results would be achieved. In the practice of leading propaganda work, Mao Zedong always maintained historical sobriety, discerned the basic principles of propaganda work amidst the complex public opinion environment, insisted on carrying out propaganda work in a factual manner under the leadership of the Party, enhanced the directionality, credibility, and mass character of the Party’s propaganda work, established the Party’s positive image of resisting Japan, saving the nation, and loving the people, and reversed the unfavorable situation in propaganda work.

准确把握形势和原则是做好宣传工作的重要前提。面对延安时期复杂多变的形势，只有准确把握形势、坚持正确的原则，才能确保宣传工作的方向不偏、力度不减、取得实效。在领导宣传工作实践中，毛泽东始终保持历史清醒，透过纷繁复杂的舆论环境，明确宣传工作的基本原则，坚持在党的领导下实事求是地开展宣传工作，增强了党的宣传工作的方向性、可信度与群众性，树立了我们党抗日救国爱民的正面形象，扭转了宣传工作的不利局面。

(A) Clearly Recognizing the Complex Situation Facing the Party’s Propaganda Work

（一）清醒认识党的宣传工作面临的复杂形势

During the Yan’an period, the Chinese Communist Party faced a “three-sided, two-tiered” offensive launched by the Japanese aggressors, the Wang Jingwei puppet regime, and the Kuomintang reactionaries on both the real battlefield and the battlefield of news and public opinion; the struggle situation was exceptionally complex. Mao Zedong and the Party Central Committee always maintained historical sobriety, scientifically and concretely analyzing the situation of social and public opinion during this period.

延安时期，中国共产党面临着日本侵略者以及汪伪政权、国民党反动派在真实战场和新闻舆论战场发起的“三方两重”进攻，斗争形势异常复杂。毛泽东与党中央始终保持历史清醒，科学具体地分析了这一时期的社会舆论形势。

First, they soberly recognized the international vilification and smearing of communism and the Communist Party, and actively adopted flexible methods to propagate the Party’s positive image. Mao Zedong understood: “Marxism and the Communist Party have been cursed from the very beginning,” and the Chinese Communist Party, since its founding, “has been cursed more times than one can count.” [7]7 “Cursed more times than one can count” (不晓得挨了多少骂): A colloquial expression used by Mao Zedong to describe the persistent attacks and slander faced by the CPC. Proceeding from the dialectical relationship between new and old things, he listed numerous historical cases from East and West, correctly analyzed this “cursing,” and pointed out that “cursing” is not frightening; advanced and revolutionary things “are always cursed.” Faced with the situation of the Party being “cursed,” Mao Zedong advocated both earnestly examining oneself with the attitude of “if you have them, correct them; if not, guard against them,” [8]8 “If you have them, correct them; if not, guard against them” (有则改之无则加勉): A classical Chinese idiom, originally from Zhu Xi’s commentary on the *Analects*, advocating self-reflection in response to criticism. and actively carrying out the Party’s propaganda work. By methods such as translating and publishing revolutionary articles, proactively contacting progressive figures, and inviting foreign journalists to visit, they propagated the deeds of the Party leading the masses in the border regions to carry out production campaigns, popularize culture and education, and resist the Japanese aggressors, enabling people to objectively and truly understand the Chinese Communist Party.

第一，清醒认识国际上对共产主义与共产党的丑化和抹黑，积极采取灵活方式宣传我们党的正面形象。毛泽东认识到：“马克思主义、共产党从开始就是挨骂的”，中国共产党从成立以来“不晓得挨了多少骂”。他从新事物与旧事物的辩证关系出发，列举了东西方诸多历史案例，正确分析这种“挨骂”，指出“挨骂”不可怕，先进和革命的东西“总是要挨骂”。面对我们党“挨骂”的局面，毛泽东主张既要以“有则改之无则加勉”的态度认真反省自己，又要积极开展党的宣传工作，通过翻译出版革命文章、主动与进步人士接触、邀请外国记者来访等方法，把我们党在边区带领人民群众开展生产运动、普及文化教育以及抗击日本侵略者的事迹宣传出去，让人们能够客观真实地了解中国共产党。

Second, they soberly recognized the situation of domestic opinion struggle, actively responded to the Kuomintang’s slanders, proactively exposed its anti-Communist policies and dictatorial intentions, and seized the initiative in propaganda work. In slandering and vilifying the Communist Party, the Kuomintang stopped at nothing. The Kuomintang accused the peasant movement led by the Chinese Communist Party of being an “excessive” “vagrant action,” extensively used negative terms such as “Red bandits,” “Communist bandits,” “burning,” “raping,” “killing,” and “communizing property and wives” to describe the Chinese Communist Party and the people’s armed forces under its leadership, and even exploited the Communist Party’s campaign against subjectivism, sectarianism, and Party stereotypical writing [9]9 Campaign against subjectivism, sectarianism, and Party stereotypical writing: Refers to the targets of the Yan’an Rectification Movement (1942–1944), a Party-wide ideological education campaign. to curse the Chinese Communist Party. Faced with the Kuomintang’s slanders and vilification, Mao Zedong soberly recognized: “In the areas ruled by the Kuomintang, and abroad, due to the Kuomintang government’s blockade policy, many people have been hoodwinked.” In response, our Party actively established various types of educational schools, made good use of platforms such as various newspapers, periodicals, and radio stations, to propagate and report the Party’s true situation, gaining widespread sympathy and support from the masses.

第二，清醒认识国内舆论斗争态势，积极应对国民党的污蔑，主动揭露其反共政策与独裁意图，掌握宣传工作主动权。在污蔑和丑化共产党方面，国民党可谓无所不用其极。国民党指责中国共产党领导的农民运动是“过火”的“游民行动”，大量使用“赤匪”“共匪”“焚烧”“奸淫”“杀戮”“共产共妻”等负面词汇来形容中国共产党及其领导下的人民武装力量，还利用共产党开展反对主观主义、宗派主义、党八股的活动来责骂中国共产党。面对国民党的污蔑和丑化，毛泽东清醒地认识到：“在国民党统治区，在国外，由于国民党政府的封锁政策，很多人被蒙住了眼睛。”对此，我们党积极创办各类教育学校，用好各类报刊、电台等平台，宣传报道党的真实情况，得到了人民群众的普遍同情和支持。

Third, Mao Zedong paid close attention to ideological trends within the Party, soberly recognized the harm of problems such as subjectivism, sectarianism, and Party stereotypical writing within the Party, and advocated establishing a correct Marxist style of writing. In the course of our Party’s leadership of the revolution, the repeatedly emerging erroneous “Left” and Right deviationist ideologies once caused ideological confusion within the Party. Mao Zedong soberly recognized that the style of Party stereotypical writing did not pay attention to actual conditions, did not pay attention to the target of propaganda, and seriously harmed the Party’s propaganda work. In response, Mao Zedong led the launch of the Rectification Movement, [10]10 Rectification Movement: A Party-wide campaign (1942–1944) to rectify subjectivism, sectarianism, and Party stereotypical writing, aiming to establish Mao Zedong Thought as the guiding ideology. thoroughly rectifying “the style of study, the style in Party relations, and the style of writing,” actively fostering an atmosphere of seeking truth from facts, and promoting the healthy development of the Party’s propaganda work.

第三，毛泽东十分关注党内的思想动态，清醒认识到党内主观主义、宗派主义、党八股等问题的危害，倡导树立正确的马克思主义文风。在我们党领导革命的历程中，反复出现的“左”倾与右倾错误思想一度引起党内思想混乱。毛泽东清醒认识到党八股的文风不注重实际情况，不注重宣传对象，严重危害了党的宣传工作。对此，毛泽东领导开展整风运动，对“学风、党风、文风”进行彻底整顿，积极营造实事求是的风气，推动了党的宣传工作健康发展。

(II) Clarifying the Basic Principles of the Party’s Propaganda Work

（二）明确党的宣传工作的基本原则

Clarifying the principles of propaganda work is the key to doing propaganda work well. It not only concerns the direction and effectiveness of propaganda work but also directly affects the social influence and credibility of propaganda work, and is the foundation for ensuring that propaganda work is effective, lawful, and orderly. During the Yan’an period, based on the complex situation of our Party’s propaganda work, Mao Zedong proceeded from reality and proposed a series of important principles for the Party’s propaganda work, which played an important guiding role in efficiently carrying out propaganda work and occupying the position of public opinion.

明确宣传工作原则是做好宣传工作的关键，它不仅关系到宣传工作的方向和效果，也直接影响到宣传工作的社会影响力和公信力，是确保宣传工作有效、合法、有序进行的基础。延安时期，毛泽东立足我们党宣传工作的复杂形势，从实际出发提出了党的宣传工作的一系列重要原则，对高效开展宣传工作、占据舆论阵地发挥了重要指导作用。

First, uphold the Party’s leadership. Propaganda work was a key measure for the Chinese Communist Party to break the blockade of the Japanese aggressors and the Kuomintang, clarify false information, and establish a good image. It must be placed under the Party’s leadership to ensure the timely and efficient conduct of this work. On May 17, 1939, Mao Zedong pointed out at a meeting of the Secretariat of the Central Committee: “The Party’s major policies and principles must be organized into specific propaganda work by the Propaganda Department. The Propaganda Department must pay attention to the organization and leadership of propaganda work and must have the art of leadership.” In response to the complex domestic and international political situation and the acute military struggle at the time, Mao Zedong demanded strengthening the Party’s leadership, “unifying external propaganda and adopting a cautious attitude in handling affairs.” During this period, to strengthen the Party’s leadership over propaganda, ideological, and cultural work, the Party Central Committee established the Central Propaganda Committee, with Mao Zedong serving as its secretary. He personally guided and participated in many major news and propaganda activities and frequently wrote editorials and articles for Party newspapers and journals. Party organizations in various localities also established specialized propaganda institutions responsible for the unified leadership of the Party’s propaganda work, maintaining consistency in the Party’s propaganda work and ensuring its effectiveness.

第一，坚持党的领导。宣传工作是中国共产党打破日本侵略者和国民党封锁、澄清虚假信息、树立良好形象的关键举措，必须置于党的领导之下，才能保证该项工作及时、高效开展。1939年5月17日，毛泽东在中共中央书记处会议上指出：“党的大政方针要由宣传部组织具体的宣传工作，宣传部要注意宣传工作的组织与领导，要有领导的艺术。”毛泽东针对当时国内外复杂的政治形势、尖锐的军事斗争情况，要求加强党的领导，“统一对外宣传及采取慎重处事的态度”。这一时期，为加强党对宣传思想文化工作的领导，党中央设立中央宣传委员会，毛泽东担任书记，并亲自指导和参与许多重大的新闻宣传活动，经常性为党报党刊撰写社论和文章。各地党组织也成立专门宣传机构，负责统一领导党的宣传工作，保持党的宣传工作步调一致、工作有效。

Second, uphold seeking truth from facts. Mao Zedong emphasized that propaganda work must “rely on seeking truth from facts to get by,” insisting that only by seeking truth from facts can propaganda work withstand the test of history. In “Oppose Party Stereotypical Writing,” Mao Zedong criticized the style of Party stereotypical writing for “not looking at actual circumstances,” only “putting on airs to scare people,” and “harming the truth.” He pointed out that “people engaged in propaganda work, if they have not investigated, studied, or analyzed their propaganda targets, and just talk nonsense, it absolutely will not do,” demanding that Party cadres must truthfully propagate our Party’s policies, understand actual conditions through investigation and research, maintain a sober and calm mind, express their own true and independent opinions, and not echo others or parrot what others say. At the same time, Mao Zedong opposed one-sided propaganda that only talked about achievements and ignored mistakes, pointing out that propaganda work must “speak the truth, not steal, not pretend, not boast.” Regarding shortcomings and mistakes in work, “as long as we sincerely and frankly explain the actual situation, we will gain people’s trust and understanding.” For example, the *Liberation Daily*, [11]11 *Liberation Daily*: The official newspaper of the CPC Central Committee during the Yan’an period, first published on May 16, 1941. in response to its own problems such as dogmatism, actively reflected, rectified, and improved. It published the editorial “To Our Readers,” sincerely explaining the problems and stating its attitude towards running the newspaper, promoting the rectification work of newspapers in the anti-Japanese base areas behind enemy lines.

第二，坚持实事求是。毛泽东强调宣传工作要“靠实事求是吃饭”，坚持实事求是才能让宣传工作经得起历史检验。毛泽东在《反对党八股》中批评党八股的文风“不看实际情形”，只会“装样子吓人”，“妨害真理”，指出“做宣传工作的人，对于自己的宣传对象没有调查，没有研究，没有分析，乱讲一顿，是万万不行的”，要求党的干部一定要实事求是地宣传我们党的政策，在调查研究中了解实际情况，保持清醒冷静的头脑，发表自己真实独立的见解，不要人云亦云、随声附和。同时，毛泽东反对只讲成绩不论错误的片面宣传，指出宣传工作“要讲真话，不偷、不装、不吹”，对于工作中的缺点和错误，“只要我们诚恳坦白地说清楚实际情况，是会取得人们的信任和理解的”。如《解放日报》针对自身存在的教条主义等问题，积极反省、整改、提升，发表社论《致读者》，真诚说明问题并表明办报态度，推动了敌后各抗日根据地的报纸整风工作。

Third, uphold distinguishing targets. The purpose of propaganda work is to enable all parties to fully understand the Party’s line, principles, and policies through various methods of propaganda, and to gain sympathy and support from all parties. To effectively enhance the effectiveness of propaganda work and gain maximum sympathy from domestic and international parties, Mao Zedong advocated distinguishing different propaganda targets: “To shoot an arrow, one must look at the target; to play the zither, one must look at the audience,” “think about who one’s articles, speeches, talks, and writings are for, who they are heard or read by.” For domestic propaganda work, Mao Zedong believed it was necessary to fully study the specific conditions of each class, group, industry, and political party, and to conduct targeted propaganda and education for different groups through methods such as running various newspapers, study groups, and night schools. For example, the magazine *Chinese Culture*, founded in February 1940, was aimed at the entire Chinese people, with the purpose of struggling “to establish a new culture for the Chinese nation”; the *Border Region Masses’ Newspaper*, founded in March 1940, was mainly aimed at the masses in the border regions for propaganda and education. For foreign propaganda work, Mao Zedong emphasized that external propaganda should not impose one’s views on others, must fully understand the thinking methods, expression methods, and information needs of foreigners, and also recognize differences in politics, culture, etc., between different countries, using propaganda methods that they can hear and understand.

第三，坚持区分对象。宣传工作的目的是通过多种方式的宣传让各方充分了解党的路线、方针、政策，获得各方的同情和支持。为了有效提升宣传工作效果，最大程度上得到国内外各方的同情，毛泽东主张要区分不同宣传对象，“射箭要看靶子，弹琴要看听众”，“想一想自己的文章、演说、谈话、写字是给什么人看、给什么人听的”。对于国内的宣传工作，毛泽东认为要充分研究各个阶级、团体、行业、政党的具体情况，通过办各类报纸、读书学习会、夜校等方式，有针对性地对不同群体进行宣传教育，如1940年2月创办的杂志《中国文化》面向全体中国人民，目的是“为建立中华民族的新文化”而斗争；1940年3月创办的《边区群众报》则主要面向边区群众开展宣传教育。对于国外的宣传工作，毛泽东强调对外宣传不要强加于人，要充分了解外国人的思维方式、表达方式与信息需求，还要认识到不同国家政治、文化等方面的差异，使用他们听得懂、能理解的宣传方式。

III. Grasping Historical Initiative, Fully Leveraging the Important Role of Various Propaganda Forces

三、把握历史主动性，充分发挥各类宣传力量的重要作用

Stimulating the strength of the subject is an important foundation for doing propaganda work well. Mao Zedong attached great importance to the systematic and team-based construction of propaganda work, emphasizing that propaganda work should “run newspapers with open doors,” [12]12 “Run newspapers with open doors” (开门办报): A slogan encouraging mass participation in the production and critique of Party newspapers, emphasizing non-professional contributions. fully leveraging the role of various propaganda subjects such as the vast number of Party members and cadres, cultural workers, Party theorists, teachers, and young students, forming a relatively systematic propaganda work force.

激发主体力量是做好宣传工作的重要基础。毛泽东高度重视宣传工作的体系化、队伍化建设，强调宣传工作要“开门办报”，充分发挥广大党员干部、文化工作者、党内理论家、教师、青年学生等各类宣传主体的作用，形成了较为系统的宣传工作队伍。

(I) Leveraging the Leading and Exemplary Role of the Vast Number of Party Members and Cadres in Anti-Japanese Propaganda Work

（一）发挥广大党员干部在抗日宣传工作中的引领示范作用

Mao Zedong placed great emphasis on the exemplary and leading role of cadres. He once pointed out: “Once the political line is determined, cadres are the decisive factor.” [13]13 This is a well-known quote from Mao Zedong’s report “The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War” (October 1938). Mao Zedong demanded that Party cadres clearly understand the mission of “propagandists” and take the initiative to do propaganda work well. He believed that propaganda was not merely the duty of professional propaganda personnel, but a capability that all Party cadres should possess. On the one hand, they should actively propagate the Party’s ideological guidelines and serve the overall work of the Party. Mao Zedong once pointed out that Party cadres should “hold a propaganda leaflet in the left hand and a gun in the right hand,” and be adept at conducting propaganda around the Party’s central work. It was necessary to “make every soldier and every person understand why the war is being fought and what the war has to do with them,” so as to “create an upsurge of resistance against Japan and unite tens of millions of people in a concerted effort.” To this end, leading cadres such as Mao Zedong, Zhang Wentian, and Liu Shaoqi personally arranged propaganda work, led the founding of newspapers such as *Liberation Daily* and *Suzhong Daily*, participated in newspaper editing and article writing, and thereby spurred a large number of Party cadres to write various propaganda articles. On the other hand, they abandoned stereotyped Party writing [14]14 “Stereotyped Party writing” (党八股, *dang bagu*) refers to a rigid, formulaic, and empty style of writing and speech that Mao Zedong criticized in his 1942 rectification speech “Oppose Stereotyped Party Writing.” and firmly established a Marxist-Leninist style of writing. To do propaganda work well, the first requirement was to make it understandable to the masses. To make it understandable to the masses, one had to speak with substance, humbly learn from the masses, and use the language of the masses to explain theory. Under Mao Zedong’s leadership, propaganda cadres actively integrated themselves into the language, emotions, and life of the masses, “learned the language from the masses,” wrote news and articles “closely linked to the life of the masses,” used concise language and “very large black characters” to make the articles appear clear and bright, enabling the masses to both read the newspaper and learn characters.

毛泽东十分重视干部的引领示范作用，他曾指出：“政治路线确定之后，干部就是决定的因素。”毛泽东要求党的干部要明确“宣传家”的使命，主动做好宣传工作。他认为，宣传不仅仅是专业宣传人员的职责，而是党的所有干部都应具备的能力。一方面，积极宣传党的思想方针，服务党的工作大局。毛泽东曾指出，党的干部要“左手拿宣传单，右手拿枪弹”，要善于围绕党的中心工作做宣传，“必须使每个士兵每个人民都明白为什么要打仗，打仗和他们有什么关系”，这样才能“造成抗日的热潮，使几万万人齐心一致”。对此，毛泽东、张闻天、刘少奇等领导干部亲自安排宣传工作，领导创办《解放日报》《苏中报》等报纸，并参与报刊编辑和文章撰写工作，同时带动了一大批党的干部撰写各类宣传文章。另一方面，抛弃党八股，树牢马克思列宁主义的文风。做好宣传工作，首先就要让群众听得懂。要让群众听得懂，就要言之有物，就要虚心向群众学习，使用群众语言阐释理论。在毛泽东的带领下，宣传干部积极融入群众的话语、情感和生活，“向人民群众学习语言”，采写“与群众生活紧密地关联着的”新闻和文章，使用精炼的语言和“极大黑墨字”使文章看上去清晰明朗，让群众既看了报又识了字。

(II) Fully Mobilizing the Enthusiasm of Professional Propaganda Teams such as Journalists and Literary and Art Workers

（二）充分调动新闻工作者、文艺工作者等专业宣传队伍的积极性

Mao Zedong attached great importance to the role of news and propaganda work in the revolutionary cause and placed great emphasis on the professionalization of the propaganda team. He believed that news propaganda was an important component of the Party’s cause and the Party’s mouthpiece, and that it was necessary to build a propaganda team with theoretical literacy and practical experience in order to improve the quality and effectiveness of propaganda work. To this end, Mao Zedong led the establishment of cadre colleges such as the Counter-Japanese Military and Political University, the Northern Shaanxi Public School, and the Central Marxist-Leninist Institute, providing important platforms for cultivating propaganda talent. During this period, the vast number of journalists actively developed the news industry under the Party’s leadership. By the time of victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan in 1945, there were nearly 30,000 correspondents and over a hundred newspapers and magazines had been founded. At the same time, Mao Zedong placed great importance on the crucial role of literary and art workers in propaganda work, demanding that they clarify the question of “for whom” and actively integrate into the life of the masses, regarding themselves as the faithful spokespersons of the masses. Mao Zedong pointed out: “All revolutionary writers and artists, only by contacting the masses, expressing the masses, and regarding themselves as the faithful spokespersons of the masses, will their work have meaning.” Inspired by Mao Zedong, the border region established diverse literary and art groups such as theatrical troupes, yangge dance teams, and shehuo performance troupes. [15]15 Yangge (秧歌) is a form of folk dance popular in northern China; shehuo (社火) refers to traditional festive performances, often involving parades and folk art. The vast number of literary and art workers consciously went deep into the front lines of villages and factories, creating a large number of excellent works close to the life of the masses and aligned with the revolutionary theme, such as *The White-Haired Girl*, *Brother and Sister Reclaim Wasteland*, *Driven to Join the Liangshan Rebels*, and *Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang*. These works powerfully propagated the Party’s various tasks, narrowed the distance with the masses, and stimulated the revolutionary enthusiasm of the masses.

毛泽东高度重视新闻宣传工作在革命事业中的作用，非常重视宣传队伍的专业化建设。他认为，新闻宣传是党的事业的重要组成部分，是党的喉舌，必须建立一支有理论素养、有实践经验的宣传队伍，以提高宣传工作的质量和效果。对此，毛泽东领导创办了抗日军政大学、陕北公学、中央马列学院等干部学院，为培养宣传人才提供了重要平台。这一时期，广大新闻工作者在党的领导下积极发展新闻事业，到1945年抗战胜利时，已经拥有近三万名通讯员，创办报纸和杂志上百家。同时，毛泽东非常重视文艺工作者在宣传工作方面的重要作用，要求文艺工作者要明确“为什么人”的问题，应该积极融入群众生活，把自己当作群众的忠实的代言人。毛泽东指出：“一切革命的文学家艺术家只有联系群众，表现群众，把自己当作群众的忠实的代言人，他们的工作才有意义。”在毛泽东的启发下，边区成立了剧团、秧歌队、社火队等丰富多样的文艺团体，广大文艺工作者自觉深入到农村、工厂等一线，创作了《白毛女》《兄妹开荒》《逼上梁山》《王贵与李香香》等一大批贴近群众生活、顺应革命主题的优秀作品，有力宣传了我们党的各项工作，拉近了与群众的距离，激发了群众的革命积极性。

(III) Fully Mobilizing the Enthusiasm of Groups such as Correspondents, Inner-Party Theorists, Teachers, and Students

（三）充分发挥通讯员、党内理论家、教师、学生等群体的积极性

During the Yan’an period, the comprehensive development of news and propaganda work was inseparable from professional news propaganda workers, and even more so from the active participation of the vast number of correspondents, inner-Party theorists, teachers, students, and other intellectuals. Mao Zedong advocated “running newspapers with open doors,” [16]16 “Running newspapers with open doors” (开门办报) was a principle of the Yan’an period encouraging broad participation from Party cadres and the masses in writing for and contributing to Party newspapers. demanding not only that Party leading cadres actively write and submit articles, but also that ordinary Party cadres and the broad masses among the Party, government, military, and civilians actively write, thereby cultivating a large contingent of correspondents. By 1948, there were already over 46,000 correspondents in the Central China Liberated Area alone, submitting an average of about 30,000 articles per month, effectively guaranteeing the news sources for various Party newspapers. At the same time, Mao Zedong placed great importance on the active role of inner-Party theorists in propaganda work. In his decision “On Recruiting Large Numbers of Intellectuals,” Mao Zedong clearly stated: “We should recruit large numbers of intellectuals to join our army, our schools, and our government work.” Under the Party’s leadership, a large number of inner-Party theorists, such as Ai Siqi, He Ganzhi, and Zhou Yang, played an important role in propagating the Party’s theory and cultivating outstanding talent through teaching at universities, compiling textbooks, serving as newspaper editors, translating and publishing books, and publishing theoretical articles. Under the cultivation and impetus of the vast number of inner-Party theorists and teachers of various subjects, a large number of young students actively propagated anti-Japanese and national salvation ideas through writing editorials, giving anti-Japanese speeches, participating in literary and art groups, and arranging literary and art works, mobilizing the broad masses to devote themselves to the cause of the War of Resistance. Among them, the vast number of young students actively contributed articles to the Communist Youth League organ *China Youth*, publishing approximately 1.42 million characters of articles.

延安时期，新闻宣传工作的全面发展离不开专业的新闻宣传工作者，更离不开广大通讯员、党内理论家、教师、学生等知识分子的积极参与。毛泽东倡导“开门办报”，不仅要求党的领导干部要积极写稿投稿，还要求广大党政军民中的一般党员干部、广大群众积极写稿，培养了大批通讯员队伍。到1948年，仅在华中解放区的通讯员已经有4.6万多人，每月平均投稿约3万篇，有效地保障了各类党报的消息和新闻来源。同时，毛泽东十分重视发挥党内理论家在宣传工作中的积极作用。毛泽东在《大量吸收知识分子》的决定中明确指出，“应该大量吸收知识分子加入我们的军队，加入我们的学校，加入政府工作”。在党的领导下，艾思奇、何干之、周扬等一大批党内理论家通过在高校授课、编修教材、担任报刊编辑、翻译和出版书籍、发表理论文章等方式，为宣传党的理论、培养优秀人才发挥了重要作用。在广大党内理论家以及各科教师的培养和带动下，一大批青年学生通过发表社论、举办抗日演讲、参与文艺团体、编排文艺作品等形式积极宣传抗日救亡思想，动员广大人民群众投身于抗战事业。其中广大青年学生为共青团机关刊物《中国青年》踊跃投稿，约发表142万字文章。

IV. Enhancing Historical Consciousness, Scientifically Formulating Various Strategies for Propaganda Work

四、增强历史自觉，科学制定宣传工作各项策略

Adopting flexible strategies was an important measure for doing propaganda work well. During the Yan’an period, Mao Zedong and the Party Central Committee actively constructed a systematic propaganda work system, explored efficient propaganda work methods, and innovatively carried out international propaganda, launching a “combined punch” of propaganda work. This enabled them to seize the initiative in the Kuomintang-Communist propaganda struggle and provided favorable conditions for the struggle on the main battlefield. Actively adopting flexible propaganda strategies, proactively responding to the Kuomintang’s news blockade, and firmly grasping the initiative in propaganda work demonstrated the high historical consciousness of the Chinese Communists.

采取灵活策略是做好宣传工作的重要举措。延安时期，毛泽东和党中央积极构建系统的宣传工作体系、探索高效的宣传工作方法、创新开展国际宣传，打出一套宣传工作“组合拳”，在国共舆论斗争中掌握了主动权，为正面战场斗争提供了有利条件。积极采取灵活宣传策略、主动应对国民党新闻封锁、牢牢掌握宣传工作主动权彰显了中国共产党人的高度历史自觉。

(I) Actively Planning, Constructing a Propaganda Work System

（一）积极谋划，构建宣传工作体系

To ensure the efficient conduct of propaganda work, Mao Zedong meticulously planned and constructed a scientific and systematic propaganda work system. First, he clarified the theme and direction of propaganda. Mao Zedong placed great emphasis on the directional nature of propaganda work, stressing that propaganda work should coordinate with the Party’s central tasks. He was adept at using the Party’s newspapers and periodicals to coordinate with the Party’s central tasks in waging propaganda warfare. For example, after the full outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, in response to the pessimistic mood inside and outside the Party regarding the prospects of the war, Mao Zedong personally wrote and published propaganda articles, and actively mobilized newspapers, periodicals, news agencies, etc., to propagate the anti-Japanese thought of “fighting the war to the end, opposing surrender and compromise” to frontline officers, soldiers, and the people of the whole country, greatly enhancing national self-confidence. Second, he improved propaganda institutions at all levels and clarified work responsibilities. Mao Zedong repeatedly stressed that establishing propaganda organs was “even more important than establishing Party branches.” Under his leadership, a relatively complete propaganda network was established within the Party, and the scope of responsibilities of propaganda departments was clarified in the form of documents. For example, the October 1940 “Decision of the Central Propaganda Department on Enriching and Strengthening the Organization and Work of Propaganda Departments at All Levels” clearly stipulated the scope of the Party’s propaganda work. Third, he strengthened the construction of the propaganda cadre team. Mao Zedong placed great importance on improving the professional quality of propaganda cadres, paying particular attention to the issue of the propaganda team’s Marxist theoretical literacy, and selecting a group of crack troops with firm Party spirit and proficient professional skills. In addition, he equipped foreign propaganda departments with professional and technical personnel such as translators and communications experts, greatly improving propaganda efficiency.

为确保宣传工作的高效开展，毛泽东精心部署，构建了科学系统的宣传工作体系。首先，明确宣传主题方向。毛泽东十分重视宣传工作的方向性，强调宣传工作要配合党的中心任务。他擅长借助党的报刊配合党的中心任务打宣传战。如全面抗战爆发后，针对党内外对抗战前途的悲观情绪，毛泽东亲自撰写并发表宣传文章，并积极动员报纸、刊物、通讯社等向前线官兵和全国人民宣传“抗战到底，反对投降妥协”的抗战思想，大大增强了民族自信心。其次，完善各级宣传机构，明确工作职责。毛泽东多次强调建立宣传机关“甚至比建立党部还重要”，在他的领导下，党内建立了较为完整的宣传网络，并以文件的形式明确宣传部门的职责范畴。如1940年10月《中央宣传部关于充实和健全各级宣传部门的组织及工作的决定》明确规定了党的宣传工作范围。再次，加强宣传干部队伍建设。毛泽东十分重视提升宣传干部的专业素养，尤其关注宣传队伍的马克思主义理论素养问题，挑选了一批党性坚定、业务娴熟的精兵强将。此外，还为对外宣传部门配备翻译人才、通讯人才等专业技术人员，极大提高了宣传效率。

(II) Taking the Initiative, Exploring Efficient Propaganda Methods

（二）主动作为，探索高效宣传方法

Mastering scientific and efficient propaganda methods is an important prerequisite for carrying out propaganda work. Mao Zedong admonished propaganda workers to master scientific and effective propaganda methods, to write articles with persuasive power, and not to rely on “blustering to intimidate people.” [17]17 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of the Xi Jinping era. First, he emphasized language rhetoric and the skillful use of vivid and lively propaganda discourse. Mao advocated that propaganda language should be vivid, lively, practical, and forceful. In his daily communication, speeches, and writing, he frequently used historical stories, folk sayings, and various rhetorical devices to make the language more vivid, lively, and interesting, easily evoking the emotions of the audience. For example, in 1938, he used the metaphor of “a bucket and water” to analyze the situation of China’s War of Resistance against Japan in a simple and profound way for the American officer Carlson. [18] Additionally, there are famous phrases such as “All reactionaries are paper tigers,” “Carry the revolution through to the end,” and “Revolution needs base areas, just as a person needs buttocks to sit on.” These expressions are very vivid, forceful, and poetic, conveying extremely complex strategic ideas in very simple yet profound words. Second, he adopted propaganda forms that the masses were pleased to see and hear. To better mobilize the masses to participate in the War of Resistance, Mao pointed out: “How to mobilize? By oral persuasion, by leaflets and posters, by newspapers and books, by drama and film,” [19] advocating the full use of various propaganda methods that the masses liked, such as slogans, catchphrases, leaflets, drama, and folk songs. Third, he flexibly utilized diverse propaganda media. Mao attached great importance to the propaganda role of newspapers, calling on all border regions to actively run newspapers, and led the establishment of more than ten institutions and publications, including the “Xinhua News Agency,” the *Liberation Daily*, and the *New China Daily*. [20] At the same time, Mao recognized the characteristics of radio broadcasting—wide dissemination range and high speed—and advocated for the establishment of radio stations to break the Nationalist Party’s news blockade. In March 1940, the Central Committee of the CPC established the “Broadcasting Committee” to propagate the CPC’s anti-Japanese propositions and news from the liberated areas to the whole country and the world.

掌握科学高效的宣传方法是开展宣传工作的重要前提。毛泽东告诫宣传工作者，要掌握科学有效的宣传方法，写文章有说服力，不要靠“装腔作势借以吓人”。一是讲究语言修辞，巧用生动鲜活的宣传话语。毛泽东提倡宣传语言要生动活泼切实有力，他在日常交流、演讲、写作中经常使用历史故事、民间俗语以及多种修辞手法，使语言更加生动活泼且具有趣味性，容易唤起听众的情感。如1938年，他用“水桶和水”做喻，向美国军官卡尔逊深入浅出地分析中国抗战形势。此外还有著名的“一切反动派都是纸老虎”“将革命进行到底”“革命要有根据地，好像人要有屁股”等语言，非常生动有力、富有诗意，把十分复杂的战略思想用极简单又深刻的话表达出来。二是采取群众喜闻乐见的宣传形式。为更好地动员群众参加抗战，毛泽东指出：“怎样去动员？靠口说，靠传单布告，靠报纸书册，靠戏剧电影”，主张充分运用标语、口号、传单、戏剧、歌谣等群众喜闻乐见的多种宣传方式。三是灵活运用多元宣传媒介。毛泽东非常重视报纸的宣传作用，号召各边区积极办报，领导创办了“新华通讯社”《解放日报》《新中华报》等十余种机构、报刊。同时，毛泽东认识到无线广播传播范围广、速度快的特点，主张要创办广播电台，打破国民党的新闻封锁。1940年3月，中共中央成立“广播委员会”，向全国、全世界宣传中国共产党的抗日主张和解放区的新闻。

(3) Expanding Channels, Actively Carrying Out International Propaganda

（三）拓展渠道，主动开展国际宣传

External propaganda is a crucial part of propaganda work. Facing the slander and blockade by the Nationalist Party, Mao Zedong clearly and keenly recognized the important role of external propaganda, especially the need to leverage the power of foreign media to help the CPC break through information barriers and convey a positive image of the CPC to the world. First, he actively invited foreign journalists to visit the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region. Through domestic democratic forces, Mao invited progressive and upright foreign media figures such as Edgar Snow and Anna Louise Strong to visit Yan’an. He often talked with foreign journalists for hours, providing them with valuable material for understanding the CPC and the construction of the border region. Subsequently, Snow’s book *Red Star Over China* triggered a wave of reports on Red China and had a huge impact on international public opinion. [21] Second, he skillfully utilized international friends and overseas Chinese to carry out propaganda for the anti-Japanese national salvation movement. Mao attached great importance to the role of groups such as international friends and overseas Chinese, leading the formulation of policies to “protect the interests of overseas Chinese and assist those returning to the motherland,” establishing overseas Chinese affairs institutions such as the Overseas Work Committee and the Yan’an Overseas Chinese National Salvation Association, warmly receiving international friendly personages and overseas Chinese, and encouraging them to propagate China’s War of Resistance. Overseas Chinese national salvation unified organizations and other overseas Chinese affairs groups founded internationally influential newspapers and periodicals such as the *New York Chinese News* and the *Sin Chew Jit Poh*, [22] showcasing a positive image of the CPC to the international community.

对外宣传是宣传工作至关重要的一环。面对国民党的抹黑与封锁，毛泽东清醒而敏锐地意识到对外宣传的重要作用，特别是需要借助外媒的力量帮助中国共产党打破信息壁垒，向世界传递中国共产党的正面形象。一是主动邀请外国记者到陕甘宁边区访问。毛泽东通过国内民主力量邀请到斯诺、斯特朗等进步正直的外媒人士到延安访问，他常常与外国记者交谈数小时，为他们了解中国共产党以及边区建设情况提供了很多宝贵素材，此后斯诺撰写出版的《红星照耀中国》引发了红色中国报道热潮，并在国际舆论界产生巨大影响。二是巧借国际友人和侨胞等开展抗日救亡宣传。毛泽东非常重视国际友人和侨胞等群体的作用，领导制定“保护华侨利益，扶助回国的华侨”政策，设立海外工作委员会、延安华侨救国联合会等侨务机构，热情接待国际友好人士和侨胞，鼓励他们宣传中国抗战。华侨抗战救国统一组织等侨务团体创办了《纽约新报》《星洲日报》等具有国际影响力的报刊，向国际社会展示了中国共产党的正面形象。

V. Practical Implications of Mao Zedong’s Leadership in Propaganda Work during the Yan’an Period

五、延安时期毛泽东领导开展宣传工作的现实启示

During the Yan’an period, Mao Zedong and the Party Central Committee made full use of various propaganda resources, flexibly adopted multiple propaganda strategies, broke the information blockade of the Japanese aggressors and the Nationalist Party, won widespread sympathy and assistance from domestic and international communities, and created a favorable public opinion environment for promoting the development of the Chinese revolution. This is a vivid manifestation of the Chinese Communists’ promotion of the historical initiative spirit. [23] Under the complex historical background of the “two overall situations” [24] in the current era, to do a good job in propaganda work, we must continue to promote the historical initiative spirit, actively grasp propaganda work from the perspective of the general trend of the times and the overall situation of national development, strengthen the top-level design of propaganda work based on the Party’s leadership, grasp the historical impetus to stimulate the momentum of propaganda subjects, promote the innovation of propaganda discourse according to the characteristics of the target audience, follow the laws of propaganda to promote innovation in propaganda methods, and firmly grasp the initiative in propaganda work.

延安时期，毛泽东和党中央充分利用各种宣传资源，灵活采取多种宣传策略，打破了日本侵略者和国民党的信息封锁，获得了国内国际社会的广泛同情与援助，为推动中国革命事业发展营造了良好舆论环境，是中国共产党人发扬历史主动精神的生动体现。在当前“两个大局”复杂历史背景下做好宣传工作，必须继续发扬历史主动精神，积极从时代发展大势与国家发展全局的高度把握宣传工作，立足党的领导加强宣传工作顶层设计，把握历史动力激发宣传主体动能，根据对象特点推动宣传话语创新，遵循宣传规律推动宣传方法创新，牢牢掌握宣传工作主动权。

(1) Adhere to the Party’s Leadership and Strengthen the Top-Level Design of Propaganda Work

（一）坚持党的领导，加强宣传工作的顶层设计

Historical experience from the Yan’an period shows that adhering to the Party’s leadership is the fundamental guarantee for Chinese Communists to carry out propaganda work. Mao Zedong repeatedly emphasized that newspaper propaganda must be subordinate to the Party’s policies, and required news agencies and newspapers in various regions to promptly study the Central Committee’s policies, “so that the Party’s program, line, policies, tasks, and working methods can meet the masses most quickly and widely.” [25] Under the Party’s leadership, Mao Zedong and the Party Central Committee carried out strategic planning for propaganda work from the top-level design, setting up propaganda institutions, allocating professional talents, determining propaganda themes, and initially constructing a systematic propaganda work system, providing a basic guarantee for orderly propaganda work. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC

延安时期的历史经验表明，坚持党的领导，是中国共产党人开展宣传工作的根本保证。毛泽东多次强调报刊宣传要服从于党的政策，并要求各地通讯社和报社要及时研究中央政策，“使党的纲领路线，方针政策，工作任务和工作方法，最迅速最广泛地同群众见面”。在党的领导下，毛泽东与党中央从顶层设计上对宣传工作进行战略规划，设置宣传机构、配备专业人才、确定宣传主题，初步构建起系统的宣传工作体系，为有序开展宣传工作提供基础保障。党的十八大以来，习近平从把握历史规律与宣传工作规律的高度，进一步明确指出“党性原则是党的新闻舆论工作的根本原则”。新时代做好党的宣传工作，必须牢牢坚持党的领导这一经验和原则，充分发挥党把方向、谋大局的政治优势，明确当前“两个大局”背景下宣传工作的战略方向，不断健全新时代党的宣传工作体制机制，为高效开展宣传工作提供根本遵循。

(2) Shaping multiple subjects, actively telling the story of China in the New Era

（二）塑造多元主体，积极讲好新时代中国故事

Giving full play to the propaganda strength of multiple subjects such as Party cadres, journalists and writers, literary and artistic workers, Party theorists, international friends, and overseas Chinese compatriots was an important experience in successfully carrying out propaganda work during the Yan’an period. In the New Era, the subjects of China’s propaganda work have become more diverse. In addition to official mainstream media, various domestic self-media and “foreign internet celebrities,” by virtue of their non-governmental identity, professional identity, or foreign identity, play the role of “other-narrative” and have all played an important role in telling the story of China in the New Era. It is necessary to provide scientific guidance, fully leverage the role of multiple propaganda subjects, and enhance the effectiveness of propaganda work. Their advantages as walking symbolic representatives and mobile narrative carriers should be utilized, using social media to tell the story of China in the New Era from a true, three-dimensional, and precise cultural perspective. Furthermore, overseas Chinese and foreign nationals around the world who care about the development of the motherland are actively telling the story of China in the New Era through carriers such as Chinese cuisine, traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese martial arts, and traditional festivals.

发挥党的干部、新闻工作者、文艺工作者、党内理论家、国际友人和海外侨胞等多元主体的宣传力量，是延安时期成功开展宣传工作的重要经验。新时代，我国宣传工作主体更趋多元，除了官方主流媒体外，各种国内自媒体以及“洋网红”凭借其民间身份、行业身份或外籍身份，扮演着“他者叙事”的角色，在讲好新时代中国故事中都发挥了重要作用。必须科学引导，充分发挥多元宣传主体的作用，提升宣传工作效能。要用好其作为行走的符号代言和流动的叙事载体的优势，利用社交媒体以真实、立体、精准的文化视角，讲述新时代的中国故事。此外，全球范围内关心祖国发展的华侨华人，正通过中餐、中医、中国武术、传统节日等载体，积极讲好新时代中国故事。

(3) Analyzing the characteristics of the target audience, innovating discourse to promote segmented dissemination

（三）分析对象特点，创新话语推动分众化传播

Faced with the different knowledge and cultural backgrounds of the masses in the border areas, democratic personages, and international friends during the Yan’an period, Mao Zedong, based on the needs of the propaganda targets, used a plain style of writing, vivid language, and exquisite examples to enhance the tension of propaganda discourse and shorten the distance with the propaganda targets. In the New Era, propaganda work still needs to be based on the propaganda targets, establish “user thinking” and “demand orientation,” grasp the trend of segmented and differentiated dissemination, and use new discourse expressions to achieve the propaganda effect of “moistening things silently” [17]17 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of the Xi Jinping era.. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the popular

面对延安时期边区群众、民主人士以及国际友人的不同知识文化背景，毛泽东立足宣传对象的需求，使用朴实的文风、生动的语言、精妙的事例增强宣传话语的张力，拉近与宣传对象的距离。新时代，宣传工作仍需要立足宣传对象，树立“用户思维”和“需求导向”，把握分众化、差异化传播趋势，用新的话语表达实现春风化雨、润物无声的宣传效果。党的十八大以来，习近平非常重视党的理论宣传大众化的问题，强调“要加强传播手段和话语方式创新，让党的创新理论‘飞入寻常百姓家’”。习近平立足群众需求与各项工作特点，提出“绿水青山就是金山银山”“打铁还需自身硬”“中国梦归根到底是人民的梦”等新话语，既讲出了群众的心声，又指明了具体工作方向，推进了党的理论宣传大众化。

(4) Scientifically grasp the laws, and empower innovation in propaganda methods with technology.

（四）科学把握规律，用技术赋能宣传方式创新

Mao Zedong always insisted on leading and carrying out propaganda work from the perspective of grasping laws. On the one hand, he scientifically grasped the laws of the development of the Chinese revolution and made propaganda work an important measure for advancing the revolution. On the other hand, he scientifically grasped the laws of the development of propaganda work itself and actively explored new propaganda methods. Faced with practical problems such as scarce communication resources and blocked communication channels, Mao Zedong comprehensively utilized communication media such as newspapers, periodicals, and radio stations, and skillfully leveraged foreign media to carry out international communication work, achieving remarkable results. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized respecting the laws of communication, demanding “innovating methods and means to effectively enhance the communication power, guiding power, influence, and credibility of the Party’s news and public opinion.” [17]17 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of the Xi Jinping era. On the one hand, it is necessary to integrate existing propaganda methods and media, striking a “combined punch” in propaganda. Propaganda thinking must be broadened, based on the needs of the people, fully utilizing multiple methods both “online” and “offline,” coordinating and handling the relationships between traditional media and emerging media, central media and local media, and other types of media, forming an all-media communication system that is resource-intensive, structurally reasonable, differentiated in development, and synergistic and efficient, thereby enhancing the superposition effect. On the other hand, according to the development of the times and the laws of communication, new propaganda methods must be explored. Actively seize new opportunities in online communication, and through technological means such as artificial intelligence, big data, short videos, and live streaming, promote innovation in propaganda methods, improve communication efficiency and precision, and enhance the audience’s sense of participation and interactivity.

毛泽东始终坚持从把握规律的高度来领导开展宣传工作。一方面，科学把握中国革命发展规律，将宣传工作作为推进革命的重要举措。另一方面，科学把握宣传工作自身发展规律，积极探索新的宣传方式。面对传播资源匮乏、传播通道闭塞等现实问题，毛泽东综合利用报刊、电台等传播媒介，并巧借外媒开展国际传播工作，取得了显著成效。党的十八大以来，习近平一再强调尊重传播规律，要求“创新方法手段，切实提高党的新闻舆论传播力、引导力、影响力、公信力”。一方面，要整合现有宣传方式和宣传媒介，打好宣传“组合拳”。必须开拓宣传思路，立足群众需求，充分运用“线上”“线下”多种方式，统筹处理好传统媒体和新兴媒体、中央媒体和地方媒体等各种媒体的关系，形成资源集约、结构合理、差异发展、协同高效的全媒体传播体系，增强叠加效应。另一方面，根据时代发展和传播规律，探索新的宣传方法。积极抓住网络传播新机遇，通过人工智能、大数据、短视频、直播等技术手段，推动宣传方式创新，提升传播效率和精准度，增强受众的参与感和互动性。