Taking Solving the Unique Problems of a Large Party as the Main Direction of Attack

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC summarized the historic achievements of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party over the past decade, emphasizing that “as the largest Marxist governing party in the world, our Party must always maintain sobriety and firmness in solving the unique problems of a large party in order to always win the support of the people and consolidate its long-term governing position.” [1]1 The Agrarian Revolutionary War period (1927-1937), also known as the Second Revolutionary Civil War period, was the decade when the CPC established rural base areas and fought the Kuomintang. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that solving the unique problems of a large party is a hurdle that must be crossed to fulfill the Party’s mission and tasks on the new journey of the New Era, and a hard bone that must be gnawed through for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party to adapt to new situations and requirements. At the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, [2]2 The Yan'an Rectification Movement (1942-1945) was a Party-wide campaign of Marxist education to correct non-proletarian ideologies, particularly subjectivism and dogmatism. when explaining the nine issues that need to be properly grasped in the practice of deeply advancing the Party’s self-revolution

党的二十大报告总结全面从严治党十年磨一剑的历史性成就，强调“我们党作为世界上最大的马克思主义执政党，要始终赢得人民拥护、巩固长期执政地位，必须时刻保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定”。习近平总书记指出，解决好大党独有难题，是实现新时代新征程党的使命任务必须迈过的一道坎，是全面从严治党适应新形势新要求必须啃下的硬骨头。在二十届中央纪委三次全会上，习近平总书记在阐释深入推进党的自我革命实践中需要把握好的九个问题时，提出要“以解决大党独有难题为主攻方向”，阐明了解决大党独有难题在深入推进党的自我革命中的重要地位，对科学推进党的自我革命具有重要指导意义。

I. Taking Major Problems as the Guide to Deeply Identify and Solve Problems Is an Important Experience of the Century-Old Party in Advancing Its Self-Revolution

一、以重大问题为导向深入破题解题，是百年大党推进党的自我革命的重要经验

Self-revolution has always been directed at problems; the process of self-revolution is precisely the process of continuously examining, discovering, and solving problems. Grasping the principal contradiction to drive overall work is an inherent requirement of dialectical materialism and a methodology our Party has consistently advocated and adhered to. In different historical periods, our Party, targeting the prominent problems existing within the Party at the time, determined the main direction and key tasks of self-revolution, concentrated forces and resources to solve the main problems, thereby driving the resolution of other problems and pushing self-revolution to ever greater depths.

自我革命从来都是奔着问题去的，自我革命的过程就是不断检视问题、发现问题和解决问题的过程。抓住主要矛盾带动全局工作，是唯物辩证法的内在要求，也是我们党一贯倡导和坚持的方法论。在不同历史时期，我们党针对当时党内存在的突出问题，确定自我革命的主要方向和重点任务，集中力量和资源解决主要问题，以此带动解决其他问题，推动自我革命不断走向深入。

During the Agrarian Revolutionary War period [1]1 The Agrarian Revolutionary War period (1927-1937), also known as the Second Revolutionary Civil War period, was the decade when the CPC established rural base areas and fought the Kuomintang., our Party, addressing the problem that the majority of Party members were of peasant and other petty-bourgeois origin, established the correction of various non-proletarian ideologies within the Party as an important task of Party building, and established the important principle of building the Party primarily through ideological means. During the Yan'an Rectification Movement period [2]2 The Yan'an Rectification Movement (1942-1945) was a Party-wide campaign of Marxist education to correct non-proletarian ideologies, particularly subjectivism and dogmatism., Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out that subjectivism, sectarianism, and Party stereotypes [3]3 "Party stereotypes" (党八股) refers to a rigid, formulaic, and empty style of writing and speech criticized during the Yan'an Rectification Movement. were three major problems affecting the development of the Party's cause. He established opposing subjectivism to rectify the style of study, opposing sectarianism to rectify the style of Party relations, and opposing Party stereotypes to rectify the style of writing as the main tasks of the Rectification Movement, thoroughly clearing out the errors of subjectivism and dogmatism, rectifying the Party's ideological and political lines, and achieving tremendous results. In the early period after the founding of New China, to address prominent problems such as bureaucracy, commandism, and corruption that emerged within the cadre ranks, our Party carried out Party consolidation and rectification and the "Three-Anti" campaign [4]4 The "Three-Anti" campaign (1951-1952) was a nationwide movement against corruption, waste, and bureaucracy within the Party and government. against corruption, waste, and bureaucracy. Entering the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, Comrade Deng Xiaoping proposed solving the questions of "what kind of party a ruling party should be, what qualifies a ruling party member, and what constitutes good leadership by the Party," building the Party into a combat-ready Marxist party and a strong core leading the entire people in the construction of socialist material civilization and cultural-ethical progress. At the turn of the century, Comrade Jiang Zemin required the entire Party to strengthen construction in all aspects around solving the two major historical subjects of "improving the level of leadership and governance, and enhancing the ability to resist corruption, prevent degeneration, and withstand risks." Since the beginning of the new century, Comrade Hu Jintao proposed that the tests of governance, reform and opening up, the market economy, and the external environment facing the Party are long-term, complex, and severe, and that the dangers of lack of drive, incompetence, disconnection from the masses, and passive corruption are more sharply placed before the entire Party. To withstand these tests and resolve these dangers, the most fundamental thing is to strengthen the Party's self-construction and always maintain the Party's advanced nature and purity.

土地革命战争时期，我们党针对农民和其他小资产阶级出身的党员占大多数的问题，把纠正党内各种非无产阶级的思想确立为党的建设重要任务，确立了着重从思想上建设党的重要原则。延安整风时期，毛泽东同志指出，主观主义、宗派主义、党八股是影响党的事业发展的三大突出问题，把反对主观主义以整顿学风、反对宗派主义以整顿党风、反对党八股以整顿文风，确立为整风运动的主要任务，彻底清理了主观主义、教条主义错误，使全党端正了思想路线和政治路线，收到了巨大成效。新中国成立初期，为解决干部队伍中出现的官僚主义、命令主义、贪污腐化等突出问题，我们党开展了整党整风和反贪污、反浪费、反官僚主义的“三反”运动。进入改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，邓小平同志提出，要解决好“执政党应该是一个什么样的党，执政党的党员怎样才算合格，党怎样才叫善于领导”的问题，把党建设成为有战斗力的马克思主义政党，成为领导全国人民进行社会主义物质文明和精神文明建设的坚强核心。世纪之交，江泽民同志要求全党围绕解决“提高领导水平和执政水平、增强拒腐防变和抵御风险的能力”这两大历史性课题加强各方面建设。新世纪以来，胡锦涛同志提出，党面临的执政考验、改革开放考验、市场经济考验、外部环境考验是长期的、复杂的、严峻的，精神懈怠的危险、能力不足的危险、脱离群众的危险、消极腐败的危险，更加尖锐地摆在全党面前，经受考验、化解危险，最根本的是要加强党的自身建设，始终保持党的先进性和纯洁性。

As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, targeting the problems of ineffective and lax governance of the Party that once appeared, our Party has exercised comprehensive and strict governance of the Party with unprecedented courage and resolve, deploying a "combined punch" of self-revolution, solving many prominent problems within the Party, and opening up a new realm of self-revolution for the century-old Party. The 20th National Congress of the CPC comprehensively summarized the historic achievements of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and further required the entire Party to always maintain sobriety and firmness in solving the unique challenges facing a large party. At the Second Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection [5]5 The Second Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection was held in January 2023., General Secretary Xi Jinping systematically elaborated on the unique challenges facing a large party using the "six how to always" [6]6 The "six how to always" (六个如何始终) are: how to always remain true to the original aspiration and founding mission; how to always unify thinking, will, and action; how to always possess the ability and leadership to govern; how to always maintain the vigor and vitality of the contingent; how to always maintain a clean and upright political environment; and how to always carry out self-revolution., deeply analyzing the causes, main manifestations, and ways to resolve these unique challenges, fully reflecting the Party Central Committee's creative exploration in solving the unique challenges facing a large party. At the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection [7]7 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection was held in January 2024., General Secretary Xi Jinping included "taking the resolution of the unique challenges facing a large party as the main direction of attack" among the nine issues that need to be grasped well in the practice of deeply advancing the Party's self-revolution. This series of important expositions reflects our Party's sober understanding of severe and complex tests, its high degree of consciousness in unswervingly and strictly governing the Party, and its confidence and determination to forever maintain the vigorous vitality and combat effectiveness of the century-old Party.

中国特色社会主义进入新时代，针对一度出现的管党不力、治党不严问题，我们党以前所未有的勇气和定力全面从严治党，打出了一套自我革命的“组合拳”，解决了党内许多突出问题，开辟了百年大党自我革命新境界。党的二十大全面总结全面从严治党的历史性成就，进一步要求全党时刻保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定。在二十届中央纪委二次全会上，习近平总书记用“六个如何始终”对大党独有难题作出系统阐释，深刻分析大党独有难题的形成原因、主要表现和破解之道，充分体现了党中央对解决大党独有难题的创造性探索。在二十届中央纪委三次全会上，习近平总书记把“以解决大党独有难题为主攻方向”列入深入推进党的自我革命实践中需要把握好的九个问题之中。这一系列重要论述，体现了我们党对严峻复杂考验的清醒认识，对坚定不移从严管党治党的高度自觉，对永葆百年大党旺盛生命力和战斗力的信心决心。

II. Taking the Resolution of the Unique Challenges Facing a Large Party as the Main Direction of Attack Clarifies the Main Problems and Key Tasks to Be Solved in Advancing Self-Revolution in the New Era

二、以解决大党独有难题为主攻方向，明确了新时代推进自我革命要解决的主要问题和重点任务

Our Party is the world's largest political party, established under the guidance of Marxist party-building theory and according to the principle of democratic centralism. It has been in power for a long time in the world's most populous country. With a long history, a large number of members, and a huge scale, it possesses both the immense advantage of accomplishing great deeds and building great achievements, and faces special difficulties in governing the Party and the country. The "six how to always" not only points out the causes and main manifestations of the unique challenges facing a large party but also proposes the direction and ideas for solving these challenges, clarifying the main problems and key tasks to be solved in advancing self-revolution in the New Era.

我们党是在马克思主义建党学说指导下、按照民主集中制原则建立起来的世界最大政党，在世界上人口最多的国家长期执政，历史久、人数多、规模大，既有办大事、建伟业的巨大优势，也面临治党治国的特殊难题。“六个如何始终”既指出了大党独有难题的形成原因和主要表现，也提出了解决这些难题的方向和思路，明确了新时代推进自我革命要解决的主要问题和重点任务。

How to always remain true to the original aspiration and founding mission. The Party's original aspiration and founding mission are the concentrated expression of the Party's nature, purpose, ideals, beliefs, and goals, and are a matter of the Party's foundation. Our Party has always taken seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation as its original aspiration and founding mission, consistently embodying this in all its struggles. The history of the international communist movement shows that it is not easy for a Marxist political party to always remember and practice its "original aspiration and founding mission." As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The Party's cause is great and arduous, with a heavy and long-term responsibility. Some people, as they walk, forget why they set out, forget the lofty ideal of communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, forget who they are, who they are for, and who they rely on, thereby losing the true character of a Communist." We must adhere to the original aspiration established when laying the foundation and starting the undertaking, adhere to the Party's ideals, beliefs, and purpose, always represent the fundamental interests of the broadest majority of the Chinese people, resolutely prevent leading cadres from becoming spokespersons and agents of interest groups and power groups, and resolutely oppose the mindset and phenomena of privilege. We must make remaining true to the original aspiration and founding mission an eternal subject for strengthening Party building and a lifelong subject for all Party members and cadres, establish a system for remaining true to the original aspiration and founding mission, use the original aspiration and founding mission to temper the political character of loyalty, integrity, and responsibility, and always maintain the political essence of a Marxist political party.

如何始终不忘初心、牢记使命。党的初心和使命是党的性质宗旨、理想信念、奋斗目标的集中体现，事关党的根本。我们党始终把为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴作为自己的初心使命，并一以贯之体现到党的全部奋斗之中。国际共产主义运动的历史表明，马克思主义政党要始终牢记并践行“初心使命”并不容易。正如习近平总书记所指出的：“党的事业伟大而艰巨、任重而道远，有人走着走着就忘记了为什么出发，忘记了共产主义远大理想和中国特色社会主义共同理想，忘记了我是谁、为了谁、依靠谁，从而丧失了共产党人的本色。”我们必须坚守奠基创业时的初心，坚守党的理想信念宗旨，始终代表中国最广大人民的根本利益，坚决防止领导干部成为利益集团和权势团体的代言人、代理人，坚决反对特权思想和特权现象。要把不忘初心、牢记使命作为加强党的建设的永恒课题和全体党员、干部的终身课题，建立不忘初心、牢记使命的制度，用初心使命锤炼忠诚干净担当的政治品格，始终保持马克思主义政党的政治本色。

How to always unify thought, unify will, and unify action. Unity and unification are the lifeblood of the Party and the source of the Party’s strength. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “We are the world’s largest Marxist political party; being large means we must have the bearing of a large party, yet being large also brings its own difficulties.” [8]8 "Cutting off a poisoned limb" (壮士断腕) and "scraping poison off the bone to heal the wound" (刮骨疗毒) are Chinese idioms describing the resolve to endure great pain to eliminate a serious problem, the latter alluding to the historical figure Guan Yu of the Three Kingdoms period. As the Party’s scale continues to grow, some ideological problems and conflicts of interest inevitably emerge, some of which become intricately interwoven with social contradictions, making coordination and handling extremely difficult. Some individuals disregard the Party’s political discipline and political rules, engaging in the formation of small mountain-strongholds, small circles, and small cliques, and even giving rise to problems of the tail wagging the dog [9]9 "It is easy to revolutionize others, but difficult to revolutionize oneself" (革别人命容易，革自己命难) is a paraphrase of a common Chinese political saying, emphasizing the difficulty of self-criticism and internal reform. and acting without authorization. As reform and opening up gradually deepens, the diversification of social interests and the pluralization of thought have also profoundly affected the concepts and behavior of Party members and cadres, increasing the difficulty of unifying thought and action within the Party. The unity and unification of the Party is first and foremost political unity and unification. We must place the political construction of the Party in the foremost position, take ensuring that the entire Party obeys the Central Committee and upholding the authority of the Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership as the primary task, take the Two Upholds as the Party’s highest political principle and fundamental political rule, and continuously improve political judgment, political comprehension, and political execution, ensuring that the entire Party maintains a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee in political stance, political direction, political principle, and political path. Ideals and convictions are the spiritual pillar and political soul of Chinese Communists, and are the ideological foundation for maintaining the Party’s unity and unification. We must strengthen faith in Marxism, strengthen belief in socialism and communism, arm the entire Party with scientific theory, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and strengthen confidence in the path, confidence in the theory, confidence in the system, and confidence in the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, so that the unity and unification of the entire Party is built upon a common adherence to ideals and convictions and a rational identification with scientific theory. Party discipline is an important guarantee for maintaining the Party’s unity and unification. We must take the ongoing Party discipline study and education as an opportunity, place disciplinary construction in a more prominent position, educate and guide Party cadres to study discipline, understand discipline, clarify discipline, and abide by discipline, and use strict discipline to ensure that the entire Party consciously maintains a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, achieving the state of knowing what to do and what to stop

如何始终统一思想、统一意志、统一行动。团结统一是党的生命，是党的力量所在。习近平总书记指出：“我们是世界上最大的马克思主义政党，大就要有大的样子，同时大也有大的难处。”随着党的规模不断壮大，一些思想问题和利益矛盾难免出现，有的还与社会矛盾错综交织，协调处理难度大。一些人无视党的政治纪律和政治规矩，出现搞小山头、小圈子、小团伙现象，甚至出现尾大不掉、自行其是问题。随着改革开放逐步深入，社会利益多元化、思想多样化也深刻影响到党员、干部的观念和行为，增加了党内统一思想和统一行动的难度。党的团结统一首先是政治上的团结统一。要把党的政治建设摆在首位，把保证全党服从中央、坚持党中央权威和集中统一领导作为首要任务，把“两个维护”作为党的最高政治原则和根本政治规矩，不断提高政治判断力、政治领悟力、政治执行力，确保全党在政治立场、政治方向、政治原则、政治道路上同党中央保持高度一致。理想信念是中国共产党人的精神支柱和政治灵魂，是维护党的团结统一的思想根基。必须坚定对马克思主义的信仰，坚定对社会主义和共产主义的信念，用科学理论特别是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想武装全党，坚定中国特色社会主义道路自信、理论自信、制度自信、文化自信，使全党的团结统一建立在对理想信念的共同坚守和对科学理论的理性认同之上。党的纪律是维护党的团结统一的重要保证，要以正在开展的党纪学习教育为契机，把纪律建设摆在更加突出的位置，教育引导党员干部学纪、知纪、明纪、守纪，以严明的纪律确保全党自觉同以习近平同志为核心的党中央保持高度一致，做到知行知止、令行禁止。

How to always possess strong governing capacity and leadership level. Strong governing capacity and leadership level are necessary conditions for consolidating the Party’s governing position, fulfilling its governing mission, and responding to various risks and challenges. On the one hand, the world is undergoing changes unseen in a century at an accelerated pace, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered a critical period. The tasks faced by a party governing a large country with a population of over 1.4 billion over the long term are unprecedentedly heavy, placing new and higher demands on the Party’s governing capacity and leadership level. On the other hand, although our Party’s governing capacity and leadership level are generally strong, as General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “In a century-old party governing over the long term, inertial thinking and behavioral inertia objectively exist; some old concepts, old routines, and old methods easily become entrenched habits; and the continuous growth and expansion of the ranks also bring about a mixture of good and bad cadres, uneven in quality.” [8]8 "Cutting off a poisoned limb" (壮士断腕) and "scraping poison off the bone to heal the wound" (刮骨疗毒) are Chinese idioms describing the resolve to endure great pain to eliminate a serious problem, the latter alluding to the historical figure Guan Yu of the Three Kingdoms period. We must take learning as an important pathway to improving the Party’s governing capacity and leadership level, foster a strong atmosphere across the Party that values and excels at learning, build a Marxist learning-oriented political party, and promote the construction of a learning-oriented great power. We must cultivate a pioneering and innovative consciousness, insist on examining and evaluating ourselves with a developmental perspective, have the courage to break through “old frameworks” and step out of “comfort zones,” diligently learn new knowledge and master new skills, and prevent following old routines and resting on our laurels. In accordance with the needs of the continuous development of the Party’s and the state’s undertakings, we must keep pace with the times to improve the level of scientific governance, democratic governance, and law-based governance, comprehensively enhance governing capabilities, and strive to overcome the problems of “capability panic” [9]9 "It is easy to revolutionize others, but difficult to revolutionize oneself" (革别人命容易，革自己命难) is a paraphrase of a common Chinese political saying, emphasizing the difficulty of self-criticism and internal reform. and insufficient competence within the cadre ranks. We must build a contingent of cadres who are politically reliable, meet the requirements of the New Era, and possess the ability to lead modernization efforts, ensuring that the century-old Party always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

如何始终具备强大的执政能力和领导水平。强大的执政能力和领导水平是巩固党的执政地位、完成党的执政使命、应对各种风险挑战的必要条件。一方面，世界百年未有之大变局加速演进，实现中华民族伟大复兴进入关键时期，在一个14多亿人口的大国长期执政面临的任务空前繁重，对党的执政能力和领导水平提出了新的更高要求。另一方面，虽然我们党的执政能力和领导水平在整体上是过硬的，但正如习近平总书记指出的，“百年大党长期执政，思维惯性、行为惰性客观存在，一些老观念、老套路、老办法容易相沿成习，队伍不断发展壮大也带来干部良莠并存、参差不齐”。我们要把学习作为提高党的执政能力和领导水平的重要途径，在全党营造重视学习、善于学习的浓厚氛围，建设马克思主义学习型政党，推动建设学习型大国。要树立开拓创新意识，坚持用发展的眼光审视和评估自己，勇于突破“旧框框”和走出“舒适区”，努力学习新知识、掌握新本领，防止因循守旧、固步自封。要根据党和国家事业不断向前发展的需要，与时俱进提高科学执政、民主执政、依法执政水平，全面增强执政本领，着力克服干部队伍中存在的“本领恐慌”、能力不足问题，建设一支政治过硬、适应新时代要求、具备领导现代化建设能力的干部队伍，确保百年大党始终成为中国特色社会主义事业的坚强领导核心。

How to always maintain an entrepreneurial and work-oriented spirit. Forever preserving the revolutionary spirit and always maintaining a vigorous, hardworking, and enterprising mindset is an important prerequisite for successfully treading the new road of the examination. [10]10 "Taking the examination" (赶考) is a metaphor used by Mao Zedong in 1949 as the CPC was about to take national power, likening the Party's new governing role to a rigorous imperial examination that must be passed. Historically, the rulers of China’s feudal dynasties were mostly able to follow the trend of the times, strive for vigorous governance, maintain political clarity, and win the allegiance of the people in their early stages. However, after governing for a long time, they began to indulge in pleasure and extravagance, losing the proactive and enterprising spirit of their early founding period, descending into corruption and decay, and even leading to dynastic change. The nature of our Party and state is fundamentally different from that of feudal dynasties, and a simple analogy cannot be drawn, but the lessons of history are worthy of vigilance. A large party governing over the long term, having experienced prolonged peace, some Party members and cadres have not undergone life-and-death trials and lack the tempering of severe struggles and harsh environments. They easily fall into a state of complacency, lack of ambition, reluctance to struggle, and indulgence in pleasure. After the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General

如何始终保持干事创业精神状态。永葆革命精神，始终保持艰苦奋斗、奋发有为的精气神，是走好新的赶考之路的重要前提。从历史看，中国封建王朝的统治者大都在开始时能够做到顺乎潮流、励精图治、政治清明，民心归附，但是执政时间长了以后，就开始贪图享乐、穷奢极欲，失去创业初期那种积极进取精神，走向腐败堕落，甚至导致改朝换代。我们党和国家的性质同封建王朝有本质区别，不能做简单类比，但是历史的教训值得警醒。大党长期执政，承平日久，一些党员、干部没有经历过生死考验，缺乏严峻斗争和艰苦环境的磨砺，容易陷入安于现状、不思进取、不敢斗争、贪图享乐的状态。习近平总书记在党的十八大以后反复强调：“我们党是马克思主义执政党，但同时是马克思主义革命党，要保持过去革命战争时期的那么一股劲、那么一股革命热情、那么一种拼命精神，把革命工作做到底。”我们要牢记“三个务必”，大力弘扬将革命进行到底的精神，从以伟大建党精神为源头的中国共产党人精神谱系中汲取智慧和力量，传承红色基因，赓续红色血脉。要发扬斗争精神，增强斗争本领，在大是大非面前敢于亮剑，在矛盾冲突面前敢于迎难而上，在危机困难面前敢于挺身而出，在歪风邪气面前敢于坚决斗争，依靠顽强斗争打开事业发展新天地。要树立正确政绩观，以功成不必在我和精神境界、功成必定有我的历史担当，真抓实干、务求实效，创造经得起历史和人民检验的实绩。

How to always be able to promptly discover and resolve one's own existing problems. Daring to face problems directly and never relaxing for a moment in resolving one's own existing problems is the key to our Party's ability to endure long-term prosperity and maintain vitality. No political party is immune to making mistakes, and it is inevitable that it will have various problems of one kind or another. The greatness of the Communist Party of China lies not in never making mistakes, but in never concealing its faults or avoiding treatment, daring to muster the courage of "cutting off a poisoned limb" and "scraping poison off the bone to heal the wound" [8]8 "Cutting off a poisoned limb" (壮士断腕) and "scraping poison off the bone to heal the wound" (刮骨疗毒) are Chinese idioms describing the resolve to endure great pain to eliminate a serious problem, the latter alluding to the historical figure Guan Yu of the Three Kingdoms period., repeatedly taking up the "scalpel" to resolutely excise all malignant tumors that have grown on the Party's body, removing decay to regenerate healthy tissue, and strengthening the body. This political character of always upholding truth and correcting errors has endowed our Party with an extremely strong capacity for self-repair, and is an important reason why our Party has been able to rise again repeatedly in times of crisis and restore order after errors over the past century. As the largest Marxist ruling party in the world, with a glorious history and great achievements, it is very easy, under the halo of its governing achievements, to overlook one's own shortcomings and neglect one's own problems, falling into the predicament of "it is easy to revolutionize others, but difficult to revolutionize oneself" [9]9 "It is easy to revolutionize others, but difficult to revolutionize oneself" (革别人命容易，革自己命难) is a paraphrase of a common Chinese political saying, emphasizing the difficulty of self-criticism and internal reform.. The longer the ruling period and the greater the governing achievements, the more we should maintain the sober-mindedness of "taking the examination" [10]10 "Taking the examination" (赶考) is a metaphor used by Mao Zedong in 1949 as the CPC was about to take national power, likening the Party's new governing role to a rigorous imperial examination that must be passed., adopt an attitude of "the greater one becomes, the more one fears; the stronger one becomes, the more one is apprehensive" [11]11 "The greater one becomes, the more one fears; the stronger one becomes, the more one is apprehensive" (愈大愈惧，愈强愈恐) is a classical Chinese expression from the *Lüshi Chunqiu* (Spring and Autumn of Mr. Lü), warning against complacency in success., comprehensively understand the Party's history and reality, its strengths and weaknesses, its achievements and shortcomings, its contradictions and problems, and never cover up or evade one's own problems. With the courage to face problems squarely and the self-awareness of turning the blade inward, we must continuously advance self-revolution. We must work hard to enhance the capacity for self-purification, self-improvement, self-renovation, and self-enhancement [12]12 "Self-purification, self-improvement, self-renovation, and self-enhancement" (自我净化、自我完善、自我革新、自我提高) are four standard terms in CPC discourse on Party building, collectively describing the Party's capacity for internal reform., forming a virtuous cycle of relying on the Party's own strength to discover problems, correct deviations, promote innovation, and achieve an overall improvement in governing capacity. We must adhere to institutional governance of the Party and governance of the Party according to regulations, improve institutions, enhance the authority and enforcement of intra-Party regulations, and form a mechanism for upholding truth and correcting errors, and for discovering problems and correcting deviations. We must strengthen popular supervision, continuously expand the channels and avenues for oversight by the masses, and rely on the support and help of the people to resolve our own problems.

如何始终能够及时发现和解决自身存在的问题。敢于直面问题，一刻不放松地解决自身存在的问题，是我们党能够长盛不衰和保持生机活力的关键所在。任何一个政党都不会不犯错误，也不可避免地存在着这样那样的问题。中国共产党的伟大不在于不犯错误，而在于从不讳疾忌医，敢于拿出壮士断腕、刮骨疗毒的勇气，一次次拿起“手术刀”坚决割除一切滋生在党的肌体上的毒瘤，去腐生肌，强身健体。这种始终坚持真理、修正错误的政治品格，使我们党具备了极强的自我修复能力，是我们党百年来能够多次在危难之际重新奋起、失误之后拨乱反正的重要原因。作为世界上最大的马克思主义政党，有着光荣的历史、伟大的成就，很容易在执政业绩光环的照耀下出现忽略自身不足、忽视自身问题的现象，陷入“革别人命容易，革自己命难”的境地。执政时间越长，执政成就越大，我们就越应该保持“赶考”的清醒，以“愈大愈惧，愈强愈恐”的态度，全面认识党的历史和现实、优势和缺点、成绩和不足、矛盾和问题，决不对自身问题掩盖回避，以正视问题的勇气和刀刃向内的自觉不断推进自我革命。要在增强自我净化、自我完善、自我革新、自我提高能力上下功夫，形成依靠党自身力量发现问题、纠正偏差、推动创新、实现执政能力整体性提升的良性循环。要坚持制度治党、依规治党，完善制度，增强党内法规权威性和执行力，形成坚持真理、修正错误，发现问题、纠正偏差的机制。要强化人民监督，不断拓展群众监督的路径和渠道，靠人民群众支持和帮助解决自身问题。

How to consistently maintain a political ecosystem that is upright and clean. A political ecosystem that is upright and clean is the soil for the formation of the Party’s fine work style and an important condition for preserving the Party’s advanced nature and purity and enhancing its creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness. In the Party’s century-plus history of struggle, a healthy and clean intra-Party political ecosystem has been a key factor in the Party’s sustained vitality and in winning the trust and support of the people, and it has also been an advantage in the Party’s victories in contests with other political forces. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, large numbers of youth and intellectuals from all over the country flocked to Yan’an to join the revolution, and Yan’an became a “sacred place” that revolutionaries yearned for. One important reason was that Yan’an had a clean political ecosystem where “only public servants were seen, not officials.” [13] The “Yan’an work style” defeated the “Xi’an work style”; to a great extent, it can be said that the political ecosystem of the Chinese Communist Party, filled with righteous energy, defeated the political ecosystem of the Kuomintang, rife with evil energy. A political ecosystem, like a natural ecosystem, is easily polluted if not carefully tended. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “For a long time, various factors weakening the Party’s advanced nature and impairing its purity have existed at all times, and various viruses eroding the Party’s physical health are everywhere. If we do not strictly guard against them and regularly sweep away political dust, over time the situation will become too serious to remedy.” Creating a good political ecosystem is a long-term task that requires perseverance and sustained effort. It is necessary to rigorously conduct intra-Party political life, sweep away political dust, purify the political soul, and enhance political immunity. It is necessary to strictly enforce the Party’s political discipline and rules, making resolute efforts to uphold the Two Upholds the primary political discipline, and seriously investigate and punish the “seven issues.” [14] It is necessary to develop a positive and healthy intra-Party political culture, allowing the Party’s ideals, beliefs, values, and fine traditions to penetrate the thoughts and minds of Party members and cadres. It is necessary to select and appoint personnel with clear political standards, fully leveraging the guiding role of personnel selection. It is necessary to resolutely oppose corruption, adhere to the integrated advancement of not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt, and win the protracted and tough battle against corruption.

如何始终保持风清气正的政治生态。风清气正的政治生态是党的优良作风的生成土壤，是保持党的先进性纯洁性、提高党的创造力凝聚力战斗力的重要条件。在党的百余年奋斗历史中，健康洁净的党内政治生态是我们党始终保持旺盛生命力、赢得人民群众信任支持的重要因素，也是我们党在同其他政治力量较量中取得胜利的优势所在。抗日战争时期，大批青年和知识分子从全国各地奔赴延安参加革命，延安成为革命者向往的“圣地”，一个重要原因是延安有着“只见公仆不见官”清明政治生态。“延安作风”打败“西安作风”，在很大程度上可以说是中国共产党正气充盈的政治生态打败了国民党邪气横生的政治生态。政治生态和自然生态一样，稍不注意，就很容易受到污染。习近平总书记所指出：“长期以来，各种弱化党的先进性、损害党的纯洁性的因素无时不有，各种侵蚀党的肌体健康的病毒无处不在，如果不严加防范，经常打扫政治灰尘，久而久之必将积重难返。”营造良好政治生态是一项长期任务，需要锲而不舍、久久为功。要严肃党内政治生活，打扫政治灰尘，净化政治灵魂，增强政治免疫力。要严明党的政治纪律和政治规矩，把坚决做到“两个维护”作为首要政治纪律，严肃查处“七个有之”问题。要发展积极健康的党内政治文化，让党的理想信念、价值理念、优良传统深入党员、干部思想和心灵。要突出政治标准选人用人，充分发挥选人用人的风向标作用。要坚决反对腐败，坚持不敢腐、不能腐、不想腐一体推进，打赢反腐败斗争攻坚战持久战。

III. Deeply Understanding the Great Significance of Taking the Resolution of the Unique Challenges of a Large Party as the Main Direction of Attack

三、深刻认识以解决大党独有难题为主攻方向的重大意义

In different historical periods, our Party has analyzed and assessed the main problems and challenges to be resolved through self-revolution, and accordingly proposed corresponding countermeasures. Today, the Chinese Communist Party has traversed a course of more than 100 years, with over 98 million Party members, and it governs the most populous country in the world. It faces new situations and conditions that the Party has never encountered in its self-revolution, which not only creates the great advantage of the Party’s ability to accomplish great things and build great achievements, but also brings special challenges in governing the Party and the country. The “six how to always” [15] is a concentrated and comprehensive summary of these special challenges. It draws on the scientific understanding of the Party’s own problems in different periods of advancing self-revolution, and based on the Party’s historical position, the historical mission it undertakes, and the complex environment it faces, it makes a new summary, bringing our understanding of the unique challenges of a large party to a new height.

不同的历史时期，我们党对自我革命要解决的主要问题、难题都作出过分析和研判，并据此提出相应的应对之道。如今，中国共产党已经走过100多年的历程，党员人数已经超过9800多万名，又在世界上人口最多的国家执政，面临党进行自我革命没有遇到过的新局面新情况，既造就了党办大事、建伟业的巨大优势，也带来了治党治国的特殊难题。“六个如何始终”是对这些特殊难题的集中而全面地概括。它汲取了我们党不同时期在推进自我革命过程中对自身问题的科学认识成果，立足我们党所处的历史方位、承担的历史使命和面临的复杂环境作出了新的概括，使我们对大党独有难题的认识达到了新高度。

Taking the resolution of the unique challenges of a large party as the main direction of attack highlights the profound sense of urgency and the pioneering and innovative courage of Chinese Communists in the New Era. In the history of the international communist movement, the Russian Communist Party established the world’s first socialist state, thereby becoming the world’s first ruling Marxist party. Subsequently, in Eastern Europe, China, and other regions of the world, Marxist parties successively came to power in more than ten countries, and the international communist movement once flourished. However, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the communist parties of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union successively lost power, especially the sudden collapse of the Soviet Communist Party after 74 years in power, which profoundly demonstrated that the ruling status of a Marxist party is not inherent, nor is it permanent

以解决大党独有难题为主攻方向，彰显了新时代中国共产党人的深沉忧患意识和开拓创新勇气。在国际共运史上，俄国共产党建立了世界上第一个社会主义国家，也因此成为世界第一个执政的马克思主义政党。此后在东欧、中国及世界其他地区，马克思主义政党先后在十余个国家取得政权成为执政党，国际共产主义运动一度蓬勃发展。但是，在20世纪80年代末90年代初，东欧、苏联等国的共产党相继失去政权，尤其是执政74年的苏共轰然垮台，让人不得不深刻体会到马克思主义政党的执政地位不是与生俱来的，也不是一劳永逸的。习近平总书记明确提出以解决大党独有难题为主攻方向，一方面饱含着对世界上其他大党老党兴衰成败历史经验的深刻警醒，另一方面展示了中国共产党立志于中华民族千秋伟业、跳出历史周期率、开创马克思主义政党长期执政历史的雄心壮志。

Taking the resolution of the unique challenges of a large party as the main direction of attack embodies the strategic vision and grand boldness of Chinese Communists in the New Era. Determining the unique challenges of a large party as the main direction of attack means that the Party's self-revolution in the New Era is not only focused on solving current problems or local problems, and even less on solving those formal or superficial problems, but rather, it is aimed at the fundamental and deep-seated problems affecting the long-term governance of the Chinese Communist Party, especially the unique challenges that are complex and particular in nature. It involves making fundamental and long-term considerations, and carrying out forward-looking planning and long-term strategic deployment to ensure that the Chinese Communist Party forever retains its vitality and vigor.

以解决大党独有难题为主攻方向，体现了新时代中国共产党人的战略眼光和宏大气魄。把大党独有难题确定为主攻方向，意味着新时代党的自我革命不仅着眼于解决当前问题、局部问题，更不是解决那些形式问题、表象问题，而是针对影响中国共产党长期执政的根本性、深层次问题特别是具有复杂性、特殊性的独有难题，作出根本性、长远性思考，为中国共产党永葆生机活力作出前瞻性谋划和长远战略布局。

Taking the resolution of the unique challenges of a large party as the main direction of attack reveals the methodology for advancing the Party's self-revolution. The Party's self-revolution is a complex systemic project and also a long-term and arduous task. The so-called main direction of attack means concentrating the main forces, resources, and attention on a specific direction and goal, thereby achieving the overall intention and task. On the one hand, we need to maintain strategic resolve, adhere to systematic thinking, coordinate efforts, implement comprehensive measures, and form an overall momentum. On the other hand, we must also adhere to a problem-oriented approach, grasp the key priorities, take the resolution of the unique challenges of a large party as the main direction of attack, concentrate resources and forces, make solid efforts to resolve the deep-seated problems and contradictions of the Party's self-revolution, and continuously open up new realms for the self-revolution of a century-old large party.

以解决大党独有难题为主攻方向，揭示了推进党的自我革命的方法论。党的自我革命是一个复杂的系统工程，也是一项长期而艰巨的任务。所谓的主攻方向，就是要将主要的力量、资源和注意力集中在某个特定的方向和目标上，以此实现整体意图和任务。一方面，我们需要保持战略定力，坚持系统思维，协同用力，综合施策，形成整体态势。另一方面，也要坚持问题导向，把住关键重点，以解决大党独有难题为主攻方向，集中资源和力量，下功夫解决好党的自我革命的深层次问题和矛盾，不断开辟百年大党自我革命新境界。

(Authors: Associate Professor, Department of Party Building, Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC [National Academy of Governance]; Professor, Department of Party Building, Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC [National Academy of Governance], President of the China Leadership Science Research Association)

（作者：中共中央党校〔国家行政学院〕党建部副教授；中共中央党校〔国家行政学院〕党建部教授、中国领导科学研究会会长）

Online Editor: Ma Jingren

网络编辑：马京仁