Building a Bridge from Theory to the Masses

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “We must disseminate Marxism well; we cannot simply read from a script or pick out phrases; it must be popularized and made accessible.” [1]1 This is a paraphrase of a statement by Xi Jinping, emphasizing the need to make Marxism accessible and popular, rather than relying on rote recitation. Taking a firm stand with the people is the key to doing a good job in propaganda and ideological work. Especially since entering the New Era, grassroots theoretical propaganda must closely follow new developments in the situation and the new needs of the people, focusing more on mass work, so as to better propagate among the people, educate the people, guide the people, and serve the people, thereby enabling the masses to effectively understand and grasp the Party’s innovative theories and policies.

习近平总书记指出：“我们要传播好马克思主义，不能照本宣科、寻章摘句，要大众化、通俗化。”站稳人民立场是做好宣传思想工作的关键所在。特别是进入新时代，基层理论宣讲必须紧贴形势新发展、人民群众新需要，更加聚焦到群众工作上来，才能更好宣传人民、教育人民、引导人民、服务人民，从而使群众有效理解和掌握党的创新理论和方针政策。

Grassroots theoretical propaganda must enter the midst of the people, take root among the people, and be understood and grasped by the broad masses of the people, only then can it fully exert its function of guiding practice and transforming the world. This requires us to adhere to a people-centered approach, to have more “user thinking” and a “demand orientation,” so that theoretical propaganda is combined with serving the masses and solving problems, responding in a timely manner to what the grassroots think, what puzzles the masses, and what the people hope for. Focus on the theoretical needs of the people, and emphasize using “small topics” to explain “big theories.” The masses are the audience of propaganda; break down big principles, grind them fine, use simple, vivid, and concrete examples to tell encouraging stories, closely centering on major ideological viewpoints such as the “Ten Clarifications,” the “Fourteen Persistences,” the “Two Integrations,” and the “Six Musts,” [2]2 The “Ten Clarifications” (十个明确) are a key component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, outlining the core tenets of the theory. [3]3 The “Fourteen Persistences” (十四个坚持) are the basic strategies for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. [4]4 The “Two Integrations” (两个结合) refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of China’s traditional culture. [5]5 The “Six Musts” (六个必须坚持) are principles that must be upheld in the application of Xi Jinping Thought, including putting the people first and seeking truth from facts. refining the broad and profound theory into small topics that the masses can know and feel, using relatable “small stories” from everyday life to explain the “big principles” of the era, only then can the effect of propaganda be like a spring breeze and rain, moistening things silently. Focus on the people’s livelihood demands, vigorously carry out “skills-based” propaganda, combining propaganda with promoting the masses’ production practices. Organize leaders in industrial prosperity, technical backbone personnel, experts and scholars, etc., to go deep into factory workshops and urban communities to carry out professional knowledge and skills propaganda, integrating the Party’s innovative theories and policies beneficial to the people into technical services, so that the masses can understand, grasp, and implement them. Focus on the people’s pursuit of a better life, carry out targeted propaganda work. Fully leverage the driving role of advanced groups such as “China’s Good People” and “Model Families,” [6]6 “China’s Good People” (中国好人) is a national commendation program recognizing individuals for their moral integrity and contributions to society. lead people’s propaganda workers to understand and digest the propaganda content promptly, go deep into the grassroots to conduct tour lectures, combine our better life with the Party’s theoretical innovation achievements, link it with the great changes and brilliant achievements of the New Era, and link it with the bright prospects of comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, uniting and guiding the masses in silent nourishment, gathering the powerful spiritual strength for building a strong country and national rejuvenation.

基层理论宣讲必须走进人民群众、植根人民群众，被广大人民群众所理解和掌握，才能充分发挥其指导实践和改造世界的功能。这就要求我们坚持以人民为中心，多一些“用户思维”和“需求导向”，使理论宣讲与服务群众、解决问题相结合，及时回应基层所想、群众所惑、百姓所盼。着眼于人民群众的理论需求，注重以“小话题”讲好“大理论”。群众是宣讲的受众，把大道理掰开来说、碾碎了讲，用浅显易懂、有血有肉、生动形象的事例讲好加油鼓劲的话，紧紧围绕“十个明确”“十四个坚持”“两个结合”“六个必须坚持”等重大思想观点，把博大精深的理论细化为一个个群众可知可感的小话题，用身边可感可及“小故事”阐释时代“大道理”，才能实现春风化雨、润物无声的宣讲效果。着眼于人民群众的民生诉求，着力开展“技能式”宣讲，让宣讲与促进群众生产实践结合起来。组织产业致富带头人、技术骨干、专家学者等，深入工厂车间、城镇社区，开展专业知识和技能宣讲，将党的创新理论和惠民政策融入技术服务中，让群众听得懂、能领会、可落实。着眼人民群众美好生活追求，有针对性地开展宣讲工作。充分发挥“中国好人”“模范家庭”等先进群体的带动作用，带领百姓宣讲员第一时间理解吃透宣讲内容，深入基层开展巡讲活动，把我们的美好生活与党的理论创新成果结合起来，与新时代伟大变革和辉煌成就联系起来，与以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的光明前景联系起来，在润物无声中凝聚群众、引导群众，汇聚起强国建设、民族复兴的强大精神力量。

To let the Party’s innovative theories “fly into the homes of ordinary people,” it is necessary to shorten the distance with the people and strengthen the innovation of communication methods and discourse styles in ways that the people are happy to see and hear. This requires us to pay more attention to methods and techniques, to value the art of propaganda, so that the broad masses of the people can appreciate the “interest” of theory in their daily use without being aware of it. Transform discourse, starting from the “perspective of the common people.” Convert political discourse and theoretical discourse into the language of the masses, skillfully use plain language, touching stories, and vivid cases that the common people like to hear, can understand, and remember. Since the targets of propaganda in townships and villages are mostly farmers, make full and flexible use of existing resources, match them appropriately, so that the people want to listen, love to listen, and can understand; integrate art forms that the common people love, such as poetry recitation, three-and-a-half-sentence skits, and allegro rap, into propaganda, making propaganda both elevated and warm, integrating the Party’s innovative theories into “daily necessities” and “after-dinner chats,” making theory more accessible and popular. Implement differentiated strategies, create diversified “propaganda products.” Fully consider the ideological differences and receptivity of the audience, precisely create diverse and multi-level propaganda products for different groups, achieving tailored and precise delivery; for different groups such as rural masses, enterprise workers, government cadres, non-Party intellectuals, non-public economic figures, new social strata, women, and youth, tailor-made lesson preparation guides for reference, knocking on the “doors of homes” and opening the “hearts of the masses” in a gentle and subtle way, implementing theoretical propaganda “in detail and small steps,” letting the thought “exert continuous effort.” Focus on audience experience, let the masses be the protagonists. Strive to change the past model of one-way media communication and passive audience reception, break free from the predicament of “you shout yourself hoarse, I remain unmoved,” let the audience participate in propaganda, meet diverse and personalized theoretical needs, and enhance propaganda effectiveness through a communication model of coordinated integration and interactive interaction between sender and receiver.

让党的创新理论“飞入寻常百姓家”，必须拉近与人民群众的距离，以人民群众喜闻乐见的方式加强传播手段和话语方式创新。这就要求我们更加注重方式方法，讲究宣讲艺术，让广大人民群众于“日用而不觉”中体味理论的“趣味”。转变话语，从“百姓视角”出发。把政治话语、理论话语转化为群众语言，善用百姓喜欢听、听得懂、记得住的平实语言、感人故事、生动案例。针对乡镇农村宣讲的对象大多是农民这一群体，用活用足现有资源，合理搭配，让人民群众想听、爱听、听得懂，将诗朗诵、三句半、快板说唱等百姓喜闻乐见的艺术形式融入宣讲，让宣讲有高度又不失温度，把党的创新理论融入“柴米油盐”“茶余饭后”，使理论更加深入浅出、喜闻乐见。分类施策，打造多元化“宣讲产品”。充分考虑受众的思想差异和接受能力，精准打造面向不同群体的多样化、多层次宣讲产品，做到因人制宜、精准滴灌，针对农村群众、企业职工、机关干部、党外知识分子、非公有制经济人士、新的社会阶层、妇女群众、青少年等不同群体的理论宣讲，量身打造可资借鉴的备课指南，于春风化雨中敲开百姓“家门”、打开群众“心门”，把理论宣传“落细落小”，让思想“绵绵用力”。注重受众体验，让群众当主角。着力改变过去媒体单向传播、受众被动接受的方式，走出“你声嘶力竭，我不为所动”的困境，让受众参与到宣讲中来，满足多样化、个性化的理论需求，以传受协同一体、交互作用的传播方式提升宣传效果。

Grassroots theoretical propaganda positions are important carriers for promoting the Party’s innovative theories to go deep among the people and into their hearts. Wherever the people are, the tentacles of theoretical propaganda must reach there. This requires us to attach equal importance to traditional channels and emerging avenues, combine existing platforms with mobile positions, and strive to build a multi-level, three-dimensional theoretical propaganda platform. Make good use of traditional propaganda positions, create “convenient and fast” propaganda venues “by the people’s side.” Relying on the construction of New Era Civilization Practice Centers, [7]7 New Era Civilization Practice Centers (新时代文明实践中心) are community-level institutions established to promote the study and practice of Xi Jinping Thought and socialist core values. organize theoretical propaganda volunteer service activities with distinctive characteristics, build a matrix of grassroots theoretical propaganda brands with local recognition. At the same time, adapt measures to local conditions, expand propaganda from small theoretical classrooms to streets and alleys, parks and squares, pavilions and corridors, making the theoretical propaganda scene part of daily life, forming a new model of theoretical propaganda that can be referenced, replicated, and developed, building a broader theoretical propaganda position. Leverage the advantages of traditional media, strengthen topic planning. Carefully run the theoretical pages of Party newspapers and Party journals, run theoretical columns on radio and television, launch more excellent theoretical books, articles, and programs that the masses are willing to see and love to watch, continuously deepen the theoretical elaboration, academic expression, and systematic construction of the Party’s innovative theories, anchor the ideological “coordinate system” and grasp the “main tone” of propaganda in an era of noisy voices. Actively expand online platforms, explore effective mechanisms for integrating theoretical propaganda and technology. Comprehensively use all-media platforms such as Weibo, WeChat, and Douyin, [8]8 Douyin (抖音) is the Chinese version of the short-video platform TikTok. use forms such as videos and animations, create “micro” propaganda columns for the Party’s innovative theories, adopt online communication forms that the masses love, so that theoretical propaganda retains its “original flavor,” has “true flavor,” and increases “interest.”

基层理论宣讲阵地是推动党的创新理论深入人民群众、深入人心的重要载体。人民群众在哪里，理论宣讲的触角就要伸向哪里。这就要求我们坚持传统渠道和新兴途径并重、现有平台和流动阵地结合，努力构筑多层次、立体化的理论宣讲平台。用好传统宣讲阵地，打造“群众身边、便民快捷”的宣讲场所。以新时代文明实践中心建设为依托，组织开展特色鲜明的理论宣讲志愿服务活动，构建具有地方辨识度的基层理论宣讲品牌矩阵。同时要因地制宜，让宣讲从理论小课堂，拓展到街头巷尾、公园广场、凉亭长廊处，让理论宣讲场景生活化，形成可借鉴、可复制、可发展的理论宣讲新模式，筑起更为广阔的理论宣讲阵地。发挥传统媒体优势，加强选题策划。精心办好党报党刊理论版，办好广播电视理论专栏，推出更多群众愿意看、爱看的优秀理论图书、文章、节目，持续深化党的创新理论的学理化阐释、学术化表达、体系化构建，在众声喧嚣的时代锚定思想“坐标系”、把准宣传“主基调”。积极拓展网络平台，探索理论宣讲和科技融合的有效机制。综合利用微博、微信、抖音等全媒体平台，利用视频、动漫等形式，打造党的创新理论“微”宣传栏目，采用群众喜闻乐见的网络传播形式，让理论宣讲留“原味”、有“真味”、增“趣味”。

The grassroots theoretical propaganda team directly determines the level and effectiveness of theoretical propaganda. Shift the focus downward, extend the reach, extensively organize activities where “the masses tell stories to the masses,” strive to make the propaganda targets the best propagandists, let theory resonate in a “two-way journey.” Focus on grassroots forces, form teams of “famous grassroots speakers.” Recruit grassroots masses with good political literacy, a certain level of theoretical knowledge, strong expression ability, and volunteer service experience to form teams of famous grassroots speakers, using people from the same community to tell stories about their own community, providing targeted explanations to dispel doubts for the masses. These special propagandists are rooted in the grassroots, understand the grassroots situation, are familiar with the production and life of grassroots masses, and clearly understand the needs of the masses; naturally, they can speak and express in the “language of the common people,” achieving an organic combination of “popularizing” and “transforming the masses.” Mobilize the enthusiasm of the masses for propaganda, do a good job in training. Give full play to the role of mass propagandists, do a good job in cultivation and training, carry out rich forms of “mentoring” activities such as exchange meetings, group propaganda, and lesson preparation meetings, jointly sort out propaganda themes, enrich propaganda content, innovate propaganda forms, find suitable propaganda methods, form a strong “magnetic field,” and enhance propaganda effectiveness imperceptibly. Focus on brand cultivation, strive to guide the masses. A propaganda brand is the “business card” of local theoretical propaganda and a concentrated reflection of propaganda achievements. Learn from the good experiences and practices of propaganda brands in various places, create theoretical propaganda brands with local characteristics, flexible and diverse forms, and loved by the masses. Support various places to explore the implementation of the “one place, one brand” project, jointly promote propaganda work to go deep into the masses, deep into the grassroots, and deep into people’s hearts.

基层理论宣讲队伍直接决定着理论宣讲的水平和成效。重心下移、触角延伸，广泛组织“群众讲给群众听”活动，努力让宣讲对象成为最好的宣传者，让理论在“双向奔赴”中产生共鸣。聚焦基层力量，组建百姓名嘴宣讲队伍。吸纳具备良好政治素养、一定理论水平、较强表达能力和志愿服务经历的基层群众，组建百姓名嘴宣讲队伍，通过身边人讲述身边事，有针对性地为群众解疑释惑。这些特殊的宣讲员根在基层，了解基层情况、熟悉基层群众的生产生活、明晰群众需求，自然而然就能用“老百姓的话”讲出来、表达出来，做到把“大众化”与“化大众”有机结合起来。调动群众宣讲积极性，做好培养工作。发挥好群众宣讲员作用，做好培养、培训，开展交流会、组团宣讲、备课会等形式丰富的“传帮带”活动，共同梳理宣讲主题、丰富宣讲内容、创新宣讲形式，找到适合的宣讲方式，形成强大的“磁场”，在潜移默化中提升宣讲实效。注重品牌培育，着力引导群众。宣讲品牌是一个地方理论宣讲的“名片”，是宣讲成果的集中体现。学习各地宣讲品牌的好经验、好做法，打造具有地方特色、形式灵活多样、群众喜闻乐见的理论宣讲品牌。支持各地探索实施“一地一品牌”工程，共同推动宣讲工作深入群众、深入基层、深入人心。

“Small stories” reflect “big themes”; telling stories from the masses’ lives well makes them more vivid, more infectious, and more persuasive. At present, we must especially tell the stories of reform and development that open up broad prospects for Chinese-path modernization through further deepening reform comprehensively. Through these vivid stories, we can grasp the truth power of the Party’s innovative theories, feel the warmth of the Party’s policies and guidelines for people’s livelihoods, and unite the strength and wisdom of the broad masses of cadres and the people around the strategic deployments made at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC.[9]9 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC refers to the third plenary meeting of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, typically a major policy-setting event. The 20th Central Committee was elected at the 20th National Congress of the CPC in 2022.

“小故事”反映“大主题”，讲好群众身边故事，故事越鲜活越有感染力、越有说服力。当前，我们更要讲好以进一步全面深化改革开辟中国式现代化广阔前景的改革发展故事，在一个个生动故事中感悟党的创新理论的真理力量，感受党的方针政策蕴含的民生温度，把广大干部群众的力量和智慧凝聚到党的二十届三中全会作出的战略部署上来。

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧