Expanding Ideological-Political Education through Walking

In 2025, the bell of victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression has echoed for eighty years. When groups of primary and secondary school students in school uniforms listen to accounts of the years of beacons and gunfire in front of the Yan’an cave dwellings, touch the scars of history in the solemnity of the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, and ponder the fate of the nation beside the stone lions of Lugou Bridge [1]1 Lugou Bridge, also known as the Marco Polo Bridge, was the site of the July 1937 incident that marked the beginning of the full-scale Japanese invasion of China. — when “reading ten thousand books” meets “traveling ten thousand miles,” the “walking ideological-political course” allows the fervent blood and passion of revolutionary forebears to collide with the ideals of youth in the New Era, producing stirring echoes and becoming an important path for forging new people for the times.

2025年，抗战胜利的钟声已回响八十载。当一群身着校服的中小学生在延安窑洞前聆听烽火岁月的讲述，在侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆的肃穆中触摸历史伤痕，在卢沟桥的石狮旁沉思民族命运——当“读万卷书”与“行万里路”相遇，“行走的思政课”，让革命先辈的热血情怀与新时代青年的理想碰撞出激昂回响，成为锻造时代新人的重要路径。

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that the practical nature of ideological-political courses must be highly valued, combining the small classroom of ideological-political education with the big classroom of society, and, in the integration of theory and practice, educating and guiding students to translate their life aspirations into down-to-earth concrete actions, combining the specific goals of study and struggle with the great goal of national rejuvenation, setting lofty aspirations and becoming strivers. Today, one university after another is breaking the boundaries of the traditional classroom, and one “walking ideological-political course” after another is gradually unfolding. Diverse scenarios reconstruct the spatial-temporal dimensions of ideological-political education. By connecting educational links and integrating educational resources, in the process of unifying knowledge and action, they help students better understand theory and grasp knowledge.

习近平总书记指出，要高度重视思政课的实践性，把思政小课堂同社会大课堂结合起来，在理论和实践的结合中，教育引导学生把人生抱负落实到脚踏实地的实际行动中来，把学习奋斗的具体目标同民族复兴的伟大目标结合起来，立鸿鹄志，做奋斗者。如今，一所所高校打破传统课堂边界，一堂堂“行走的思政课”渐次展开，多元场景重构了思政教育的时空维度，通过打通教育环节、整合教育资源，在知行合一的过程中帮助学生更好地理解理论、掌握知识。

Red resources are irreplaceable and invaluable treasures. Protecting red resources well is an important foundation for utilizing red resources well and passing on the red gene. To create a “walking ideological-political course,” we should fully leverage the educational function of red resources, earnestly explore local red cultural resources, research and designate a number of important landmark sites, tell well the stories of the Party, of revolution, and of heroes, strengthen historical confidence, enhance historical initiative, and make them a “great school” for educating, inspiring, and shaping people. From the Huangyangjie [2]2 Huangyangjie is a strategic pass on Jinggangshan, the mountainous base area where the CPC established its first rural revolutionary base in the late 1920s. sentry post on Jinggangshan, to the site of the Zunyi Conference [3]3 The Zunyi Conference, held in January 1935 during the Long March, was a pivotal meeting of the CPC that established Mao Zedong’s leadership within the Party., to the farmhouse courtyards of Xibaipo [4]4 Xibaipo was the CPC’s last rural headquarters before entering Beijing in 1949, where key decisions for the civil war’s final phase and the founding of the People’s Republic were made. — when the grand narrative of revolutionary history is presented before one’s eyes in concrete scenes, the vast number of young people can, in practice, better understand society, temper their will, accumulate experience, deeply comprehend that “socialism is built through hard work” and that “the most beautiful youth is one of struggle,” and effectively enhance their sense of responsibility and mission. This year marks the eightieth anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance. By organizing students to retrace the sites of the War of Resistance, listen to oral histories from survivors, and pay respects at martyrs’ cemeteries, patriotic education can no longer remain a slogan but be sublimated into a spiritual imprint in the blood, passing on the red gene and continuing the red bloodline through the “walking ideological-political course,” thereby gathering even stronger spiritual strength.

红色资源是不可再生、不可替代的珍贵财富，保护好红色资源是运用好红色资源、传承好红色基因的重要基础。打造“行走的思政课”，应当充分发挥好红色资源的育人功能，认真挖掘当地红色文化资源，研究确定一批重要标识地，讲好党的故事、革命的故事、英雄的故事，坚定历史自信，增强历史主动，使之成为教育人、激励人、塑造人的“大学校”。从井冈山的黄洋界哨口，到遵义会议的旧址，再到西柏坡的农家院落，当革命历史的宏大叙事以具象化的场景呈现在眼前，广大青少年更能在实践中认识社会、锤炼意志、积累经验，深刻感悟“社会主义是干出来的”“奋斗的青春最美丽”，切实增强责任意识、使命担当。今年正值抗战胜利八十周年，通过组织学生重走抗战遗迹，聆听亲历者口述史，祭奠烈士陵园，能够使爱国主义教育不再停留于口号，而是升华为血脉中的精神烙印，在“行走的思政课”中传承红色基因、赓续红色血脉，凝聚起更强大的精神力量。

Excellent traditional Chinese culture is the “root” and “soul” of the Chinese nation and an indispensable and important component of ideological-political education for university students. Protecting, passing on, and disseminating these treasures of Chinese culture well is of great significance for enhancing the effectiveness of ideological-political education. Guide the vast number of young people to enter history, and through a gentle and nourishing approach, enable them to comprehend the breadth and profundity of excellent traditional Chinese culture, establish confidence in the culture, and perceive the power of truth. For example, the Beijing Central Axis [5]5 The Beijing Central Axis is a 7.8-kilometer north-south line through the center of Beijing, lined with historic buildings and designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2024., a 7.8-kilometer architectural axis, is a “cultural axis,” “spiritual axis,” and “axis of strength” that connects the ancient and the modern. Renmin University of China has taken this axis as its classroom, creating the “Great Ideological-Political Course on the Beijing Central Axis.” Students enter one courtyard after another, experience cultural relic survey work firsthand, learn how to accurately fill out cultural relic survey record forms, and record architectural features. Through exchanges with residents and grassroots workers, they gain a deeper understanding of the modern transmission of excellent traditional Chinese culture and feel the surging torrent of Chinese civilization over thousands of years. The transmission of intangible cultural heritage also adds highlights to the “walking ideological-political course.” When students personally experience ancient papermaking, movable-type printing, and traditional opera, excellent traditional Chinese culture is no longer a cold exhibit in a museum but becomes a living skill and cultural code flowing through their fingertips.

中华优秀传统文化是中华民族的“根”与“魂”，是开展大学生思政教育不可或缺的重要组成部分，把这些中华文化瑰宝保护好、传承好、传播好，对于提升思政教育实效具有重要意义。引导广大青少年走进历史，通过春风化雨的方式让其领悟中华优秀传统文化的博大精深，树立文化自信、感悟真理力量。例如，北京中轴线这条7.8公里的建筑轴线，是一条贯通古今的“文化之轴”“精神之轴”“力量之轴”。中国人民大学以这条轴线为课堂，打造“北京中轴线上的大思政课”。学生们走进一个个院落，实地体验文物普查工作，学习如何准确填写文物普查记录表，记录建筑特征。通过与居民和基层工作人员交流，他们对中华优秀传统文化的现代传承有了更深的理解，更感受到千百年来中华文明这条大河的澎湃汹涌。非遗文化的传承也为“行走的思政课”增添了亮点，当学生亲身体验古法造纸、活字印刷、传统戏曲，中华优秀传统文化便不再是博物馆的冰冷展品，而成为流淌于指尖的鲜活技艺与文化密码。

The essence of the ideological-political course is to explain principles. As a new teaching model of “thematic theoretical lectures + diverse social practice + themed open discussions,” to make the “walking ideological-political course” better and better, attention should be paid to forming an educational closed loop from the “first classroom” to the “second classroom” and back to the “first classroom.” Students should not be allowed to skim the surface or dabble; rather, they must transcend the perceptual level of “an outsider watching the excitement” and connect theoretical propositions, teaching topics, and practical themes, broaden their horizons and perspectives, and shift toward “an insider watching the craft.” This requires us to build a broad platform for educational practice and form a joint educational force. First, jointly build a “big classroom,” create practical teaching bases for the “great ideological-political course,” select a number of university laboratories, research institutes, and school history museums, and organize “research and practice in venues.” Second, make good use of the “big platform,” empower online practice fields with information technology, build digital museums with “great ideological-political” education characteristics for universities, and create an “ideological-political classroom at your fingertips.” Third, strengthen the “great teaching force,” select and cultivate a team of ideological-political course teachers of appropriate age mix who are politically strong, emotionally deep, strict in self-discipline, upright in character, and responsible, invite experts and scholars from different disciplines and “local experts” with profound attainments in the field of “walking” to conduct on-site teaching, and create a “team of mentors by the students’ side.”

思政课的本质是讲道理。作为一种“专题式理论讲授+多样化社会实践+主题式开放讨论”的新型教学模式，要让“行走的思政课”越上越好，应当注重形成从“第一课堂”到“第二课堂”再回到“第一课堂”的教育闭环，不能让学生们走马观花、浅尝辄止，而是要超越“外行看热闹”的感性层面，将理论命题、教学专题、实践主题贯通起来，拓宽视野格局，向“内行看门道”转变。这需要我们搭建广阔的育人实践平台，形成育人合力。一是共建“大课堂”，打造“大思政课”实践教学基地，遴选一批大学实验室、科研所、校史馆等，组织“场馆里的研学实践”。二是用好“大平台”，以信息技术赋能网络实践场域，建设高校“大思政”教育特色数字馆，打造“指尖上的思政课堂”。三是建强“大师资”，选拔和培养一批政治强、情怀深、自律严、人格正、有担当的中青年合理搭配的思政课教师队伍，邀请不同学科的专家学者和在“行走”领域造诣深厚的“土专家”等开展现场教学，打造“学生身边的导师队伍”。

At present, the atmosphere of the entire Party and society supporting and caring for the construction of ideological-political courses is increasingly strong, jointly gathering powerful forces for educating people for the Party and cultivating talent for the country. By creating a “walking ideological-political course,” children can not only gain an extension of knowledge but also complete a grand journey of the soul; they can not only promote individual growth but also, from a young age, establish the great ideal of striving for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics throughout their lives.

当前，全党全社会关心支持思政课建设的氛围日益浓厚，共同汇聚起为党育人、为国育才的强大力量。打造“行走的思政课”，孩子们不仅能够收获知识的延伸，还能完成灵魂的壮游；不仅能够促进个体成长，更能够从小树立为中国特色社会主义事业奋斗终身的伟大理想。

(Author: Zhang Yanqing, Senior Political Worker at the Shijiazhuang Great Ideological-Political Course Practice Teaching Base)

(作者：张彦卿，系石家庄市大思政课实践教学基地高级政工师)

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心