Tongfang Academy
Micro Party Class · Issue 359
Forge firmly the soul of a Communist—the ideal and conviction.
“Theoretical cultivation is the core of the comprehensive quality of Party members and cadres. Theoretical maturity is the foundation for political maturity, and political steadfastness stems from theoretical clarity.” For Party members and cadres, fostering a fine academic style and strengthening theoretical education are both fundamental requirements for cultivating Party spirit and an inescapable political responsibility.
Tongfang Law Firm provides all its lawyers with learning opportunities in the form of micro-party classes, thereby enhancing their ideological and political awareness as well as their spirit of learning and inquiry. By establishing a long-term educational mechanism, the firm has created a new platform for self-education and self-improvement.
At the Political Work Conference of the Central Military Commission, President Xi delivered a profound analysis of the deep-seated contradictions and problems that must be addressed in strengthening the military politically. He emphasized that “these problems manifest themselves in political, ideological, organizational, stylistic, and disciplinary aspects, but their root lies in our ideals and convictions, our Party spirit cultivation, and our moral character as officials.” Ideals and convictions are the spiritual pillar and political soul of communists. To continue deepening political training, we must firmly focus on strengthening ideals and convictions—a task that is both a soul-casting endeavor, a calcium-supplementing effort, and a foundational-building project—thus solidifying the very soul of communists.
The wavering of ideals and convictions is the most dangerous kind of wavering, and the erosion of ideals and convictions is the most dangerous kind of erosion. As the world’s largest political party, our Party must closely unite its vast ranks of Party members and cadres, and we must firmly grasp and earnestly carry out the task of strengthening their ideals and convictions as a long-term strategic priority.
Ideal and conviction are the foundation for establishing and strengthening the Party, as well as the cornerstone for Party members and cadres to establish themselves and make their way in life. When the foundation is firm, the path naturally emerges. “With firm ideals and convictions, one’s vantage point becomes higher, one’s vision broader, and one’s mind more open. One can thus uphold the correct political direction: remaining neither arrogant nor impatient in times of victory and favorable circumstances, and neither dejected nor wavering in times of difficulty and adversity. Only then can one withstand all kinds of risks and challenges, consciously resist the erosion of corrupt ideologies, and forever preserve the political integrity of a Communist.” If Party members and cadres lack firm ideals and convictions, they will waver in the face of storms and succumb at the first sign of testing. Only by devoting earnest effort to establishing a solid foundation and deeply rooting ideals and convictions in our very being—integrating them into our very blood, infusing them into our souls, and putting them into concrete actions—can we develop robust immunity and resilience, ensuring that we remain untainted, unchanged in character, and true to our original spirit.
High aspirations and noble ideals are a vital guarantee for overcoming enemies and achieving victory, as well as for resisting corruption and preventing moral decay. President Xi emphasized that whether it’s an individual, a small group, or even a political party, a nation, or a country—so long as one has faith, conviction, and confidence, one will become ever more resilient in the face of adversity and ever braver in the face of challenges. Otherwise, one will suffer defeat without even fighting and collapse without being attacked. Looking back on our journey, we see that Communist Party members have charged forward bravely on the battlefield, fearlessly leading the charge; on the execution ground, they faced death with equanimity and met their fate calmly; and in times of crisis, they were willing to take the lead and step up boldly—all because they were firmly supported by unwavering ideals and convictions. Practice has proven that only when Party members and cadres hold fast to their lofty ideals and convictions can they stand firm and clear-cut in matters of right and wrong, remain fearless in the face of turbulent trials, and maintain a steadfast stance against all kinds of temptations, thereby continuously guiding the cause of the Party and the people from one victory to another.
Firmly upholding ideals and convictions is a strategic undertaking that strengthens our foundations, nurtures our roots, unites our spirit, and gathers our energy. At present, the world is undergoing a major shift unseen in a century, with complex and profound changes occurring in global conditions, national circumstances, Party conditions, and military situations. The struggle in the ideological sphere has become sharply complex, and the contest between forging and eroding the soul, between consolidating and undermining our roots, never ceases for a moment. Faced with various real-world challenges and temptations, we must regard firmly upholding ideals and convictions as a strategic undertaking to strengthen our foundations, nurture our roots, unite our spirit, and gather our energy. We must educate and guide all Party members and cadres to treat the firm upholding of ideals and convictions as a lifelong task, consciously purifying their thoughts at the source, reinforcing their foundations, and continuously solidifying the bedrock of their faith, supplementing their spiritual calcium, and keeping their ideological compass steady—so that under any circumstance or at any time, they will never waver in their hearts, deviate from their aspirations, or compromise their integrity.
President Xi pointed out: “Since its founding a century ago, the Communist Party of China has always been a party characterized by lofty ideals and firm convictions. These ideals and convictions are the faith in Marxism, the grand ideal of communism, and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” This important statement provides the fundamental guidance for solidifying the soul of Communist Party members—their ideals and convictions. We must carefully reflect upon it, deeply grasp its essence, and put it into practice.
Uphold the faith in Marxism. Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology upon which our Party and country were founded and have prospered. Possessing the guidance of Marxist scientific theory is the very foundation that enables our Party to remain firm in its beliefs and grasp the initiative in history. From the moment it was established, the Communist Party of China has inscribed Marxism on its banner. Over the past century and more, no matter what difficulties or setbacks we have encountered, we have always taken Marxism as our guiding principle for action—steadfastly and unswervingly. President Xi pointed out: “The Communist Party of China is a political party armed with Marxism; Marxism is the soul of the ideals and convictions of Chinese Communists.” He emphasized further: “If we deviate from or abandon Marxism, our Party will lose its soul and lose its way.” Only under the scientific guidance of Marxism can we make rational judgments and scientifically sound choices that conform to objective laws. Therefore, we must firmly uphold our faith in Marxism and maintain its guiding status; at no time and under no circumstances should we waver in this commitment.
Cultivate the lofty ideal of communism. An ideal is called an ideal precisely because it is lofty; a conviction is called a conviction precisely because it is steadfast. The Communist Party of China bears the name “Communist Party” precisely because, from the very moment of its founding, our Party has embraced communism as its lofty ideal. Throughout our journey, the reason our Party has been able to withstand one setback after another and yet rise again time and again ultimately lies in our Party’s lofty ideals and noble aspirations. We must clearly recognize that realizing communism is a long-term historical process requiring sustained effort—it cannot be achieved overnight. To cultivate the lofty ideal of communism, we must firmly establish a commitment of loyalty and unwavering faith, “clinging tenaciously to the green hills and never letting go,” unafraid of any risks and undeterred by any distractions. We must not only deeply grasp the laws governing historical development and firmly believe in the inevitability of their realization, but also fully understand the long-term, gradual, and arduous nature of achieving communism. Generation after generation must carry forward this cause, continuously pushing ahead with the great practice of striving for our lofty ideal.
Firmly uphold the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is the only path to realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics serves as a powerful driving force for the unity and struggle of all ethnic groups across the country. Practice has fully demonstrated that socialism with Chinese characteristics has achieved tremendous success in China, enabling the Chinese nation to make a great leap—from standing up and becoming prosperous to becoming strong—and ushering the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation into an irreversible historical process. All Party members and cadres must firmly maintain confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, consciously become firm believers and loyal practitioners of both the lofty communist ideal and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, illuminate the path of struggle with the light of ideals, and unite their efforts through the torch of faith.
President Xi pointed out: “Firmly upholding our ideals and convictions is a lifelong task that requires constant cultivation and refinement. We must believe in them for a lifetime and uphold them for a lifetime.” For communists, forging a strong sense of ideals and convictions—their very soul—is neither something that can be achieved overnight nor a one-time, permanent solution. Rather, it demands continuous cultivation and refinement, constant self-reflection and progress, timely pruning and strengthening, and keeping the “main switch” of our ideals and convictions firmly locked through the integration of study, reflection, and practice, as well as the unity of knowledge, belief, and action.
Strengthen ideological and theoretical training in Marxism. The firmness of our ideals and convictions stems from the steadfastness of our ideological and theoretical foundations. To recognize truth, master truth, believe in truth, and defend truth—these are the spiritual prerequisites for firmly upholding our ideals and convictions. The ideals and convictions of Chinese Communists are grounded in the scientific truths of Marxism, in the laws of human social development revealed by Marxism, and in the noble value of striving for the greatest good of the broadest masses of the people. Marxism is a scientific worldview and methodology—a fundamental skill that Party members and cadres must master. If our fundamental skills are not solid and our theoretical grounding is not deep enough, our ideals and convictions will be like “building a tower on sand”—even the slightest breeze or disturbance could cause it to crumble in an instant. On this new journey ahead, all Party members and cadres must firmly establish their ideals and convictions—the very soul of a Communist—and persistently use scientific theory to fortify their minds. We must earnestly study the basic tenets of Marxism, delve deeply into the Party’s innovative theories, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and adhere to reading original works, studying original texts, and comprehending underlying principles. Only then can we truly master, thoroughly understand, and effectively apply Marxism as our essential skill.
We must not only strengthen positive guidance but also make good use of negative examples. To firmly establish the ideals and convictions—the very soul of a Communist—requires closely aligning ourselves with the new era, new practices, and new demands, as well as closely integrating these principles with our actual thoughts and work. We should both harness the exemplary and guiding role of advanced models and leverage the cautionary and educational impact of negative examples. We must recognize both the power of translating ideals and convictions into concrete actions and the dire consequences of losing them. By combining the cultivation of firm ideals and convictions with a thorough analysis of both positive and negative role models, we can help all Party members and cadres distinguish right from wrong, discern truth from falsehood, foster upright conduct, and dispel evil influences. In the spirit of "admiring the virtuous and aspiring to emulate them, and reflecting inwardly upon those who fall short," we can ensure that Communists forever maintain their advanced nature and purity.
Demonstrate loyalty to the Party through concrete actions. Firm ideals and convictions are closely linked with loyalty to the Party: only with firm ideals and convictions can one remain truly loyal to the Party, and loyalty to the Party is the best testament to one’s firm ideals and convictions. To assess whether Party members and cadres possess steadfast ideals and convictions and are truly loyal to the Party, during revolutionary times we should look at whether they are willing to charge ahead and fight bravely, even at the cost of their lives, for the cause of the Party and the people. In peacetime, too, there are clear criteria for evaluation—for instance, whether they resolutely uphold the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, consciously maintain high ideological, political, and behavioral alignment with the Party Central Committee, and stand firmly against all kinds of wrong words and deeds. In this new era and on this new journey, Party members and cadres must forge their ideals and convictions—the very soul of a Communist—as the cornerstone of their being. To do so, they must strengthen their spirit of sharing the Party’s worries, fulfilling their duties to the country, and dedicating themselves to the people; they must dare to take responsibility, boldly tackle tough challenges, and strive to achieve accomplishments worthy of the Party, the people, and the times. By demonstrating their loyalty to the Party through concrete actions, they will fully unleash the tremendous power of their ideals and convictions.
The most crucial task is to focus on cultivating high-level cadres. Role models wield boundless power, and exemplary conduct is the best form of leadership. President Xi has profoundly pointed out: “When it comes to strengthening ideals and convictions, the most critical thing is to focus on high-level cadres.” “Whether officers and soldiers trust or not hinges importantly on whether leading cadres themselves believe in these ideals and convictions—and on how well they put them into practice.” Leading cadres setting a good example through their own actions are the key factor in guiding officers and soldiers to firmly uphold their ideals and convictions. We must insist that high-level cadres receive education first, and guide them to serve as role models and set benchmarks in steadfastly upholding their ideals and convictions. They should take the lead in embracing lofty ideals and convictions, integrating knowledge with action, remaining resolute in their commitment and putting it into practice, bravely shouldering responsibilities, and setting an exemplary standard themselves. In this way, we can truly leverage the “critical few” to inspire and drive the “vast majority,” and harness the powerful positive energy of firm ideals and convictions to build a strong country and a strong military.
Source | People's Daily Online, Official Website for Party History Study and Education
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Tongfang Academy Micro-Party Class, Issue 362: Igniting Skill Dreams on the Snowy Plateau
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Tongfang Academy Micro-Party Class, Issue 358: The Intrinsic Logic and Practical Requirements for Deepening the Reform of the Party Building System
