By studying history, we gain clarity, build confidence, cultivate virtue, and put knowledge into practice. Standing at the historical juncture of the “Two Centenaries,” we look back on our journey of struggle past and gaze forward toward the path of vigorous advancement ahead.

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.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Independence and self-reliance are fine traditions of the Chinese nation and constitute an important principle underlying the founding of both the Communist Party of China and the People’s Republic of China. Given the national conditions and mission—namely, carrying out revolution and construction in a large Eastern country like China, one characterized by a huge population and underdeveloped economy and culture—we had no choice but to forge our own path.” This spirit of independent exploration and this firm determination to follow our own road are precisely the essence that has enabled our Party to continually awaken from setbacks and steadily march from victory to victory. Looking back at history, independence and self-reliance have not only been the living soul of Mao Zedong Thought but also the unbroken red thread running through the very beginning of the sinicization and modernization of Marxism. To a large extent, it can be said that without independence and self-reliance, there would have been neither the emergence of Mao Zedong Thought nor the pioneering of the sinicization and modernization of Marxism.

The Communist Party of China was born in a large Eastern country that was semi-colonial and semi-feudal. As it led the Chinese people in the revolution to overthrow the "three great mountains," it was bound to encounter numerous special and complex problems. Even before the formation of Mao Zedong Thought, Chinese communists had already embarked on a difficult and tortuous exploration—guided by Marxism—around the fundamental questions concerning the path of the Chinese revolution, accumulating rich experience from both successes and failures. This historical period, especially its tortuous course, demonstrated unequivocally that simply memorizing the general principles of Marxism-Leninism and blindly copying foreign experiences could never solve the problems of the Chinese revolution. It was precisely the Chinese communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, who, through repeated historical comparisons, chose the path of independently exploring the road to revolution in China. Independence and self-reliance became not only an important prerequisite for the formation and development of Mao Zedong Thought but also a crucial precondition for opening up a new era of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and making it contemporary.

Why do we say this? It is because, in the late 1920s and early 1930s, within the international communist movement and within our Party itself, there emerged a dangerous tendency to dogmatize Marxism and to sacralize the resolutions of the Comintern and the experiences of the Soviet Union. This erroneous trend severely hampered the Chinese communists’ initiative and creativity in exploring the path of the Chinese revolution, profoundly stifling people’s thinking and nearly driving the Chinese revolution into an impasse. It was precisely in the course of struggling against this erroneous tendency and deeply drawing lessons from historical experience in this regard that Mao Zedong Thought gradually took shape and developed. Throughout this process, the publication of “Oppose Book Worship” in May 1930, the successful convening of the Zunyi Conference in 1935, the emergence of “On Practice” and “On Contradiction” in 1937, and the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Party held in 1938 all played a vitally important role in promoting the sinicization and modernization of Marxism.

“Against Book Worship,” born in May 1930, is permeated throughout by the fundamental spirit of seeking truth from facts and pursuing independence and self-reliance. “The victory of China’s revolutionary struggle depends on Chinese comrades’ understanding of China’s actual conditions.” “The Communist Party’s correct and unwavering strategic approach can never be concocted by a small number of people sitting in rooms; rather, it can only emerge through the course of the masses’ struggles.” “We must study Marxism’s ‘textbooks,’ but we must do so in combination with China’s actual conditions.” These resounding words herald the arrival of a spring thunder—the era of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism.

The Zunyi Conference, held during the Long March, marked the beginning of our Party’s independent and autonomous resolution of major internal issues, as well as the awakening of a great ideological consciousness within the entire Party to independently and autonomously pursue theoretical exploration. However, due to the exceptionally arduous nature of the revolutionary struggle and the uniquely complex international context in which dogmatism had taken root, the comprehensive rectification campaign in Yan'an aimed at thoroughly addressing the impact of dogmatic errors did not officially begin until the mid-point of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Yet even before that, substantial steps had already been taken—from the vantage point of Marxist philosophy, or more precisely, from the standpoint of worldview and methodology—to critically examine and rectify the errors of dogmatism. It was precisely through his two philosophical works, “On Practice” and “On Contradiction,” that Comrade Mao Zedong laid the philosophical foundation for the sinicization and modernization of Marxism, thus opening up a path for intellectual liberation.

Reestablish the epistemology of dialectical materialism and the view of the unity of knowledge and practice. Since the fundamental characteristic of dogmatism is the separation between the subjective and the objective, as well as the disconnect between theory and practice, the first breakthrough in setting the Party’s theoretical exploration on the right track lies in establishing, through "On Practice," the fundamental principle that everything must proceed from reality. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: “The epistemology of dialectical materialism elevates practice to the primary position, holding that human cognition cannot be separated from practice in the slightest, and rejecting all erroneous theories that deny the importance of practice and thus isolate cognition from practice.” “The criterion for truth can only be social practice. The viewpoint of practice is the primary and fundamental viewpoint of the epistemology of dialectical materialism.” As indicated by the subtitle of "On Practice," this scientific work—laying the philosophical foundation for the sinicization of Marxism—focuses on elucidating and resolving the "relationship between knowledge and action," thereby establishing the view of the unity of knowledge and action. At the end of "On Practice," it is stated: “Our conclusion is the concrete, historical unity of the subjective and the objective, of theory and practice, of knowledge and action—opposing all erroneous ideas, whether ‘left’ or ‘right,’ that depart from specific history.” “Practice, cognition, re-practice, re-cognition—this pattern repeats itself endlessly, yet each cycle of practice and cognition brings us progressively closer to a higher level. This is the entire epistemology of dialectical materialism; this is the dialectical-materialist view of the unity of knowledge and action.”

Reconsidering and properly addressing the relationship between universality and particularity is crucial. Another significant characteristic of dogmatism is its excessive emphasis on universal principles, to the point of neglecting—or even replacing—the specific characteristics inherent in concrete situations. Dogmatists infinitely exaggerate certain specific assertions made by classical Marxist writers and endlessly magnify particular policies and experiences from the Communist International and the Soviet Union, disregarding changes in time, national conditions, context, location, and specific subjects. They wrongly place universality above particularity, and sometimes even substitute universality for particularity altogether. The rectification of this error in dogmatism was achieved through "On Contradiction." In this work, Comrade Mao Zedong, by elucidating the relationship between the universality and particularity of contradictions, opened up a correct ideological path for the Sinicization of Marxism. He profoundly pointed out: “Certainly, if we fail to recognize the universality of contradictions, we cannot possibly discover the universal causes or universal foundations underlying the movement and development of things. Yet, if we do not study the particularity of contradictions, we cannot determine the unique essence that distinguishes one thing from another; we cannot identify the special causes or special foundations driving the movement and development of things; and consequently, we cannot distinguish among different things nor delineate the distinct realms of scientific inquiry.” He further emphasized that human understanding of objective laws involves a closely linked process: “One aspect moves from the particular to the general, while the other moves from the general to the particular. Human cognition always proceeds in this cyclical manner, and each cycle—provided it is conducted strictly according to scientific methods—can elevate human understanding yet another step forward, continually deepening our grasp of reality.” It is precisely in this sense that Comrade Mao Zedong delivered a sharp critique of dogmatists: “Our dogmatists are lazybones who refuse to undertake any painstaking research into concrete realities. They regard general truths as something that appears out of thin air, reducing them to purely abstract formulas beyond human grasp, completely negating and reversing the normal order of human cognition of truth. They also fail to understand the interconnection between the two processes of human cognition—the movement from the particular to the general and then from the general to the particular—and they completely misunderstand Marxist epistemology.” From this perspective, an important principle has been established: To integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s actual conditions, we must first start from the concrete circumstances of the Chinese revolution itself, moving from an understanding of particularities toward a grasp of underlying laws, and continuously fostering a virtuous interaction between these two cognitive and developmental processes—moving from the particular to the general and then from the general to the particular.

It can be said that the principle of practice first lays the epistemological foundation for the ideological line of proceeding from reality and seeking truth from facts; and the principle of starting from the particularity of contradictions further provides the methodological foundation for this same ideological line. To put it simply, practicing first means first and foremost proceeding from China’s actual conditions; and starting from the particularity of contradictions means first and foremost proceeding from specific problems and specific circumstances. This, in turn, provides a scientific theoretical basis for the Chinese Communists to uphold the principle of independence and self-reliance.

On the eve of the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Party, the Comintern approved the political line of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, led by Comrade Mao Zedong, since the start of the all-national war of resistance against Japan. This approval cleared the way for Comrade Mao Zedong to formally put forward, in his political report “On the New Stage” at the Plenary Session, the epoch-making proposition of the Sinicization of Marxism. Given that a prominent characteristic of dogmatism is its tendency to “always quote Greece” while remaining largely ignorant of one’s own affairs and severing the connection between Marxism and one’s own country’s history, culture, and specific revolutionary movements, Comrade Mao Zedong set forth three major learning tasks for the entire Party: First, study the theories of Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin; second, study the history of our nation; and third, study the current situation and trends of the movement. He pointed out: “A political party guiding a great revolutionary movement cannot possibly achieve victory without revolutionary theory, without historical knowledge, and without a profound understanding of the actual movement itself.”

Regarding the systematic study of Marxist theory, he pointed out: “We should not treat their theories as dogmas, but rather regard them as guides for action. We should not merely learn the phrases and slogans of Marxism-Leninism; instead, we must study it as a science of revolution. We should not only understand the general principles derived by Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin from their extensive study of real life and revolutionary experience, but also learn the stance and methods they adopted in observing and solving problems.” Concerning the systematic study of Chinese history, he noted: “Our nation has a history spanning thousands of years, with its own distinctive characteristics and numerous precious treasures.” “We are Marxist historicists; we must not sever ourselves from our history. From Confucius to Sun Yat-sen, we should draw comprehensive conclusions and carry forward this invaluable legacy.” “Marxism must be combined with China’s specific characteristics and expressed through certain national forms in order to become truly effective.” “Communists who have become an integral part of the great Chinese nation and are closely linked by blood and flesh to this nation—anyone who talks about Marxism apart from China’s specific features is engaging in an abstract and empty form of Marxism.” As for the systematic study of the Chinese revolutionary movement, he emphasized: “The movement is constantly developing, and new things are always emerging ahead of us; these new developments are endless. Studying this movement in its entirety and tracking its development is a major task that we must keep in mind at all times. If anyone refuses to conduct serious and meticulous research into these issues, then he cannot be considered a Marxist.” In Comrade Mao Zedong’s view, if we can achieve all of the above, we will take a significant step forward in combining the basic tenets of Marxism with the realities of China, and thus genuinely promote the “Sinicization of Marxism.”

Later history has shown that it was precisely the thorough refutation of dogmatism on these three fundamental points that enabled Mao Zedong Thought to rapidly develop along the correct path of adapting Marxism to China’s specific conditions and the demands of the times, and to unfold in multiple dimensions. First, Mao Zedong Thought blazed a correct trail for the adaptation of Marxism to China’s specific conditions and the demands of the times. Upholding the principles of seeking truth from facts, following the mass line, and pursuing independence and self-reliance, it creatively resolved a series of major issues concerning the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism-Leninism with China’s actual conditions. Through painstaking exploration, it profoundly analyzed China’s social structure and class composition, clarifying the nature, targets, tasks, and driving forces of the Chinese revolution. It proposed a two-step strategy for advancing toward socialism via the New Democratic Revolution, formulated the general line for the New Democratic Revolution, and opened up a revolutionary path characterized by encircling the cities from the countryside and ultimately achieving nationwide victory. Second, through the establishment of the theory of Party building and its successful practice, Mao Zedong Thought creatively addressed a series of major issues related to building a Marxist party under China’s unique socio-historical conditions, transforming the Party into a Marxist party fully armed with scientific theory and revolutionary spirit, closely connected to the masses in blood and flesh, and completely consolidated ideologically, politically, and organizationally. Third, through the creation of the theory of building the People’s Army and its successful practice, Mao Zedong Thought creatively tackled a series of major issues concerning the founding of a people’s armed force under the Party’s absolute leadership, thus building a new type of People’s Army imbued with an indomitable spirit, capable of overwhelming all enemies yet never yielding to them. Fourth, through the establishment of the theory of the united front and its successful practice, Mao Zedong Thought creatively resolved a series of major issues concerning the formation of a revolutionary united front that unites the broadest possible majority of the entire nation in a common struggle, thereby rallying around the Party and the people the largest possible coalition of allies.

Following the Yan'an Rectification Campaign, the Seventh National Congress of the Party held in 1945 established Mao Zedong Thought as the guiding ideology for the entire Party, playing a pivotal role in achieving the great victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan and securing a complete victory for the Chinese Revolution.

After the founding of New China, guided by Mao Zedong Thought, the Party and the state creatively accomplished the transition from the New Democratic Revolution to the Socialist Revolution, enabling China—a great Eastern nation accounting for one-quarter of the world’s population—to enter socialist society and successfully realizing the broadest and most profound social transformation in the history of the Chinese nation. The victory of the New Democratic Revolution and the establishment of the basic socialist system laid the fundamental political prerequisites and institutional foundations for all subsequent development and progress in contemporary China.

After the establishment of the basic socialist system, how to build socialism in China became a brand-new challenge facing the Communist Party of China. Guided by Mao Zedong Thought, the entire Party undertook arduous explorations into a path of socialist construction suited to China’s specific conditions. It summarized and put forward the “Ten Relationships” in socialist construction, creatively proposed the theory of correctly handling contradictions among the people, and formulated a strategic vision for building our country into a powerful socialist nation. In a relatively short period of time, Chinese society underwent earth-shaking transformations, establishing an independent and relatively complete industrial system and national economic system. We independently developed the “Two Bombs and One Satellite,” becoming a major world power with significant global influence. We accumulated valuable experience in carrying out socialist construction in a large Eastern country like China, where the level of social productivity was extremely backward. These achievements laid the fundamental prerequisites and established a solid theoretical and practical foundation for the victorious development of the Party and the people’s cause, and for the Chinese nation’s bold strides toward catching up with the trends of the times.

The Chinese communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, applied dialectical materialism and historical materialism to all aspects of the proletarian political party’s work. In the long and arduous struggle of the Chinese revolution, they developed a set of positions, viewpoints, and methods that are uniquely characteristic of the Chinese communists—namely, seeking truth from facts, following the mass line, and exercising independent self-reliance, which together constitute the living soul of Mao Zedong Thought. These principles also embody the essence of the sinicization and modernization of Marxism, and have consistently permeated and guided the Chinese Communist Party’s theoretical exploration and creative endeavors over the past century and more.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping has profoundly expounded on the principles of seeking truth from facts, following the mass line, and pursuing independent self-reliance at numerous important occasions, and has further enriched and developed these principles in light of the new conditions and requirements of the new era. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Blazing our own trail is both the fundamental starting point of all the Party’s theories and practices, and also the historical conclusion drawn from the Party’s century-long struggle.” “As we forge our own path, we have an infinitely broad stage, an infinitely profound historical foundation, and an infinitely strong determination to move forward. The Chinese people should have this confidence, and every Chinese person should have this confidence.” This inspires us to press ahead with vigor and courage in our great journey filled with glory and dreams, uniting and striving together to fully build a modern socialist country and comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.