The great founding spirit of the Party must be passed down through generations, as reaffirmed on the eve of the 105th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must continue to carry forward our glorious traditions, sustain our red lineage, and forever inherit and carry forward the great founding spirit of the Party."
The great founding spirit is defined as upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. It is regarded as the spiritual source of the CPC.
A national symposium on Party building was held around the 105th anniversary to make arrangements for studying and implementing Xi Jinping's thought on Party building. Authorities stated that this thought marks a new height in the Party's understanding of its own construction.
Multiple historical and contemporary examples illustrate the continuity of this spiritual lineage. In October 2022, shortly after the 20th National Congress of the CPC, Xi led the newly elected members of the Political Bureau Standing Committee to Yan'an, Shaanxi Province, urging the promotion of the great founding spirit and the Yan'an spirit. Earlier, after the 19th National Congress, the Standing Committee members visited the site of the first CPC National Congress in Shanghai and the Red Boat on Nanhu Lake in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province. Going back to 2012, after the 18th National Congress, the leading officials visited the "Road to Rejuvenation" exhibition at the National Museum, where Xi declared that "achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has been the greatest dream of the Chinese people in modern times."
The power of ideals and convictions was repeatedly emphasized. At the Memorial Hall of the Battle of the Xiangjiang River during the Long March in Quanzhou, Guangxi, the story of martyr Chen Shuxiang was remembered: captured at 29, he tore open his own intestines to resist surrender and died a hero's death. During his visit in 2021, Xi noted that the Red Army's ability to break through enemy lines without collapsing "relied on the power of ideals and convictions."
Serving the people's well-being is set as the greatest achievement. A rattan chair displayed at the Jiao Yulu Memorial Hall in Lankao, Henan Province, serves as evidence: Jiao Yulu, in the late stages of liver cancer, used a stick to press against his liver to continue working, wearing a large hole into the right side of the chair. Xi once said that the spirit of Jiao Yulu "has always been a guiding light for me." In 2026, a Party-wide education campaign on establishing a correct view of achievements was launched, and Jiao's deeds were again cited.
The practical significance of the fighting spirit was also stressed. On September 3, 2025, a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression was held at Tiananmen Square. Xi once recited the farewell letter written by martyr Zhao Yiman to her son before her execution to express his reverence, and he pointed out that at a critical stage of national rejuvenation, major struggles are inevitable and must be met by "marching forward with a spirit that defies all difficulties and hazards."
The flesh-and-blood bond between the Party and the people is epitomized in the story of "Half a Quilt." The incident took place in Shazhou Yao Village, Rucheng County, Hunan Province. In 1934, three female Red Army soldiers cut their only quilt in half and left it with villager Xu Jiexiu. Xi visited the site in 2020. Today, Xu's great-grandson Zhu Xiangqun serves as the Party secretary of the village, having led villagers to develop local specialty industries; the village now receives over 1.4 million tourist visits annually.
Maintaining the Party's advanced nature and purity is another key theme in inheriting the great founding spirit. Xi stated that by vigorously promoting this spirit and engaging in courageous self-reform, the Party can ensure it never changes its nature, its color, or its character.
The large-scale oil painting "Spark" at the Memorial Hall of the First CPC National Congress, showing over 50 members of early Communist organizations striding forward, is used as a metaphor for the unquenchable flame of ideals. To strengthen belief, the CPC Central Committee has launched annual internal education campaigns since the 20th National Congress, including thematic education on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Party discipline education, education on the eight-point central regulations, and education on establishing a correct view of achievements, in order to "undergo political checkups, dust off political dirt, and correct behavioral deviations."
The results of Party governance and discipline are presented in figures. In 2025, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision placed 181 centrally administered officials under investigation; nationwide, discipline inspection and supervisory agencies filed 1,012,000 cases, imposed 47,000 detentions, and handed out Party and government disciplinary punishments to 983,000 individuals. In international anti-corruption cooperation, 505 cross-border corruption cases were investigated, 963 fugitives were repatriated, and the "100 Red Notice" fugitives in Asia were all accounted for.
The effectiveness of governance improvements is also supported by public opinion data. A 2025 survey by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that 95.5% of respondents approved the implementation of the eight-point central regulations, and 92.2% were satisfied with the positive effect on social conduct driven by improved Party and government work styles.
The spiritual lineage rooted in the great founding spirit now extends to cover the spirit of poverty alleviation, the spirit of combating the COVID-19 pandemic, the spirit of scientists, the spirit of entrepreneurs, the spirit of lunar exploration, and more. The picture of struggle in the new era includes: builders of Xiong'an New Area described as "the first batch of pioneers"; scientists and researchers tackling bottlenecks in areas like large-scale AI models and advanced materials; and the national west-to-east electricity transmission capacity reaching 340 gigawatts.
The intergenerational transmission of the Party's cause is noted. Xi recently replied to a letter from Zhang Liansheng, a 102-year-old Party member from Xinhua News Agency, expressing respect. Moreover, over 80% of new Party members recruited each year are aged 35 or below, seen as the secret behind the Party's enduring vitality.
On the eve of the Party's 105th birthday, Xi renewed his call: "We are now marching forward on the new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects. We must work together to complete the new Long March, realize an even brighter future, and continuously meet the people's aspirations for a better life."