The education and practice program must emphasize self-purification, self-improvement, self-innovation, and self-enhancement. The main goal is to examine oneself in the mirror, straighten out one's clothes and hat, take a bath, and treat one's illnesses.
-- Speech given by Xi Jinping at the Party work meeting on the program of mass line education and practice, June 18, 2013
Examine Oneself in the Mirror, Straighten Out
One's Clothes and Hat, Take a Bath,
and Treat One's Illnesses
-- The general requirements of the mass line education and practice program
In ancient times it was said: "You can straighten your clothes and hat in a mirror of copper, you can learn the course of history in the mirror of time, and you can understand success and failure in the mirror of man." Just as the CPC was about to drive the mass line education program to a deeper level, Xi Jinping defined its overall requirements as "examining oneself in the mirror, straightening out one's clothes and hat, taking a bath, and treating one's illnesses." This means that the time for a massive spring-cleaning has come and any bad work habits and improper actions must be kicked to the curb. The Party has to improve its ability to self-purify, self-improve, self-renovate, and self-enhance, and continually push forward the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. These overall requirements were put forward in view of existing problems and will have a long-term significance. They are easy to understand, clear in meaning, and conform to reality. They are highly targeted and oriented.
"Examining oneself in the mirror" chiefly means to use the Party Constitution as a mirror for measuring Party discipline, the hopes of the people, and role models. It demands improved conduct and lays out problems, room for improvement, and areas of emphasis in sense of purpose, style of work, clean governance, and self-discipline. Efforts must be made to find out shortcomings and deficiencies, and make sure that the direction is correct. It demands using the Party's basic theories as a mirror: Follow communist ideals and convictions, and be firmly confident in the theory, path, and system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. One must first look at himself in the mirror so that he may not let down the Party. The Party Constitution is the basic law and supreme code of conduct for the Party members. It is the yardstick for the words and actions of Party members and officials. The Party Constitution must be used as a mirror to find deficiencies, in particular in carrying out the Party's mission, following the mass line, and maintaining clean governance. We must use the wishes of the people as a mirror, and go to the communities, find out the actual situation, and conduct more and thorough investigation. We have to reflect on where our work is not up to snuff and boldly steer our conduct in the right direction.
"Straightening out one's clothes and hat" means being honest and working for the people, daring to look our deficiencies in the eye, and firmly upholding Party discipline, especially political discipline. This involves reflecting on our thinking and confronting conflicts and problems. We must start right here and right now, and be upright in our manners, be true to the Party, sort out our obligations to the Party, follow Party rules and national laws, and keep a good image for the Communist Party. We cannot truly draw close to the people without straightening ourselves out. We must look in the mirror to find where we need to improve, be completely responsible to the Party and the people, and really take a good look at ourselves. This means true self-education, self-improvement, and self-elevation. Act now to sort out our own problems: Do not overlook them, avoid them, or shirk them. Dare to confront them, correct them, and be responsible for them. Work right alongside the people, modestly learn from them, hear what they really have to say, and learn what is really going on. Work to create a good image of being honest and working for the people, and really earn the people's trust.
"Taking a bath" essentially means to make criticism and self-criticism in the spirit of cleaning up conduct. Thoroughly analyze the causes of problems, dust off our thoughts and actions, and uphold the true political nature of a Communist. Consciously use the weapon of criticism and self-criticism to battle with improper conduct, and take aim both at practical problems and ideological problems. We must clean ourselves up to fend off invading viruses. Leading officials especially have to "take a bath" to shake off the dust. We must speak the truth, do real deeds, and resolve the people's worries. Use incisive self-analysis and earnestly accept criticism. Use criticism and self-criticism to lay the problems out before us, recognize them, and improve our conduct.
"Treating one's illnesses" means learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones, and saving the patient by treating the disease. Recognize the situation, prescribe the proper medicine, and educate and remind Party members and officials with conduct issues. Strictly investigate serious problems and focus our treatment on improper conduct and outstanding problems. Party members and officials must therefore go deep to the communities and learn from our greatest teachers -- the people. Win the people's support and pool the wisdom of millions. We cannot stride forward with our heads held high without first solving our own problems. In the end, solving our problems is the goal of the mass line education and practice program. Mao Zedong once said we must "learn from our past mistakes to avoid future ones, and save the patient by treating the disease." Therefore, treating our illnesses both has the objective of saving the patient, and also looks ahead to avoid repeating past mistakes. Improper conduct must be sought out and widespread problems must be tackled. Find causes in the system and work on treating the root cause. At the same time, we must sum up our experiences of treating the illness and recognize the patterns that arise in our treatment and preventive measures, so we may stop tiny problems in their tracks. Our focus should be on resolving systemic and mechanistic problems.
The ancient saying goes: "I reflect on myself thrice a day." Every Party member, especially leading official, must frequently examine himself in the mirror, straighten out his clothes and hat, take a bath, and treat his illnesses. We must always be conducting ourselves with dignity while reflecting, cautioning, and encouraging ourselves. We must be firm in our ideals and convictions, make real improvements in our conduct, establish correct values, and fight for the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the nation.
(An excerpt from XI JINPING: WIT AND VISION -- SELECTED QUOTATIONS AND COMMENTARY, published by FOREIGN LANGUAGES PRESS in 2015)
