A Monument in the History of the Communist Party of China: Reflecting on the80th Anniversary of Serve the People
On March 9, 1942, a public memorial service and funeral were held in the Yan’an Central Party School square for Lin Yuying, a member of the SixthCentral Committee who had died of illness. Less than two years later, on September 8, 1944, another memorial service was held in theYan’an Zaoyuan courtyard for Zhang Sizhe, a guard who had died in the line of duty.
The former was an early leader of the Party, deputy secretary of the Central Working Committee, and political commissar of theWestern Aid Army and the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, with distinguished achievements. Ren Bishi presided over the ceremony, Li Kenong read the eulogy, and Chairman Mao held the whisk and helped carry the coffin.The latter was an ordinary soldier who died while burning charcoal, with no combat achievements. Yet, Chairman Mao personally presided over a memorial service attended by thousands in the central organs of the Party and the Red Army, delivered a eulogy, wrote a couplet, and established him as a model for the entire Party and Army.
Why did Chairman Mao, in his lifetime, only preside over one memorial service, and that for an ordinary soldier who died in the line of duty while performing the most ordinary work due to a common workplace accident? He even personally wrote the speech eulogy Serve the People? This requires an understanding of the extraordinary meaning behind thiseulogy written for the ordinary death of an ordinary soldier.
I. The Eulogy Manifests the Proletarian View of Life and Death
Chairman Mao, in the second paragraph, began with the most universal human truth, Man is mortal, and, borrowing a famous quote from the Western Han Dynasty writer Sima Qian,distinguished between two opposing views of death, highly praising Comrade Zhang Sizhe died for the interests of the people, his death is heavier than Mount Tai.
Then, in the third paragraph, he pointed out that since one can die for the interests of the people, then if we have shortcomings, we are not afraidof others criticizing and pointing them out. Why are we not afraid? It is because we are correcting our work for the interests of the people. Why do we need to improve? The fourth paragraph informs everyone that the current task for the benefit of the people is to achieve the liberation of the entire nation, which cannot beaccomplished by a few, but only by the unity of the majority of the people.
Since this is the case, it cannot be merely the unity of the entire Party and Army, but the unity of all the people. Therefore, in the sixth paragraph, Chairman Mao proposed that memorial services should also be held for deceasedordinary citizens, the standard being as long as he has done some beneficial work, and he demanded that this be institutionalized. This is the only way to form a stronger force of unity, to achieve the liberation of the entire nation.
This echoes the first paragraph, where Chairman Mao clearly stated that the taskof our Party and Army is to liberate the people, to work wholeheartedly for the interests of the people. Serve the people has become the fundamental purpose of our Party.
Therefore, Chairman Mao personally inscribed on the tombstone the words Tribute to Comrade Zhang Sizhe, who died for the interests of the people.
In just over 750 words, the eulogy outlines the nature, tasks, goals, and style of our Party and Army. Thus, Serve the People has become a concise summary of our Party’s unwavering commitment to its fundamental purpose.
II. The Eulogy Expounds the Essence of the Party’s Purpose
The eulogy not only emphasizes the importance of serving the people, but also clarifies the meaning and significance of this principle. It emphasizes that serving the people is not just a slogan, but a concrete action that requires continuous effort and sacrifice.
Chairman Mao, in the fifth paragraph, uses the example of thethree-eight style to illustrate the concrete manifestation of serving the people: Those who are serving the people must be willing to do the most tiring, the most difficult, and the most dangerous things. He also warns against individualism and selfishness, emphasizing that the interests of the people areabove all else.
The eulogy also points out that serving the people is not a one-time act, but a continuous process that requires constant learning and improvement. Chairman Mao, in the seventh paragraph, encourages everyone to learn from the masses, learn from practice, and constantly improve our work. He also emphasizes that we must be willing to listen to the opinions of the masses, accept their criticism, and correct our mistakes.
III. The Eulogy’s Enduring Significance
The eulogy Serve the People is not merely a historical document, but a guiding principle for the Communist Party of China. It has guided the Partythrough its long history, inspiring generations of Communists to dedicate themselves to the cause of the people.
The principle of Serve the People has been embodied in the Party’s various policies and actions, from the revolutionary struggle to the socialist construction to the reform and opening up. It has been the cornerstone of the Party’slegitimacy and its ability to maintain its connection with the people.
The 80th anniversary of the publication of Serve the People is a time for reflection and reaffirmation. It is a reminder that the Party’s mission is to serve the people, and that this mission is not just a matter of words, but a matter of action. It is a call for all Communists to continue to uphold the principle of Serve the People and to strive for the well-being of the people.
References:
- Serve the People speech by Mao Zedong (1944)
- TheHistory of the Communist Party of China (2021)
- The Selected Works of Mao Zedong (1964)
This article is just a starting point for a more in-depth exploration of the significance of Serve the People in the history of the Communist Party of China.Further research and analysis are needed to fully understand the enduring impact of this principle.
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