Beijing Women's Federation

To thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, earnestly carry out the key instructions and speeches delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping on Party building in government organs, and to deepen the education campaign on implementing the Eight-point Regulation of the Central Committee, the Beijing Women’s Federation (BWF) organized a training program for Party affairs leadership from June 15 to 19 in Linyi, Shandong Province, at the Yimeng Leadership Academy. The initiative aims to further enhance the professional capacity and performance of Party affairs personnel within government agencies. At the opening ceremony, Zhao Hongwei, Vice-President of the BWF and Deputy Secretary of its Leading Party Members’ Group, called on all Party members to thoroughly study and internalize General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses and directives on Party building in government institutions, aligning their thoughts and actions with the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee. She emphasized the need to comprehensively strengthen the political and organizational functions of grassroots Party organizations and to leverage high-quality Party building to support the high-quality development of women’s undertakings in Beijing. Zhao also underscored the importance of strict discipline in learning, adopting effective methods, and fostering a strong academic atmosphere to ensure that all participants learn with reflection, gain with understanding, and achieve with insight. Through site visits to revolutionary landmarks, immersive experiential learning, classroom lectures, and group discussions, participants traced the footprints of the revolutionary past and experienced the turbulent times, gained a deeper appreciation of the Yimeng Spirit and strengthened their commitment to the Party, recalling the Party’s glorious history and fulfilling their missions with dedication.

Tracing the Footprints of the Revolution and Drawing Inspiration from Revolutionary Spirit

At the Menglianggu Campaign Memorial Hall in Mengyin County, participants paid solemn tribute as they toured the battle exhibition hall and the Yimeng Spirit Sculpture Garden. With reverence, they listened to the heroic stories of revolutionary martyrs, observed a moment of silence before the martyrs’ tombs, laid flower baskets in honor of the fallen, and renewed their oath of Party membership. By watching the educational documentary Hero Meng Lianggu, participants relived the heroic history of “capturing a top general amidst a million troops,” deeply comprehending the true meaning that “The people and the army are the foundation of victory,” and gaining a profound understanding of the original aspiration and mission of the Communist Party of China—to seek happiness for the people.

At the Yimeng Red Heroines Memorial Hall in Yinan County, the participants stepped into thatched cottages and grain milling rooms, where real-life exhibitions and immersive teaching experiences brought the traces of history to life. They listened to Yimeng Red Heroines Talks About Her Mother, Li Guifang, and were deeply moved by their selfless dedication for they “offered their last grain to the army, their last piece of cloth for military uniforms, and sent their only sons to the battlefield.” The participants came away with a heartfelt understanding of the bond close as fish and water between the Party and the people—“When the Party places the people above all else, the people in turn will hold the Party close in their hearts.”

At the Daqingshan Breakthrough Victory Memorial Hall in Fei County, participants immersed themselves in the epic history of a heroic breakout battle through themed exhibit areas such as the multimedia sand table, breakout experience tunnel, holographic projection Blood-Stained Lixinggou, and the documentary The Power of Faith. The training session vividly recreated the grandeur and intensity of the battle, leaving a deep impression on all involved. What moved the participants most was not only the fearless struggle during the breakout but also the heart-wrenching love story on the battlefield—Chen Ming and Xin Rui, a married couple and both key Party officials, laid down their lives in succession during the battle.

After the on-site teaching session, Party members shared their reflections, expressing both inspiration and emotional resonance. They remarked, “Today, we’ve learned from their fearless revolutionary spirit and experienced the unwavering ideals and convictions they upheld. We must cherish the happiness we enjoy today, inherit and carry forward the revolutionary legacy, and press ahead with hope and faith guiding our way.”

Enriching the Curriculum to Empower Red Education

Zhu Xuan, Associate Professor at the Party School of the Linyi Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), along with Professors Wang Qiubo and Zhang Jie from the Party School of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, delivered thematic lectures to all participants on The Contemporary Value and Practical Significance of the Yimeng Spirit, A Deep Understanding of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Key Discourses on Strengthening Party Conduct, and Studying and Implementing the CPC Central Committee’s Eight-Point Regulation. These sessions, grounded in extensive historical archives and documents, focused on in-depth study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The lectures, combining with reality, systematically explained the essence of the Yimeng Spirit—deep integration and life-and-death unity between the Party and the people—while elaborating on the fundamental ideas and practical requirements embedded in General Secretary Xi Jinping’s discourse on strengthening Party conduct. By examining typical cases, all participants revisited the main content and real-world relevance of the Eight-Point Regulation and gained deeper insights into prominent violations and the emerging, covert forms of misconduct in the current context.

During the audiovisual teaching session, participants collectively watched the acclaimed revolutionary film The Six Sisters of Yimeng, which highlights the unwavering support of people in the old revolutionary base areas—represented by the six sisters of Yimeng—for the frontlines during the Menglianggu Campaign. War had transformed the lives of everyone. “The men of Yimeng Mountain all went to fight,” and among the sisters was a newlywed bride who had never met her husband and had held a wedding ceremony with a rooster in his place; she ran dozens of miles in hopes of seeing him, but never did. The heart-wrenching moment when the entire village held a memorial and the plaque inscribed “A Family of Loyal Martyrs” appeared on screen brought many participants to tears and deeply stirred their hearts.

Turning Learning into Action, Transforming Spiritual Strength into Practical Drive

During the group discussions, participants exchanged views around the theme “Reviewing the Party History in Yimeng and Understanding the Yimeng Spirit.” It was unanimously agreed that the Yimeng Spirit—an advanced collective consciousness formed by the people of Yimeng through years of revolutionary and construction practices—represents a distilled essence of the Chinese Communist Party’s century-long success. Participants emphasized the need to regard the Yimeng Spirit as a powerful, tangible force in the present day, to gain a profound understanding of its core meaning, and to internalize and apply it with conscious dedication. They reaffirmed their commitment to staying true to the original aspiration and founding mission, following the Party’s guidance, aligning with the Party’s direction, embracing the new development stage, implementing the new development philosophy, integrating into the new development paradigm, and making new contributions in their respective positions.

At the closing ceremony, Li Xiangfu, Second-level Inspector of the BWF, emphasized that the outcome of learning must be reflected in practical efforts to advance work. He called on all participants to remain steadfast in their ideals and convictions and to become clear-headed and loyal Party members; to focus on core responsibilities and become experts in Party building; to take on responsibilities with courage and become doers in the women’s cause; and to uphold integrity and discipline and become guardians of Party rules. He urged all to actively explore measures to promote mutual reinforcement between Party building and professional duties, and to contribute to women’s and children’s development and the work of the BWF to new heights.

Reflections from Young Party Members

“My understanding of the Yimeng Spirit has evolved from emotional resonance to rational enlightenment. This training has further strengthened my conviction: we must not only be moved by this spirit, but also translate that emotion into concrete actions. We must bring the power of faith back to our workplaces, integrate it into our daily routines, and put it into practice through concrete efforts that serve the overall agenda and the needs of women.”

— Bai Ying, representative of Group One, young Party members

“Faith and conviction are like calcium to the spiritual backbone of Communist Party members. As young Party officials, we did not experience the flames of war ourselves, which makes it even more important for us to learn history, love the Party, and love our country through study, and to solidify our ideals and beliefs. I will integrate the Yimeng Spirit into my daily work, study, and life, and demonstrate the responsibility and commitment of Women’s Federation leadership through more unwavering conviction, fuller enthusiasm, and a more pragmatic work style.”

— Jiang Haijie, representative of Group Two, young Party members

“On this new journey, I feel even more resolved to follow the Party’s lead and to integrate my ideals into the broader mission of the Party and the people. Through systematic theoretical study, immersive on-site teaching, and in-depth discussions, I have experienced an unprecedented spiritual awakening and uplift. The revolutionary spirit now resonates strongly within me, and I am filled with the courage and determination to overcome challenges. I will continue to improve my capabilities and devote myself wholeheartedly to the cause of women and children with greater enthusiasm, stronger conviction, and a more down-to-earth approach.”

— Teng Yuhui, representative of Group Three, young Party members

With focused attention and thoughtful reflection, all participants benefited greatly from this comprehensive and immersive training program. The five-day study tour, though compact in schedule, was rich in content and diverse in format. Participants noted that through a combination of thematic lectures, on-site experiential learning, and audiovisual sessions, they were able to gain a multidimensional and immersive understanding of the Yimeng Spirit—unity between the Party and the people, deep affection between the army and the people, integration as one, and shared life and death. In this “mobile classroom,” they were reminded of the Party’s founding mission; through genuine study, firsthand observation, and attentive listening, they experienced the power of thought, deepened their bond with the people, and strengthened their sense of responsibility. This enduring relevance of the Yimeng Spirit across time and space is precisely what makes it a vital source of support and inspiration for advancing strict and comprehensive governance of the Party in the new era.

Field-based training program is an essential component of leadership education and training. By deeply integrating theory with practice and history with reality, such programs guide Party members and officials to solidify their ideological foundation and deepen their commitment to serving the people within real-world learning environments. This approach truly fosters the integration of learning, thinking, and application, as well as the unity of knowledge, conviction, and action. In the future, the Party Committee of the Beijing Women’s Federation will continue to draw on best practices from advanced regions in Party school education and training, further strengthen cooperation and exchange with revolutionary education bases, jointly explore relevant resources, and innovate teaching models to build a broader platform for cultivating a high-quality team of Party members and leadership.