李东方，中央党史和文献研究院研究部助理研究员。主要从事中共党史和理论研究，著有《长征与中国共产党的政治理念传播：基于政治社会化理论的分析》（专著），《历史性变革——我们中国这五年》（合著），《生态文明：从理论到行动》（合著）等，先后参与《中国共产党的九十年》《中国共产党历史组织机构辞典》《中国共产党全国代表大会史》等著作的编写，在报刊发表文章多篇。
Li Dongfang. He is an assistant researcher at the First Research Department of Central Institute of Party’s History and Literature. He is mainly engaged in the research on the history and theory of the Communist Party of China. He is the author of The Long March and the Propagation of the Political Ideas of the Communist Party of China: An Analysis Bas ed on the Theor y of Political Socialization(monograph), Historic Changes: These Five Years in China (co-author), Ecological Civilization: From Theory to Action (co-author), etc. He has participated in the compilation of a series of works including Ninety Years of the Communist Party of China，Dictionary of the Historical Organization of the Communist Party of China and History of the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, and published many articles in newspapers.

China is an ancient civilization with a long history. With its diligence and wisdom, the Chinese nation created the world’s leading ancient civilization and made a significant contribution to the development and progress of mankind.
However, in modern times, some Western countries have gone through the bourgeois revolution and completed the industrial revolution one after another, and have rapidly become stronger. At this time, the Qing dynasty opted to cut itself off from the outside world, being ignorant of the general situation of the world and arrogant. It cruelly exploited its people internally, which made the people suffer a lot. By the 1930s and 1940s, the decline of the Qing dynasty was deepening day by day, and crises loomed from within and the outside.
In 1840, Britain, then the number one capitalist power in the West, launched the Opium War to invade China, opening the door of China with strong ships and artillery, forcing the Qing government to sign the first unequal treaty “Nanjing Treaty” and forcing China to cede territory and pay indemnities. Since then, Western aggressors have swarmed in, and successively launched the Second Opium War, the Sino-French War, the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), and the Siege of the International Legations, forcing the Qing government to sign one humiliating treaty after another, which severely infringed China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The imperialist countries either invaded and occupied China’s territory, or blackmailed China’s “reparations”. They divided “spheres of influence” on Chinese land, set up concessions, station troops,
and used the privileges granted by unequal treaties to manipulate China’s financial and economic lifeline, thus dominating Chinese politics and grabbing huge interest in China.
Under the dual oppression of imperialism and feudalism, the Chinese people, especially the peasant group, which accounts for the vast majority of the Chinese population, became increasingly impoverished and bankrupted in large numbers. They lived a life of hunger and coldness with no political rights. The level of poverty and unfreedom of the Chinese people was rare in the world.

Chapter One　 How was the Communist Party of China
Set up?
Why Did the Chinese People Accept Marxism?
Establishment of Communist Party Organizations
The Convening of the First National Congress of the Party
Chapter Two　 Lofty Ideal: The Spiritual “Calcium” of the Chinese Communists
The Communist Party of China is a Party with Marxism as Its Banner
The Communist Party of China is a Party with Lofty Ideals
The Communist Party of China is an Advanced Political Party United by Faith
Chapter Three　 Tight Organization: The Power of the Communist Party of China
A Discussion about the Organization of the Party at the First National Congress Get Organized
The Cohesiveness and Combat Effectiveness of the Party Branches
The Development and Changes of the Party Organizations
Division of Functions of Party Organizations at All Levels
The Party’s Organizational Principles
No Privileged Party Members
Chapter Four　 Strict Discipline: The Real Advantage of the Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China — a Strictly-Disciplined Marxist Party
The Power of the Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points for Attention
“Surviving the Long March Because of Strict Discipline”
Discipline Ensuring Victory in the Democratic Revolution
Party Organs for Discipline Inspection
Chapter Five　 The Sentiment for the People: The Principle of the Communist Party of China
Standing on the People’s Side Represents the Fundamental Political Stance of Marxism
The Communist Party is Really Good; It has thought of Everything for Us!
Serving the People Wholeheartedly
The Stance of Standing on the People’s Side and Exercising Power in the Interests of the People
People-centered Philosophy
Chapter Six　 Self-revolution: The Most Distinctive Character of the Communist Party of China
A Powerful Party is Forged in Self-revolution
Self-Correction at the August 7th Meeting
The Revolutionary Forging of the People’s Army by the Spirit of the Gutian Conference
Zunyi Conference to Reverse the Crisis
A New Successful Example of Strengthening the Party’s Selfrevolution Through Rectification: The Yan’an Rectification Movement
The Seven Thousand People’s Conference: Self-revolution in Socialist Construction 1
Reform and Opening-up: Another Self-revolution of the Communist Party of China
Ongoing Self-revolution
Chapter Seven　 The Power of Character of the Communist Party of China
The Spirit of Heroic Sacrifice for the Ideal
Unlimited Loyalty to the Party
Revolutionary Optimism
Sincere Feelings of Selfless Dedication to the People