Preface

A country with a population of nearly 1.4 billion is bound to have many stories to tell, so is a political party with more than 90 million members. In fact, the stories about China and those about the Communist Party of China (CPC) are intertwined. There are many things to know about a country.In the case of China, if one wants to gain insight into the history of modern China, he or she must learn the evolution of the CPC.

However, it is impossible to squeeze everything about the Party in one single book. If we do so, we wouldn't be able to provide readers with fascinating details or flesh out the context of these stories of historical significance. Therefore, this book focuses on key events only. It provides a chronology of key events in the history of the CPC, from its founding to the present, trying to answer nine most frequently asked questions about the CPC. The target readers of this book are foreign readers. Therefore, this book contains a lot of events and facts to make it easier for foreign readers to get a glimpse into the ascent of the CPC.

It is centered around nine keywords: starting point,legend, mainstay, pivotal moment, exploration, new journey,spirit, path, and dreams. These keywords are selected based on significant historical events and keynotes of the Party. The book seeks to answer how the CPC was founded, what the goal of the Party is, what it has done for the nation, how and why, and what kind of future it will shape for the country. By sharing the real stories of the CPC, I wish to bring readers closer to the evolution of the Party.

China has entered a new era. Things are changing fast in the country. History tells us looking back is necessary for moving forward. However, looking back does not mean reversion. In fact, the purpose of looking into the past is to find the key to the future. I hope the book can shed some light on the path the CPC plans to take in order to create a better future for China.

Chen Jin

April 2, 2019