Seek truth from facts

"Seek truth from facts" is a historically established idiomatic expression (chengyu) in the Chinese language that first appeared in the Book of Han. Originally, it described an attitude toward study and research. Popularized by Mao Zedong, it has become a major slogan of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the inspiration for its principal theoretical journal, Qiushi.

Use in a political context
The slogan became a key slogan in Chinese Marxism and was first used by Mao Zedong in 1936. Mao had probably remembered it as being the inscription on his alma mater, Hunan's First Teachers Training School. Mao's usage of the slogan built on his themes in On Practice, which argues that people must apply their knowledge to practice in reality in order to test its truthfulness.

Beginning in 1978, it was further promoted by Deng Xiaoping as a central ideology of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and applied to economic and political reforms thereafter.

In contemporary Chinese politics
To "seek truth from facts" means that communists should test theory against reality rather than adhere dogmatically to theory. The slogan implies respect for facts and using facts to inform theory and policy.

On 11 May 1978 journalist Hu Fuming published an article in state run newspaper Guangming Daily entitled "Practice is the Sole Criterion for Testing the Truth", directly contradicting then CCP general secretary Hua Guofeng's line of the "Two Whatevers" policy and thereby Mao Zedong's policy of class struggle; in favour of economic reform championed by Deng Xiaoping. The title of the article is inspired by the ancient saying and is widely seen as a seminal document in the contemporary Chinese political landscape and marks the turning point to the era of Reform and Opening Up in 20th century China.

Qiushi - "Seeking Truth" is also the official name of the journal of political theory of the Chinese Communist Party, derived from the above slogan. The magazine has been published on a continuous bi-monthly basis since 1988 and contains articles and speeches authored by state and senior party leadership on policy and ideology.