The Evolution of the Chinese Communist Party's Admission Oath

　　Throughout the history of the Chinese Communist Party, the evolution of the admission oath has experienced five stages.

　　There was no admission oath on the day when the party was founded. It was during the brutal revolution that party pioneers made the oath after choosing communist ideals and beliefs by firmly following the Communist Party of China. The early slogans of the party were personal sacrifice and never defect from the party . 

　　The first formal admission oath can be traced back to 1926, when MAO Zedong hosted the sixth Guangzhou Institute for the peasant movement. Wang Shoudao once recalled that the oath he swore when he joined the Party that year was Obey discipline and self-sacrifice;  strive assiduously in the revolution and class ; Keep secrets and never defect from the Party.

　　In the China Revolution Museum, there is an application letter for Party membership, which is the only party member card preserved from the Jinggangshan period. In the middle of it are five lines: willing to make sacrifice, keep the secret, class struggle, strive in revolution, respect the party flag and never betray the party. This is the admission oath sworn on January 25, 1931, when the owner of the card secretly joined the Chinese Communist Party.

　　The Fujian Changting Museum also keeps an oath letter, which reads:

　　1. Abide by the party’s platform, constitution and discipline.

　　2. Work for the Party and never defect from the Party .

　　3. Keep the secret of the Party .

　　4. Obey all Party resolutions.

　　5. Participate in the party activities.

　　6. Pay party membership fee on time.

　　Ready to accept punishment based on the Party discipline if I violate any rule above.

　　The party admission oath in the Anti-Japanese War attached importance to the combination of ideal and reality. In 1940, the admission oath published in the 4th issue of the CPC party journal was as follows:

　　1. Lifelong struggle for the cause of communism.

　　2. The interests of the Party are paramount.

　　3. Observe party discipline.

　　4. Work for the party by overcoming difficulties.

　　5. Be a role model for people.

　　6. Keep the secret of the party.

　　7. Have confidence in the party.

　　8. Indomitable, never defect from the party.

　　This version of the party admission oath was prescribed by the then the organizational department of the CPC central committee. As the standard party admission oath of CPC during the Anti-Japanese War, it was copied by party organizations all over the country and widely used when new members took the oath to join the party. Therefore, it was  a formal and authorized version of the oath.   

　　During the War of Liberation, the central government had no uniform rule for the party admission oath, and the decision on whether to take the party admission oath was entirely decided by the local party organizations, so the admission oath in the liberated areas of China was not uniform. At the Liaoshen Campaign Memorial in Jinzhou, a party admission oath letter was kept: I voluntarily swear to join the Chinese Communist Party . I will always follow Chairman MAO of the Communist Party and serve people wholeheartedly, put the party interest above personal interest, resolutely carry out the Party's resolutions , abide by party discipline, keep party secretss, abide by the decrees of the democratic government and the resolutions of people. I will not waver or compromise under any circumstances. I will not be afraid of difficulties and sacrifices and I will go all out to strive for the realization of new democracy and communism.

　　From the founding of the People's Republic of China to the beginning of reform and opening up, party members can write their own admission oath. In 1950, Publicity Department of the Southeast China Bureau of the CPC Central Committee compiled and published Textbook for Communist Party Members, in which the party admission oath reads: “I volunteer to join the Communist Party of China, accept the Party’s platform and constitution, observe the Party discipline, implement the Party's resolution, study Marxism-leninism and MAO Zedong thoughts, strive to improve my  party awareness, work hard and develop professionalism,serve people wholeheartedly, and persevere in the struggle for the communist cause to the end. The book also particularly mentioned that the specific person who was willing to swear the oath could write their own oath in specific conditions, such as those in the production activities in the factory.  

　　In addition, the party admission oath widely used after the founding of the People's Republic of China is as follows: I volunteer to join the communist party of China, uphold the party’s platform and constitution, implement the party's resolutions, observe party discipline, keep the secret of the party and be ready to sacrifice everything in my life for the complete liberation of mankind.

　　In the new era of reform and opening up, the party admission oath was written into the constitution of the 12th CPC National Congress and is still in use today. On September 6, 1982, the 12th national congress of the CPC adopted the new Constitution of the Communist Party of China. Among them, the sixth principle of the first chapter specifically stipulates: Probationary party members must face the party flag to swear the admission oath. The oath is as follows: 'I volunteer to join the communist party of China, uphold the party's platform and the party constitution, perform the party member duties, implement the party's decisions, strictly abide by party discipline, keep the secret of our party, stay loyal to the party, work actively, strive for the cause of communism to the end, be ready to sacrifice everything for the party and the people at any time and never defect from the party'. The party admission oath has not changed since then. 

　　在中国共产党的历史上，各个时期的入党誓词有所不同。其主要分为5个阶段。

　　入党誓词并不是从建党之日就有的，而是在残酷革命斗争环境中，早期共产党员坚定地选择共产主义理想信念、坚定地选择跟党走的生死抉择中发出的铮铮誓言。在建党初期，其核心词为“牺牲个人”、“永不叛党”。

　　现在已知最早的、比较规范的入党誓词，可以追溯到1926年毛泽东同志主办第六届广州农民运动讲习所时期。王首道曾回忆，这一年他在农讲所入党时的誓词为“服从纪律，牺牲个人；努力革命，阶级斗争；严守机密，永不叛党”。

　　在中国革命博物馆珍藏着一幅饱经血与火洗礼的《入党志愿书》，这是井冈山时期保存的唯一党证。它的中间竖行排列着五句话：牺牲个人，严守秘密，阶级斗争，努力革命，服从党旗，永不叛党。这是党员证主人在1931年1月25日秘密加入中国共产党时的入党宣誓。

　　新中国成立至改革开放前，入党可自拟誓词。1950年中南局宣传部编印的《共产党员课本》的入党誓词为：“我志愿加入中国共产党，承认党纲、党章，遵守党的纪律，服从党的决议，学习马列主义、毛泽东思想，努力提高自己的觉悟，积极工作，精通业务，全心全意为人民服务，不屈不挠，为共产主义事业奋斗到底。”该书还特别提到，具体人在具体条件下，如在工厂的生产运动中“愿宣誓者，由其自拟誓词亦可”。

　　此外，新中国成立后广为使用的入党誓词是：我志愿加入中国共产党，拥护党纲党章，执行党的决议，遵守党的纪律，保守党的秘密，随时准备牺牲个人的一切，为全人类彻底解放奋斗终身。

　　改革开放新时期，入党誓词载入十二大党章并沿用至今。1982年9月6日，党的十二大通过新的《中国共产党章程》。其中，第一章第六条明确规定：“预备党员必须面向党旗进行入党宣誓，誓词如下：‘我志愿加入中国共产党，拥护党的纲领，遵守党的章程，履行党员义务，执行党的决定，严守党的纪律，保守党的秘密，对党忠诚，积极工作，为共产主义奋斗终身，随时准备为党和人民牺牲一切，永不叛党。’”自此，这一誓词未有任何改动。