Long Pingping＆Liu Guijun：＂Looking Backward＂ and “Looking Forward”at the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the CPC: On the Socialist Road with Chinese Characteristics

The Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the CPC marked a big transition in the history of the nation and the party and it was the brilliant beginning of taking the Socialist Road with Chinese Characteristics. In some sense，the key to this change can be found in two slogans——“looking backward＂ and “looking forward＂——one by Chen Yun and one by Deng Xiaoping. The slogan＂looking backward＂put forward by Chen Yun led to major changes in the theme of the plenary session；Deng Xiaoping＇s slogan “looking backward is to look forward＂cleared the way for the historical turning point. Deng’s speech “Emancipate the Mind，Seek Truth from Facts，and Unite as One in Looking to the Future＂ declared the opening of a new path.