To carry forward and promote the spirit of Lu Guanqiu, the model worker and artisan spirit, and the outstanding entrepreneurial spirit—ensuring that the corporate ethos of “speaking truthfully, doing practical things, being capable of thinking, and knowing how to solve problems” is truly put into practice—and to keep the motto “Ten years of striving add a zero” on its relentless path toward “Ten years of striving add another zero”—on June 16, the Party Committee of Wanxiang Group held a thematic report meeting titled “Take Action Now, Lead the Trend Again,” focusing on the creative journey behind the publication “Leading the Trend.” Employing a multi-dimensional approach featuring “short situational lessons + keynote reports + salon-style dialogues,” the event aimed to help Wanxiang employees grasp the core essence of these spirits and inspire their enthusiasm for practical action—“learning through research, researching through reflection, and reflecting through action.” The report meeting adopted a hybrid online-and-offline format, with the main venue located in the Wanxiang College Auditorium and participants from various units joining online.

Scenario Micro-Lesson: Recreating Moments of Choice, Questioning the Source of Our Spirit

The report began with an immersive, themed micro-lesson. Li Xiaoming, an associate professor in the Department of Ideological and Political Education at Wanxiang College, led students in reenacting Lu Guanqiu’s pivotal decisions throughout his entrepreneurial journey: the courage to “break free from the shackles of fate” in 1969, the foresight to “spend money to hire college graduates” in the 1980s, and the determination to “clench our fists and pursue specialization” during the company’s period of rapid growth... By using AI to bring old photographs back to life and employing vivid scene reenactments, the report brought to life the memories of past struggles. Several historical snapshots vividly illustrated Lu Guanqiu’s spiritual legacy of “daring to venture and take bold action,” setting the stage for deep emotional resonance throughout the entire report.

Thematic Report: Decoding the Spiritual Coordinates and Grasping the Core of “Leading the Trend”

Chen Guanbo, author of “Leading the Tide: The Biography of Lu Guanquan” and advisor to the Lu Guanquan Spirit Committee, began his keynote speech amid enthusiastic applause. Focusing on the four questions that readers are most eager to know—“Why is ‘Leading the Tide’ such a weighty and substantial book?” “Why is the book titled ‘Leading the Tide’?” “Why did Lu Guanquan possess the intrinsic drive and enduring strength to ‘lead the tide’?” and “Why can we say that the ‘Leading the Tide’ spirit embodies and represents Lu Guanquan’s spirit?”—Chen vividly shared his creative journey and offered a profound analysis of the historical context and core characteristics of Lu Guanquan’s spirit.

In his report, Chen Guanbo pointed out that the weightiness of “Lingchao” lies not only in its massive length—over 500,000 characters—but also in the profound “scope of the work, the depth of its ideas, and the richness of its spirit.” It possesses “distinct political value, contemporary significance, and aesthetic merit.” It chronicles a great “transformation”—how Lu Guanqiu transformed himself and, in doing so, transformed the world. His journey of struggle serves as “a microcosm of China’s entire transformation,” influencing both the future and the global landscape.

“Leading the Tide” precisely captures Lu Guanqiu’s position in his era—always at the forefront of the times, a true trendsetter. Chen Guanbo said that everything Lu Guanqiu did was “at the very pinnacle of the trends.” His pioneering steps have measured the depth of China’s reform and opening-up, while his business footprint reflects the breadth of China’s embrace of the world—just as General Secretary Xi Jinping praised him: “He has consistently been in a position to lead the trends.” The driving force and enduring strength behind Lu Guanqiu’s “leading the tide” lie in his fourfold power: the “intrinsic driving force” that enabled him to transform his own destiny—he was the vanguard that broke through the old system; the “clear-sightedness” rooted in his peasant background, which guided him to adhere steadfastly to the principle of “doing one practical thing each day, one new thing each month, one major thing each year, and one meaningful thing throughout his life”; the “self-discipline” that compelled him to strictly hold himself to high standards, faithfully following the “Eleven Military Rules” and thus achieving the remarkable leap from a rural youth to a modern corporate manager; and the “learning capacity” that kept him relentlessly committed to lifelong learning and thinking. He was not only an entrepreneur and a philanthropist but also a thinker—a true intellectual for the ages.

Chen Guanbo believes that the five words—hard struggle, integrity, innovation, optimism, and universal harmony—form the backbone of Lu Guanqiu’s spirit. Rising above this skeletal framework, the shining pinnacle of his lifelong practice radiates to us a “lighthouse” signal: the two characters “leading the tide.” Nothing could better capture the brilliance that Lu Guanqiu shone with in this era than “leading the tide.” With the global release of the English edition of “Leading the Tide” next year, even more people around the world will find inspiration in this book.

Salon Dialogue: Innovation Leads the Times, Spirit Empowers the Future

During the salon dialogue session, when asked how to transform spiritual heritage into driving forces for development and enable Wanxiang to continue “leading the trend” in the new era, Chen Guanbo offered an insightful perspective: At its core, “leading the trend” is about consciously embracing innovation. Lu Guanqiu had long ago sensed the cutting-edge pulse of the technological revolution and realized that corporate development must shift from “benchmarking against industries” to “benchmarking against scientists.” He brought this vision to life through Wanxiang’s Innovation & Energy Hub. As Chairman Lu Weiding once said, “Wanxiang must be a different kind of company—if we just follow in others’ footsteps, we wouldn’t be today’s Wanxiang.” Only by cultivating a strong sense and capability for innovation, and staying ahead of the times in technology, can we truly lead rather than merely follow. This is the “spark” left by Lu Guanqiu’s spirit—a spark that continues to inspire all those who came after him to strive relentlessly forward.

This viewpoint resonated deeply with the colleagues who participated in the dialogue. Drawing on their practical work experience, they shared their insights and practices on how to thoroughly learn from and effectively apply Lu Guanqiu’s spirit, and on how to put into action the strategic decisions made by the Group’s Board of Directors and Chairman Lu Weiding. Niu Jie from Wanxiang Qianchao stated that, as a science and technology professional, one must embody Lu Guanqiu’s spirit by boldly exploring uncharted technological territories, focusing on fields such as smart automobiles, the low-altitude economy, and humanoid robots, identifying innovative breakthroughs, addressing core user needs, and continuing to lead trends in the age of artificial intelligence. Yang Xing from Wanxiang 123 believes that “enduring strength” means maintaining “strategic composure, continuous improvement, and resilience under pressure.” It involves cultivating unwavering determination in tackling technical challenges through “ten years of sharpening one sword,” demonstrating steadfast commitment in ensuring “zero defects” in quality management, and fostering enduring dedication in building a team capable of establishing a century-old enterprise. Zhang Yangyang, a teacher at Wanxiang Academy, shared how she integrates Lu Guanqiu’s spirit into classroom ideological and political education, using case studies and immersive teaching methods to help students grasp the essence of Lu Guanqiu’s spirit. She also connects this spirit with Lu Guanqiu’s ecological philosophy and Wanxiang Group’s mission, encouraging students to participate in low-carbon and environmental protection projects. Cao Lingkai, a student at Wanxiang Academy, learned resilience and responsibility from Lu Guanqiu, actively engages in volunteer service, fulfills social responsibilities, and strengthens his personal character development.

Passing on Books: Carrying the Torch of Spirit, Striving Onward Endlessly

During the on-site Q&A session, everyone eagerly participated and the atmosphere was lively and enthusiastic. Chen Guanbo urged the younger generation that, in the face of rapidly changing times, they should carry forward Lu Guanqiu’s spirit, tap into their inner driving force, and continuously innovate with strong intrinsic motivation, boldly taking the lead in the tide of the times.

At the conclusion of the report session, Guan Dayuan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Wanxiang Group, and Chen Guanbo presented signed copies of “Leading the Tide” to representatives of the “Leading the Tide” trainees. Since the beginning of this year, the Party Committee of the Group has launched a series of “Deep Study of ‘Leading the Tide’ and Continue Pursuing the ‘Three Innovations’” reading activities. From various departments and companies within the Group, a group of young key personnel have been selected to form a team of “Leading the Tide” trainees—characterized by strong political integrity, high competence, and positive energy—who are assisting in establishing and implementing a regular mechanism for studying “Leading the Tide.”

In the next phase, all units of Wanxiang will further carry out a series of activities centered around “Deeply Studying ‘Leading the Tide’ and Continuing to Pursue ‘Three Innovations,’” injecting sustained momentum into our mission of “Making the Air Fresher.”