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China has a new official political doctrine.

Its called Xi Jinping Thought, and it is everywhere. Schools, newspapers, television, the internet, billboards and banners all trumpet the ideas of Mr. Xi, the countrys president and Communist Party leader.

Officially known as Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the ideology will soon be given an even more prominent platform: the preamble of Chinas Constitution.

Boiled down, the doctrine is a blueprint for consolidating and strengthening power at three levels: the nation, the party and Mr. Xi himself.

The doctine, like Mr. Xi, is not going anywhere soon. The Party on Sunday abolished the presidential term limit, meaning Mr. Xi could remain in power indefinitely. Heres your guide to understanding the ideas likely to guide China through the next decade, or possibly longer.

The Nation: Make China Great Again

Since Mr. Xi became chairman of the Communist Party in 2012, he has vowed a great rejuvenation to restore China to its ancient prominence and glory.

In recent decades, China has become the worlds second largest economy and a powerhouse of global trade and investment. Xi Jinping Thought promotes taking the next step, making China not only prosperous but also politically powerful.

Never before have the Chinese people been so close to realizing their dreams, Mr. Xi is often quoted as saying. Implicit in the dream of being counted among the worlds powers is the idea of China nearing the United States in strength and influence.

To sustain Chinas global rise, Mr. Xi is modernizing Chinas military and investing heavily in a $1 trillion international trade initiative known as Belt and Road. Under Mr. Xi, China has expanded the size and scope of its military, purged corrupt officers and built military installations in contested waters of the South China Sea.

The Party: Chinas Best (and Only) Option

Mr. Xis nationalist message of China as a strong, highly respected world power resonates with many Chinese.

But the promise of national glory comes with a catch: single-party rule.

Xi Jinping Thought promotes the supremacy of the Communist Party to growing numbers of avid consumers, internet users and world travelers a group fundamentally different from the workers and peasants who were supposed to be the soul of the Communist Revolution.

Mr. Xis philosophy teaches that the goal of a powerful, unified China can be achieved only if the Communist Party stays firmly in control of China. The party, he says, is the solution to Chinas problems, not their source.

Harping on the importance of one-party rule is not new in China. But Mr. Xi has taken aggressive steps to revitalize the Communist Partys grip on business, the news media, the internet, culture and education. The influence of party permeates every corner of society even rap music.

Official news media routinely point to the corruption and failings they see in Western democracies. Why question the Communist Party when the alternative is chaos and corruption? goes the message.

The Man: The National Patriarch

The third piece of Xi Jinping Thought is Mr. Xi himself.

Central to the doctrine is the idea that for China to continue its global rise, and for the party to maintain its rule, a decisive leader is needed at the helm. And the man for the job is Mr. Xi.

A new security deal. The Solomon Islands signed a sweeping security agreement with Chinathat could threaten the stability of the entire Asia-Pacific region. The deal gives Beijing a foothold in an island chain that played a decisive role in World War II and could be used to block vital shipping lanes.

A pause on wealth redistribution. For much of last year, Chinas top leader, Xi Jinping, waged a fierce campaign to narrow social inequalitiesand usher in a new era of common prosperity. Now, as the economic outlook is increasingly clouded, the Communist Party is putting its campaign on the back burner.

Xi Jinping Thought was seen in action this week when the Communist Party announced it would abolish presidential term limits, allowing Mr. Xi to remain in power, perhaps indefinitely.

In propaganda, Mr. Xi is referred to as lingxiu, a reverent Chinese word for a leader that was also used for Mao Zedong. In official imagery he is portrayed as a visionary leader on a historic mission brave, wise and decisive.

Xi Jinping Thought still reveres the teachings of Mao and Karl Marx, but it also links Mr. Xi to even older Chinese traditions, especially Confucianism.

Mao said he wanted to smash the grip of Confucius on China and ignite revolution. But Mr. Xi regularly quotes Confucius and other ancient sages, stressing their teachings on obedience and order, and promoting the idea that the party is the custodian of a 5,000-year-old civilization.

Party propaganda now even equates Mr. Xi to a Confucian patriarch who runs the country as if it were his own family.

And all good Confucian children must observe filial piety.

Read more:
Xi Jinping Thought Explained: A New Ideology for a New Era