● Cultivating composure (静气) is both an intrinsic requirement of self-cultivation and moral character, and an indispensable quality for fulfilling one's duties and tempering the sword to strengthen the military.
Weng Tonghe of the Qing dynasty once wrote, "composure in the face of every great affair" (每临大事有静气), to inspire later generations. These seven brief characters articulate the key quality for accomplishing things at critical moments. What is called "composure" (静气) embodies the steadiness of "remaining unhurried even as turbulent clouds rush past," and the confidence of "ease surpassing a leisurely stroll in a courtyard." Revolutionary soldiers of the new era stand at the front lines of training and war preparation; cultivating composure is both an intrinsic requirement of self-cultivation and moral character, and an indispensable quality for fulfilling one's duties and tempering the sword to strengthen the military.
"Composure in the face of every great affair" is an important guarantee for soldiers to confront risks and tests, overcome difficulties, and defeat the enemy. The military camp is an examination hall at every turn; training and war preparation, disaster relief, and major exercises and training events are all genuinely serious and difficult matters. The battlefield environment changes in an instant; sudden enemy action and frequent unexpected events are the norm, and panic and confusion can very easily disrupt deployments and forfeit opportunities for victory. When carrying out urgent, difficult, dangerous, and heavy missions, complex situations intertwine and compound; agitation of mind readily leads to errors in judgment and improper handling. In the Battle of Fei River, Eastern Jin supreme commander Xie An held firm at the rear, calmly playing chess amid the anxious urgency of the military situation, and seized the opportunity for victory through composed command, creating a classic case of defeating a larger force with a smaller one. On the battlefields of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, officers and soldiers of the Chinese People's Volunteers calmly assessed tactics and flexibly varied their methods of fighting amid the hardships of severe cold, food shortages, and a vast disparity in equipment, creating a miracle of war. The facts prove that the greater the affair at hand and the more perilous the situation ahead, the more the value of composure is brought into relief: commanders must rely on composure to plan the overall situation and set strategy, and soldiers must rely on composure to steady their minds and drill their methods of combat—only in this way can composure be transformed into the ballast that stabilizes one's footing and the booster that elevates combat power.
There is no shortcut to cultivating composure; its value lies in steady accumulation over time, through sustained and painstaking effort in three areas: diligent study, practical work, and cultivation of the mind. First, one must use diligent study and meticulous research to deepen expertise and strengthen capabilities—thoroughly mastering military theory, equipment operation, and methods for handling special situations, making up for shortcomings and weak points, and dispelling capability anxiety through solid professional skills. In this way, when matters arise one can have a clear picture in mind and remain composed and unhurried. Second, one must use practical work and rigorous drilling to forge a powerful mental character—proactively taking root at the front lines of high-intensity exercises and training and urgent and difficult missions, weathering many storms to overcome mental restlessness and agitation, handling all manner of sudden and dangerous situations to cast aside the habit of anxiety, and tempering the powerful psychological quality of remaining unperturbed in the face of change. Finally, one must use cultivation of the mind and temperament to forge a calm and balanced mental state—taking a detached view of fame, gain, and loss, casting aside the psychology of comparison, spending a little more time each day in quiet reflection and cultivation of one's character, and forming the habit of remaining steady and composed when matters arise.
Striding forward on the new journey, the broad ranks of officers and soldiers bear heavy responsibilities on their shoulders. To better accomplish things and get things done, they should treat the cultivation of composure as a lifelong required course. Always maintain the attitude of studying with a calm heart, training troops with a focused mind, and performing duties with a settled spirit; transform the composure that has been accumulated and refined into the drive to painstakingly study methods of combat, the boldness to overcome difficulties and forge ahead, and the energy to defend the nation and guard the borders. Temper outstanding capabilities through day-after-day perseverance; remain composed and resolute in the face of great and difficult affairs, and press forward with courage and determination. Carry the weighty responsibility of strengthening the military with a steady heart, and use earnest work and commitment to write the loyal answer sheet of revolutionary soldiers in the new era.