"'Seek truth from facts'" (
Chinese: 实事求是,
pinyin: shí shì qiú shì) is a slogan in the
People's Republic of China referring to
pragmatism. Beginning in the late
1970s, it was promoted by
Deng Xiaoping and is a part of the official ideology of
Socialism with Chinese characteristics. The phrase means to look for economic and political solutions that have practical application rather than those based on political ideology (such as that of
Mao Zedong).
The term has a very long heritage and was first invoked by the
Evidential school of scholars during the 17th century.