In this file photo taken on July 19, 2004, Liu Yunshan (L, front) meets representatives attending a commendation ceremony of young and middle-aged Chinese literary and art workers with supreme virtue and artistic achievements at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua]

One lesson Liu Yunshan learned more than 30 years ago remains as he is elevated to the top leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

"Get down to the earth," Liu, 65, often tells his colleagues. "Only in this way can we become people of confidence and intelligence."

He follows the same principle while his pragmatic approach impresses people, whether he worked as a journalist for Xinhua News Agency or supervised cultural and ideological work, whether he lived in the border areas in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region or stays in Beijing, the Chinese capital.

Along with Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, Liu was elected on Nov. 15 into the seven-seat Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee.

Since the new CPC leadership made their debut in mid November, Liu and other top leaders have been busy attending a series of symposiums soliciting public opinions on addressing China's problems.

"Now our Party has a good line to follow and solid goals to attain. But what really matters is how we turn those ideas into action by improving the way we work, the manner we study and the style we write," Liu said at a symposium with entrepreneurs, professors, officials and representatives from communities in Beijing in early December.