The Communist was first published by the Shanghai Communist Party on 7 November 1920, as a semi-public monthly magazine, with Li Daren as its editor. For the first time the Communist Party flag was raised in China. The magazine introduced Marxist theory and clarified the ideas of the Chinese Communist Party. It had a circulation of up to 5,000 and was intended to promote the expansion of the Party. In July 1921, after only six issues, it was forced to suspend publication. Issue 1, shown here, describes Lenin, the Communist parties in Russia, Britain and elsewhere, and the Third International. （Liu Yanbo）