中共「大躍進」運動造成的危害已眾所周知。「文革」前跨足中央和地方工作的彭真，如何投入此一運動的問題，現有相關文獻較少聚焦在他擔任中共首都領導人的角色和活動，亦即其如何領導和管理北京市的「大躍進」運動，以及造成的政策影響。本文指出：在京畿農業和工業「大躍進」上，彭真親自開會鼓吹農業高產指標，動員投入大煉鋼鐵行列，並藉機發展當地的有關產業。在城市建設上，彭真戮力準時完成中央交付的首都「十大工程」任務，既為國慶十周年獻禮，也為「大躍進」宣傳和助陣。無可否認地，彭真在運動期間亦有成效不彰、可資爭議的市政規劃和舉措。彭真在北京市推行運動不遺餘力，致使中共的首善之區也出現了欲速不達的弊病和缺糧饑饉的危機。彭真晚年回顧相關歷史時，因為「十大工程」的正面聲譽和影響，特別重視記述其自身對之的指導。

Before the Cultural Revolution erupted, Peng Zhen was one of the most influential central leaders of the Chinese Communist Party and a top official of the People’s Republic of China’s national capital. This article examines Peng Zhen’s roles, policies and consequences during the Great Leap Forward (GLF) in the Beijing Municipality. The paper demonstrates that, like other local Party bureaucrats, Peng encouraged and set up the unrealistic grain production quotas and mobilized the local cadres to implement the steelmaking campaign in Beijing City. At the same time, he also considered the GLF to be a rare opportunity to facilitate local industrial development. Albeit succeeding in completing the “Ten Grand Buildings” at all costs to demonstrate the great achievements and spirit of the GLF, he carried out some controversial local building projects during the campaign. Consequently, Peng could not shirk responsibility for the adverse effects brought by the devastating campaign in Beijing.