Culture always plays an important role

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is an important theoretical guide for promoting China's socialist modernization, realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, enhancing exchanges and integration among various ethnic groups, and advocating exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations. The purpose of this paper is to explore the theoretical system of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, analyze the social and historical background of its formation, and discuss the four basic components that constitute and support Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. At the same time, it focuses on the explanation of Xi Jinping's cultural thought and the "second combination", and focuses on the argument that culture has always occupied an important position in Xi Jinping's governance practice.

施若杰 (José Medeiros da Silva) 作者/供图

The background of the formation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a

The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held in October 2017 was an event of historic significance. The meeting established Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guiding ideology that the Party must adhere to for a long time, and solemnly wrote it into the Party Constitution. In March 2018, the first session of the 13th National People's Congress passed the constitutional amendment, enshrined Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in the Constitution. Although Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was not formally established as the guiding ideology of the Party until 2017, in fact, it has been constructed and applied in China's governance since General Secretary Xi Jinping was elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a constantly developing theoretical system, leading China's socialist modernization, promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and guiding major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Since the reform and opening up, Chinese society has undergone tremendous changes in all aspects. In the early days of reform and opening up, the focus of state governance was to liberate and develop the productive forces, which was the basic condition for promoting the "four modernizations," satisfying the people's basic needs, and building a moderately prosperous society. After more than 40 years of rapid development of productive forces, the main challenge facing China's modernization is no longer the lagging production base and social conditions. In the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the main contradiction in society has been transformed into a contradiction between the people's growing needs for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development. In addition, due to the rapid development of productive forces and profound economic, technological and social changes, the people's yearning for a better life has also taken on the characteristics of a new era and presented new complexities. Compared with the early days of reform and opening up, China today is more urbanized, has made remarkable progress in science and technology, and is more closely connected with the world. This connection is not only reflected in cross-border investment and global industrial chains, but also in the flow of enterprises, people and ideas. At the same time, the imbalance and inadequacy of development are manifested in regional disparities on the one hand, and in the economic and environmental fields on the other. In the process of building a "digital China", due to the continuous changes in consumption habits and social interactions, "products" and their "consumption" directly related to culture have increasingly attracted more and more social attention.

The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has a deep understanding of the changes in the main contradictions in Chinese society, and is keenly aware of the new theoretical and practical challenges facing China's governance. In order to address these challenges, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of new ideas, new views, new assertions and new requirements, whether from the perspective of the overall situation of governance or focusing on the common interests of all mankind. This is the premise for understanding the objective basis of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era from the perspective of the whole or the part.

As the overall framework of Xi Jinping's theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era has become clearer, the Communist Party of China has begun to systematically summarize and clarify its components. Specifically, the core of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law is to build a socialist rule of law system with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Army is of great importance to safeguarding national sovereignty and national interests in the new era, Xi Jinping Economic Thought guarantees the coordination between economic development and environmental protection, and the coordination between promoting economic prosperity and improving people's livelihood and well-being. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization emphasizes the importance of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and is the guiding ideology for comprehensively promoting the construction of a beautiful China; The essence of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy is that major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics should serve national rejuvenation and promote human progress. Xi Jinping Cultural Thought emphasizes the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with the excellent traditional Chinese culture.

The four cornerstones of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era

In order to better understand Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, it is necessary to make it clear that General Secretary Xi Jinping is first and foremost a Marxist thinker. In other words, methodologically, General Secretary Xi Jinping follows the Marxist philosophical tradition, that is, dialectical materialism and historical materialism, and its theory and practice are inseparable. Therefore, General Secretary Xi Jinping's theoretical interpretation and governance principles are not based on ideal speculation or fragmentary speculation about reality, but are rooted in the objective reality presented by the historical development process and specific social needs.

In addition to methodological reflections, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era links together four basic components: the Communist Party of China, the well-being of the Chinese people, China and Chinese civilization, and the prosperity of all human civilizations. Figuratively speaking, the four cornerstones that constitute Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, namely the Party, the people, China and all mankind, are like the four-legged pedestal of a square tripod, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the upper part of the square tripod. The four-legged pedestal is not only used to support the tripod, but also integrates with the tripod itself, forming the foundation of the tripod. Without this foundation, the square tripod would cease to exist. Therefore, this pedestal is not only integrated into Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in a macro form, but also embodied in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in a more micro form.

The first pillar of this tripod is the Chinese Communist Party. The Communist Party of China is not only the backbone of modern China, but also the faithful successor and developer of Marxism. Under the guidance of Marxism, since its founding in 1921, the Communist Party of China has successfully led the Chinese people to achieve a series of extraordinary achievements, united and led the people of all ethnic groups throughout the country to fight unremittingly for national independence, people's liberation, national prosperity and strength, and people's happiness, improved the quality of life of hundreds of millions of Chinese, and historically eliminated absolute poverty. Of course, the practice and application of Marxism in China have also absorbed innovative viewpoints, rejuvenated them, and fully developed their theoretical system. Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thinking of the "Three Represents", the Scientific Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era are all important theoretical achievements of the Sinicization of Marxism. It is worth noting that through the practice and application of Marxism by the Communist Party of China in China, Marxism has enriched China's long political, philosophical and cultural traditions. Similarly, China's long political, philosophical, and cultural traditions have added new content to the treasury of Marxist theory. In his important speech at the conference commemorating the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Since the reform and opening up, the Chinese Communists have combined the basic tenets of Marxism with the specific reality of China's reform and opening up, united and led the people to carry out the new great practice of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, so that China has made great strides to catch up with the times and realized the great leap of the Chinese nation from standing up to becoming rich." "It is completely correct for history and the people to choose Marxism, it is completely correct for the Communist Party of China to write Marxism on its banner, and it is completely correct to persist in integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific reality and constantly promoting the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism!"

The second pillar of this tripod is the well-being of the Chinese people. This is also the value purpose of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era In November 2013, when General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Shibadong Village in Huayuan County, Hunan Province, a villager asked him, "What do you call you?" General Secretary Xi Jinping replied: "I am a servant of the people." "The strength of the Chinese people comes from the observation of social reality and the wisdom to deal with various man-made and natural disasters. As the true creators of Chinese civilization and producers of material and cultural wealth, the Chinese people have understood through practice the importance of unity, harmony and peace to social prosperity and people's livelihood and well-being. In fact, there are many examples that can reflect the creative spirit of the Chinese people. For example, the ability to observe the changes of nature and its cycles, the ability to create, use, refine and develop unique writing systems, the ability to transform nature and build grand projects, the art of governing the country for the common good, the deep philosophical reflection on life and human relations, the importance of recording and recording natural and historical events, the art of recording thoughts on stones, bones, bamboo and paper, the transformation of words into works of art, the transmission of aspirations from generation to generation through painting, the ability to achieve and a unique worldview, as well as a love of country, pride in national culture, an emphasis on knowledge and labor, a commitment to learning, friendship and a range of ethics and morals. At the same time, the creative spirit and creative crystallization of the Chinese people have also transcended the boundaries of time and space and spread to all corners of the world.

The third pillar of this tripod is China and Chinese civilization. China has a vast territory and a large population, and has formed its outstanding characteristics in the uninterrupted evolution of civilization for more than 5,000 years. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Chinese civilization has outstanding continuity. The Chinese civilization is the only great civilization in the world that has continued to develop in the form of a state. This fully proves that the Chinese civilization has the cultural subjectivity and vigorous vitality of self-development, responding to challenges, and creating new prospects. "This long history of civilization can be seen in all corners of China: in its majestic mountains, on its major rivers, in the colourful archaeological sites, and in traditional festivals such as the Spring Festival, which use calendars dating back to the Xia dynasty. This long history of civilization is reflected in the formation of dietary habits and the development of traditional Chinese medicine, as well as the mastery of water conservancy and grain cultivation techniques, as demonstrated by the Liangzhu site in Zhejiang Province.

The fourth pillar of this tripod is the civilization of all mankind that exists among different nations and civilizations. In Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the importance of "all mankind" is fully reflected through a series of formulations and initiatives, which also constitute Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. These new formulations, new concepts and initiatives mainly include the Belt and Road Initiative, global development, global security, global civilization, dialogue among civilizations, mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, and a community with a shared future for mankind. In fact, they all pursue the same goal, namely, to ensure a peaceful, prosperous and friendly international environment in which peoples can live together in harmony with each other. In order to better understand the diversity of human civilizations, it is necessary to recall President Xi Jinping's important speech at UNESCO Headquarters in March 2014: "Civilizations are enriched by exchanges, and civilizations are enriched by mutual learning." "All human civilizations are equal in value, and they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. "There is no distinction between high and low civilizations, superior or inferior. "In today's world, human beings live in a world composed of different cultures, races, skin colors, religions and social systems, and the people of all countries have formed a community with a shared future. "This speech highlights the breadth and depth of his ideas.

In conclusion, the four cornerstones of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era embody a deep understanding of Chinese-style modernization and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Both are inseparable from Marxism, whose nutrients nourish the Communist Party of China, and are inseparable from the excellent genes of Chinese civilization. Equally important, at a time when science and technology are developing rapidly and the world is undergoing major changes unprecedented in a century, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has always recognized that the fate of China and the Chinese people is directly linked to the fate of other countries and peoples, and vice versa.

Culture is the soul of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era

Whether in General Secretary Xi Jinping's philosophical thinking or in his practice of governance, culture has always occupied an important position. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the excellent traditional Chinese culture is the cultural root of the Chinese nation. Therefore, both tangible and intangible cultural heritage must be inherited, protected, studied and revitalized, so that it can be shared by people of all ethnic groups and passed on to future generations. Strengthening cultural self-confidence and self-improvement is the basic condition for realizing national reunification, promoting Chinese-style modernization, realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, enhancing exchanges and integration among various ethnic groups, and advocating mutual learning and dialogue among civilizations.

We can even say that culture is the soul of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which refers not only to the culture nourishing the entire ideological system, but also to the specific components of the cultural nourishment of the ideological system. In other words, a tree's green leaves, bright flowers, and sweet, juicy fruits indicate that the tree's branches and roots are filled with nutrient-rich slurry. In Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the slurry refers to the cultural foundation formed by the excellent traditional Chinese culture and the sinicization of Marxism.

In 2005, Comrade Xi Jinping, then secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, wrote in the article "Culture is the Soul" in the "Zhijiang Xinyu" column of Zhejiang Daily: "A philosopher once made such a metaphor: politics is the bones, the economy is flesh and blood, and culture is the soul. "Fundamentally, culture is determined by the economy, and economic power provides a material platform for cultural power to exert its effectiveness. "The guiding and guiding role of cultural forces in the political system and the political system is very obvious. The cultural environment of a certain society has an assimilating effect on the people living in it, and then turns into a huge force to maintain the vitality of society and nation. In the article, Comrade Xi Jinping's thinking on the relationship between "advanced culture", "productivity", "labor force" and "breadth and depth of labor objects" has valuable theoretical value, which coincides with the profound connotation of high-quality development.

General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to culture in the concrete practice of governance. During his tenure as Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, Comrade Xi Jinping made outstanding contributions to making Zhejiang Province a domestic and international benchmark in the fields of environmental protection, economic prosperity, and the protection of tangible and intangible cultural heritage. During this period, Comrade Xi Jinping repeatedly emphasized the protection of cultural relics and historic sites, the protection of cultural roots, and the inheritance of red genes, and made many investigations and important instructions, effectively promoting the West Lake World Heritage and comprehensive protection project, the Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins World Heritage Site, the Grand Canal World Heritage and comprehensive protection and utilization, and the spread of the "Red Boat Spirit". In 2002, Comrade Xi Jinping came to the West Lake as the first stop of his inspection of Hangzhou, and since then he has inspected the West Lake Comprehensive Protection Project many times, emphasizing that "we must not oppose protection and development, but must persist in advancing with the times, use reform ideas and innovative consciousness to organically combine protection with development and construction, and constantly open up a new way of 'win-win' for protection and development, and finally realize the dialectical unity of ecological, environmental, economic and social benefits." In 2003, Comrade Xi Jinping emphasized during the investigation of the Liangzhu site: "The Liangzhu site is a sacred place that proves the history of Chinese civilization for 5,000 years, and it is a rare precious treasure, and we must protect it!" In 2006, Comrade Xi Jinping boarded the Hangzhou water bus and carefully inquired about the protection and construction of the Grand Canal. On June 21, 2005, Comrade Xi Jinping published an article in Guangming Daily entitled "Promoting the "Red Boat Spirit" and Walking in the Forefront of the Times", which put forward and explained the profound connotation and significance of the "Red Boat Spirit" for the first time. A year later, the foundation stone of the new Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall was laid. It can be seen that Comrade Xi Jinping has always attached great importance to the protection of the historical and cultural heritage of the Chinese nation and the historical memory of the Communist Party of China.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has continuously carried out practical exploration and theoretical thinking, and has proved the importance of culture to socialist modernization and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with practical actions. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China attaches great importance to strengthening cultural inheritance, carrying forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and promoting the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with the excellent traditional Chinese culture. As a result, the general understanding of the whole party and the whole society on the importance of inheriting and carrying forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture has reached a higher level and has burst out with surging momentum.

Despite his busy schedule, General Secretary Xi Jinping still finds time to meet with scholars and students, inspect museums, archaeological sites, institutions of higher learning, research institutes, and historical document preservation units, and deliver important speeches at symbolic venues on many occasions, drawing inspiration and wisdom from history and culture, and clarifying the importance of continuing the Chinese cultural context. On November 26, 2013, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during his inspection in Qufu, Shandong Province that the Chinese nation has a long traditional culture, and the study of Confucius and Confucianism should adhere to the position of historical materialism, adhere to the ancient for the present, extract the essence from the rough, remove the false and retain the true, guide according to the situation, and deepen research. In October 2022, just after the conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited the Yan'an Revolution Memorial Site and inspected the Yinxu Museum in Anyang City, Henan Province. He likened the site of the Yan'an Revolution to "a book that can never be finished." When General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected the ruins of Yinxu, he said: "I have been yearning for Yinxu for a long time, and this time I want to learn and understand Chinese civilization more deeply, use the past for the present, and provide reference for better building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation." ”

It must always be clear that the promotion of the excellent traditional Chinese culture is not to copy and completely return to the traditional culture without criticism, but to take its essence and remove its dross. General Secretary Xi Jinping has always emphasized that it is necessary to absorb the ideological essence of China's excellent traditional culture, transform it creatively and develop innovatively, so as to meet the requirements of the new era and promote the construction of modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

A series of inspections and important expositions by General Secretary Xi Jinping show that carrying forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture and continuously promoting the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism have long been a great magic weapon for the CPC Central Committee to study and solve problems in the cultural field. An important achievement of cultural work at this stage is that Xi Jinping Cultural Thought was put forward for the first time at the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideological and Cultural Work held in Beijing from October 7 to 8, 2023.

The main innovation of Xi Jinping's cultural thought is the "second combination", the essence of which lies in the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism and the excellent traditional Chinese culture, which is another emancipation of the mind. On June 2, 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the Symposium on Cultural Inheritance and Development, pointing out five outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization: continuity - if we do not understand China from the long-standing historical continuity, it is impossible to understand ancient China, nor modern China, let alone understand future China; The fearless character of having the courage to accept new things; unity—unity and unity are blessings, while division and turbulence are disasters, and they are valuable lessons that the Chinese have learned at the cost of blood; inclusiveness -- determines the openness of Chinese culture to the eclecticism of world civilizations; and peacefulness -- determines that China constantly pursues exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and does not engage in cultural hegemony. The realization of the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation lies fundamentally in realizing the prosperity and strength of the country, the rejuvenation of the nation and the happiness of the people, and in creating a common future for all mankind together with the people of all countries and civilizations in the world.

(Author: Shi Ruojie, Director and Professor of Brazilian Studies, Zhejiang University of Foreign Chinese)

(Source: China Social Science News)