Zou Guangwen: The Cultural Foundation and Cultivation of Chinese Modernization
The cultural form of Chinese-path modernization constitutes the spiritual emblem and core essence of Chinese-path modernization itself. Its generation and evolution are deeply rooted in specific cultural genes and historical contexts, with fine traditional Chinese culture comprising its most profound foundational resource. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "the 'second combination' allows Marxism to become Chinese and fine traditional Chinese culture to become modern, allowing the new culture formed through this 'combination' to become the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization." This important thesis clarifies the core generative logic of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization. As the spiritual lifeblood of the Chinese nation, fine traditional Chinese culture preserves the philosophical thoughts, humanistic spirit, and moral norms that contain the core of the national spirit, providing a unique spiritual gene, value core, and practical wisdom for the construction of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must never abandon the soul-root of Marxism, and we must never abandon the root-vein of fine traditional Chinese culture." Continually deepening the nourishment provided by fine traditional Chinese culture to the foundations of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization is both an inevitable requirement for retracing cultural origins and fortifying cultural confidence [1], and a key path for resolving dilemmas such as the alienation of cultural identity and the rupture between tradition and modernity during the modernization process, thereby constructing a new form of human advancement [2].
As a modernization paradigm distinct from Western models, Chinese-path modernization requires not only a solid system of material production as support but also the guidance and empowerment of a spiritual-cultural system. From the perspective of cultural philosophy, culture—as a national spiritual emblem and collective memory—is the core element for coalescing social consensus, integrating social forces, and driving social progress. The cultural form of Chinese-path modernization, as the spiritual condensation and conceptual projection of the practice of Chinese-path modernization, is a new type of cultural system. Under the guidance of Marxism, it actively integrates the genes of fine traditional Chinese culture with the outstanding achievements of human civilization and adapts to the developmental needs of Chinese-path modernization. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, our Party has insisted on placing cultural development in a prominent position in state governance, driving cultural development toward historical achievements through the processes of clarifying the source [3] and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground. Fine traditional Chinese culture, through more than 5,000 years of historical accumulation and intergenerational transmission, is an organic collection of ideological concepts, humanistic spirit, and moral norms formed by the Chinese nation in long-term production and life practices; it constitutes the spiritual genealogy and cultural code of the Chinese nation. From the perspective of the ideological spectrum, fine traditional Chinese culture contains rich philosophical wisdom and value concepts, ranging from the people-oriented thought of "the people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is solid, the state is at peace" [4] to the striving spirit of "as heaven’s movement is ever vigorous, so must a gentleman ceaselessly strive for self-improvement" [5]. These ideological concepts have not only shaped the spiritual character of the Chinese nation but are also inherently aligned with the value pursuits of Chinese-path modernization. From the perspective of the construction logic of the cultural foundation, its core essence is mainly reflected at three levels:
Shaping the National Temperament of the Cultural Form of Chinese-path Modernization
Fine traditional Chinese culture is the foundational resource for the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization. It is not a static historical relic but a dynamic spiritual system that possesses both profound heritage and vivid contemporary vitality. We should recognize the internal connection between traditional and modern culture. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "fine traditional Chinese culture is the cultural root-vein of the Chinese nation" and that we must "use Marxism to activate the excellent factors within traditional Chinese culture and endow them with new connotations of the times." The national temperament of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization is the spiritual condensation of the continuous inheritance and creative transformation of fine traditional Chinese cultural genes during the modernization process. Its generation follows the laws of cultural transmission, manifesting a distinct subjectivity and uniqueness. National temperament is not an abstract spiritual symbol but a spiritual trait rooted in the national cultural system that has settled into a stable cultural-psychological structure. It completes its meaning construction through intergenerational transmission and adaptation to the times, becoming the core identifier that distinguishes the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization from others, and fortifying the foundational subjectivity for modern cultural development.
First, the continuous inheritance of cultural genes and the accumulation of cultural-psychological structures constitute the important basis for the generation of the Chinese national temperament. National cultural genes are the cultural systems carrying the core of the national spirit, covering core elements such as spiritual concepts, ethical norms, and collective memory. Their continuity is reflected not only in the transmission of cultural symbols but more so in their sedimentation into a common national cultural-psychological structure. Through over 5,000 years of accumulation, fine traditional Chinese culture has condensed core ideological concepts such as the spiritual traits of "self-improvement and social responsibility" [6], the ethical framework of "isomorphism of family and state" [7], and the value pursuit of "the world belongs to the public" [8]. These have gradually internalized into a cultural-psychological structure that values the collective, revere the family-state, and pursues harmony. This structure is transmitted across generations through diverse paths such as written records, folk rituals, and spiritual education; concrete cultural symbols like traditional festivals, classic texts, and national attire provide the spiritual origin and substrate for the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization.
Second, the creative transformation of cultural genes endows the Chinese national temperament with contemporary vitality. The Chinese national temperament is not a simple replica of traditional Chinese culture, but a creative transformation of cultural genes realized within the context of the "two combinations." The light of Marxist truth provides a scientific interpretive framework for this transformation, allowing it to break through the limitations of traditional contexts and precisely adapt to the developmental needs of modernization. For example, "ceaseless self-improvement" is transformed into the spirit of struggle in socialist modernization, becoming the spiritual impetus for overcoming difficulties and promoting high-quality development; the "isomorphism of family and state" is sublimated into a collective consciousness where the destiny of the individual and the state are intertwined, coalescing the majestic force for national rejuvenation. This transformation is a value construction based on upholding the fundamentals, ensuring that the national temperament is both rooted in traditional veins and aligned with the requirements of the times.
Finally, the persistence of the cultural system and the consolidation of the cultural-psychological structure forge a unique Chinese national temperament. In the context of economic globalization, cultural integration is essentially an interactive wrestling between different cultural systems. Persisting in the cultural system and maintaining a stable psychological structure are key to the survival of national temperament. The national temperament of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization is the outward manifestation of the Chinese national cultural system and the deep cultural-psychological structure. Relying on the powerful cohesive force of the fine traditional Chinese cultural system and its stable cultural-psychological structure, the Chinese cultural form is able to maintain its own position and discourse power amidst the turbulence of diverse cultures, avoiding the pitfalls of cultural alienation or wholesale Westernization. This persistence of subjectivity can strengthen the sense of cultural identity and belonging of the entire nation, keeping the stable spiritual core of the national temperament and providing a solid psychological foundation for the development of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization.
Cultivating Cultural Subjectivity in the Practice of Chinese-path Modernization
Cultural subjectivity refers to the autonomous status and core capacity of a nation to uphold its own cultural position, control the direction of cultural development, and lead the process of cultural innovation during cultural inheritance, innovation, and exchange. Its fundamental guarantee lies in the nourishment and support of national spiritual traits. National spiritual traits are the spiritual emblems accumulated and formed by a nation in long-term historical practice; they condense the value pursuits, modes of thinking, and spiritual character of a specific nation, serving as the spiritual core that distinguishes it from other nations. In the context of economic globalization, where cultural integration and collision are increasingly intense, upholding cultural subjectivity faces many challenges. However, the spiritual traits of the Chinese nation can anchor the cultural origin, lead the direction of development, and coalesce cultural identity, thereby building a solid foundation for cultural subjectivity.
National spiritual traits anchor the cultural origin, laying a solid foundation for cultural subjectivity. Cultural subjectivity stems from the persistence of one's own cultural origin, and national spiritual traits are the spiritual condensation of that origin, carrying national cultural memory and spiritual genes. For instance, the Chinese national traits of "ceaseless self-improvement and great virtue" [6] were accumulated over thousands of years of agrarian civilization, becoming the spiritual background of Chinese culture. In modern cultural development, they guide us to draw nourishment from fine traditional culture, avoiding the pitfall of "historical nihilism" [9] and ensuring that cultural development remains rooted in the fertile soil of our own civilization, providing strong support for subjectivity.
National spiritual traits lead the direction of development, calibrating the value coordinates for cultural subjectivity. Consolidating cultural subjectivity is manifested not only in upholding origins but also in autonomously controlling the direction of development. The core value concepts contained in national spiritual traits provide fundamental guidance. This consensual value judgment determines the orientation of cultural development. For example, the Chinese national concept of "the people as the foundation of the state" has been transformed in the New Era into the "people-centered" philosophy of development, guiding cultural creation and services to revolve around the needs of the people. This ensures that cultural development does not deviate from the fundamental direction of serving the nation and benefiting the people, allowing culture to maintain the correct orientation in complex contexts.
National spiritual traits coalesce cultural identity, gathering practical strength for cultural subjectivity. Consolidating cultural subjectivity requires the collective participation of the entire nation, and national spiritual traits serve as the spiritual bond for coalescing cultural identity. The core of cultural identity is the identification with national spiritual traits. When these traits penetrate the spiritual level of the nation's members, they can form a powerful synergy, driving the entire people to actively participate in cultural inheritance and innovation. For instance, the spirit of responsibility captured in the phrase "the rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of every individual" [10] has been transformed in the New Era into a sense of responsibility for the entire people to devote themselves to building a culturally strong country. This guides people to tap into the contemporary value of fine traditional culture and innovate its forms of expression, forming a pattern of universal participation that provides a solid mass foundation and practical strength for consolidating cultural subjectivity, ensuring that cultural development is led by the nation itself.
Opening a New Realm for the Cultural Development of Chinese-path Modernization
Promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture is the key path to achieving the deep integration of tradition and modernity. The generation of a new realm for the cultural development of Chinese-path modernization is rooted in the deep integration of fine traditional Chinese culture and modern culture. The core logic is to follow the "two combinations" to achieve a dialectical transcendence of the relationship between traditional and modern culture. From a theoretical dimension, this process follows a progressive logic of "fundamental premise—pathway support—value orientation": using the persistence of cultural subjectivity to fortify the foundation, using methodological innovation to build the path, and using the construction of a new form of human advancement to manifest value. These three are organically unified, breaking the binary opposition between tradition and modernity and injecting developmental momentum into Chinese civilization.
First, the persistence of cultural subjectivity is the fundamental premise for the integration of tradition and modernity. The essence of cultural integration is the reshaping of the spiritual core based on the persistence of subjectivity. The key lies in avoiding the pitfalls of "wholesale Westernization" and "cultural restorationism." As the spiritual root-vein, the core elements of fine traditional Chinese culture have settled into a common national cultural-psychological structure through living inheritance, providing solid ontological support for cultural integration and ensuring that cultural development remains rooted in the fertile soil of Chinese civilization.
Second, realizing the leap from "foundation" to "new realm" requires relying on methodological innovation to build a path. As the core methodology, "creative transformation and innovative development" [11] requires the guidance of Marxism to provide a scientific framework for the renewal of traditional culture’s vitality. In practice, this is manifested as double innovation: first, the innovation of expression forms empowered by technology, promoting the integration of traditional culture with digital technology and modern media to achieve modernized dissemination; second, the sublimation of value concepts guided by practice—that is, constructing traditional core concepts into governance philosophies and value pursuits that meet contemporary needs, ensuring that cultural integration does not deviate from national root-veins.
Third, the construction of a new form of human advancement is the value orientation and ultimate significance of cultural integration. The opening of a new realm for the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era is ultimately directed toward the construction of a new form of human advancement placed within the dual context of national rejuvenation and global civilizational dialogue. Domestically, the new cultural form strengthens the spiritual synergy of the nation and provides spiritual support; internationally, it uses traditional civilizational concepts to build a platform for diverse civilizational exchange, breaking through Western discourse hegemony. This new realm should achieve the dialectical unity of nationality and worldliness, manifesting theoretical self-awareness and historical initiative in constructing a new form of human advancement. As the exchange between different cultures continues to deepen, the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era will continue to open new realms, making new contributions to the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the promotion of the progress of human civilization.
In summary, the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization takes fine traditional Chinese culture as its profound foundation, and its generation follows the core logic of the "two combinations." Fine traditional Chinese culture fortifies the foundation of cultural subjectivity by shaping national temperament—relying on the continuous inheritance of cultural genes, creative transformation, and the persistence of the cultural system. It anchors cultural origins, leads developmental directions, and coalesces cultural identity by cultivating cultural subjectivity through the spiritual traits of the Chinese nation. By facilitating the deep integration of traditional and modern culture—with cultural subjectivity as the premise, "creative transformation and innovative development" as the method, and the construction of a new form of human advancement as the orientation—it has opened a new realm for the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.