Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of Engels' Birth and the 13th National Forum for Deans of Marxist Studies Held at Tianjin Normal University

From October 31 to November 2, the Commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Engels and the 13th National Forum of Deans of Marxism was held in Tianjin. This forum was co-hosted by the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and Tianjin Normal University, and organized by the School of Marxism at Tianjin Normal University. The theme of the forum was "Engels and Contemporary China." Jiang Hui, member of the CASS Party Leadership Group, Director of the Institute of Contemporary China, and Director of the Institute of Marxism Studies, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote report. Chen Zhemin, member of the Standing Committee of the Tianjin Municipal Party Committee and Director of the Publicity Department of the Municipal Party Committee, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.

The opening ceremony of the forum was presided over by Zhang Ling, Party Committee Secretary of Tianjin Normal University. Gu Hailiang, Vice Director of the Social Sciences Committee of the Ministry of Education and Boya Chair Professor at Peking University; Xin Xiangyang, Party Committee Secretary and Vice Director of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies; Hou Huiqin, former Party Committee Secretary of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies and Director of the CASS Research Center for National Cultural Security and Ideology; Li Xuyan, Vice Director of the Publicity Department of the Tianjin Municipal Party Committee; Jing Hongyang, Executive Deputy Secretary of the Education Work Committee of the Tianjin Municipal Party Committee and Director of the Municipal Education Commission; and Shi Fengyan, Party Leadership Group Secretary of the Tianjin Federation of Social Science Circles, along with other responsible comrades from relevant units, attended the opening ceremony. Zhong Yinghua, Deputy Party Committee Secretary and President of Tianjin Normal University, delivered a welcoming address at the ceremony.

In his report, Jiang Hui pointed out that studying Engels's outlook on Marxism requires a profound understanding of Engels’s defense and protection of the scientific system of Marxism, so as to earnestly study Marxist classical works and uphold Marxist basic principles, positions, viewpoints, and methods with a clear-cut stand. He simultaneously noted that studying Engels's outlook on Marxism requires a profound understanding of Engels’s scientific attitude and innovative development toward Marxism, thereby enriching and developing Marxism so as to advance with the times. He emphasized that studying Engels's outlook on Marxism requires a profound understanding of Engels’s creative practical application of Marxism, thereby consciously applying scientific theory to guide new practical developments.

Jiang Hui noted in his speech that this forum brought together deans of schools of Marxism and expert scholars from universities across the country to revisit Engels’s brilliant thought and the historical process of its dissemination and application in China, as well as to exchange and display the latest achievements in Marxist research. This carries great significance for deepening the study of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and for promoting the Sinicization, modernization, and popularization of Marxism.

Following the opening ceremony, Gu Hailiang delivered a thematic report titled "Engels’s Thought, Spirit, and Style." Hou Huiqin delivered a thematic report titled "Engels: The Foremost Figure in Upholding the Fundamentals and Breaking New Ground in Marxist Philosophy." The thematic report session was presided over by Xin Xiangyang.

Gu Hailiang pointed out that on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Engels’s birth, reviewing Engels’s intellectual journey, revolutionary spirit, and noble style holds not only historical significance for the development of Marxism but also practical significance for the development of 21st-century Marxism. He emphasized that Engels made unique contributions to the formation and development of Marxism. On one hand, this was reflected in his joint founding of the basic theory and system of Marxism with Marx; on the other hand, it was highlighted by the many pioneering theoretical contributions Engels made while upholding and developing Marx's thought after Marx's death. He particularly stressed that Engels and his thought endure within the historical and contemporary development of Marxism, and that Xi Jinping’s speech at the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth also holds particularly important significance for understanding and grasping Engels’s thought, spirit, and style.

Hou Huiqin pointed out that the birth of Marxist philosophy was the most magnificent sunrise in the history of human thought, and as a collaborator, Engels was the merit-worthy foremost figure in upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground in Marxist philosophy. He noted that Engels not only perfected the "new materialism" founded by Marx but also continuously pushed it into practice as the worldview of the proletarian party. This was primarily reflected in three "connections" ^[1]. First, he connected ontology and epistemology, solving the mystery of Kant's "thing-in-itself," founding the dialectics of nature, laying the foundation for materialist dialectics, and making a unique contribution to new materialism. Second, he connected the ancient and modern in the history of philosophical thought, established the fundamental question of philosophy, and set an objective standard for correctly carrying out the struggle in philosophical ideology. Third, he connected German classical philosophy and Marxist philosophy, preventing German classical philosophy from turning toward pure subjectivism and individualist philosophy, and prominently demonstrating that Marxist philosophy is the true successor to German classical philosophy.

In the expert report phase, nearly forty experts and scholars—including Xin Xiangyang, Xiao Guiqing, Sun Laibin, Tao Wenzhao, Wu Hongzheng, Lin Jinping, Hong Xiaonan, Zhang Shihai, Yan Lianfu, Liu Fengyi, Lin Jianhua, Yu Bin, Zhang Xinping, Cheng Jingwu, Zhang Zhongmin, Fu Huifang, Zhang Xinning, Wang Zengfu, Hu Lifafa, Duan Hong, Wang Zongli, Wang Yong, Shen Yongfu, Tai Lihua, Tian Zhijian, Han Qiaosheng, Zhang Banghui, Zhang Youkui, Wang Qiang, He Bo, Bao Jin, Dai Rui, Chai Yanping, Duan Yan, Xiao Anbao, Liu Zhiming, He Lingling, and Yao Hongzhi—delivered plenary speeches. Additionally, more than fifty experts and scholars spoke in sub-forums.

A total of 126 units from 27 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government attended the forum, including CASS, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, Fudan University, Beijing Normal University, Jilin University, Nankai University, Tianjin University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Xi'an Jiaotou University, Shandong University, Lanzhou University, Dalian University of Technology, Tianjin Normal University, and Northeast Normal University. Participants included over 200 experts and scholars from CASS, 32 national key schools of Marxism, and journals and media outlets such as Marxist Studies, Teaching and Research, Studies on Chinese Socialism, International Social Science Journal (Chinese edition), Exploration, Chinese Social Sciences Today, and People.cn.

Participating experts unanimously agreed that the convening of this Commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Engels and the Forum of Deans of Marxism coincided with the successful conclusion of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee. Amidst an atmosphere of national cohesion and invigorated spirit, this forum holds significant practical importance for promoting the study of Marxist classical writers' thought and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deepening the study of the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, and continuously promoting the Sinicization, modernization, and popularization of Marxism.

As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a New Era, the Chinese nation welcomes the bright prospect of great rejuvenation, and scientific socialism increasingly demonstrates strong vitality. Facing the great changes unseen in a century in the world ^[2], the complex situation, and the arduous tasks of today's world, it is essential to persist in arming the mind with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must take practical action to devote ourselves to the new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, march toward the Second Centenary Goal ^[3], and continuously push forward the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.

The National Forum of Deans of Marxism is a high-end forum founded by the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies. Having held thirteen sessions to date, it has become a major platform for regular exchange among domestic Marxist theory workers, an important window for showcasing the latest results of the Sinicization of Marxism, and a strong fortress for the publicity and popularization of Marxism. This forum marks the first time the National Forum of Deans of Marxism has been held in Tianjin.