Greater cultural confidence, firmer confidence in national rejuvenation

On October 13, 2021, the fourth lecture of the "21st Century Marxism Grand Auditorium" was held in Hall 1345 of the Research Building. The keynote speaker was Yan Xiaofeng, Dean, Professor, and Doctoral Supervisor of the School of Marxism at Tianjin University. Gong Yun, Deputy Director and Researcher at the Institute of Marxism Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), moderated the presentation. The "21st Century Marxism Grand Auditorium" is hosted by the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies.

The theme of this lecture was "Persisting in Integrating the Basic Tenets of Marxism with China's Fine Traditional Culture—Studying the Spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s 'July 1' Important Speech."

Yan Xiaofeng argued in his report that on the occasion of the centenary of the founding of the Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized taking history as a mirror to create the future ^[1] and creatively proposed the "Two Integrations" ^[2]. In particular, he explicitly proposed for the first time the persistence in integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's fine traditional culture. This elevates the Party's historical practice to the level of historical laws of the Party, rendering the Party's practical experience clear, conceptualized, and theorized. It marks a new height and level in the understanding of the Party's historical laws, particularly the laws governing the development of the Sinicization of Marxism.

The report specifically explained and analyzed this theme from the following four perspectives: (1) Persisting in the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China's fine traditional culture is an inevitable requirement for the Sinicization of Marxism. (2) The internal basis for the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China's fine traditional culture. (3) The primary methods for integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's fine traditional culture. (4) The integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China's fine traditional culture forms the theoretical quality and distinctive characteristics of Sinicized Marxism.

The report emphasized that the results of this integration of Marxist basic tenets with China's fine traditional culture maintain the fundamental nature of Marxism—representing the development of Marxism in China—while simultaneously highlighting the unique style of China's fine traditional culture. It is Marxism that has been imbued with the essence of China's fine traditional culture.

Furthermore, the report stressed that through this integration, confidence in the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics has been greatly enhanced. The significant achievements and success of integrating Marxist basic tenets with China's fine traditional culture will instill the entire nation and society with greater cultural confidence and a firmer confidence in national rejuvenation.

The report concluded by noting that creating a new path for Chinese-path modernization and creating a new form of human civilization ^[3] are new historical tasks with new characteristics and laws. We must more firmly and consciously persist in integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and with China's fine traditional culture, thereby opening new horizons for the Sinicization of Marxism.

In his concluding remarks, Gong Yun spoke highly of the report, noting its rigor and precision. He stated that the report profoundly explained the internal basis and primary methods of the integration from four aspects, providing important enlightenment. He emphasized that socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era must be a socialism possessing Chinese style and Chinese flavor ^[4], and must be a socialism deeply rooted in the soil of Chinese culture and possessing the foundation of over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.

Since December 2020, the "21st Century Marxism Grand Auditorium" has held three successive lectures, inviting comrades such as Li Shenming, Zhu Jiamu, and Li Jie to give thematic reports, achieving excellent results and positive reception.

Yan Xiaofeng is the Dean, Professor, and Doctoral Supervisor of the School of Marxism at Tianjin University. He is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Marxist Theoretical Research and Construction Project ^[5], a member of the Central Lecturing Group for Party History Learning and Education, Vice President of the China Society of Historical Materialism and President of the Society for Socialist Modernization Research, a specially invited researcher of the National Party Building Research Association, an expert on the Subject Planning Review Group of the National Social Science Fund of China, a review expert for the National Publication Foundation, and chief expert for major projects of the Marxist Theoretical Research and Construction Project and the National Social Science Fund. He receives a special government allowance from the State Council, has received the Military Award for Outstanding Professional and Technical Talent, and was awarded a Second-Class Merit. He was selected for the Publicity Department’s "Library for Studying Theory · Selected Works of Theorists."