Kou Qingjie and Ma Zijie: The Practical Logic, Theoretical Logic, and Value Implication of Xi Jinping’s Cultural Thought
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is a systematic, complete, logically rigorous, evolving, and open theoretical system. It is a theoretical synthesis of a series of new ideas, viewpoints, and judgments—rich in connotation and profound in discourse—formed by General Secretary Xi Jinping around major issues of China's cultural development in the practice of governing the country. These new ideas, viewpoints, and judgments clearly present the formation process of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, demonstrating a profound practical logic, theoretical logic, and value implication. This article seriously studies Xi Jinping Thought on Culture from the dual logics of practice and theory, and the triple value implications of the past, present, and future. This helps to clarify its ideological core and internal connections, understand its construction logic and significance, and provide scientific methodological guidance for doing a good job in propaganda, ideological, and cultural work in the New Era and on the new journey, and for shouldering new cultural missions.
I. The Practical Logic of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
Practice is the source of theory. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture sprouted, germinated, and matured in the practice of General Secretary Xi Jinping's direct participation in and leadership of cultural development; it has been applied, tested, and sublimated in the practice of the Party leading the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. It is a direct response and scientific answer to the practical problems of cultural development in the New Era. As Marx stated: "The true content of all epoch-making systems is formed by the needs of the period in which those systems arose." Based on the great practice of building socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is both a summary of General Secretary Xi Jinping's experience in leading cultural development and the theoretical crystallization of the collective cultural development practices of Chinese Communists in the New Era. More importantly, it is an ideological system created and continuously improved by the Communist Party of China (CPC) as it faces the dilemmas and threats confronting national cultural confidence and cultural security, responding to the epochal demand to promote cultural prosperity. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture originates from practice and continuously develops and enriches itself in answering the questions posed by practice; this is the distinct practical logic it manifests.
(1) A summary of the experience of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in the practice of cultural development
During decades of leadership practice from the local to the central level, General Secretary Xi Jinping has always attached great importance to cultural development work, forming a scientific understanding of the laws governing cultural development at different levels: county, municipal, provincial, and national. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture developed gradually and was ultimately finalized alongside the practical evolution of General Secretary Xi Jinping's leadership in cultural work. Prior to the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the practical experience summarized by Comrade Xi Jinping through his participation in cultural work served as an important theoretical sprout of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Since the 18th National Congress, the new ideas, viewpoints, and judgments of General Secretary Xi Jinping regarding cultural development in the New Era have constituted the collective wisdom of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. These form the cultural chapter of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, culminating in the formal establishment of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture.
The concept of inheriting historical culture sprouted during the protection of cultural relics and historic sites. From March 1982 to May 1985, during his tenure as Deputy Secretary and then Secretary of the Zhengding County Party Committee in Hebei Province, Comrade Xi Jinping attached great importance to cultural development. He criticized the "erroneous concepts of neglecting culture and education and discriminating against intellectuals in the minds of many leading comrades" and proposed a strategy of "prospering the county through culture." He pointed out the need to manage educational and cultural undertakings well, vigorously promote the protection and rescue of cultural relics and historic sites, utilize rich historical and cultural resources, and "let the silent monuments come alive." Under his leadership and deployment, Zhengding completed cultural projects such as the restoration of Longxing Temple, the protection of ancient scholar trees, and the compilation of Zhengding: Past and Present. As the masses in Zhengding said: "Comrade Jinping made a historic contribution to the inheritance of Zhengding's history and culture."
The approach to cultural development work first appeared in the understanding of local folk customs and conditions. From June 1985 to October 2002, Comrade Xi Jinping held important positions successively in Xiamen, Ningde, Fuzhou, and in the Fujian Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, leading and exploring the path of cultural development in Fujian. First, he vigorously promoted the prosperity of literature and art. Comrade Xi Jinping focused on revitalizing Min Opera [1], promoted the "upgrading and replacement" of the developmental environment for the Fanghua Yue Opera Troupe, and led the creation of literary and artistic works such as The Symphony of Mountains and Seas. He pointed out the need to "grasp artistic creation across all categories, including literature, music, film and television, song and dance, quyi [2], and calligraphy and painting. Every artistic category must vigorously improve artistic productive forces." Second, he focused on protecting the historical pulse of cities. Comrade Xi Jinping led the protection of Gulangyu in Xiamen and the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys [3] in Fuzhou, salvaged the Wanshouyan site, restored the series of relics related to Lin Zexu [4], created the urban cultural sculpture landscapes of Fuzhou, and promoted Wuyishan and the Fujian Tulou [5] for inclusion in the World Cultural Heritage list. Third, he did his utmost to support cultural publishing. Comrade Xi Jinping promoted the resumption of the Mindong Daily, expanded the Fuzhou Evening News twice, and published a series of ancient books from Fujian Province.
Advancing the construction of a major cultural province within cultural development planning. From October 2002 to March 2007, Comrade Xi Jinping served as Deputy Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, Acting Governor, and Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee. "The five years of Secretary Xi's administration were five years in which Zhejiang's cultural development made great strides to the forefront." In his provincial governance strategy, the "Eight-Eight Strategy" [6], one major component was to further leverage Zhejiang's humanistic advantages, actively promote the revitalization of the province through science and education and strengthening the province through talent, and accelerate the construction of a major cultural province. Comrade Xi Jinping proposed the judgments of the "three incompatibilities" and "one insufficient coordination" [7]. He suggested to "further deepen the reform of the cultural system, further promote the prosperity of cultural undertakings, and further strengthen cultural industries," constructing an overall framework for accelerating the building of a major cultural province. This "3+8+4" framework—oriented by the "three forces," utilizing the "eight major projects" as the grasp, and aiming for the goal of building "four strong provinces"—propped up the "four beams and eight pillars" [8] of Zhejiang's grand cultural edifice. The Decision of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee on Accelerating the Construction of a Major Cultural Province was the most important cultural decision during Xi Jinping's administration in Zhejiang, setting the direction and sketching the blueprint for Zhejiang's cultural development, possessing strategic significance and far-reaching influence in the history of Zhejiang's cultural construction.
Exploring the construction of a cultural metropolis while inheriting red revolutionary culture. From March to October 2007, Comrade Xi Jinping served as the Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee. His first public activity after taking office was to visit the sites of the First and Second National Congresses of the CPC to revisit the Party's original aspiration and founding mission and receive education in red revolutionary culture. During his investigation of literary and artistic units in Shanghai, Xi Jinping noted: "The economy is the flesh and blood; culture is the soul." He emphasized the need to continuously strengthen and improve the Party's leadership over cultural work, liberate and develop cultural productive forces through reform, prosper cultural undertakings, and develop cultural industries. He called for vigorously enhancing cultural soft power, integrating the power of culture into economic development, promoting cultural development within economic growth, comprehensively advancing the construction of a cultural metropolis, and promoting the great development and prosperity of Shanghai's culture.
Inheriting and promoting Chinese civilization through international cultural exchange and mutual learning. In October 2007, Comrade Xi Jinping joined the central leadership, officially beginning his leadership of cultural development at the national level. During his tenure as Vice President, Comrade Xi Jinping traveled to Russia, Japan, the United States, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Laos, Bangladesh, and many other countries to participate in cultural diplomacy. These activities enhanced mutual understanding between China and the world and promoted cultural exchanges.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has developed and matured through the great practice of cultural construction in the New Era and is the crystallization of the collective wisdom of Chinese Communists in the New Era. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has proposed a series of new ideas, viewpoints, and judgments in the practice of governing the country. These include both innovations and breakthroughs in cultural theoretical perspectives, as well as deployments and requirements for the layout of cultural work. From 1982's first proposal to firm up cultural confidence, to the directives to firmly grasp the leadership over ideological work, cultivate and practice socialist core values, and prosper and develop socialist literature and art; from the "nine persistences" [9] proposed at the 2018 National Propaganda and Ideological Work Conference to the goal of building a cultural powerhouse by 2035 proposed at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee; from the "Two Combinations" [10] to the "Seven Focuses" [11]; from the requirement for propaganda and ideological work to "consciously shoulder the mission and tasks of holding high the flag, gathering the hearts of the people, nurturing new talent, revitalizing culture, and presenting a good image," to the "new cultural mission" of the New Era to "continue to promote cultural prosperity, build a cultural powerhouse, and build a modern civilization of the Chinese nation at a new starting point"—Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has continuously matured and been perfected through practice. It was first officially introduced at the National Propaganda and Ideological Work Conference in October 2023, condensing the collective wisdom of the practical experience of Chinese Communists leading cultural work in the New Era.
In short, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture was gradually formed and ultimately established during the Party's leadership of cultural construction. Its related concepts and viewpoints germinated and first appeared during Comrade Xi Jinping's early local administrative career and developed and matured in the practice of building socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. It originates from the practical experience of cultural construction; its generation and perfection processes reflect a distinct practical logic and will surely continue to be enriched and perfected as the great practice of building socialist culture with Chinese characteristics advances.
(2) An inevitable requirement for enhancing cultural confidence and maintaining cultural security in the New Era
The proposal of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is an inevitable requirement for enhancing cultural confidence, maintaining cultural security, and ensuring the steady construction and development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics amidst the tides of globalization and digitalization. The generation and proposal of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture correspond and align with the practical needs and processes of enhancing cultural confidence and maintaining cultural security in the New Era.
On one hand, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is an active theoretical response to the realistic need for enhancing cultural confidence in the New Era. In modern times, following the wanton aggression of Western powers, China fell into a situation where "the country was humiliated, the people were suffering, and civilization was covered in dust." This created a strong sense of frustration and failure among the Chinese people; cultural superiority and self-confidence were gradually lost, and the national cultural psyche shifted from a closed sense of self-confidence and conceit toward self-deprecation and self-abuse. Extreme inferiority complexes characterized by a loss of cultural subjective consciousness, such as "total Westernization," permeated Chinese society at that time. Some even directly equated the differences between Eastern and Western cultures with the distinctions between barbarism and civilization or backwardness and advancement, engaging in a radical self-reflection colored by "cultural self-abuse" and one-sidedly attributing the reasons for modern China's backwardness to the failure of Chinese culture. This modern loss of confidence in Chinese culture led to the gradual disappearance of cultural subjectivity and the orthodox status of Chinese culture. The cultural inferiority complex brought by total Westernization—mixed with cultural value judgments of looking up to, worshiping, and imitating the West—increasingly became the psychological trend of mainstream society, plunging national self-esteem and cultural confidence into crisis.
This cultural inferiority complex, originating from the crisis of cultural loss in modern China, has persisted to this day. In the context of increasing global cultural fusion, it easily gives rise to practical dilemmas such as crises of cultural subjectivity and cultural security risks. Therefore, the practice of Chinese cultural construction in the New Era urgently requires Xi Jinping Thought on Culture—an advanced cultural theory—to correct the cultural psyche, lead cultural development, and conduct a contemporary reconstruction of the Chinese nation's cultural confidence. Strengthening cultural confidence is a profound value force for safeguarding national security, the basic cultural standpoint of Chinese Communists, and an inevitable requirement for enhancing national cohesion and centripetal force to achieve the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation. The proposal of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture precisely adapts to the practical needs of constructing a national cultural psyche and cultural values in the New Era, responding to the practical call for the contemporary construction of Chinese cultural confidence, and possessing a clear practical orientation and profound practical significance.
On the other hand, the practice of maintaining national cultural security in the New Era calls for the guidance of new cultural theories. Since the reform and opening up, China has faced many challenges in the field of cultural security. First, the deep development of globalization has triggered cultural collisions, leading to ideological confusion, worship of foreign things, and other cultural security issues. In the initial globalization dominated by Western countries, Chinese cultural development was in a weak position, and China's cultural industries and traditional cultural concepts were directly impacted. Second, the popularization of information technology in the network and digital age has brought cultural chaos in the areas of public opinion and values. Western countries use network information technology to conduct cultural infiltration, causing unhealthy cultures and erroneous trends of thought to have a negative impact on or even destroy the Chinese culture and value system. Third, under Western ideological infiltration and cultural expansion, China's cultural security is threatened, and cultural values face risks of Westernization and fragmentation. Western cultural hegemony and cultural imperialism are the deep-seated causes of China's cultural security problems.
Practical issues regarding national cultural security likewise call for a response from advanced cultural theory. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is precisely a response to the security dilemmas encountered in the practice of socialist cultural construction. Guided by the resolution of practical problems in cultural security, it is an inevitable requirement of the practice of cultural construction. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture "defined the roadmap and task list for cultural construction in the New Era," and proposed strategies to focus on resolving security issues faced in cultural construction practice from the following aspects:
First, "ideological work is the work of establishing a heart for the country and a soul for the nation," and "ideology determines the direction and developmental path of culture." Firmly grasping the leadership, management, and discourse power [12] of ideological work is crucial for maintaining national cultural security and is a vital aspect of cultural construction in the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "The task of propaganda and ideological work is to consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere and consolidate the common ideological foundation upon which the entire Party and the people of the whole country strive together in unity." Cultural infiltration and ideological intrusion by Western capitalist countries in our nation's ideological sphere seriously threaten and erode our national cultural security. Whether we can succeed in ideological work and guide the healthy development of culture with Chinese characteristics concerns the future and destiny of the Party, the long-term stability of the state, and national cohesion and centripetal force. Therefore, we must strive to build a socialist ideology with strong cohesion and leadership to reinforce the shield of national cultural security.
Second, maintaining national cultural security "requires strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over propaganda and ideological work and maintaining a clear-cut stance on the Party’s management of propaganda." Strengthening the Party's cultural leadership is a proposition put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping based on his profound insight into the laws of cultural construction, his inheritance and development of the Communist Party of China's important principle that "the Party manages culture," and his direct confrontation with the problems and challenges facing national cultural security in the New Era. From the "Fourteen Emphases" regarding cultural construction at the June 2023 Seminar on Cultural Inheritance and Development to the "Seven Focuses" [13] at the October 2023 National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology, and Culture, it has beem made clear that we must persist in and strengthen the Party's overall leadership over propaganda, ideological, and cultural work. Only under the leadership of the Party, and only when all the people are closely united in their ideals, beliefs, values, and moral concepts, will our country’s cultural security become more robust.
Finally, "if we cannot pass the test of the Internet, we cannot pass the test of long-term governance." Under the conditions of informatization, maintaining cyber-cultural security is an important component of propaganda, ideological, and cultural work. Standing at the forefront of the age and technology, and after analyzing the laws of cyber-cultural dissemination and the mechanisms by which online public opinion is generated and evolves, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "the development of the Internet has posed new challenges to national sovereignty, security, and developmental interests." We must enhance awareness of cyber-cultural security, "strengthen the construction of Internet content, establish a comprehensive system for network governance, and create a clean and bright [14] cyberspace," fostering a cyber-culture that is positive, healthy, and oriented toward the good. There is no national security without cybersecurity. In the era of the Internet and informatization, mastering the power of initiative in public opinion, constructing "concentric circles" [15] online and offline to better build social consensus, and consolidating the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the whole Party and the people of the whole country are the keys to maintaining national cultural security.
Furthermore, the concepts advocated in Xi Jinping Thought on Culture—such as consolidating the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, constructing philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, enhancing national cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture, building Chinese discourse and narrative systems, and guiding cultural construction with core socialist values—also powerfully respond to the practical needs of cultural construction to strengthen cultural confidence and maintain cultural security. In short, the proposal of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is an inevitable requirement for increasing cultural confidence and maintaining cultural security in the New Era. It systematically answers the practical questions of cultural inferiority and security dilemmas that Chinese cultural construction has faced for a long time, coordinating cultural confidence and cultural security to point the way forward for the healthy and stable development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics.
(3) Practical Observances for the Prosperity and Development of Socialist Culture in the New Era
While Xi Jinping Thought on Culture increases cultural confidence and ensures cultural security, it is also committed to promoting cultural prosperity. It points out the practical path for cultural prosperity in the New Era and serves as a scientific guide to action "born of the nascent need of the times for the prosperity and development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics." "Spiritual poverty is not socialism," and "realizing the Chinese Dream is a developmental process in which material and spiritual civilizations fly wing-to-tip." Xi Jinping Thought on Culture focuses on the construction of spiritual civilization, making detailed plans and practical deployments for how to promote the prosperity and flourishing of socialist culture, and clarifying that "continuing to promote cultural prosperity at a new historical starting point" is one of the new cultural missions in the New Era. Specifically, promoting the construction of socialist cultural prosperity requires focusing on the following two aspects.
At the macro level, promoting cultural prosperity means promoting the prosperity of cultural undertakings and cultural industries. In October 2023, the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology, and Culture proposed the "Seven Focuses" strategy for cultural construction, explicitly stating the need to "focus on promoting the prosperity and development of cultural undertakings and cultural industries." As two major components of cultural construction in the New Era, the flourishing of cultural undertakings and industries relates to the effectiveness of cultural construction work, to whether the cultural needs of the people can be met and their spiritual strength enhanced, and to whether the cultural rights and interests of the people can be guaranteed and the level of social civilization improved. This constitutes the concrete practical task of cultural construction in the New Era. On the new journey of the New Era, to prosper and develop cultural undertakings and industries, we must persist in using Xi Jinping Thought on Culture as a guide to ensure they always follow the correct direction; we must adhere to the people-centered value orientation, continuously enhancing the people's sense of cultural gain, happiness, and satisfaction while improving public cultural services; we must emphasize using advanced socialist culture, revolutionary culture, and fine traditional Chinese culture to nurture the roots and soul [16] of the nation; we must focus on narrowing the gap between urban and rural public cultural services and deeply implement cultural projects for the benefit of the people; and we must focus on deepening the reform of the cultural system and comprehensively strengthening the construction of a modern cultural industrial system. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "In measuring the quality and level of cultural industry development, the most important thing is not to look at economic benefits." Socialist cultural undertakings and industries must prioritize social benefits and contribute to the development and prosperity of socialist culture; this is the mission and task of their development.
At the micro level, promoting cultural prosperity means promoting a comprehensive and coordinated advancement across news and publishing, radio, film and television, literature and art, and philosophy and social sciences. "Comprehensively prospering the causes of news and publishing, radio, film and television, literature and art, and philosophy and social sciences" is a specific field of action proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping for advancing the prosperity of socialist culture. It stipulates that cultural prosperity under socialism with Chinese characteristics is a grand prosperity characterized by broad coverage, numerous categories, diverse types, and fruitful results. The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC listed "making the people's spiritual and cultural life richer" as one of the main goals and tasks for China's development in the next five years. To ensure its successful completion, we must, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, provide the people with higher quality and more abundant cultural products, and promote the realization of an all-around, multi-field socialist cultural prosperity and development.
In short, great eras call for cultural prosperity and give rise to great cultural thoughts. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture indicates the practical path for the prosperity and development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics and serves as a scientific guide to action for promoting cultural prosperity in the New Era.
II. The Theoretical Logic of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture embodies a profound theoretical logic. It enriches and develops Marxist cultural theory, representing Marxist cultural theory Sinicized and modernized for the current age. It inherits and innovates upon the cultural construction thoughts of Chinese Communists, marking a new height in our Party's understanding of the laws of cultural construction. It criticizes and transcends Western civilizational thought, advocating for the promotion of the common values of humanity, facilitating exchange and mutual learning between civilizations, and creating a new form of human civilization.
(1) Inheritance and Innovation of Marxist Cultural Theory
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture combines Marxist cultural theory with the specific realities of Chinese cultural construction in the New Era. It scientifically answers the major epochal question of "what is socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era and how to build and develop it." It achieves the latest development in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist cultural theory, reflecting both theoretical inheritance and epochal innovation.
In his speech at the conference marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "To learn from Marx, we must study and practice Marxist thought on cultural construction." Marxist cultural theory is rich in content; it is the reflection and understanding of the phenomenon of "culture" by classical Marxist writers. Beginning with the understanding that "culture is the objectified activity of man's essential powers," it reveals the causes of cultural production and the laws of its development. It summarizes characteristics such as the nationality, class nature, people-centeredness, inheritance, and openness of culture. It explores the relationship between culture and the economy and politics, and discusses the essence, connotation, functions, and roles of culture. Based on a thorough analysis of the laws of cultural development in human society, Marxist cultural theory exposed the cultural contradictions of capitalist society, identified the internal mechanisms of social civilizational change, and pointed out that the cultural function of communism lies in creating freely and comprehensively developed human beings.
As the contemporary manifestation of the Marxist outlook on culture, the generation of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture stems from the inheritance of Marxist cultural theory; it is a natural extension and rational integration of this theory based on historical and practical development. Specifically, first, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture inherits and develops the "people-centered" view of Marxist cultural theory, proposing that propaganda, ideological, and cultural work in the New Era must adhere to a people-centered orientation. Literature and art must reflect the voice of the people and take the satisfaction of the people's spiritual and cultural needs as the starting point and foothold. "For our philosophy and social sciences to achieve anything, they must adhere to a people-centered research orientation. Divorced from the people, philosophy and social sciences will lack attraction, appeal, influence, and vitality." Second, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture inherits and develops the practical view of Marxist cultural theory. It focuses on many specific practical issues such as the protection of historical and cultural heritage, the construction of a major cyber power, and the development of cultural industries like news and publishing. It contains both innovations and breakthroughs in cultural theoretical viewpoints and deployment requirements for the layout of cultural work, embodying the distinct practical characteristic of "clarifying the essence to achieve practical utility and integrating the internal substance with its external application" [17]. Third, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture inherits and develops the "open" view of Marxist cultural theory; it is "a continuously unfolding and open ideological system" that will certainly continue to observe the development of practice and be continuously innovated and enriched alongside the advancement of socialist cultural construction with Chinese characteristics. Fourth, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture inherits and develops the Marxist viewpoint that culture possesses political and ideological attributes. It points out that cultural construction in the New Era must strengthen the Party's cultural leadership, cultivate core socialist values, master the power of initiative in public opinion under informatization, consolidate the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, persist in common ideals, beliefs, values, and moral concepts, and promote fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture, so as to encourage all the people to unite closely in thought and spirit.
In summary, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is both a direct continuation of and an innovation upon Marxist cultural theory. It was born in response to the practice of cultural construction in the New Era, aligns better with the reality of Chinese cultural development, and integrates more closely with the practical interests of the Chinese people.
(2) Inheritance and Development of the Cultural Thought of the Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China (CPC) has always represented the developmental direction of China's advanced culture; it is the leader of Chinese cultural construction, the pioneer of cultural transformation, and the helmsman of cultural development. The cultural thought of the CPC has advanced along with the progression of revolution, construction, and reform, successively undergoing a theoretical evolution from a New Democratic cultural outlook and a socialist cultural outlook to a cultural outlook of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and finally the cultural outlook of socialism with Chinese characteristics for the New Era. It demonstrates a theoretical logic that is both a continuous lineage and a progression that advances with the times. It has led China through a great leap in cultural construction: from promoting "cultural liberation," committing to "cultural transformation," and attempting "cultural reflection," to enhancing "cultural confidence" and pursuing "cultural self-strengthening."
Mao Zedong scientifically defined the connotation and social structural position of culture, elaborated on the characteristics and future direction of New Democratic culture, and proposed...
The cultural methodology of the "Double Hundred" and "Two Uses" [18], and the theory of cultural orientation in "serving the masses of the people." Deng Xiaoping attached great importance to the significance of socialist spiritual civilization and the prominent role of intellectuals in socialist cultural construction; he restored the "Double Hundred" policy, proposed the "Two Serves" [19] orientation for cultural construction, and formulated the "Three Orientations" [20] policy for culture and education. Jiang Zemin profoundly elucidated the connotations of culture with Chinese characteristics, emphasizing that the construction of advanced culture must be elevated to the level of "founding the Party and governing the country." He proposed that culture with Chinese characteristics is a major indicator of comprehensive national strength and that "the well-rounded development of the individual" is the ultimate goal of cultural development. Hu Jintao proposed that "building a harmonious culture" was an important task in constructing a socialist harmonious society; he established the cultural strategic goal of enhancing national cultural soft power and striving to build a socialist cultural power, and creatively put forward the historical proposition of "building the socialist core value system."
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture represents the culmination of the cultural thinking of Chinese Communists. It inherits, continues, innovates, and develops the Party’s fine traditions in cultural construction across multiple dimensions—including the ontological view of culture, cultural values, cultural concepts, and the developmental view of culture. It marks a new height in our Party's understanding of the laws governing the construction of culture with Chinese characteristics, and demonstrates that our Party's historical confidence and cultural confidence have reached new heights. In the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has focused on hoisting the flag, gathering the people’s hearts, nurturing new generations, flourishing culture, and presenting a positive image. He has worked to resolve the weakening of Party leadership in the ideological sphere, promoted the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, facilitated mutual learning between human civilizations, enhanced national cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture, and remained steadfast in upholding the Party’s leadership over culture and the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is the theoretical crystallization of the practice of socialist cultural construction with Chinese characteristics in the New Era; it is the latest theoretical achievement formed through the inheritance and development of the Chinese Communist Party's cultural thought. Its theoretical lineage highlights the continuous pulse of the cultural thinking of Chinese Communists. As General Secretary Xi Jinping stated:
"Contemporary Chinese Communists and the Chinese people should and certainly will be able to shoulder a new cultural mission, engaging in cultural creation amidst practical creation and achieving cultural progress amidst historical progress!"
(3) Critique and Transcendence of Western Civilizational Thought
Western civilization is founded on the ideological basis of the "civilization-barbarism" dichotomy. Throughout a colonial history of violent plunder, it gradually formed a cultural value orientation of "Western civilizational superiority" with an inherent drive for outward expansion, creating cultural values centered on "power," "conflict," and "civilizational hierarchy." With the global expansion of Western civilization, the "theory of Western civilizational superiority" it espouses created Western cultural-centrism, endowing Western culture with self-proclaimed "universality" and "superiority," thereby causing widespread value opposition and cultural conflict on a global scale. For a long time, Western civilizational ideas mixed with erroneous ideologies—such as the clash of civilizations theory, cultural colonialism, cultural hegemony, cultural imperialism, cultural nihilism, and elitist views of culture—have been clamorous, becoming negative cultural factors that threaten world peace and undermine human unity. People must clearly recognize that Western capitalist civilization will never be the universal or final form of human civilization, nor can it alone determine the future direction of humanity. How to maintain domestic cultural dominance and independence, safeguard the cultural subjectivity and security of one's own nation, and construct a new type of civilizational outlook characterized by harmony, mutual learning, and co-prosperity while contending with Western civilizational ideas colored by "expansionism," "universalism," "hegemony," "conflict," and "centrism," has become a major issue of the times that all countries must explore.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture promotes an evolutionary trend in the contemporary global cultural landscape: moving from Western cultural-centrism toward the awakening of non-Western cultures, from cultural hegemony toward cultural pluralism, and from cultural conflict toward cultural integration. It breaks free from the Western civilizational barriers and cultural constraints of "singular universality, central superiority, and hegemonic conflict." It emphasizes that "exchange and mutual learning between civilizations are important engines for the progress of human civilization and the peaceful development of the world," and that "civilizations do not differ in terms of high or low, or superior or inferior; they only differ in characteristics and geography. Only through exchange can there be integration, and only through integration can there be progress." We must "respect the diversity of world civilizations, letting exchange transcend estrangement, mutual learning transcend conflict, and coexistence transcend superiority." General Secretary Xi Jinping is committed to resolving the difficult puzzle of "where human civilization is headed." He proposed the Global Civilization Initiative, advocating for the resolution of civilizational conflicts through dialogue, the replacement of civilizational hegemony with civilizational equality, and the resistance of civilizational centrism through civilizational pluralism. This leads human civilizational relations in the right direction, providing a Chinese solution for maintaining world peace and development, promoting friendliness between human civilizations, strengthening international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, flourishing the "hundred-flower garden" of world civilizations, and reshaping the global cultural landscape. On the premise of respecting the diversity and equality of world civilizations, the civilizational outlook of the New Era contained within Xi Jinping Thought on Culture involves strengthening exchange and mutual learning, emphasizing the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, promoting the common values of all humanity, and constructing a new form of human civilization.
Advancing from a critique of "civilizational superiority" toward the realization of "civilizational symbiosis" demonstrates the critique and transcendence of Western civilizational thought by Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Through intense debate and collision with Western civilizational ideas, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has gradually achieved theoretical maturity.
III. The Value Significance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture continues and inherits fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture. It guides and deploys current cultural construction for the Party and the state, and plans the future direction of Chinese cultural development. It is a scientific theoretical system of profound value significance that unifies the three dimensions of the past, the present, and the future.
(1) Bearing the Past: Continuing Fine Traditional Chinese Culture, Revolutionary Culture, and Advanced Socialist Culture
The fine traditional culture nurtured by the more than 5,000-year splendid history of the Chinese nation, along with the revolutionary culture and advanced socialist culture created by the Chinese Communist Party over more than a century of leading the people through revolution, construction, reform, and the great practice of the New Era, constitute the deep historical foundation and precious spiritual wealth of our country's cultural construction. These "Three Major Cultures" are fused together within the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, collectively shaping the unique cultural lineage and spiritual character of the Chinese nation, and jointly driving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the construction of its spiritual home. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has profoundly summarized the five prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization—continuity, innovativeness, unity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness. He noted that the "Three Major Cultures" embody the deepest spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation, represent its unique spiritual identification, and serve as the eternal spiritual guide and common value standard for generations of Chinese people. Cultural construction in the New Era must focus on the inheritance, promotion, and development of these "Three Major Cultures," drawing cultural strength from them.
Fine traditional Chinese culture is the spiritual lifeblood, prominent advantage, and deepest cultural soft power of the Chinese nation; it is the historical foundation for constructing the shared spiritual home of Chinese culture. With its profound cultural accumulation and precious resources of wisdom, fine traditional Chinese culture constitutes the historical roots of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Continuing the Chinese cultural lineage from a modern perspective and promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture demonstrates the important value of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture in inheriting and developing Chinese civilization. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the historical influence and contemporary significance of fine traditional Chinese culture, endowing it with new connotations of the times and modern forms of expression. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that in treating traditional culture, we must both pass the torch from generation to generation and "advance with the times and weed through the old to bring forth the new." We must "strengthen the excavation and elucidation of fine traditional Chinese culture, ensuring that the most basic cultural genes of the Chinese nation are adapted to contemporary culture and coordinated with modern society."
Revolutionary culture is a unique spiritual identifier and special cultural form nurtured during the practice of the revolutionary struggle led by the Chinese Communist Party; it is an important component of culture with Chinese characteristics. To inherit revolutionary culture and endow it with new contemporary connotations in the New Era means focusing on passing down the "red genes" and continuing the "red lineage." "Continuing the red lineage is a major task in the building of a Marxist governing party." In the New Era, we must "strengthen the study of revolutionary history, deeply excavating the ideological connotations behind red resources." We must refine, promote, and inherit the spiritual pedigree of Chinese Communists—represented by the Great Founding Spirit of the Party, the Jinggangshan Spirit, the Long March Spirit, the Yan'an Spirit, the Xibaipo Spirit, the Spirit of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, the "Two Bombs, One Satellite" Spirit, the Anti-Epidemic Spirit, and the Poverty Alleviation Spirit. We should use revolutionary culture, as represented by the revolutionary spirit, as a spiritual banner to lead contemporary social trends of thought, providing powerful cultural support for the Chinese nation in building a shared spiritual home. Promoting and inheriting revolutionary culture in the New Era possesses great value significance, as it provides an excellent cultural foundation for cultivating the spirit of the times centered on reform and innovation.
Advanced socialist culture demonstrates the powerful vitality and significant superiority of socialism. It represents the developmental requirements of advanced productive forces, the forward direction of advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people. It is an important spiritual force driving cultural development and guiding cultural construction in the New Era. By promoting advanced socialist culture—which is guided by Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, and the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and which embodies national traits while conforming to the trends of the times—we can persist in using scientific theory to guide the way, correct public opinion to build consensus, advanced culture to mold the soul, and excellent works to inspire morale. This will lead to a continuous strengthening of the ideals, convictions, and cultural confidence of the entire nation, a significant improvement in the people's spiritual outlook and the level of social civilization, and a substantial increase in national cultural soft power and influence. This is the important value reflected in the continuation and promotion of advanced socialist culture in the New Era.
The only way to continue the "Three Major Cultures" is to integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture, based on the profound historical foundation of over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization and over 100 years of Chinese revolution, construction, and reform.
Persisting in the "Second Integration"—the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture—is a major innovation of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture and a cultural construction strategy for achieving "upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground" across the "Three Major Cultures" in the New Era. As General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "The 'Second Integration' is another liberation of the mind, allowing us to fully utilize the precious resources of fine traditional Chinese culture within a broader cultural space to explore theoretical and institutional innovations oriented toward the future." On the basis of profoundly grasping the prominent characteristics of the "Three Major Cultures," deeply revealing the inherent compatibility between Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture, and profoundly expounding the contemporary value of fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has achieved the creative transformation and innovative development of these "Three Major Cultures." It has facilitated their gradual radiation of contemporary glory and addition of contemporary connotations, making them a new cultural form with the characteristics of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism.
To continue the "Three Major Cultures," we must also strengthen cultural confidence, uphold an open and inclusive cultural temperament, integrate China and the outside world, and dialectically learn from all the outstanding civilizational achievements of humanity. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Inheriting and promoting traditional Chinese culture does not mean being stuck in our ways or closing our eyes to the world. The Chinese nation is a nation that is inclusive and broad-minded. Throughout the long course of history, we have continuously learned the good things of others and transformed them into our own, which is how our national characteristics were formed." He further noted: "Chinese civilization has been famous for its openness and inclusiveness since ancient times, constantly radiating new vitality through exchange and mutual learning with other civilizations." In the New Era, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, we should inherit and develop fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture with an attitude of openness, inclusiveness, and confidence. On the premise of maintaining the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, we should promote the localization of excellent foreign cultures, achieving the integration of China and the world, the connection of the ancient and the modern, dialectical selection, and the discarding of the old for the new. This will realize the organic link between the traditional and the modern, the East and the West, continuing the historical cultural lineage and writing a magnificent chapter for the times.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture situates socialist cultural construction within the long river of the inheritance of Chinese civilization, examines it within the historical trend of the development and evolution of socialist civilization, and grasps it against the historical background of the agitation and prosperity of human civilization. This reflects profound historical thinking, a deep historical perspective, and profound historical wisdom, demonstrating the important value of achieving the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture in the New Era.
(2) Serving the Present: Systematic Deployment of Cultural Construction Work in the New Era
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is rooted in the global, national, and Party conditions of the New Era and its current stage. It provides a systematic blueprint and strategic deployment for China’s cultural construction, embodying the distinct characteristics of "clarifying the core substance to attain practical utility, and integrating substance with utility" [21]. This thought achieves an organic unity between cultural theoretical innovation and the strategic layout of cultural work. Taking "utility" as its objective and adhering to a problem-oriented and practice-oriented approach, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture indicates the primary tasks and implementation paths for our nation's cultural construction in the New Era from the height of integrating worldview and methodology. This is manifested both as a roadmap, task list, and mobilization order at the level of cultural construction planning, and as a series of engineering project deployments in the practice of cultural construction; it is the action program that must be implemented in our nation's cultural construction in the New Era.
In the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has taken overall command of the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. He has provided instructions and systematic deployments across multiple cultural domains, including online public opinion and the cyber-cultural ecosystem, philosophy and social sciences, news and propaganda, traditional culture, ideology, international discourse power and communication capacity, protection of cultural heritage, and the integration of culture and tourism. These serve as the practical compliance for building a strong socialist ideology, promoting the core socialist values, developing cultural undertakings and industries, purifying the spiritual and cultural home of the internet, consolidating the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, enhancing national cultural soft power, flourishing socialist literature and art, and constructing an autonomous knowledge system and communication discourse capacity at this current historical juncture.
The progression from the "Nine Persistences" [22] to the "Fourteen Emphases" [23] and then to the "Seven Focuses" [24] represents the systematic strategic deployments sequentially made by General Secretary Xi Jinping regarding the practice of cultural construction. These permeate his overarching layout for cultural development, profoundly answering major questions of orientation, globality, and strategy in New Era cultural construction. They provide a powerful ideological weapon and a scientific guide to action for performing propaganda, ideological, and cultural work on the new journey of the New Era and for shouldering the new cultural mission. The "Nine Persistences" are the programmatic requirements proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping for propaganda and ideological work in the New Era; they are the practical guidelines that must be firmly observed, deeply implemented, and strictly executed. The "Fourteen Emphases" are a systematic summarization of the laws governing contemporary Chinese cultural construction, pointing out the direction for development. The "Seven Focuses" constitute the roadmap and task list formulated for current cultural construction; they form an organic whole composed of seven important elements of cultural work—interconnected, closely linked, and indispensable—hitting the key points and points of leverage for cultural construction in the New Era.
The times are the mother of thought. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture was established in the cultural construction practices of the current historical period, focuses on its tasks, and summarizes its experiences. It is the theoretical sublimation of the Party’s regularized understanding [25] of cultural construction under its leadership in the New Era. Moreover, it is the great action program guiding the prosperity of Chinese culture as the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation enters an irreversible historical process, embodying profound contemporary value and momentous significance for the times.
(III) Facing the Future: Mapping a Grand Blueprint for Chinese Cultural Development
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture inherits history, guides the present, and, crucially, maps out a grand blueprint for the future development of Chinese culture, embodying an important value significance in steering the future direction of cultural construction. The "new cultural mission in the New Era" proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping—namely, "to continue promoting cultural prosperity, building a leading cultural power [26], and developing a modern civilization of the Chinese nation at a new starting point"—clarifies the "two constructions" vision for our nation's cultural development in the coming period. It points the way and maps a grand blueprint for the cause of socialist cultural construction with Chinese characteristics and the enduring prosperity of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.
Regarding the grand blueprint for building a leading socialist cultural power, the "Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Formulating the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035," deliberated and adopted at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, established the schedule and roadmap for becoming a leading cultural power by 2035. The Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC raised the goal requirements for this objective: "significant enhancement of national cultural soft power," "a happier and more beautiful life for the people," and "more obvious and substantive progress in the well-rounded development of the individual and common prosperity for all" are all inherent meanings of building a leading socialist cultural power. This goal is a grand blueprint formulated by General Secretary Xi Jinping from a new historical starting point, characterized by far-sightedness and a profound historical perspective; it holds a prominent position and vital value in the strategy of advancing the comprehensive construction of a great modern socialist power.
Furthermore, the inevitable path of cultural development, unified with the process of building a leading cultural power, is the construction of a modern civilization of the Chinese nation. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation is the grand blueprint mapped by General Secretary Xi Jinping for the modern transformation of Chinese civilization. It is a brand-new form of civilization pursued by the construction of a leading socialist cultural power in guiding Chinese cultural development. It is the product of absorbing and learning from all achievements of human civilization while implementing the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture. It connects the ancient and modern, the East and the West; it originates from historical inheritance, modern transformation, and the fusion of civilizations. It contains both the prominent traits and national spirit of fine traditional Chinese culture while imbuing them with distinct characteristics of the times and a modern spirit, forming an organically unified new cultural lifeform. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s new thoughts, viewpoints, and judgments on "building a modern civilization of the Chinese nation" provide deep insight into the general trend of Chinese cultural construction and the evolution of human civilization. They demonstrate the high level of confidence held by Chinese Communists in the brilliant prospects of the future development of Chinese civilization, possessing immense guidance, foresight, and leadership for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation at the cultural level.
In summary, the grand objective of the "new cultural mission in the New Era" proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping demonstrates his expansive historical vision that connects the past and present, stands in the now, and looks to the future. It is a profound manifestation of his forward-looking thinking, holistic planning, strategic layout, and integrated deployment regarding socialist cultural construction with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture grasps the general historical trend, masters historical initiative, and closely combines the practical concerns of cultural construction with the strategic planning of cultural development. It maps a grand blueprint for creating the enduring prosperity of Chinese civilization, highlighting its vital value in ensuring that future Chinese cultural construction proceeds steadily and reaches far.
Source: Teaching and Research of Marxist Theory October 21, 2024 Online Editor: Jing Mu