Li Yang and Li Jianzhu: The Original Contributions and Contemporary Value of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture
Whenever an ideological theory is to possess historical penetrative power, innovative leading power, and theoretical explanatory power, it must necessarily take its original contributions as its solid foundation and distinct hallmark. As a summary of the experience gained from the theory and practice of cultural construction led by the Party in the New Era, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has opened up an entirely new horizon for contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxist cultural theory through its unique, inventive, and exclusive original theories and perspectives. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is the logical representation and theoretical crystallization of the efforts by Chinese Communists to keep the global landscape in view while remaining rooted in China—standing at the forefront of the tide of the times, responding to the shifts of the era, leading the clarion call of the age, and striving to achieve "spiritual independence and autonomy." Only by systematically grasping the theoretical direction of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture and accurately apprehending its contemporary value can we more profoundly understand its original contributions, better strengthen cultural confidence, uphold openness and inclusiveness, persist in upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, and more consciously open up new frontiers in publicity, ideological, and cultural work in the New Era.
I. The Epochal Background of the Formation of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
(1) The question of global cultural competition amidst the accelerating evolution of changes unseen in a century
Marx and Engels pointed out: "The true content of all epoch-making systems is formed by the needs of the period in which these systems arose." Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is the crystallization of the era and practice, and of theory and practice; the scope of its focus lies first and foremost in the "changes unseen in a century" [1]. In other words, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture emerged from the general trend of the evolution of the international situation since the 21st century; it is a scientific judgment on the changes of the times and a concentrated answer to the questions of the era. Surveying the more than twenty years since the start of the 21st century, the multipolar global political and economic order formed after the end of the Cold War has developed through twists and turns and evolved amidst turbulence, with emerging market countries and developing nations rising as a group. Whether in terms of economic strength, technological innovation, cultural attraction, or the penetrative power of values, the United States has demonstrated forceful competition. In recent years, traditional concepts of economic globalization, trade liberalization, and cultural pluralism have gradually weakened in American intellectual circles, even facing the risk of being marginalized. Trade protectionism, populism, and cultural conservatism have seized the opportunity to rise, continuously influencing American national political life and driving U.S. foreign relations toward polarization, leading to subsequent strategic adjustments such as the "Pivot to Asia" and "America First." Since the 2008 financial crisis, the overall economic recovery of European countries has been sluggish, exposing and triggering many deep-seated problems that have persisted to this day without effective resolution. The comprehensive national strength of traditional European powers—represented by the UK, Germany, France, and Italy—has slightly diverged within an overall decline, and public dissatisfaction with political elites has greatly deepened. This provided fertile soil for the resurgence of anti-globalization trends, trade protectionism, separatism, and populism, leaving the U.S.-led liberal international order facing its most severe challenges since the end of the Cold War. Meanwhile, emerging economies have risen rapidly. China, in particular, has risen quickly within just a few decades to become the world's second-largest economy, playing an increasingly significant role in international affairs such as the situation on the Korean Peninsula, the Ukraine crisis, and the Middle East peace process, thereby greatly altering the traditional international political and economic order.
The drastic changes in the international situation described above provided a broad epochal background for the birth of new cultural thoughts and theories. As the balance of international power shifts and global challenges increase, at this historical juncture where the relationship between China and the world is undergoing historic changes, Chinese Communists urgently need to use a series of new ideological and cultural perspectives to answer the complex and profound changes in the global trend. They must answer major theoretical questions such as "whither world civilization," "how Chinese civilization can innovate and develop," and "how the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics can be proactive." This involves both promoting the common development of world civilizations while pursuing the development of its own civilization, and advancing its own civilization amidst the common development of world civilizations, thereby providing new cultural interpretations, choices, and solutions for resolving a series of major international issues.
(2) Reflections on cultural innovation on the path to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation
Culture is the soul of a country and a nation; without the high prosperity and flourishing of national culture, there can be no national rejuvenation or rise. Entering the 21st century, China's comprehensive national strength has climbed significantly, its discourse power in international affairs has continuously strengthened, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical process. In this great journey, Chinese Communists in the New Era have reflected upon and answered two sharp and thorny cultural dilemmas: First, whither Marxism. The economic base determines the superstructure. Changes in China's economic base in the New Era have put forward a realistic requirement for the superstructure to undergo profound changes accordingly. As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters the New Era, facing the final moment of achieving the First Centenary Goal and the new journey of marching toward the Second Centenary Goal [2], the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism also stand at a new historical starting point. Facing many deep-seated contradictions and problems left over from the earlier period of reform and opening up that remained unresolved for a long time, and facing the "hard bones" and "deep-water zones" [3] encountered in comprehensively deepening reform on the new journey of the New Era, Marxism must continuously advance with the times to maintain strong theoretical discourse power and explanatory capacity. How to promote the continuous innovation of Marxist theory in the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era and new journey—forming contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism—has become the primary question that cultural, ideological, and theoretical work in the New Era must answer. Second, whither traditional Chinese culture. In modern times, traditional Chinese culture once fell into a crisis of faith and survival. Since the 21st century, with the rapid ascent of China's comprehensive national strength, the contemporary value of fine traditional Chinese culture has gradually become prominent. Waves of "National Studies fever" [4] have frequently arisen, not only providing China with a unique value system within a value-pluralistic global cultural order but also providing the most stable spiritual foundation for rectifying social ethics and morality that had fallen into confusion and chaos. It also provides Chinese solutions for resolving many common cultural problems faced by all of humanity. On May 17, 2016, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his speech at the Symposium on the Work of Philosophy and Social Sciences: "Contemporary China is undergoing the most extensive and profound social transformation in our country's history, and is also engaged in the most ambitious and unique practical innovation in human history. This unprecedented great practice will surely provide powerful impetus and broad space for theoretical creation and academic prosperity. This is an era that needs theory and can certainly produce theory; it is an era that needs thought and can certainly produce thought." How to hoist the unique cultural banner of the Chinese people in a culturally pluralistic society, how to stand firm amidst global cultural turbulence, and how to inherit and carry forward fine traditional Chinese culture while promoting the development of advanced socialist culture have become epochal questions that Chinese Communists must face.
(3) The responsibility of the Party leading the Chinese people to better strengthen cultural confidence and self-improvement on the new journey of the New Era
Culture is the fundamental spiritual force for a country's prosperity and a nation's revitalization. How to construct a new culture that adapts to the development of the times and matches national life has always been an important topic explored by progressive Chinese elements. In modern times, as China increasingly sank into the abyss of a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, with foreign powers invading and external troubles occurring frequently, Chinese culture—which had repeatedly created splendor over its long ancient history—became an object of doubt and negation. Many people with lofty ideals took the historical stage one after another, proposing various rescue plans for value reconstruction and cultural continuation, attempting to liberate Chinese culture and the Chinese nation from their tragic plight. From "Chinese learning for substance, Western learning for utility" [5] during the Self-Strengthening Movement to "culturally renewing the people" during the Hundred Days' Reform, and further to "saving the nation through industry" championed by national capitalists, all manifested a desire for cultural reshaping amidst the torrent of China's political evolution. The founding of the Communist Party of China was an epoch-making event in the history of modern Chinese culture and even in the history of the development of Chinese civilization. Holding a scientific cultural stance, Chinese Communists proposed scientific cultural innovation policies and cultural construction plans, providing sustained spiritual momentum for China's revolution, construction, and reform, and allowing the Chinese nation and Chinese culture to escape the tragic fate of being trampled and ravaged.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, based on the strategic overall situation of the changes unseen in a century and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, has actively promoted the construction of advanced culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, systematically answering the question of how to strengthen cultural confidence and self-improvement in practice. Ideological work is an extremely important task for the Party. Chinese Communists have firmly grasped the Party's leadership over ideological work, continuously improved their leadership level and discourse construction capacity in ideological work, refined and implemented the responsibility system for ideological work, and resolutely won the battle for initiative in cyberspace ideology. This has further consolidated the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field and solidified the common ideological foundation for the people of the whole country to unite and strive. Fine traditional Chinese culture is the crystallization of the wisdom of the Chinese nation and precious nourishment for governance. Based on the 5,000-year glorious history of Chinese civilization, the 500-year history of the socialist movement, and the history of the CPC's own continuous exploration of the laws governing the evolution of culture and civilization, Chinese Communists put forward the important thesis of the "Two Combinations" [6], carrying out vigorous new practices of socialist cultural construction in the New Era and pointing the direction for theoretical and practical innovation on the new journey. Poverty is not socialism, nor is spiritual emptiness. Chinese Communists persist in the coordinated development of material and spiritual civilizations, actively fostering and practicing the socialist core values to lead the construction of socialist spiritual civilization. Through value guidance of literary and artistic production and institutional innovation of the mechanisms of the cultural industry, they have opened the bridges and tunnels through which the Party's innovative theories reach social practice, forging a path for the development and revitalization of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics within the international communist movement. Practice is the source of theory and the synthesizer of theoretical innovation. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture emerged from the rich practice of the CPC leading ideological work, theoretical armament work, and the construction of spiritual civilization in the New Era. It is a scientific answer to a series of deep-seated theoretical problems and cultural contradictions that haunted cultural prosperity and hindered cultural confidence and self-improvement; it is a summary of the experience of the "cultural journey" of the Party leading the Chinese people to better strengthen cultural confidence and self-improvement in the New Era.
In short, the changes of the times call upon Chinese Communists to carry out new cultural creations in the New Era, to continue writing the Chinese chapters of Marxist cultural theory with great political courage and theoretical wisdom, and to provide new cultural guides and solutions in response to a series of major questions in theory and practice.
II. Major Theoretical Hallmarks of the Original Contributions of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Chinese Communists, represented by Comrade Xi Jinping, have profoundly grasped the new historical orientation, deeply analyzed the mission of the new era, and—with a broad historical vision, firm cultural confidence, and far-reaching strategic considerations—proposed a series of far-reaching new perspectives and theses in the ideological and cultural fields. They have opened up new frontiers in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, led the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and propelled the cultural practices and explorations of socialism with Chinese characteristics to achieve historic achievements. With an original system of ideological content, they have marked a brand-new height in the Chinese Communists' understanding of the laws governing the development of socialist culture. Its main theoretical hallmarks are reflected in the following four aspects.
(1) Strengthening cultural confidence is the basic prerequisite for cultural construction in the New Era
Cultural confidence is an affirmative psychological state of an individual or organization toward a specific cultural system; it is the most important psychological quality and the most enduring spiritual force driving a country or nation to achieve long-term stable development and overcome external risks and challenges. This thesis has been repeatedly proven by the history of the rise of nation-states in modern times. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has mentioned cultural confidence on many occasions, systematically expounding its important position in the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the exploration of socialism with Chinese characteristics, particularly giving full affirmation to the important role that fine traditional Chinese culture will play in future global cultural competition.
On February 24, 2014, during the 13th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping explicitly proposed the proposition of "cultural confidence" for the first time. On June 28, 2016, during the 33rd collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to "strengthen confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics," placing cultural confidence on par with the three "confidences" previously discussed. At the ceremony marking the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly expounded the logical relationship between the four confidences, stating that "the whole Party must strengthen confidence in our path, theory, system, and culture" and that "cultural confidence is a more fundamental, broader, and deeper confidence." The report to the 19th CPC National Congress further affirmed the major role of cultural confidence in the rise and fall of a nation's fortunes: "Culture is the soul of a country and a nation. If culture prospers, the nation prospers; if culture is strong, the nation is strong. Without a high degree of cultural confidence and the prosperity of culture, there will be no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." The report to the 20th CPC National Congress clearly pointed out the need to "advance confidence and self-strength in culture and create new brilliance for socialist culture."
From existing literature, particularly Xi Jinping's speech during his inspection tour of Liaoning on August 16, 2022, the concept of "cultural confidence" used by the General Secretary includes at least three layers of meaning: first, confidence in fine traditional Chinese culture; second, confidence in revolutionary "red" culture; and third, confidence in advanced socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. Chinese civilization is one of the primary birthplaces of global ancient civilizations and is the only ancient civilization in the world today that has continued historically without interruption. Fine traditional Chinese culture has played the most critical supporting role in sustaining the development and construction of Chinese civilization. Since the Opium War [7], Chinese society entered a period of great upheaval, and Chinese culture faced challenges unseen in a millennium; yet, despite these tribulations, its foundation remained intact and its lineage remained unbroken. Its views on the world, the universe, ecology, and morality continue to maintain powerful explanatory and guiding force for the current era and practice, continuously radiating vigorous vitality. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s confidence in and respect for fine traditional Chinese culture demonstrates the serious cultural stance, firm cultural orientation, and scientific cultural attitude of Chinese Communists; it is their most important cultural proposition in the New Era. In the revolutionary practice of seeking national salvation in modern times, Chinese Communists formed a revolutionary "red" culture while leading the New Democratic Revolution [8], the socialist revolution, and construction. They further formed advanced socialist culture with Chinese characteristics while leading the practice of socialist construction and reform and opening up. Cultural confidence is confidence in these three cultural achievements; it is a cultural psychology and mindset guided by Marxism, with the revolutionary spirit as its core, the interests of the people as its value orientation, and the realization of the great rejuvenation of the nation as its ambition. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on cultural confidence serve as a spiritual banner, demonstrating the scientific attitude and pragmatic spirit of Chinese Communists toward history in the New Era. They provide the most critical cultural stance for building a modern socialist power in the New Era and lay the most important theoretical premise for Xi Jinping Thought on Culture.
(II) The "Two Combinations" are the inevitable path for cultural prosperity in the New Era
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of important expositions on how to treat the relationship between Marxism and traditional Chinese culture. This has elevated our understanding of the basic laws governing cultural evolution and innovative leaps to a new height. In particular, the proposal of the "two combinations"—a major original theoretical judgment—constitutes the primary theoretical hallmark of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture and points out the inevitable path for cultural prosperity in the New Era. On July 1, 2021, in his speech at the ceremony marking the centenary of the founding of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping formally proposed for the first time the important judgment of combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress further expounded the profound connotation of these "two combinations." On June 2, 2023, at the Symposium on Cultural Inheritance and Development, General Secretary Xi Jinping elucidated the great significance of the "two combinations" from five aspects, emphasizing that this is "a law-based understanding we have reached in exploring the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics" and "our greatest magic weapon for achieving success."
The "first combination"—combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities—is a law-based understanding of the development of Marxism formed by Chinese Communists as early as the Yan'an period. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out that Marxism is a truth applicable everywhere, but if it is not combined with China’s specific realities with a scientific attitude, and if one merely copies Marxist-Leninist phrases and foreign successful experiences, the practical problems of the Chinese revolution cannot be solved. History has proven that combining Marxism with the realities of China’s revolution, construction, and reform enabled the CPC to rely on Marxism to solve one Chinese problem after another. This provided the most fundamental theoretical guide for the victory of the New Democratic Revolution and the great achievements of socialist construction, and served as the most fundamental theoretical "magic weapon" for the Chinese nation to achieve the great leap from standing up and becoming prosperous to becoming strong, and for realizing national rejuvenation.
The "second combination"—combining the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture—is a law-based understanding of the innovative development of culture in the New Era by Chinese Communists, represented by Comrade Xi Jinping. The second combination not only requires Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture to be compatible with each other, but more importantly, it requires them to "achieve" or fulfill each other. On one hand, this is the inevitable path for fine traditional Chinese culture to achieve "creative transformation and innovative development." On December 30, 2013, while presiding over the 12th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed striving to achieve the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese virtues. On February 24, 2014, while presiding over the 13th collective study session, he emphasized that to carry forward fine traditional Chinese culture, one must properly handle the relationship between inheritance and innovative development, focusing on creative transformation and innovative development. Subsequently, General Secretary Xi Jinping applied the targets of "creative transformation and innovative development" more broadly to Chinese culture as a whole. Within the context of exchanges and mutual learning among diverse human civilizations, he also proposed "promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese civilization, activating its vitality, and letting it, together with the colorful civilizations created by people of all countries, provide correct spiritual guidance for humanity." The second combination both specifies the strategy for the transmission and development of fine traditional Chinese culture in the New Era and provides the basic direction for Chinese civilization to once again burst forth with powerful spiritual force. To achieve the goal of "two-fold innovation" [9] for Chinese civilization, it must be integrated with Marxism under the guidance of Marxism, standing on the basis of the fundamental Marxist positions, viewpoints, and methods. On the other hand, this is also the inevitable path for the innovative development of Marxism itself. Developing the "combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture" enriches the theoretical connotation of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. The second combination profoundly expands the practical dimension of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. With great theoretical courage and a broad historical vision, it has reconstructed the relationship between Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture, widened the practical road for Marxist truth to transform into an objective material force, and opened up infinite innovative space for the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist theory. It is the requirement of the times for Chinese Communists to promote the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities.
The "two combinations" represent another great ideological liberation in the history of the Party’s theoretical innovation since the "Discussion on the Criterion of Truth" [10]. They serve as the basic cultural policy for the Chinese people to create new cultural brilliance on the new journey of the New Era. It is worth noting that a relationship of mutual reinforcement, interaction, and mutual fulfillment exists between these "two combinations." In particular, the "second combination" is not a "platter of disparate ingredients" but a "chemical reaction." Its purpose is to make Marxism Chinese and to make fine traditional Chinese culture modern, so that the new culture formed through this "combination" becomes the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization. In short, the original judgment of the "two combinations" provides a precious opportunity for the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and provides a theoretical direction for reinforcing the Marxist foundation of the Chinese path and the Chinese system.
(III) Building a modern Chinese civilization is an important mission of cultural construction in the New Era
There are distinct differences in the connotations of "civilization" and "culture." In a semantic sense, anything processed or created by humans falls under the category of culture, including material, spiritual, and institutional culture. "Civilization," however, is the inevitable result formed after the level of human transformation of nature, society, and self reaches an advanced stage. Looking at the entire history of the evolution of global civilizations, the formation of a certain civilization often requires a long period of cultural accumulation and the birth of landmark cultural achievements. When a country or nation enters a new stage of historical development, new major cultural markers often emerge, thereby forming a new form of civilization. Since entering the 21st century, in the process of promoting the transition from traditional civilization to modern civilization, socialism with Chinese characteristics has produced landmark achievements in the fields of material, spiritual, and institutional culture. This has created a solid foundation for the birth of a new form of civilization, leading to the emergence of the epochal proposition of constructing a modern Chinese civilization. After the 20th CPC National Congress, during an inspection of the Yinxu Museum in Henan, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must study and understand Chinese civilization more deeply, making the past serve the present, so as to provide references for better building a modern Chinese civilization." This was the first time the concept of "modern Chinese civilization" was proposed. At the 2023 Symposium on Cultural Inheritance and Development, General Secretary Xi Jinping formally established the building of a modern Chinese civilization as a key component of the new cultural mission in the New Era, stating: "To continue to promote cultural prosperity, build a leading cultural power, and build a modern Chinese civilization at a new starting point is our new cultural mission in the New Era." Modern Chinese civilization both inherits the prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization and the spirit of the Chinese nation and adapts to the trends of the times and the development of civilization; it is an entirely new form of civilization. In July 2023, during an inspection of Jiangsu, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech assigning Jiangsu the major task of the "four news," one of which was to explore new experiences in building a modern Chinese civilization. Building a modern Chinese civilization provides a cultural compass for rallying the majestic strength of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and stimulating the cultural creativity of the Chinese people in the New Era. It is an inevitable requirement for achieving Chinese-path modernization. One could say that Chinese-path modernization endows Chinese civilization with modern power, while Chinese civilization endows Chinese-path modernization with profound depth. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on building a modern Chinese civilization are based on holistic and strategic considerations for the development of the Party and state causes in the New Era; they are an inherent part of advancing Chinese-path modernization and realizing the great rejuvenation of the nation. This important judgment also reflects the high degree of unity between cultural confidence and political confidence upheld by the CPC on the new journey, pointing the way forward for opening new prospects for the development of Chinese civilization and creating a new form of human civilization.
(IV) The Global Civilization Initiative is the Party’s important external cultural proposition in the New Era
As mentioned previously, the world today is undergoing changes unseen in a century. The global situation is undergoing complex and profound changes, and human society faces unprecedented challenges...
Confusions regarding "where the world is headed" have become increasingly prominent. Responding to the prevailing times and trends [11], General Secretary Xi Jinping has systematically expounded the thought behind the Global Civilization Initiative. In 2019, during his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, President Xi Jinping pointed out: "To believe that one's own race or civilization is superior, and to insist on remodeling or even replacing other civilizations, is foolish in understanding and disastrous in practice!" The evolving trend in the global balance of power, characterized by the "East rising and the West declining" [12], also demands that all countries abandon the old mindset of Cold War confrontation and zero-sum games. They must not "draw circles or establish mountain strongholds" [13] based on differences in political systems and ideologies, and even less should they engage in hegemonism and power politics. This requires us, based on the Chinese national values of "peace, amity, and harmony," to promote peaceful development between nations and facilitate peaceful coexistence and coordinated development among the world’s diverse civilizations. While visionary in mapping out the overall layout for the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, General Secretary Xi Jinping has also been actively planning for the coexistence and development of different human civilizations within the process of globalization. He has proposed the original thought of the Global Civilization Initiative, promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity from a comprehensive cultural and civilizational perspective. On March 15, 2023, at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-level Meeting, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the "Global Civilization Initiative" for the first time in the history of the CPC’s foreign relations. He pointed out: "We should jointly advocate respect for the diversity of world civilizations, and stay committed to the equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness of civilizations"; "[We should] jointly advocate the promotion of the common values of humanity"; "[We must] understand the perceptions of different civilizations on the connotations of values with a broad mind"; and "refrain from engaging in ideological confrontation."
These initiatives point the way forward for the "questions of the world, of history, and of the times" regarding "where humanity is headed," providing answers based on Chinese cultural characteristics. The proposal of the Global Civilization Initiative marks that China is not only deeply involved in the globalization process as a participant, supporter, and advocate, but also, with its rising international status, is more actively playing the roles of an organizer on the international stage, a facilitator of international themes, and an important provider of international public cultural goods. Based on the balance of international forces within the Great Changes [14] and the resulting new type of international relations, the Global Civilization Initiative fully affirms the unique value of different cultures, nations, and countries. It grants equal status and reciprocal rights to various national cultures and civilizational forms, overturning the theories of civilizational superiority and the "clash of civilizations" that have long prevailed on the international stage. This represents a transformation and reconstruction of the underlying logic of traditional international relations, enabling people of different countries and nations to truly overcome historical prejudices, racial interests, and ideological shackles to participate in a community with a shared future for humanity. It provides the most solid power support for forming a lasting, peaceful, prosperous, and stable international society. By examining the two major formulations of the Global Civilization Initiative and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity in combination, we can comprehensively and systematically understand the significant theoretical innovations and profound strategic value carried by General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Global Civilization Initiative.
III. Scientifically Grasping the Distinctive Theoretical Characteristics of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
The many original viewpoints and expositions of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture possess rich intellectual content, abundant practical capacity, and profound innovative energy, manifesting distinctive theoretical characteristics and powerful logical force. To understand the original theoretical contributions of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, one must grasp the following three distinctive theoretical characteristics and understand the theoretical and practical requirements of cultural construction in the New Era from multiple dimensions.
(1) The Integration of "Clarifying the Essence to Achieve Practical Utility" and the "Internal Connectivity of Essence and Utility"
To accurately grasp the original contributions of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, one must first firmly grasp its fundamental characteristic of "clarifying the essence to achieve practical utility, and the internal connectivity of essence and utility" (mingti dayong, tiyong guantong). "Essence" (ti) and "Utility" (yong) are a pair of basic categories in Chinese philosophy; "Essence" refers to the substance or ontology, as well as ideological theory, while "Utility" refers to practice. Together, they represent the relationship between theory and practice. Hu Yuan [15], a pioneer of Northern Song Neo-Confucianism, thinker, and educator, formally proposed the idea of "clarifying the essence to achieve practical utility" in conjunction with his teaching practice—that is, one must internally establish the Way (Dao) and uphold moral principles to realize the sage-like ideal of self-cultivation, family management, state governance, and bringing peace to the world. The so-called "clarifying the essence to achieve practical utility and the internal connectivity of essence and utility" means that theory and practice are closely integrated, and the study of classics is organically combined with the management of affairs; it elucidates the great significance of theoretical innovation based on practice and of theory guiding practice. The "Essence" of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture refers to the major innovative formulations within this thought regarding the underlying nature and fundamental principles of culture, civilization, and cultural construction. From a theoretical perspective, it concentrates on the viewpoints of Chinese Communists regarding "what kind of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics needs to be built amidst the Great Changes unseen in a century." It reflects the power of truth and the source of culture in Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, marking a rise to a new theoretical level in the Party’s profound summary of the basic principles of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism in the New Era and its profound grasp of the laws governing the development of Chinese civilization. It "provides a powerful ideological weapon for doing a good job in public communication, exhortation, and cultural work on the new journey in the New Era and for shouldering the new cultural mission." The "Utility" of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture refers to the practical fields, specific paths, and methods of cultural construction and cultural work in the New Era. From a practical perspective, it concentrates on the arrangements and deployments made by Chinese Communists regarding "how to build and develop socialist culture with Chinese characteristics amidst the Great Changes unseen in a century," providing a "scientific guide to action." The original theoretical contribution of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture requires not only "clarifying the essence to achieve practical utility" but also "the internal connectivity of essence and utility," where the two are mutually reinforcing and organically fused. It is both an epistemology and a methodology; it includes both overall guidance at the macro level and practical paths at the specific level; it possesses both top-level design and scientific planning, as well as reasonable strategic layouts and specific implementation strategies. Together, these provide the cultural guidance for solidly promoting Chinese-path modernization and the construction of a strong socialist cultural power.
(2) Adherence to both the "Soul-vein" and the "Root-vein"
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture also possesses the theoretical characteristic of adhering to the internal unity of the "soul-vein" (hunmai) and the "root-vein" (genmai). On the one hand, we must grasp Xi Jinping Thought on Culture through the logic of using the "soul-vein" to cast the "root-vein." Marxism is the "true scripture" [16] of Communists. Based on the two great discoveries of the materialist conception of history and the theory of surplus value, Marx and Engels scientifically revealed the general laws of human social development and the specific laws of capitalist operation, pointing out the path for the people to achieve freedom and liberation, and providing a fundamental theoretical guide for the development of natural and social sciences. In the New Era, only by believing in, adhering to, and developing Marxism can we consolidate the theoretical foundation of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the great rejuvenation of the nation. This cannot be achieved without using the basic principles of Marxism to guide the excavation and organization of traditional Chinese culture, using the power of Marxist truth to activate the excellent components within Chinese civilization, and promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture in the New Era. In this process, special attention must be paid to accurately grasping the worldview and methodology of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, as well as the most basic positions, viewpoints, and methods of Marxism. This provides scientific theoretical analysis tools and a rigorous logical framework for excavating traditional Chinese culture, thereby injecting fresh theoretical blood and pragmatic philosophical concern into fine traditional Chinese culture, allowing it to radiate vigorous vitality on the soil of the new era. On the other hand, we must grasp Xi Jinping Thought on Culture through the logic of using the "root-vein" to nurture the "soul-vein." Marxism is not an absolute truth or a fixed, rigid dogma, but a theoretical system that advances with the times by constantly absorbing all the excellent intellectual and cultural achievements of humanity. Fine traditional Chinese culture is rooted in the continuous five-thousand-year development of Chinese civilization, forming scientific views on the universe, life, values, ethics, family, and the world (tianxia). These share commonalities with Marxist theory in terms of philosophical logic while possessing unique discourse, character, and spirit. This is precisely what can provide rich cultural nourishment for the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, continuing the main vein of Marxist theoretical innovation in the New Era and promoting its better Sinicization and modernization. The unique contribution of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture lies in both casting the "root-vein" with the "soul-vein" and nurturing the "soul-vein" with the "root-vein," making the two fit, promote, and achieve each other. Ultimately, they fuse into a new socialist culture and civilization that meets the needs of the era's development, national governance, and the people's lives. From cultural confidence to the "Two Combinations," and from building a modern Chinese civilization to the empowerment of high-quality development through the humanistic economy, we have neither abandoned the "ancestors" [17] of scientific theory nor the "ancestors" of national culture. Instead, based on guarding the essence, source, soul, and root, we use Marxism to activate the vital and excellent factors in fine traditional Chinese culture and endow them with new connotations of the times. We inject the great spirit and rich wisdom of the Chinese nation into Marxism at a deeper level, effectively integrating the essence of Marxist thought with the cream of fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby creating a "nuclear fusion" [18] that results in new theoretical and developmental advantages.
(3) Modern Chinese Civilization and the Progress of Human Civilization Move in the Same Direction
The relationship between national civilization and human civilization has always been a classic issue in international relations and cultural philosophy. Facing the new situation of global cultural competition since the 1990s, the Western scholar Huntington published The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, predicting the inevitability and long-term nature of conflicts between different global cultures and civilizations. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture stands on a broad global cultural horizon to comprehensively analyze the historical changes in the relationship between China and the world, and the relationship between modern Chinese civilization and human civilization’s progress. It both highlights the unique value, character, and stance of Chinese culture within a global civilizational perspective and actively integrates into world cultural exchanges with a cultural temperament of all-encompassing inclusiveness. It seeks solutions for the common development of world civilizations standing once again at the crossroads of history, using theoretical reflection to dispel the "miasma of civilizations," fully embodying the distinctive theoretical characteristic of modern Chinese civilization and human civilization’s progress moving in the same direction.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture manifests the value concept of treating different human civilizations as equals and jointly building a spiritual home for humanity. Currently, there are more than 200 countries and regions, over 4,300 religions, and more than a dozen civilizations in the world. Every civilization has its unique cultural soil and historical value of emergence and development, and the civilizations of all countries have jointly contributed to the development of human civilization. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture proposed the "Global Civilization Initiative," shattering the myth of the "clash of civilizations." It requires all countries to follow the laws of the equal development of human civilizations, earnestly respect the diversity of world civilizations, vigorously promote a view of civilization characterized by equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness, and persist in mutual respect, equal treatment, openness, and mutual learning. "Civilizations become colorful through exchange and rich through mutual learning. The exchange and mutual learning of civilizations are important driving forces for the progress of human civilization and world peace and development." This important formulation of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture advocates for respecting the diversity of world civilizations, promoting the common values of humanity, and encouraging global people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. It provides an international perspective for building a modern Chinese civilization, an external impetus for the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and an alternative solution for breaking down the cultural gaps and ideological barriers that hinder human interaction. This reflects the important strategic vision of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to consolidate the subjectivity of Chinese culture and create a new form of human civilization with Chinese characteristics by promoting socialist cultural practice and global civilizational mutual learning.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture manifests the value concept of promoting global civilizational progress based on the development of the nation's own civilization. Among the various ancient civilizations of the world, Chinese civilization is long-standing and profound, being the only great civilization that has continued from ancient times to today without interruption. It is not only the unique spiritual marker of the Chinese nation and the cultural foundation of contemporary China but also an indispensable cultural treasure for the mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation of all countries. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out:
“Chinese culture esteems harmony. China’s culture of ‘harmony’ (he [19]) has a long and storied history, embodying a cosmological view of the unity of heaven and humanity, an international view of coordinating all nations, a social view of harmony without uniformity, and a moral view of kindness in the human heart.” Xi Jinping Thought on Culture fully absorbs the fine traditional Chinese culture. In handling the relationships between the individual and the government, the state, and the world—as well as in the process of interaction between the Chinese nation and the international community—it consistently maintains a value position of equality, cooperation, and win-win results. This provides an important guidance for promoting the relationship between China and the world, as well as between Chinese civilization and world civilizations. In the New Era, Chinese Communists have consistently emphasized “doing one’s own business well,” inheriting and promoting fine traditional Chinese culture with a scientific attitude of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground and maintaining self-confidence and self-reliance. They build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation with an open and inclusive cultural character and absorb the beneficial nutrients of all civilizations with an eclectic cultural breadth. This ensures that the modern culture of Chinese civilization and the progress of human civilization move forward in the same direction, allowing the Chinese people to join with peoples of all countries to cultivate the “garden of world civilizations” and jointly write a new chapter for humanity.
IV. The Contemporary Value of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture firmly grasps the Marxist cultural standpoint, dialectically draws rich nourishment from fine traditional Chinese culture, and profoundly summarizes the valuable experience of national cultural governance in the New Era. Through a series of brand-new assertions characterized by distinct contemporary features and deep traditional roots, it provides the fundamental guidance for continuing to promote cultural prosperity and revitalization on the new journey. it establishes the banner and direction for Chinese Communists to achieve spiritual independence and autonomy, and it consolidates the theoretical foundation for strengthening the subjectivity of Chinese culture amidst global exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.
(1) Providing the fundamental guidance for continuing to promote cultural prosperity and development on the new journey.
Facing the accelerating evolution of the world's hidden changes unseen in a century, where various cultural and civilizational forms compete and clash, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture systematically answers the “question of the times”: what kind of advanced socialist culture with Chinese characteristics should be maintained and developed in the New Era, and how it should be built and revitalized. From a theoretical perspective, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is a theoretical summary of cultural practice in the New Era. Based on a profound summation of new experiences in national cultural governance, it creatively proposes eleven valuable theoretical principles—such as strengthening the Party's leadership over cultural work, promoting the coordinated development of material and spiritual civilizations, cultivating and practicing core socialist values, and protecting historical and cultural heritage. It comprehensively covers ideological and theoretical innovation, leadership over discourse, the basic laws of cultural development, and models of civilizational evolution. It forms a new systematic, theorized, and law-based understanding of the construction of advanced socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. It clarifies several major fundamental theoretical issues that have long perplexed Chinese Communists, opens a new realm for the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist cultural theory, and provides the fundamental theoretical guidance for the Party to continue advancing cultural theoretical innovation based on cultural practice.
From a practical perspective, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is the action guide for cultural practice in the New Era. It possesses the distinct theoretical character of “illuminating the essence while reaching for practical application, and integrating the essence and its application” (mingti dayong, tiyong guantong [20]). On the basis of profoundly elucidating the laws of cultural construction in the New Era, it creatively answers the fundamental practical questions of how to build and revitalize advanced socialist culture with Chinese characteristics on the new journey. Starting from assertions such as improving the practical work system of the Party's innovative theories, accelerating the construction of a philosophy and social sciences system with Chinese characteristics, and deeply promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism, it creatively explains the dialectical relationship of the coordinated development of politics, economy, and culture under the conditions of a socialist market economy. It systematically answers the logical relationship between ideology, cultural prosperity, and external cultural propositions, expands the practical space for the two-way interaction between theory and practice, and constructs new channels for the transformation of “spiritual weapons” into “material weapons.” It provides a scientific action guide for undertaking new cultural missions at a new historical starting point.
(2) Establishing the banner and direction for Chinese Communists to achieve spiritual independence and autonomy.
At the Symposium on Cultural Inheritance and Development, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must persist in following our own path, base ourselves on the great historical and contemporary practices of the Chinese nation, summarize Chinese experience with Chinese logic, elevate Chinese experience into Chinese theory, and achieve spiritual independence and autonomy.” Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is rooted in China's unique cultural traditions, unique historical destiny, and unique national conditions. It provides systematic answers to several fundamental, long-term, and strategic issues in the development of Chinese culture in the New Era, establishing the banner and direction for Chinese Communists to achieve spiritual independence.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture puts forward the assertion of “adhering to the principle of putting the people first and highlighting the people-centered nature of the direction of modernization.” This constitutes the most important political standpoint and theoretical cornerstone of his cultural thought. It systematically elaborates on a series of major theoretical principles—such as for whom cultural construction is intended, on whom it relies, and by whom it is enjoyed—scientifically answering major cultural propositions regarding the purpose, power, direction, and method of cultural construction, thereby raising a political banner for cultural construction in the New Era. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture proposes the important discourse of “Two Combinations” [21], letting Marxism become Chinese and fine traditional Chinese culture become modern. This helps contemporary Chinese Communists better strengthen their cultural confidence. In the New Era, by building a distinctive and independent knowledge system and discourse system, they can stand firmly on Chinese ground, solve Chinese problems, contribute Chinese solutions, and demonstrate Chinese wisdom, thus raising a theoretical banner for cultural construction. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture proposes the important discourse on mastering the power of leadership over public opinion under information conditions. Standing at the height of defending national ideological security and core national interests, it points out the cultural tasks in China's transition from “standing up” and “getting rich” to “becoming strong”: “accelerate the construction of Chinese discourse and Chinese narrative systems, tell China's stories well, spread China's voice well, and present a credible, lovable, and respectable image of China.”
(3) Consolidating the theoretical foundation for the subjectivity of Chinese culture in global exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.
The history of the evolution of cultures and civilizations in various countries proves that for any culture to stand firm, travel far, and possess leadership and influence, it must have its own cultural subjectivity. Cultural subjectivity is the fundamental source of cultural confidence and an important component of cultural security. It concerns the banner and the path, as well as the historical process of Chinese-path modernization and the great cause of national rejuvenation. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture puts forward important assertions such as the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, the protection of historical and cultural heritage, and the promotion of exchange and mutual learning among civilizations, providing a solid theoretical basis for consolidating Chinese cultural subjectivity in global exchanges.
Chinese civilization is long-standing and profound, serving as the cultural root that has supported the Chinese people in creating a brilliant material and institutional civilization over their long history. The subjectivity of fine traditional Chinese culture is the internal “genetic code” that ensures Chinese civilization continues from generation to generation while “discarding the old to bring forth the new” (gegu dingxin [22]). General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that Chinese culture is not closed or stagnant, but rather advances with the times and upholds the fundamentals while breaking new ground. To undertake new cultural missions on the new journey, we must promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. This not only involves finding the most majestic cultural resources for the spiritual pedigree of Chinese Communists but also organically combining and integrating revolutionary culture, advanced socialist culture, and fine traditional Chinese culture. By inheriting fine traditional Chinese culture, we can better carry forward the "red pulse" (hongse maimo [23]) and defend cultural traditions in socialist cultural practice, clarifying the logical premise for consolidating cultural subjectivity in global cultural interactions.
Throughout the history of human civilization, every nation has created unique cultural forms and made unique contributions to the world's spiritual home. The reason Chinese civilization has been able to maintain strong innovative capacity and influence is inseparable from its cultural characteristics of upholding fundamentals and breaking new ground, its character of advancing with the times, and its cultural atmosphere of embracing all things (haina baichuan [24]). General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we should adopt a scientific attitude and rational method toward all civilizational achievements created by human society. In the process of building a modern civilization for the Chinese nation, we must learn from all excellent civilizational achievements, enrich and improve fine traditional Chinese culture, and clarify the cultural path for consolidating Chinese cultural subjectivity in global interactions.
In conclusion, since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has placed cultural work in an important position in the governance of the country. A series of major decisions and arrangements have been made, driving a global and fundamental shift in the ideological field and achieving historical accomplishments in the ideological and cultural spheres. These changes and achievements are, in final analysis, the inevitable result of the Party Central Committee answering "cultural questions" based on changes in the times and national conditions, and scientifically assessing the cultural positioning of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture guides cultural construction with original cultural assertions, promotes the Party's innovative theories to settle in the hearts of the people, spreads core socialist values widely, and advances the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. Cultural undertakings and industries are increasingly prosperous, the online ecosystem continues to improve, and the cultural confidence of the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups has been significantly strengthened. On the new journey, only by profoundly grasping the landmark theoretical achievements, distinct theoretical characteristics, and contemporary value of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture can we better open up new realms for the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist cultural theory, continue to write new chapters of glory for socialist cultural causes, and strive to create a new culture belonging to our era.