Wang Zhanren: Theoretical Connotations of General Secretary Xi Jinping's Important Discourses on Student Mental Health
With the rapid development of the economy and society, the environment for student growth is constantly changing, and student mental health issues have become increasingly prominent. Student mental health is a major matter of concern for the Party Central Committee, social attention, and the people’s solicitude. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to student mental health work. Xi Jinping has delivered numerous important speeches and instructions regarding student mental health issues in reports to the 19th and 20th National Congresses of the CPC, at the National Conference on Health and Wellness, the National Conference on Ideological and Political Work in Colleges and Universities, the National Education Conference, the meeting marking the 100th anniversary of the May Fourth Movement [1], and during inspection tours in Fujian and Liaoning.
Xi Jinping has pointed out that we must attach greater importance to the significance of health for a happy life, emphasizing the establishment of the "health first" educational philosophy. He argues we must give greater weight to building a healthy social psychological tone, emphasizing the cultivation of a social mindset characterized by self-esteem, self-confidence, rationality, composure, optimism, and friendship. He stresses that we must attach more importance to the "Five-Sphere Integrated Education" [2], emphasizing the use of moral education to nurture the heart, intellectual education to enhance the heart, physical education to strengthen the heart, aesthetic education to moisten the heart, and labor education to toughen the heart. Finally, he notes we must attach greater importance to basic research, emphasizing the improvement of the social psychological service system, counseling mechanisms, and crisis intervention mechanisms. Mental health is not only related to the healthy growth of students and the cultivation of a healthy social psychological tone; it is also an important answer to the fundamental question of education in the New Era: "whom to cultivate, how to cultivate them, and for whom to cultivate them." Deeply grasping and exploring the ideological connotations of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important discourses on student mental health will provide an important theoretical basis and practical guidance for student mental health education in the New Era, as well as for cultivating socialist builders and successors with a well-rounded development in terms of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor skills.
I. Health is an Important Indicator of a Happy Life
Implementing the Healthy China strategy and emphasizing mental and psychological health. Health is an inevitable requirement for promoting the well-rounded development of the person; it is a fundamental condition for economic and social development, an important symbol of national prosperity and strength, and a common pursuit of the broad masses of the people. On March 23, 2021, during an inspection tour in Fujian, Xi Jinping emphasized: "Health is the most important indicator of a happy life. Health is the '1', and everything else is the '0' that follows. Without the '1', no matter how many '0s' there are, they have no meaning." The report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC proposed "implementing the Healthy China strategy," requiring the improvement of national health policies and the provision of full-spectrum, full-cycle health services for the people. The report to the 20th National Congress explicitly pointed out the need to "attach importance to psychological health and mental hygiene" within the implementation of the Healthy China strategy.
Entering the New Era, "the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved into the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing need for a better life." [3] The content of the people's need for a better life is broader; it includes not only objective "hard needs" such as material wealth and physical health, but also derived "soft needs" related to the advanced psychological and spiritual world, such as a sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security. The emphasis on the psychological health of the masses is both a response from the Party and the state to the people's need for a better life and a vivid manifestation of upholding the "people-centered" [4] principle in the New Era.
Establishing the "health first" education philosophy. Young students "are not only the experiencers and witnesses of the realization of the First Centenary Goal, but also the fresh force for realizing the Second Centenary Goal [5] and building a great modern socialist country." Young students are the future and hope of the country, and their health is directly related to the country's future development. Xi Jinping is deeply concerned with and attaches great importance to student health issues, emphasizing the need to "establish the 'health first' education philosophy." "Education is an important way to improve the comprehensive quality of the people and promote the well-rounded development of the person; it is an important cornerstone of national rejuvenation and social progress." The core of "establishing the 'health first' education philosophy" lies in regarding health as the most fundamental and vital principle in the field of education. It is not only a deep concern for the personal welfare of students but also a profound understanding and practice of the essence and objectives of education. The ultimate goal of education is not to produce machines for taking exams, but to cultivate future citizens with sound personalities, independent thinking abilities, innovative spirits, and a sense of social responsibility. The realization of all this is inseparable from the foundation of "health." Without health, the learning and mastery of any knowledge or skills will be out of the question or greatly compromised.
Attaching importance to the cultivation of physical and psychological qualities. Xi Jinping emphasized that in the process of cultivating socialist builders and successors with a well-rounded development in moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor skills, "the cultivation of students' ideals and convictions, moral character, knowledge and intelligence, and physical and psychological qualities is indispensable." This concept emphasizes the comprehensiveness and systematic nature of the educational process. It requires educators to focus not only on students' physical health but also on their psychological health and the development of their social adaptability; they must focus not only on improving the quality of classroom teaching and students' intelligence but also on strengthening and improving extracurricular sports activities and mental health education. Only in this way can the "health first" education philosophy be truly implemented throughout the entire process of education. "Civilize the mind and make the body savage" [6]—cultivating successors for the New Era who possess strong physiques, healthy minds, sound personalities, and vitality is a core component of the connotations of education in the New Era. Only on the basis of simultaneously emphasizing and ensuring the physical and psychological health of young students can they better take up the baton of history, truly become pillars of the nation, and ensure that the "red scenery" [7] has successors and the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics is passed down from generation to generation.
Guiding students toward self-esteem, self-confidence, self-reliance, and self-improvement. "Youth is the most active and vital force in the whole of society; the hope of the country lies in the youth, and the future of the nation lies in the youth." Cultivating the healthy psychology of students in the New Era is a matter of student growth and success, the construction of a harmonious society, and the ability of the "new people of the era" to shoulder the great responsibility of national rejuvenation. Xi Jinping pointed out: "The values of the youth determine the values of the entire society in the future. As youth are in the period where values are being formed and established, it is very important to manage the cultivation of values during this period." "We must clearly strengthen ideological and political education, moral education, and education on Socialist Core Values, guiding students toward self-esteem, self-confidence, self-reliance, and self-improvement." Therefore, focusing on student mental health and cultivating psychological qualities such as a love for life, cherishing life, self-esteem, self-confidence, rationality, composure, and optimism—as well as volitional qualities such as unremitting struggle, remaining unruffled by favor or humiliation, and indomitability—will help them establish a correct value system and facilitate the overall implementation of the Healthy China strategy.
II. Mental Health is an Important Manifestation of a Healthy Social Psychological Tone
"Social psychological tone is a reflection of social reality; it is a window reflecting the relationship between individuals and groups, individuals and society, and individuals and the state." A good social psychological tone is the prerequisite for social development and stability, and the socio-psychological foundation for the effective conduct of social governance and its innovation. The report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC pointed out the need to "cultivate a social mindset of self-esteem, self-confidence, rationality, composure, and optimism." In 2019, Xi Jinping also mentioned at the Central Conference on Political and Legal Work the need to "shape a social mindset of self-esteem, self-confidence, rationality, composure, and friendship." This shows that in the New Era, the Party and the government attach great importance to the social mindset of the masses and possess a high degree of consciousness regarding the cultivation of a healthy social psychological tone that meets the developmental requirements of the New Era. Mental health is the harmony of the individual’s spiritual world, while a healthy social psychological tone is the manifestation of mental health at the collective level. Social mindsets of self-esteem, self-confidence, rationality, composure, friendship, and optimism constitute an interrelated and mutually reinforcing organic whole. Together, they form a powerful driving force for social progress and development, serving as the important psychological foundation for building a "Happy China" and a harmonious society, which is of great significance for the healthy physical and mental growth of students.
"Self-esteem and self-confidence" are the important cornerstones of a healthy social psychological tone. "Self-esteem" refers to an individual's sense of their own value and dignity, a manifestation of self-affirmation and self-identification. "Self-confidence" is the confidence people have in their ability to complete specific tasks based on the affirmation of self-worth. In social life, people should actively demonstrate their abilities and values and be able to face new challenges and opportunities with confidence and courage, thereby continuously improving their abilities and values. This social mindset of self-esteem and self-confidence helps to enhance an individual's sense of self-worth and social responsibility, thereby promoting social progress and development. At the same time, self-esteem and self-confidence are important manifestations of the spiritual character of the Chinese nation and the cultural foundation of our Party’s adherence to self-confidence and self-reliance. Xi Jinping emphasized in the report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC: "The whole Party must become more conscious of strengthening confidence in our path, theory, system, and culture." [8] Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, under the leadership of the CPC, our country's economic construction has achieved great achievements that have attracted worldwide attention. All these achievements are inseparable from the self-esteem and self-confidence of our Party, our country, and our people. Self-esteem and self-confidence are the powerful driving forces for pioneering and forging ahead, and the spiritual support leading to a bright future. Only with sufficient confidence can a country, a nation, and a party truly establish themselves and move firmly toward the future.
"Rationality and composure" are the prominent characteristics of a healthy social psychological tone. "Rationality" refers to people's calm thinking and objective analysis when facing problems, without blindly following trends or acting on impulse. "Composure" emphasizes inner peace and harmony, avoiding the influence of negative emotions such as excessive anxiety, impetuosity, and anger. We must persist in active, timely, and profound guidance, focusing on resolving doubts, alleviating emotions, and shaping a rational and composed social mindset. Although an atmosphere of rationality, composure, progressiveness, and openness has always been the social mainstream, in modern society, various types of information and emotions spread rapidly through social networks, easily triggering extreme emotions and behaviors and affecting social harmony and stability. Furthermore, with social development and intensified competition, some groups have also displayed mindsets of utilitarian impetuosity, paranoid extremism, and passive indifference. Therefore, in social life, people should handle various problems and contradictions with a rational and composed mindset to promote social harmony, stability, and development. This rational and composed social mindset helps to form scientific decision-making and a good social order, laying the foundation for the long-term peace and stability of society.
"Friendship and kindness" are the value pursuits of a healthy social psychological tone. "Friendship and kindness" refer to the psychological state and social atmosphere of mutual respect, concern, help, and friendliness that exists generally among social members. It emphasizes harmonious coexistence between people, advocates treating those around us with goodwill and love, and creates a warm and harmonious social environment. This mindset prompts people to actively care about the needs and feelings of others, remain willing to lend a helping hand to help others solve difficulties, and enhance mutual friendship and trust. Under a social mindset of "friendship and kindness," people can transcend individual interests, focus on collective welfare, and jointly promote social harmony and progress. Kindness and friendship are also important components of the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, which not only reflect the consciousness of the Chinese nation as a community and the spirit of collectivism but also serve as important values for maintaining the harmonious development of society.
"Optimism and upward mobility" are the goal orientations of a healthy social psychological tone. "Optimism and upward mobility" mean that people are full of confidence and hope for the future and maintain a love for and pursuit of life. This also means that individuals hold an optimistic and enterprising attitude toward life. People believe that through their own efforts and unremitting struggle, they can overcome various difficulties and challenges to achieve personal goals and values. This mindset prompts people to continuously learn new knowledge, master new skills, have the courage to try new things, and dare to break through self-limitations, thereby moving forward continuously on the path of personal growth and development. When the majority of social members hold an optimistic and upward-moving mindset, people will believe that through the joint efforts and struggle of the entire society, a better future can be created. At the same time, this optimistic social atmosphere can stimulate people's creativity and enterprising spirit, pushing society forward. It drives all members of society to participate more actively and devote themselves to the construction of the socialist cause, contributing their strength to social prosperity and development. This confidence and expectation prompt people to continuously pursue progress and excellence, striving for the realization of the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation.
III. "Five-Sphere Integrated Education" is the Realization Path for Student Mental Health
Strengthening the integration of mental health education with the comprehensive development cultivation system of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education—the "Five-Sphere Integrated Education"—is at once the goal of nurturing people, the process of promotion, and the path of realization. Xi Jinping has emphasized on many occasions the important role of these "five educations" in promoting student mental health. Therefore, in the educational process, we must not only persist in the "Five-Sphere Integrated Education" but also persist in the "integration of the 'five educations' with mental health," nurturing the heart through morality, enhancing the heart through intelligence, strengthening the heart through physical activity, moistening the heart through aesthetics, and toughening the heart through labor, thus running the promotion of mental health throughout the entire process of nurturing people.
Nurturing the heart through morality: the fundamental task of nurturing people lies in fostering virtue. Xi Jinping emphasized:
“A person cannot stand without virtue; character is the foundation of being human.” “Morality holds foundational significance for both the individual and society; the first priority in conducting oneself and handling affairs is to honor virtue and cultivate the self.” We must work hard on strengthening moral cultivation, educating and guiding students to foster and practice socialist core values, steadfastly cultivating their character, and becoming people of great love, great virtue, and great sentiment—striving to “moisten the body with character, purify the heart with public morality, and cast the soul with great virtue.” [9] Moral education (德育, déyù) is not merely the transmission of ethical knowledge and the learning of norms for moral behavior; more importantly, it must penetrate deep into the students’ inner worlds. Through moral education, we guide students to establish a correct worldview, outlook on life, and values, fostering noble moral sentiments and sound psychological qualities. Through moral education, students can better understand social moral norms and enhance their moral cognitive abilities. This enhancement helps students form correct moral value judgments and behavioral choices, allowing them to make wise decisions when faced with complex social situations. Through moral education, we can cultivate positive moral emotions such as love for the motherland, the collective, and the people. These emotions can nourish students’ souls, enabling them to maintain firm convictions and a positive mindset when facing difficulties and challenges. Moral education also emphasizes the practice of moral behavior; by participating in various moral activities and practices, students can transform moral knowledge into actual action, forming good behavioral habits and moral character. This practical process not only exercises students’ willpower and quality but also deepens their understanding of and identification with moral values. By deepening students’ moral cognition and stimulating their proactive moral emotions, moral education promotes the conscious practice of moral behavior, achieving the goal of “using morality to nurture the heart” (以德育心), allowing every student to sow the seeds of morality in the depths of their soul and bloom flowers of kindness and beauty.
Using wisdom to nurture the heart, increasing knowledge and enriching insight through learning.
Xi Jinping emphasized that we must “exert effort in increasing knowledge and insight,” and “educate and guide students to cherish their study time, seeking knowledge and learning with undivided attention,” to “broaden their horizons and enrich their scholarship,” and “advance in the direction of seeking truth, comprehending reason, and understanding affairs.” “To resolve to become a talent, one must study diligently and improve comprehensive quality, striving to cultivate the self and establish virtue, harbor lofty ambitions, study hard for progress, pursue excellence, strengthen the physique, maintain a healthy mind and body, temper the will, and hone resilience.” Intellectual education (智育, zhìyù) aims to systematically develop and enhance students’ intelligence through educational means—including cognitive abilities such as observation, memory, imagination, thinking, and creativity—to help students achieve the goals of mastering knowledge, developing abilities, and raising the level of wisdom. It can be seen that intellectual education activities essentially belong to the category of psychological activities and hold important significance for the all-round development of the person. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Reading can keep one’s thoughts vibrant, provide intellectual inspiration, and nourish one’s haoran zhi qi [10].” One reads to understand reason, and understands reason to cultivate the self. The study of knowledge not only makes students more intelligent and erudite but, more importantly, helps them gain deep understanding and insight into life, the world, and the self, forming a healthy social mentality and positive self-awareness. Schools must respect the laws of cognitive development and the laws of education and teaching, continuously optimizing educational content and methods. Through education, they should ensure students are not only intellectually bright but also psychologically agile, thereby achieving the goal of “using wisdom to nurture the heart.”
Using physical education to strengthen the heart, improving the health level of the people.
The physical health level of adolescents remains a weak link in student quality. Xi Jinping emphasized the need to offer a full complement of physical education classes and support schools in conducting high-quality physical activities with full coverage, to “help students enjoy fun, enhance their physique, refine their personality, and temper their will through physical exercise.” Physical education possesses the function of “health in both body and mind.” It can strengthen an individual’s physical fitness and boost immunity by exercising cardiopulmonary function and muscle strength, thereby laying a solid foundation for the individual’s overall health. Physical exercise can relieve stress and anxiety by increasing the brain's arousal levels, helping to improve an individual's mental health level. Physical education can hone an individual’s will through constantly challenging the self and surpassing limits, cultivating proactive psychological qualities and the courage to face setbacks. Therefore, Xi Jinping pointed out: “Physical education is an important means of improving the people's health level and an important component of realizing the Chinese Dream; it can provide a powerful spiritual force for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation by congealing the soul and gathering strength.” Schools should strengthen students’ physiques and regulate their psychological states through diverse physical activities, allowing students to better comprehend the meaning and value of life during exercise. While enhancing students' bodily functions, schools should solidify their willpower, strengthen their psychological resilience, and reinforce their sense of responsibility, ensuring that educational achievements are internalized in the heart and externalized in action, truly achieving the goal of “using physical education to strengthen the heart.”
Using aesthetic education to moisten the heart; beauty is an important source for purifying morality and enriching the spirit.
Xi Jinping emphasized that aesthetic education (美育, měiyù) “plays an important role in shaping a beautiful soul.” “Fine arts, art, science, and technology complement, promote, and enhance one another,” and “a life without the nourishment of beauty is bound to be a monotonous and desiccated life.” Aesthetic education and mental health education are essentially interconnected; both seek to let students enjoy happiness and healthy minds and bodies through various artistic expressions such as music, painting, dance, and calligraphy, stimulating students’ intrinsic pursuit of beauty and shaping a proactive aesthetic outlook. Aesthetic education guides students to learn how to appreciate and perceive beauty, enhancing their aesthetic ability and literacy. The experience and perception of beauty can stimulate an individual’s imagination and creativity, promoting the development of innovative thinking. Through aesthetic education, one can cultivate noble sentiments and elegant character, forming a proactive attitude toward life. Therefore, aesthetic education is an education in aesthetics, sentiments, and the soul, as well as an education that enriches the imagination and cultivates innovative consciousness; it can enhance aesthetic literacy, mold sentiments, moisten the soul, and stimulate the vitality of innovation and creation. Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must comprehensively strengthen and improve school aesthetic education, persisting in educating people through beauty and culture to improve students' aesthetic and humanistic literacy.” Schools should implement “immersion” actions for aesthetic education, extensively carrying out popular, diverse, rich, and proactive aesthetic practice activities, developing and continuously updating high-quality online digital aesthetic education resources, teaching students to recognize, appreciate, and create beauty, and leveraging the role of aesthetic education in enriching the spirit and “moistening” the soul, truly achieving the goal of “using aesthetic education to moisten the heart.”
Using labor to invigorate the heart, promoting virtue, increasing intelligence, strengthening the body, and nurturing beauty through labor.
Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must promote the spirit of labor among students, educating and guiding them to revere and respect labor, understanding the truth that labor is most glorious, most noble, most great, and most beautiful, so that they can engage in diligent, honest, and creative labor when they grow up.” “One must establish the concept that labor is glorious from childhood; do one’s own business oneself, help others with their business, and strive to do public welfare business. Through labor, sow hope and reap fruit; also through labor, temper the will and exercise oneself.” Life is created through labor, and so is one’s path in life. Labor can temper students’ will, cultivating a spirit of hard work and perseverance, and allowing them to experience the hardships and value of labor, thereby making them cherish the fruits of labor more and forming a good fashion of respecting and loving labor. Labor can stimulate students’ innovative thinking and creativity, enhancing their hands-on practical abilities and problem-solving skills. Labor can help students sweat and exercise their muscles and bones, enhancing their physical fitness and immunity. Labor is not only a process of creating beauty but also one of perceiving and appreciating beauty. In labor, students can experience the happiness and joy of work, enjoy the fruits of their labor, and internalize the value of labor aesthetics—that labor creates beauty and laborers are most beautiful. Through labor practice, students can establish good moral qualities, develop their intelligence, enhance their physical fitness, and cultivate their aesthetic abilities, laying a solid foundation for future growth and development. We must take effective measures adapted to the current environment and conditions to strengthen labor education, organize diverse labor practices, and let students develop labor habits in practice, learning how to work and how to be industrious and thrifty. Through labor education, we foster “healthy” lifestyles and behavioral habits, “stabilize” students’ endurance and capacity for action, and “perfect” an excellent personality, achieving the goal of “using labor to invigorate the heart.”
IV. Basic research is the cornerstone for scientifically carrying out student mental health work
Increasing basic research on mental health issues. A nine-story platform rises from a heap of earth; a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Xi Jinping emphasized: “Basic research is at the starting end of the scientific research chain, moving from research to application and then to production. Only when the foundation is laid firmly can the building of the scientific and technological undertaking be built high.” At the National Health and Wellness Conference, Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must increase basic research on mental health issues.” Mental health issues possess the attributes of both basic research and applied research, and applied research requires solid basic research; applied research without a “solid foundation” is “shallow” and lacks vitality. Researching the occurrence mechanisms and developmental laws of basic psychological processes such as student cognition, emotion, and motivation helps in scientifically understanding the internal psychological mechanisms and laws governing various mental health issues, allowing for purposefully designed prevention and treatment. Therefore, conducting basic research on mental health issues is the prerequisite for scientifically predicting, identifying, and treating related mental health problems, and it is the foundational guarantee for implementing effective mental health intervention technologies and strategies.
Strengthening collaborative research across disciplines. Due to the complexity of mental health issues, research in this field should also strengthen cooperation among various disciplines. Through basic research, we should organically combine psychology with brain science, pedagogy, sociology, medicine, artificial intelligence, and other disciplines to carry out mental health research using a comprehensive “interdisciplinary integration + artificial intelligence” model. Using big data and AI tools, we can dynamically describe the distribution and developmental patterns of student mental health from multiple perspectives—psychological, physiological, educational, and social—monitoring individual psychological disorders and group psychological changes. This reveals the mechanisms behind the occurrence and development of common mental illnesses, enabling more precise and effective early identification and intervention from a comprehensive perspective. It also allows for the design of integrated prevention and intervention plans based on interdisciplinary fusion, providing macro-decision-making references and specific execution plans for preventing and resolving various psychological disorders and behavioral problems.
Strengthening research on the construction of the mental health service system. Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must improve the social psychological service system, guidance mechanisms, and crisis intervention mechanisms,” and “do a good job in popularizing knowledge of mental health and mental illnesses, develop mental health services such as psychotherapy and psychological counseling in a standardized manner, and strengthen the training of mental health professionals.” A scientifically and efficiently operating school psychological service system is the prerequisite for the transformation of basic research results and the guarantee for the implementation of student mental health work. Through scientific research, we should construct a mental health standards system, a mental health promotion monitoring and evaluation system, and a psychological assistance emergency system that fit the laws of physical and mental development for children and adolescents in China. We must continuously strengthen the ranks of mental health professionals, actively build standardized mechanisms for expressing demands, mediating conflicts, and protecting rights, and strengthen mental health services for key populations. By building a scientifically efficient school mental health service system characterized by multi-party participation, full coverage, and collaborative education, we can prevent and resolve various risks at the source, guaranteeing students' physical and mental health and all-round development, fostering a healthy social mentality, and promoting social harmony and stability.
Source: Qiushi Journal (Theory Edition) December 20, 2024 Online Editor: Jingmu