Zhang Baohe: Methods and Paths for Practicing Xi Jinping's Cultural Thought
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is the theoretical synthesis of the Party’s practical experience in leading cultural construction in the New Era and serves as a powerful ideological weapon for effectively carrying out publicity, ideological, and cultural work on the new journey of the New Era. Deeply researching the methods and paths for practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is of great and far-reaching significance for promoting the construction of a strong socialist cultural power.
01 The Profound Connotations of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture possesses rich connotations and profound discourse, primarily including the following important aspects:
(1) Firming up cultural confidence is one of the core tenets of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that "cultural confidence is a more fundamental, broader, and deeper confidence, and a more basic, deeper, and more lasting strength." The Chinese nation possesses a long history and a splendid culture. Over the long course of time, our ancestors created countless cultural treasures, such as Confucian thought, Daoist culture, poetry and lyrics, calligraphy and painting, and traditional crafts. This fine traditional culture is the spiritual lifeblood of our nation [1] and the solid foundation upon which we firm up our cultural confidence.
(2) Adhering to a people-centered work orientation is the value orientation of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Cultural development must be for the people and rely on the people, and its fruits must be shared by the people. Literary and artistic works must reflect the lives of the people, express the voice of the people, and satisfy the spiritual needs of the people. Only by persisting in a people-centered approach can we create literary and artistic works that possess warmth, depth, and resonance, ensuring that culture truly becomes the spiritual home of the people.
(3) Promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture is a key component of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Fine traditional Chinese culture is the root and soul of the Chinese nation; we must innovate on the basis of inheritance to make it adapt to the development and requirements of the times. We must utilize modern technological means and artistic forms to let ancient culture glow with new vitality, providing spiritual nourishment and value support for contemporary society.
(4) Telling China’s story well and spreading China’s voice well is an important task of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. In the context of globalization, we must present a true, multi-dimensional, and panoramic view of China to the world, allowing the world to better understand China's history, culture, and values. Through cultural exchange and external communication, we can enhance the international influence of Chinese culture and contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
02 Methods for Practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
(1) Strengthening theoretical study and profoundly grasping the essence of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. To practice Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, one must first strengthen theoretical study. Leading officials at all levels, literary and art workers, and the broad masses should earnestly study the series of important discourses by General Secretary Xi Jinping on cultural construction. They must deeply understand the connotations and requirements of important concepts such as cultural confidence, the people-centered approach, creative transformation and innovative development, and telling China's story well. Through study, they should raise their political stance [2] and enhance their cultural consciousness, laying a solid theoretical foundation for practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. This can be achieved through specialized lectures, seminars, and training classes to organize cadres and the masses in-depth study. Experts and scholars should be invited for interpretations and case studies to help everyone better grasp the material. Simultaneously, online platforms and new media channels should be utilized to expand the coverage and influence of this learning.
(2) Persisting in a people-centered approach to create more excellent literary and artistic works. Literary and artistic works are important carriers of cultural construction. Practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture requires a people-centered approach in creation. Literary and art workers must go deep into life and take root among the people [3], understanding their thoughts and aspirations to draw inspiration. They should focus on realistic themes that reflect the spirit of the times and showcase the people's struggles and beautiful lives. Through vivid artistic images and touching plots, they should transmit "positive energy" [4] and trigger emotional resonance. In the creative process, innovation is key—exploring new artistic forms and techniques. Incorporating modern technology such as Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence can enhance the appeal of these works. Furthermore, we must strengthen the excavation and inheritance of traditional culture, integrating fine traditional Chinese cultural elements into modern works to create cultural masterpieces with Chinese characteristics, style, and spirit.
(3) Driving cultural innovation and promoting the development of cultural industries. Innovation is the source of power for cultural development. Practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture requires vigorously promoting cultural innovation. On one hand, we must strengthen cultural-technological innovation, using big data, cloud computing, and AI to drive digital transformation and expand growth points like digital publishing, online audio-visual products, and animation/gaming. On the other hand, we must innovate cultural systems and mechanisms to stimulate market vitality. This involves deepening the reform of the cultural system, improving the cultural market system, and encouraging social capital to enter the cultural field. Simultaneously, policy innovation must provide a favorable environment for cultural enterprises to grow strong.
(4) Strengthening cultural exchange to enhance the international influence of Chinese culture. In the era of globalization, we must actively carry out external cultural exchange activities. By hosting cultural exhibitions, performances, and academic seminars, we show the world our traditional and contemporary cultural achievements. We should strengthen cultural cooperation with all nations to promote mutual learning between civilizations. Moreover, we must innovate external communication methods to tell China's story well, utilizing social media platforms to spread Chinese culture in more vivid and intuitive ways. Communication strategies should be personalized based on the cultural backgrounds and needs of different target audiences to improve effectiveness.
03 Paths for Practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
(1) Strengthening the Party’s leadership over cultural work. The Communist Party of China is the leadership core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the leading force in cultural construction. Practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture requires strengthening the Party’s leadership. Party committees at all levels must place cultural construction in an important position, incorporating it into overall economic and social development plans alongside economic, political, social, and ecological civilization construction—the "Five-Sphere Integrated Plan." We must establish sound mechanisms for cultural construction, ensuring the Party manages ideology, media, and cultural talent. This ensures that cultural construction always maintains the correct political direction. We must build leadership teams and cadre forces on the cultural front that are politically firm and professionally proficient.
(2) Increasing cultural investment and improving cultural infrastructure. Cultural construction requires financial support. The government should increase investment in cultural undertakings to guarantee the public cultural service system. This includes strengthening libraries, museums, and cultural centers. We should also encourage social forces to participate through government procurement of services and PPP [Public-Private Partnership] models. Digital infrastructure for culture should be prioritized, advancing resource-sharing projects and digital libraries to improve service quality and reach via the internet and mobile terminals.
(3) Strengthening training to expand the ranks of cultural talent. Talent is the key to cultural construction. We should strengthen cultural disciplines in higher education and optimize professional settings to train innovative cultural talent. Vocational education should focus on practical talents for the cultural industry. Simultaneously, focus must be placed on training grassroots cultural workers through training sessions and voluntary services. Policy frameworks should be improved to attract and retain talent through evaluation systems and incentive mechanisms that reward outstanding contributions.
(4) Strengthening cultural rule of law to create a favorable environment for development. The rule of law is an important guarantee for cultural construction. We must accelerate the cultural legislative process, formulating and improving laws and regulations to provide a legal basis for cultural work. Law enforcement in the cultural market must be strengthened to crack down on illegal acts and maintain order. At the same time, we must protect cultural intellectual property rights to stimulate creative vitality. Legal education should be popularized so that cadres and the masses know, understand, and abide by the law, creating a healthy atmosphere for the rule of law in culture.
In summary, practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is a long-term and arduous task that requires the collective effort of society. We must profoundly grasp its connotations, master its methods and paths, firm up our cultural confidence, persist in a people-centered approach, drive innovation, and strengthen exchange. By doing so, we contribute to building a strong socialist cultural power and realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.