Zhao Chaofeng and Yang Shuo: On the National Characteristics of Xi Jinping’s Cultural Thought
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is a vital outcome of the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture; it is the summation of the experience of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in leading the development of a culturally strong country in the New Era. This theoretical innovation is rooted in Chinese culture, based on the great cause of national rejuvenation, and focused on building a modern civilization for the Chinese nation, presenting distinct national characteristics. The national character of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture fully demonstrates the value pursuits and spiritual outlook of the Chinese nation and serves as a contemporary expression of the Chinese national style and Chinese flair. Deeply researching the national characteristics of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is of great academic value and practical significance for profoundly recognizing and understanding its implications for cultural subjectivity [1] and for further strengthening cultural confidence [2].
I. Clarifying that Fine Traditional Chinese Culture is the Root and Soul of the Chinese Nation
As the theoretical crystallization and guide for action in the practice of building a culturally strong country in the New Era, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture—while unswervingly adhering to "Marxism as the soul-vein"—attaches greater importance to the role of fine traditional Chinese culture. It emphasizes the need to always remain committed to "fine traditional Chinese culture as the root-vein," clarifies the uniqueness of fine traditional Chinese culture, and further proposes the fundamental path for carrying forward this culture.
(1) Fine traditional Chinese culture is a major force influencing the survival and development of the Chinese nation
Culture is the soul of a country and a nation, and it is a major force driving social development. Every leap in human society and every sublimation of human civilization has been accompanied by historical progress in culture. As Xi Jinping stated: "Civilization, especially thought and culture, is the soul of a country and a nation. No matter which country or nation it is, if it does not cherish its own thought and culture, and if it loses this soul, that country or nation cannot stand tall."
Culture is condensed through national history, flowing in the nation's blood and permeating its soul. Chinese civilization has stretched for thousands of years and possesses its own unique system of thought and values. Xi Jinping pointed out: "Chinese culture has a long history; it amasses the deepest spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation, represents the unique spiritual symbols of the Chinese nation, and provides rich nourishment for the Chinese nation to grow and multiply."
In the more than 5,000 years of the development of Chinese civilization, "fine traditional Chinese culture has already become the gene of the Chinese nation, rooted in the hearts of the Chinese people, subtly influencing their ways of thinking and behaving." This enduring cultural gene endows the Chinese nation with the temperament to advance with the times and achieve self-improvement; whether in prosperity or adversity, the Chinese nation has always been able to stand firm. Xi Jinping summarized this by noting: "In the historical changes of thousands of years, the Chinese nation has never had smooth sailing; it has encountered countless hardships and difficulties, yet we have all endured and come through. One very important reason is that generations of Chinese people have nurtured and developed a unique and profound Chinese culture, providing strong spiritual support for the Chinese nation to overcome difficulties and grow endlessly." Clearly, fine traditional Chinese culture concerns the survival and development of the Chinese nation. Xi Jinping explicitly calls fine traditional Chinese culture the "spiritual lifeblood of the Chinese nation," emphasizing that "fine traditional Chinese culture is the crystallization of wisdom and the essence of Chinese civilization, the root and soul of the Chinese nation, and the foundation upon which we stand firm amidst the surges of global culture."
Fine traditional Chinese culture is not only the root and soul of the Chinese nation but also a bond promoting friendly external exchanges. The Chinese nation is a peace-loving nation. Xi Jinping pointed out: "Throughout history, the reason the Chinese nation has had status and influence in the world is not due to militarism or external expansion, but due to the strong charisma and attraction of Chinese culture. Our ancestors long ago recognized the principle that ‘if people from afar do not submit, then cultivate civil culture and virtue to attract them’ [3]." The Chinese nation "has always advocated peace; the pursuit of peace, amity, and harmony is deeply rooted in the spiritual world of the Chinese nation and deeply dissolved in the blood of the Chinese people." In the Chinese conceptualization, the unity of the self and the collective is a sought-after goal; "we not only hope that we live well but also hope that people of all countries live well." The peaceful and friendly thoughts contained within fine traditional Chinese culture, and the inclusivity and peaceful nature of Chinese civilization, have promoted interactions between the Chinese nation and all ethnic groups of the world, expanding the global influence of the Chinese nation. It can be seen that fine traditional Chinese culture concerns not only the survival and development of the Chinese nation itself but also the development of human society. Xi Jinping pointed out that Chinese civilization and fine traditional Chinese culture fundamentally determine the historical orientation of the Chinese nation’s interactions, exchanges, and integration; determine the open-mindedness of Chinese culture in absorbing world civilizations; and determine that China will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order.
(2) Fine traditional Chinese culture manifests the distinct characteristics and endowments of the Chinese nation
Culture carries national memory and is the unique spiritual symbol of a nation. Xi Jinping pointed out: "Every civilization is rooted in its own soil of survival, condensing the extraordinary wisdom and spiritual pursuits of a country and a nation, and each has its own value for existence." Therefore, "every civilization is unique." The history of the Chinese nation is long and profound, possessing "unique cultural traditions, a unique historical destiny, and unique basic national conditions." The Chinese culture created by the Chinese nation possesses "unique concepts, wisdom, temperament, and charm."
First, fine traditional Chinese culture manifests a unique system of values regarding how the Chinese nation views the world, society, and life. Xi Jinping pointed out: fine traditional Chinese culture "contains concepts such as the world belongs to all (tianxia wei gong), the people are the foundation of the state, governing by virtue, discarding the old to bring in the new, appointing the virtuous and capable, the unity of heaven and humanity, self-improvement, social commitment, honoring commitments and cultivating harmony, and being kind to neighbors. These are important manifestations of the views on the universe, the world (tianxia), society, and morality accumulated by the Chinese people in their long-term production and life, and they are highly compatible with the value propositions of scientific socialism."
Second, fine traditional Chinese culture holds a profound system of thought and far-reaching ethical wisdom formed by the Chinese nation in handling relations between individuals, between the individual and society, and between humanity and nature. Xi Jinping pointed out: "Filial piety, fraternal duty, loyalty, and trust; propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame; the benevolent person loves others; treating others with kindness; the unity of heaven and humanity; the Way follows nature; self-improvement—these still deeply affect the lives of Chinese people today." He further noted, "In long-term practice, the Chinese nation has nurtured and formed unique ideological concepts and moral norms, including thoughts such as advocating benevolence, emphasizing the people as the foundation, observing integrity, emphasizing dialectics, valuing harmony, and seeking Great Harmony (datong) [4]. It includes traditional virtues such as self-improvement, professional dedication and social harmony, upholding justice and promoting goodness, helping those in danger and poverty, acting bravely for a righteous cause, and honoring the elderly and loving the young." These "rich philosophical thoughts, humanistic spirits, educational ideas, and moral concepts of fine traditional Chinese culture can provide beneficial inspiration for people to understand and transform the world, for governance of the state, and for moral construction."
Third, fine traditional Chinese culture also contains rich ideological resources regarding the governance of the state. For example, in fine traditional Chinese culture, "the ideal of Great Harmony where the Great Way prevails and the world belongs to all; the tradition of Great Unity (dayitong) where the six directions share the same wind and the four seas are one family; the advocacy of rule by virtue where virtue is primary and punishment is auxiliary; the people-centered thought where the people are more important than the ruler and governance lies in nourishing the people; the concept of equality in leveling the noble and the lowly and equalizing the rich and the poor, reducing surplus to supplement deficiency; the pursuit of justice where the law does not favor the noble and the string does not bend for the crooked; the moral integrity of filial piety, fraternal duty, loyalty, trust, propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame; the standard for personnel of appointing the virtuous and selecting the capable; the reform spirit that although Zhou was an old state, its mandate was new; the diplomatic way of being kind to neighbors and harmonizing all nations; the peace concept of valuing harmony and knowing that being bellicose leads to ruin, and so on"—all these have important reference value for today's state governance.
The unique characteristics of fine traditional Chinese culture determine the distinctive temperament and charm of the Chinese nation, and determine that the socialism and modernization we pursue possess unique Chinese characteristics. The reason why "Chinese characteristics" and "Chinese-path" must be prefixed to "Socialism with Chinese Characteristics" and "Chinese-path modernization" lies in the unique cultural background hidden in the genes and blood of the Chinese nation. Xi Jinping pointed out: "Without the 5,000-year-old Chinese civilization, where would Chinese characteristics come from? If it were not for Chinese characteristics, how could we have the successful path of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics we have today? Only by standing upon the magnificent 5,000-year history of Chinese civilization can one truly understand the historical necessity, cultural connotations, and unique advantages of the Chinese path." Therefore, Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Chinese-path modernization are not mechanical transplants or "take-ism" [5], but are the "result of long-term development, gradual improvement, and endogenous evolution" of Chinese history, especially Chinese culture, by not forgetting the original, absorbing the external, and facing the future. They are the exquisite flowers and fruits growing naturally from the great tree of Chinese civilization.
(3) To inherit and carry forward fine traditional Chinese culture, we must strive to promote its creative transformation and innovative development
Culture is flowing history, recording the evolution of a nation; following what is good while discarding what is obsolete is the law of cultural development. The best way to inherit fine traditional Chinese culture is through development; its lasting vitality lies in innovation. The CPC is "both an active leader and practitioner of advanced Chinese culture and a faithful inheritor and promoter of fine traditional Chinese culture." Xi Jinping emphasized that we must persist in "learning from the ancients without being stuck in the past, and breaking old methods without violating the law," inheriting the "enterprising spirit of upholding the fundamentals without being old-fashioned, and respecting the ancients without attempting a restoration." He explicitly proposed that we must "properly handle the relationship between inheritance and creative development," and promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture while upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground.
Upholding the fundamentals is the prerequisite for innovation; only by doing so can one avoid losing oneself or losing direction. Clarifying the origin, development, main thread, core connotation, and value implications of fine traditional Chinese culture is the proper meaning of upholding the fundamentals. Xi Jinping pointed out: "Only by comprehensively and deeply understanding the history of Chinese civilization can we more effectively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, more vigorously promote the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and build a modern civilization for the Chinese nation." He emphasized the need to "clearly explain the historical origins, developmental trajectory, and basic trends of fine traditional Chinese culture; clearly explain the unique creations, value concepts, and distinct characteristics of Chinese culture; and boost confidence in our culture and values." Most importantly, we must "clearly explain that Chinese culture amasses the deepest spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation and is the rich nourishment for the Chinese nation to grow and multiply; clearly explain that fine traditional Chinese culture is a prominent advantage of the Chinese nation and our deepest cultural soft power; clearly explain that Socialism with Chinese Characteristics is rooted in the fertile soil of Chinese culture, reflects the will of the Chinese people, and adapts to the requirements of the development and progress of China and the times, possessing deep historical origins and a broad realistic foundation."
The purpose of upholding the fundamentals is not to be conservative but to innovate; only through innovation can we grasp the times and lead the times. Xi Jinping emphasized:
"Inheriting Chinese culture is by no means a simple return to the past, nor is it a blind exclusion of what is foreign. Rather, it is to make the past serve the present and foreign things serve China [6], to engage in dialectical selection, to weed through the old to bring forth the new, to discard negative elements while inheriting positive thoughts, and to 'use the rules of the ancients to open up new vistas for oneself' [7], thereby realizing the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese culture." Creative transformation is based on the interpretation and recreation of fine traditional Chinese culture in light of the developments of the era; "it means transforming those connotations and outdated forms of expression that still have reference value today according to the characteristics and requirements of the times, endowing them with new temporal connotations and modern forms of expression to activate their vitality." Innovative development, on the other hand, is forward-looking, examining fine traditional Chinese culture with a longer-term perspective to expand and enrich it; "it means supplementing, expanding, and improving the connotations of fine traditional Chinese culture according to new progress and developments of the era, enhancing its influence and appeal." To summarize, the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture is to "ensure that the most basic cultural genes of the Chinese nation are compatible with contemporary culture and coordinated with modern society, promoted in a way that people enjoy and participate in widely, so that the cultural spirit that spans time and space, transcends national boundaries, possesses eternal charm, and has contemporary value is promoted, and the contemporary Chinese cultural innovations—which both inherit fine traditional culture and carry forward the spirit of the times, staying grounded in one's own country while facing the world—are spread abroad." In the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture means, under the guidance of Marxism, utilizing new ideas, new discourse, new mechanisms, and new forms to truly make the past serve the present, engage in dialectical selection, weed through the old to bring forth the new, and realize an organic connection between the traditional and the modern. This further allows it to be flourish under new historical conditions, continuously strengthening the cultural confidence of the Chinese nation and providing rich nourishment for the building of a modern Chinese civilization and a strong socialist culture.
II. Clarifying that the Development and Prosperity of Chinese Culture is the Foundational Condition for the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation
The culture of any nation is rooted in its own development and reflects and serves its national mission. Realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has been the long-term theme of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) struggle, and the great cause of national rejuvenation must have Chinese culture as its spiritual support. We must firmly adhere to the standpoint of Chinese culture, enhance cultural consciousness, strengthen cultural confidence, safeguard cultural security, and strive to build a strong socialist culture to provide lasting internal momentum for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
(1) Cultural Prosperity is an Important Prerequisite for National Rejuvenation
Culture is the fundamental need for human development, and spiritual civilization is an important manifestation of social progress. The history of human civilizational progress fully demonstrates that a nation without the guidance of advanced culture has no hope. Xi Jinping pointed out: "The greatest difference between human society and the animal kingdom is that humans have spiritual needs; the people's demand for spiritual and cultural life exists at every moment." Therefore, "no society can be built without culture." The value of culture to social development lies primarily in providing spiritual motivation and intellectual support. Xi Jinping pointed out: "Although ideological and cultural construction is determined by the economic base, it in turn reacts upon the economic base. Once advanced ideological culture is grasped by the masses, it will be transformed into a powerful material force." When culture flourishes, the country prospers; when culture is strong, the nation is strong. Advanced culture is a powerful ideological engine for social progress, playing an important leading and driving role in social revolution.
Realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is a magnificent undertaking that shakes both the past and the present, requiring all the more the spiritual support and ideological guidance of advanced culture. Xi Jinping pointed out: "The strength of a country or a nation is always supported by cultural prosperity; the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation requires the development and prosperity of Chinese culture as a condition." To realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the CPC has always attached great importance to cultural construction throughout the great struggle to promote the Chinese nation’s journey from standing up and becoming prosperous to becoming strong. During the years of revolutionary war, the CPC vigorously developed revolutionary culture. Mao Zedong pointed out: "Revolutionary culture is a powerful weapon for the broad masses of the people. Before the revolution, it is ideological preparation; during the revolution, it is a necessary and important front within the general revolutionary front." After the founding of New China, the CPC carried forward revolutionary culture and vigorously developed advanced socialist culture, promoting the construction of socialist spiritual civilization. Deng Xiaoping emphasized: "Without this spiritual civilization, without communist ideology, and without communist morality, how can we build socialism?" In the New Era, the CPC adheres to the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics, promotes the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, inherits revolutionary culture, develops advanced socialist culture, stimulates the cultural innovation and creative vitality of the entire nation, and strives to build a modern Chinese civilization and a strong socialist culture. Xi Jinping pointed out: "Only the attraction and cohesion on an ideological and spiritual level are internal, powerful, and lasting." "Whether our total economic volume is second in the world or first, it may not necessarily consolidate our political power. If the economy develops but the spirit is lost, can that country be called strong?" Therefore, he explicitly required to "accelerate the building of a strong socialist culture with greater intensity and more solid measures," "work together to create a new culture belonging to our era," and "let the influence, cohesion, and appeal of Chinese civilization be more fully displayed."
(2) Cultural Consciousness and Cultural Confidence are the Important Foundation for National Rejuvenation
Promoting cultural prosperity and development requires a high degree of cultural consciousness and cultural confidence. Cultural consciousness is the self-awakening and awareness of a nation's culture, containing historical initiative and innovative creativity. The Chinese nation is a nation with cultural consciousness. The Chinese culture formed during historical development "both adheres to its roots and continuously advances with the times, enabling the Chinese nation to maintain firm national confidence and a powerful capacity for recovery, and cultivating common emotions, values, ideals, and spirits." It possesses the consciousness to transform according to circumstances, advance with the times, and innovate according to trends. The CPC is the leadership core of the great cause of national rejuvenation; it "is a party with a high degree of cultural consciousness, and the Party's century of struggle encapsulates the history of our country's cultural progress." The CPC clearly took the construction of a new Chinese national culture—one that is national, scientific, and for the masses—as its mission, actively promoting cultural construction and the prosperity of literature and art. For over a century, the advanced culture created by the CPC has "inspired the exploited and oppressed working masses to fight bloody battles with indomitable spirit; inspired the Chinese people who stood up to be self-reliant and work hard for the prosperity of the country; inspired hundreds of millions of people in the tide of reform and opening up to emancipate their minds and forge ahead with determination; and inspired the Chinese people in the New Era to be confident, self-reliant, and to uphold the fundamentals and break new ground, playing an important role in strengthening the people's power and invigorating the national spirit."
Confidence is an affirmative evaluation and positive attitude toward one's own culture, and it is closely and inherently linked to cultural consciousness. Cultural confidence helps strengthen cultural consciousness, while cultural consciousness likewise helps firm up cultural confidence. A country cannot stand without confidence, and a people cannot be strong without faith. Xi Jinping pointed out that the confidence of a country and a nation is, at its root, cultural confidence. "Cultural confidence is a more fundamental, broader, and deeper confidence," it is "the most basic, deepest, and most lasting force in the development of a country and a nation." Only with confidence can there be self-reliance, self-strength, and self-respect; "only a nation with cultural confidence can stand tall, stand firm, and go far." Cultural confidence does not emerge naturally; it must have deep historical accumulation and a solid practical foundation. Xi Jinping pointed out: "The Chinese nation has always possessed the temperament of cultural confidence," and "the Chinese civilization has lasted for thousands of years without interruption and thrived despite repeated hardships; this is a miracle of human civilization and the source of our confidence." The CPC is a Marxist party with a high degree of cultural confidence. Over its century-long journey of struggle, it has actively inherited fine traditional Chinese culture, built revolutionary culture, developed advanced socialist culture, and absorbed the useful achievements of world civilizations, achieving great successes in cultural work and providing a more solid foundation for cultural confidence in the New Era. Xi Jinping pointed out with firm pride: "Standing on the vast land of 9.6 million square kilometers, absorbing the cultural nourishment accumulated by the long struggle of the Chinese nation, and possessing the majestic power aggregated by 1.3 billion Chinese people, we walk our own path with an incomparably broad stage, an incomparably deep historical heritage, and an incomparably powerful resolve to forge ahead."
(3) Cultural Security is an Important Guarantee for National Rejuvenation
National security is the foundation of national rejuvenation, and cultural security is an important component of national security. The fate of culture is linked to the fate of the country; the lineage of culture is connected to the lineage of the nation. Cultural security directly concerns the rise and fall of political power and the success or failure of a nation. Marx pointed out: "If considered from the perspective of ideas, then the dissolution of certain forms of consciousness is enough to bring an entire era to ruin." Losing cultural security would cause a country and nation to lose cohesion and become a "heap of loose sand" [8], losing its direction of progress; the country and nation would "inevitably either encounter failure or become a dependency of others," thereby losing its independence and national character. Human history and reality have repeatedly shown that the prosperity of a country is often marked by cultural flourishing, and the decline of a nation often begins with the tarnishing of its civilization. Therefore, cultural security is a fundamental issue concerning the survival of the country and the nation. Xi Jinping insightfully pointed out: "The disintegration of a regime often begins in the ideological field. Political turmoil and regime change can happen overnight, but ideological evolution is a long-term process. Once the ideological line of defense is breached, other lines of defense are difficult to hold." Therefore, to seek the sustainable development of the country and the nation, one must strive to strengthen and safeguard cultural security.
Against the historical backdrop of the accelerated evolution of the changes unseen in a century, various thoughts and cultures are clashing, the exchange, integration, and confrontation between different civilizations are more frequent, and the ideological struggle is more intense. "The connotation and extension of our national security are richer than at any time in history, the spatial and temporal fields are broader than at any time in history, and the internal and external factors are more complex than at any time in history." Bearing in mind the "two overall situations" [9], Xi Jinping explicitly emphasized the need to strengthen and safeguard cultural security. He said: "We must take the people's yearning for a better life as our goal of struggle, solving both practical and ideological problems to better strengthen confidence, gather the people's hearts, warm people's hearts, and build consensus. We must both actively and proactively explain the Chinese path and Chinese characteristics, and effectively safeguard our country's political and cultural security."
Safeguarding cultural security must adhere to correct guiding principles. Based on a profound grasp of the laws of cultural development, Xi Jinping clearly pointed out that to safeguard cultural security, "we must adhere to the principle of taking 'establishing' as the fundamental, and combine 'establishing' with 'breaking' [10], continuously enhancing the cohesion and leading power of socialist ideology." To take "establishing" as the fundamental means to unswervingly adhere to the guiding position of Marxism, firmly grasping the leadership, management, and discourse power over ideological work, and upholding the standpoint of Chinese culture. Xi Jinping explicitly required that we must always "adhere to the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field, uphold the standpoint of Chinese culture, adhere to the guidance of socialist core values in cultural construction, and focus on the mission of 'holding high the banner, gathering the people's hearts, nurturing new people, revitalizing culture, and presenting a good image.' We must strengthen the construction of socialist spiritual civilization, promote the prosperity and development of cultural undertakings and industries, continuously improve the country's cultural soft power, enhance the influence of Chinese culture, and play the role of culture in leading trends, educating the people, serving society, and promoting development." At the same time, he also emphasized that cultural construction must work hard on "breaking," taking a clear-cut stand against erroneous ideas, "consciously opposing historical nihilism and cultural nihilism that forget one's ancestors or belittle oneself," and safeguarding cultural security in the struggle against various erroneous trends of thought.
III. Clarifying that Building a Modern Chinese Civilization is the New Cultural Mission of the New Era
The development of civilization is a prominent sign of a nation's cultural progress and national strength. Ancient China once created the Huaxia civilization [11] based on mature agricultural production with fine traditional Chinese culture at its core, which had a broad and profound influence worldwide. On the journey of comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, building a modern Chinese civilization is a new cultural mission that the CPC and the Chinese people must undertake, and it is an important task for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
(1) Building a Modern Chinese Civilization is an Inherent Part of Comprehensively Promoting the Construction of a Strong Country and the Great Cause of National Rejuvenation
From the perspective of civilizational development, the construction of modern civilization is an inevitable trend in the development of human history. From the perspective of civilizational genesis, modern civilization is a product of modernization. On the new journey of comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation through Chinese-path modernization, the construction of a modern Chinese civilization carries special significance for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; it is an inevitable requirement for achieving that rejuvenation. Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Building a modern Chinese civilization is a heroic undertaking for a country like ours with a civilizational history of over 5,000 years, and it is an integral part of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."
The Chinese nation is a great nation in the world, possessing a long and continuous history of civilization spanning over 5,000 years, having made indelible contributions to the progress of human civilization. After the Opium War of 1840, China gradually became a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, and the Chinese nation suffered unprecedented calamities. Amidst the sharp contrast between modern humiliation and ancient civilizational glory, advanced Chinese elements [12] conceived the dream of national rejuvenation, achieving the great awakening of the Chinese nation. At that time, the tide of modernization was surging forward with great momentum [13]. Therefore, realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is "the greatest dream of the Chinese nation since modern times," and realizing modernization is also "the dream for which the Chinese people have striven with unswerving determination since modern times." These two fates met by chance and have been an inherent unity from the very beginning. As soon as the Communist Party of China was founded, it resolutely shouldered the historical mission of exploring modernization and realizing national rejuvenation. Xi Jinping pointed out: "The history of the Communist Party of China over the last 100-plus years, in uniting and leading the Chinese people to pursue national rejuvenation, is also a history of continuously exploring the path to modernization." Through the unremitting efforts of several generations, the CPC has led the people in successfully forging the path of Chinese-path modernization, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation now demonstrates unprecedented bright prospects.
The process of human society achieving modernization is also the process of forming modern civilization; modernization inevitably influences and changes human modes of production and ideological concepts, thereby forming new forms of human civilization. The diversity of modernization in different countries determines the diversity of the forms of modern human civilization. Xi Jinping pointed out: "What kind of modernization path a country chooses is determined by its historical traditions, social systems, developmental conditions, external environment, and many other factors. Different national conditions lead to different paths to modernization." Chinese-path modernization is socialist modernization led by the CPC; it is a "major transcendence of Western modernization theory and practice" and "provides a brand-new model of modernization for the world." The successful preliminary practice of Chinese-path modernization has created a brand-new form of human civilization—namely, a modern Chinese civilization—laying a profound foundation for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
(II) The key to building a modern Chinese civilization lies in upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation.
Cultural subjectivity is vital for a nation, as it determines the direction and process of national history and cultural development. To maintain one's own cultural autonomy, it is necessary to correctly handle a series of relationships, such as those between historical culture and contemporary development, domestic culture and world culture, and upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, while adhering to scientific dialectics in cultural development. Xi Jinping pointed out: "For any culture to stand firm, travel far, and possess the power to lead, unite, shape, and radiate, it must have its own subjectivity." In the long process of its development, the Chinese nation has created a Chinese civilization characterized by subjectivity. The Chinese nation is a nation possessed of a subjective spirit; the great creative spirit, great spirit of struggle, great spirit of unity, and great dream spirit nurtured, inherited, and developed over long-term development constitute the "source of confidence for the confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics." By carrying forward the great national spirit, the Chinese nation has created a Chinese civilization with prominent characteristics such as continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness, which "fully proves that Chinese civilization possesses the cultural subjectivity to develop itself, respond to challenges, and open up new horizons." Xi Jinping emphasized that building a modern Chinese civilization must follow the principle of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, and an important component of "upholding the fundamentals" is to firmly maintain the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation.
In the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the most powerful manifestation of the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is the establishment of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. "This subjectivity was established by the Communist Party of China leading the Chinese people on Chinese soil; it was established on the basis of the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, the inheritance of revolutionary culture, and the development of advanced socialist culture, while drawing upon and absorbing all fine civilizational achievements of humanity; and it was established by combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture." With cultural subjectivity, "there is a firm 'self' in the cultural sense, cultural confidence has a fundamental reliance, the CPC has a powerful cultural force to lead the times, the Chinese nation and the Chinese people have a solid cultural foundation for national identity, and Chinese civilization has distinct cultural characteristics for exchange and mutual learning with other civilizations of the world." With cultural subjectivity, modern Chinese civilization has a key guarantee and can better manifest its own national characteristics.
(III) Building a modern Chinese civilization must adhere to the "Two Combinations," especially the "Second Combination."
At the Symposium on Cultural Inheritance and Development, Xi Jinping pointed out: "To open up and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics on the profound foundation of over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, the 'Two Combinations'—connecting the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture—is the path we must take. This is a law-based understanding we have reached in exploring the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics." "The 'Second Combination' is a profound summary of our Party's historical experience in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, and a profound grasp of the laws governing the development of Chinese civilization. It indicates that our Party’s understanding of the Chinese path, theory, and system has reached a new height, that our Party’s historical and cultural confidence has reached a new height, and that our Party’s consciousness in promoting cultural innovation while inheriting fine traditional Chinese culture has reached a new height." These important expositions profoundly clarify the major significance of the "Two Combinations" and the "Second Combination," providing theoretical guidance and a manual for action as we strive to open up new frontiers in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism at a new historical starting point, and solidly advance the construction of a modern Chinese civilization and a socialist cultural power.
Building a modern Chinese civilization must adhere to the guidance of Marxism. Marxism is the root upon which the Party and the country were established and thrive; it is the fundamental guarantee for building a great modern socialist country and a modern Chinese civilization, capable of fundamentally overcoming and eliminating the "barbaric nature" of capitalist civilization. Fine traditional Chinese culture is the cultural root and vein of the Chinese nation; it is the nation's prominent advantage and most profound source of cultural soft power. A high degree of compatibility exists between the two, and the result of their "combination" is mutual achievement. In building a modern Chinese civilization, we must firmly adhere to the "Two Combinations," especially the "Second Combination," persisting in using the light of Marxist truth to activate the genes of Chinese civilization, better excavating and manifesting the national characteristics and spiritual charm of Chinese culture, and continuously advancing socialist cultural construction along the broad road [14] of Chinese-path modernization. This will continually "lead China into the modern world" and promote the "renewal of life and modern transformation of Chinese civilization."
In summary, the national characteristics of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture are mainly reflected in the understanding of the importance of fine traditional Chinese culture, the emphasis on cultural construction as spiritual support for realizing national rejuvenation, and the stress on the mission and task of building a modern Chinese civilization. Emphasizing the national character of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture does not mean excluding openness or cosmopolitanism. On the contrary, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture always adheres to an attitude of openness, inclusiveness, and a vision of "all under heaven" [15], placing particular emphasis on the need for cultural construction to integrate China and the outside world, connect the past and the present, "not forget the origin, absorb the external, and face the future." It requires us to "actively carry out Sino-foreign cultural exchanges with a more open mind, a more inclusive attitude, and a broader perspective, making due contributions to the progress of human civilization through learning and mutual learning." Only that which is national can belong to the world, and only by leading the times can one move toward the world. On the new journey, we must persist in taking Xi Jinping Thought on Culture as our guide, uphold the standpoint of Chinese culture and the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, actively learn from and absorb all fine civilizational achievements of humanity, and continue to promote cultural prosperity, build a cultural power, and develop a modern Chinese civilization at a new starting point, providing profound cultural nourishment and powerful spiritual support for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.