Hao Lixin: The Inner Logic and Key Focus Points of Cultural Construction in the New Era
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture profoundly reveals the essential characteristics and developmental laws of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, providing scientific guidance for cultural construction on the new journey. Standing at the height of coordinating the overall strategy for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the world's great changes unseen in a century [1], Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is rooted in the overall practice of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. It systematically answers the major questions of what kind of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics should be upheld and developed in the New Era and how to do so. It addresses the "cultural question" of contemporary China and the present age, further elucidating the path of development for socialist culture with Chinese characteristics and deepening the understanding of the laws governing its construction. Earnestly studying and comprehending the methodology contained within this thought, profoundly recognizing the internal logic of cultural development it reveals, and grasping the focal points for building socialist culture with Chinese characteristics are of great significance for advancing cultural construction.
The Internal Logic and Methodology of Building Socialist Culture with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era
The construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era has its own internal laws and dialectical characteristics. To develop this culture, we must persist in taking Marxism as our guide, strengthen cultural confidence, maintain openness and inclusiveness, and uphold the fundamentals and break new ground. We must persist in the "Two Combinations" [2] and promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture.
The internal logic of cultural construction in the New Era is mainly reflected in several areas: there is an inevitable connection between contemporary Chinese cultural construction and the practice of advancing Chinese-path modernization—cultural construction is both an inevitable requirement for and an organic component of Chinese-path modernization. Contemporary Chinese culture is both the culture of the Chinese nation and an organic part of world culture. Cultural construction has its relative independence and its own specific laws, which exist both in the connection between culture and economy or politics, and within the historical links of culture and the mutual relations between its various parts. Throughout Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, one can clearly see the methodology that embodies this internal logic.
"Clarifying the Essence and Attaining Practical Application; Integrating Substance and Function" (mingti dayong, tiyong guantong) [3] is a distinctive feature of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. This thought profoundly reveals the internal unity between the "Substance" (ti) and "Function" (yong) of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era; it elucidates both the essence of this culture and the roles or functions determined by that essence. In its essence, the culture of the New Era is a reflection of the economy and politics of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and this essence is profoundly embodied in the laws and paths of cultural construction. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture combines the questions of "how to view" and "what to do" regarding contemporary cultural construction, links the "Way" (dao) with the "Art" (shu) of cultural construction, and closely integrates the explanation of cultural essence and laws with the interpretation of cultural practice, thereby pointing the way forward.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture understands culture as a form of social consciousness determined by social existence, recognizing and grasping its essence, role, and laws of development from the height of the new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. For instance, it proposes that Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical clinics in coordination; it points out that the essence of modernization is the modernization of the people, and the ultimate goal is to achieve the free and well-rounded development of individuals; it notes that Chinese-path modernization is a modernization that continues an ancient civilization rather than one characterized by civilizational rupture. In particular, proceeding from the internal unity between Chinese practice and cultural construction, it proposes the major proposition of the "Two Combinations." Combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with China’s fine traditional culture is the only path for contemporary Chinese cultural construction, and the greatest "magic weapon" [4] for the success of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, including its cultural dimension.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture emphasizes recognizing the laws and roles of cultural construction within the correlations of internal cultural elements or the structures of the cultural system. From the perspective of historical development, it focuses on organically combining the development of advanced socialist culture, the promotion of revolutionary culture, and the inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture. From the perspective of systems and structures, it emphasizes the guiding position of Marxism and the leading role of values. In the layout of cultural development, it persists in promoting the "main theme" of propaganda, ideology, and culture, proposing to accelerate the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, and ensuring the coordinated development of cultural undertakings and cultural industries.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture summarizes the law-based understanding of "upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground" from the historical experience of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in leading cultural construction. "Upholding the fundamentals" (shouzheng) means adhering to the scientific truth of Marxism, persisting in the people-centered value stance, safeguarding the essence of fine traditional Chinese culture and revolutionary culture, and strengthening confidence in socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. "Breaking new ground" (chuangxin) means advancing with the times on the basis of following the laws of practical development and cultural construction, being brave in exploration, and promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture in light of the requirements of the times. In cultural construction, the two are dialectically unified and inseparable.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture advocates grasping cultural trends within the connection between the nation and the world. The exchange and mutual learning between civilizations on a global scale is an inevitable trend in the historical process of human history shifting from national histories to world history. Chinese civilization and world civilizations are internally unified and inseparable. Chinese civilization possesses both national and global characteristics. Actively disseminating Chinese civilization to the world, absorbing and drawing on all achievements of world civilization, and vigorously promoting the common values of humanity [5] are important components of cultural construction in the New Era.
Focusing on the "Four Powers" to Develop Socialist Culture with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era
On October 28, 2024, during the seventeenth collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must anchor ourselves to the strategic goal of building a leading cultural power, adhere to the fundamental guiding ideology of Marxism, take root in the profound Chinese civilization, and comply with the trend of information technology development. We must continuously develop socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era—one that possesses strong ideological leadership, spiritual cohesion, value appeal, and international influence—while constantly strengthening the people's spiritual power and consolidating the cultural foundation for building a strong country and national rejuvenation." Focusing on these "four powers" objectively requires us to strengthen cultural construction in the following aspects:
First, manage ideological work well and construct an independent Chinese knowledge system to enhance the ideological leadership of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. The essence and laws of New Era culture dictate that China must persist in the path of development for socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. This requires upholding the CPC’s comprehensive leadership over culture, adhering to the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological sphere, and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. We must develop a socialist culture that is national, scientific, and popular, and oriented toward modernization, the world, and the future. We must advance the "Two Combinations," continue to strengthen the study of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, and take the stimulation of innovation and creativity as the central link in deepening the reform of cultural systems and mechanisms. We must persist in spiritual independence and accelerate the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics.
Second, emphasize the role of culture in nurturing the mind and temperament, and improve the supply of cultural services and products to enhance spiritual cohesion. Cultural construction must always focus on and land upon the people, aiming to meet their diverse, multi-level, and multi-faceted spiritual and cultural needs, thereby increasing their sense of fulfillment and happiness. We must respect the laws of talent growth, improve mechanisms for selection and incentive that fit the cultural field, and build a high-level cultural workforce that is large-scale, well-structured, and innovative. We must also strengthen research on the scientific connotation of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.
Third, cultivate and practice the Core Socialist Values and vigorously promote the common values of humanity to enhance value appeal. We must deeply mine the spiritual connotations of fine traditional Chinese culture, using Marxism to activate its superior elements and endow them with new contemporary meanings. We must safeguard and develop the treasures of Chinese civilization, continuing the Chinese cultural lineage through creative transformation. Values are the core of culture; this is increasingly becoming a consensus. We must regard the cultivation of Core Socialist Values as a foundational project for "soul-molding" (ninghun juqi), improving the institutional mechanisms for their practice. We must continue to build the Chinese spirit, Chinese values, and Chinese strength, while also promoting the common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom.
Fourth, construct a Chinese discourse and narrative system to enhance national cultural soft power and international influence. This involves reconstructing the international communication landscape, innovating online external propaganda, and deepening the reform of mainstream media communication mechanisms to create a multi-channel, three-dimensional external communication pattern. We should carry out various forms of international cultural exchange and cooperation, more actively learning from the excellent civilizational achievements of all humanity. We must tell the story of "Cultural China" well, establish a positive image of Chinese culture, and increase its global influence.
Building a leading cultural power is a common task for the entire Party and society. We must strengthen the CPC Central Committee’s centralized and unified leadership over propaganda, ideological, and cultural work, mobilize the enthusiasm of all parties, and pool the powerful forces necessary to build a leading cultural power.