Liang Hongying (Shenyang): Deeply Grasp the Theoretical Thinking of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture enriches and develops Marxist cultural theory, advancing the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist cultural theory. It serves as an ideological banner guiding the Communists and the Chinese people in the New Era to shoulder their cultural mission, promote cultural prosperity, and build a leading cultural nation. By adhering to theoretical modes of thinking—such as upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, "clarifying the Substance and attaining Significance for Utility" [1], maintaining cultural confidence, and keeping the whole world in mind—Xi Jinping Thought on Culture not only advances the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist cultural theory and insists on the integration of theory and practice, but also gathers a powerful spiritual force for building a strong country and national rejuvenation, sketching a grand blueprint for the exchange and mutual learning of human civilizations.
Advancing the Sinicization and Modernization of Marxist Cultural Theory to a New Realm
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to the theoretical thinking of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, as reflected in its inheritance and development of Marxist cultural theory. Marxist cultural theory takes historical materialism as its theoretical foundation, emphasizing that culture is part of the superstructure and that culture can continuously advance with the times according to the development and changes of the economic base, becoming an important factor influencing social progress. Starting from Marxist cultural theory and profoundly grasping the essence of culture, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture integrates the foundations of Marxist cultural theory with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture (the "Two Combinations" [2]). It proposes the New Era cultural development goals of persisting in the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics and building a leading socialist cultural nation, while innovatively putting forward a series of strategic measures for socialist cultural construction. In this sense, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is a major achievement of adhering to the "Two Combinations" and advancing the innovation of Marxist cultural theory. It enriches and develops Marxist cultural theory, writing a brilliant chapter in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism by integrating past achievements and opening new horizons.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to the theoretical thinking of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, as reflected in the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Fine traditional Chinese culture is the spiritual lifeblood of the Chinese nation, an important source for nourishing Socialist Core Values, and a solid foundation for us to gain a firm foothold amidst the turbulence of world cultures." Chinese civilization has a history of over 5,000 years and possesses cultural characteristics that advance with the times. The fundamental purpose of the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture is to bridge the essence of fine traditional Chinese culture with the spiritual marrow of Marxist thought. Regarding fine traditional Chinese culture, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture insists on making the past serve the present, dialectical selection, and "pushing through the old to bring forth the new" [3]. This profoundly demonstrates that Xi Jinping Thought on Culture innovates while upholding fundamentals and maintains the "rectified path" (正道) of Marxist cultural theory through innovation, signifying that our Party’s understanding of the laws governing the inheritance and innovation of fine traditional Chinese culture has reached a new height.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to the theoretical thinking of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, as reflected in the cultural mission undertaken in the New Era. Shouldering the cultural mission of the New Era, promoting cultural prosperity, and building a leading cultural nation are profoundly embodied in this theoretical thinking. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We are engaged in a great undertaking without predecessor. Only by upholding the fundamentals can we avoid losing our direction or making subversive errors; only through innovation can we grasp and lead the times." Through upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture builds a socialist ideology with strong cohesion and leadership, emphasizes the Party's leadership over cultural work, and promotes the deep integration of Marxist cultural theory with fine traditional Chinese culture. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has driven theoretical and practical innovation in Marxist cultural theory in the New Era. In this sense, it inherits and develops Marxist cultural theory, insists on the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, shoulders the cultural mission of the New Era, and promotes the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist cultural theory into a new realm.
Demonstrating the Intellectual Character of Combining Theory and Practice
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to the theoretical thinking of "clarifying the Substance and attaining Significance for Utility" (明体达用), reflecting the dialectical unity of theory and practice. Continuously advancing theoretical innovation based on practice and promoting positive interaction between theory and practice is a fine tradition of the Communist Party of China. Within the philosophical categories of theory and practice, "Substance" (体, tǐ) refers to a correct theoretical system that has been repeatedly tempered through practice and meets the needs of the times. This theoretical system serves as the ideological cornerstone of cultural development, providing solid theoretical support for cultural construction. "Utility" (用, yòng) refers to the application of this theoretical system in practical work, testing its scientific nature and truth through practice. This mode of thinking, "clarifying the Substance and attaining Significance for Utility," reflects the light of wisdom within Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. It steadfastly promotes cultural theoretical innovation and consciously transforms theoretical achievements into practical activities, driving major achievements in the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture emphasizes both innovation and breakthroughs in cultural theory and the layout and deployment of cultural work, manifesting this theoretical thinking.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to the theoretical thinking of "clarifying the Substance and attaining Significance for Utility," as reflected in the organic unity of upholding the Party's leadership over cultural work and adhering to a people-centered work orientation. This thinking requires that in building socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, we must both adhere to the fundamental principle of the Party's comprehensive leadership over cultural construction—ensuring political direction and ideological guidance—and adhere to a people-centered work orientation, taking the interests and needs of the people as the starting point and end goal. The Communist Party of China has always attached importance to cultural work; upholding the Party's leadership over culture is the political guarantee for building socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. Adhering to a people-centered work orientation is the practical goal of cultural construction and the value pursuit for satisfying the people's needs for a better spiritual and cultural life. This theoretical thinking demonstrates a deep grasp of the laws of socialist cultural construction and highlights the people-centered development philosophy, serving as a vivid example of the integration of theory and practice.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to the theoretical thinking of "clarifying the Substance and attaining Significance for Utility," as manifested in the deep fusion of the Marxist "theory-practice" view with the concept of the "unity of knowledge and action" (知行合一) [4] found in fine traditional Chinese culture. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture uses Marxist cultural innovation theory to answer the "questions of the times" regarding cultural construction in the New Era, and uses practical breakthroughs to solve various realistic difficulties in that process. This forms a virtuous cycle where theory guides practice and practice enriches theory, vividly demonstrating the great power of combining basic Marxist principles with fine traditional Chinese culture. By adhering to "clarifying the Substance and attaining Significance for Utility," Xi Jinping Thought on Culture manifests its intellectual character of combining theory and practice. This not only makes it a powerful ideological weapon and scientific guide for action in building a leading socialist cultural nation but also allows it to demonstrate even greater power of truth and practical efficacy.
Gathering a Powerful Spiritual Force for Building a Strong Country and National Rejuvenation
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to the theoretical thinking of cultural confidence, highlighting its value as scientific truth. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Cultural confidence is the most fundamental, deepest, and most lasting force in the development of a country and a nation." Xi Jinping Thought on Culture proceeds from the objective reality and rich practice of socialist cultural construction, systematically answering the major questions of what kind of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics to uphold and develop in the New Era and how to do so. This demonstrates historical and cultural confidence. The scientific truth value of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is reflected not only in the scientific and systematic nature of its theoretical system but more prominently in the innovation and effectiveness of its practical guidance. Taking Marxist cultural theory as its soul and fine traditional Chinese culture as its root, it solves the theoretical and practical problems of cultural construction in the New Era while opening a new path for creating a new form of human civilization. By organically combining the logic of Marxist theory with the logic of practice, it shines with the brilliance of Marxist truth and provides a powerful spiritual force for the cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to the theoretical thinking of cultural confidence, which contains powerful spiritual strength. By maintaining cultural confidence, profoundly grasping the laws of socialist cultural construction, and exerting historical consciousness and cultural initiative, it continuously promotes the prosperity and flourishing of socialist culture. This aggregates the powerful spiritual force of the people of all ethnic groups to comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through a Chinese path to modernization. The historical and cultural confidence upheld by Xi Jinping Thought on Culture requires us to firm up our ideals and convictions, safeguard our cultural subjectivity, and better shoulder the cultural mission of the New Era. It is a glorious banner leading the work of public communication, ideology, and culture along the correct direction, creating a new situation for the development of the cause, and forging new socialist cultural glories. It is a precious spiritual wealth formed by the Party since the 18th CPC National Congress, containing noble Chinese spirit, precious Chinese values, and great Chinese power.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to the theoretical thinking of cultural confidence, as reflected in strategic deployments such as performing public communication, ideological, and cultural work on the new journey of the New Era, promoting cultural prosperity, and building a leading cultural nation. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the development of China's cultural undertakings has entered a new stage, facing many new situations and problems. On one hand, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture deeply analyzes the realistic problems of domestic cultural development, reveals the inherent laws of cultural undertakings, and proposes a series of strategic and policy measures. On the other hand, it accurately grasps the pulse of the times amidst international cultural turbulence, emphasizing the maintenance of cultural subjectivity in the tide of globalization, persisting in cultural confidence, actively promoting Chinese culture to the world stage, and continuously enhancing the country's cultural soft power. Persisting in cultural confidence has injected powerful ideological momentum into cultural construction, effectively promoting the vigorous development of cultural undertakings.
Sketching a Grand Blueprint for the Exchange and Mutual Learning of Human Civilizations
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to the theoretical thinking of keeping the whole world in mind, as reflected in the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations. Civilizations become colorful through exchange and rich through mutual learning. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Promoting the exchange, integration, and mutual learning among various human civilizations is the only way to make the world more beautiful and the lives of people in all countries better." Xi Jinping Thought on Culture upholds the core concept that civilizations flourish through dialogue, adheres to a concept of civilization based on equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness, and examines and handles the relationships between different civilizations with a rigorous and scientific attitude. It sketches a grand blueprint for the exchange and mutual learning of human civilizations. Keeping the whole world in mind, it maintains respect for various civilizations in the world, promotes the coexistence of civilizations, expands the space for human progress, contributes profound Chinese wisdom to building a community with a shared future for humanity, and enriches the "garden of civilizations" where "each appreciates its own beauty and the beauty of others" [5].
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to the theoretical thinking of keeping the whole world in mind, as reflected in the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. This involves advocating that different countries should share interests, rights, and responsibilities in international affairs, and promoting the common values of humanity—peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom—so they may take deeper root in people's hearts. Building a community with a shared future for humanity contains a broad vision, combining the universal principles of Marxism with the "All-under-Heaven" (天下, tiānxià) [6] view of fine traditional Chinese culture, providing a Chinese answer to the question of "where is humanity headed." It is a Chinese solution for responding to global challenges and promoting the progress of human civilization. Countries should work together to form the "greatest common divisor" for building a better world.
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to the theoretical thinking of keeping the whole world in mind, as reflected in its focus on creating a new form of human civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The best way to inherit history is to create new history; the greatest tribute to human civilization is to create a new form of human civilization." By keeping the whole world in mind and launching major initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the initiative for the common values of all humanity, and the Global Civilization Initiative, it transcends the power politics paradigm of traditional international relations, breaks the fatalistic shackles of the "clash of civilizations" theory, abandons the zero-sum game thinking of the "law of the jungle," and continuously promotes the creation of a new form of human civilization. This demonstrates the cultural theoretical consciousness of the Communists in the New Era and radiates the light of 21st-century Marxist truth.