Huang Kaifeng: The Historical Significance, Internal Mechanism, and Original Contributions of the "Second Integration"

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the Seminar on Cultural Inheritance and Development that the "Two Combinations" constitute the path we must take to pioneer and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. The "Second Combination," he stated, "[has] allowed us to master ideological and cultural initiative" and represents "another liberation of the mind," enabling us to "fully utilize the precious resources of fine traditional Chinese culture to explore theoretical and institutional innovations oriented toward the future." This is a profound summary of our Party's historical experience in the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, as well as a significant judgment on the developmental direction of Chinese culture. It indicates that our Party’s understanding of the Chinese path, theory, and system has reached a new height; its rational consciousness regarding the subjectivity of Chinese culture has reached a new height; and it has profoundly grasped and effectively responded to the urgent issues of contemporary cultural development. By both adhering to the guidance of Marxism and promoting national cultural traditions, the "Second Combination" has become the inevitable choice for answering the questions of our times.

I. Profoundly Grasping the Historical Significance of the "Second Combination"

The combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture is an internal requirement both for the process of Sinicizing Marxism and for the modernization of fine traditional Chinese culture. Examining the "Second Combination" within the context of the New Democratic Revolution, the socialist revolution and construction, and the period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization led by the CPC since modern times—especially since its founding—allows for a dialectical understanding. By situating it within the history of combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities, and within the great practice of our Party in opening new horizons for the development of Chinese culture since Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, we can better grasp the internal connections and distinctions of the "Two Combinations" and the historical significance of proposing the "Second Combination" in the New Era.

(1) The Historical Logic of the Modernization of Fine Traditional Chinese Culture

The combination of the uninterrupted, millennia-old fine traditional Chinese culture with the basic tenets of Marxism is a historical process. Understanding and grasping the dissemination, transformation, and internalization of the core values of fine traditional Chinese culture—and its eventual harmonious coexistence ^[1] with the basic tenets of Marxism to form a new cultural life-form—requires full attention to and appreciation of the historical logic therein.

The logic of traditional Chinese Confucianism extends from the individual (the self) to society (the world under heaven ^[2]), emphasizing the perfection of virtue and the "personality of the junzi" ^[3] (exemplary person). During the Zhou Dynasty, people revered Heaven, believing that "August Heaven has no affections; it helps only the virtuous." The Book of Rites speaks of "cultivating the self, regulating the family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world under heaven." The Analects, Xunzi, and Lu Jiuyuan all advocated "learning for the sake of oneself." The starting point for all these was the establishment of oneself to establish others; beginning with individual cultivation to perfect the relationships between the self and others. After the Opium War, as China gradually sank into a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, traditional ideological and cultural resources were once subjected to negation and critique. Many turned their gaze toward the outside world: reformism, liberalism, Social Darwinism, anarchism, pragmatism, populism, and syndicalism took the stage one after another, yet none could solve the problem of China's future and destiny. The choice of history and the people led China toward Marxism. After the founding of the CPC, the concept and pursuit of the junzi personality remained unbroken, subtly influencing generations of Chinese Communists. In In Memory of Norman Bethune, Mao Zedong praised Bethune as "a man who is noble-minded and pure, a man of moral integrity and above vulgar interests, a man who is of value to the people." In Serve the People, he said: "All men must die, but death can vary in its significance. To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai, but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather." Liu Shaoqi, in How to Be a Good Communist ^[4], emphasized Mencius’s dictum: "neither riches nor honors can corrupt him; neither poverty nor humble condition can swerve him; neither threats nor force can bend him." Chen Yi wrote in Reflections on My Sixty-Third Birthday: "I often examine myself at midnight" so as to "correct mistakes and march forward again." General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized the phrase from The Book of Rites: "Study extensively, inquire accurately, think carefully, distinguish clearly, and practice earnestly," and quoted: "A sage is a commoner willing to put in the work; a commoner is a sage unwilling to put in the work," requiring Communists to forge an "indestructible vajra body" ^[5]. These inherited and developed practices of spiritual cultivation and personal pursuit were gradually transformed, transcended, and sublimated during the process of Sinicizing Marxism, combining with communist ideals and faith to provide new interpretations, including the spirit of sacrifice.

"People as the foundation" (minben ^[6]) is a traditional Chinese ideological concept. Discourses such as "the people are the foundation of the state" and "Heaven sees as my people see, Heaven hears as my people hear; if the people within the four seas are distressed and poor, the wealth of Heaven will end forever" from the Book of Documents; Mencius’s "the people are of supreme importance, the altars of the gods of earth and grain come next, and the ruler is the least important"; and Huang Zongxi’s "the world is the master and the ruler is the guest" all embody typical minben thought. Since Marxism entered China, its advocacy of scientific socialism and its inherent collectivism have resonated with traditional Chinese minben consciousness and were quickly accepted by the Chinese people. During the Yan'an period, the CPC explicitly defined the purpose of "serving the people," continuing the minben tradition. After the start of reform and opening up, in response to the materialistic tendencies emerging during modernization, our Party proposed the "Scientific Outlook on Development" centered on "putting people first," the focus of which was precisely rooted in minben and humanism. In the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed that "the country is the people, and the people are the country," making it even clearer that the starting point and the ultimate goal of Chinese-path modernization are the people. The process of Sinicizing Marxism is also the process of integrating two thousand years of minben thought into the century-long history of the Party since its founding.

In traditional China, "Tianxia" (the world under heaven) was a vital concept, representing the realm where all living beings reside. In the seventy-plus years following the mid-19th century, while responding to the impact of the West, the Tianxia concept was transformed into national consciousness. Concurrently, Western concepts of nationalism were introduced to China, leading to negative assessments of our national consciousness. The true awakening of the Chinese people's own national consciousness originated from the struggle for national sovereignty during the May Fourth Movement. During the early period of the first KMT-CPC cooperation, Sun Yat-sen reinterpreted "Nationalism" within the "Three People's Principles," focusing on anti-imperialism, leading up to the anti-imperialist wave triggered by the May Thirtieth Movement. Throughout the century since the birth of the CPC, the Party has upheld an anti-imperialist stance and possessed a distinct national consciousness. At the same time, this national consciousness has always contained a world consciousness. Mao Zedong emphasized: "Chinese Communists must combine patriotism and internationalism... Patriotism is the application of internationalism in the national revolutionary war... Only those who are politically muddled or have ulterior motives can talk nonsense about our having done wrong and having abandoned internationalism." Deng Xiaoping pointed out: "China regards its own development as a matter of contribution to humanity and a matter of ensuring world peace." Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has frequently mentioned "a community with a shared future for humanity" and the "common values of humanity," reflecting a world consciousness that accompanies national consciousness. Thus, the internationalism of Marxism and the Tianxia consciousness of Chinese history and culture have "resonated" with each other, existing enduringly within the ideological and historical development of the CPC.

(2) The Historical Connection and Primary Distinctions of the "Two Combinations"

The development of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism to the present day can, in a sense, be called a "history of combinations." Our Party has always adhered to combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities (the "First Combination"). "Fine traditional Chinese culture" hasn't been absent; rather, it has functioned as a part of what "China’s specific realities" encompass. Mao Zedong and other revolutionaries of the older generation frequently emphasized "national forms" and "Chinese style." In our Party's history, "China’s specific realities" were sometimes understood as "China's specific national conditions" or "China's specific practice," and the masses often understood "specific realities" through "specific practice." Therefore, before the "Two Combinations"—especially the "Second Combination"—were proposed, the relationship between Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture could not yet be placed on equal footing with the relationship between Marxism and China's specific realities.

The development of the Sinicization of Marxism from "one combination" to "two combinations" actually externalizes "fine traditional Chinese culture" from its previous inclusion within "China’s specific realities," fully affirming the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. The development of the Sinicization of Marxism to the "Two Combinations," especially the "Second Combination"—the combination of "basic tenets of Marxism" with "fine traditional Chinese culture"—is a further deepening and expansion of the "First Combination." It elucidates the historical connection and the logic of internal compatibility between the two ideologies. The connotation and essence of the "Two Combinations," especially the "Second Combination," lie in this: Marxism must not only achieve Sinicization within the current specific realities but must also trigger a "chemical reaction" and achieve integration with the indigenous cultural genes rooted in Chinese reality, thereby forming a new cultural organism.

From "one combination" to "two combinations," there is both inheritance and development, internal connection and significant distinction. Before the "Two Combinations" were proposed, the combination of Marxism with China's specific realities was dominant, and the status and role of fine traditional Chinese culture were relatively limited. The proposal of the "Two Combinations" means that our Party's understanding of the internal laws of the Sinicization of Marxism has achieved a new sublimation. The basic paradigm of the Sinicization of Marxism and the positioning of fine traditional Chinese culture are different than before. The "Second Combination" emphasizes more the autonomy of fine traditional Chinese culture in its internal compatibility with Marxism and its adaptation to the requirements of Chinese modernization. It emphasizes more that Marxism activates the fine genes of Chinese culture, granting it vivid vitality through China's unique experience, language, and thinking. This is an internal requirement for both the Sinicization of Marxism and the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. it pushes Marxism further toward becoming "endogenous" and "internal," while pushing fine traditional Chinese culture further toward "renaissance" and "rebirth."

(3) The Inheritance and Development of Fine Traditional Chinese Culture Meets the New Era

In October 2024, during the 17th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must continue the Chinese cultural lineage through creative transformation and innovative development... deeply excavate and elucidate the spiritual connotation of fine traditional Chinese culture, use Marxism to activate the excellent factors within traditional Chinese culture and endow them with new connotations of the times, and develop socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era." Inheriting and developing fine traditional Chinese culture and opening new horizons for Chinese cultural development has been a major theme of our Party's cultural theory and practical research since socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, leading to a series of new ideas, viewpoints, and judgments. In September 2014, in a speech at the opening ceremony of the International Academic Conference Commemorating the 2565th Anniversary of Confucius’ Birth, Xi Jinping emphasized the need to "strive to achieve the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional culture." In October 2017, the report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC explicitly stated: "We will promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, inherit revolutionary culture, develop advanced socialist culture, stay true to our roots, absorb external influences, and face the future, so as to better build the Chinese spirit, Chinese values, and Chinese strength, and provide spiritual guidance for the people."

How do we achieve "creative transformation and innovative development"? First, we must refine the values and spiritual symbols that permeate fine traditional Chinese culture. In February 2014, at the 13th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized "deeply excavating and elucidating the contemporary value of fine traditional Chinese culture's emphasis on benevolence, the people as the foundation, integrity, justice, harmony, and the Great Unity." The report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC required: "We should deeply excavate the ideas, humanistic spirit, and moral standards contained in fine traditional Chinese culture, inherit and innovate in combination with the requirements of the times, and let Chinese culture show permanent charm and contemporary style." In August 2018, at the National Conference on Public Communication and Ideological Work, Xi Jinping proposed: "We must refine and display the spiritual symbols of fine traditional culture, and refine and display the cultural essence of fine traditional culture that has contemporary value and world significance." In May 2022, at the 39th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee, he emphasized "displaying the unique spiritual symbols of the Chinese nation to better build the Chinese spirit, Chinese values, and Chinese strength." The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC summarized and refined the values contained in Chinese culture, and again emphasized in the context of international communication: "We will stay firm in our Chinese cultural stance, refine and display the spiritual symbols and cultural essence of Chinese civilization, and accelerate the construction of a Chinese discourse and narrative system." In June 2023, at the Seminar on Cultural Inheritance and Development, General Secretary Xi Jinping systematically summarized the five prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization and once again concentratedly elucidated the values and spiritual symbols that permeate it.

The distillation of values and spiritual emblems is not aimless, nor is it a conceptual game; rather, it must harmonize with modern society and adapt to contemporary cultural needs, thereby nourishing core socialist values. In October 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the Symposium on Literature and Art that "fine traditional Chinese culture is the spiritual lifeblood of the Chinese nation and an important source nourishing core socialist values." In May 2016, at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences, he emphasized the need to "strengthen the excavation and elucidation of fine traditional Chinese culture, so that the most fundamental cultural genes of the Chinese nation adapt to contemporary culture and harmonize with modern society." In March 2021, during an inspection of the Zhu Xi Garden in Wuyishan, Fujian Province, General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: "We must attach special importance to excavating the essence of five thousand years of Chinese civilization, combining the promotion of fine traditional culture with Marxist positions, viewpoints, and methods, and unswervingly following the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics." In May 2022, during the thirty-ninth collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee, he made it clear that we must "uphold the fundamentals and break new ground, promoting the adaptation of fine traditional Chinese culture to socialist society."

The nourishment of core socialist values by fine traditional Chinese culture cannot be separated from the tempering process of cultural integration. "Opening up and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics on the profound foundation of over five thousand years of Chinese civilization, and combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and fine traditional Chinese culture, is the path we must take. This is a regular understanding ^[7] we have reached in exploring the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics." "'The Two Combinations' are the greatest secret to our success." General Secretary Xi Jinping particularly emphasized that the proposal of the "Second Combination" "demonstrates that our Party's consciousness in promoting cultural innovation while inheriting fine traditional Chinese culture has reached a new height." On June 30, 2023, during the sixth collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee, he emphasized "effectively integrating the essence of Marxist thought with the cream of fine traditional Chinese culture to produce a 'fusion' ^[8] that creates new theoretical advantages." In October 2023, the National Conference on Public Communication and Culture pointed out: "The new ideas, viewpoints, and assertions of General Secretary Xi Jinping regarding cultural development in the New Era are rich in connotation and profound in discourse; they are the theoretical summary of the Party’s practical experience in leading cultural construction in the New Era, enriching and developing Marxist cultural theory, constituting the 'cultural chapter' of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and forming Xi Jinping Culture Thought."

II. In-depth Analysis of the Internal Mechanism of the "Second Combination"

Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture have different origins and exist across historical and epochal divides; however, they are mutually compatible and mutually reinforcing in terms of "universal scientific principles" and "immutable normal ways" ^[9]. We must grasp the essence of thought and cultural cream from the height of integrating China and the West and connecting the past and the present. This promotes the true rooting of Marxism in the fertile soil of Chinese culture, becoming a localized intellectual creation with Chinese style and Chinese manner. It drives fine traditional Chinese culture—through the stimulation, smelting, and sublimation of Marxism—to acquire modern connotations and expressions, manifesting the vigorous vitality of indigenous thought and radiating a more proactive spiritual power. This clarifies the internal mechanism by which the essence of Marxist thought and the cream of fine traditional Chinese culture are integrated.

(1) The Distinction between Past and Present, China and the West, and the Path of Commonality

Marxism reveals the universal laws of human social development and the specific laws of capitalist contradictions, achieving a revolutionary solution to the "riddle of history" and the "riddle of capital." It is an advanced ideology that transcends capitalism and points toward a higher social form for the future. Fine traditional Chinese culture originates from ancient Chinese society, which was based on the patriarchal clan system and characterized by the "isomorphism of family and state" ^[10]. It is a cultural system with Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism as the mainstream, and a conceptual reflection of an agrarian civilization characterized by self-sufficiency. Promoting the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture requires facing these epochal differences and the distinction between past and present, subduing and discarding ^[11] things that do not conform to the trends of the times, while insisting on "making the past serve the present" and "weeding through the old to bring forth the new."

Marxism was born during the Western Industrial Revolution, emerging from Western culture represented by European civilization—a culture that generally presents as a contradictory unity of science and religion, reason and faith. The reason, freedom, and humanism propagated by the modern Enlightenment profoundly changed the Western cultural spirit but also brought about many crises of modernity. The social ideal of human liberation and free, comprehensive development proposed by Marxism is a response to the development crisis encountered by modern Western civilization and a call for a new future human civilization. Fine traditional Chinese culture is a typical Oriental culture, the intellectual crystallization accumulated over thousands of years of Chinese civilization. Agrarian civilization and familial bloodlines are its two major cultural genes, presenting a tradition of the "Way of Governance" ^[12] focused on peace, stability, order, and harmony, which also cultivated the "practical statecraft" ^[13] orientation of Chinese culture. Promoting the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture requires valuing these civilizational differences and the distinction between China and the West, maintaining the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, and "making the foreign serve China" while "pushing forth the new from the old."

Although Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture emerged from different eras and civilizations, insofar as they transcend their respective epochal limitations and civilizational traditions, they both possess values that break through established history and space. Differences at the level of "instruments" ^[14] do not hinder their compatibility in the sense of "universal scientific principles" and "immutable normal ways." "The social pursuit of 'the world belongs to all' ^[15] and 'fostering trust and harmony' is compatible with the ideals and beliefs of communism and socialism; the governance philosophy of 'the people as the foundation' and 'governing with virtue' merges with the political concept of 'the people's supremacy'; the commitment to 'weeding through the old to bring forth the new' and 'self-improvement' aligns with the revolutionary spirit of Communists." From the perspective of thinking methods and values, the practical principles of Marxist materialism are compatible with the "unity of knowledge and action" in fine traditional Chinese culture; Marxist dialectical thinking is compatible with the "Doctrine of the Mean," and so forth.

"'Combination' is not a 'platter' of ingredients, nor a simple 'physical reaction,' but a profound 'chemical reaction'"—it is a "harmony of the common Way" that connects the past, present, China, and the West. On one hand, fine traditional Chinese culture has undergone revolutionary development under the guidance of Marxism, achieving a renewal of life and a modern transformation. On the other hand, fine traditional Chinese culture has enriched the cultural life of Marxism, promoting its transformation into a Chinese form and deeply rooting it in indigenous cultural soil. The relationship between the basic tenets of Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture reflects both the historical fact of their gradual interaction and integration since the modern era and the proactive, conscious intellectual construction by our Party; it is a unity of what "ought to be" and what "is."

(2) The Interaction of "Stimulation/Elevation" and "Response/Influence"

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "After Marxism was introduced to China, the propositions of scientific socialism were warmly welcomed by the Chinese people and ultimately took root, blossomed, and bore fruit on Chinese soil. This was by no means accidental, but because they are integrated with the fine historical culture passed down for thousands of years in our country and the values that the masses 'use daily without realizing' ^[16]." On one hand, the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture first means treating fine traditional Chinese culture with an objective and respectful attitude, using Marxist positions, viewpoints, and methods to stimulate and elevate it, making it better adapted to contemporary Chinese practice and consistent with the theme of national rejuvenation. Communist ideals and beliefs stimulate the concepts of the "Way of Heaven" and "devotion to family and country" in traditional Chinese culture; the Marxist view of practice stimulates the concept of "practical statecraft"; the Marxist historical materialist view of the masses stimulates the interpersonal ethics and humanistic thought praised by traditional culture; Marxist cultivation of Party spirit stimulates the "superior man" ^[17] character pursued by traditional culture; the Marxist theory of world history stimulates the "view of the world" ^[18] in traditional Chinese culture; and so on.

On the other hand, the "Second Combination" means that fine traditional Chinese culture, activated by Marxism, radiates a more proactive spiritual power, actively responding to and influencing the historical process of the Sinicization of Marxism, thereby forming a new narrative of Marxism with Chinese style and Chinese manner. In the modern era, especially during the political and educational reforms from the late Qing to the early Republic and the May Fourth New Culture Movement, indigenous intellectual resources, including traditional Chinese culture, were once regarded as symbols of backwardness and negativity. After Marxism's introduction to China, the response and influence of fine traditional Chinese culture on Marxism remained a question for many intellectuals. In 1921, Liang Shuming's Eastern and Western Cultures and Their Philosophies was perhaps a response to Western culture, including Marxism and socialism. He reflected on the possibility of a fused development of Chinese and Western cultures, believing at the time that Western culture should be "accepted in its entirety," yet remaining confident in the future of Confucian culture. In 1932, Zhang Shenfu proposed the "union of the three streams" (China, the West, and Marxism). Zhang Dainian continued this thought, publishing an article in May 1936 proposing "Synthetic Creationism." "The synthesis mentioned here is actually based on materialism, absorbing idealism and analysis to establish an expansive and profound materialism... The synthesis of materialism, idealism, and analysis is indeed the inevitable path for the development of the new materialism." He affirmed the significance of Chinese philosophy’s own tradition to Marxist materialism. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Xiong Shili’s "New Book of Changes," Ma Yifu’s "New Study of the Classics," Feng Youlan’s "New Neo-Confucianism," and He Lin’s "New School of Mind" can be seen to some extent as the "philosophical response" of traditional Chinese culture to Marxism, reflecting the voices of thinkers striving to maintain traditional culture, especially Confucianism.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the theory and practice of the "creative transformation and innovative development" of fine traditional Chinese culture have been an active response to the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, initiating a new era of national cultural consciousness. For instance, using the ideals of "benevolence and righteousness" ^[19] to support the ethical construction of the socialist market economy, using the cultural character of "practical statecraft" to assist in the cultivation and practice of core socialist values, and using the wisdom of the "Middle Way" and the art of dynamic balance to assist the practice of Chinese-path modernization—these are the actual influences that fine traditional Chinese culture can exert after actively responding to Marxism.

(3) Bidirectional Construction and Mutual Achievement

The "Two Combinations," especially the "Second Combination," reflect the internal requirements for the bidirectional construction of Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture. The Sinicization of Marxism in its complete sense—thereby creating "Chinese Marxism"—itself means rooting it in the fertile soil of Chinese culture; it is an intellectual creation directed toward the Chinese soil. The modernization of fine traditional Chinese culture in its complete sense—thereby achieving "new life" and "rejuvenation"—itself means passing through the activation of Marxism to manifest the vigorous vitality of Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit. The transformation from "Marxism in China" to "Sinicized Marxism" and finally to "Chinese Marxism"—achieving the great synthesis of Chinese Marxism—means that the Marxism accompanying Chinese-path modernization has truly entered the bloodstream of the Chinese people. It also means we have the capacity to distill a new narrative of Marxism belonging to China from our own vivid practices, truly forming a Chinese style and Chinese manner.

Modern consciousness regarding traditional Chinese culture has undergone a complex psychological journey of gains and losses. The layered impacts of Western civilization—from technology to politics to culture—highlighted the dilemma where traditional culture was forced to change while trying to adapt. Today, having experienced the conceptual shift from "looking backward" and "looking outward" to "looking forward" based on reality, we have gradually formed a rational consciousness and firm confidence in fine traditional Chinese culture through the interaction between the Sinicization of Marxism and the modernization of Chinese traditional culture. Achieving the great synthesis of Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit means we must stand on Chinese ground and truly clarify the logic by which vibrancy is regained through creative transformation and innovative development. The "rejuvenation" and "new life" of fine traditional Chinese culture are not a self-contained cycle; they remain inseparable from the guidance of Marxism.

The result of this bidirectional construction is mutual achievement. On one hand, Chinese culture has thereby opened up a new vista, achieving the leap from the traditional to the modern; on the other hand, Marxism has achieved a new leap in its Sinicization and modernization, becoming an endogenous force within Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit. "The 'second combination' allows Marxism to become Chinese and fine traditional Chinese culture to become modern, ensuring that the new culture formed through this 'combination' becomes the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization." Of course, we must properly handle the relationship between the Sinicization of Marxism and the modernization of fine traditional Chinese culture, avoiding both "Confucianizing Marxism" and "using Marxism to abolish Confucianism." We must persist in "taking ourselves as the primary subject" ^[20] while continuously opening up new frontiers for the development of Chinese culture. Analyzed theoretically, the bidirectional construction of Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture is the theoretical expression of the scientific outlook on history and materialist dialectics regarding the issue of cultural development.

III. Deeply Understanding the Original Contributions of the "Second Combination"

The proposal of the "second combination" "indicates that our Party’s understanding of the Chinese path, theory, and system has reached a new height; it indicates that our Party’s historical confidence and cultural confidence have reached a new height; and it indicates that our Party’s consciousness in promoting cultural innovation while inheriting fine traditional Chinese culture has reached a new height." It is "another liberation of the mind." The "second combination" activates the genetic markers of fine traditional Chinese culture with Marxism and replenishes the cultural life of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture. It resolves the disputes between the ancient and the modern, the West and the East, and "substance and utility" ^[21], unifying epochal character with national character. It consolidates cultural subjectivity, strengthens the rational consciousness of the Chinese nation’s independent development, and continuously endows the Party’s innovative theories with distinct Chinese characteristics.

(1) The "Second Combination" is "Another Liberation of the Mind"

In the historical process of promoting the Sinicization of Marxism, our Party has always persisted in liberating the mind and seeking truth from facts, continuously liberating itself from dogmatism and empiricism. During the New Democratic Revolution period, Mao Zedong proposed the proposition of the "Sinicization of Marxism," combining the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete reality, bidding farewell to "bookishness" ^[22], and successfully opening the path for the Chinese revolution. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, we also proposed the task of a "second combination" ^[23] to conduct a preliminary exploration of the path of Chinese socialist construction. The 1978 discussion on the criterion of truth liberated people's thinking from the shackles of "pseudo-Marxism" and opened the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. On December 13 of the same year, Deng Xiaoping delivered the speech "Emancipate the Mind, Seek Truth from Facts, and Unite as One in Looking to the Future" at a central work conference, clearly pointing out: "Emancipating the mind means making one's ideas conform to reality and making the subjective conform to the objective; this is seeking truth from facts. If in all our future work we are to truly persist in seeking truth from facts, we must continue to emancipate our minds." Liberating the mind is a process of continuous deepening of thought; the so-called "continuing" to emancipate the mind precisely reflects the process by which practice-based thinking gradually comes to coincide with reality.

Since the New Era, the "second combination" has been "a realization of regularity derived from our exploration of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics," and its direction has become clearer and its foundation firmer. The "new cultural lifeform" created by the "second combination" represents a re-recognition and re-affirmation of excellent traditions at a higher stage, while simultaneously creating a new form of human civilization. This signifies that the Party’s level of understanding regarding how to build socialism with Chinese characteristics far exceeds that of the past; it is "another liberation of the mind."

From the perspective of the innovative development of Marxist theory, the "second combination" both activates the genes of Chinese civilization using Marxist positions, viewpoints, and methods, and roots the tree of Marxist truth in the fertile soil of Chinese culture, effectively responding to doubts and concerns about "Confucianizing Marxism." The "second combination" promotes the modern transformation and autonomous development of fine traditional Chinese culture; it is a continuation of traditional culture rather than a rupture. At the same time, it represents the overlapping of the openness of Marxist theory and the inclusiveness of Chinese culture, effectively promoting the localization of foreign culture. The combination of the "soul-vein" ^[24] of Marxism and the "root-vein" ^[25] of fine traditional Chinese culture is the latest synthesis of the historical experience of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism over the century since the Party’s founding.

The independence and self-confidence toward Marxism and Chinese culture formed by the successful opening of the path of Chinese-path modernization, the spiritual support required for socialism to move from a "classical form" toward "autonomous development," the adjustments in the new international order, and the subjectivity-based value thinking that is being strengthened through its generation—all these factors objectively put forward new expectations for how to view the relationship between Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture and how to respond to the trend of historical nihilism. In particular, it is especially important to transcend polar oppositions at the level of spiritual values and properly handle the relationship between universality and nationality. This objective requirement is intrinsically consistent with our Party’s active and conscious reflection on and exploration of new realms of Chinese cultural development in the New Era and its proposal of the "second combination." It can be called "another liberation of the mind" in the New Era, where the subjective conforms to the objective.

(2) The Development of the Marxist Outlook on Culture by the "Second Combination"

Since the New Era, our Party has gained a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of Chinese culture. The formulation "fine traditional Chinese culture" itself already contains a critical consciousness of "absorbing the essence and discarding the dregs," and as a whole, it fully affirms the historical inheritance, contemporary value, and global significance of traditional culture. For example: "Fine traditional Chinese culture deposits the deepest spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation and provides rich nourishment for its continuous growth and development"; "Fine traditional Chinese culture is a prominent advantage of the Chinese nation and our deepest cultural soft power"; "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 stand firm amidst the turbulence of global culture"; and "Chinese civilization continues the spiritual bloodline of our country and nation; it needs to be passed down and guarded from generation to generation, and it also needs to advance with the times and break new ground." Chinese Communists have always been loyal inheritors and promoters of fine traditional Chinese culture.

The "Two Combinations," especially the "second combination," represent not only the development of the Marxist outlook on culture but also a resolution of the disputes between the ancient and the modern, the West and the East, and substance and utility. Within the "second combination," the "Chinese" element has, through combination, formed an organic and unified new lifeform with "Marxism." The "East-West dispute" is no longer an issue, as the "Chinese" now internally incorporates the "Western" (Marxist) element, strengthening the cultural consciousness of the Chinese nation’s autonomous development. Marxism was born in the era of the rise of Western capitalism and industrial civilization; it belongs to the "West" yet transcends the "West." Through the "second combination," Marxism has acquired the support of endogenous Chinese cultural thought resources, thereby becoming better able to achieve revolutionary answers to the "riddle of history" and the "riddle of capital," while exploring a new future civilization for humanity.

(3) The Expansion of "Chinese Characteristics" by the "Second Combination"

Compared to the growth of cultural value systems in many other countries, the "second combination" may be a unique exception, fully embodying "Chinese characteristics." These "Chinese characteristics" represent a historical process where resurgence and originality coexist. In this process—whether in the modern transformation of fine traditional Chinese culture or the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism—both autonomy and inclusiveness are present. The same applies to the theoretical innovation of Marxism moving further toward being "internal" and "endogenous" as contained within the "second combination." Expanding and optimizing "Chinese characteristics" can provide a unique model for building a community with a shared future for humanity and promoting the common values of all humanity.

"Without the five thousand years of Chinese civilization, where would Chinese characteristics come from? And without Chinese characteristics, how could we have the successful path of socialism with Chinese characteristics we have today?" "Chinese characteristics" emphasize China’s original practical experience—viewpoints and theories rich in their own character, distilled and summarized from Chinese history and reality. "Why is our socialism different? Why is it able to be so full of vigor and vitality? The key lies in Chinese characteristics... The simple socialist elements in Chinese culture also provided the cultural foundation for China’s acceptance of Marxism." Previously, our understanding of socialism with Chinese characteristics and our comprehension of the Sinicization of Marxism were based more on the analytical framework of the "first combination," with less focus on the simple socialist elements contained within Chinese culture itself. The "second combination" enriches and expands the historical and cultural space of "Chinese characteristics."

The proposal of the "second combination" means we must analyze and grasp the advantages and features of fine traditional Chinese culture within the historical process of the Sinicization of Marxism and form original results rich in "Chinese characteristics." Facing a century of history and reality, we will continuously distill, enrich, and optimize our understanding of Chinese characteristics. As a system of doctrine, "Chinese characteristics" emphasize the value concepts inherited and developed by the Chinese nation, while also valuing the new cultural achievements formed during the periods of revolution and construction, as well as the new realm reachable through the interactive integration of the Sinicization of Marxism and the modernization of Chinese culture. The new cultural lifeform created by the "second combination" serves the building of a leading country in culture ^[26], promotes the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and strives to demonstrate its superiority and enhance the persuasiveness of "Chinese characteristics" in the process of achieving Chinese-path modernization. Of course, if we were to indiscriminately take unscientific, anti-scientific, ignorant, or backward things from the past and re-label them as "Chinese characteristics" or treat them as "national essences" and "treasures," it would run counter to the forward direction of New Era socialist culture with Chinese characteristics as persisted in and advocated by the "second combination."

By reaching the intellectual source of fine traditional Chinese culture, persisting in the Marxist method of absorbing and reflecting upon Western civilization, demonstrating the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation in the crucible of cultural combination, promoting and expanding Chinese-path modernization, and creating a new form of human civilization—the unique significance of this cannot be overstated. However, adhering to and optimizing "Chinese characteristics"—including the continuous exploration of specific practices and experiences—does not mean denying commonality; rather, it highlights the spiritual creation suitable for the soil of Chinese history, thought, and culture. Our Party has always advocated the common values of all humanity—peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom. The new cultural lifeform created by the "second combination" contributes Chinese wisdom to the promotion of these common values of all humanity.

Conclusion

Promoting the "second combination," facilitating the integration and resonance between the essence of Marxist thought, the cream of fine traditional Chinese culture, and the common value concepts that the "masses use daily without being aware of them" ^[27], and building a socialist leading country in culture—these are the important missions of Chinese Communists in the New Era. Deeply grasping the historical significance of the "second combination," analyzing its internal mechanisms, and understanding its original contributions ultimately requires studying, comprehending, and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to stimulate the cultural innovation and creative vitality of the entire nation. Persisting in the "second combination" means persisting in the path of developing socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, grounding ourselves in the history and reality of the Chinese nation, properly summarizing Chinese experience, distilling Chinese theory, and truly achieving cultural confidence and spiritual independence. Persisting in the "second combination" means upholding an open and inclusive posture and mindset, actively learning from and drawing on all excellent achievements of human civilization, and nourishing and creating New Era socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. Persisting in the "second combination" means upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground, maintaining the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field, elevating the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, truly integrating the ancient and the modern as well as the Chinese and the foreign, achieving an organic link between tradition and modernity, and continuing the Chinese cultural lineage through creative transformation and innovative development.