Marxism Research Network
Unofficial English Translation

Fang Shinan: Grasping the Theoretical Contributions and Practical Requirements of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture from the Perspective of Upholding Cultural Subjectivity

Xi Jinping Thought (New Era)

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is both a theoretical synthesis of the practical experience and basic laws of the Chinese Communist Party's leadership over socialist cultural construction in the New Era, and an action guide for the Chinese people to shoulder a new cultural mission at a new historical starting point. This mission entails continuing to promote cultural prosperity and development, constantly forging new glories for Chinese culture, and striving to build a leading socialist cultural power. The important discourse and practical requirements regarding the upholding of the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation constitute a vital component of the scientific system of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture; they represent a major original contribution and a significant practical imperative of this body of thought.

Upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is an inherent element of comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization; it is a vital manifestation and prominent characteristic of the Chinese nation’s transition from standing up and becoming prosperous to becoming strong. The fundamental requirement of Chinese-path modernization in the realm of cultural construction is the necessary upholding of the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. This highlights the values, institutional advantages, practical methods, and ideal goals of Chinese-path modernization in cultural construction, ensuring that the great ship of Chinese-path modernization sails steadily and reaches far while braving winds and waves.

Upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation further accentuates the subjective status, teleological demands, and value pursuits of our country’s cultural construction in the New Era. From the perspective of cultural construction, it demonstrates the distinct characteristics of Chinese-path modernization as an organic combination of universality and specificity, and indicates from a holistic height that upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is a grand systemic project. Within the discourse system and internal logical structure of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, this grand systemic project primarily involves a development strategy composed of the "Four Fundamentals":

  1. Strengthening cultural confidence is the fundamental conviction for upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation.
  2. Maintaining the Party's cultural leadership is the fundamental guarantee for upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation.
  3. Adhering to the "Two Combinations" [1] is the fundamental path for upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation.
  4. Promoting exchange and mutual learning among civilizations is the fundamental strategy for upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation.

These "Four Fundamentals" possess a rigorous logical interconnectedness; they are closely linked and indispensable to one another, forming an organic whole with tight internal logic and mutual interaction. This fully reflects the distinct value orientation and practical direction of the theoretical and practical innovations within Xi Jinping Thought on Culture.

I. Strengthening cultural confidence is the fundamental conviction for upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation

The important discourses on strengthening cultural confidence and upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation constitute a major theoretical doctrine that General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized since the 18th CPC National Congress. They are an essential part of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, representing an original theoretical contribution and reflecting its clear practical orientation. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture links cultural confidence with cultural subjectivity, revealing that upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation must take firm cultural confidence as its fundamental conviction. With firm cultural confidence, one develops a profound identification with and steadfast belief in the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. This provides the confidence, strength, consciousness, and dynamic creativity necessary to uphold that subjectivity, allowing it to be manifested in a way that is worthy of the name.

The purpose of strengthening cultural confidence is precisely to uphold the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. This ensures that the Chinese nation steadily advances Chinese-path modernization with spiritual-cultural independence and self-reliance [2]. It allows us to declare to the world with full confidence that there is no single, fixed model for modernization. Modernization is by no means synonymous with Westernization or Americanization, nor is it a break from a nation’s own history and culture.

China’s problems must be solved by the Chinese people themselves, starting from China’s basic national conditions. We must ensure the "interconnectivity of the pulses" between the "soul-vein" (马克思主义这个魂脉) of Marxism and the "root-vein" (中华优秀传统文化这个根脉) of fine traditional Chinese culture. On the basis of strengthening cultural confidence, we must bolster our confidence in our path, theory, system, and culture [3], unswervingly following China's own path of modern development and contributing Chinese strength to the progress of human civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must maintain a firm faith in Marxism and a firm belief in socialism with Chinese characteristics, and strengthen our confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture." By positioning cultural confidence as the foundation of the "Four Confidences," he illustrates its immense value as a fundamental conviction that supports the spirit of the Chinese nation and promotes the development of Chinese civilization. This helps us deepen our understanding of the significance of upholding cultural subjectivity and points the way toward how the road of Chinese-path modernization should be traveled and how it can be traveled more steadily.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping, standing at the strategic height of the overall cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, has repeatedly emphasized "cultural confidence." By intimately linking cultural confidence with the upholding of the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, he has provided a theoretical basis for people to profoundly grasp the connotation, epochal value, and far-reaching significance of Chinese-path modernization. During the 13th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee on February 24, 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping first proposed the proposition of "enhancing cultural confidence and confidence in our values."

Since then—in his important speech at the Symposium on Literature and Art (October 15, 2014); his remarks to foreign representatives at the second "Understanding China" International Conference (November 3, 2015); his speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences (May 17, 2016); his address at the ceremony marking the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPC (July 1, 2016); his speech at the opening ceremony of the 10th National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and the 9th National Congress of the China Writers Association (CWA) (November 30, 2016); his remarks at the Dunhuang Academy symposium (August 19, 2019); his speech at the national commendation meeting for ethnic unity and progress (September 27, 2019); his address during the inspection of the Premier School Affiliated to Hou Kong Middle School in Macao (December 19, 2019); his speech at the national meeting to commend role models in the fight against COVID-19 (September 8, 2020); his remarks at the symposium for representatives of experts in education, culture, health, and sports (September 22, 2020); his presiding over the 23rd collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee (September 28, 2020); his speech at the 11th National Congress of CFLAC and 10th National Congress of CWA (December 14, 2021); and his speech at the Symposium on Cultural Inheritance and Development (June 2023)—he has repeatedly emphasized the need to strengthen cultural confidence from the unified height of historical logic, theoretical logic, and practical logic. He has identified cultural confidence as a more fundamental, broader, and deeper confidence, as well as a more basic, profound, and enduring force.

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on strengthening cultural confidence are closely linked to the proposition of upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, pointing out the practical requirements of cultural construction within Chinese-path modernization. Chinese-path modernization develops through the mutual dependence and mutual promotion of cultural confidence and the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. In his speech at the Symposium on Cultural Inheritance and Development, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the significant thesis of "cultural subjectivity," asserting that cultural confidence comes from cultural subjectivity. In subsequent speeches, he has frequently used the term "cultural subjectivity," with variations including "cultural subjectivity," "the subject of Chinese culture," "our cultural subjectivity," and "the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation."

According to the logic of moving from the specific to the universal, cultural subjectivity can be divided into individual, collective (state, nation), and categorical levels, which are closely linked and interact with each other. The cultural subjectivity spoken of by General Secretary Xi Jinping primarily refers to the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. Within this context of cultural subjectivity as a general concept, the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is intimately related to cultural subjectivity in the collective and individual sense. From the perspectives of the long history of Chinese culture, traditional concepts, thought systems, spiritual lineages, unique advantages, value status, and future trends, General Secretary Xi Jinping has profoundly revealed the dialectical relationship and contemporary value of strengthening cultural confidence and upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. He noted: "The Chinese nation has a profound cultural tradition and has formed a distinctive system of thought, reflecting the knowledge, wisdom, and rational speculation accumulated by the Chinese people over thousands of years. This is our unique advantage. Chinese civilization continues the spiritual lineage of our country and nation; it needs to be passed down from generation to generation and protected, but it also needs to advance with the times and break new ground."

This explains why the Chinese nation has every reason, a rich foundation, and unique advantages to strengthen cultural confidence in the process of advancing Chinese-path modernization, and on this basis, to firmly uphold its cultural subjectivity. At the same time, it indicates that strengthening cultural confidence and upholding cultural subjectivity is about stimulating the endogenous drive and innovative vitality of the entire nation. By enhancing the cultural subjectivity consciousness, establishing the cultural subjectivity status, improving the cultural subjectivity quality, and exerting the cultural subjectivity capacity of every individual, we strengthen the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation as a whole. This calls upon the Chinese people to actively devote themselves to the practice of Chinese-path modernization, shoulder the new cultural mission of the New Era, and continuously forge new glories for Chinese culture.

The cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is a form of cultural autonomy and dynamic creativity manifested through the values, thought systems, language, culture, and spiritual symbols that the Chinese nation has continuously created and accumulated over its long history. This attribute fully demonstrates the Chinese nation’s high degree of confidence in the great value of its own culture, its contribution to human civilization, and its prospects for innovative development. Therefore, the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is built upon cultural confidence; it is a subjectivity that is continuously reinforced by taking cultural confidence as its powerful spiritual support. Only by strengthening cultural confidence and promoting cultural innovation on this basis can the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation be consolidated and developed; and only by upholding that cultural subjectivity can cultural confidence be further strengthened and cultural innovation promoted in practice.

Upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation first requires a firm conviction. This conviction comes from a high degree of confidence in the values and the power of truth within Chinese culture, its high-quality spiritual products, and its brilliant future prospects. The purpose of strengthening cultural confidence and upholding cultural subjectivity is to maintain a clear understanding of where Chinese culture comes from, its current historical coordinates, and how it will move toward the future. This inspires the vigor required to promote the development of Chinese-path modernization and stimulates the high-quality development of all undertakings, including cultural construction.

Whether viewed through the lens of history or through the current practice of Chinese-path modernization, the Chinese nation is the most qualified, possesses the best conditions, and has the most confidence and foundation—as well as the greatest strength and ability—to discuss cultural confidence and the preservation of its own cultural subjectivity. Any psychology of cultural inferiority or self-abandonment, and any advocacy for "total Westernization," is erroneous, fundamentally untenable, and unworkable in practice. As an organic whole, the Chinese nation has always existed and developed as a subject possessing excellent qualities, deep-seated cultural genes, and a unique cultural life force. The formation of the concept of the "Chinese nation" (Zhonghua Minzu) is closely related to the contribution of Liang Qichao [4]. In his 1902 article "On the General Trend of National Competition," he explicitly used the concept of the "Chinese nation." His aim was to awaken the people's national subjective consciousness, actively carry out activities to "save the nation from subjugation and ensure its survival" [5], promote the Reform Movement [6] and the construction of a nationalist state, and stand tall among the world's eminent nations through spiritual and cultural independence and autonomy.

After the Revolution of 1911 [7], the concept of the "Chinese nation" gained broader recognition and use, strengthening the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese people and enhancing their sense of identity and pride as a unified whole. This coalesced into a powerful national fighting spirit and national character, driving the entire nation to unite amidst the waves of national salvation. This cultivated and expanded national strength, enabling the Chinese nation to continue developing and thriving (sheng sheng bu xi) [8] after enduring various hardships and obstacles. Therefore, the Chinese nation is both a community of survival and development within a specific space-time and a spiritual-cultural community with a consensus on values, identity, and emotional belonging. As a spiritual-cultural community, the Chinese nation not only preserves all the wisdom and civilizational achievements formed during its arduous and tortuous historical development but also contains the powerful spiritual and cultural force that drives it to move steadily toward the future. This provides sufficient reason for constituting the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation and possessing firm cultural confidence.

The fine traditional Chinese culture nurtured over 5,000 years of civilizational progress, along with the revolutionary culture and advanced socialist culture formed during the great struggles led by the Party in unity with the Chinese people, all deposit the deepest, most vigorous, most dynamic, and most resilient spiritual and cultural pursuits of the Chinese nation. They represent the unique spiritual and cultural identity of the Chinese nation and provide rich spiritual and cultural nourishment for firming cultural confidence and upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "With cultural subjectivity, we have a firm sense of self in a cultural sense, cultural confidence has a fundamental reliance, the Communist Party of China 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 in the world." This passage profoundly elaborates on the dialectical relationship between cultural confidence and the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, making clear that the purpose of firming cultural confidence lies in upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. By upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, socialist cultural construction gains a strong sense of self, clear cultural self-awareness, and cultural creativity. Therefore, firming cultural confidence and upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation are of great significance for improving the governing party's leadership, the cohesive force of advanced culture, the appeal of Chinese culture, the influence of international communication, the persuasiveness of Chinese discourse, the guiding power over international public opinion, and the affinity of China's image.

II. Persisting in the Party's Cultural Leadership is the Fundamental Guarantee for Upholding the Cultural Subjectivity of the Chinese Nation

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on persisting in the Party’s cultural leadership and on upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation further highlight the value aspirations and practical requirements of Chinese-path modernization from the dimension of high-quality development in cultural construction. These are the two most important theoretical cornerstones within Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. The victory of China’s New Democratic Revolution, the continuous success of the socialist revolution and construction, and the cause of reform and opening up have fully proven that to handle China’s affairs well, the key is to strengthen the Party’s leadership. The Party’s cultural leadership is an indispensable and important part of persisting in the Party’s overall leadership. Given the importance of the Party’s propaganda, ideological, and cultural work, this leadership power appears particularly necessary and important. Persisting in the Party’s cultural leadership is the fundamental guarantee for upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation; this is determined by the CPC’s original aspiration and founding mission, its governing status, its leadership capacity, the consolidation of the Party’s governing foundation, the safeguarding of ideological security, and the practice of organizing and mobilizing the masses to participate in cultural construction.

At the ceremony marking the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the greatest advantage of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the foundation and lifeblood of the Party and the state, and the crux of the interests and destiny of the people of all ethnic groups across the country." Making efforts to strengthen the Party’s leadership over propaganda, ideological, and cultural work ranks first among the "Seven Great Efforts" [9] required for the Party’s propaganda, ideological, and cultural work in the New Era. It occupies a vital position in managing the overall situation, the whole picture, and the overall direction, playing a major leading and guaranteeing role for the other six aspects. In both thought and action, it must only be strengthened and never wavered or weakened.

On the issue of upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, the Party has always occupied the subjective position, shoulder the subjective responsibility, and exerted the subjective function. To exercise the Party's role in upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation means strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over propaganda, ideological, and cultural work. In this process, leadership capacity and performance must be fully manifested, thereby consolidating the Party’s governing foundation and improving its leadership ability. Therefore, we must fully recognize the extreme importance of persisting in the Party’s cultural leadership for upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation in the New Era from the heights of politics, principles, Party spirit, the overall situation, and capability.

From the perspective of its most critical content and essential requirements, persisting in the Party's cultural leadership "means persisting in the Party's leadership over ideological work." Comprehensively strengthening the Party's leadership over ideological work and preventing or defusing political risks in the ideological sphere are prominent manifestations of upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation by persisting in the Party's cultural leadership in the New Era. Practice has proven that the ideological line of defense is the most important; once it cannot be held, other lines of defense will inevitably collapse instantly. Building a solid ideological defense is the fundamental measure for responding to all risks and challenges. As an ideological superstructure, ideology is a reflection of the economic base; it is the core of culture and a theoretical system and set of values formed on the basis of high abstraction and the distillation of culture. Ideology plays an important role in leading and regulating culture, determining its value orientation, developmental path, and forward direction, and playing a crucial role in the development of parties, states, and nations.

The essential attribute of ideology is its class character, which determines that ideology has distinct value attributes and value orientations. This shows that ideological work is an extremely important task for the Party, concerning the future and destiny of the Party, the long-term stability of the state, and comprehensive competitiveness. it concerns the cohesive and centripetal force of the Chinese nation, as well as the worldviews, outlooks on life, and values of the masses. Ideological work is the work of establishing a heart for the state and a soul for the nation; it is a task of fundamental, overall, and strategic significance. Therefore, strengthening the Party’s leadership over ideological work and exercising leadership effectively is fundamental to ensuring that mainstream socialist ideology firmly occupies the dominant position. In the Grundrisse (1857–1858), Marx pointed out: "If we consider this from a conceptual perspective, the dissolution of a certain form of consciousness is enough to bring down an entire epoch."

In a society where classes and class antagonisms exist, the ideological sphere has never been value-neutral, value-free, or value-marginalized. Increasingly fierce modern cultural competition has become focused on and reduced to competition in the ideological sphere. The struggle in the ideological sphere is long-term and complex, mainly involving fierce struggles across many aspects—such as different political values, ethical views, and historical-cultural views—formed by different "isms," different systems, different paths, and different cultures. In the process of Chinese-path modernization in the New Era, erroneous arguments such as the "obsolescence of Marxism," "separation of powers [10]," "modernization is Westernization," "uselessness of traditional culture," and "ideological neutrality" all pose major challenges to the dominant position of our country’s mainstream ideology and can lead to major political risks in the ideological field. If this position in the ideological field cannot be held, fundamental, overall, and disastrous problems will arise where the socialist system changes its nature, color, and flavor.

Only by persisting in the Party’s cultural leadership can we ensure that the Party’s guiding position in the ideological field remains unshaken, ensure that socialist core values occupy the dominant position, ensure that the theory of Chinese-path modernization enters people’s hearts and is transformed into a great practical power, and ensure that while persisting in combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific reality, we also combine them with fine traditional Chinese culture ("the Two Combinations"), thus upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation and consolidating the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups. Today, with the three major trends of economic globalization, cultural diversification, and information networking intertwined—exerting broad and profound impacts on global socio-economic structures and cultural values—opportunities and risks coexist. China’s cultural security, with socialist ideological security at its core, has become particularly prominent and important.

Unlike the tangible "hard" security of traditional national sovereignty, territory, and defense, or economic, food, traffic, and personal safety, cultural security centered on socialist ideological security is an invisible and "soft" security at the level of spiritual and cultural values. Socialist ideological security occupies the most hidden yet most important position in overall national security; it acts like the heart and brain of national security, concerning the rise and fall of the country and the safety of the nation. China’s socialist ideological security primarily refers to the Party and state ensuring, through strengthened cultural construction, that Marxist ideology always occupies the mainstream position and fully exerts its guiding function within the national spiritual and cultural value system, and ensuring that fine traditional Chinese culture is inherited and innovated to provide spiritual and cultural support for Chinese-path modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Upholding the fundamentals (shou zheng) means upholding the fundamental system of the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field, upholding the fundamental requirements of the 'Two Combinations,' and upholding the CPC’s cultural leadership and the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation." Therefore, persisting in the Party’s cultural leadership is the "magic weapon" [11] for ensuring that China's cultural construction always advances along the socialist direction and effectively avoids major deviations and subversive mistakes in the cultural field.

The cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is not something that can be shaped solely through theoretical propaganda and subjective will; rather, it is nurtured through the vivid practice of cultural construction. This cultural subjectivity is by no means an abstract or hollow concept; it is concrete and substantial. It is realized in actual, concrete individuals and manifests through the exercise of their subjective practical activities. The relationship between the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation and the individual subjectivity of its citizens is one of the "general" and the "particular." Any general category always resides within the particular; the general is expressed through the particular, and without the particular, the general would not exist. Simultaneously, every particular involves the general; the particular is an instance of the general and reflects it. The cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is both a holistic spiritual and cultural existence and something expressed through the subjectivity of the nation's citizens.

Only by upholding the Party's cultural leadership [12] can we consciously place cultural construction in a more prominent position and transform that leadership into a powerful capacity for cultural governing. The Party’s cultural leadership is formed and functions through this governing capacity; it is an influence and appeal manifested through the emphasis on leadership, the ability to lead, and the mastery of leadership techniques. The Party’s cultural leadership and its cultural governing capacity interact and generate one another. The former determines the emergence and exercise of the latter, while the latter influences the former. The Party’s cultural governing capacity refers to the level of ability the Party demonstrates in actively exercising its cultural leadership to organize, guide, and direct the masses in their participation in cultural construction. In practice, a strong cultural governing capacity transforms into effective mobilization and organizational power among the masses. Through powerful cultural cohesion and centripetal force, it enhances the cultural confidence and creative potential of all citizens. By promoting the full realization of each individual’s subjectivity, it stimulates a powerful internal drive and immense innovative vitality across society for participating in cultural construction and creating advanced culture.

In practice, this means inheriting and developing fine traditional Chinese culture, promoting revolutionary culture, and developing advanced socialist culture. It involves driving high-quality development in cultural programs and industries, promoting cultural prosperity in the New Era, and continuously improving China's cultural soft power. The goal is to build China into a great modern socialist power that is both materially wealthy and spiritually rich, better satisfying the people's growing spiritual and cultural needs, and strengthening our international discourse power [13] and communication capacity to enhance our cultural soft power through expanded international influence.

III. Adhering to the "Two Combinations" is the Fundamental Path for Upholding the Cultural Subjectivity of the Chinese Nation

The construction of a great socialist cultural power is carried out under the guidance of Marxist theory and through the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. The cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is firmly established by upholding Marxism as the "soul-conduit" [14] and fine traditional Chinese culture as the "root-conduit." The practice of cultural construction has proven that to uphold this subjectivity, we must "always adhere to the soul-conduit of Marxism and the root-conduit of fine traditional Chinese culture." We must persist in the "Two Combinations"—that is, combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture. This is the worldview and methodology for promoting the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. It reflects the essence and objective laws of socialist cultural construction and is an essential principle that must always be upheld in practice. It is the fundamental path for maintaining and promoting cultural subjectivity and the powerful engine for the prosperity of socialist culture.

The "Two Combinations" was a major theoretical proposition first explicitly put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping in his speech at the ceremony marking the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. It endows Marxism with distinct characteristics of the times, the nation, and practice, while highlighting the contemporary value of fine traditional Chinese culture. It reveals how to promote the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism and how to direct fine traditional Chinese culture toward modernization. It elucidates the rationality, legitimacy, and necessity of strengthening cultural confidence and upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. It provides correct answers to a series of major questions—why build socialist culture, what kind of culture to build, and how to build it—revealing the deep foundation and significant value of cultural confidence and subjectivity, thereby powerfully driving both theoretical and practical innovation. Since then, in many important speeches, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the "Two Combinations" and provided a comprehensive and systematic exposition of them.

The proposal and systematic theoretical exposition of the "Two Combinations" is a significant achievement that demonstrates the scientific system, original contributions, and practical requirements of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. It is also an important hallmark of the distinct characteristic of "integrating the substance and its application" [15] (míngtǐ dáyòng, tǐyòng guàntōng) in Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. It highlights the great importance that Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, attach to Marxism as a guiding ideology and to fine traditional Chinese culture. It further enriches and develops the profound meaning and practical avenues for Marxism to integrate into practice, the times, the hearts of the people, and the national spirit. It embodies the inheritance and promotion of fine traditional Chinese culture—with its long history and profound theoretical content—and demonstrates the mission of building a socialist cultural power with Chinese characteristics, style, and spirit. It helps us maintain strategic resolve in building a socialist cultural power, uphold and consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere, utilize the precious intellectual resources of Chinese culture, and solidify the proper subjective status of the Chinese nation's cultural subjectivity. It powerfully advances the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, ensuring that fine traditional Chinese culture undergoes creative transformation and innovative development alongside the practice of Chinese-path modernization, thereby enriching the practical content of Chinese-path modernization and the new form of human advancement.

Regarding the relationship between the "Two Combinations" and the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, upholding this subjectivity is a vital political stance, a fundamental principle, and a proposition with distinct ideological attributes. It is also a major praxeological proposition concerning the success or failure of Chinese-path modernization. For a Chinese culture oriented toward modernization, the world, and the future to stand firm and endure, it must fully utilize the guiding role of Marxism while remaining inseparable from the cultural subjectivity of the nation. The firm establishment of this subjectivity requires the guidance of scientific theory and practical measures to strengthen foundations.

In the "Two Combinations," the "basic tenets of Marxism" always serve as the subject; they are the theoretical guide and ideological lead. "Combination" is the practical measure—the vivid practice and the medium that tightly links theory with reality. The objects with which the basic tenets of Marxism are combined are China's specific realities and fine traditional Chinese culture. The combination with China's specific realities emphasizes using Marxist principles to observe and solve concrete problems. Its fundamental method is to integrate theory with practice, starting from reality in all things and seeking truth from facts. The combination with fine traditional Chinese culture addresses how Marxism takes root in Chinese soil and how to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional culture.

The "Two Combinations" is not a simple addition; it does not produce a mere "physical reaction." Rather, it is a "chemical reaction" that leads to the formation and development of a new "cultural lifeform" through mutual interaction and achievement. The basic tenets of Marxism are scientific theories that fit China's reality and harmonize with fine traditional Chinese culture. Marxism has guided China to success from the New Democratic Revolution through socialist revolution, construction, and reform and opening up. This proves that Marxism is the guiding ideology upon which our Party and country are founded and thrive; it suits China's national conditions, conforms to the laws of contemporary development, and enjoys the people’s support, radiating powerful truth in practice.

The basic tenets of Marxism are also harmonious with the values and concepts of fine traditional Chinese culture. Adhering to this combination is a natural and objective necessity and a major opportunity for the transformation of traditional culture. Concepts advocated in fine traditional Chinese culture—such as "people-centeredness" (yǐ mín wéi běn), "when the Great Way prevails, the world is shared by all" [16], "following the laws of nature and the unity of man and nature," "acting in good faith and living in harmony with neighbors," "the benevolent person loves others," "harmony generates all things, whereas sameness leads to stagnation," "as heaven maintains vigor through movement, a person of virtue should constantly strive for self-perfection; as earth’s condition is receptive devotion, a person of virtue should hold the outer world with a broad mind" [17], and "if everyone in the world loves one another, there will be order; if they hate one another, there will be chaos"—these values are highly compatible with the Marxist materialist conception of history, its ideals for social development, its dialectical view of nature, and its ethical outlook. They hold great practical significance for guiding socialist cultural construction and promoting human progress.

Therefore, as a scientific theory that profoundly reflects the laws of social development, nature, and free human development, Marxism did not experience "acclimatization issues" upon reaching China. Instead, it took deep root and effectively guided Chinese practice. With the passage of time, Marxism has not become obsolete; on the contrary, it shines ever more brightly with the light of truth. Marxism must not be abandoned; if it were, the "soul-conduit" would be lost. It must remain a family heirloom passed down through generations. Fine traditional Chinese culture is the witness to over 5,000 years of continuous civilization, the accumulation of the deepest spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation, and it contains our most fundamental spiritual genes and unique cultural markers. It is our spiritual home and root. It has made indelible contributions to human progress and represents a powerful soft power and unique advantage for our country. Fine traditional Chinese culture must not be abandoned; if it were, the "root-conduit" would be lost. Thus, we must "return to the roots to create the new" and advance with the times.

Only by persisting in the "Two Combinations" can we ensure that cultural development within Chinese-path modernization advances steadily under Marxist guidance while remaining deeply rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture, maintaining vigorous vitality by following the people's will and suiting national conditions. The organic integration of the Marxist "soul-conduit" and the traditional cultural "root-conduit" ensures that socialist cultural construction stands firmly on Chinese ground, addresses Chinese problems, and forms a cultural development path with Chinese characteristics. At the same time, this effectively resists and overcomes erroneous tendencies such as "historical nihilism" [18] and "cultural atavism" (wénhuà fùgǔ zhǔyì) in the cultural sphere. It prevents the blind imitation of foreign cultural values and models, resists absurd arguments for cultural self-deprecation or self-destruction, and opposes cultural isolationism and conservatism. It actively guards against ideological risks, defends national cultural security, and promotes the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture within the practice of Chinese-path modernization. This allows traditional culture to radiate new vitality in modern society, firmly upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation through spiritual and cultural independence and proactive creativity.

The new cultural mission specified by Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is fulfilled through cultural innovation. The reason why adhering to the "Two Combinations" is regarded as the fundamental path for upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is also that the "Two Combinations" is itself an act of innovation; it has opened a broad avenue for innovation and provided the worldview and methodology to guide it. Emphasizing the "Two Combinations" in the New Era means undertaking innovation in pathology, theory, system, and culture with greater intensity, initiative, and efficacy. It means that Marxism will continuously develop and innovate within the process of its Sinicization and modernization, and that fine traditional Chinese culture will radiate new vigor and vitality by continuously absorbing the theoretical nutrients of Marxist thought. Adhering to the "Two Combinations" will promote a greater renewal of concepts and liberation of thought across the entire Chinese nation in the New Era. It helps us, within a broader space for cultural innovation and amidst more intense global cultural competition, to shoulder the new cultural mission of the New Era. With firm cultural confidence, a conscious cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, and a subjective spirit of self-improvement and proactive enterprise, we must fully utilize the basic tenets of Marxism and the precious intellectual resources of fine traditional Chinese culture to discover new problems, study new situations, and strive to create a new culture belonging to our era—one worthy of this great age of innovation that constantly discards the old to bring forth the new [19].

IV. Promoting Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations is the Fundamental Strategy for Upholding the Cultural Subjectivity of the Chinese Nation

The history of human civilization fully demonstrates that progress and development are achieved through exchange and mutual learning; the degree of civilizational progress is often directly proportional to the extent of such exchange. Exchanges and mutual learning in the production of material goods drive innovations in tools, improvements in craftsmanship, and scientific and technological progress, thereby promoting the development of material productive forces. Exchanges and mutual learning between spiritual cultures facilitate the increase of information, the growth of knowledge, and the advancement of concepts, thereby promoting the development of spiritual and cultural productive forces. Civilizational exchange and mutual learning inject powerful momentum and fresh vitality into cultural development, promoting prosperity and progress through mutual interaction and mutual achievement. This is the fundamental strategy for consolidating and promoting the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. Historically, it was precisely through rich exchanges with other civilizations, characterized by continuous absorption, integration, and innovation, that Chinese civilization formed its profound and ever-renewing cultural system, thereby fully displaying the unique spiritual-cultural character and distinct cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. Today’s China is an open China; civilizational exchanges and mutual learning are more frequent, diverse in form, and significant in effect. A journey of ten thousand li can be completed between morning and evening; a dialogue across the ocean feels as if it were face-to-face. Civilizational exchange in the physical world and the cyber world operate in tandem, driving rapid development and profound transformation of material and spiritual-cultural productive forces, and prompting human civilization to continuously evolve toward richness, diversity, and depth. The cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is manifested even more prominently through this civilizational exchange and mutual learning. One of the major requirements of the "Seven Focuses" [20] proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping for the Party's work on public communication, ideology, and culture is to focus on strengthening the building of international communication capacity and promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. Given the tighter global interconnections and a cultural innovation space and ecosystem increasingly filled with opportunities and challenges, promoting civilizational exchange is not only a vital component of the scientific system of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture and a major theoretical contribution and practical requirement thereof, but also the fundamental strategy for upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation.

Promoting civilizational exchange and upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation exist in a relationship of dialectical unity; the latter is realized through the former. Civilizational exchange drives the elevation and development of the Chinese nation’s cultural subjectivity. Both historical and contemporary experiences and lessons show that no matter how excellent a civilization was in history, if it severed exchange and mutual learning with the outside world, the waters of that civilization would inevitably cease to flow and its flowers would inevitably wither. The reason the Chinese civilization has been able to develop continuously and remain enduring over 5,000 years lies in the fact that the Chinese nation has always possessed the cultural confidence and cultural subjectivity to engage in civilizational exchange and to draw on the strengths of others. The cultural value of "harmony without uniformity" [21] is a vital concept in traditional Chinese culture and serves as important intellectual wisdom and a guide for action in civilizational exchange. Shi Bo, a thinker of the Western Zhou Dynasty, proposed the view that "harmony actually produces things, while sameness leads to cessation" [22], emphasizing that diverse cultural exchanges can promote mutual achievement, lead to cultural prosperity, and drive the civilizational progress of society. Building upon this, Confucius proposed the view that "the exemplary person seeks harmony but not uniformity; the petty person seeks uniformity but not harmony" [23], arguing that only by seriously listening to and adopting different opinions and suggestions, and respecting the diversity of ideological and cultural viewpoints, can one become a person of noble character. These profound insights guide the Chinese nation in carrying out proactive civilizational exchanges to promote its own civilizational elevation while adhering to its cultural subjectivity.

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture possesses a broad vision for civilizational exchange and mutual learning. It provides profound expositions on global issues such as advocating for exchange between different civilizations, promoting the common values of humanity, and building a community with a shared future for humanity, manifesting the humanitarian and global concerns of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. General Secretary Xi Jinping has also profoundly expounded on how to deeply understand the importance and necessity of strengthening and improving China's international communication work under the new circumstances. He proposed the major historical task of presenting a "true, multi-dimensional, and panoramic view of China," requiring the strengthening of international communication capacity, the vigorous advancement of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground in international communication, the enhancement of China’s international discourse power and influence, and the effective guidance of international public opinion and engagement in public opinion struggles. General Secretary Xi Jinping is deeply concerned with how to actively promote Chinese culture "going global," explaining and introducing to the world more fine culture that possesses Chinese characteristics, embodies the Chinese spirit, and contains Chinese wisdom. He has provided ideological guidance and practical compliance for promoting civilizational exchange regarding how to well-articulate China’s views on development, civilization, security, human rights, ecology, international order, and global governance; how to transform China’s institutional, organizational, and human resources advantages into communication advantages; how to accelerate the construction of a Chinese discourse and narrative system; how to deeply carry out various forms of people-to-people exchanges; how to enhance the effectiveness and affinity of international communication; and how to shape and purify cyberspace with the new trends of the New Era to jointly build a beautiful spiritual home online.

Regarding the ways in which civilizational exchange promotes cultural development, General Secretary Xi Jinping has provided profound expositions from the perspective of how diverse cultural exchanges within the Chinese nation promote civilizational progress, and how Chinese civilization drives the development of human civilization through exchange with world civilizations. Using a deep historical consciousness, he has revealed the driving forces and basic laws of civilizational progress. On the one hand, exchange and mutual learning among the diverse cultures within the Chinese nation itself have promoted the development of Chinese culture in a direction that is both unified and diverse. Regarding this, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The reason Chinese culture is so splendid, profound, and extensive lies in its inclusive characteristic of taking in everything. Unrolling the long scroll of history—from King Wuling of Zhao adopting the nomadic dress and horse-archery [24], to the Sinicization reforms of Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei [25]; from the era when 'every household in Luoyang learned nomadic music' to when 'Qiang people across ten thousand li sang Han songs'; from frontier ethnic groups adopting the 'upper garment and lower skirt' and 'elegant songs and Confucian dress,' to the Central Plains popularizing 'upper garment and trousers,' nomadic coats and hats, as well as the lion dance, huqin [26], and qipao seen everywhere today—all these demonstrate the mutual learning and integration of various ethnic cultures. The cultures of all ethnic groups add radiance to each other, making Chinese culture ever-new; this is the root of our strong cultural confidence today." On the other hand, the exchange and mutual learning between Chinese culture and world cultures have both enriched Chinese civilization itself and driven the progress of world civilization: "Civilizations become colorful through exchange and rich through mutual learning. Any civilization, regardless of which country or ethnic social soil it originated from, is fluid and open. This is an important law of civilizational dissemination and development. In the long process of evolution, Chinese civilization has gained rich nourishment from exchanges with other civilizations and has made important contributions to the progress of human civilization. The opening of the Silk Road, the large numbers of envoys from the Sui and Tang dynasties to China, the westward journeys of Faxian and Xuanzang [27] for Buddhist scriptures, and Zheng He’s seven voyages [28] are all vivid examples of exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations. Confucianism was originally a Chinese discipline, but it went to the world long ago and became part of human civilization." These vivid and rich discourses by General Secretary Xi Jinping help us deepen our understanding of the importance and necessity of civilizational exchange and help improve our capacity to promote it.

From this, it can be seen that the reason promoting civilizational exchange helps uphold the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is that such exchange is not simple imitation or rote copying. Rather, it requires maintaining the subjectivity, uniqueness, and richness of one’s own culture during the exchange, continuously carrying out creative civilizational activities that "discard the old to bring forth the new," and forming cultural development modes, paths, and achievements with Chinese characteristics. Chinese civilization is a civilization that advances with the times. Only by strengthening civilizational exchange and mutual learning can it grow and strengthen amidst the "letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend" [29] of its own diverse cultures. Only then can it continuously absorb all the fine achievements of human civilization, promote the integration and mutual achievement of traditional and modern culture, and regional and global civilization, and continuously enrich its own cultural connotations. This stimulates the momentum and vitality of the entire nation for cultural innovation and creation, elevates the level of cultural development and civilizational progress, and thereby achieves the goal of continuously upholding the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. Simultaneously, this helps firmly maintain the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation in the process of promoting civilizational exchange and continuously enhancing the international influence of Chinese culture.