Qin Shusheng and Zhao Caidi: The Generative Logic, Value Significance, and Practical Path of Advancing Cultural Confidence and Self-Strengthening
Cultural confidence and self-reliance refer to a profound identification with and pride in one’s national culture. Building upon this foundation, they involve enhancing cultural creativity and vitality, continuously promoting cultural transmission and innovation, and elevating the nation’s cultural soft power and comprehensive competitiveness. This is not merely the inheritance of traditional culture, but more importantly, the momentum for modern cultural innovation and development. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee pointed out: "Chinese-path modernization is a modernization in which material and spiritual civilizations are coordinated. We must enhance cultural confidence, develop advanced socialist culture, promote revolutionary culture [1], and pass on fine traditional Chinese culture; we must accelerate efforts to adapt to the new situation of rapid information technology development, cultivate a vast contingent of outstanding cultural talent, and stimulate the cultural innovation and creativity of the entire nation." Cultural confidence and self-reliance embody an ethnic group's profound self-awareness of its own culture and its firm confidence in future cultural development; it is an important force driving continuous national progress and social harmony. Cultural confidence and self-reliance are vital subjects of the current era, especially in the context of rapid globalization and informatization, where the power of culture appears increasingly significant. Facing the challenges of the New Era, promoting cultural confidence and self-reliance is not only a matter of inheriting and carrying forward traditional culture, but also a process of cultural innovation and development. Comprehensively building a modern socialist country requires us to persist in the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics, adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, and persist in advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance.
I. The Generative Logic of Advancing Cultural Confidence and Self-reliance
"A person cannot stand without spirit, and a country cannot be strong without spirit." Cultural construction has always been an important issue that the Party needs to resolve in governing the country, and advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance is the new goal and task of cultural construction in the New Era. The generative logic of advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance consists of the following aspects.
1. Rooted in the rich historical and cultural soil of fine traditional Chinese culture Fine traditional Chinese culture is the foundation of cultural confidence and self-reliance; its rich ideological concepts, humanistic spirit, and moral norms provide profound nourishment for cultural confidence and self-reliance. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "The fine traditional Chinese culture created and continued by the Chinese nation over thousands of years of history is the root and soul of the Chinese nation." Cultural confidence stems not only from looking back at history but also from the identification with and inheritance of excellent cultural heritage. The manifestation of Chinese cultural confidence is precisely the profound realization of over five thousand years of civilization and the re-creation of its values in contemporary society.
First, the rich connotations of fine traditional Chinese culture build a solid cultural bedrock for advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance. From ancient times to the present, the depth and richness of fine traditional Chinese culture have influenced the world with their unique charm and possess immense contemporary value. A profound identification with this precious cultural heritage is not only a mark of respect for the wisdom of ancestors but also an affirmation of one’s own cultural value. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized many times: "Fine traditional Chinese culture is the cultural root and pulse of the Chinese nation... We must extract and display the spiritual hallmarks of fine traditional culture, and extract and display the cultural essence of fine traditional culture that possesses contemporary value and world significance." Only by giving full play to the connotations and depths of fine traditional Chinese culture can the realization of Chinese cultural confidence and self-reliance have solid cultural support, and only then can we stand firm amidst the fierce global exchange and mutual learning between civilizations. In the New Era, only by taking fine traditional Chinese culture as the theoretical bedrock for advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance, and by continuously excavating its profound connotations and wisdom, can we enhance cultural confidence and promote the prosperity and development of Chinese culture.
Second, fine traditional Chinese culture nurtures the spiritual character for advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance. Over five thousand years, the Chinese nation has formed a complete moral system, including moral concepts such as benevolence, righteousness, ritual propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness, temperance, goodness, courtesy, frugality, deference, loyalty, courage, filial piety, brotherly love, and integrity [2]. The moral spirit contained within fine traditional Chinese culture is an important endogenous driving force for cultural confidence and self-reliance. Therefore, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we must "deeply excavate and elaborate upon the contemporary value of fine traditional Chinese culture in emphasizing benevolence, putting the people first, maintaining integrity, upholding justice, valuing harmony, and seeking Great Harmony [3], so that fine traditional Chinese culture becomes an important source for nurturing Socialist Core Values." This thesis by General Secretary Xi Jinping tells us that we should always adhere to the spiritual leading role of fine traditional Chinese culture and use moral character to allow socialist culture with Chinese characteristics to flourish.
2. Based on the scientific guidance of Marxist cultural theory and the inheritance and innovation of the Party’s cultural theory In the tide of the current era, cultural confidence and self-reliance have become an important cornerstone of national development. The advancement of this process is inseparable from a profound theoretical foundation as support.
First, it is based on the scientific guidance of Marxist cultural theory. Marxist cultural theory profoundly reveals the essence and functions of culture and its close connection with social development, providing a scientific theoretical framework for us to understand and grasp cultural confidence and self-reliance. In the Marxist view, culture is the spiritual production of society and the sum of spiritual wealth created by the masses in their practical activities; it is both a reflection of social existence and possesses an active counter-reaction upon social existence. Advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance means, under the guidance of Marxist cultural theory, profoundly recognizing the power of culture, firming up confidence in fine traditional Chinese culture, and simultaneously actively absorbing the beneficial achievements of world civilizations. In this way, we can continuously innovate and develop Chinese culture, making it better conform to the requirements of the times and the needs of the people.
Second, the proposal to advance cultural confidence and self-reliance is a persistent inheritance and innovative development of the Party’s cultural theory. Since the founding of the Communist Party of China, the Party’s cultural theory has been continuously enriched and developed in the practices of revolution, construction, and reform, providing a solid theoretical basis for our country’s cultural construction. Advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance is a vivid manifestation of the profound persistence in and innovative development of the Party's cultural theory. Cultural confidence is a more fundamental, deeper, and more lasting force in the development of a country and a nation. It originates from a profound understanding and identification with the long history and culture of the Chinese nation, as well as from the realistic perception of contemporary China's development and progress and the firm belief in a bright future prospect. The century-long history of the Party's struggle has proven the correctness and powerful vitality of the Party's cultural theory, providing a powerful spiritual motive force for us to unswervingly advance cultural confidence and self-reliance in the New Era.
3. Originating from the urgent need to respond to risks and challenges in the field of cultural construction Today, as globalization deepens and cultural exchanges become increasingly frequent, cultural construction faces unprecedented opportunities and challenges. How to maintain a cultural standpoint against the backdrop of globalization, how to safeguard cultural security under the impact of the information age, and how to maintain cultural characteristics amidst the fierce competition of the cultural industry are problems that urgently need to be resolved.
First, the global cultural market poses immense pressure on our country’s indigenous cultural industries. With the rapid development of information technology and increasingly frequent international exchanges, the production and dissemination of cultural products have crossed national borders, forming a global cultural market. In this market environment, Western developed countries, by virtue of their mature cultural industry systems, rich creative resources, and technological advantages, occupy the commanding heights of the global cultural market. Meanwhile, although China's cultural industry has developed rapidly, its position in global competition is not yet stable and faces challenges from many sides. On the one hand, after the domestic cultural market opened up, a large volume of foreign cultural products flooded in, impacting the indigenous cultural industry; on the other hand, Chinese cultural enterprises still have gaps compared to advanced international levels in terms of creativity, technology, and brand building, leading to a disadvantageous position in international competition. Therefore, how to maintain the independence and competitiveness of the cultural industry in the tide of globalization, and how to transform the unique charm of Chinese culture into a competitive advantage in the international market, has become an urgent task for the development of our country's cultural industry.
Second, along with the exchange and collision of global cultures, the widespread dissemination of Western culture has brought about cultural conflict and a confusion of values. In the era of informatization and digitalization, the process of globalization has accelerated, and the influence of foreign cultures on society has deepened daily. Through technological means, Western culture propagates rapidly and penetrates every level of social life. While this cultural expansion has promoted cultural diversity, it has also brought cultural conflict and a confusion of values, especially as the dominant position of Western culture has become increasingly prominent globally. Various external forces use multiple channels to erode and attack culture, particularly through online public opinion and media dissemination to conduct cultural criticism, misunderstanding, or malicious distortion. These external cultural forces often interfere with and influence the cultural identity of the target country by shaping untruthful images, spreading prejudice, or directly questioning the value of indigenous culture. China's cultural characteristics and values face unprecedented challenges. Under these circumstances, the proposal to advance cultural confidence and self-reliance appears particularly important and urgent.
In short, these problems facing our country’s cultural field are contradictions that we must face and resolve in our cultural construction. Only by continuously advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance can we effectively respond to challenges in the field of cultural construction, achieve cultural prosperity and development, and lay a solid foundation for building a strong socialist cultural power.
II. The Value Significance of Advancing Cultural Confidence and Self-reliance
Firming up cultural confidence is a major issue concerning the rise or fall of national fortunes, cultural security, and the independence of the national spirit; it is a powerful driving force and important indicator for achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance holds important value significance for our Party and country in adhering to and developing socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, comprehensively building a modern socialist country, and realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
1. Resolving development issues in the cultural industry and helping to meet the people’s cultural needs Advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance helps to clarify the development direction of the cultural industry and break through the bottlenecks of the public cultural service system. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we should "implement key cultural projects for the benefit of the people, and guide public cultural resources to tilt toward the urban and rural grassroots," achieving common prosperity in the cultural field and promoting its development toward equalization of services, high-quality standards, and digitalization of carriers. Therefore, the construction goals of "culture for the benefit of the people" and "culture serving the people" are being continuously promoted as key contents of advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance. On this basis, the basic cultural needs of the broad masses will gradually be met equally. While gaining cultural enjoyment, the people also greatly enhance their sense of cultural fulfillment and happiness index. The 2023 Statistical Bulletin on Cultural and Tourism Development shows: by the end of 2023, the total collection of books nationwide reached 1.44 billion volumes, a year-on-year increase of 5.6%; the number of seats in reading rooms was 1.68 million, a year-on-year increase of 8.3%; the total number of visits to public libraries throughout the year was 1.16 billion, a year-on-year increase of 46.9%; and 783 million books and documents were loaned out, a year-on-year increase of 29.0%. It is evident that the problem of unbalanced and insufficient development of the cultural industry has been resolved to a certain extent, and the basic cultural needs of the masses can gradually be met equally, truly making the people affirm cultural confidence and self-reliance from the bottom of their hearts and elevating the overall level of spiritual civilization in our country.
Advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance helps to promote the high-quality development of the cultural industry and satisfy the people’s growing spiritual and cultural needs. Advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance should promote the breakthrough of traditional cultural industries in a deeper direction and foster the emergence of new forms of cultural industries. On the one hand, guided by the goal of building cultural confidence and self-reliance, traditional cultural industries—such as print media, radio broadcasting, and traditional dance and music—continuously optimize their specific content and forms. With the proposal of this goal, more and more cultural products that possess contemporary value and meet the people's needs have emerged. For example, the classical dance Night Banquet in Tang Dynasty Palace, planned by the Zhengzhou Song and Dance Theater, used modern technological reshaping to give the traditional cultural industry an artistic form that possesses both traditional cultural depth and novel tension, activating its cultural charm. This is a successful case of combining modern science and technology with traditional cultural industries. On the other hand, advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance also helps the smooth emergence of new business formats in the cultural industry. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that we should "promote the development of cultural and creative products, implement projects for the creation of contemporary Chinese literature and art, cultivate new types of cultural business formats, and increase the supply of high-quality cultural products and services." With the continuous development of network information technology, the cultural industry, under the guidance of thoughts related to cultural confidence and self-reliance, has explored new business formats and development directions, making the trend of integrated development increasingly mainstream. Technological, new-born cultural application scenarios such as "Cloud Theaters," digital exhibitions, and 5G theaters have begun to appear in people’s lives. These high-tech cultural products allow people to obtain unprecedented cultural enjoyment, enabling them to experience the cultural charm of different eras and regions in an immersive way without leaving their homes, thus satisfying the diverse cultural appreciation needs of different audiences.
In sum, advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening helps resolve the issues of unbalanced and inadequate development in the cultural industries, satisfies the diverse cultural needs of the masses, and gradually realizes the prosperity of the people's own spiritual world.
2. Creating New Glory for Socialist Culture and Assisting in the Realization of National Self-Identity
The Chinese nation is the only ancient nation in the world's forest of nations whose national culture has remained uninterrupted for thousands of years, possessing a long historical and cultural tradition. As the spiritual foundation of our country’s prosperity and development, Chinese national culture embodies the internal psychological identity of the Chinese nation. Further advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening helps to excavate the contemporary connotations of Chinese national culture and create new glory for socialist culture, thereby gaining a broad social foundation and achieving national self-identity.
First, advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening helps to improve the sense of national identity. The Chinese nation is a massive family with a population of over 1.4 billion; how to aggregate the collective strength of such a vast group is the primary issue that national development must resolve. A sense of national identity is not manifested in physiological aspects but on a spiritual level; therefore, national culture serves the spiritual mission of awakening the people's sense of identity. Historically, the Chinese nation faced dire crises, yet in the face of aggression by Western capitalist countries, it erupted with an extraordinary sense of national identity. Under the spiritual guidance of national culture, it completed the historic tasks of opposing aggression and uniting against the enemy. On the new journey of the New Era, as the project of cultural confidence and self-strengthening is continuously advanced, the Chinese spirit and contemporary connotations contained within national culture are constantly being excavated and reconstructed. Their distinct national character and strong contemporary relevance manifest a new spiritual appeal, guiding the self-identity of the Chinese nation from spontaneity toward consciousness. Facing new historical tasks, Chinese cultural genes have once again assumed the responsibility and mission of pooling the people’s strength and building consensus, imbuing them with a strong sense of belonging and clearly aggregating the spiritual power to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Second, advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening helps to enhance the sense of national cultural pride. Cultural confidence and self-strengthening are the foundation and prerequisite for national cultural pride. Only when a nation possesses the capacity for cultural confidence and self-strengthening can it demonstrate the unique charm of its culture on the international stage, thereby stimulating the pride of its members. National cultural pride is the advanced stage and final result of cultural confidence and self-strengthening; it is the sense of glory brought about by a nation’s self-affirmation of its own cultural values and historical traditions, and the firm conviction that supports a nation in overcoming difficulties and creating a beautiful future on the road ahead. Consequently, throughout the past several thousand years of history, the Chinese nation always walked at the forefront of the times as a major cultural power, continuously consolidating the cultural foundation of our national pride. However, after the Opium War [4], Western capitalist countries implemented a violent cultural infiltration against us. The Chinese nation began to struggle in a quagmire of cultural inferiority; the land was fragmented, the people suffered, and a mood of sorrow constantly surrounded us. Today, constructing cultural confidence and self-strengthening has allowed fine traditional Chinese culture to radiate new vigor and vitality, achieving a great prosperity and development of Chinese culture, through which the Chinese nation once again demonstrates its flourishing vitality to the world. Only by continuously achieving "new glory for socialist culture" through the construction of cultural confidence and self-strengthening can we stand the nation's backbone upright, engrave our cultural genes, and realize the transformation from "big to strong" amidst the Great Changes [5], allowing us once again to possess a strong sense of pride as we stand tall among the forest of the world’s nations.
"Both history and reality show that a nation that abandons or betrays its own history and culture not only cannot develop but is also likely to stage a historical tragedy." Only by continuously relying on the construction of cultural confidence and self-strengthening can we create new glory for culture with Chinese characteristics, thereby maintaining national unity and self-identity.
3. Responding to Ideological Risks and Challenges to Help Maintain Social Harmony and Stability
Along with the continuous development of economic globalization, China has gradually moved toward the center of global social interaction. "Change" has become the keyword for Chinese society. This change represents both opportunities and challenges. Among these, the risks and challenges in the ideological field have become increasingly severe, and advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening helps us better respond to these challenges.
First, advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening can enhance cohesion in the ideological field. A country's ideology is an important component of the national spirit, the core values of the national culture, and the ideological foundation of national unity. Achieving cultural confidence and self-strengthening can unite people's hearts, form consensus, shape unified core values, and consolidate the common consciousness and actions of the people across the country. In this way, the nation's voice in the ideological field can become more powerful and attractive. If a country lacks cultural confidence and self-strengthening, it is easily influenced and interfered with by external forces, leading to chaos and division in the ideological field. Only when a country possesses strong cultural confidence and self-strengthening can it stand out in fierce international competition and win more support and recognition. Therefore, advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening can promote national unity and stability in the ideological field.
Second, advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening can enhance a country's influence in the ideological field. A country's influence is reflected not only in its economic strength and military power but also, more importantly, in its cultural soft power. Only by possessing strong cultural soft power can a country take the initiative in global cultural exchanges and lead global cultural trends. By advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening and by strengthening the inheritance and innovation of its own cultural traditions, a country can establish a more confident, open, and inclusive cultural image and enhance its influence on the international stage. Only when a country possesses strong cultural confidence and self-strengthening on the international stage can it win more respect and support globally. In today's world, competition in the ideological field is increasingly fierce, and the collision and exchange of various ideas and concepts emerge endlessly. Only on the basis of cultural confidence and self-strengthening can a country remain invincible in the ideological field, maintain its independence and dominance, play a greater role in the ideological field, and provide more solid cultural support for the country's prosperity and stability.
In short, only by advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening can we establish our own unique cultural image, thereby attracting the attention and recognition of more countries and peoples, and providing good international public opinion support for the country's prosperity and stability.
4. Promoting Socialist Modernization to Help Realize Long-term National Progress
General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: "The rejuvenation of a nation requires strong material force and also strong spiritual force." The process of advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening gradually achieves the balanced development of spiritual civilization and material civilization, forging culture with Chinese characteristics into a powerful driver supporting Chinese-path modernization and laying the foundation for long-term national progress.
First, advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening can provide the spiritual impetus for socialist modernization. In the process of realizing socialist modernization, advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening can inspire people to establish correct ideals and beliefs, enhance their sense of self-worth and responsibility, and drive the whole of society to strive toward common goals. Advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening can promote the socialist core values so that they take root in people's hearts, guiding all people to establish a correct world outlook, outlook on life, and values [6], and providing spiritual impetus for socialist modernization. At the same time, advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening can enhance people's confidence and sense of identity, thereby continuously stimulating the qualities of pursuing excellence, constant innovation, and self-improvement, promoting the comprehensive development of individuals and society, and driving the flourishing development of various fields such as economy, science and technology, and culture, injecting powerful impetus into the realization of long-term national progress.
Second, advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening can stimulate the cultural innovation and creative vitality of the entire nation. Advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening means that our country will be better able to correctly view the important value of cultural inheritance and innovation, thereby stimulating the innovation and creative vitality of the entire nation. Only with a strong affirmation of one's own culture can one spontaneously and actively excavate and discover the deep-level connotations of Chinese culture, promoting cultural innovation within cultural inheritance, and allowing Chinese culture to radiate even stronger vitality and creativity in the New Era. Therefore, along with the advancement of cultural confidence and self-strengthening, a large number of cultural producers with independent character have emerged; with their ingenuity and occasional strokes of genius, they use their innovative consciousness to rely on Chinese culture to continuously create more and higher-quality literary and artistic works, driving the innovative development of cultural industries. Additionally, with the development of modern information technology and the surge of cultural dissemination platforms, the public has begun to possess the ability to complete independent cultural creations and engage in cultural production activities, causing cultural industries to radiate unprecedented vigor and vitality.
Finally, advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening can improve the country's international influence. Advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening and promoting the prosperity and flourishing of socialist culture can enhance the international attraction and influence of our culture, providing strong cultural support for our country to play a greater role on the international stage and realize the goals of socialist modernization. Advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening is conducive to excavating effective forms for enhancing the international influence of Chinese civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must strengthen strategic planning; externally, we must both display the long-standing civilization of the Chinese nation of over five thousand years and disseminate the flourishing and colorful culture of contemporary China, winning people over with virtue, etiquette, and culture, and strengthening emotional identity." The glorious Chinese culture is diverse in form and rich in connotation, providing an irreplaceable advantage for our international cultural exchanges. Currently, China primarily disseminates Chinese culture through forms such as Confucius Institutes and various cultural promotion activities. These activities rely on innovative business models to create unique Chinese cultural brands, striving to display the true face of Chinese culture in an all-round way, allowing fine traditional Chinese culture to radiate new vitality, and thereby gradually enhancing the international influence of Chinese civilization.
In short, advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening and creating new glory for socialist culture are important components of socialist modernization. Only by firming up cultural confidence and enhancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening can we promote the prosperity and flourishing of socialist culture and provide a strong cultural guarantee for realizing the country's long-term progress.
III. The Practical Path for Advancing Cultural Confidence and Self-Strengthening
Since the founding of New China, our country has attached great importance to cultural construction. The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC once again clarified the strategic goals and direction for our country's cultural construction. The proposal of the strategic goal of advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening provides a brand-new path of exploration for building a leading socialist cultural power and enhancing international discourse power.
1. Taking the Fortification of Socialist Ideology as a Firm Guide
As a core factor running through the entire process of cultural development, ideological construction is the key to whether we can achieve cultural confidence and self-strengthening. Therefore, the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee pointed out the need to "firmly grasp the leadership over ideological work and build a socialist ideology with strong cohesion and guiding power."
First, we must continuously advance the Project to Study and Build Marxist Theory, providing firm theoretical guidance for advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee emphasized the need to "innovate the Project to Study and Build Marxist Theory, implement the philosophy and social sciences innovation project, and build an autonomous knowledge system of Chinese philosophy and social sciences." Establishing leadership over ideological work cannot be separated from the guidance of Marxism. Only by continuously enriching and developing Marxism in practice, and by continuously carrying out theoretical and practical innovation, can we better lead the direction of socialist ideology under New Era conditions. Therefore, we must strengthen education and research in Marxist theory, encouraging universities and research institutions to increase investment in the study of Marxist theory, and promoting the integration of Marxist disciplines with the practice of contemporary China's development. We must accelerate the implementation of the philosophy and social sciences innovation project and build an autonomous knowledge system of Chinese philosophy and social sciences. We must give full play to the exemplary and leading roles of the Research Centers (Institutes) for Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as well as national key Marxist academies, continuously advancing the Project to Study and Build Marxist Theory, thereby providing firm theoretical guidance for advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening.
Second, we must persist in the Party’s leadership over ideological work, providing firm political guidance for advancing cultural confidence and self-strengthening. As the governing party, the Communist Party of China has always placed leadership over ideological work in an important position, persisting in the guiding ideology of Marxism, upholding socialist core values, and promoting the construction of socialist culture. We should...
"Improve the system for arming the entire Party, educating the people, and guiding practice with the Party’s innovative theories," [7] so as to continuously enhance the ideological and political consciousness of the entire Party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country. We must strengthen the construction and management of ideological fronts, firmly maintain leadership over cyberspace ideology, and guard against and resist the infiltration and erosion of various erroneous trends of thought. It is essential to strengthen the ranks of ideological workers, cultivating a workforce that is politically steadfast, professionally proficient, and excellent in conduct. Only by persistently arming the Party, the military, and the people with the guiding ideology of Marxism, continuously raising their ideological and political awareness, and maintaining the Party's advanced nature and purity, can we ensure the correct direction of cultural prosperity and development and promote cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening.
2. Taking the Inheritance and Innovation of Traditional Culture as a Solid Pillar
Fine traditional Chinese culture is the spiritual wealth accumulated by the Chinese nation over more than 5,000 years, embodying the nation's spiritual character and ethnic wisdom. Therefore, to promote cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening, we must fully affirm the pillar role of traditional culture in national development. On the basis of continuously protecting and inheriting historical culture, we must actively promote the creative transformation and innovative development [8] of fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby activating its contemporary vitality.
First, adhering to the protection and inheritance of traditional culture lays a solid foundation for promoting cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening. Fine traditional Chinese culture is the crystallization of over 5,000 years of accumulated civilization, containing rich philosophical thoughts, moral norms, and social wisdom. It has not only shaped the unique temperament and values of the Chinese nation but has also contributed much precious spiritual wealth to the development of human civilization. The protection and inheritance of traditional culture require strengthened guarantees at the institutional level. The state should improve laws and regulations, increase financial investment, and establish cultural protection funds to ensure that the heritage of traditional culture is effectively protected. We must strengthen education in and the popularization of traditional culture, integrating it into the national education system and compiling high-quality textbooks so that students receive the influence of traditional culture from an early age and improve their cognition and understanding thereof. By establishing traditional culture protection funds and increasing investment, we should use advanced technology to conduct digital protection and recording of cultural heritage. We must support the excavation, organization, and protection of traditional cultural projects, increasing efforts to protect both material and intangible cultural heritage. For endangered intangible cultural heritage projects, rescue-oriented protection projects should be implemented to ensure the continuity of cultural heritage. Various media platforms should be utilized to encourage the production of high-quality traditional culture-themed programs, documentaries, and public service advertisements, broadcasting them through television, the internet, and new media to widely disseminate fine traditional Chinese culture.
Second, focusing on the innovative development of traditional culture provides driving support for promoting cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the "creative transformation" of fine traditional Chinese culture "means transforming those contents that still have contemporary value and old forms of expression in accordance with the characteristics and requirements of the times." As the spiritual lifeblood of the Chinese nation, fine traditional Chinese culture needs not only protection and inheritance but also innovative development. Only by continuously upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground can we revitalize its contemporary vitality with the spirit of the times. We must utilize modern information technology (such as big data, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality) to innovatively represent traditional culture and promote the integration of traditional culture with modern technology. We must promote the development of cultural and creative industries, encouraging the secondary creation of traditional culture in fields such as film, television, games, and animation to expand its influence in the context of globalization. Through multi-level and multi-domain exchange platforms, such as international cultural exchange activities and traditional culture exhibitions, we should promote the interaction and integration of traditional culture with world cultures, allowing fine traditional Chinese culture to radiate stronger vitality on the international stage. We should increase efforts in external communication and cultural output, showcasing the unique charm of fine traditional Chinese culture to the world through international communication platforms to enhance cultural soft power.
Only by strengthening the protection, inheritance, and innovative development of traditional culture can we establish strong cultural self-confidence and enhance the cultural identity and cohesion of the entire nation. Only by elevating the influence of traditional culture can we better promote cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening, demonstrate the unique charm of Chinese culture in the process of globalization, enhance China's cultural soft power, and promote the cultural rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
3. Taking the Innovation and Optimization of Cultural Industries as Driving Support
In the context of the New Era, our country is committed to promoting cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening and creating new glories for socialist culture. The innovation and optimization of cultural industries are important drivers for achieving this goal.
First, we must improve the level of digital technology application and strengthen cultural product innovation. Digital technology plays a key role in the innovation of cultural industries. We must promote the implementation of the cultural digitalization strategy, making full use of modern network information technologies such as big data, virtual reality, and cloud computing to build a new type of cultural industry chain and create digital cultural industry clusters with international competitiveness. Specific measures include: first, increasing investment in the research and development of cultural digital technology, and encouraging cooperation between enterprises, universities, and research institutes to jointly explore the deep integration of digital technology and cultural industries. Second, establishing a standard system for the digital cultural industry to regulate market order and enhance the overall competitiveness of the industry. Third, optimizing the policy environment by providing tax incentives and financial support for cultural digitalization projects to ensure the effective implementation of the cultural digitalization strategy. At the same time, we must actively promote the reform of the cultural economic policy system, clarifying the development direction of cultural industries from the perspective of national strategy, thus laying a solid foundation for the high-quality development of cultural industries.
Second, we must take market demand as the guide and actively develop emerging cultural industries. Changes in market demand directly affect the development of cultural industries. Facing the increasing cultural needs of the masses, we should actively cultivate and develop emerging cultural industries guided by market demand. On the one hand, we should encourage and support cultural enterprises to develop innovative and differentiated cultural products and services, such as digital artworks and immersive experience projects, based on market demand. On the other hand, we should promote the deep integration of cultural industries with technology, education, tourism, and other sectors to give birth to new cultural business forms, such as cultural-tourism complexes and online education platforms. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee pointed out that we should take market demand as the guide to "explore effective mechanisms for the integration of culture and technology and accelerate the development of new types of cultural business forms." [9] The government should issue relevant policies, such as providing financing support, tax reductions, and optimizing approval processes, to reduce the innovation costs for enterprises and stimulate market vitality. Simultaneously, we should establish incentive mechanisms for cultural industry innovation, commending and rewarding enterprises and individuals who achieve significant results in this area.
Third, we must strengthen the innovation of cultural content and forms to meet the cultural needs of the masses. Culture originates from the people and belongs to the people; therefore, the creative development of cultural industries should serve to satisfy the people's cultural needs. The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC emphasized that literary and artistic creation should adhere to a people-centered creative orientation. Thus, the innovative development of cultural industries should revolve closely around the people's cultural needs, focusing on the dual innovation of cultural content and form. First, we must strengthen cultural content innovation, encouraging the creation of excellent works that reflect the people's daily lives and promote socialist core values. Simultaneously, we should deepen the reform of the administrative approval and filing system in the cultural field, strengthening interim and ex-post supervision to ensure the quality and orientation of cultural products. Second, we must broaden the carriers of cultural industry forms—for instance, by integrating online and offline channels and through cross-industry cooperation—to create diverse and interactive cultural experience scenes that meet the multifaceted cultural needs of the people. Furthermore, we should increase efforts in the protection and utilization of cultural relics and heritage, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism, and aiding the construction of cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening through new methods of "culture-tourism integration." [10] Only through continuous innovation and the constant satisfaction of market demand can cultural industries remain invincible in fierce market competition and achieve sustainable development.
4. Taking the Strengthening of Exchanges and Mutual Learning Between Chinese and Foreign Civilizations as a Development Opportunity
In today's era of globalization, mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations has become an inevitable trend. Therefore, promoting cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening should not involve closed development; rather, it should involve continuously deepening exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations in the world while standing firm on the ground of Chinese culture.
First, strengthening exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations provides a vast space for promoting cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Exchange and mutual learning are essential requirements for the development of civilizations. Only by exchanging and learning from other civilizations and drawing on their strengths can we maintain vigorous vitality." Chinese and foreign civilizations each have their unique traditions and values; through mutual learning and exchange, people can more comprehensively understand the charm and characteristics of different cultures, broaden their cultural horizons, and enhance cultural confidence. On one hand, we should use the "Belt and Road" [11] as a vehicle to build bridges for mutual learning between different civilizations, forming a multi-dimensional humanities exchange pattern with deep cooperation in fields such as science, education, culture, and health, close interaction between political parties and non-governmental organizations, and extensive exchanges among various groups such as women and youth. On the other hand, in the process of globalization, we must "stand firm on the ground of Chinese culture, and refine and display the spiritual symbols and cultural essence of Chinese civilization," resolutely resisting the cultural penetration and erosion of Western capitalist countries, and elevating the international influence of Chinese culture to make it the most brilliant civilization in the field of world culture. Furthermore, we must utilize modern media means, such as the internet and new media, to strengthen the international communication of Chinese culture, allowing the world to better understand its charm and value.
Second, strengthening mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations provides favorable development conditions for promoting cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening. Strengthening these exchanges helps promote cultural innovation and development. The development of civilization is inseparable from innovation, and innovation in civilization often stems from the collision and fusion of different cultures. Through mutual learning and exchange between Chinese and foreign civilizations, more innovative thinking and inspiration can be stimulated, promoting cultural integration and development. On one hand, we should encourage and support exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and foreign cultural institutions, artists, and scholars to jointly create artistic works and cultural products with cross-cultural characteristics. On the other hand, we must strengthen the protection and inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture while drawing on successful foreign experiences in cultural protection, promoting the international dissemination of Chinese culture to ensure that excellent cultural traditions are better protected and spread. Simultaneously, by strengthening mutual learning between civilizations, we should "promote the facilitation of management for 'going out' and 'bringing in' and expand international cooperation in humanities exchanges," satisfying people's needs for cultural consumption, promoting the prosperity and development of cultural industries, and providing favorable conditions for the advancement of cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening.
In conclusion, under the background of globalization, promoting cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening is not only a strategic requirement for enhancing the country's comprehensive strength but also the only path to achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening represent both the inheritance and innovation of traditional culture and a positive response to global cultural diversity and the mutual learning of civilizations. By promoting cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening, we can not only provide strong support for Chinese culture to go to the world but also contribute wisdom and strength to the harmonious coexistence of global cultures. Promoting cultural self-confidence and self-strengthening is of great significance to the development of the country and the nation. The New Era calls for firm cultural self-confidence; the New Era further forges solid cultural self-strengthening.
(Author's Affiliation: School of Marxism, Northeastern University) Source: Journal of Northeastern University (Social Science Edition), Vol. 3, 2025 Online Editor: Jing Mu