Zou Shaoqing and Lu Maomao: The Rich Connotations and Spiritual Symbols of the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation
On June 2, 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the Meeting on Cultural Inheritance and Development: "To continue promoting cultural prosperity, building a leading country in culture, and developing a modern Chinese civilization at this new starting point is our new cultural mission in the New Era." "Building a modern Chinese civilization" and "achieving spiritual independence and self-reliance" represent a major historical mission for cultural construction on the new journey of the New Era, one that requires a scientific grasp. To this end, adhering to Marxist dialectical materialism and historical materialism to profoundly reveal the connotation, salient characteristics, and unique spiritual hallmarks of modern Chinese civilization aims to theoretically clarify the fundamental question of "what is modern Chinese civilization," thereby promoting "how to build modern Chinese civilization" and providing a powerful spiritual force for the comprehensive advancement of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
I. The Scientific Connotation of Modern Chinese Civilization
Building a modern Chinese civilization and achieving spiritual independence and self-reliance is a major theoretical and practical issue facing cultural construction in the New Era. Therefore, it is necessary to reveal the scientific connotation of modern Chinese civilization from the perspective of the Marxist historical materialism, with a broad vision that integrates the past and the present, connects China and the world, and maintains the "Three Orientations" [1].
From a semantic perspective, the word "civilization" in English represents the mode or stage of social evolution. In Chinese, "civilization" (文明, wénmíng) and "culture" (文化, wénhuà) share a certain commonality, referring to society reaching a higher stage of development and possessing a higher level of culture. Specifically, civilization primarily refers to the sum total of the humanistic spirit and inventions accumulated through the development of human history that help recognize and adapt to the objective world, conform to human spiritual pursuits, and can be recognized and accepted by the vast majority of people—including both material and spiritual civilization. Marx pointed out: "Civilization is a matter of practice, a quality of society." Lenin noted: "The proletariat shows by deeds that it is, and it alone is, the mainstay of modern civilization." From the perspective of its essential attributes, civilization is a complex of a given society's economic base and superstructure; it is determined by the economic base, yet possesses its own relative independence and richness.
The so-called "Chinese civilization" refers to the sum total of material and spiritual wealth created by the Chinese nation through material and spiritual production over the long course of history. Chinese civilization is extensive and profound, and "fine traditional Chinese culture is the core content of Chinese civilization." Relatively speaking, "modern Chinese civilization" is a relative temporal-cultural category that can be understood in broad and narrow senses. In a broad sense, modern Chinese civilization refers to the sum total of material and spiritual civilization created by the Chinese nation in the process of exploring and advancing modernization since entering modern history. In a narrow sense, it refers to the sum total of material and spiritual wealth created by the people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in the historical process of advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Looking from the critical period of starting toward the Party's Second Centenary Goal [2], modern Chinese civilization specifically refers to the new cultural form of socialism with Chinese characteristics at a new historical starting point.
To this end, the connotation of modern Chinese civilization must be grasped from the following aspects. First, modern Chinese civilization is contained within the totality of Chinese civilization. From the perspective of Marxist holism, a whole is composed of elements or systems and possesses structure and hierarchy. Therefore, the basic connotation of modern Chinese civilization must be grasped within the totality of Chinese civilization. Chinese civilization is a whole, and modern Chinese civilization is an important constituent part of this whole. This can also be viewed from the perspective of the history of human civilization: Chinese civilization is a unity of continuity and stages, and modern Chinese civilization is the modern developmental stage in the continuous development process of Chinese civilization. "The continuity of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines that the Chinese nation must follow its own path." According to the results of the Project to Trace the Origins of Chinese Civilization [3], China possesses a million-year history of humanity, ten thousand years of cultural history, and over five thousand years of history of civilization; Chinese civilization possesses historical continuity. Having been inherited, sustained, and developed to the present day, Chinese culture—through creative transformation and innovative development—has injected new vitality and vigor into Chinese civilization, opening new prospects for its development. Thus, modern Chinese civilization is the modern form of Chinese civilization; it is itself the continuous development of Chinese civilization on the axis of Chinese historical time.
Second, modern Chinese civilization not only possesses the prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization—continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness—but also possesses its own salient characteristics of the times. This requires integrating history, reality, and the future, while adhering to the principle of combining the normative (yingran) and the empirical (shiran), to deeply study its salient characteristics. Only by profoundly revealing these characteristics can we clarify what is "special" about modern Chinese civilization. Third, modern Chinese civilization is rooted in the extensive and profound Chinese civilization and deep traditions of fine Chinese culture, continuously drawing the essence of the times and spiritual nourishment from them. It possesses the spiritual traits and cultural genes of Chinese civilization, which determine the unique spiritual hallmarks of modern Chinese civilization. Fourth, modern Chinese civilization is the new cultural form of Chinese-path modernization and the modern form of Chinese civilization; it fundamentally achieves the intrinsic unity and integrated development of socialism, Chinese civilization, and modernization. "Chinese-path modernization endows Chinese civilization with modern power, while Chinese civilization endows Chinese-path modernization with profound depth." Building a modern Chinese civilization requires vigorously promoting the coordinated development of socialist material, political, spiritual, social, and ecological civilizations. Fifth, through exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations in the world, modern Chinese civilization has absorbed and drawn upon all the outstanding achievements of human civilization. Therefore, it possesses both the particularity of modern Chinese civilization itself and the universality common to all human civilization.
II. Salient Characteristics of Modern Chinese Civilization
Modern Chinese civilization is the product of the mutual integration and mutual achievement of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture; it is a new form of human civilization. However, what salient characteristics modern Chinese civilization exactly possesses is a basic theoretical question that needs profound revelation. To this end, adhering to the combination of history and reality and the integration of reality and the future to profoundly reveal these characteristics helps in understanding its rich implications, thereby providing a logical basis for distilling its spiritual hallmarks.
1. A Continuous and Profound Historical and Cultural Heritage A continuous and profound historical and cultural heritage is the most salient characteristic of modern Chinese civilization. Modern Chinese civilization has evolved from the long-flowing Chinese culture, the extensive and profound ancient Chinese civilization, and modern civilization; it possesses enduring historical continuity and a deep cultural foundation. Compared to other civilizations in the world, modern Chinese civilization possesses a long history, distinct spiritual traits, and deep cultural roots. First, it has an enduring history. "If we do not understand China from the perspective of its long historical continuity, it is impossible to understand ancient China, modern China, or future China." Modern Chinese civilization is an important part of Chinese civilization, inheriting the vast civilization of the past and connecting to its sustainable development in the future. To grasp modern Chinese civilization, one must consider the past, present, and future as a whole to stand high, look far, and see deep. According to China's archaeological discoveries and research: "In the long history of civilizational development, China formed a pattern of 'diversity within unity' (duoyuan yiti). In particular, the civilizations created by populations in the Central Plains represented by sites such as Jiahu, Peiligang, Tanghu, Shuanghuaishu, Dahecun, Huangshan, Wangchenggang, and Wadian were extremely dynamic and made significant contributions to the cause of human civilizational progress." Therefore, recognizing modern Chinese civilization through its long historical continuity allows for a proper understanding of ancient, modern, and future China. Second, it has distinct spiritual traits. "The spiritual traits and developmental forms of Chinese civilization—prioritizing benevolence, stressing the people as the foundation, upholding integrity, valuing justice, honoring harmony, and seeking the Great Unity (Datong)" fundamentally reveal the qualitative prescriptions of its spiritual essence, becoming the unique spiritual hallmarks and pursuits of Chinese civilization. Third, it has a deep cultural foundation. Modern Chinese civilization is rooted in Chinese culture, which provides the background color of Chinese civilization. The vitality of Chinese culture stems from the great creativity of the Chinese nation; the system of cultural inheritance created by the nation and its impact on society continuously drive the forward movement and sustained development of Chinese civilization.
2. Typical Modern Developability Typical modern developability is another salient characteristic of modern Chinese civilization. This is concentrated in three areas. First, modern Chinese civilization has traveled from the ancient hunter-gatherer and agricultural civilizations toward industrial and information civilizations, possessing typical modern developability. It possesses both the typical characteristics and essential requirements of Chinese-path modernization, while also integrating and standing alongside the common features of the information civilization characterized by the rapid development of the internet and modern science and technology. Second, modern Chinese civilization is the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization. Chinese-path modernization is a modernization that inherits and sustains the ancient Chinese civilization; it is a modernization explored and grown autonomously from Chinese soil, not a carbon copy of other countries' modernization, but a result of the innovation and creation of modern human civilization. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress clearly pointed out that Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material and cultural-ethical advancement, of harmony between humanity and nature, and of peaceful development. This is actually an all-around, comprehensive, and systematic summary of Chinese-path modernization, exhibiting unprecedented characteristics of modern civilization. Third, modern Chinese civilization is synchronized with the development of human civilization. In today's world, the rapid development of science and technology has become an irreversible and irresistible force. Advancing technologies change with each passing day, driving human society forward at high speeds and pushing the development of modern Chinese civilization. This fundamentally determines that modern Chinese civilization is not an old version of the past or a replica of certain other civilizations, but a new type of civilizational form synchronized with the world and possessing typical characteristics of modernity.
3. Distinct Innovativeness Modern Chinese civilization possesses distinct innovativeness. Marx pointed out: "Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past." Chinese civilization is the only continuous civilizational tradition in human history. Modern Chinese civilization comes from the "existing, given and transmitted" fine traditional Chinese culture and continuously innovates and develops in combination with the great practice of Chinese-path modernization. Therefore, based on the present, the innovative characteristic of modern Chinese civilization is reflected in the efforts to grasp the laws of civilizational development, enhance historical initiative, and promote theoretical and practical innovation. Currently, it is particularly necessary to accelerate the pace of self-reliance and strength in science and technology, promoting original innovation, integrated innovation, and open innovation. We must advance innovations in new technologies such as next-generation artificial intelligence, information technology, biotechnology, new materials, new energy, high-end equipment, and green environmental protection, striving to keep pace with the world's technological innovation and rapid informational development, ensuring that modern Chinese civilization maintains its innovative vitality forever.
4. Grand Inclusiveness Modern Chinese civilization continues the inclusiveness of fine traditional Chinese culture, possessing a broad mind that embraces the world. The Classic of Changes (Yizhuan) states: "The earth's condition is receptive devotion; thus the superior person with lofty virtue carries the individual and the world" [4]. The Book of Rites (Liji) says: "All living things are nourished together without injuring one another; roads run parallel without interfering with one another." Chinese civilization has always possessed a broad vision and a "world-oriented sentiment" (tianxia qinghuai) that involves inclusivity and absorbing diverse influences. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress proposed the necessity of "maintaining a global vision" and emphasized that "building a community with a shared future for humanity is the way forward for all the world's peoples." This demonstrates that the CPC and the Chinese people have always possessed the broad mind and political sentiment of "when the Great Way prevails, the world is shared by all" (dadao zhi xing, tianxia wei gong), confidently and magnanimously conducting friendly exchanges and cultural interactions with people of all countries. It also shows that in strengthening the construction of modern civilization, China promotes the realization of truly equal and inclusive exchanges between different civilizations, working toward the great ideal of promoting human prosperity and maintaining world peace and tranquility.
III. The Spiritual Hallmarks of Modern Chinese Civilization
Without spirit, a person cannot stand; without spirit, a country cannot be strong. Distinct spiritual markers constitute the soul of a nation, allowing it to stand firm and lead the charge amidst the currents of history. What are the distinct spiritual markers of a modern civilization of the Chinese nation? This is a complex theoretical question that urgently requires an answer. Compared to the spiritual marker of Western capitalist civilization—the "Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism"—it is currently difficult to summarize the spiritual markers of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation in a single word or phrase. To this end, grounded in the perspective of systems theory and adhering to the principles of combining history with reality and the normative (what ought to be) with the empirical (what is), this study takes elements such as cognitive beliefs, emotional goals, the generation of spiritual momentum, qualities of spiritual will, and value pursuits in external engagement as its framework. Drawing upon the Great National Spirit forged by the sons and daughters of China through long-term struggle and the spiritual pedigree of the Chinese Communists [5], it profoundly reveals the unique spiritual markers that the modern civilization of the Chinese nation ought to possess, aiming to better promote its development.
1. The Dream-Seeking Spirit of Pursuing Truth and Ideals
The reason the dream-seeking spirit of pursuing truth and ideals serves as a spiritual marker of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is that it specifies, at the level of spiritual cognition, the great dream-seeking spirit of the Chinese foreign-born Party leading the people of all ethnic groups in the New Era to uphold truth, remain firm in their ideals, and pursue national rejuvenation. The Chinese nation is a great nation imbued with a spirit of pursuing truth and ideals. The Great Dream-Seeking Spirit is the consistent spiritual soul of the Chinese nation; it provides spiritual faith for the modern civilization of the Chinese nation and has become its prominent spiritual marker. This is primarily manifested in the following ways:
First, the Chinese nation is a nation with a Great Dream-Seeking Spirit, and the Chinese people are a people with a Great Dream-Seeking Spirit. As seen from the five-thousand-year history of the development of Chinese civilization, the Chinese people have always harbored dreams and pursued them unremittingly. In ancient times, myths such as Kua Fu chasing the sun [6] and the Jingwei bird filling the sea [7] vividly reflected the persistence of the Chinese ancestors in their courageous pursuit of dreams. Since the beginning of the modern era, realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has become the greatest dream of countless people of vision and all the sons and daughters of China. Lin Zexu, Wei Yuan, Zhang Zhidong, Kang Youwei, Sun Yat-sen, Li Dazhao, Chen Duxiu, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Deng Xiaoping—all without exception—pursued the dream of national rejuvenation unremittingly. In the New Era, the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the shared aspiration of every Chinese person; it guides the direction of Chinese-path modernization and has become a prominent spiritual marker of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.
Second, the power of the spirit is infinite, as is the power of truth. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation profoundly reflects the subjectivity of the CPC in upholding truth. "Chinese-path modernization is the socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China." The Great Founding Spirit of the Party—"upholding truth and ideals, staying true to our original aspiration and founding mission, fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people"—is the spiritual source of the Chinese Communists, among which upholding truth is the primary connotation. After the Opium War of 1840, China fell into a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society; its civilization was obscured, and the Chinese people fell into a state of national self-deprecation and spiritual humiliation. The "salvoes of the October Revolution" brought Marxism-Leninism to China, which became the ideological banner and guide for action, leading the CPC from victory to victory. The Party’s century-long glorious history of struggle demonstrates that "the reason why the CPC is capable and why socialism with Chinese characteristics is good is, in the final analysis, that Marxism works, and Sinicized and modernized Marxism works." Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has not only brought our Party's understanding of the Chinese path, theory, and system to new heights but has also elevated the Party’s historical and cultural confidence to new levels. It has raised the Party’s consciousness in promoting cultural innovation through the inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture to a new peak. It has opened a new realm for the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, created an organically unified new "cultural lifeform," fortified the foundations of the Chinese path, and consolidated the subjectivity of Chinese culture. "Explaining the significant advantages and characteristics of Chinese civilization from the height of the times" constitutes "another liberation of the mind" [8], which will surely guide the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation to new heights.
Third, strengthening ideals and convictions. To achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with one heart and one mind and to comprehensively promote the construction of Chinese-path modernization, we must be guided by common ideals and convictions. "Faith in Marxism and conviction in socialism and communism are the political soul of the Communists and the spiritual pillar that enables them to withstand any test." Firm ideals and convictions are the soul of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation; if this soul is lost, it will be difficult for this civilization to find its footing, let alone endure. Therefore, in building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, we must consciously strengthen our ideals and convictions, replenish our spiritual "calcium," and embark on the "New Long March." Practice will ultimately prove that by adhering to the theoretical arming of advanced Marxist thought and firming our ideals and convictions, we will certainly write an even more beautiful new chapter for the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.
2. The Patriotic Spirit of Unity and Struggle
The reason the patriotic spirit of unity and struggle is a spiritual marker of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is that it answers, at the level of spiritual emotion, what kind of emotional identification is needed to advance its construction and what kind of spiritual pillar can drive its steady progress. This spirit refers to the deepest patriotic sentiment cultivated by the CPC in leading the people of all ethnic groups to pursue and maintain national unity, as well as the surging spiritual power burst forth in striving for it. It is the spiritual pillar of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. It is primarily manifested in the following ways:
First, the Chinese nation has nurtured the endogenous power of unity and struggle. The prerequisite for unity and struggle is a unified country, which is maintained by the noble patriotic sentiments of the people of all ethnic groups. From the perspective of the "Great View of History" (da lishi guan), the Chinese nation has been a unified and multi-ethnic civilizational power since ancient times—it was in the past, is now, and will be in the future. Since the Qin unification, the Chinese nation has presented a "Great Unification" (da yitong) [9] character in language, writing, weights and measures, values, customs, and rituals, while simultaneously displaying the vibrant characteristics of various ethnic groups. Among these, ethnic unity and national unification are the common pursuits of all ethnic groups. The long history of Chinese civilization was created by all ethnic groups together, and the unified great motherland is defended by all ethnic groups together. This unity "fundamentally determines that the cultures of various ethnic groups in the Chinese nation are integrated into one, remaining firmly cohesive even in the face of major setbacks; it determines the common conviction that our land cannot be divided, the state cannot be chaotic, the ethnic groups cannot be scattered, and the civilization cannot be broken; it determines that national unity will always be the core of China’s core interests; and it determines that a strong and unified country is the lifeblood of the people of all ethnic groups."
Second, the patriotic spirit of unity and struggle is the deepest emotion flowing in the blood of the Chinese nation. Fine traditional Chinese culture contains the spirit of responsibility—"the rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of every individual" (tianxia xingwang, pifu youze) [10]—and the patriotic sentiment of serving the country with total loyalty and revitalizing China. Patriotism is one of the core values of Chinese civilization, embodying the spiritual trait of the sons and daughters of China striving unremittingly for the prosperity of the motherland. Max Weber once remarked that "the incomparable endurance and industriousness of the Chinese has been recognized by the world." Looking back at the century-long history of struggle led by the CPC, the patriotic spirit of unity and struggle has run like a red thread through the great leap of the Chinese nation from "standing up" to "becoming prosperous" and then to "becoming strong." Therefore, "all the achievements made by the Party and the people over the past hundred years are the result of unity and struggle; unity and struggle are the most significant spiritual markers of the CPC and the Chinese people."
Third, the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation requires the patriotic spirit of unity and struggle even more urgently. The spiritual power to comprehensively build a modern socialist country needs to be aggregated rather than dispersed. Realizing national rejuvenation is by no means something that can be completed at one time, in one matter, or by one person; it is built upon thousands of years of civilizational accumulation and is the result of the unity and struggle of countless generations. This power includes both material and spiritual components; neither can be dispensed with. Without the material power of unity and struggle, Chinese civilization could not have endured for thousands of years; without the spiritual power, it could not achieve innovative development, nor create a new form of human civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Unity is a powerful force for overcoming all difficulties and an important guarantee for coalescing people's hearts and accomplishing great undertakings." Looking to the future, using Chinese-path modernization to comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is a historical process that requires sustained unity and struggle. It requires hundreds of millions of people to enhance their historical initiative, work with one heart, and struggle together to converge into a surging force for rejuvenation.
3. The Enterprising Spirit of Upholding the Fundamentals and Breaking New Ground
The reason the enterprising spirit of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground is a spiritual marker of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is that it answers, at the level of spiritual momentum, what kind of driving force is needed for its construction. Spiritual momentum is like the engine of a car; without power, it cannot move forward. If the Chinese nation lacked the spiritual momentum to advance, building a modern civilization would be an empty phrase, and the civilization might decline, decay, or be obscured. This enterprising spirit aims to provide powerful wisdom and practical impetus for innovation and creation. It is primarily manifested in the following ways:
First, the Chinese nation is a nation rich in the spirit of innovation and creation. Eliminating the old to bring in the new (gegu dingxin) and having the courage to create are the spiritual traits of the Chinese people, nurturing a powerful spiritual momentum of upholding the fundamentals, breaking new ground, and forging ahead. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must persist in upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground" and use "the integrity and boldness of upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground to continue our historical lineage and write contemporary chapters." The material creations in the history of Chinese civilization are too numerous to count. According to archaeological research, China invented the world's earliest ceramic vessel for cooking food (fu) 20,000 years ago, invented mortise and tenon architectural technology 10,000 years ago, invented the technology of casting bronze with composite clay molds more than 4,000 years ago, and invented iron-based smelting technology 2,800 years ago. After the Qin and Han dynasties, there were even more inventions and creations, including the "Four Great Inventions" [11]. At the same time, Chinese culture possesses the excellent tradition and enterprising spirit of being "principled but not archaic" and "respecting the ancient without being restorationist." Eliminating the old and daring to innovate is the fundamental reason why Chinese civilization has remained vibrant despite many vicissitudes. It is precisely because of the spirit of developing through the preservation of fundamentals, innovating while adapting to change, scientifically identifying change, and actively seeking change—daring to overcome all difficulties and obstacles—that the Chinese nation maintains its vitality for innovation and creation.
Second, pioneering and innovation constitute the spiritual momentum of the great cause of national rejuvenation led by the Chinese Communists, as well as the spiritual marker of the Party’s leadership in building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation in the New Era. "Innovation is the soul of a nation's progress, the inexhaustible motive force for a country's prosperity, and the source of strength for a political party to maintain its vitality." Pioneering and innovation constitute the "enterprising core of the spiritual pedigree of the Chinese Communists," providing a steady stream of spiritual momentum for the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. Recalling the Party’s century-long history of struggle, our Party has combined Marxist theory with China’s reality and the characteristics of the times, achieving one leap after another, founding Mao Zedong Thought, and forming the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has been established, opening a new realm for the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation requires applying the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to continuously enhance historical initiative and bolster the spiritual power for advancing Chinese-path modernization and building a community with a shared future for humanity.
Third, in building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, we must persist in breaking new ground while upholding the fundamentals and in forging ahead while pioneering. While vigorously advocating for upholding fundamentals, we must be even more courageous in innovation and pioneering. Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation means, under the premise that the path and the system do not change, making full use of the precious resources of fine traditional Chinese culture to promote future-oriented theoretical and institutional innovation. We must actively advocate for innovation as the primary motive force, integrating scientific values, the spirit of scientific exploration, scientific research mindsets, and the knowledge system of new technological civilization into the great practice of comprehensively building a great modern socialist country. We must carry forward the spirit of daring to innovate and overcoming tough challenges to solve new problems in the process of Chinese-path modernization. Only in this way can we promote the high-quality development of all undertakings of Chinese-path modernization.
4. The Dauntless Spirit of Tenacious Struggle
The reason the dauntless spirit of tenacious struggle serves as a spiritual hallmark of modern Chinese civilization is primarily because it answers, from the perspective of volitional temperament, what kind of quality of will is required to guarantee the advancement of the construction of modern Chinese civilization. The dauntless spirit of tenacious struggle refers to the necessity of carrying forward the fighting spirit in constructing modern Chinese civilization; one must dare to struggle and be adept at struggle. In the face of difficulties and challenges, one must dare to refuse to believe in heresy, refuse to fear ghosts [12], and refuse to buckle under pressure, carrying forward the dauntless spirit of fearing no sacrifice and engaging in heroic struggle. This is mainly manifested in the following aspects:
First, having been practiced and repeatedly tested countless times by ancestors throughout history, the spirit of tenacious struggle has been transformed into a spiritual gene flowing in the blood of the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, providing a precious guarantee of spiritual quality for the construction of modern Chinese civilization. Looking back at the history of Chinese civilization, in ancient times, there were stories of Da Yu [13] taming the floods, passing his own home three times without entering in order to overcome natural disasters; and Li Bing and his son building the world-famous Dujiangyan irrigation system to benefit generations for thousands of years. Countless ancestors defied hardships to build the Lingqu Canal, the Zhengguo Canal, and the Grand Canal. Today, people of all ethnic groups defy hardships to build the Three Gorges Reservoir, the Baihetan Hydropower Station, and the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. All of these fully embody the ingenuity and tenacious fighting spirit of the Chinese people in overcoming all difficulties, daring to struggle, transforming nature, and benefiting the masses. They also demonstrate the dauntless heroism of the contemporary Chinese people in daring to struggle and daring to win, greatly enriching the spiritual connotation of modern Chinese civilization.
Second, the dauntless spirit of tenacious struggle is the bright spiritual foundation of modern Chinese civilization. The spiritual pedigree of the Chinese Communists, with the Great Founding Spirit of the Party [14] as its source, "carries the original aspiration and founding mission of the Chinese Communists." It is the concentrated embodiment of the tenacious will and political quality of the Chinese Communists, providing a powerful spiritual force for daring to struggle and resisting risks in the comprehensive advancement of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It has become the source of strength for overcoming all difficulties and obstacles on the road ahead in the construction of Chinese-path modernization. After the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), it braved hardships and dangers, uniting and leading the people through the Great Revolution (1924–1927), the Second Revolutionary Civil War, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the War of Liberation. It successively defeated the aggression of Japanese imperialism, engaged in tenacious struggle against the Kuomintang, achieved victory in the New Democratic Revolution, and established New China. The Chinese nation and the Chinese people stood tall and proud, straightening their national spiritual backbone. Mao Zedong pointed out that due to struggle, "some classes triumph, others are eliminated. Such is history, such is the history of civilization for thousands of years." Practice has proven that persisting in struggle, daring to struggle, being adept at struggle, and daring to win are the fundamental guarantees for our Party leading the people to success in our great cause.
Third, the construction of modern Chinese civilization requires vigorous promotion of the dauntless spirit of tenacious struggle. The CPC is an advanced political party guided by Marxism; it constantly pays attention to the development and changes of the principal contradiction [15] in society, seizing the principal contradiction and the principal aspect of the contradiction to carry out struggles. This has allowed our Party to persist in growing through struggle and improving its skills and capabilities through struggle. Standing at a new historical starting point, the process of comprehensively advancing Chinese-path modernization will inevitably face more risks and challenges. This requires Party members, cadres, and the broad masses of the people to possess fighting spirit and the capacity for struggle. Only in this way, when faced with any harsh or dangerous situation, can they dare to meet difficulties head-on without fear; when faced with any powerful force, can they dare to confront challenges without flinching; and when faced with any doubts or confusion, can they think calmly and respond successfully. Only in this way can the mighty ship of Chinese-path modernization be pushed to brave the wind and waves, sailing steadily and reaching far.
5. The peaceful spirit of openness and inclusiveness
The reason the peaceful spirit of openness and inclusiveness is a spiritual hallmark of modern Chinese civilization is primarily because it answers, from the level of external exchange, what kind of value pursuit is needed to advance the construction of modern Chinese civilization. In its exchanges with the civilizations of all countries in the world, the Chinese nation has always upheld a broad mind of openness and inclusiveness and promoted peaceful development as its value pursuit. This is mainly manifested in two aspects:
On one hand, openness and inclusiveness are important spiritual hallmarks of Chinese civilization. Chinese civilization is not a civilization system formed in a self-enclosed geographical environment, but has continuously prospered and flourished through contact, exchange, and mutual learning with many civilizations in the world, possessing distinct traits of inclusiveness and openness. In the Han Dynasty, there was Zhang Qian’s mission to the Western Regions; in the Tang Dynasty, there was Xuanzang’s journey to the West to obtain Buddhist sutras and Jianzhen’s eastward journey to Japan; in the Yuan Dynasty, there were The Travels of Marco Polo; and in the Ming Dynasty, there were Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Oceans. These historical examples vividly demonstrate that Chinese culture not only has an excellent tradition of proactive humanistic exchange with the outside world, but also possesses the spiritual gene of openness and inclusiveness that promotes the common development of Chinese and foreign civilizations. This spiritual gene has been passed down to the present day and is inscribed in the spiritual hallmarks of modern Chinese civilization.
On the other hand, the openness and inclusiveness of modern Chinese civilization provide powerful spiritual support for answering the "questions of the world." Today, the historical trend of seeking peace, development, and win-win cooperation is unstoppable, yet the world faces a series of challenges and dilemmas such as the peace deficit, development deficit, governance deficit, and security deficit. Modern Chinese civilization possesses a peaceful spirit of openness and inclusiveness. Chinese-path modernization is a modernization that follows the path of peaceful development; it does not engage in cultural hegemony and will not impose its own values and political system on others. Modern Chinese civilization seeks to promote the common prosperity of world politics, economy, culture, and science and technology through exchange and mutual learning between civilizations. China advocates for persistence in cooperation rather than confrontation, avoids forming small cliques to "side with one's own and attack those who differ" (dang tong fa yi) [16], and promotes civilizational exchange and mutual learning through a view of civilization based on equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness. Facing the future, we must understand the diversity and differences of world civilizations with a broad mind, respect the choices and explorations of peoples of different countries regarding their own development paths, continuously inject more stability into a world of turbulence and change, and strive to contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese strength to the development and progress of human civilization.