Chen Jinlong: The Generation, Characteristics, and Value of the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation
The history of the development of the Chinese nation is, in essence, the history of the formation and evolution of Chinese civilization. The Chinese nation created a magnificent civilization, and this magnificent civilization in turn shaped the Chinese nation; the historical status of the Chinese nation stems from the unique contributions and profound influence of Chinese civilization on the development of human civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping, in his important speech at the Seminar on Cultural Inheritance and Development, systematically summarized and generalized the prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization and proposed the task of building a modern Chinese civilization. This is the mission and pursuit of building a strong socialist culture, as well as the direction and goal for the future development of Chinese civilization. Clarifying the generation, characteristics, and value of modern Chinese civilization is directly related to the target positioning and path selection for its construction.
I. The Generation of Modern Chinese Civilization
The generation of civilization is a historical process of long-term accumulation and the result of the combined action of multiple factors. Chinese civilization has undergone more than 5,000 years of creation and accumulation to perfect its system and achieve its glory. Modern Chinese civilization is defined in relation to traditional Chinese civilization; it is a civilization in the process of growth and development, generated on the basis of traditional Chinese civilization. Together, traditional Chinese civilization and modern Chinese civilization constitute the totality of Chinese civilization.
Modern Chinese civilization has been generated through the process of combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with China’s fine traditional culture ("the Two Combinations"). The generation of modern Chinese civilization requires the guidance of scientific theory. Marxism, as the crystallization of the outstanding achievements of human civilization, provides directional leadership, value adherence, and theoretical guidance for this generation. Furthermore, the generation of modern Chinese civilization must be based on creative work grounded in China's historical accumulation, cultural traditions, and actual national conditions. China’s specific realities and its fine traditional culture serve as the soil for the growth of modern Chinese civilization. The "Two Combinations" represent both the fundamental method for the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, and the internal law and "success code" for opening up and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. The process of the "Two Combinations" is simultaneously the process of generating modern Chinese civilization. This process "integrates the essence of Marxist thought with the cream of China’s fine traditional culture, and harmonizes it with the common values that the masses use daily without realizing it" [1]. This has both solidified the Eastern cultural bedrock of Marxism and stimulated the vitality of China’s fine traditional culture, creating a new cultural life-form. Consequently, Marxism has become Chinese, China’s fine traditional culture has become modern, and the theoretical achievements of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism have become core components of modern Chinese civilization. In particular, the formation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the establishment of its guiding status have manifested the subjectivity of modern Chinese civilization. The "Two Combinations" have fortified the cultural foundation of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and opened up a space for innovation for modern Chinese civilization, making the creation of a new form of civilization both possible and a reality.
Modern Chinese civilization has been generated in the process of advancing Chinese-path modernization. The essence of modernization is the creation and transformation of civilization; the process of modernization is a transition from traditional agricultural civilization to modern industrial and information civilizations. In its essence, Chinese-path modernization is the creation and accumulation of modern Chinese civilization. The process of Chinese-path modernization is the process of building a modern Chinese civilization by adapting to the trends of world modernization and the developmental trajectory of human civilization. Chinese-path modernization endows traditional Chinese civilization with modern power and the characteristics of the times, while traditional Chinese civilization provides Chinese-path modernization with profound depth and cultural roots. Chinese-path modernization is a modernization that continues traditional civilization rather than eliminating it; it is the result of civilizational renewal rather than the product of civilizational rupture. The construction of modern Chinese civilization is an inherent requirement of Chinese-path modernization, and its generation is a significant achievement thereof.
Modern Chinese civilization has been generated in the process of consolidating the community of the Chinese nation. A community is the social form for human existence and development, as well as the social foundation for the creation and inheritance of civilization. Such communities include groups, ethnic groups, multi-ethnic communities, national communities, and even the community of all humanity. Chinese civilization was created through the interaction, exchange, and integration of various ethnic groups within the process of forming a pattern of diversity in unity [2]; all ethnic groups have made important contributions to its formation and development. Retracing the history of the formation of the unified multi-ethnic state, China has experienced four major periods of ethnic fusion: the pre-Qin period, the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern dynasties, the late Tang to the Liao, Jin, and Yuan dynasties, and from the mid-Ming dynasty to modern times. These fusions formed a shared consanguineous, cultural, historical, and political identity among all ethnic groups, forging the community of the Chinese nation. Simultaneously, a Chinese civilization with distinct features, clear markers, unique thinking, and stable values was formed, becoming the cultural definition and civilizational hallmark of the community of the Chinese nation, ensuring its cultural endurance and temporal continuity. Modern Chinese civilization is generated in the process of consolidating the community of the Chinese nation and is the result of the collective creation and inheritance of all ethnic groups. It integrates the essence of various ethnic civilizations while transcending their specific forms; it is a new form of Chinese civilization, marking a new historical stage in the construction of the community of the Chinese nation.
Modern Chinese civilization has been generated in the process of building a community with a shared future for humanity. Human civilization survives and develops by responding to challenges and crises. Whether a civilization can survive, develop, and endure depends on its ability to effectively adapt to its environment and respond to the challenges posed by the changing times. In Arnold Toynbee’s view, the growth of civilization is a process of continually responding to new challenges and achieving success. "The impetus for the growth of civilization comes from a successful response provoked by a challenge, and the response in turn triggers new challenges" [3]. This rhythm of challenge and response promotes the growth and development of civilization. In today’s world, changes unseen in a century are accelerating; the international balance of power, the international system, and international relations are undergoing profound adjustments, and the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. The Communist Party of China is a Marxist governing party with internationalist sentiments and responsibilities. Facing changes in the global landscape, it has proposed the initiative of building a community with a shared future for humanity, pointing the way forward for a chaotic world, providing a new paradigm for the construction of the international system and international relations, and offering a Chinese solution for human development, which has won widespread recognition from the international community. A community with a shared future for humanity is not a rootless, ethereal imagination; it is a community of destiny and civilization built upon a new form of civilization, possessing clear connotations and goals. The construction of a community with a shared future for humanity places demands on new forms of civilization. Modern Chinese civilization is generated alongside the construction of this community, embodying the shared human values [4] of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom. It provides civilizational support for the community with a shared future for humanity while endowing modern Chinese civilization with international significance.
The internal mechanism, practical basis, social foundation, and era-defining demands behind the generation of modern Chinese civilization provide it with vast space for growth, developmental prospects, and multifaceted civilizational characteristics and values.
II. The Characteristics of Modern Chinese Civilization
Modern Chinese civilization embodies both the prominent characteristics of traditional Chinese civilization and the civilizational features and temperament of the New Era. Looking at the concepts and practices of the CPC in leading the people to build this civilization, as well as its specific forms, its characteristics can be summarized into five aspects.
Modern Chinese civilization is a civilization that upholds the principle of putting the people first. Civilization is the creation and accumulation of human practical activities, the rational summary and sublimation of human practical wisdom. Putting the people first is the fundamental value position of the CPC. For the construction of modern Chinese civilization, this position is reflected in three main areas: First, it respects the people’s principal status and relies on their principal strength. People are the creators of history; "the broad and profound Chinese civilization was created by the Chinese people." The people are the subjects of its construction, and this construction depends on the full mobilization of the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of all people. Second, modern Chinese civilization is rooted in the production and life practices of the people, which serve as the fertile soil for its growth. It is created within these practices, and the people’s practical experience and wisdom are the sources of its generation. Third, the purpose of building modern Chinese civilization is to satisfy the people’s civilizational demands and promote the free and comprehensive development of individuals. The construction process respects the people's wishes, conforms to their expectations for civilization, meets their growing needs for a better life, and ensures that all people share the fruits of civilizational development, creating the conditions for free and comprehensive human development through civilizational progress. Putting the people first reflects the value orientation and pursuit of modern Chinese civilization, explains its developmental purpose, and is its greatest distinction from traditional Chinese civilization.
Modern Chinese civilization is a civilization of coordinated development. Whether the constituent elements of a civilization are coordinated and balanced directly relates to the degree and effectiveness of its development. The vitality and influence of a civilization are closely linked to the coordination and balance of its growth. If any element becomes a "short board," it triggers a "short-board effect" [5], leading to civilizational decline and disintegration—a fact proven by the history of human civilizations. A major reason Chinese civilization has endured to this day is that its internal elements support each other, forming an organic whole and a stable structure. Modern Chinese civilization places particular emphasis on coordination and balance; the goal of becoming a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful, along with the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan, demonstrates the CPC’s pursuit of the coordinated development and comprehensive elevation of material, political, spiritual, social, and ecological civilizations.
Modern Chinese civilization is a civilization of innovative development. The Chinese nation is a nation courageous and skilled in innovation; the process of generating and developing Chinese civilization is one of continuous innovation, through which the inheritance and replacement of civilization are achieved. Innovativeness is a prominent characteristic of Chinese civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: "The innovative capacity of a country or nation fundamentally influences or even determines its future and destiny." Modern Chinese civilization was formed through innovation, which is its spiritual trait and developmental driver. The development of human civilization is characterized by inheritance; the construction of modern Chinese civilization can only proceed on the basis of traditional civilization. Without it, modern Chinese civilization would lose its "roots" and would be unable to be generated, let alone develop. The inheritance of modern Chinese civilization is not about clinging to tradition, but is rather an organic unity of inheritance and innovation—upholding fundamentals without being archaic, and respecting the past without returning to it. Through innovation, the transformation and development of China’s fine traditional culture are achieved, endowing tradition with new connotations and values to revitalize it, transcend it, and manifest its contemporary charm. Modern Chinese civilization relies on innovation to meet the various challenges of the times. Through innovation in theory, practice, institutions, and culture, it resolves contradictions, responds to challenges, addresses modern issues, and forms a new civilizational state. Scientific and technological innovation is the driver of Chinese-path modernization, generating industrial and information civilizations and achieving the modern transformation of Chinese civilization.
Modern Chinese civilization is an inclusive civilization. Although it is difficult to rank the civilizations of different countries and nations as superior or inferior, it is an indisputable fact that each has its strengths and weaknesses. Drawing on others' strengths to compensate for one’s own weaknesses and promoting the common development of human civilization is the driver of exchange and mutual learning, as well as an essential requirement for civilizational development. Civilizational exchange leads to comparison, through which one becomes aware of one’s own shortcomings and others' strengths, thereby generating civilizational interaction and a conscious awareness of learning from others. At the same time, interaction helps manifest the value of a civilization; "the value and vitality of a civilization lie not only in its essence but also in its exchange and interactive influence with other civilizations." Inclusivity is a prominent characteristic of Chinese civilization. In its formation and development, it has maintained an open attitude toward external civilizations, successively drawing on and absorbing beneficial elements from South Asian, Central and Western Asian, and European civilizations. Through localized transformation, these have formed new constituent elements of the civilization. Modern Chinese civilization has been formed against shorter distances, easier exchange, and more frequent interaction in a globalized context. On one hand, it insists on not forgetting its origins, fully excavating and inheriting the resources of China’s fine traditional culture; on the other hand, it absorbs external influences while facing the future, maintaining its own focus while drawing on the outstanding achievements of human civilization to achieve an organic unity of national character and global character.
Chinese-path modernization is a civilization characterized by peaceful development. The choice of a path and mode for civilizational development is determined by cultural traditions, national character, the nature of the state, and the global landscape. The development process of Western capitalist civilization was fraught with aggression and exploitation, violence and bloodshed. The Chinese nation values peace, amity, and harmony; it possesses no cultural genes or historical traditions of external aggression or expansion. Chinese civilization possesses a prominent peaceful nature, and its formation and development have relied primarily on the industrious labor and practical creativity of the Chinese people themselves. The construction of Chinese-path modernization proceeds alongside the historical process of building a community with a shared future for humanity. It adheres to international norms of equality, mutual benefit, and win-win cooperation. While developing itself, it brings developmental opportunities and provides developmental platforms to the world, promoting the common prosperity and progress of humanity. Chinese-path modernization is a civilizational form that drives world peace and development while safeguarding the diversity of human civilization.
Chinese-path modernization is an entirely new civilizational form. It is a form that encapsulates the fundamental valence and position of the Communist Party of China, inherits the prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization, embodies the character and spirit of the Chinese nation, and adapts to the trends of the times and the direction of civilizational development.
III. The Value of Chinese-path Modernization
The generation and defining traits of Chinese-path modernization possess unique civilizational value. They will exert a profound influence on promoting the modern transformation of Chinese civilization, advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, driving the development of human civilization, and shaping the modern image of the state, the nation, and the Party.
Chinese-path modernization promotes the modern transformation of Chinese civilization. The modern civilization inaugurated by the development of Western capitalism divided human civilization into pre-modern and modern categories; traditional Chinese civilization was classified as a form of pre-modern civilization. Since ancient times, Chinese civilization evolved according to its own logic, at one point becoming the greatest civilization in the world. However, after the Opium War, as Western industrial civilization rose, Chinese civilization failed to achieve a modern transformation in step with the rhythm of the times. This led to a decline from its glorious zenith, resulting in the people suffering [6] and the civilization being shrouded in dust [7]. The fundamental reason for this was that Chinese civilization was essentially pre-modern and could not withstand the impact of modern civilization. Chinese-path modernization is a continuation of traditional Chinese civilization. While maintaining the original prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization, it overcomes the historical limitations of traditional civilization, endows it with vitality and vigor, establishes the dominant position of modern industrial and information civilizations, and promotes the modern transformation of Chinese civilization.
Chinese-path modernization lays the civilizational foundation for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The glory of the Chinese nation in history lay in the creation of Chinese civilization; the contribution of the Chinese nation to human history lies in the contribution of Chinese civilization to the development of human civilization. Historically, Chinese civilization exerted a significant influence on the European Enlightenment. Enlightenment thinkers such as Leibniz, Voltaire, and Rousseau all drew intellectual wisdom from Chinese civilization. The emergence of the Western capitalist system was also closely related to the dissemination and functional amplification of gunpowder, the compass, and printing in the West. The decline of the Chinese nation after the Opium War was, in essence, the decline of Chinese civilization. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation inherently includes the transition of Chinese civilization. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the practices of revolution, construction, and reform led by the CPC in uniting the people have essentially been practices in the construction of Chinese-path modernization. The “two miracles” [8] of rapid economic development and long-term social stability are miracles of Chinese-path modernization. Building Chinese-path modernization is the goal for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and its construction provides the civilizational foundation for that realization.
Chinese-path modernization provides a new paradigm for the development of human civilization. The development of human civilization is a continuously evolving historical process. The replacement of feudal civilization by capitalist civilization was a great step forward, promoting the development of productive forces and the progress of human civilization, and inaugurating world history. However, capitalist civilization is capital-centered; its excessive pursuit of profit maximization and material enjoyment has led to the distorted development of material and spiritual civilizations and the alienation of the human being. Chinese-path modernization is a socialist civilization that follows a people-centered development logic. It achieves a transcendence over capitalist civilization, providing new choices and injecting new momentum into the development of human civilization, thereby accelerating its historical process. Thus, Chinese-path modernization transcends the horizon of the nation-state and possesses world-historical significance.
Chinese-path modernization provides civilizational support for the construction of the image of the state, the nation, and the Party. Civilizational development serves a representational and supporting role in image construction. Regarding the construction of the national image, the building of Chinese-path modernization reflects the state's pursuit of modern civilization, demonstrates the state's capacity for civilizational innovation, its level of development, and its ability to disseminate civilization. For the construction of the national image [9], it demonstrates the civilizational pursuits and goals of the Chinese nation, laying a foundation for forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation and providing support for consolidating the Chinese national community. Simultaneously, it facilitates the enhancement of the international influence of Chinese civilization and highlights its international significance. For the construction of the Party’s image, it demonstrates the CPC’s civilizational pursuits, its sense of responsibility, and its creative capacity as a governing party. it shows that the Party’s historical confidence, cultural confidence, and civilizational confidence have reached new heights, and that its historical consciousness and historical initiative in advancing civilizational innovation based on the inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture have reached new heights.
"Civilization can only be studied over long periods of time." The discussion of constructing Chinese-path modernization must be based on history, but even more so it must look toward the present and the future. The construction of Chinese-path modernization means that the development of Chinese civilization has entered a new stage, showcasing the developmental vision of the Chinese nation and the developmental prospects of Chinese civilization. It opens a new stage in the development of human civilization and will profoundly influence its process and alter its pattern of development.
(The author is the Dean, Professor, and Doctoral Supervisor of the School of Marxism at South China Normal University) Web Editor: Xiaotian Source: Social Sciences in China, 2023, No. 8.