Lin Jianhua: The Scientific Connotation and Educational Practice Value of the "Two Combinations"
Marxism is a scientific theory, a theory of the people, a theory of practice, and a constantly developing open theory; it is a powerful ideological weapon for people to understand the world, grasp its laws, seek truth, and transform the world. With the roar of the guns of the October Revolution, Marxism-Leninism was brought to China. Simultaneously, the historical process of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism began. In his important speech at the ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the "Two Combinations"—namely, the major proposition of combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with China's fine traditional culture. The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, reaffirmed this major proposition. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress again emphasized the major proposition of the "Two Combinations" and provided a comprehensive and systematic exposition of it. Shortly after the 20th CPC National Congress, during an inspection of the Yinxu [1] ruins in Anyang, Henan Province, General Secretary Xi Jinping further pointed out: "The fundamental path for us to advance the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism is the 'Two Combinations.'" Marxism can only take root if it is Sinicized; it can only win the hearts of the people if it is localized; and it can only be full of vitality if it is modernized. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on the "Two Combinations" profoundly reveal the scientific connotation, fundamental path, and practical value of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, opening up new horizons for contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism.
I. The "Two Integrations" and the "Two Combinations"
From the moment of its founding, the CPC inscribed Marxism-Leninism on its banner as its guiding ideology. The century-long history of the CPC is a history of struggle in which the Party led the Chinese people in revolution, construction, and reform. It is also a history of the Party’s continuous exploration to realize the Sinicization of Marxism, successfully opening up the correct path for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation by combining the basic tenets of Marxism with the specific realities of China’s revolution and construction, the specific realities of China’s reform and opening up, and the specific realities of China in the New Era.
Marxism was born in 19th-century Western Europe. Leninism is the product of the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with the specific realities of Russia. When Marxism and Marxism-Leninism came to China, there was the issue of whether they would "suit the local soil and water" [2]—that is, the issue of combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities. During the New Democratic Revolution period, Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: "We must apply the methods of Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin to China to create something new. General theory alone, if not applied to Chinese reality, cannot defeat the enemy. But if the theory is applied to reality, and the Marxist standpoint and method are used to solve Chinese problems and create something new, then it will work." At the same time, Comrade Mao Zedong also noted that "it is no easy task for the CPC to truly understand China’s reality" and that the task to "further integrate the revolutionary science of Marxism-Leninism with the practice of the Chinese revolution, Chinese history, and Chinese culture" was even more onerous and difficult. Therefore, to fulfill the task of this "First Integration" and succeed in this "First Combination," the foundation and prerequisite were to clarify and master the basic tenets of Marxism while truly understanding and knowing China’s specific realities. Through this "First Integration" and "First Combination," Chinese Communists, while "taking Russia as a teacher," [3] found the correct path for the Chinese revolution, achieved the great victory of the New Democratic Revolution, and wrote the Chinese chapter of Marxism.
Advancing the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism is a process of pursuing, revealing, and practicing truth; it is not achieved overnight, nor is it settled once and for all. This led to the "Second Integration" and the "Two Combinations." After the founding of the People's Republic of China, "taking the Soviet Union as a warning/mirror," [4] Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: "Now is the period of socialist revolution and construction; we must carry out a second integration to find the path for building socialism in China." Since the start of reform and opening up, we have continued this "Second Integration." Comrade Deng Xiaoping proposed the grand proposition of "taking our own path and building socialism with Chinese characteristics." Since the 18th CPC National Congress, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Socialism with Chinese characteristics has been the theme of all the Party’s theory and practice since the start of reform and opening up." He further proposed that "persisting in and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is a great article" and "the task for our generation of Communists is to continue writing this great article." Chinese Communists have profoundly realized that only by combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with China’s fine traditional culture, and by persisting in the application of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, can we correctly answer the major questions posed by the times and practice, and maintain the vigorous vitality and exuberant energy of Marxism. This is the origin and true essence of the "Two Combinations."
In the "First Integration" and "First Combination," China's specific realities included Chinese practice, history, and culture, with practice primarily referring to the practice of the Chinese revolution. The "Two Combinations" are a component of the "Second Integration," an important content of socialist construction and the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the latest achievement of the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. The New Era chapter of the "First Combination" is still practiced by Chinese Communists relying on their own strength; a fundamental point running through it remains that China’s problems must start from China’s basic national conditions and be answered by the Chinese people themselves. The "Second Combination" represents the consistent and high level of importance Chinese Communists attach to Chinese history and culture; it is a more proactive, conscious, comprehensive, and systematic inheritance and promotion, and a direct manifestation of cultural and historical confidence in the New Era. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "China is a vast land with a long history and a magnificent civilization. The fine traditional Chinese culture created and sustained by the Chinese nation over thousands of years is the root and soul of the Chinese nation." "Without the five thousand years of Chinese civilization, where would 'Chinese characteristics' come from? If not for 'Chinese characteristics,' how could we have the successful path of socialism with Chinese characteristics we have today? We must attach special importance to excavating the essence of the five thousand years of Chinese civilization and combine the promotion of fine traditional culture with the Marxist standpoint, viewpoint, and method to unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics." Compared to the "First Combination," the "Two Combinations" elevate the status and role of China’s fine traditional culture to a brand-new height.
II. The New Era Significance of the "Two Combinations"
To emphasize combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities, one must clarify the specific realities of China in the New Era. The main contents of China's specific realities in the New Era are: first, the new historical coordinates in which contemporary China is situated; second, the great practice of China on its new journey in the New Era.
Through long-term efforts, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era, which is the new historical coordinate of our country’s development. With this entry, the principal contradiction in Chinese society has evolved into the contradiction between the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development. However, the change in the principal contradiction has not altered our judgment on the historical stage of our country’s socialism: the basic colonial fact that China is still in, and will long remain in, the primary stage of socialism has not changed. We must firmly grasp this basic national condition of the primary stage of socialism, firmly base ourselves on this greatest reality, and firmly adhere to the Party's basic line—the lifeline of the Party and state and the line of happiness for the people. It is in this sense that General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "This New Era is the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and not any other kind of New Era." In this New Era, the main task facing the Party is to achieve the First Centenary Goal, embark on the new journey toward the Second Centenary Goal, and continue moving toward the grand goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The great practice of the New Era is to complete the main tasks facing the Party. At the ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, on behalf of the Party and the people, solemnly declared: "Through the continued efforts of the whole Party and the entire nation, we have realized the First Centenary Goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects on the land of China. This means that we have brought about a historic resolution to the problem of absolute poverty in China and are now marching in confident strides toward the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects." In the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "From this day forward, the central task of the CPC will be to lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese-path modernization." The blueprint is drawn, the bugle has sounded, and the building of a strong country and national rejuvenation have become the great practice of China on its new journey.
The vitality of theory lies in continuous innovation and advancing with the times. Combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities means using the scientific Marxist worldview and methodology—using the "arrow" of Marxism to shoot the "target" [5] of China in the New Era—to solve the practical problems of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization. It means making correct answers that conform to China's reality and the requirements of the New Era, reaching scientific understandings that conform to objective laws, and forming theoretical results that advance with the times to better guide Chinese practice. This is what it means to "solve Chinese problems and create something new" in the New Era. In this sense, "building a strong country and national rejuvenation" will surely go down in history alongside "reform and opening up."
To emphasize combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture, one must understand the timeless meaning of China’s fine traditional culture. For over 100 years, in the historical process of advancing the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, our Party has activated the long-standing Chinese civilization with the power of Marxist truth, allowing Chinese civilization to radiate vigorous vitality once again. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the historical inheritance and innovative development of China’s fine traditional culture. By drawing on the essential nutrients of the humanistic spirit, moral values, and historical wisdom of Chinese civilization, he has opened a new horizon of governance that draws from tradition to achieve greatness and strengthens the foundation to create the new. Standing at the New Era height of the "Two Combinations," General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress: "With a long history and profound substance, fine traditional Chinese culture is the crystallization of the wisdom of Chinese civilization. Elements such as regarding the whole world as a public community (天下为公, tianxia wei gong), the people as the foundation of the state (min wei bang ben), governing by virtue (wei zheng yi de), brushing away the old to bring in the new (ge gu ding xin), appointing the virtuous and capable (ren ren xian xing), the unity of humanity and nature (tian ren he yi), self-discipline and social commitment (zi qiang bu xi), thick virtue to carry all things (hou de zai wu), valuing sincerity and promoting harmony (jiang xin xiu mu), and being kind to neighbors (qin ren shan lin) are important manifestations of the cosmological, international, social, and moral views accumulated by the Chinese people in their long-term production and life, and are highly compatible with the values and propositions of scientific socialism." General Secretary Xi Jinping also noted: "It is no accident that since Marxism was introduced to China, the propositions of scientific socialism have been warmly welcomed by the Chinese people and eventually took root, blossomed, and bore fruit on Chinese soil. Rather, they are connected to our country’s excellent historical culture passed down for thousands of years and the values that the masses 'use daily without even realizing it' (ri yong er bu jue)."
Persisting in combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture—adhering to the principle of "making the past serve the present" [6] and "bringing forth the new from the old"—and integrating the essence of Marxist thought with the cream of China’s fine traditional culture and the common values the people use daily without realizing it, reflects the strong historical and cultural confidence and initiative of the CPC and the Chinese people. This allows our Party’s theory to combine more closely with the 5,000-year glorious civilization of the Chinese nation, gaining incredibly abundant ideological and cultural resources. For over 100 years, the historical mission of Marxism for human liberation, the historical tasks of modern China for national independence, people's liberation, national prosperity, and people's happiness, and the beautiful vision of China’s fine traditional culture for a world of Great Harmony [7] (大同, Datong) have achieved an organic combination in their high degree of compatibility. The CPC seeks happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, while also seeking progress for humanity and Great Harmony for the world. In this sense, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, with its powerful historical penetration, cultural appeal, and spiritual inspiration, has become the essence of Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit in this era.
III. Persisting in the "Two Combinations" to Promote High-Quality Development of Education in the New Era
Education is a project of vital importance to the state and the Party. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on education have been a concentrated manifestation of the "Two Combinations" in the educational field. On the new journey, we must unswervingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to "mold the soul and educate the person," striving to cultivate new people of the era who are capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of national rejuvenation.
Persisting in the "two combinations" [8] is fundamentally about strengthening the Party’s comprehensive leadership over educational work. Party leadership is the greatest political advantage for guiding the continuous advancement of the cause of education for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that we must "persist in the guiding position of Marxism," that "Marxism is the most vibrant underlying color of China's universities," and that we must "persist in the Party’s comprehensive leadership over the cause of education." To promote high-quality development in education in the New Era, we must persist in the guiding position of Marxism, implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, adhere to the socialist direction of running schools, and fulfill the fundamental task of "fostering virtue through education" (立德树人, lìdé shùrén). We must persist in ensuring that education serves the people, serves the Communist Party of China’s governance of the country, serves to consolidate and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and serves reform, opening up, and socialist modernization. We must run education rooted in Chinese soil, combining it with productive labor and social practice, to accelerate the modernization of education, build a leading power in education, provide education that satisfies the people, and strive to cultivate newcomers of the era who are capable of shouldering the great responsibility of national rejuvenation.
Persisting in the "two combinations" key lies in implementing the Party's educational policy for the New Era by profoundly answering the fundamental educational question of "whom to cultivate, how to cultivate them, and for whom they are cultivated." This is the essential requirement and direct manifestation of adhering to the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method within the field of education. On the new journey of the New Era, we must consistently and effectively grasp the major strategic task of cultivating newcomers of the era who can shoulder the responsibility of national rejuvenation—cultivating socialist builders and successors with a comprehensive development in ethics, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetic grounding, and hard work [9]—as a matter concerning the future and destiny of the Party and the state, ensuring that the cause of the Party and the state has successors and that talents emerge in large numbers. Specifically, this means fortifying students' spiritual foundation with firm ideals and convictions, guiding them to establish faith in Marxism, belief in socialism with Chinese characteristics, and confidence in the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and guiding students to listen to the Party and follow the Party. Most critical is to persist in fostering virtue through education and cultivating people through culture, strengthening education in patriotism, collectivism, and socialism among students, vigorously cultivating and promoting socialist core values, promoting the national spirit and the spirit of the times, and guiding students to increase their knowledge, temper their character, grow into talents, and make contributions through their studies.
Persisting in the "two combinations" importantly involves adhering to a people-centered approach to developing education, accelerating the construction of a high-quality education system, developing quality-oriented education, and promoting educational equity. We must use fine traditional Chinese culture to strengthen the foundation and cast the soul, firming up cultural confidence [10] so as to truly cultivate youth into children who possess the "Four Confidences." We must comprehensively improve the quality of autonomous talent cultivation and focus on producing top-notch innovative talents. We must deepen comprehensive reform in the field of education, strengthen the construction and management of teaching materials, improve school management and educational evaluation systems, and refine the mechanism for collaborative education between schools, families, and society. We must strengthen the construction of teachers' ethics and professional conduct, cultivate a high-quality teaching force, and promote a social atmosphere of honoring teachers and valuing education. Through high-quality education, especially high-quality basic education, we must solidify the foundation for high-quality population development. We must promote digital education and build a learning-oriented society and a learning-oriented nation where all people engage in lifelong learning.
If the youth prosper, the nation prospers; if the youth are strong, the nation is strong. Today, China’s younger generation is living in the best period for Chinese-path modernization and the development of the Chinese nation. They face rare life opportunities to make contributions and establish themselves, but also shoulder the mission of the era: "When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on a person" [11]. The cause of the Chinese Communists is a relay race. Cultivating newcomers of the era who can shoulder the responsibility of national rejuvenation, and cultivating socialist builders and successors with a comprehensive development in ethics, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetic grounding, and hard work, is a task where the burden is heavy and the road is long (rènzhòng-dàoyuǎn) [12]. Persisting in the "two combinations" is the fundamental path for promoting the high-quality development of education in the New Era.