Gao Xiang: A Decade of Magnificent Chapters in Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences
Great achievement in virtue and industry, guided by thought. On May 17, 2016, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over a symposium on work in the philosophy and social sciences and delivered an important speech (hereinafter referred to as the "Speech"), which profoundly elucidated the great significance, status, and role of the philosophy and social sciences. It scientifically answered a series of fundamental, principled, and strategic questions concerning the long-term development of our country's philosophy and social sciences, systematically mapped out a grand blueprint for accelerating the construction of Chinese philosophy and social sciences, and pointed out the way forward while providing a fundamental compliance for the prosperity and development of contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences. Over the past 10 years, under the guidance of the spirit of the "Speech," the Chinese philosophy and social sciences community has held high the banner, focusing on serving Chinese-path modernization, exploring laws, seeking truth, and inheriting civilization. This has promoted theoretical innovation and academic prosperity, resulting in a new academic situation brimming with passion, vitality, and vigor. Practice has proved that if contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences are to possess their own dignity and win a glorious future, they must advance firmly along the direction guided by the spirit of the "Speech."
Thought Leading the Way
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "A country without developed natural sciences cannot stand at the forefront of the world, and a country without prosperous philosophy and social sciences cannot stand at the forefront of the world either." Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, standing at the strategic height of promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, has personally planned and guided the cause of our philosophy and social sciences. In the history of academic development in New Era China, the "Speech" holds important monumental significance. In the 10 years since, General Secretary Xi Jinping has, based on the development and changes of the situation and focusing on the specific progress of various fields and aspects of philosophy and social science work, delivered a series of important speeches and issued a series of important instructions and comments. Together with the "Speech," these important discourses and instructions constitute the "academic chapter" of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture.
Adhering to and consolidating the guiding position of Marxism to establish the heart and cast the soul for Chinese philosophy and social sciences. Persisting with Marxism as the guide is the fundamental hallmark that distinguishes contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences from others. On this fundamental issue concerning the morality of the world and the hearts of the people, General Secretary Xi Jinping has taken a clear-cut stand. He has not only presided over a series of special meetings and issued multiple important instructions on the Project to Study and Build Marxist Theory but has also, in the face of the mutual agitation of Chinese and foreign trends of thought, guided the academic community to "raise the banner and unsheathe the sword" [1], to "clear the murky water and let the settled water flow" [2], and to defend the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "In treating Marxism, one cannot adopt a dogmatic attitude, nor can one adopt a pragmatic attitude" and "Adhering to a problem-oriented approach is a distinctive feature of Marxism," pointing out the way forward for Chinese academics in the New Era.
Inheriting and promoting fine traditional Chinese culture to ensure the Chinese philosophy and social sciences are deep-rooted and flourishing. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The Chinese culture that has stretched for thousands of years is the profound foundation for the growth and development of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics." Since the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has kept the nation's fate in mind and the cultural lineage in his heart, personally planning, deploying, and promoting the establishment of the Chinese Academy of History and the National Archives of Publications and Culture, and issuing a series of important instructions on inheriting and promoting fine traditional Chinese culture. In particular, on June 2, 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the Symposium on Cultural Inheritance and Development and delivered an important speech, which profoundly elucidated the prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization, brilliantly revealed the great significance of the "Two Combinations," and issued the call of the times to "better shoulder the new cultural mission" and "work together to create a new culture belonging to our era." This is an extensive and profound Marxist cultural manifesto, indicating that our Party's understanding of the laws of cultural development, of traditional Chinese culture, and of the cultural mission of the New Era has reached a new height, presenting the historical responsibility and cultural calling of contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences more clearly to the people.
Advocating for civilizational exchange and mutual learning, leading Chinese academia onto the global stage. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must not only let the world know 'China on the tongue' [3], but also let the world know 'China in academia,' 'China in theory,' 'China in philosophy and social sciences,' and let the world know 'developing China,' 'opening China,' and 'China contributing to human civilization.'" General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over a collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to study the strengthening of China's international communication capacity building. He has also delivered speeches at several important international venues, advocating for civilizational exchange and dialogue, and encouraging Chinese and foreign scholars to promote mutual learning among civilizations through academic dialogue and to facilitate civilizational progress through knowledge innovation. Under the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the international communication capacity of Chinese academia has significantly enhanced, and the dialogue between Chinese and foreign civilizations has continued to deepen, providing more thoughtful theoretical support and more innovative intellectual support for building a community with a shared future for humanity.
Strengthening and improving the Party's leadership over philosophy and social sciences work, creating a positive and upward academic ecosystem. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "The cause of philosophy and social sciences is an important cause of the Party and the people; the philosophy and social sciences front is an important front for the Party and the people." General Secretary Xi Jinping has poured deep affection and high expectations into the vast number of philosophy and social science workers, emphasizing: "We must care for, cultivate, and utilize this team well," "earnestly implement the Party's policy on intellectuals," and "achieve full trust politically, active guidance ideologically, the creation of conditions in work, and care and consideration in life, doing more practical, good, and difficult tasks for them." He required that "leading cadres should treat philosophy and social sciences with a scientific attitude and respect the hard work and research results of philosophy and social science workers." General Secretary Xi Jinping also inspired philosophy and social science workers to solve problems of "academic style" [4], promoting the formation of an excellent academic style that advocates for high-quality work, rigorous scholarship, values integrity, and emphasizes responsibility, thereby creating a clean, healthy, and mutually learning academic ecosystem.
Brilliant Achievements
Engels pointed out: "Since history has also been interpreted materialistically, a new path of development has also been opened here." Along the direction guided by the "Speech," our country's philosophy and social science cause has ushered in its best period of development in history, achieving a series of remarkable results and showing a flourishing vitality in which ideological leadership, academic creativity, reality-interpreting power, and international influence have leaped forward across the board, contributing academic wisdom to the successful promotion and expansion of Chinese-path modernization.
Research and interpretation of the Party's innovative theories have continued to deepen, and the guiding position of Marxism has become more consolidated. Over the past 10 years, the philosophy and social sciences front has persisted in using Marxism as a guide, taking the advancement of systematic and theoretical research and interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as its primary task. It has treated the deepening of research into basic Marxist theory and the history of academic thought as a foundational project, integrating the Party's innovative theories into all fields and the entire process of Chinese philosophy and social science research. Volumes I through V of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China and Volumes I and II of Selected Readings from the Works of Xi Jinping have been published. The construction of research centers (academies) for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has been promoted with high quality, achieving full coverage of specialized ideological research into the Party's innovative theories. Around the research and interpretation of the Party's innovative theories, a batch of national-level research projects has been organized and implemented. "General Secretary Xi Jinping's Bookrooms" have been established overseas, and the "International Forum on Overseas Studies of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" has been held; research on the Party's innovative theories is gradually becoming a "prominent study" [5] at home and abroad. The Project to Study and Build Marxist Theory has been deeply implemented, and works such as the Library of Classic Works of Marxist-Leninist Authors and the Marx Archive (Ma Zang) have been published successively. The leading role of Marxism in the philosophy and social sciences has become more prominent, and scholars' use of Marxist stands, viewpoints, and methods has become more conscious and fluent. The construction of Schools of Marxism has flourished, and the team of teachers for ideological and political courses in universities has achieved a doubling in number, an improvement in quality, and strengthened guarantees, with young students growing robustly under the nourishment of the Party's innovative theories.
The construction of the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system has advanced in depth, and the foundation for building an autonomous knowledge system has become more solid. Over the past 10 years, we have taken the construction of the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system as the main direction of attack, deeply implementing the Philosophy and Social Sciences Innovation Project to enhance the subjectivity and originality of the philosophy and social sciences, and accelerating the construction of an autonomous knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences. The disciplinary system has become more systematic and complete, with a philosophy and social science disciplinary system covering all directions, fields, and elements basically formed. Emerging and interdisciplinary subjects such as CPC History and Party Building, Discipline Inspection and Supervision, Area and Country Studies, National Security Studies, Humanistic Economics, and Frontier Studies have gradually risen, and "neglected and profound studies" [6] with important cultural value and significance for inheritance have received key support. The construction of the textbook system, which provides solid support for the disciplinary system, has yielded fruitful results, and the construction of important information platforms such as the National Philosophy and Social Sciences Documentation Center has been promoted across the board. At the same time, the academic community has gradually formed a batch of analytical paradigms with Chinese characteristics, deeply researching and interpreting a batch of original and iconic concepts such as "new quality productive forces" and "cultural subjectivity." The discourse system has become more vivid; original and iconic concepts such as Chinese-path modernization, whole-process people's democracy, and a community with a shared future for humanity have profoundly influenced the international academic community, becoming the "golden keys" for international scholars to enter the hall of Chinese knowledge in the New Era.
The unique role of serving Chinese-path modernization and national rejuvenation has become more prominent, and the practical significance of "serving the country through scholarship" and "statecraft for practical use" has become more salient. Over the past 10 years, the philosophy and social sciences community has earnestly studied and implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instruction to "persist in a people-centered research orientation," filled with feelings of love for the family and country and serving national rejuvenation. Scholars have closely followed the pulse of the times and responded to contemporary concerns, focusing on major realistic issues such as implementing the new development philosophy, promoting common prosperity, developing new quality productive forces, forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, strengthening China's border governance, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. They have put forward a series of insightful views and launched a batch of pragmatic and effective research results. A multi-level, institutionalized mechanism for providing policy advice and suggestions from the central to local levels has been established, and a good fashion of strengthening scientific decision-making and valuing expert opinions has become increasingly prevalent.
The subjectivity of Chinese academia has been strengthened as never before, and Chinese-foreign academic exchanges have entered a new period of equal and mutual learning. When the nation's fortunes prosper, literary and cultural fortunes flourish. Over the past 10 years, with the significant increase in China's comprehensive national strength and international status, the cultural confidence of philosophy and social science workers has been bolstered as never before. Scholars have adhered to the Chinese cultural standpoint and cultural subjectivity, consciously excavating new materials and putting forward new viewpoints from the magnificent process of modernization and from the depths of the long and vast history and culture of the Chinese nation, striving to build a knowledge system with distinct Chinese characteristics. A batch of exquisite works capable of representing the academic spirit and level of understanding of New Era China has been disseminated overseas. We persist in basing ourselves on national realities while conducting research with an open door, participating in international academic exchanges and dialogues with a broad vision, a large heart, and an attitude of equality and confidence. China is becoming an important force in global academic governance. This is a remarkable historical transformation, possessing monumental significance in the history of Chinese academic development since modern times.
The talent pool of philosophy and social sciences has continued to grow, and its structure has become increasingly refined. Over the past 10 years, a batch of famous masters and giants with solid theoretical foundations have stood at the forefront of academic progress, bravely forging new paths and leading trends; a large number of young talents have emerged and grown robustly under the care of the Party and government; and the building of teams for "neglected studies" and interdisciplinary talents has been significantly strengthened. "Each generation produces its own talents," and Chinese academia has successors. The academic literacy of the masses has continued to improve, and "popular scholarship" is becoming a new academic ecosystem for all people in the digital intelligence era. As a new phenomenon, popular scholarship calls for and promotes professional knowledge to step out of the "ivory tower."
While fully affirming our achievements, we are also clearly aware that compared with the earnest expectations and requirements of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Party Central Committee, and compared with the realistic needs of the great practice of Chinese-path modernization, there is still a significant gap in contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences. Whether in terms of team quality or the quality of results; whether in terms of innovation capacity or the academic ecosystem, there is considerable room for improvement. Academic work in New Era China carries a heavy mission and a long road ahead.
Valuable Experience
Ten years of exploration, extraordinary achievements. Looking back at this academic journey brimming with passion and filled with poetry, there are many experiences worth summarizing.
The Party's innovative theories are the banner and soul of Chinese philosophy and social sciences in the New Era.
Looking back at the history of human scholarship, it is not difficult to discern that all scientific activity—particularly theoretical and academic exploration—has never been a goalless process of wandering, but rather a rational process possessing a standpoint, a goal, and specific norms. Adhering to Marxism as a guide is the most fundamental conclusion drawn from the development of Chinese scholarship since the May Fourth Movement [7]. By mastering Marxism, Chinese scholarship has fundamentally mastered its own future. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism. For Chinese scholarship in the New Era to achieve sublimation and win a bright future commensurate with the times, it must unswervingly take the Party’s innovative theories as its banner and soul, and persist in and strengthen the Party’s leadership over philosophy and social science work. Only in this way can our autonomous knowledge system stand firm, act correctly, and go far.
Promoting theoretical innovation is the only path for the flourishing and development of Chinese philosophy and social sciences.
The human academic enterprise has always been a process of opening up and advancing through exploration. Without innovation, scholarship has no vitality, let alone a future. We must, of course, inherit excellent academic traditions, but the purpose of inheritance is sublimation rather than rigid adherence. The precious character of Marxist theory is its ability to advance with the times. Among all human academic forms, the Marxist academic vision is the broadest, its character the most magnanimous, and its lack of sectarianism the most pronounced [8]; it is best at drawing wisdom and nourishment from all progressive ideas and civilizational achievements, and best at determining the direction of progress and drawing momentum for advancement through the combination of theory and practice, and history and reality. Constructing an autonomous knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences requires scholars to explore and innovate boldly, using scientific results rich in intellectual inspiration to boost academic progress and the sublimation of civilization.
Serving Chinese practice is the sacred mission of Chinese philosophy and social sciences in the New Era.
Devotion to the nation and the principle of statecraft [9] are the profound, ancient, and consistent fine traditions of Chinese scholarship. The view that sees philosophy and social science research as a cold, mechanical process devoid of emotion is a distortion and desecration of the academic spirit and humanistic tradition. Throughout the history of human scholarship, the excellent results with the greatest significance for their times have, without exception, been saturated with humanistic sentiment, faced social reality head-on, and undertaken the mission of the era. Chinese-path modernization has explored a brand-new path of development and created a magnificent vista never achieved by Western modernization. There are a large number of new practical subjects that require theoretical answers, a large number of deep-seated "hot" and difficult issues that require clarification, and a constant emergence of practical experiences that require theoretical generalization and elevation. Philosophy and social science workers must consciously throw themselves into the current of the era of Chinese-path modernization and strengthen research on issues of an overall, strategic, forward-looking, and law-bound [10] nature. Drawing the wisdom and power of theoretical innovation from the great practice of the masses as they transform the world is our responsibility and mission, and it is also the only path to promote an academic leap forward.
Creating an excellent academic ecosystem is the basic prerequisite for achieving academic progress.
Philosophy and social science research is a serious scientific endeavor that requires the support of sentiment, morality, and norms. It is necessary to create a political ecosystem of scholarship that is full of integrity, open and inclusive, and seeks truth from facts. The Chinese academic community in the New Era must carry forward the scientific spirit, strictly abide by scientific norms, and encourage scholars to persist in the unification of their personal conduct, their professional work, and their scholarly pursuits. We must strengthen the construction of research integrity and, through a combination of soft constraints and hard measures, ensure that scholars have strength of character, that their results have quality, and that the halls of academia have dignity.
Advancing Firmly
Marx once remarked: "Philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point, however, is to change it." The world today is the most complex the world has ever been in human history, and also the fastest-changing. Our country's development has entered a period where strategic opportunities coexist with risks and challenges, and where uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing. A new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, represented by artificial intelligence, is affecting all fields of production and life with unprecedented speed. Philosophy and social science workers must follow the direction guided by the spirit of the "Speech" [11], cherish valuable experience, consciously conduct scholarship from the commanding heights of history and the era, accelerate the construction of an autonomous knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences, and create new glories for Chinese scholarship.
Supporting and serving the construction of an autonomous knowledge system with Chinese Schools.
Constructing an autonomous knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences is the developmental direction of contemporary Chinese scholarship. Strengthening the cultivation and construction of schools of thought is a necessary prerequisite and support for achieving this grand goal. Ancient Chinese academic culture has an ancient and profound tradition of schools of thought, and Marxist scholarship has valuable experience in cultivating and developing such schools. We must take the Party's innovative theories as our guide, inherit the Chinese academic lineage, ground ourselves in Chinese practice, and uphold the Chinese spirit. Using a field of vision, research paradigms, academic concepts, and theoretical discourse with distinct Chinese characteristics, we must create Chinese schools of philosophy and social science that possess subjectivity, originality, and explanatory power. This will provide knowledge support for constructing an autonomous knowledge system and provide the academic confidence for Chinese scholars to engage in equal dialogue and exchange with the international academic community.
Engaging in and leading the new trend of the technological revolution.
"Science is a historically dynamic, revolutionary force." Every major change in science and technology brings about an update in thinking methods and knowledge systems. Currently, the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation represented by artificial intelligence has profoundly changed the objects, methods, and boundaries of philosophy and social science research, and is and will deeply reshape the trends and forms of academic research. Facing the future, philosophy and social science workers should throw themselves into the torrent of change of the era without hesitation, promote systemic changes in research methods, tools, and organizational forms, and explore a new type of research mode involving human-machine collaboration. On the basis of upholding the humanistic spirit and value judgments, we should achieve the organic unification of technological empowerment and theoretical innovation. We must attach great importance to the profound impact of the new technological revolution on lifestyles, governance, and international relations, and carry out forward-looking research. We should actively guide and regulate the development of popular scholarship, explore knowledge expression and dissemination methods oriented toward the public, and enrich and improve the level of popular scholarship.
Innovating the organization of scientific research.
In today’s world, no single discipline can solve major theoretical and practical problems on its own. At the same time, academic progress is increasingly built on the achievements made in related disciplines. Breaking down disciplinary barriers and promoting the cross-disciplinary integration of subjects is becoming a new normality in academic development worldwide. Measures must be taken to further unleash the productive forces of scholarship and produce both results and talent through the promotion of interdisciplinary integration. We must build comprehensive research platforms for multi-disciplinary joint attacks on key problems, encourage outstanding scholars to "take the lead" [12], set up cross-disciplinary integrated innovation teams, and form a new type of academic community with rich connotations and distinct characteristics, thereby opening new horizons, constructing new systems, cultivating new knowledge, and achieving new breakthroughs.
Persisting in and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership.
The Party's leadership over philosophy and social science work is the inevitable requirement and fundamental guarantee for the flourishing and development of our country's philosophy and social sciences. At no time and under no circumstances can this be blurred or shaken. We must persist in taking the Party's political construction as the overarching principle, further deepen the reform of the scientific research system and mechanism, and establish a modern management system and mechanism adapted to the development of Chinese philosophy and social sciences in the New Era. We must firmly grasp the fundamental element of talent, further increase efforts in the construction of talent teams—particularly focusing on the cultivation of young talent—and strive to build a large-scale, fully categorized, and well-echeloned team of outstanding talent in philosophy and social sciences. We should continuously optimize the academic ecosystem, improve evaluation and incentive mechanisms, encourage exploration, and support innovation. We must improve the system of research integrity to ensure our academic community is clean and upright.
Years pass, and the world undergoes immense changes. Looking back from the present, "it is the right time, when the way of governance and the state of the world flourish together, and the fate of culture and the fate of the nation both prosper" [13]. Along the direction guided by the "Speech," Chinese philosophy and social sciences have achieved a glorious decade and written a brilliant academic chapter. Looking to the future, we will unswervingly follow the direction guided by the "Speech" to provide intellectual and ideological support for the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation. As General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "This is an era that needs theory and is certainly capable of producing theory; this is an era that needs thought and is certainly capable of producing thought. We cannot fail this era."