Sun Laibin: Fine Traditional Chinese Culture and Socialism with Chinese Characteristics
Since the May Fourth Movement [1], there have long been divergent views across various sectors of society regarding the practical role of traditional Chinese culture, including many radical and prejudiced positions. Adhering to Marxist historicism, Chinese Communists have consistently advocated for a dialectical attitude toward traditional culture, championing the inheritance and promotion of fine traditional Chinese culture. Since the New Era, the Party Central Committee has attached great importance to the role of fine traditional Chinese culture, emphasizing that it is a prominent advantage of the Chinese nation and the foundation upon which we stand firm amidst the global turbulence of cultures. At present, the ideological and theoretical circles have carried out in-depth and extensive research on fine traditional Chinese culture, but research on its role in upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is relatively scarce. In his important speech at the Symposium on Cultural Inheritance and Development, Xi Jinping pointed out: "Opening up and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics on the profound foundation of more than 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, and combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture, is the path we must take." This important discourse provides an essential guideline for our profound understanding of the role of fine traditional Chinese culture in socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. In terms of its influence on social life, fine traditional Chinese culture plays an important role in building a modern Chinese civilization, promoting high-quality development, and advancing the modernization of national governance; it constitutes a deep and lasting spiritual and cultural force for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and for advancing and expanding the Chinese-path modernization.
I. The Cultural Foundation for Building a Modern Chinese Civilization
Exploring the role of fine traditional Chinese culture in relation to the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics involves several inescapable and unavoidable key issues. Among these are the relationships between fine traditional Chinese culture and socialist modernization, its relationship with Marxism, and its relationship with the socialist core values. Only by properly handling these relationships can China, an ancient Eastern civilization, rejuvenate its youthful vitality and move confidently and composedly toward the goal of becoming a socialist cultural powerhouse.
1. The Integration of Fine Traditional Chinese Culture and Socialist Modernization
For countries that are relatively backward economically and culturally after embarking on the socialist road, how to treat their own traditional culture is a question worthy of serious exploration. Marx and Engels pointed out in the Communist Manifesto that the socialist revolution "is the most radical rupture with traditional property relations; no wonder that its development involved the most radical rupture with traditional ideas." According to the context of these "two ruptures," just as "traditional property relations" refers to private property relations—particularly capitalist private property—"traditional ideas" undoubtedly refers to those ideas that reflect and maintain the interests of private ownership, especially capitalist interests, which are primarily retrograde or even reactionary traditional concepts. If one understands "the most radical rupture with traditional ideas" as the Communists' need to discard all traditions, it would conform neither to the context of this statement nor to the historical dialectics consistently advocated by Marx and Engels; it would even violate the spirit of their direct remarks on the matter. For example, in 1851, Marx pointed out in The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte: "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. The tradition of all dead generations weighs like a nightmare on the brains of the living." The "tradition" mentioned here undoubtedly includes both good and bad aspects, and thus its influence on people has both positive and negative dimensions. That with which the socialist revolution must strive to rupture is undoubtedly the negative, corrupt, and "bad" traditions. As for the fine traditions in human history, Marx and Engels explicitly stated they should be inherited. In the Grundrisse (Economic Manuscripts of 1857–1858), when evaluating Ancient Greek art and epics, Marx remarked that although the social conditions that produced such literature and art had vanished forever, these creations of the ancients "still afford us artistic pleasure and that in certain respects they count as a norm and as an unattainable model." He also emphasized that just as an adult should not lose their childhood innocence, a mature society should "reproduce" the eternal charm of human cultural creation "at a higher stage."
Looking at world history, Russia encountered the issue of cultural orientation while exploring its path to modernization. In the first half of the 19th century, faced with the impact of Western modernization, Russia's Slavophiles and Westernizers proposed different cultural paths. The Slavophiles advocated a return to Russian cultural tradition, emphasizing its uniqueness and superiority; the Westernizers fundamentally negated Russian cultural tradition and advocated for the total adoption of Western bourgeois culture. Both positions were undoubtedly biased. After the victory of the October Revolution, Lenin, on the one hand, struggled against the "Proletkult" [2] represented by Bogdanov, criticizing their erroneous advocacy of completely abandoning Russian traditional culture, and emphasizing that "proletarian culture does not emerge from thin air" but should be the "logical development of the entire store of knowledge created by mankind" throughout history. On the other hand, Lenin demanded a persistent struggle against the ignorant concepts and boorish legacy of the past, vigorously promoting a cultural revolution, believing that "once this cultural revolution is achieved, our country will become a fully socialist country."
Regarding the situation in China, there have long been differing views on whether and how traditional culture can be integrated with modernization, and even extreme tendencies toward cultural nihilism [3] and cultural conservatism have emerged. The erroneous essence of these two extreme tendencies is just as Mao Zedong pointed out as early as 1942 in "Opposing Party Stereotypes": "Lacking the critical spirit of historical materialism, they consider what is bad as absolutely bad, everything is bad; what is good as absolutely good, everything is good." To eliminate the conflict between traditional culture and modernization, we should exert efforts from two directions: promoting active and healthy factors and criticizing negative and corrupt ones. From the perspective of criticizing the negative and corrupt, traditional culture was formed and developed in the environment of a small-peasant economy and the patriarchal system [4]. It inevitably bears the imprint of the cognitive level, historical era, and social system of the time, and possesses certain historical limitations, failing in some respects to meet the practical requirements of current socialist modernization. Among these, the "conflict between the old tradition of honoring officials and elders and the democratic spirit," the "conflict between vulgar habits and revolutionary ideals," and the "conflict between the old tradition of following the beaten path and the spirit of innovation" are particularly worthy of reflection. From the perspective of promoting active and healthy factors, "in the long historical practice of leading the Chinese people in revolution, construction, and reform, Chinese Communists have always been faithful inheritors and promoters of fine traditional Chinese culture; from Confucius to Sun Yat-sen, we have been careful to draw active nutrients from them." Fine traditional Chinese culture is an inexhaustible ideological mine and cultural treasure trove, providing rich spiritual and cultural nourishment for the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Modern China today is the continuation and development of the traditional China of history. Therefore, we must promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, making it better interface with the process of modernization and fit the needs of modern social life, constantly strengthening the cultural foundation of modern Chinese civilization and enriching the cultural connotations of the Chinese-path modernization.
2. Fine Traditional Chinese Culture and Marxism "Mutually Accomplish One Another"
Regarding the persistence in combining the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, there are fundamental questions of why it is necessary, how it is possible, and how to advance it. Regarding how the two should be combined, different perceptions exist in academic circles. Among them, some hold to "Confucian Socialism," advocating that contemporary Chinese Marxism be placed entirely within the framework of Confucian thought, completely reconstructing contemporary Chinese Marxism and socialism with Chinese characteristics through Confucianism; others advocate for fine traditional Chinese culture to be implanted entirely within the theoretical framework of Marxism, reinterpreting it completely through Marxism. In our view, neither of these two propositions conforms to the original intent of "combining the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture." The former actually dissolves the guiding position of Marxism, while the latter actually erases the holistic existence of fine traditional Chinese culture. In this regard, the important cognitive prerequisite lies in properly handling the relationship between ideological leadership and the Subjectivity of Civilization. Marxism holds the leading position in guiding ideology and ideology, while Chinese civilization holds the status of the Subjectivity of Civilization. The two are unified in the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, having gone through a realization process of "difference–alignment–integration," forming a pattern of "two sources, one body."
Engels pointed out that modern socialism, "like every new theory, had at first to align itself with the intellectual stock-in-trade ready to its hand, however deeply its roots lay in material economic facts." Persisting in the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture reflects the internal logic of cultural development for socialism with Chinese characteristics and is a key issue in building a modern Chinese civilization. "The result of the 'combination' is mutual accomplishment, creating a new, organically unified cultural life-form, making Marxism Chinese and fine traditional Chinese culture modern, and making the new culture formed through 'combination' the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization." The culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a culture guided by Marxism, a culture that holds fast to the standpoint of Chinese culture, a culture rooted in Chinese soil, combined with Chinese reality, and reflecting the life of the Chinese people—it is a brand-new cultural modality of Chinese-path modernization.
Combining the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture involves leading and activating the latter with the former, enriching and developing the former with the latter, and the two forming a new cultural modality through "combination." The latter two aspects focus on the role of fine traditional Chinese culture, which is the focus of our discussion.
Enriching and developing the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture is first reflected at the levels of wisdom and spirit. As the national character and spiritual identification of the Chinese nation, fine traditional Chinese culture reflects the unique customs, integrity, and character of the Chinese nation. In this regard, we should focus on grasping the essence and true meaning of fine traditional Chinese culture—including the primacy of the humanities, cultivating virtue and self, the unity of family and state, reform and innovation, the pursuit of "neutrality and harmony" [5], and the esteem for the whole—to "inject the great spirit and rich wisdom of the Chinese nation into Marxism at a deeper level." Second, it is reflected at the level of concepts and terminology. This involves endowing relevant concepts, terms, and ideas of fine traditional Chinese culture with the connotations of the Sinicization of Marxism, thereby enriching the treasury of basic Marxist tenets. For example, terms such as "seek truth from facts," "moderately prosperous society" (xiaokang shehui), and "I will be selfless and live up to the people's expectations" proposed during the process of the Sinicization of Marxism are worthy of serious study. Furthermore, the "World of Great Harmony" (Datong Shijie) in fine traditional Chinese culture shares commonalities and similarities with the "communist society" of Marxism. We can both "mutually interpret meanings" [6], using the "World of Great Harmony" in traditional culture to stimulate public identification with the communist ideal, and provide scientific leadership, using Marxism to guide the public in deepening their understanding of the "World of Great Harmony." Of course, many formulations in traditional Chinese culture are "broad and great yet refined and subtle" [7], giving people immense room for interpretation. While this Chinese-style wisdom has many subtle advantages when facing modern problems and international exchanges, it undoubtedly also possesses shortcomings such as a relative lack of systematicity and logic; some of its classic propositions urgently need creative transformation and innovative development. For example, regarding the important proposition of "unity of heaven and man" (tian ren he yi) in the history of Chinese philosophy, opinions have always differed, with various interpretive tendencies such as "interaction between heaven and man," "communion between heaven and man," "isomorphism of man and heaven," and "similitude of man and heaven." By endowing it with the new interpretation of the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, "unity of heaven and man" becomes easier for contemporary people to accept and thus acquires the theoretical connotations of contemporary Chinese Marxism.
From the perspective of the formation of a new cultural form through the "combination" of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, we must correctly answer the major questions posed by the era and practical experience. We must "integrate the essence of Marxist thought with the gems of fine traditional Chinese culture, and fuse them with the common values that the masses apply daily without even realizing it," thereby achieving integrated innovation and theoretical hyper-fusion in the process of answering major contemporary questions. At present, the accelerated evolution of changes unseen in the world in a century has brought the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation to a critical stage. Under these new historical conditions, the question of "what is wrong with the world, and what should we do?" is once again placed before humanity. The concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity persists in the creative application of the Marxist theory of world history, while simultaneously inheriting the precious spiritual wealth of fine traditional Chinese culture—particularly Confucian ideas regarding "the world belongs to the public" [8] and the "Great Unity" [9]. It can be said that the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity is a major innovative achievement of upholding the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture.
- Nourishing Socialist Core Values with Fine Traditional Chinese Culture
For a nation, traditional culture is the lifeblood passed down through generations and the unique identifier that distinguishes it from other nations. Any great nation, in forming its own national spirit and values, invariably focuses on drawing wisdom from its own fine traditional culture. Hegel believed that "world history is essentially the dialectic of the spirit of the nation or the spirit of the state." The reason a nation can lead world history lies in its excellent national spirit and cultural traditions. It should be noted that while Hegel's related thoughts bear traces of Eurocentrism, the aforementioned assertion is not without merit. Looking at the world, although the United States has not been established for long, its more than 200-year history of founding and strengthening the country is, in a sense, a history of the formation and development of its cultural and value traditions. After World War II, the formation of the so-called American global leadership was related to cultural traits such as its emphasis on individuality, innovation, and competition. Currently, the various social problems appearing in the United States also have cultural pathologies, being inextricably linked to the proliferation of gun culture, the prevalence of extreme individualism, and the rise of racism.
Socialist core values are both the point of convergence between the basic tenets of Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture, and the foundational aspect of the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. As the national character and spiritual identifier of the Chinese nation, traditional Chinese culture is a national culture created by the ancestors of the Chinese nation and inherited and developed by the Chinese people from generation to generation. It possesses distinct historical, regional, and ethnic characteristics, reflecting the unique customs, character, and outlook of the Chinese nation. How to leverage the nourishing role of fine traditional Chinese culture for socialist core values and better integrate it into daily life is a major undertaking. Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must deeply excavate and elucidate the contemporary value of fine traditional Chinese culture's emphasis on benevolence, the people as the foundation, honesty and trustworthiness, justice, harmony, and the Great Unity, making fine traditional Chinese culture an important source for nourishing socialist core values." This assertion holds significant methodological importance for our profound understanding of the role of fine traditional Chinese culture in cultural sustenance, spiritual nourishment, and the cultivation of concepts for socialist core values.
For example, regarding "harmony" (hexie). "Harmony" (he) is a fundamental concept in traditional Chinese culture. Records indicate that as early as the transition between the Yin and Zhou dynasties [10], "harmony" had already entered the political sphere and been accepted as a criterion for coordinating interpersonal relations and governing the state. Confucius's proposition of "harmony without uniformity" [11] is an important concept that has exerted a long-term and profound influence on the Chinese people. Valuing the traditional culture of harmony and convergence (he-he) and aligning it with current value demands for harmony in the field of social development helps to create a vibrant situation where everyone enjoys their profession, fulfills their responsibilities, and finds their proper place.
Another example is "patriotism." The Chinese nation has a distinct tradition of patriotism, reflected not only in a vast number of literary classics but even more so in the practices of sages throughout history. From Lu You of the Southern Song Dynasty's "despite my humble status, I dare not forget my concern for the state," to Lin Zexu of the Qing Dynasty's "I shall dedicate my life to the interests of the state, regardless of personal fortune or misfortune," to Lu Xun's "I offer my blood to Xuanyuan" [12]—all are filled with profound patriotic sentiment. The patriotic stories of history and the patriotic sentiments of past sages undoubtedly provide precious resources for the implementation of the Outline for the Implementation of Patriotic Education in the New Era.
Furthermore, regarding "integrity" (chengxin). The various schools of thought [13] were basically consistent in their attitude toward integrity. Confucius regarded integrity as a fundamental condition for standing in society, emphasizing that "if a person lacks integrity, I do not know what they can be good for" (Analects: Wei Zheng). Mencius elevated integrity to the realm of the "Way of Heaven" and the "Way of Man," emphasizing that "Integrity is the Way of Heaven; to strive for integrity is the Way of Man" (Mencius: Li Lou Shang). Guanzi viewed integrity as the key to the world's norms of conduct, emphasizing that "Integrity is the bond of the world" (Guanzi: Shu Yan). Han Feizi said, "Cunning deception is not as good as clumsy integrity" (Han Feizi: Shuo Lin), highlighting the value of integrity through the contrast between "deception" and "clumsiness." Under current conditions of advanced online interaction and a developing market economy, traditional Chinese culture of integrity plays a positive role in nourishing a climate of honesty, trustworthiness, and sincerity, and in manifesting the contemporary connotations of "integrity."
In 1922, Bertrand Russell wrote from a Western perspective in The Problem of China: "I believe that if the Chinese can adopt what is good in our civilization while rejecting what is bad, and combine this with their own traditional culture, they will surely achieve brilliant results." He also kindly cautioned against the two extremes of "total Westernization," which involves "discarding traditions that distinguish one's nation from others," and a "strongly xenophobic conservatism." More than 100 years have passed; today's world is vastly different from the one Russell lived in, and contemporary China is vastly different from the one Russell observed. Both global and Chinese problems have undergone great changes today. It can be said that the development path of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics—characterized by not forgetting our origins, absorbing external contributions, and facing the future—has successfully answered Russell's question. Of course, this answer was not directed at Russell's question specifically, but rather reflects the historical necessity of the development of fine traditional Chinese culture and the realistic logic of the Chinese nation's cultural confidence.
II. Unique Advantages for Promoting High-Quality Economic Development
The role of cultural factors in modern economic and social development has increasingly received attention, to the point of being regarded by some as an endogenous variable of economic development. For the economic development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, particularly high-quality development, fine traditional Chinese culture possesses positive roles and unique advantages.
- The Question of the Role of Traditional Chinese Culture in Modern Economic Development
The role of cultural factors in promoting economic and social development has long attracted the attention of the intellectual community. In their later years, Marx and Engels repeatedly emphasized that the progress of human society is not merely the result of the development of productive forces, but is also constrained by ideological and cultural factors. Max Weber, in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, conducted an in-depth investigation into the role of spiritual and cultural factors in economic and social development. From the perspective of development economics, an excellent national spirit is a country's comparative advantage and latecomer's advantage—it distinguishes itself from the national spirits of other countries and manifests its own merits, thus becoming a comparative advantage for that country's development; it reflects the "catch-up" consciousness of "the latecomer surpassing the forerunner," thus becoming a latecomer's advantage. Internationally, the development experiences of countries such as Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore after World War II have confirmed this.
Regarding China's situation, around the time of the May Fourth Movement [14], there was a theory in intellectual circles that Chinese culture was "primarily static" while Western culture was "primarily active," leading to the view that traditional Chinese culture was detrimental to modern economic development. In fact, this "static" theory bears traces of geographic determinism and overlooks the internal complexity of culture. Actually, "in Chinese culture, there are both active and static elements; there are both advocacy for proactive action (youwei) and advocacy for natural non-action (wuwei). The same is true for Western culture." So, is traditional Chinese culture ultimately conducive to economic and social development? Various data show that China's economic and social development led the world for a long time in history, only becoming increasingly backward in the modern era. Undeniably, whether it be the long-term leadership or the modern decline, the reasons can be explored from a cultural perspective. However, simply attributing China's economic status to traditional cultural factors falls into the trap of cultural determinism. Marxism does not subscribe to cultural determinism. Even Weber, long regarded by some as a cultural determinist, actually emphasized "complex multi-causality in social change," believing that "what led to the emergence of modern capitalism in Europe, besides cultural factors like the 'spirit of capitalism' contained in the 'Protestant ethic,' also required the cooperation of other material and institutional factors." Regarding the problem of backward economic development in modern China, one must avoid a one-sided, singular cultural perspective and comprehensively consider factors such as the multi-causality of economic development, the complexity of traditional culture, and the conditionality of cultural influence. Some scholars believe that "the reason for China's backwardness in modern times lies mainly in the feudal autocracy that has been continuously consolidated and strengthened since the Qin and Han dynasties, including political monarchical autocracy with a centralized system and cultural autocracy." It should be said that this insight is quite persuasive. Feudal autocracy allowed the negative and backward factors of traditional culture to prevail, while the positive and advanced factors were suppressed and unable to be promoted. The current important task is to strive to overcome the negative and backward factors in traditional culture, vigorously promote the spirit of "strenuous activity" (gangjian youwei) [15] in traditional culture, and release the driving force of fine traditional culture for economic development. It can be said that socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era provides deep practical support, a broad historical platform, and superior institutional conditions for this.
- Actively Leveraging the Unique Advantages of Fine Traditional Chinese Culture for High-Quality Development
High-quality development is the primary task of building a modern socialist country in all respects. It signifies a transition of the economic development mode from simply pursuing quantity and growth rate to focusing on quality and efficiency, involving development concepts, growth drivers, economic structure, and many other aspects. From the levels of concepts of righteousness and profit, the spirit of struggle, innovative traditions, and cultural creativity, fine traditional Chinese culture possesses important roles and unique advantages for high-quality economic development.
First, promoting the tradition of balancing righteousness and profit (yili xiangjian) and leveraging the advantage of regulating the spontaneous logic of the market. Weber called the ethical morality that transcends pure secular greed and passion, possesses a religious piety of martyrdom and an ascetic rationalist tendency, and is objectively conducive to the accumulation of wealth, the "spirit of capitalism." He traced the religious origins of this spirit and argued for its role in promoting the early development of capitalism, while also expressing his hidden worries about the future destiny of capitalism: once capitalism has developed, the Puritan "spirit of dedication to a cause" will disappear, to be replaced by the unrestrained indulgence of "sensualists" and the exhaustive utilitarian calculation of "organization men." He placed his hopes on the rational self-restraint of capitalism, but the countermeasures he proposed were to no avail; modern capitalism still operates according to the capital logic of maximizing profit. In this regard, Marx's relevant thoughts show a superior advantage in terms of criticality and realism. Marx did not deny people's pursuit of interests; on the contrary, he clearly pointed out: "Everything for which people struggle is related to their interests." At the same time, he repeatedly emphasized that humanity must transcend individualism, advocating for the unity of individual interests and collective interests. According to Marx's historical dialectics, socialism will provide the institutional premises for realizing this unity, and socialist moral concepts will be more beneficial to large-scale social production than the "spirit of capitalism" derived from Puritan asceticism.
In contemporary China, the socialist market economy system, which is undergoing continuous improvement, is conducive to cultivating social awareness of efficiency, the rule of law, democracy, and a pioneering spirit. However, the inherent and spontaneous weaknesses and negative aspects of the market also reflect onto various fields of social life to a certain extent. To mitigate or even offset this negative impact of the market economy, we must, on the one hand, look forward and actively build advanced socialist culture; on the other hand, we must draw from the past and carry forward fine traditional Chinese culture. In promoting healthy economic development, the traditional Chinese view of "righteousness and profit" (义利观) [16], represented by Confucianism, can play an active role. Among its tenets, Confucius placed great importance on yi (righteousness/justice), emphasizing that it must come first. He stressed "seeking righteousness when seeing profit" and stated, "The exemplary person understands what is righteous; the petty person understands what is profitable" (Analects: Liren). He emphasized that individuals must use "righteousness" as the yardstick to measure whether "profit" should be taken: "Wealth and honor obtained through unrighteousness are to me as floating clouds" (Analects: Shu'er). These ideas have had a profound influence on later generations. Carrying forward the idea of combining righteousness with profit while putting righteousness first undoubtedly helps to transcend the capital logic of maximizing profit and offset the inherent negative influences of the market economy. At present, we should actively utilize the valuable idea of balancing righteousness and profit to, alongside the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, guide market entities to follow healthy economic ethics. This ensures that the market economy plays its active role in promoting and enhancing efficiency while effectively regulating the market and avoiding the wanton indulgence of capital.
Second, carrying forward the national spirit of struggle and manifesting the advantage of "concentrating resources to accomplish major undertakings." The role of national spirit in modern economic development has received increasing attention. By analyzing the development of economic consciousness in countries such as Britain, France, Germany, Japan, and the United States, the American scholar Liah Greenfeld found that the role of nationalism in capitalist economic development cannot be ignored. She subsequently borrowed Weber’s term "the spirit of capitalism" and re-examined it from the perspective of nationalism, noting: "In general, the 'spirit of capitalism' is the economic manifestation of the collective competitive consciousness inherent in nationalism—and nationalism itself is the product of the emotional investment of members of the nation-state in national dignity or prestige." At the same time, she soberly realized that nationalism is only a necessary condition, not a sufficient one, for economic growth: "The 'spirit of capitalism' can only be found in economic forms that are incorporated into the field of international competition, and only in countries willing to intervene in international competition." Internationally, "nationalism" usually refers to thoughts and behaviors based on safeguarding the interests and dignity of one's own nation, and there are differences in nature and types.
The Chinese nation has always advocated for an active and rational nationalism, emphasizing both the promotion of the national spirit of struggle to pursue its own development and the persistence in never harming the interests of other nations. "Favorable weather is not as good as advantageous terrain, and advantageous terrain is not as good as human harmony" (Mencius: Gongsun Chou II). "If one can use the strength of the masses, one will be invincible under heaven; if one can use the wisdom of the masses, one will have no fear of the sages" (Records of the Three Kingdoms: Book of Wu). "Ten thousand men with one strength are invincible under heaven" (Yu Li Zi: Danyi Buru Duijue) [17]. These discussions in classical texts, as well as proverbs such as "When people are of one mind, they can move Mount Tai," indicate that fine traditional Chinese culture possesses extremely rich intellectual resources regarding unity and struggle. "The unique concepts, wisdom, temperament, and charm of Chinese culture have added to the deep-seated self-confidence and pride of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation." In modern times, the nationalism of the Chinese nation has mainly manifested as stimulating the national spirit of struggle for the people of all ethnic groups to unite as one and catch up. This spirit of struggle has bridged the gaps between various ethnic groups and social strata domestically, forming a strong sense of national belonging, cohesion, and centripetal force, which converges into a powerful spiritual force for building a strong country and national rejuvenation. In the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, this precious spiritual force, together with the political principle of upholding the Party's centralized and unified leadership, has formed "the significant advantage of maintaining a 'whole-country-as-a-chessboard' [18] approach, mobilizing the enthusiasm of all parties, and concentrating resources to accomplish major undertakings." This significant advantage has been effectively exerted in the practice of implementing major projects, earthquake relief, and the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Third, championing the tradition of "weeding out the old to bring forth the new" (革故鼎新) and playing to the advantage of promoting scientific and technological innovation. In the history of economic thought, thinkers ranging from Marx to Schumpeter have made important discourses on the role of innovation in economic and social development; Weber also regarded the application of rational technology as an important factor in the development of modern society. The famous "Needham Question" [19] triggered reflections and discussions on the role of traditional Chinese culture in scientific and technological innovation. It must be fully affirmed that the Chinese nation has a tradition rich in innovation. "Chinese civilization possesses prominent innovativeness, which fundamentally determines the enterprising spirit of the Chinese nation to uphold the fundamentals without being hidebound (守正不守旧) and to respect the ancient without returning to the past (尊古不复古), and determines the fearless character of the Chinese nation in not fearing new challenges and having the courage to accept new things." Thousands of years ago, our ancestors proposed that "Although Zhou was an old state, its mission was renewal" (Classic of Poetry: Major Court Hymns: King Wen). There are also discussions such as "Abundance is called a great undertaking; daily renewal is called supreme virtue" (Book of Changes: Xici I) and "If you can renovate yourself one day, do so from day to day; yea, let there be daily renewal" (Book of Rites: Great Learning). Of course, it should be seen that there are also conservative factors in traditional culture, and the cultural inertia of being stuck in old ways is quite strong in our society. Because of this, history has seen both the Reformers' cry that "ancestors are not sufficient to be modeled after" and the Conservatives' obsession that "the laws of the ancestors must not be changed." There are both idioms and proverbs advocating innovation, such as "daring to be the first" (敢为人先) and "opening up a new phase" (独开生面), as well as cautionary sayings such as "whipping the fast ox" (鞭打快牛), "the bird that sticks its head out gets shot" (枪打出头鸟), and "the rafter that juts out rots first" (出头的椽子先烂). These obsessions and cautionary sayings reflect the life experiences of some people and also indicate a conservative social psychology.
Scientific and technological innovation is an important aspect of innovation. The Four Great Inventions [20] originating in China played a great revolutionary role in modern Europe. Since the start of the Reform and Opening-up, some Western inventions and creations have been actively utilized by Chinese people and have produced a huge economic driving effect. This shows that the factors influencing the social function of scientific and technological innovation lie not only in the level of innovation itself but also in related institutional factors and the application environment. Regarding the promotion of scientific and technological innovation through fine traditional Chinese culture, the pressing tasks are: first, to strengthen the awareness of innovation and lead high-quality development through innovation. International development experience shows that the development stages of a country can be roughly divided into factor-driven, investment-driven, and innovation-driven stages. Currently, Chinese society is shifting toward the innovation-driven stage, and in particular, we must insist on the core position of innovation in the overall situation of China's modernization drive. Therefore, we must overcome old traditional factors of being hidebound, champion the active tradition of "weeding out the old to bring forth the new," strive to cultivate a culture of innovation, persist in taking innovation as the primary driving force, and promote high-quality development. Second, we must strengthen the awareness of application and promote the integration of science and technology with social development.
When reflecting on the reasons why China’s science and technology gradually lagged behind from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Science and technology must be combined with social development. No matter how much is learned, if it is shelved, it is merely a curiosity or an elegant interest, or even regarded as 'exotic crafts and clever trickery' (奇技淫巧) [21]; it then becomes impossible to have an effect on real society." The integration of science and technology with social development is a historical task that needs continuous advancement. For the present, we must deeply implement the strategy of invigorating the country through science and education and the innovation-driven development strategy, focusing on curing the long-standing chronic illness of ineffective, unsmooth, and blocked transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and focusing on breaking down all ideological obstacles and institutional barriers that restrict scientific and technological innovation. Third, we must respond to the trend of scientific and technological development and leverage the advantages of the holistic view in traditional Chinese culture. In the process of the emergence and development of modern natural science, characterized by analysis and empiricism, the traditional Chinese holistic view—characterized by wholeness and intuition—might have been at a disadvantage. Currently, new characteristics are emerging in the development of science and technology. People are beginning to realize that in solving the complex and chaotic problems encountered in global scientific research, analytical and empirical methods are not necessarily effective, whereas holistic and intuitive methods may provide solutions. "This convergence between the holistic view in scientific thought and the holistic view in Chinese culture allows us to examine and understand the scientific revolution based on the holistic view of Eastern philosophy, while also drawing intellectual nourishment from Eastern philosophy to promote the development of science and technology." If this is indeed the case, it will provide new possibilities for fine traditional Chinese culture to promote scientific and technological progress and subsequently economic development.
Fourth, expanding the creative cultural economy and leveraging the functional advantages of cultural industries. The relationship between traditional culture and economic development is an object of concern and an important issue in cultural economics. Research in cultural economics shows that the cultural economy is an important part of modern economic activity and is of great significance for the development and progress of modern society. In some countries, people often endow certain projects and products with cultural characteristics through content, elements, and attributes. This is particularly prominent in creative cultural economic activities that emphasize creating wealth by tapping into cultural factors and individual talent. For example, in 2009, the German Federal Government’s "Initiative for Cultural and Creative Industries" made developing the growth potential of cultural and creative industries a priority development strategy, taking "the cultural industry as a driver of development and a matter of urgency." According to data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the global market value of industries closely dependent on creative cultural inputs is estimated to have reached $1.3 trillion, while the OECD points out that the annual growth rate of creative cultural industries is between 5% and 20%. It is worth noting that in recent years, while developing cultural industries, the issue of national cultural protection has received increasing attention from the international community. In the early 1990s, during GATT negotiations, the French, out of consideration for national cultural security and protection, opposed including culture in general services trade and proposed the famous "cultural exception" policy. In practice, this policy has played an active role in protecting and promoting the development of French traditional cultural industries. In 2005, the 33rd Session of the General Conference of UNESCO adopted the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, confirming that cultural diversity is a fundamental characteristic of humanity and expressing the conviction that cultural activities, products, and services have a dual nature—both economic and cultural—and do not possess only commercial value.
In recent years, the cultural industry has developed rapidly in China, and the problems of resisting the influence of vulgar culture and achieving high-quality development of the cultural industry have become increasingly prominent. The 20th Party Congress emphasized: "We will improve the modern system of cultural industries and markets and implement a strategy of driving development through major cultural industry projects." In this regard, fine traditional Chinese culture has much to offer and possesses prominent advantages. For example, cultural and tourism resources such as famous historical and cultural cities and scenic spots; folk crafts such as paper-cutting, clay figurines, and multi-layered cloth shoes; Chinese martial arts such as Tai Chi, Shaolin staff, and Wudang sword; antique artifacts such as cloisonné, Yixing clay teapots, and longevity locks; traditional clothing such as Hanfu, Tangzhuang, and Cheongsam; and food culture including the eight major cuisines and traditional delicacies—all show high activity and make a great contribution to the tertiary sector as tourism projects, cultural products, and embedded services. Furthermore, these aspects can be organically integrated with the primary and secondary industries, using excellent traditional culture to enrich, nourish, and enhance industrial cultural quality and expand regional social influence. For example, the "China Zhengzhou International Shaolin Wushu Festival" and the "China Luoyang Peony Culture Festival" are both famous traditional cultural brands and important platforms for promoting local economic development. Traditional cultural projects and products perform a certain economic function and are special and important points of economic growth. What is particularly valuable is that, due to their strong attributes as public goods, they possess a cultural and educational function that nourishes social mores and passes on civilization.
III. A Precious Resource for Comprehensively Improving National Governance Capacity and Governance Levels
A country's governance system and governance methods are closely related to factors such as its historical inheritance, cultural traditions, and developmental status, possessing a strong characteristic of endogenous evolution. "The thinking of contemporary Chinese people and the governing strategy of the Chinese government are saturated with the genes of traditional Chinese culture." History is the best teacher. "To govern today’s China well, we need a deep understanding of our country's history and traditional culture, and we also need to actively summarize the explorations and wisdom of ancient Chinese statecraft." To comprehensively improve national governance capacity and governance levels, we must draw precious intellectual nourishment from fine traditional Chinese culture.
First, regarding the governing subjects of "governance being uprightness" and "appointing the virtuous and capable." Governance can never be separated from the human subject. Historically, ancient Chinese thinkers offered numerous expositions on the way of ruling and the essentials of administration, placing multi-faceted requirements on governors regarding their virtue, ability, diligence, performance, and integrity. Among these, the following retain positive significance today: first, the idea that the essential of administration lies first in obtaining the right people, and that governing the state begins with governing officialdom. "Exalting the virtuous is the foundation of government" (Mozi: Exalting the Virtuous). "The essential of governance lies first in the use of people; yet the way of knowing people is difficult even for sages" (Zizhi Tongjian [22]). "The essential of administration lies solely in obtaining the right people; if the wrong people are used, it will be difficult to achieve order" (Zhenguan Zhengyao [23]). These expositions concern the significance, requirements, and methods of "governing officialdom," containing wisdom on administrative governance and the art of personnel management, which provides inspirations for national governance in the New Era. Second, the idea of self-cultivation and "governance being uprightness." Confucianism required those in government to focus on cultivation and rectifying their speech and conduct. "He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it" (Analects: Wei Zheng). "If a ruler’s own conduct is correct, his government will be effective without the issuing of orders. If his conduct is not correct, he may issue orders, but they will not be followed" (Analects: Zilu). "To govern is to rectify. If you lead the people with correctness, who would dare to be incorrect?" (Analects: Yan Yuan). These discourses emphasize the virtue of the governor and ingeniously link "governance" (政, zhèng) with "rectitude/uprightness" (正, zhèng), profoundly elucidating the exemplary significance of a governor’s self-rectification. Third, the idea of appointing only the virtuous and selecting the capable. "Appoint only the virtuous and talented to office; let your associates be only the right men" (Book of Documents: Book of Shang). "When the Grand Way pursues its course, the world is for the public good; the virtuous and capable are chosen, and sincerity and harmony are cultivated" (Book of Rites: Liyun). Compared to the old cronyism of official circles, these discourses are particularly precious. The chaju [24] and imperial examination systems [25], which embodied these ideas, though possessing various flaws, undoubtedly expanded the channels for talent selection as important historical forms. In short, ancient Chinese thought on strictly governing officials is extremely rich; its discourses on self-cultivation were historically beneficial to social progress and certainly provide important practical inspirations for the New Era's comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. Xi Jinping has pointed out: "To manage the Party, we must first manage cadres well; in strictly governing the Party, the key lies in strictly governing the officials. The strict management of cadres must be implemented throughout the entire process of building the cadre force."
Second, regarding the governing goals of "the people being the foundation of the state" and "governance winning the people." The relationship between the government and the people has always been a key issue in state governance. Fine traditional Chinese culture is prolific in this area, notably: first, that the people are the foundation of the state and remain in the heart of the ruler. An ancient saying goes: "The people are the foundation of the country; when the foundation is firm, the country is at peace" (Book of Documents: Songs of the Five Sons). Confucius said: "The people take the sovereign as their heart, and the sovereign takes the people as his body" (Book of Rites: Ziyi). Xunzi used the metaphor of the boat and the water to describe the relationship between the ruler and the people, while Mencius offered the famous dictum that "the people are precious, and the ruler is light." Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Tang, summarized the principle that "the way of being a ruler must first be to preserve the common people" (Zhenguan Zhengyao: The Way of the Ruler). Second, that governance wins the people and the country remains prosperous and the people at peace. "There is a way to get the kingdom: get the people, and the kingdom is got. There is a way to get the people: get their hearts, and the people are got" (Mencius: Li Lou I). "In the present age, those who can discard private whims and follow public laws will find the people at peace and the state well-governed" (Han Feizi: Having Measures). Although the starting point of these discourses was to ensuring the "boat" (the regime) traveled far and the standpoint was to maintain ruling power, their emphasis on loving the people, being close to the people, and winning the people's support has practical significance that transcends time and space. The CPC’s foundation, lifeblood, and strength are in the people. To build a Marxist party that governs over the long term, the most fundamental task is to win and protect the people's hearts. Xi Jinping’s important discourse that "the people are the land, and the land is the people" [26] profoundly elucidates that only by firmly grasping the "greatest politics" of the people’s hearts can we master the "genetic code" for long-term governance.
Third, regarding the governing means of "combining ritual and law" and "virtue as primary, punishment as auxiliary." First is the idea of combining ritual and law. The "Announcement to the Prince of Kang" in the Book of Documents first proposed the idea of "demonstrating virtue and being cautious in punishments." Confucius proposed: "If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety [ritual], they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good" (Analects: Wei Zheng). Xunzi developed the Confucian idea of virtuous government and proposed the view of applying both ritual and law. Second is the idea of virtue as primary and punishment as auxiliary. Mencius believed that "virtue alone is not sufficient for government; laws alone cannot carry themselves into practice" (Mencius: Li Lou I). Dong Zhongshu of the Western Han explicitly proposed the theory of virtue as primary and punishment as auxiliary, emphasizing: "Yang is virtue, and Yin is punishment; punishment governs killing while virtue governs life... This shows that Heaven relies on virtue and not on punishment" (Book of Han: Biography of Dong Zhongshu). These discourses indicate that the claim that China has only a tradition of "rule of virtue" and lacks a tradition of "rule of law" is biased. Historically, the rule of law and the rule of virtue have always been the two means of ancient Chinese state governance, like the two wheels of a cart or the two wings of a bird, playing an important role in adjusting social relations and maintaining social order. Since entering the New Era, our Party has insisted on combining the rule of law with the rule of virtue, focusing on applying the relevant wisdom from fine traditional Chinese culture. Xi Jinping once cited Han Feizi’s famous saying, "When those who uphold the law are strong, the state is strong; when those who uphold the law are weak, the state is weak," to emphasize the rule of law. Simultaneously, he has frequently cited Confucian ideas on the rule of virtue, emphasizing that "a state cannot prosper without virtue, and a person cannot stand without virtue." In short, law is the yardstick and must be followed at all times; morality is the cornerstone and must never be ignored. "The rule of law and the rule of virtue are inseparable and neither can be neglected; national governance requires the synergistic force of both law and morality."
Fourth, regarding the diplomatic way of "being kind to neighbors" and "harmonizing all nations." How to handle the relationship between oneself and neighboring states has always been an important content of national governance. The Chinese nation has an excellent tradition of persisting in being kind and a partner to its neighbors. Zuo Qiuming of the Spring and Autumn period recorded: "Wufu admonished, saying: 'Being kind to others and friendly to neighbors is the treasure of a state; my lord should grant the request of Zheng'" (Zuo Zhuan: 6th Year of Duke Yin). Peace, amity, and harmony are the spirits pursued and inherited by the Chinese nation for over 5,000 years. "Harmony" (hé), as an important criterion for coordinating social relations, is a very important political category in Chinese history. Among these, the phrase "The people were intelligent and bright, and all the states were harmonized" (Book of Documents: Canon of Yao) directly links the concept of "harmony" with tribes and neighboring states. During the Spring and Autumn period, Shi Bo and Yan Ying contrasted "harmony" (hé) with "uniformity" (tóng), profoundly revealing the philosophy of seeking common ground while reserving differences, and achieving harmony without uniformity. These important concepts provide significant practical inspirations for solving the "questions of the world" currently faced by humanity, providing precious ideological resources for us to champion the common values of all humanity and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Fifth, regarding the risk management thought of "not forgetting danger in times of peace, not forgetting destruction in times of existence, and not forgetting chaos in times of order." Preventing and defusing risks is an important part of national governance, with safety and danger, existence and destruction, and order and chaos being the core concerns of risk management. Most Chinese dynasties throughout history focused on preventing natural and man-made disasters. "To dwell in safety while thinking of danger; such thoughts lead to preparation, and preparation precludes calamity" (Zuo Zhuan: 11th Year of Duke Xiang). "The person who is in danger is the one who was easy in his seat. The one who is destroyed is the one who was secure in his existence. The one who is in confusion is the one who had his affairs in order. Therefore, the superior man, when at rest, does not forget the possibility of peril; when in a state of security, he does not forget the possibility of ruin; and when all is in a state of order, he does not forget the possibility of disorder" (Book of Changes: Appended Remarks II). "The enlightened prevent disasters before they sprout; the wise plan for troubles in the future" (Records of the Three Kingdoms: Book of Wu). These important discourses show that traditional culture's thought on risk management is rich and far-reaching. At the institutional level, the chaju system of the Han dynasty established a specific category for "understanding the Yin, Yang, and natural disasters," which carried the purpose of disaster prediction and can be seen to some extent as a practical manifestation of traditional risk management thought. Currently, we live in a risk society, where the natural and social risks we encounter are becoming increasingly complex. On one hand, with the development of modern science and technology, humanity's ability to coordinate and handle its relationship with nature has greatly enhanced, but it has also deepened the contradiction between man and nature and complicated ecological relations. On the other hand, "the subjects, objects, means, environments, processes, and results of socio-political movements are all filled with high degrees of uncertainty, diversity, and coupling," complicating the social risks we face. To this end, we must draw wisdom from traditional risk management thought, strive to "fix the roof before it rains" and nip problems in the bud, actively enhance risk awareness, and improve our ability to prevent and defuse risks. We must "aim for the best result while preparing for the worst-case scenario and working toward a positive direction," thereby striving to "achieve 'acting before a thing exists, and governing before disorder arises,' so that our Party will always remain invincible."
Sixth, regarding the community consciousness of "the unity of family and state" and "one family within the four seas." Historical data shows that ancient civilizations such as Ancient Egypt, Ancient Babylon, and Persia either vanished or suffered interruptions in their development; only China is the only country in the world to maintain civilizational continuity. In searching for the reason, the centripetal force, cohesion, and "immunity" inherent in fine traditional Chinese culture may be a key factor. "Chinese culture both adheres to its roots and constantly advances with the times, enabling the Chinese nation to maintain firm national self-confidence and a powerful capacity for recovery, nurturing shared emotions and values, and shared ideals and spirit." Among these, the prominent manifestations include: first, the intellectual sentiment of "cultivating oneself, regulating the family, and the unity of family and state." "In poverty, they attended to their own virtue in isolation; in success, they shared their virtue with the whole world" (Mencius: Jin Xin I). "The root of the kingdom is in the state; the root of the state is in the family; the root of the family is in the person" (Mencius: Li Lou I). The "Eight Steps" of Confucianism—the investigation of things, the extension of knowledge, sincerity of thought, rectification of the heart, cultivation of the person, regulation of the family, governance of the state, and bringing peace to the world—integrated the relationship between individual cognition and national governance, reflecting the moral progression of the ideal life for traditional Chinese intellectuals. "Family-state sentiment" (家国情怀) [27] centrally reflects people's ideological and emotional identification with the state. Second, the spirit of national unity in sharing weal and woe and looking out for one another. In his 1890 letter to Bloch, Engels profoundly elucidated the formation of "historical results" from the perspective of a "resultant of forces." For a nation, the national spirit is undoubtedly such a "resultant of forces." "What the accumulated strength of the many lifts, there is nothing it cannot overcome; what the collective wisdom of the many does, there is nothing it cannot achieve" (Huainanzi: The Art of Rulership). "In their comings out and goings in, [neighbors] shall be on friendly terms; in their watch and ward, they shall help each other; in sickness, they shall sustain each other; then the people will live in affection and harmony" (Mencius: Teng Wen Gong I). These discourses discuss the significance of unity on a general level. Throughout thousands of years of history, and in long-term ethnic interaction, exchange, and integration, China established a unified multi-ethnic state, forming an "internal pluralist unity" (多元一体) [28] in ethnic relations, a value orientation prioritizing the collective interest, and an excellent tradition of ethnic groups living in harmony and sharing weal and woe. Since the dawn of the modern era, the Chinese people have profoundly realized through their own experiences that unity is strength, and a fragmented country cannot develop or progress. Regarding the present, the tradition of the spirit of national unity has particularly important practical significance. To strengthen and improve ethnic work and forge a sense of community for the Chinese nation, "we must promote extensive interaction, exchange, and integration among all ethnic groups, and promote their solidarity and unity in ideals, beliefs, emotions, and culture, looking out for one another with the affection of brothers and sisters." Third, the tradition of "Great Unity" (大一统) where "the six directions share the same customs and the four seas are one family." "The reason the Spring and Autumn Annals values the Great Unity is because the six directions share the same customs and the nine provinces are governed by the same thread" (Book of Han: Biography of Wang Ji). "Within the four seas, it is like one family; wherever the wind of civilization reaches, none do not submit" (Xunzi: On Military Affairs). This tradition of Great Unity bears the marks of its era and has historical limitations, but it also has its rationality and brilliance, particularly possessing important practical significance for dispelling "modern diseases" such as ethnic separatism and extreme individualism. In summary, fine traditional Chinese culture, including the aforementioned ideas, is like the "internal alchemy" guarding the security of Chinese civilization, playing an important role as a security barrier. "Without a cultural split, a state split would not occur; conversely, it can be said that as long as the state does not split, there will be no cultural interruption." Chinese Communists have creatively applied the national spirit of solidarity and unity and the political concept of Great Unity, "removing the specific era marks from traditional culture and governance concepts—especially the dross of feudal autocracy—while retaining rational factors such as centralized unity, maintaining the overall situation, safeguarding unity, and opposing separatism, and endowing them with the contemporary significance of Marxism and socialism." By consistently upholding the Party's centralized and unified leadership, they have achieved the great unity of all ethnic groups across the country, manifesting strong national cohesion, social mobilization capacity, and institutional superiority.
(Author: Sun Laibin, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor, School of Marxism, Peking University)