The Generative Logic of the Communist Party of China’s View of Civilization

Civilization is a marker of the developmental trends and progressive state of humanity; “the varying degrees of civilization development centrally express a country’s and a nation’s level of development and their position in the sequence of social formations.” The Communist Party of China, adhering to the guidance of the Marxist view of civilization and inheriting the intellectual wisdom of the Chinese nation in civilizational interaction, has put forward a series of original propositions on civilizational issues, which centrally embody the cultural initiative of Chinese Communists and their grasp of the trends in civilizational development. The CPC’s view of civilization transcends the Western understanding of “civilizational superiority” and “clash of civilizations.” With its rich intrinsic implications, it provides a theoretical guide for the Party in leading the people to build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation and create a new form of human civilization in the New Era. Analyzing the generative logic of the CPC’s view of civilization at the theoretical level, and grasping its essential meaning, formative conditions, and systemic composition, is conducive to a profound understanding of the CPC’s cultural confidence and its mission of responsibility, to building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, and thereby to better “advancing civilization for the world and creating happiness for humanity.”

文明是人类发展趋势和进步状态的标志，“文明发展的不同程度集中表现了一个国家和民族的发展水平和其在社会形态发展序列中的位置”。中国共产党坚持以马克思主义文明观为指导，传承中华民族在文明交往中的思想智慧，提出了一系列关于文明问题的原创性命题，集中体现了中国共产党人的文化主动和对文明发展态势的把握。中国共产党文明观超越西方“文明优越论”“文明冲突论”的认识，以其丰富的内在意蕴，为党领导人民在新时代建设中华民族现代文明、创造人类文明新形态提供了理论指南。从学理层面分析中国共产党文明观的生成逻辑，把握其内涵要义、形成条件和体系构成，有利于深刻理解中国共产党的文化自信和使命担当，建设中华民族现代文明，从而更好“为世界进文明，为人类造幸福”。

I. The Essential Meaning of the CPC’s View of Civilization

一、中国共产党文明观的内涵要义

A view of civilization is people’s overall views and opinions on the basic issues of civilization; it is a philosophical reflection on civilizational development. The CPC’s view of civilization was conceived and formed in the historical process of the Party advancing civilizational progress. It possesses distinct Party characteristics and ideological attributes, centrally answering questions such as how the CPC handles relations between different civilizations and how it promotes and creates a new human society civilization, reflecting the Party’s profound grasp of the laws of civilizational development.

文明观是人们关于文明基本问题总的观点和看法，是关于文明发展的哲学反思。中国共产党文明观孕育和形成于党推进文明进步的历史进程，具有鲜明的政党特色和意识形态属性，集中回答了中国共产党如何处理不同文明之间的关系、如何推进和创造人类社会新文明等问题，体现了党对文明发展规律的深刻把握。

The CPC’s view of civilization is a people-centered view of civilization. The CPC is a political party that serves the people. The Party’s nature and purpose determine that the CPC’s view of civilization adheres to a people-centered approach, following the inherent logic of the people creating civilization, the people developing civilization, and the people sharing in civilization. This embodies the most essential distinction between the CPC’s view of civilization and Western capitalist views of civilization. Western capitalist views of civilization uphold capital as paramount, inverting the subject-object relationship between people and capital, sacrificing the interests of the majority for the expansion of capital. The CPC adheres to Marxist historical materialism; “the Party’s theory comes from the people, is for the people, and brings benefits to the people.” People-centeredness is the value thread running through the CPC’s view of civilization. Based on the Marxist classical writers’ view of mass history, the CPC upholds the view that the people drive civilizational progress. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out, “The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.” “The broad and profound Chinese civilization was created by the Chinese people.” Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is also inseparable from the principal force of the people. The production and life practices of the masses are the soil that nurtures new civilizations; the innovative and creative vitality of the masses is the driving force that generates new civilizations. The principal role of the masses must be fully respected. “The essence of modernization is the modernization of people.” The CPC combines the universality of human modernization with China’s particularity, takes people as the subject of civilization, adheres to the people-centered value orientation, and is committed to achieving common prosperity for all the people. Compared with the Western modernization model, Chinese-path modernization represents an integrated innovation of the Marxist people-centered stance, systematically answering questions such as for whom modernization is built, whom it relies on, and with whom its fruits are shared, and is committed to meeting the expectations and demands of people of all countries for modernization.

中国共产党文明观是人民至上的文明观。中国共产党是为人民服务的政党，党的性质和宗旨决定了中国共产党文明观坚持人民至上，遵循人民创造文明、人民发展文明、人民共享文明的内在逻辑，体现了中国共产党文明观较之西方资本主义文明观的最本质区别。西方资本主义文明观坚持资本至上，颠倒了人与资本的主客体关系，为了资本扩张牺牲大多数人的利益。中国共产党坚守马克思主义唯物史观，“党的理论是来自人民、为了人民、造福人民的理论”,人民至上是贯穿于中国共产党文明观的价值主线。依据马克思主义经典作家的群众史观，中国共产党坚持人民推动文明进步的观点。毛泽东同志提出，“人民，只有人民，才是创造世界历史的动力。”“博大精深的中华文明是中国人民创造的”。建设中华民族现代文明也离不开人民的主体力量，人民群众的生产生活实践是孕育新文明的土壤、人民群众的创新创造活力是生成新文明的动力，要充分尊重人民群众这个主体。“现代化的本质是人的现代化”，中国共产党将人类现代化的普遍性与中国的特殊性相结合，以人作为文明的主体，坚持以人民为中心的价值导向，致力于实现全体人民的共同富裕。与西方现代化模式相比，中国式现代化是对马克思主义人民立场的集成创新，系统地回答了现代化建设为了谁、依靠谁、成果由谁共享等问题，致力于满足世界各国人民对现代化的期待和诉求。

The CPC’s view of civilization is a socialist view of civilization. “Direction determines the road; the road determines destiny.” In the process of exploring the path of civilizational development, Chinese Communists have adhered to the guidance of Marxism, continuously advanced the Two Integrations, and realized the socialist turn in modern civilization construction. The view of civilization thus formed is one fundamentally oriented toward socialism. Marx pointed out, “The hand-mill gives you society with the feudal lord; the steam-mill gives you society with the industrial capitalist.” Through reflection on Western civilization, Chinese Communists recognized that Western capitalist civilization is only a product of a specific historical stage. Unique economic development conditions, historical traditions, and civilizational roots determine that China must “take its own path” and build a new socialist civilization. Based on the innovative application of the basic principles of scientific socialism, Chinese Communists’ understanding of socialist civilization has become increasingly mature and comprehensive. They believe that it is necessary to transcend the one-dimensionality of capitalist civilization, promote the coordinated development of civilization in various fields, adhere to the multi-dimensional hierarchy of the constituent elements of civilization, and gradually form a view of civilization based on the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan. Socialism with Chinese characteristics, as a unity of path, theory, system, and culture, is a holistic form interwoven in time and space. According to the discourse of civilizational theory, the civilization of socialism with Chinese characteristics has formed a “five-sphere integrated” civilizational structural system. Compared with other civilizational forms, it is more coordinated. It not only activates the “civilizing aspect” of capital but can also harness capital, better leveraging the natural attributes of capital, and creating a new form of human civilization. The industrial model dominated by capitalist civilization unilaterally develops the economy, and the ecological problems it triggers are worth pondering. The CPC’s view of civilization inherits the Marxist view of nature, incorporates ecological civilization into the basic categories of civilizational development, explores the path of socialist ecological development, and the new form of human civilization it creates realizes the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature. Especially since reform and opening up, with the acceleration of industrialization, Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out, “The socialist country we want to build must not only have a high level of material civilization but also a high level of cultural-ethical progress,” and attention must be paid to ecological environmental protection, “greening the motherland.” General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the “Two Mountains Theory” [1]1 The “Two Mountains Theory” refers to Xi Jinping’s statement that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” (绿水青山就是金山银山), a formulation emphasizing the compatibility of ecological protection and economic development. that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” profoundly revealing the dialectical relationship between the development of productive forces and ecological environmental protection.

中国共产党文明观是社会主义性质的文明观。“方向决定道路，道路决定命运。”中国共产党人在探索文明发展道路的过程中坚持以马克思主义为指导，不断推进“两个结合”，实现了现代文明建设的社会主义转向，所形成的文明观是以社会主义为根本定向的文明观。马克思指出，“手推磨产生的是封建主的社会，蒸汽磨产生的是工业资本家的社会”，通过对西方文明的反思，中国共产党人认识到西方资本主义文明只是一定历史阶段的产物，独特的经济发展状况、历史传统和文明根脉，决定了中国必须“走自己的路”，建设社会主义新文明。基于对科学社会主义基本原则的创新运用，中国共产党人对社会主义文明的认识日趋成熟并全面，认为应超越资本主义文明的单向度，推进各领域文明的协调发展，坚持文明构成要素的多维层次性，逐渐形成“五位一体”的文明观。中国特色社会主义作为道路、理论、制度、文化的统一体，是一种时空交织的整体性形态。按照文明论话语，中国特色社会主义文明形成了“五位一体”文明结构体系，与其他文明形态相比更具协调性，不仅激活了资本的“文明面”，也能够驾驭资本，更好发挥资本的自然属性，创造了一种人类文明的新形态。资本主义文明主导的工业模式片面发展经济，所引发的生态问题值得深思。中国共产党文明观继承马克思主义自然观，将生态文明纳入文明发展的基本范畴，探索社会主义生态发展道路，所创造的人类文明新形态实现了人与自然的和谐共生。尤其改革开放以来，随着工业化进程的加快，邓小平同志提出，“我们要建设的社会主义国家，不但要有高度的物质文明，而且要有高度的精神文明”，要注重生态环境保护“绿化祖国”。习近平总书记提出“绿水青山就是金山银山”的“两山论”，深刻揭示了生产力发展与生态环境保护的辩证关系。

The CPC’s view of civilization is a scientific view of civilization. According to the basic laws of the emergence and development of civilization, the process of civilizational development is a dialectical unity of logic and history, truth and value, twists and turns, and progress. Marx and Engels, from the perspective of historical materialism and the grand historical view, explained the true meaning of civilization to the world. The CPC is a political party guided by Marxism. The CPC’s view of civilization combines the Marxist view of civilization with China’s specific practice, putting forward new propositions on Chinese-path modernization and the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. It establishes a constructive dimension on the basis of the critical dimension of the Marxist view of civilization, making it a scientific view of civilization that conforms to the laws of the emergence and development of civilization. Regarding the driving force of civilizational development, Chinese Communists inherit the basic understanding of Marx and Engels on civilizational issues, believing that all achievements of human civilization are products of social practice, and that practical development and civilizational development are dialectically unified. Productive forces and relations of production are the direct results of human practical activities. The contradictory movement between the two and the resulting historical resultant force constitute the fundamental driving mechanism of civilizational development. With the progress of productive forces and the adjustment of social structure, the form of civilization will also change accordingly. Capitalist civilization promoted the development and progress of productive forces, but the excessive pursuit of material interests easily leads to distorted development and human alienation. Chinese Communists have always represented the direction of advanced productive forces and the requirements of advanced culture. The new form of human civilization created by the Party leading the people is a socialist civilizational form nurtured in the practical soil of Chinese-path modernization, injecting new momentum into the development of human civilization. Rapidly developing productive forces are a significant marker of achieving modernization. At the beginning of reform and opening up, Comrade Deng Xiaoping clearly stated the need to “liberate productive forces and develop productive forces,” to promote the steady and long-term progress of Chinese-path modernization, and to provide strong impetus for creating a new form of human civilization. As a product of the progress of the times and the needs of practice, the new form of human civilization realizes Marx’s theoretical conception of “crossing the Caudine Forks” [2]2 “Crossing the Caudine Forks” (跨越卡夫丁峡谷) is a metaphor Marx used for a society bypassing the capitalist stage of development to transition directly from a pre-capitalist mode to socialism, a concept Chinese Communists have applied to theorize China’s developmental path., conforming to the vertical law of civilizational development from low to high levels; as a new model for the development path of human social civilization, the new form of human civilization respects the diversity of civilizational forms, provides new options for the exploration of modern civilization in other countries of the world, follows the general laws of civilizational development, and is an organic unity of scientificity and value.

中国共产党文明观是科学的文明观。根据文明产生和发展的基本规律，文明发展进程是逻辑与历史、真理与价值、曲折与前进的辩证统一。马克思恩格斯在唯物史观和大历史观视域下向世人阐释了文明的真谛，中国共产党是以马克思主义为指导的政党，中国共产党文明观将马克思主义文明观与中国具体实践相结合，提出了中国式现代化和中华民族现代文明建设的新命题，在马克思主义文明观的批判性维度之上确立了建设性维度，是符合文明发生、发展规律的科学的文明观。在文明发展的动力上，中国共产党人继承马克思恩格斯关于文明问题的基本认识，认为人类一切文明成果都是社会实践的产物，实践发展与文明发展是辩证统一的。生产力与生产关系是人类实践活动的直接结果，二者的矛盾运动及由此形成的历史合力，是文明发展的根本动力机制，随着生产力进步和社会结构的调整，文明形态也会随之发生变化。资本主义文明促进了生产力的发展与进步，但对物质利益的过分追求极易导致畸形发展和人的异化。中国共产党人始终代表先进生产力发展方向和先进文化发展要求，党领导人民创造的人类文明新形态，是在中国式现代化的实践土壤中滋长的社会主义文明形态，为人类文明发展注入了新动能。快速发展的生产力是实现现代化的显著标志，改革开放之初，邓小平同志明确提出要“解放生产力，发展生产力”，推进中国式现代化行稳致远，为创造人类文明新形态提供强大动力。作为时代进步和实践需要的产物，人类文明新形态实现了马克思所提出的“跨越卡夫丁峡谷”理论设想，顺应了由低级向高级进步的纵向文明发展规律；作为人类社会文明发展道路的新模式，人类文明新形态尊重文明形态的多样性，为世界其他国家的现代文明探索提供了新选择，遵循了文明发展的一般规律，是科学性和价值性的有机统一。

The CPC’s view of civilization is one of continuous innovation. Civilization is the product of human historical practice; as history advances, civilization also progresses unceasingly. The CPC’s understanding of civilizational issues has been constantly updated, forming a view of civilization that is continuously innovative and committed to creating a “new cultural life entity.” [3]3 “新的文化生命体” (new cultural life entity): A term used by Xi Jinping to describe the organic cultural product resulting from the integration of Marxism with Chinese reality and traditional culture. When discussing the Two Integrations, [4]4 “两个结合” (the Two Integrations): The integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that “the result of ‘integration’ is mutual achievement,” which “creates an organically unified new cultural life entity.” [5]5 Xi Jinping, speech at a symposium on cultural heritage, 2023. “Culture” indicates that this life entity has a clear boundary and belongs to the cultural sphere rather than other fields such as the economy, politics, or ecology. “Life entity” highlights its vitality and dynamism. Engels pointed out that “life is the mode of existence of protein bodies, and this mode of existence consists essentially in the constant self-renewal of the chemical constituents of these protein bodies.” [6]6 Friedrich Engels, *Anti-Dühring*. Therefore, compared with traditional cultural life entities, the new cultural life entity is a cultural form in the process of generation, driving the modern transformation of Chinese civilization. As the only civilization that has never been interrupted, Chinese civilization is a veritable elder among human civilizations in the 21st century. “It has neither experienced what Toynbee called ‘the transfer of the cradle’ nor suffered interruption after the impact of barbarian invasions.” [7]7 Reference to Arnold Toynbee’s theory of civilizational cradles and the historical continuity of Chinese civilization. “The five-thousand-year unbroken continuity of Chinese civilization” is an objective fact confirmed by archaeologists. [8]8 A claim supported by Chinese archaeological research, notably by scholar Liu Qingzhu. However, over more than five thousand years, Chinese civilization has not remained unchanged. On the basis of adhering to core cultural genes, it has absorbed and transformed the positive elements of foreign civilizations with great openness and inclusiveness, achieving innovation by discarding the old and embracing the new as the times progress, manifesting the developmental wisdom of “upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground.” [9]9 “守正创新” (upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground): A four-character idiom emphasizing maintaining core values while innovating. “The CPC is both a steadfast believer and practitioner of Marxism and a loyal inheritor and promoter of fine traditional Chinese culture.” [10]10 Xi Jinping, speech at the ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC, 2021. Through the power of Marxist truth, it activates Chinese civilization, presenting the essence of Chinese civilization in the form of modern civilization. Analyzed from the perspective of the Two Integrations, the new cultural life entity is born from the historical practice of the CPC in advancing the Two Integrations, manifested as the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization and the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. Its internal foundation is socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the fundamental supporting role is played by the CPC’s view of civilization. Looking to the future, the new cultural life entity can not only provide cultural support for China’s national development and national rejuvenation but also, with its inherent CPC view of civilization, contribute Chinese strength to the diverse development of world culture.

中国共产党文明观是不断创新的文明观。文明是人类历史实践的产物，随着历史向前发展，文明也在不断进步，中国共产党对文明问题的认识也持续更新，形成了不断创新、致力于造就“新的文化生命体”的文明观。习近平总书记在谈到“两个结合”时指出，“‘结合’的结果是互相成就”，“造就了一个有机统一的新的文化生命体”。“文化”表明这一生命体具有明确的界限范围，属于文化领域而不是经济、政治、生态等其他领域。“生命体”则彰显出其具有的活力和生命力，恩格斯指出，“生命是蛋白体的存在方式，这种存在方式本质上就在于这些蛋白体的化学成分的不断的自我更新”。因此，相对于传统文化生命体而言，新的文化生命体是一种正在生成的文化形态，推动着中华文明的现代转型。中华文明作为唯一未曾中断过的文明，是21世纪人类文明中名副其实的长者，“既没有发生过汤因比所说的‘摇篮地的转移’，也没有发生过在蛮族入侵冲击之后的中断”。“中华文明五千年不断裂”，这是得到考古学家们确证了的客观事实。但五千多年来中华文明并不是一成不变的，而是在坚守核心文化基因的基础上，以极大的开放性和包容性吸纳、转化外来文明的积极因素，随着时代的进步实现革故鼎新，呈现“守正创新”的发展智慧。“中国共产党既是马克思主义的坚定信仰者和践行者，又是中华优秀传统文化的忠实继承者和弘扬者”，通过马克思主义真理的力量激活中华文明，将中华文明的精髓以现代文明形态展现出来。从“两个结合”的角度分析，新的文化生命体诞生于中国共产党推进“两个结合”的历史性实践，表现为中国式现代化的文化形态和中华民族现代文明，内在基石即中国特色社会主义，在其中起到根本支撑作用的是中国共产党文明观。着眼未来，新的文化生命体不仅能够为中国国家发展、民族复兴提供文化支持，也能够以其内蕴的中国共产党文明观为世界文化多元发展贡献中国力量。

The CPC’s view of civilization is one of “harmony in diversity.” [11]11 “和而不同” (harmony in diversity): A Confucian concept from the *Analects*, advocating unity without uniformity. Diversity is the essential attribute of human civilization. In the garden of world civilizations, there exist various civilizations, each with its unique value of existence, providing a necessary prerequisite for civilizational exchange and mutual learning. An ancient saying goes, “Things are not uniform; that is the nature of things.” [12]12 From *Mencius*, emphasizing the natural diversity of things. “Harmony in diversity” is a hallmark of Chinese civilization and an important basis for its outstanding inclusiveness. The CPC inherits the traditional cultural spirit and governance philosophy of “harmony in diversity,” forming a harmonious and inclusive view of civilization. At critical junctures in the development of human civilization, the view of “harmony in diversity” contains the cultural code for how and why new developments in human civilization are possible. It not only respects the diverse differences of the myriad worlds but also achieves the harmonious coexistence of different civilizations through mutual learning and complementarity, promoting the long-term development of human civilization. First, equality and mutual respect are the basic prerequisites for the progress of human civilization. Any civilization is an important page in the history of human civilization development. The attitude toward other civilizations concerns the progress of human civilization. In this regard, the CPC emphasizes the need to maintain the diversity of human civilizations and to rationally view the differences between one’s own civilization and others, demonstrating an open and inclusive civilizational stance. Second, mutual learning is an inevitable requirement for following the laws of civilizational development. In the long river of history, different civilizational entities have formed civilizational systems based on their own cultural traditions and development paths. Mutual learning between different civilizations not only helps to perfect one’s own civilization but also provides spiritual guidance for enhancing the vitality of global civilizational development. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “Only through exchange and mutual learning can a civilization be full of vitality.” [13]13 Xi Jinping, speech at the UNESCO Headquarters, 2014. The key reason why Chinese civilization has endured for more than five thousand years lies precisely in its great inclusiveness, “boldly absorbing and drawing upon all the achievements of civilization created by human society.” [14]14 Deng Xiaoping, speech on reform and opening up, 1978. Third, dialogue and consultation are important ways to build a good civilizational order. Due to differences in social environment, values, historical traditions, and other aspects between different civilizations, views of civilization also differ, and uncivilized behaviors caused by irrational views of civilization are common. The CPC has proposed the Global Civilization Initiative, advocating for enhancing mutual understanding among peoples of all countries with the bond of common values for all humanity and strengthening dialogue and consultation between different civilizations, which helps to build a good civilizational order. Finally, inclusiveness and sharing are the strong voice of the times for jointly building a better world. The splendid array of human civilizations is wonderful because of diversity, but diversity inevitably brings differences. The wars and conflicts existing in today’s world stem to some extent from civilizational conflicts. Chinese civilization is one that advocates harmony and unity. The CPC inherits the peace concept of valuing harmony, the inclusive characteristic of being as vast as the sea that admits all rivers, and treats other civilizations with a broad mind, embodying a view of civilization of inclusiveness and sharing.

中国共产党文明观是“和而不同”的文明观。多样性是人类文明的本质属性，在世界文明的百花园中存在着各种各样的文明，每一种文明都有其独一无二的存在价值，为文明交流互鉴提供了必要前提。古语有言“夫物之不齐，物之情也”，“和而不同”是中华文明的标志性内容，也是中华文明突出包容性的重要依据。中国共产党继承“和而不同”的传统文化精神和治国理念，形成了和谐、包容的文明观。在人类文明发展的关键时间节点，“和而不同”的文明观蕴含着人类文明新发展何以可能、何以实现的文化密码，不仅尊重万千世界的多元差异，而且通过互鉴、互补实现不同文明的和谐共存，促进人类文明的长远发展。首先，平等互尊是人类文明进步的基本前提。任何文明都是人类文明发展史上的重要一页，对待其他文明的态度事关人类文明的进步。对此，中国共产党强调要维护人类文明多样性，理性看待本国文明与其他文明的差异，彰显了开放、包容的文明立场。其次，互学互鉴是遵循文明发展规律的必然要求。在历史长河中，不同文明体基于自身文化传统和发展道路形成文明体系，不同文明之间互学互鉴不仅有利于完善自身文明，也能够为提升全球文明发展活力提供精神指引。习近平总书记指出，“只有交流互鉴，一种文明才能充满生命力”，中华文明之所以历经五千多年绵延不绝，关键就在于其极大的包容性，“大胆吸收和借鉴人类社会创造的一切文明成果”。再次，对话协商是构建良好文明秩序的重要途径。不同文明间由于社会环境、价值观念、历史传统等方面的差异，文明观也不尽相同，由非理性文明观造成的不文明行为比比皆是。中国共产党提出全球文明倡议，倡导以全人类共同价值为纽带增进各国人民的相互理解，加强不同文明之间的对话协商，有助于构建良好的文明秩序。最后，包容共享是共建美好世界的时代强音。璀璨纷呈的人类文明因多样而精彩，多样也必然会带来差异，当今世界存在的战乱与冲突一定程度上源于文明冲突。中华文明是崇尚和合、同一的文明，中国共产党传承以和为贵的和平理念、海纳百川的包容特性，以宽广胸怀对待其他文明，体现了包容共享的文明观。

The CPC’s view of civilization is one that embraces the world. Different views of civilization will shape different future prospects. The Western capitalist view of civilization flaunts democracy and freedom but in fact serves capital power, forming a narrow and exclusive modern civilization. Chinese civilization has always been a civilizational entity with a global vision. Since its founding, the CPC has possessed the distinct character of embracing the world, adhering to the traditional concept of “viewing the world from the perspective of the world,” [15]15 “以天下观天下” (viewing the world from the perspective of the world): A phrase from the *Dao De Jing*, reflecting a holistic worldview. integrating into the process of world development with an open and inclusive attitude, reflecting an international responsibility for achieving global good governance. The view of civilization it has formed has always been concerned with the progress of human civilization and the liberation of all humanity; it is a view of civilization that embraces the world. As the world’s largest Marxist ruling party, the “greatness of a great party” lies not only in its organizational scale but also in its broad-mindedness and great responsibility. Seventy years ago, in the face of the surging national independence and liberation movements after World War II, China timely proposed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, making outstanding contributions to building a new type of international relations and advancing the cause of human progress. [16]16 The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence: Mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. Today, in response to the question of the times—“What kind of world to build and how to build it”—the CPC has put forward the scientific plan of building a community with a shared future for mankind. “The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind is in the same line as the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Both are rooted in the fine traditional Chinese culture of amity and good neighborliness, good faith and good will, and harmony among all nations. Both manifest the spirit and character of China’s diplomacy—self-confidence and self-reliance, upholding justice, and helping the weak and the good. Both embody the world vision of Chinese Communists to make new and greater contributions to humanity. Both demonstrate China’s firm determination to follow the path of peaceful development. They represent the best inheritance, promotion, and sublimation of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence under new circumstances.” [17]17 Xi Jinping, speech at the conference marking the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, 2024. The ultimate goal of civilizational evolution lies in human progress. Based on the development of human beings, Marx and Engels divided human society into natural community, abstract community, and true community. Only in the true community can the free and comprehensive development of each individual be realized. The community with a shared future for mankind is the Chinese Communists’ combination of the Marxist theory of community with the traditional Chinese concept of the world, a Chinese expression of the idea of “free and comprehensive development of human beings,” with the ultimate goal pointing to the cause of the liberation of all humanity.

中国共产党文明观是胸怀天下的文明观。不同的文明观将会形成不同的未来图景，西方资本主义文明观标榜民主、自由，实则服务于资本权力，形成了狭隘、排他的现代文明。中华文明始终是一个具有天下情怀的文明体，中国共产党自成立以来就具有胸怀天下的鲜明品格，秉持“以天下观天下”的传统观念，以开放包容的态度融入世界发展进程，体现出以天下大治为己任的国际担当，所形成的文明观也始终关怀人类文明进步和全人类解放，是胸怀天下的文明观。作为世界上最大的马克思主义执政党，“大党之大”不仅在于组织规模，更在于胸襟大、担当大。70年前，面对第二次世界大战后民族独立和解放运动的风起云涌，中国适时提出和平共处五项原则，对构建新型国际关系、推进人类进步事业具有突出贡献。如今，面对“建设一个什么样的世界、如何建设这个世界”的时代之问，中国共产党又提出了构建人类命运共同体的科学方案。“构建人类命运共同体理念与和平共处五项原则一脉相承，都根植于亲仁善邻、讲信修睦、协和万邦的中华优秀传统文化，都彰显了中国外交自信自立、坚持正义、扶弱扬善的精神风骨，都体现了中国共产党人为人类作出新的更大贡献的世界情怀，都展现了中国坚持走和平发展道路的坚定决心，是新形势下对和平共处五项原则最好的传承、弘扬、升华。”文明演进的最终目的在于人的进步，马克思恩格斯根据人的发展情况，将人类社会划分为自然共同体、抽象共同体和真正共同体，只有在真正的共同体中才会实现每个人的自由全面性发展。人类命运共同体是中国共产党人将马克思主义共同体学说与中华民族传统的天下观相结合，对“人的自由全面发展”思想的中国式表达，最终目标指向全人类解放事业。

II. The Conditions for the Formation of the CPC’s View of Civilization

二、中国共产党文明观的形成条件

The formation of the CPC’s view of civilization is the inevitable result of inheriting and developing the civilizational theories of classical Marxist writers, and also stems from the conscious awareness of CPC leaders in guiding civilizational development and building a civilizational state. This civilizational ideal has been internalized as the spiritual gene of the Party’s unremitting struggle over the past century, guiding generations of Chinese Communists in the practice of civilizational construction to continuously achieve the inheritance, development, transformation, and absorption of the Marxist view of civilization and the traditional Chinese view of civilization, ultimately forming the system of the CPC’s view of civilization.

中国共产党文明观的形成是传承和发展马克思主义经典作家文明理论的必然结果，也源自中国共产党人引领文明发展和构建文明型国家的自觉意识。这种文明理想内化为党百年来不懈奋斗的精神基因，指引着一代又一代中国共产党人在文明建设实践中不断实现对马克思主义文明观、中华民族传统文明观的继承发展和转化吸收，最终形成中国共产党文明观体系。

(I) The Marxist View of Civilization as the Theoretical Foundation

（一）马克思主义文明观是理论基础

Marx and Engels, taking dialectical materialism and historical materialism as their ideological foundation, conducted a holistic study of the history of human civilization on the basis of practice, revealing the essence of human civilization, the laws of civilizational progress, the internal structure of civilization, and so forth, thereby forming a scientific theory on the question of civilization. Marxist theory is the guiding ideology of the Communist Party of China, and the CPC’s view of civilization is precisely the theoretical achievement formed by Communists flexibly applying the Marxist view of civilization in the practice of China’s civilizational construction.

马克思恩格斯以辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义为思想基础，立足实践对人类文明发展史进行整体性研究，揭示了人类文明的本质、文明进步的规律、文明的内在结构等，从而形成了关于文明问题的科学理论。马克思主义理论是中国共产党的指导思想，中国共产党文明观正是共产党人将马克思主义文明观在中国文明建设实践中灵活运用所形成的理论成果。

1. The Essence of Civilization

1.文明本质论

The essence of civilization is the question of “what civilization is.” The term “civilization” appears with great frequency in the works of Marx and Engels, and their understanding of the essence of civilization underwent a process of transformation from idealism to materialism. Initially, Marx and Engels defined civilization as a form of culture, holding that science, philosophy, art, literature, and so forth were all manifestations of civilization. For example, Marx once pointed out, “Philosophy has acquired this significance: it is the living soul of civilization.” [18]18 Karl Marx, “The Leading Article in No. 179 of the Kölnische Zeitung,” in Marx and Engels Collected Works, vol. 1 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 195. As their understanding shifted from idealism to materialism, their comprehension of civilization also achieved a revolutionary transformation. Engels first proposed, “If civilization is a matter of practice, a quality of society, then the English are indeed the most civilized people in the world.” [19]19 Friedrich Engels, “The Condition of England: Past and Present by Thomas Carlyle,” in Marx and Engels Collected Works, vol. 3 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 446. Although this is a hypothetical tone, it endows civilization with practical meaning and social connotation, understanding the essence of civilization from the perspective of practice, and achieving a materialist turn in the mode of thinking on the question of civilization. Moreover, viewing civilization as a quality of society points, on the one hand, to the social attribute of civilization, and on the other hand, indicates the significance of civilizational development for social progress. “All social life is essentially practical.” [20]20 Karl Marx, “Theses on Feuerbach,” in Marx and Engels Collected Works, vol. 5 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1976), p. 4. Civilization, as a product of human historical practice, is a positive reflection in the spiritual realm of the achievements created by people in their practical activities, and the development of civilization plays an important role in improving the quality of society. Therefore, Marx and Engels agreed with Morgan’s division of stages of social development, holding that the era of civilization is a higher social form that transcends savagery and barbarism. Finally, with the further deepening of their understanding of the question of civilization, Marx and Engels defined the essence of civilization as a reflection of social productive forces. On this point, Marx clearly stated, “All the progress of civilization, or in other words, all the increase of social productive forces, can also be said to be all the increase of the productive forces of labor itself.” [21]21 Karl Marx, “Grundrisse,” in Marx and Engels Collected Works, vol. 29 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1987), p. 94. It can be seen that in his view, the progress of civilization and the growth of social productive forces have equivalent meaning; the progress of productive forces provides the possibility for a higher form of civilization to replace the existing one. Capitalist civilization greatly promoted the development of productive forces, but while socially necessary labor time was reduced, the workers’ free time was stolen by the capitalists, which to a certain extent meant the theft of civilization.

文明本质即“文明是什么”的问题。“文明”一词在马克思恩格斯的著作中使用率极高，其中关于文明本质的理解经历了由唯心主义向唯物主义转变的过程。最初，马克思恩格斯将文明界定为一种文化的形式，认为科学、哲学、艺术、文学等都是文明的表现形式，如马克思曾指出，“哲学已获得了这样的意义：它是文明的活的灵魂”。随着他们的认识从唯心主义到唯物主义的转变，对文明的理解也实现了革命性变革。恩格斯首次提出，“如果说文明是实践的事情，是社会的素质，那么英国人确实是世界上最文明的人”。虽然此处是假设性的语气，却赋予文明以实践意义和社会内涵，是从实践的角度出发来理解文明的本质，实现了关于文明问题思维方式的唯物主义转向。而且，将文明看作社会的素质，一方面指出了文明的社会属性，另一方面表明了文明发展对社会进步的意义。“全部社会生活在本质上是实践的”，文明作为人类历史实践的产物，是对人们在实践活动中所创造的成果在精神领域的积极反映，文明发展对社会素质的提高发挥着重要作用。因此，马克思恩格斯赞同摩尔根对社会发展阶段的划分，认为文明时代是超越蒙昧和野蛮的、更高级的社会形态。最后，随着对文明问题认识的进一步深化，马克思恩格斯将文明的本质定义为社会生产力的反映。关于这一点马克思明确指出，“文明的一切进步，或者换句话说，社会生产力的一切增长，也可以说劳动本身的生产力的一切增长”，可见在他看来，文明进步与社会生产力增长有着同等含义，生产力进步为更高级的文明取代现有文明提供了可能。资本主义文明极大促进了生产力的发展，但在社会必要劳动时间减少的同时，工人的自由时间被资本家所窃取，一定程度上意味着窃取了文明。

2. The Forms of Civilization

2.文明形态论

In the Marxist context, “forms of civilization” and “social formations” share an identity. Based on the evolution of the mode of material production, Marx and Engels divided human society into five formations, corresponding to which were formed the civilizational form of traditional society, the civilizational form of modern capitalist society, and the civilizational form of future communist society, thereby establishing the historical materialist paradigm for studying the forms of human civilization. First, the civilizational form of traditional society. This mainly refers to the civilizational forms that existed before modern capitalist society. Marx and Engels believed that the emergence of classes and the state was the sign of entering the “era of civilization.” Therefore, with changes in social relations, the development of humanity from primitive society to slave society opened the curtain of the era of civilization. Second, the civilizational form of modern capitalist society. This is the civilizational form that Marx and Engels analyzed with emphasis. They employed dialectical thinking, both affirming the progressive and historically significant role of capitalist civilization compared to traditional autocratic civilization, pointing out that the bourgeoisie “has drawn all, even the most barbarian, nations into civilization,” [22]22 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, “Manifesto of the Communist Party,” in Marx and Engels Collected Works, vol. 6 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1976), p. 488. greatly promoting the evolution of the forms of human civilization; and at the same time, they profoundly criticized its inherent insurmountable contradictions, and from within them found the path to a higher form of civilization. Third, the civilizational form of future communist society. This is the future trend of human civilizational development. In this civilizational form, class distinctions and class antagonisms will be completely eliminated; people will no longer be constrained by the fetters of “things,” but will achieve independence and freedom in the true sense. Labor will also return to its authentic meaning, allowing people to fully exercise their free individuality in the labor process, and the degree of human civilization will reach its highest stage in communist society. The evolution of the above civilizational forms demonstrates the continuity of human civilization in the evolution of historical forms. Later, Marx and Engels realized that the continuity of civilizational development does not exclude the diversity of paths of realization. Due to unique developmental realities, some countries may skip one or several civilizational forms in the course of development; there is no fixed model, reflecting the diversity of the evolution of civilizational forms. From a spatial perspective, Marx and Engels believed that there existed multiple civilizational forms worldwide, such as ancient Greco-Roman civilization, English civilization, French civilization, and German civilization, but there was not much introduction of Eastern societies, because if measured by the standards of Western civilization, Eastern societies had not yet entered a civilizational form at that stage, and were thus described as “the East is subordinate to the West.” [23]23 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, “Manifesto of the Communist Party,” in Marx and Engels Collected Works, vol. 6 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1976), p. 488.

在马克思主义语境下，“文明形态”与“社会形态”具有同一性。马克思恩格斯根据物质生产方式的演进，将人类社会划分为五种形态，与之相对应形成了传统社会的文明形态、现代资本主义社会的文明形态、未来共产主义社会的文明形态，从而确立了研究人类文明形态的唯物史观范式。第一，传统社会的文明形态。主要是指现代资本主义社会之前所存在的文明形态，马克思恩格斯认为阶级和国家的出现是进入“文明时代”的标志，因此，随着社会关系的变化，人类由原始社会发展至奴隶社会便拉开了文明时代的大幕。第二，现代资本主义社会的文明形态。这是马克思恩格斯重点分析的文明形态。他们运用辩证法的思维，既肯定资本主义文明相较传统专制文明的进步性和历史性作用，指出资产阶级“把一切民族甚至最野蛮的民族都卷到文明中来了”，极大推动了人类文明形态的演进；同时也深刻批判了其内在无法克服的矛盾，并从中找到通往更高形式文明形态的道路。第三，未来共产主义社会的文明形态。这是人类文明发展的未来趋势，在这一文明形态下将彻底消灭阶级差别和阶级对立，人不再受制于“物”的束缚，而是获得真正意义上的独立与自由。劳动也将回归其本真意涵，人们得以在劳动过程中充分施展自由个性，人类文明程度在共产主义社会达到最高阶段。上述文明形态的演进，表明了人类文明在历史形态演进上的连续性，后来，马克思恩格斯意识到，文明发展的连续性并不排斥实现路径的多样性，由于独特的发展实际，部分国家可能在发展过程中越过一种或几种文明形态，没有固定的模式可言，体现了文明形态演进的多样性。从空间场域上看，马克思恩格斯认为，世界范围内共存在古希腊罗马文明、英国文明、法国文明、德国文明等多种文明形态，对于东方社会并没有太多介绍，因为如果借用西方文明的衡量标准，东方社会在当时阶段尚未进入文明形态，因而表述为“东方从属于西方”。

3. The Structure of Civilization

3.文明结构论

“Civilization” in the Marxist view of civilization is a holistic concept. Marx and Engels believed that civilization is a complete system composed of multiple elements, including economic structure, spiritual structure, political structure, and social structure. Because they achieved the unity of the view of nature and the view of history, Marx and Engels also believed that the structure of civilization involves the ecological sphere, constituting the content structure of five types of civilization. First, material civilization is the humanized social practice and its products; its essence is a kind of material productive force, determining the nature, level of development, and direction of development of civilization. Only when basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and transportation are met can humans develop other civilizations. Therefore, material civilization plays a foundational role in sustaining human survival and social interaction; it can both regulate the relationship between humans and nature and between humans and society, and provide material preparation for the ultimate liberation of humanity. Second, spiritual civilization in the texts of Marx and Engels has relative independence. Although it is generally constrained by the level of material development, the production and development of spiritual civilization itself exhibit relative independence, possibly being ahead of or lagging behind material development. This relative independence is also manifested in a certain counter-effect on material development. At the same time, spiritual civilization has a class character; it is “the dominant material relations expressed in the form of ideas,” [24]24 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, “The German Ideology,” in Marx and Engels Collected Works, vol. 5 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1976), p. 59. and overall it serves the interests of the ruling class. Third, Marx proposed the concept of “political civilization,” which underwent a process of increasing democratization from autocracy. Modern political forms that emerged in capitalist society, such as the electoral system, the party system, and state organizations, are all important manifestations of political civilization. Fourth, Marx’s thought on social civilization is concentrated in two aspects: in a broad sense, social civilization is equivalent to the entire domain of civilizational development, referring to civilization in general; in a narrow sense, social civilization refers to the achievements formed in the development of social relations, including the handling of relationships between humans and humans, humans and nature, and humans and society. Fifth, with “the reconciliation of humanity with nature and the reconciliation of humanity with itself” [25]25 Karl Marx, “Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844,” in Marx and Engels Collected Works, vol. 3 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 296. as the main thread, Marx and Engels criticized the ecological destruction caused by capitalist society. The ecological civilization they pursued is a sustainable form of civilization, which requires the transformation of the traditional mode of production as a prerequisite.

马克思主义文明观中的“文明”是一个整体性的概念。马克思恩格斯认为文明是由多要素构成的完整系统，包括经济结构、精神结构、政治结构和社会结构，由于实现了自然观与历史观的统一，因此马克思恩格斯认为文明结构还涉及生态领域，构成五种文明的内容结构。第一，物质文明是人化的社会实践及其产物，本质是一种物质生产力，决定着文明的性质、文明的发展水平和发展方向。人类只有在吃、穿、住、行等基本需求得到满足的前提下，才能发展其他文明，因此，物质文明起着维系人类生存和社会交往的基础性作用，既可以调节人与自然、人与社会的关系，又可以为人的最终解放提供物质准备。第二，马克思恩格斯文本中的精神文明具有相对独立性，虽然整体上受到物质发展水平的制约，但精神文明自身的生产与发展呈现出相对独立性，可能超前或落后于物质发展，这种相对独立性还表现在对物质发展具有一定反作用。同时，精神文明具有阶级性，是“以思想的形式表现出来的占统治地位的物质关系”，总体来看是为统治阶级利益服务的。第三，马克思提出了“政治文明”的概念，经历了由专制到民主化程度不断提升的过程，资本主义社会出现的选举制、政党制和政权组织等现代政治形式，都是政治文明的重要体现。第四，马克思关于社会文明的思想集中于两个方面，广义来看，社会文明等同于文明发展全域，指文明一般；狭义来看，社会文明指社会关系发展中形成的成果，其中包括人与人、人与自然和人与社会的关系处理等。第五，马克思恩格斯以“人类与自然的和解以及人类本身的和解”为主线，对资本主义社会造成的生态破坏进行了批判，他们所追求的生态文明是一种可持续发展的文明形态，需要以传统生产方式的变革为前提。

4. The Dynamics of Civilization

4.文明动力论

The theory of the driving forces of civilization is the answer to “how to promote the progress of civilization.” First, Marx and Engels believed that the contradictory movement between productive forces and relations of production is the direct driving force of civilizational evolution; their mutual adaptation can promote civilizational progress, and when the contradiction becomes irreconcilable, the outbreak of revolution also promotes the development of civilization from lower to higher stages, ultimately toward a new communist civilization. Productive forces, as the most active factor among them, are the fundamental driving force behind changes in civilizational forms. “All conflicts in history arise from the contradiction between productive forces and the form of intercourse,”[26]26 Karl Marx, “Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy,” in *Marx and Engels Collected Works*, vol. 29 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1987), p. 263. The Chinese text quotes from the *Selected Works of Marx and Engels*, vol. 1 (Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 2012), p. 196. and the resolution of this contradiction is the “booster” of civilizational progress. In class society, the basic contradiction of society manifests itself in the form of class struggle, and the outcome of struggle is progress toward a higher stage of civilizational form. Second, science and technology are an important driving force of civilizational evolution. As humanity entered the age of civilization, people increasingly recognized the importance of science and technology; they can function as a social force and also as a productive force in a spiritual sense, transforming into actual productive forces through combination with industry and commerce. This not only greatly raises labor productivity and the level of social productive forces but also thereby accelerates the pace of evolution of the civilizational forms of human society. Third, the division of labor is a precondition for civilizational evolution. The emergence of the division of labor makes possible the integration and allocation of factors of production, and in turn promotes social progress with even greater force. In *The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State*, Engels described three great social divisions of labor, pointing out that by the third division, humanity had entered the age of civilization, while also noting that after entering the advanced communist stage of civilization, the division of labor would likewise disappear. Fourth, intercourse is also an important driving force of civilizational evolution. Marx believed that intercourse includes both material intercourse and spiritual intercourse. As a driving force of civilizational evolution, intercourse can be divided into peaceful modes of intercourse and non-peaceful modes, i.e., war. On the one hand, peaceful modes of intercourse, whether material or spiritual, are conducive to promoting the external flow of civilizational elements; the exchange of commodities formed in the process of communication stimulates social production and thereby promotes the accumulation of civilizational elements, becoming an important means of civilizational evolution. On the other hand, Marx and Engels proposed that “violence, war, plunder, robbery, etc., are regarded as the driving forces of history.”[27]27 Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, *The German Ideology*, in *Marx and Engels Collected Works*, vol. 5 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1976), p. 52. The Chinese text quotes from the *Selected Works of Marx and Engels*, vol. 1 (Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 2012), p. 196. In this process, for backward countries and nations, violence, war, etc., become external forces that promote a major readjustment of the entire society.

文明动力论即对“如何促进文明进步”的回答。第一，马克思恩格斯认为，生产力与生产关系的矛盾运动是文明演进的直接动力，二者的相互适应能够促进文明进步，当矛盾不可调和时，革命的爆发也会促进文明由低级到高级、最终向共产主义新文明的发展。生产力作为其中最活跃的因素，是文明形态变迁的根本动力，“一切历史冲突都根源于生产力和交往形式之间的矛盾”，二者矛盾的解决是文明进步的“助推器”。在阶级社会，社会基本矛盾以阶级斗争的形式表现出来，斗争的结果是实现向更高阶段文明形态的进步。第二，科学技术是文明演进的重要动力。随着人类进入文明时代，人们越来越发现科学与技术的重要性，它可以作为一种社会力量，也可以作为一种精神意义上的生产力，通过与工商业的结合转化成现实的生产力。不仅能够极大提高劳动生产率和社会生产力水平，也因此加速了人类社会文明形态演进的速度。第三，社会分工是文明演进的前提。分工的出现使生产要素的整合与分配成为可能，并以一种更大的力量反过来促进社会进步。恩格斯在《家庭、私有制和国家的起源》中描述了三次社会大分工，指出到第三次分工时，人类即进入文明时代，同时他也指出，进入共产主义高级文明阶段后分工也会随之消失。第四，交往也是文明演进的重要动力。马克思认为交往包括物质交往和精神交往两个方面，作为文明演进的动力，交往又可以分为和平的交往方式和非和平的交往方式即战争。一方面，和平的交往方式无论是物质交往还是精神交往，都有利于促进文明要素的外部流动，在交流过程中所形成的商品交换刺激了社会生产，也由此促进文明要素的积累，成为文明演进的重要手段。另一方面，马克思恩格斯提出，“暴力、战争、掠夺、抢劫等等被看做是历史的动力”。在这一过程中，对于落后的国家和民族来说，暴力、战争等将成为促进整个社会大调整的外部力量。

5. The Theory of the Subject of Civilization

5.文明主体论

Regarding the subject force of civilizational development, Marx and Engels opposed the theory of the creation of civilization by a minority elite proposed by the Western bourgeoisie, and adhered to the view of the historical resultant force and the mass historical viewpoint. While affirming the important role of heroic figures in promoting civilizational progress, they held that more and more people must participate in order to be more conducive to the sustained development of human civilization; only in the practical activities in which the masses participate can the wisdom and intelligence of heroic figures be fully stimulated. Using historical materialism, they revealed the general laws of the development of human society, holding that human society is the unity of the “social-historical process” and the “natural-historical process,” and that the intermediary through which the “social-historical process” is transformed into the “natural-historical process” is “the acting masses of the people,” i.e., the true subject of civilizational evolution. “History is nothing but the activity of people pursuing their own ends.”[28]28 Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, *The Holy Family*, in *Marx and Engels Collected Works*, vol. 4 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 93. The Chinese text quotes from the *Selected Works of Marx and Engels*, vol. 1 (Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 2012), p. 295. It is the cause of the masses of the people; the masses, through conscious labor, promote the development of the division of labor and productive forces, create rich material civilizational achievements and spiritual civilizational achievements, propel human society into the “age of civilization,” and then into the “truly universal” future communist civilization. As the subject force shaping advanced civilizational forms, the masses of the people are also the enjoyers of the fruits of civilizational development; the ultimate purpose of civilizational evolution lies in human progress. The development of the individual can be divided into three stages: the stage of dependence on personal relations, the stage of individual independence based on dependence on things, and the stage of the free and comprehensive development of the individual. Achieving the goal of the last stage means entering the “association of free individuals” envisioned by Marx and Engels. At that time, the means of production and the fruits of labor will be owned by the whole of society, the exploitation of the few by the many will no longer exist, everyone will enjoy equal rights, and will achieve self-emancipation and comprehensive development.

关于文明发展的主体力量，马克思恩格斯反对西方资产阶级提出的少数精英创造论，坚持历史合力论和群众史观的观点，在肯定英雄人物对文明进步重要推动作用的同时，认为必须让越来越多的人参与其中，才更有利于人类文明的持续发展，只有在人民群众参与的实践活动中，才能充分激发英雄人物的聪明智慧。他们以唯物史观揭示了人类社会发展的一般规律，认为人类社会是“社会历史过程”和“自然历史过程”的统一，而“社会历史过程”转化为“自然历史过程”的中介是“行动着的人民群众”，即文明演进的真正主体。“历史不过是追求着自己目的的人的活动而已”，是人民群众的事业，人民群众以自觉的劳动促进了社会分工和生产力的发展，创造了丰富的物质文明成果和精神文明成果，推动人类社会进入“文明时代”，进而走进“真正的普遍的”未来共产主义文明。作为塑造高级文明形态的主体力量，人民群众也是文明发展成果的享受者，文明演进的最终目的在于人类进步。人的发展可以划分为三个阶段，即人的依赖关系阶段、以物的依赖性为基础的人的独立性阶段和人的自由全面发展阶段，实现最后一个阶段的目标即进入马克思恩格斯所设想的“自由人联合体”。到那时生产资料以及劳动成果由全社会所有，少数人对多数人的剥削将不复存在，人人都享有平等的权利，实现自我解放和全面发展。

(II) The Traditional Chinese View of Civilization as the Cultural Gene

（二）中华传统文明观是文化基因

The natural view of “the unity of Heaven and humanity,” the world view of “harmonizing all nations,” the social view of “harmony in diversity,” and the moral view of “kindness in the human heart” are important manifestations of the traditional Chinese view of civilization. The Communist Party of China has always attached importance to inheriting and promoting fine traditional Chinese culture. The CPC’s view of civilization is rooted in the fertile soil of Chinese civilization; the Chinese nation’s personal moral conduct of valuing trust, harmony, and benevolence toward neighbors, and its social responsibility ethic of taking the world as one’s own responsibility, provide its cultural foundation.

“天人合一”的自然观、“协和万邦”的天下观、“和而不同”的社会观、“人心和善”的道德观等，是中华传统文明观的重要体现。中国共产党一贯重视对中华优秀传统文化的传承与弘扬，中国共产党文明观根植于中华文明沃土，中华民族讲信修睦、亲仁善邻的个人道德品行和以天下为己任的社会责任伦理为其提供了文化基础。

1. The Natural View of “the Unity of Heaven and Humanity”

1.“天人合一”的自然观

The view of nature is the overall understanding of the entire cosmos and all natural things, containing the basic principles for handling the relationship between human society and the natural world. The natural view of “the unity of Heaven and humanity” is rooted in Chinese agricultural civilization, embodies the survival philosophy of the traditional view of civilization, and emphasizes that humanity and nature are an organic and unified whole; in terms of value, it pursues harmonious coexistence, advocating that “harmony” is the precondition for the parallel and non-contradictory operation of all things in the universe; in epistemology, it understands the world from a dialectical perspective, accurately grasping the laws of operation of all things in the universe.

自然观是对整个宇宙和自然万物的总体看法，包含了处理人类社会与自然界关系的基本准则。“天人合一”的自然观根植于中华农耕文明，体现了传统文明观的生存理念，强调人与自然是一个有机统一的整体；在价值上追求和合共生，主张“和谐”是宇宙万物并行不悖的前提；在认识论上以辩证法的观点认识世界，准确把握宇宙万物的运行规律。

In the traditional Chinese view of civilization, “the unity of Heaven and humanity” is first an ontological issue. Humanity is a part of the cosmic world; “human beings are born from the qi of Heaven and Earth, and formed by the laws of the four seasons.”[29]29 A quotation from the *Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine* (*Huangdi Neijing*), an ancient Chinese medical text. Human life itself, the value of life, and the laws of life are all derived from Heaven and Earth; human nature is united with the Way of Heaven, and their operational laws are fundamentally consistent. Based on this understanding of the relationship between Heaven, Earth, and humanity, the pursuit at the level of value is the mutual harmony and growth between humanity and all things in Heaven and Earth. Humanity must respect the objective laws of nature, taking reverence for the Way, cautious action, and compliance with the seasons as the basic guidelines for behavior. “If axes and hatchets enter the mountains at the proper times, the timber will be inexhaustible.”[30]30 A paraphrase of *Mencius*, Book I, Part A, Chapter 3, which states: “If the seasons of the hills and forests are not interfered with, the timber will be more than can be used.” Only by respecting the objective laws of nature is it conducive to human survival and the sustainable development of nature. From an epistemological perspective, if “the unity of Heaven and humanity” is the objective law of the universe, society, and life, then only by correctly understanding it can one penetrate the Way of Heaven and Earth and achieve harmony between humanity and nature. This provides important inspiration for the CPC to correctly understand the relationship between the universality and particularity of human civilization, and to adhere to the ecological civilization view of the harmonious development of humanity and nature.

在中华传统文明观中，“天人合一”首先是一个本体论问题。人是宇宙世界的一部分，“人以天地之气生，四时之法成”，人的生命本身、生命价值、生命法则等都得之于天地，人性与天道相合，其运行法则在根本上是一致的。基于对天地人关系的认识，在价值层面的追求即人与天地万物之间的相合相长，人要尊重自然界客观规律，将敬道慎为、顺应天时作为行为活动的基本遵循。“斧斤以时入山林，林木不可胜用也”，只有尊重自然界的客观规律才有助于人类生存和自然永续发展。从认识论上看，如果说“天人合一”是宇宙、社会和生命的客观规律，那么只有正确认识它才能通达天地之道，实现人与自然的和谐。这为中国共产党正确认识人类文明普遍性和特殊性的关系，坚持人与自然和谐发展的生态文明观提供了重要启示。

2. The World View of “Harmonizing All Nations”

2.“协和万邦”的天下观

The phrase “harmonizing all nations” comes from the *Book of Documents: Canon of Yao*.[31]31 *Shangshu* (*Book of Documents*), one of the Five Classics of Confucianism, traditionally attributed to Confucius. The “Canon of Yao” (*Yaodian*) is its first chapter. It is a view of world order generated on the basis of the culture of harmony, from “harmonizing all nations” to “all within the four seas are brothers” and then to the ideal vision of “the Great Harmony under Heaven,” reflecting the consistent lineage of the traditional Chinese world view. “Valuing harmony and upholding the mean” is the core value orientation of Chinese civilization. Historically, China formed its own civilizational sphere through the exchange and mutual learning of Chinese civilization with foreign civilizations. The world view of “harmonizing all nations” is based on the perspective of “all under Heaven,” pursues harmony in diversity in civilizational intercourse, emphasizes the transformation of people through education in the path of civilizational development, dissolves the distinction between Chinese and barbarian, and its essential meaning is highly compatible with the value propositions of scientific socialism.

“协和万邦”语出《尚书·尧典》，是在和合文化基础上产生的关于世界秩序的观点，从“协和万邦”到“四海之内皆兄弟”再到“天下大同”的理想愿景，体现了中国传统天下观的一脉相承。“贵和尚中”是中华文明的核心价值指向，历史上，中国曾以中华文明与外来文明的交流互鉴，形成了属于自己的文明圈。“协和万邦”的天下观立足“天下”视野，在文明交往上追求和而不同，在文明发展路径上强调以教化人，消解华夏之辨，其内涵要义与科学社会主义价值观主张具有高度契合性。

First is the consciousness of the greater good of “the world is shared by all.” The “world” (tianxia) spoken of by the ancients is not primarily about actual territory but rather a kind of global consciousness: “The ancient Chinese… were concerned with the entire lower realm, the whole of humanity as a great collective, and did not treat it as the private possession of a single tribe or clan… Hence they always possessed a ‘concept of the world’ that transcended the concept of the state.” [32]32 Qian Mu, *An Introduction to Chinese Cultural Studies* (Beijing: The Commercial Press, 1994), p. 132. Based on this understanding, ancient people of ideals and integrity formed a consciousness of the greater good of “the world is shared by all” and “the Great Harmony.” For rulers, “the world is shared by all” pursues the greatest well-being of the people; the support or opposition of the people is the foundation of the rise and fall of political power. Second is the principle of equality of “benevolence and empathetic connection.” The worldview of “harmonizing all nations” advocates the humanitarian spirit of “benevolence and empathetic connection,” follows the basic principle of equality among all nations, and realizes the Great Harmony of the world through amity and friendship between states. Confucianism has always attached importance to the thought of “benevolence” (ren’ai), from governance to social morality. “Benevolence” is the primary norm of Confucian thought, and it also contains an orientation toward equality, such as the egalitarian idea “wishing to establish oneself, one establishes others; wishing to reach oneself, one reaches others,” and the way of loyalty and forbearance: “exhausting oneself is called loyalty; extending oneself to others is called forbearance.” Finally is the governance principle of ruling the world through virtue. The worldview of “harmonizing all nations” embodies the kingly way (wangdao) inherent in Chinese civilization. Governing through “virtue” and “abundant virtue” enables “tolerance,” thereby cultivating a broad-mindedness that embraces all rivers. This has referential significance for our conduct of civilizational exchange and participation in global governance.

首先是天下为公的大公意识。古人所说的天下，关键不在于真实面积，而是一种世界意识，“中国古代人……关心于整个下界整个人类之大群全体，而不为一部一族所私有……因此他们常有一个‘天下观念’超乎国家观念之上”。基于这种认识，古代仁人志士形成了“天下为公”“天下大同”的大公意识，对统治者而言，天下为公追求的是民众的最大福祉，民心向背是政权兴衰的根本。其次是“仁爱感通”的平等性原则。“协和万邦”的天下观主张“仁爱感通”的人道主义精神，遵循各国一律平等的基本原则，以邦国间的和睦友好实现世界大同。儒学从治国理政到社会道德始终重视“仁爱”的思想，“仁爱”是儒家思想的首要规范，其中也蕴含着平等面向，如“己欲立而立人，己欲达而达人”的平等思想，“尽己之谓忠，推己之谓恕”的忠恕之道等。最后是以德治天下的治理原则。“协和万邦”的天下观体现了中华文明蕴含的王道理念，以“德”为政，“厚德”才能“包容”，才能养成海纳百川的广博胸怀，这对我们开展文明交流、参与全球治理具有借鉴意义。

3. The Social View of “Harmony in Diversity”

3.“和而不同”的社会观

The spiritual pursuit of Confucian culture is “the intention to reconcile and maintain the mean,” giving rise to a culture of harmony that values “harmony as the most precious.” The social view of “harmony in diversity” is an important manifestation of the culture of harmony in the social sphere. Since the formation of human society, the rudiments of civilization have existed. As humanity differentiated into various races and ethnic groups, primitive civilizations took root in different parts of the world, forming distinctive cultural traditions. This diversity of civilizations has long been recognized by people, giving rise to the socio-cultural concept of “harmony in diversity.” “Harmony generates new things; sameness leads to stagnation” [33]33 From the *Guoyu* (Discourses of the States), “Zheng Yu.” The phrase means that harmony (the balanced combination of different elements) generates new things, while mere sameness (uniformity) cannot sustain development. not only contains the basic norms of civilizational exchange but also proposes that the prerequisite for harmonious development lies in seeking common ground while reserving differences among civilizations.

儒家文化的精神追求是“意欲调和持中”，形成了“以和为贵”的和合文化，“和而不同”的社会观是和合文化在社会领域的重要表征。人类社会自形成以来便有了文明的雏形，随着人类分化为不同种族和民族，原始文明也在世界各地落地生根，形成了各具特色的文化传统。这种文明多样性早已被人们所熟知，形成了“和而不同”的社会文化理念，“和实生物，同则不继”不仅蕴含着文明交往的基本准则，而且提出和谐发展的前提在于文明的求同存异。

The Chinese nation has always valued harmony. The key to the social view of “harmony in diversity” lies in handling interpersonal relations and social relationships in a harmonious manner, achieving harmonious coexistence on the basis of respecting differences. There are differences among people in terms of personality, age, ability, etc., and in society there are also differences formed by ethnicity, religion, occupation, etc. Acknowledging and respecting differences is the prerequisite for harmonious and orderly interpersonal and social relations. In interpersonal relations, it emphasizes adhering to one’s own principles while respecting the thoughts of others; in social relations, it advocates retaining one’s own inner pursuit of independence in the world while conforming to social behavioral norms, without being assimilated by the external environment. This way of harmony reveals the value concepts of traditional Chinese civilization, which are fundamentally different from the Western values of “you lose, I win” and “either-or.” It contains the cultural code for how and whether a new development of human civilization is possible. The Communist Party of China draws wisdom from the social view of “harmony in diversity,” proposing that “civilizations become colorful through exchange and become rich through mutual learning,” and advocates that countries, on the basis of respecting their unique cultural traditions, strengthen exchange and dialogue to realize the “beauty of each and the beauty of all” [34]34 A phrase from Fei Xiaotong, summarizing an ideal of civilizational relations: “Each appreciates its own beauty; appreciate the beauty of others; share and appreciate beauty together; achieve the great unity of the world.” among diverse civilizations.

中华民族向来注重和谐，“和而不同”的社会观关键在于以“和”的方式对待人际交往和社会关系，在尊重差异的基础上实现和谐共处。人与人之间有性格、年龄、能力等方面的区别，社会上也存在由于民族、宗教、职业等形成的差异，承认并尊重差异，是人际关系与社会关系和谐有序的前提。在人与人的关系上，强调坚持自身原则的同时尊重他人想法；在社会关系上，主张在合乎社会行为规范的基础上，仍保留自己独立于世间的内在追求，不被外部大环境所同化。这种和合之道彰显了中华传统文明观的价值理念，与西方国家“你输我赢”“非此即彼”的价值观有着本质不同，蕴含着人类文明新发展何以可能、如何可能的文化密码。中国共产党从“和而不同”的社会观中汲取智慧，提出“文明因交流而多彩，文明因互鉴而丰富”，倡导各国在尊重各自独特文化传统的基础上，加强交流对话，实现多元文明的“美美与共”。

4. The Moral View of “a Benevolent and Harmonious Heart”

4.“人心和善”的道德观

The *Three Character Classic* opens with the line: “At the beginning of life, human nature is good.” [35]35 The *Three Character Classic* (*Sanzi Jing*), a classic Chinese text for children’s education, traditionally attributed to Wang Yinglin (13th century). The opening line asserts the innate goodness of human nature, a core Confucian idea associated with Mencius. The moral view of “a benevolent and harmonious heart” is the concentrated embodiment of Chinese moral civilization formed over more than five thousand years of civilization. The moral view is people’s systematic cognition of ethical relations between humans and themselves, between humans and others, between humans and society, and between humans and nature. The moral requirement of esteeming virtue and doing good has been deeply integrated into the blood of the Chinese people. “The spirit of Chinese culture can be called the spirit of morality.” [36]36 Qian Mu, *An Introduction to Chinese Cultural Studies*, p. 128. The Chinese Communists inherit the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, forming a view of civilization that pursues goodness and order and embodies a distinct humanitarian spirit. China’s consistent adherence to the path of peaceful development is not an expedient measure, nor is it diplomatic rhetoric; it is a conclusion drawn from following the moral view of “a benevolent and harmonious heart.”

《三字经》开篇便写道“人之初，性本善”，“人心和善”的道德观是中华民族在五千多年文明史中形成的中华道德文明的集中体现。道德观是人们对人与自身、人与人、人与社会、人与自然伦理关系的系统认知，崇德向善的道德要求已经深深融入中国人民的血液中，“中国文化精神，应称为道德的精神”。中国共产党人传承中华民族传统美德，形成了趋善求治和鲜明人道主义精神的文明观，中国始终坚持走和平发展道路，不是权宜之计，更不是外交辞令，而是基于对人心和善道德观的遵循得出的结论。

The moral view of “a benevolent and harmonious heart” is embodied in the pursuit of individual “goodness” and social “harmony,” and the two are dialectically unified. Inner “goodness” guides people to harbor benevolence, follow basic moral norms in interactions, and be kind to others; inner “harmony” guides people to be tolerant in their conduct, with family members caring for each other and neighbors being friendly and yielding, forming harmonious neighborhood relations. The dialectical unity of individual moral goals and social moral goals is concentratedly embodied in the responsibility ethics of family-state-world and the human relations values of loyalty to the ruler and filial piety to parents, creating the necessary conditions for achieving social harmony and the integration of family and state in ancient China. As early as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, family-state-world became an important topic of discussion and research in Chinese society. Confucian scholars encouraged people to engage in society with a positive, world-engaging attitude: “Therefore the gentleman takes the world as his concern.” [37]37 A paraphrase of a sentiment found in the Confucian classic *Mencius* and other texts, expressing the ideal that a person of virtue bears responsibility for the whole world. They closely linked personal destiny with the rise and fall of the state, contributing to the country with a conscious sense of mission and a spirit of responsibility. At the same time, the responsibility ethics of family-state-world also includes the moral norms of social persons. The social nature of humans means that in social practice, people inevitably bear corresponding responsibilities and obligations, which gradually rise to become an inner moral adherence, playing a positive role in the construction of a civilizational state. The concept of a community with a shared future for mankind concentratedly manifests the moral view of “a benevolent and harmonious heart.” It is a Chinese solution proposed by the Communist Party of China in response to the complex changes in the international situation, advocating that all countries, while achieving their own development, also take into account the overall interests of humanity, realizing win-win cooperation and common development.

“人心和善”的道德观体现为对个人之“善”与社会之“和”的追求，同时二者之间又是辩证统一的。内心的“善”引导人们心存仁善，在交往中遵循基本的道德规范，做到与人为善；内心的“和”引导人们处事宽容，家人之间要互相关爱，邻里之间要友爱互让，形成融洽的邻里关系。个人道德目标与社会道德目标的辩证统一，集中体现为家国天下的责任伦理和忠君孝亲的人伦价值，为古代中国实现社会和谐、家国同构创造了必要条件。早在春秋战国时期，家国天下就成为中国社会探讨和研究的重要话题。儒家士子以积极的入世思想鼓励世人投身于社会，“是以君子以天下为忧也”，把个人命运和国家兴衰紧密相连，以自觉的使命感和担当精神为国家贡献力量。同时，家国天下的责任伦理也包含社会人的道德规范，人的社会性使得人在社会实践活动中必然承担着相应的责任和义务，并逐渐上升为一种内在的道德遵循，对文明型国家建设具有积极作用。人类命运共同体理念集中彰显了“人心和善”的道德观，是中国共产党面对国际局势复杂变化提出的中国方案，倡导世界各国在实现自身发展的同时兼顾人类整体利益，实现合作共赢、共同发展。

(3) Over a Century of Civilizational Exploration as the Practical Foundation

（三）百余年文明探索是实践基础

The Communist Party of China’s view of civilization has undergone a process of continuous development and improvement. It is the product of concrete civilizational practice and sustained civilizational exploration, and must be grasped within specific historical contexts. In the civilizational exploration during the periods of revolution, construction, reform, and the New Era, the Communist Party of China has followed the laws of civilizational emergence and development, continuously deepening its understanding of inheriting the essence of Chinese civilization and building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, thereby laying a practical foundation for the formation of a scientific view of civilization.

中国共产党文明观经历了不断发展、完善的过程，是具象化文明实践和持续性文明探索的产物，要将其置于具体的历史环境中加以把握。在革命、建设、改革和新时代的文明探索中，中国共产党遵循文明发生、发展规律，不断深化对传承中华文明精髓、建设中华民族现代文明的认识，为形成科学的文明观奠定实践基础。

1. The Period of the New Democratic Revolution Laid the Foundation for the Communist Party of China’s View of Civilization

1.新民主主义革命时期为中国共产党文明观奠定基础

During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, the Chinese nation was at a critical juncture of life and death. The so-called “sheet of loose sand” [38]38 A common metaphor in modern Chinese history for the perceived lack of social cohesion and national unity in China before the Communist Party’s rise, often contrasted with the disciplined organization of a modern nation-state. referred not only to social turmoil but also to the fact that the invasion of Western industrial civilization had greatly impacted the subjectivity of Chinese culture. The October Revolution brought Marxism-Leninism to China. [39]39 A standard formulation in CPC historiography, referring to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 in Russia, which is seen as having introduced Marxism-Leninism to Chinese intellectuals and revolutionaries. Based on the social development needs of the time, the Communist Party of China led the people to dismantle the false claims of Western civilization and dispel the decadent arguments about Chinese civilization, clarifying the leading force and the forces to rely on for the new civilization, thereby laying an important foundation for the formation of the Communist Party of China’s view of civilization.

新民主主义革命时期，中华民族处于生死存亡的关键节点，所谓的“一盘散沙”不只是指社会动荡，也是指西方工业文明的入侵使中华文化主体性受到极大冲击。十月革命一声炮响为中国送来了马克思列宁主义，中国共产党立足于当时的社会发展需求，带领人民破除西方文明的虚假主张、消解中华文明的糟粕论调，明确了新文明的领导力量和依靠力量，为中国共产党文明观的形成奠定重要基础。

First, to dismantle the false claims of Western civilization. Western countries, relying on the advantages of the Industrial Revolution, gradually shifted from internal monopoly to external expansion, and labeled capitalist civilization as the embodiment of “civilization,” “creating a world in its own image.” [40]40 “Mainstay” (主心骨) is a colloquial Chinese term for a core, reliable figure or force that provides support and direction. After the end of the First World War, China’s advanced elements gradually broke away from their blind affirmation of Western civilization. Li Dazhao was the first to question the authority of European civilization, stating that “Europeans themselves must reflect on the true value of their own civilization,” emphasizing that one should not blindly admire Western civilization, let alone copy it wholesale. [41]41 Xi Jinping, speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development, June 2, 2023. The Second National Congress of the CPC formulated the “Resolution on the Women’s Movement,” revealing that the fairness and equality advocated by capitalism actually serve as a “catchphrase” concealing the essence of capital. Second, to dissolve the theory of the dregs of Chinese civilization. The understanding of fine traditional Chinese culture underwent a transformation from “abandonment” to “reclamation”; the masses’ understanding of fine traditional Chinese culture underwent a process of development and change. Comrade Mao Zedong proposed: “We should not cut off history,” but rather “should summarize it and inherit this precious legacy.” [42]42 Zhang Dainian (1909–2004) was a prominent Chinese philosopher and historian of Chinese philosophy. This understanding helped correct the tendency within and outside the Party to neglect or even discard Chinese civilization, breaking the stereotypical view of Chinese civilization as dregs. Finally, to determine the source of strength for a new civilization. The experience of the New Culture Movement showed that the establishment of a new civilization cannot be achieved by a small minority; it requires the leadership of a political party organization, which in China means a leading force centered on the proletariat.

首先，破除西方文明的虚假主张。西方国家立足工业革命优势逐渐从对内垄断转向对外扩张，并将资本主义文明标榜为“文明”的化身，“按照自己的面貌为自己创造出一个世界”。第一次世界大战结束后，中国先进分子逐渐破除对西方文明的盲目肯定，李大钊率先对欧洲文明权威发出质疑，提出“欧人自己亦对于其文明之真价不得不加以反省”，强调不可一味地崇尚西方文明，更不能全盘照搬。党的二大制定《关于妇女运动的决议案》，揭示资本主义所主张的公平与平等，实际是掩盖资本实质的“口头禅”。其次，消解中华文明的糟粕论。对中华优秀传统文化的认识经历了从“舍弃”到“重拾”的转变，人民群众对中华优秀传统文化的认识有一个发展和转变的过程。毛泽东同志提出：“我们不应当割断历史”，而是“应当给以总结，承继这一份珍贵的遗产”。这一认识有利于矫正党内外忽视甚至抛弃中华文明的倾向，打破对中华文明糟粕论的刻板认识。最后，厘定新文明的力量来源。新文化运动的经验表明，新文明的建立不是依靠少部分人能够实现的，需要政党组织的领导，在中国即需要以无产阶级为主体的领导力量。

2. The CPC’s View of Civilization Gradually Takes Shape During the Period of Socialist Revolution and Construction

2.社会主义革命和建设时期中国共产党文明观逐步形成

After the founding of New China, based on the reality of being “poor and blank” [43]43 Likely a paraphrase of a common scholarly view on cultural tradition; the exact source is not specified in the text. and changes in the principal social contradiction, the CPC continuously advanced its exploration of socialist civilization, proposing several principles for civilization construction, thereby providing a path for the CPC to promote socialist civilization construction.

新中国成立后，中国共产党根据一穷二白的现实状况和社会主要矛盾变化，持续推进对社会主义文明的探索，提出了文明建设的若干原则，为中国共产党推进社会主义文明建设提供了路径遵循。

First, a practical exploration of socialist cultural-ethical progress. Based on the basic national condition of relatively backward material foundations at the time, Chinese Communists believed that only by developing material civilization could they further promote cultural-ethical progress, and therefore placed particular emphasis on industrialization. They not only proposed restoring various undertakings damaged by war, but also aimed to establish a socialist public ownership of the means of production through the “One Industrialization, Three Transformations” [44]44 Paraphrase of a statement by Vladimir Lenin on cultural tasks after political revolution, from his later writings. and the “First Five-Year Plan,” [45]45 A classical allusion from the *Book of Songs* (《诗经》), often quoted to mean that a state or tradition can renew itself through reform and innovation. ensuring the orderly progress of industrialization. At the same time, they strengthened efforts to cultivate builders of socialist civilization, placing greater emphasis on fostering socialist civilization thinking among different groups such as the proletariat and intellectuals, stressing that “intellectuals should go to the masses, go to the factories, go to the countryside.” [46]46 “Three great mountains” (三座大山) is a standard CPC historical term referring to imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat-capitalism, which were seen as oppressing the Chinese people before 1949. Second, attempts to transform fine traditional Chinese culture. As an endogenous culture, fine traditional Chinese culture helps awaken the cultural consciousness and spiritual initiative of the Chinese people, actively engaging them in national construction. The CPC eliminated dregs and bad habits such as male superiority, feudal rites, and bureaucratism, refined the essence of Chinese culture based on the practical needs of the time, and thereby integrated fine traditional culture into the construction of socialist cultural-ethical progress, ensuring the direction of civilization construction. Finally, a deepening of the understanding of capitalist civilization. The transformation of the principal social contradiction led the CPC to re-evaluate capitalist civilization, not only to avoid the drawbacks of capitalist civilization, but also to recognize the exploitative essence of private ownership and the falsity of Western democracy, thereby strengthening the determination to follow the socialist path.

首先，对社会主义精神文明建设的现实探索。基于当时物质基础相对落后的基本国情，中国共产党人认为只有发展好物质文明，才能进一步推进精神文明建设，因此尤为重视工业化建设。不仅提出恢复遭到战争破坏的各种事业，而且要通过“一化三改”和“第一个五年计划”建立社会主义生产资料公有制，保障工业化建设的有序进行。同时，加强对社会主义文明建设者的培养力度，更加注重对无产阶级、知识分子等不同群体社会主义文明思想的培育，强调“知识分子到群众中去，到工厂去，到农村去”。其次，对中华优秀传统文化改造的尝试。中华优秀传统文化作为内生性文化，有助于唤醒中华儿女的文化自觉和精神主动，积极投入国家建设。中国共产党革除男尊女卑、封建礼教、官僚主义等糟粕陋习，立足于当时的实际需要提炼中华文化精髓，从而将优秀传统文化融入社会主义精神文明建设，保障文明建设的发展方向。最后，对资本主义文明认识的深化。社会主要矛盾转化使中国共产党开始对资本主义文明进行再认识，不仅是为了规避资本主义文明弊端，也是为了认清私有制的剥削实质和西方民主的虚假性，坚定走社会主义道路的决心。

3. The CPC’s View of Civilization Becomes Increasingly Mature During the New Period of Reform and Opening Up and Socialist Modernization

3.改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期中国共产党文明观日臻完善

During this period, Chinese Communists paid more attention to consolidating socialist material civilization, while also maintaining the socialist foundation, actively drawing on the beneficial experience of civilization exploration from previous periods, and, in light of the new tasks of the era, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground in the construction of socialist modern civilization.

在这一时期，中国共产党人更加注重巩固社会主义物质文明，同时也要延续社会主义底色，积极汲取以往时期文明探索的有益经验，结合新的时代任务，对社会主义现代文明建设进行守正创新。

First, advancing reform of the civilization system. This mainly involved reforming the economic system and the political system. First, re-evaluating the value positioning of the market economy not only dispelled the masses’ fixed image of the “market” as a capitalist attribute, but also clarified the important role of the market economy in socialist modernization, comprehensively utilizing both “planning” and “market” means. Second, shaping a more systematic political civilization was made an important strategic task for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new period and was written into the report of the 16th National Congress of the CPC. [47]47 Mao Zedong, *On New Democracy* (1940). Second, achieving opening up. “Building behind closed doors cannot succeed.” [48]48 Xi Jinping Thought on Culture (习近平文化思想) was formally articulated at the National Conference on Publicity, Culture, and Thought Work in October 2023. Opening up ensures that socialism with Chinese characteristics does not lose development opportunities due to isolation, but it must adhere to a self-centered approach, “learning advanced technology, advanced science, and advanced management to serve socialism.” [49]49 Xi Jinping, Report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC, October 18, 2017. It is necessary to absorb all reasonable achievements of civilization while also focusing on integrating them with China’s actual conditions, not allowing Western discourses to dissolve confidence in Chinese civilization. Against the backdrop of ongoing violent conflicts in the world, the CPC’s opening up has always disseminated the theme of peace, emphasizing a new approach moving from confrontation to win-win outcomes. Finally, enriching cultural-ethical progress. Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out, “Without strengthening cultural-ethical progress, the construction of material civilization will also be undermined and take detours.” [50]50 Xi During this period, the CPC placed great emphasis on the construction of socialist cultural-ethical progress, launching activities such as “Five Stresses, Four Beauties, and Three Loves,” [51]51 The five spheres refer to economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization construction, as outlined in the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan. strengthening national self-confidence and sense of honor, and improving the scientific, moral, and ideological-political qualities of the entire nation.

首先，推进文明体制改革。主要是对经济体制和政治体制进行改革，一是重新研判市场经济的价值定位，不仅消解了人民群众对“市场”资本属性的固化形象，还明确了市场经济在社会主义现代化建设中的重要力量，综合运用好“计划”与“市场”两种手段。二是将塑造更为系统的政治文明作为新时期中国特色社会主义的重要战略任务，并写入党的十六大报告。其次，实现对外开放。“关起门来搞建设是不能成功的”，对外开放能够确保中国特色社会主义不会因为封闭而丧失发展机遇，但要坚持以我为主，“学习先进的技术、先进的科学、先进的管理来为社会主义服务”。既要汲取一切合理的文明成果，又要注重结合中国现实状况，不因西方论调消解中华文明自信。在世界依然存在暴力冲突的背景下，中国共产党的对外开放始终传播和平主题，强调从对立走向共赢的新思路。最后，丰富精神文明建设。邓小平同志指出，“不加强精神文明的建设，物质文明的建设也要受破坏，走弯路”，这一时期，中国共产党高度重视社会主义精神文明建设，开展“五讲四美三热爱”等活动，加强民族自信心和荣誉感，提升全民族的科学道德素质和思想政治素质。

4. The CPC’s View of Civilization Becomes More Mature in the New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

4.中国特色社会主义新时代中国共产党文明观更加成熟

Since the New Era, with the advancement of Chinese-path modernization, the CPC’s view of civilization has entered a mature stage. Its understanding of the constituent elements of civilization and the contemporary value of Chinese civilization has further deepened, advocating that the construction of modern Chinese civilization should adhere to overall coordination. In this regard, Chinese Communists have proposed the “Five-Sphere Integrated Plan” view of civilization construction, which not only enriches the constituent elements of civilization but also provides directional inspiration for the modernization explorations of other countries, highlighting the global significance of the CPC’s view of civilization.

新时代以来，随着中国式现代化的推进，中国共产党文明观进入成熟阶段，对文明构成要素和中华文明时代价值的认识进一步深化，主张中华民族现代文明建设应坚持整体协调。对此，中国共产党人提出“五位一体”文明建构观，不仅丰富了文明的构成要素，也对其他国家的现代化探索具有方向性启示，凸显了中国共产党文明观的世界意义。

First, manifesting the “Five-Sphere Integrated Plan” concept of civilization. The construction goal of a “prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful socialist modernized country” indicates that China’s civilization construction is a model committed to coordinated development. On the basis of material civilization, political civilization, and cultural-ethical progress, the CPC has further proposed two innovative concepts: social civilization and ecological civilization, thus forming an overall “Five-Sphere Integrated Plan” view of civilization. The key task of civilization construction during this stage of the CPC was to advance social civilization and ecological civilization. In terms of social civilization construction, it was proposed that “the level of social civilization should reach new heights.” [52]52 Hu Jintao, “Making Joint Efforts to Build a Harmonious World,” speech at the United Nations Summit, September 15, 2005. In terms of ecological civilization construction, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that “environmental issues are increasingly becoming important livelihood issues. In the past, the common people ‘longed for adequate food and clothing’; now they ‘long for environmental protection.’ In the past, they ‘sought survival’; now they ‘seek ecology,’” [53]53 Fei Xiaotong, “Reflections on Cultural Self-Awareness,” in *Selected Works of Fei Xiaotong*, vol. 16 (Qunyan Press, 1999), p. 22. placing particular importance on the crucial role of ecological civilization in overall social development. Second, proposing a view of civilization based on exchange and mutual learning. A community with a shared future for mankind is also a community of civilizations. The CPC respects the diversity of civilizations, proposing that equal and two-way cultural exchange is an inherent requirement for the development of civilizations, and advocating a “view of civilization based on equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness.” [54]54 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Dialogue between the CPC and World Political Parties,” March 15, 2023. Finally, emphasizing the contemporary value of Chinese civilization. Fine traditional Chinese culture is the outstanding advantage and deepest cultural soft power of the Chinese nation. Entering the New Era, the value of fine traditional Chinese culture has been elevated to a new height. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized combining the “soul vein” of Marxism with

首先，彰显“五位一体”的文明理念。“富强民主文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化强国”建设目标表明，我国文明建设是致力于协调发展的文明模式。中国共产党在物质文明、政治文明、精神文明基础上，进一步提出社会文明和生态文明两大创新性理念，总体上形成了“五位一体”的文明观理念。这一阶段中国共产党文明建设的重点任务就是推进社会文明和生态文明建设，在社会文明建设上，提出要使“社会文明程度得到新提高”的要求；在生态文明建设上，习近平总书记强调“环境问题日益成为重要的民生问题。老百姓过去‘盼温饱’，现在‘盼环保’；过去‘求生存’，现在‘求生态’”，尤为重视生态文明在整个社会发展中的重要地位。其次，提出交流互鉴的文明主张。人类命运共同体也是文明共同体，中国共产党尊重文明的多样性，提出平等、双向的文化交流是文明发展的内在要求，倡导“平等、互鉴、对话、包容的文明观”。最后，强调中华文明的时代价值。中华优秀传统文化是中华民族的突出优势和最深厚的文化软实力，进入新时代，中华优秀传统文化的价值被提到一个新的高度。习近平总书记多次强调将马克思主义“魂脉”与中华优秀传统文化“根脉”相结合，实现中华优秀传统文化的现代转向，激活传统文化活力，进一步推进文化自信自强。

(4) The Party’s self-consciousness in undertaking its cultural mission

（四）中国共产党担当文化使命的政党自觉

Civilization is the product of the awakening of human subjective consciousness and the fundamental measure that distinguishes humans from animals. The subject of civilization is humanity; people living in different eras and different environments create different forms of civilization. Then, if the subject as a driving force—humanity—is absent, can civilization and its forms autonomously evolve in the correct direction? The answer is self-evident. The subject is crucial to the development of the forms of human civilization in different periods. The Communist Party of China is a political party with a sense of mission and a sense of responsibility. Since the emergence of the Communist Party of China, there has been a “mainstay” [40]40 “Mainstay” (主心骨) is a colloquial Chinese term for a core, reliable figure or force that provides support and direction. for realizing national rejuvenation, and there has also been a leading force for the reconstruction of the subjectivity of Chinese culture. The CPC’s view of civilization was gradually formed in the Party’s conscious awareness of leading the people to explore the logic of civilizational development, consolidate cultural subjectivity, and assume cultural missions. The cultural consciousness and historical initiative of Chinese Communists are necessary conditions for the formation of this view of civilization.

文明是人类主体意识觉醒的产物，是人区别于动物的根本尺度。文明的主体是人，生活于不同时代、不同环境的人创造了不同的文明形态。那么，如果缺少作为主体力量的人，文明和文明形态是否会朝着正确的方向自主演进？答案不言而喻。主体对于人类文明形态在不同时期的发展至关重要。中国共产党是具有使命意识和责任意识的政党，自从有了中国共产党，实现民族复兴就有了“主心骨”，中华文化主体性的重建也有了领导力量。中国共产党文明观就是在党领导人民探寻文明发展逻辑、巩固文化主体性、担当文化使命的政党自觉中逐渐形成的，中国共产党人的文化自觉和历史主动精神是文明观形成的必要条件。

1. Consolidating Cultural Subjectivity

1.巩固文化主体性

Consolidating cultural subjectivity first requires clarifying the concept of “subjectivity.” Subjectivity is a philosophical category, manifested as the basic attribute by which a subject distinguishes itself from objects. Specifically applied to cultural subjectivity, it refers to the unique cultural characteristics that distinguish one country or nation from others. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “For any culture to stand firm, go far, and have leading power, shaping power, and radiating power, it must have its own subjectivity.” [41]41 Xi Jinping, speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development, June 2, 2023. Chinese civilization has continued for several thousand years and has developed to the present day in the form of a state, possessing its own distinct cultural subjectivity. In modern times, the influx of powerful Western culture dealt an unprecedented shock to this ancient civilization, and its cultural subjectivity was consequently eroded. The birth of the Communist Party of China provided a new leading force for consolidating the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, with the ultimate goal directed toward building China into a country with a strong culture.

巩固文化主体性首先要明确“主体性”的概念，主体性是一个哲学范畴，表现为主体将自身与对象相区别的基本属性。具体到文化主体性，是指一个国家或民族区别于他者的独有文化特征。习近平总书记指出，“任何文化要立得住、行得远，要有引领力、塑造力、辐射力，就必须有自己的主体性”。中华文明延续数千年且以国家形态发展至今，具有自身鲜明的文化主体性。近代以来，西方强势文化的涌入使得古老文明受到前所未有的冲击，文化主体性也因此遭受侵蚀，中国共产党的诞生使巩固中华民族的文化主体性有了新的领导力量，最终目标指向建成文化强国。

First, consolidate the subjectivity of cultural construction. This requires clarifying both who leads cultural construction and whom cultural construction serves. Zhang Dainian once said that culture is created by active human beings. [42]42 Zhang Dainian (1909–2004) was a prominent Chinese philosopher and historian of Chinese philosophy. Consolidating cultural subjectivity should start from the subject of the cultural construction of the Chinese nation and uphold the Party’s cultural leadership. The Communist Party of China is a proletarian political party that serves the people, which determines that the culture constructed by the Party leading the people inevitably possesses a distinct people-centered significance: developing cultural undertakings and cultural industries that serve the needs of the people, and using people’s democracy to guarantee the realization of the people’s cultural rights. This shows that the two subjects of cultural construction are in fact internally unified. The Communist Party of China represents the forward direction of China’s advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the broadest majority of the people, possessing a high degree of historical consciousness and cultural confidence. The subject responsibility for cultural construction naturally falls on the shoulders of the Communist Party of China. Second, consolidate the subjectivity of the cultural core. Cultural subjectivity manifests as a long-term, stable structure of a culture that does not change, which involves the fundamental core of Chinese national culture, namely, the fine traditional Chinese culture. In the long river of civilizational practice, the Chinese nation created its fine traditional culture. The invasion of modern Western civilization disrupted the feudal order that had persisted for millennia, and the subjectivity of Chinese culture was also impacted. As a faithful inheritor and promoter of the fine traditional Chinese culture, reshaping and consolidating the subjectivity of Chinese culture has been an important mission consciously undertaken by the Communist Party of China since its founding. “The vitality of a culture lies not in abandoning tradition, but in the extent to which it absorbs and recreates tradition.” [43]43 Likely a paraphrase of a common scholarly view on cultural tradition; the exact source is not specified in the text. Facing the “dispute between the ancient and the modern, China and the West” over culture, Chinese Communists insist on basing themselves on tradition, discarding the dross and selecting the essential, while at the same time, with firm cultural confidence, adhering to the stance of Chinese culture, absorbing and drawing on foreign cultures for our own use, and advancing the construction of modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

第一，巩固文化建设的主体性。既要明确文化建设由谁领导，也要明确文化建设服务于谁的问题。张岱年曾说，文化是由能动的人创造出来的。巩固文化主体性，应从中华民族文化建设的主体出发，坚持党的文化领导权。中国共产党是为人民服务的无产阶级政党，从而决定了党领导人民所建构的文化必然具有鲜明的人民主体意义，发展服务于人民群众需求的文化事业和文化产业，以人民民主保障人民文化权利的实现。这表明，文化建设的两个主体事实上是内在统一的，中国共产党代表中国先进文化的前进方向和最广大人民群众的根本利益，具有高度的历史自觉和文化自信，文化建设的主体责任理所应当落在了中国共产党肩上。第二，巩固文化内核的主体性。文化主体性表现为一种文化长期不变的稳定结构，这就涉及中华民族文化的根本内核，即中华优秀传统文化。在文明实践的历史长河中，中华民族创造了优秀传统文化，西方现代文明的入侵打破了沿袭千年之久的封建秩序，中华文化的主体性也遭受冲击。作为中华优秀传统文化的忠实继承者和弘扬者，重新塑造、巩固中华文化主体性是中国共产党成立以来就自觉担负的重要使命。“一种文化的生命力不是抛弃传统，而是在何种程度上吸收传统、再造传统。”面对文化的“古今中西之争”，中国共产党人坚持立足传统、吐故纳新，同时以坚定的文化自信坚守中华文化立场，吸收借鉴外来文化为我所用，推进中华民族现代文明建设。

2. Assuming Cultural Missions

2.担当文化使命

As a political party, the first mission to be assumed is the political mission. Assuming cultural missions requires a higher level of subject consciousness and cultural awareness. Bourgeois political parties are intensely engaged in factional strife, neglecting their own cultural responsibilities. Proletarian political parties, on the other hand, realize that “after solving the tasks of the greatest political transformation in the world, what lies before us are tasks of another kind, which can be called cultural tasks, ‘small matters’.” [44]44 Paraphrase of a statement by Vladimir Lenin on cultural tasks after political revolution, from his later writings. As a proletarian political party, the Communist Party of China regards “remaining true to our original aspiration and founding mission” as an eternal subject for advancing Party building. The cultural mission is one of the important missions it has consciously undertaken since its founding, and it also embodies the cultural implication of the Party’s original aspiration and founding mission. “Zhou was an old state, but it received a new mandate.” [45]45 A classical allusion from the *Book of Songs* (《诗经》), often quoted to mean that a state or tradition can renew itself through reform and innovation. Cultural construction is a process of continuous improvement. Strengthening cultural construction through the successive undertaking of the mission by generations of Chinese Communists is a fine tradition of the Party, and it is also in this process that the CPC’s view of civilization is enriched and perfected.

作为一个政党，首先要担负的是政治使命，担负文化使命需要更高要求的主体意识和文化自觉。资产阶级政党之间党派纷争激烈，忽略了自身的文化责任，无产阶级政党则意识到，“在解决了世界上最伟大的政治变革的任务以后，摆在我们面前的已是另一类任务，即可称为‘小事情’的文化任务”。中国共产党作为无产阶级政党，“不忘初心、牢记使命”是党推进自身建设的永恒课题，文化使命是其自成立之日起就自觉担负的重要使命之一，也体现了党的初心使命的文化蕴含。“周虽旧邦，其命维新。”文化建设是一个不断完善的过程，通过一代一代中国共产党人的使命接续加强文化建设是党的优良传统，也在这一过程中丰富和完善着中国共产党文明观。

Looking back over more than one hundred years of the Communist Party of China’s exploration and practice, the cultural mission, as an important thread, has always run through it. It is the basic guideline for the Party leading the people to realize cultural salvation of the country, cultural establishment of the country, cultural rejuvenation of the country, and cultural strengthening of the country. Facing the “three great mountains” [46]46 “Three great mountains” (三座大山) is a standard CPC historical term referring to imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat-capitalism, which were seen as oppressing the Chinese people before 1949. of feudal society, the advantage of Chinese Communists lay in their cultural original aspiration, which was the integration of Marxism with the reality of the Chinese revolution. “Chinese culture should have its own form, that is, the national form.” [47]47 Mao Zedong, *On New Democracy* (1940). In that period, the cultural mission of the Communist Party of China was to eradicate old culture, hold high the banner of Marxism to establish a new culture of the Chinese nation, and build a “civilized and advanced China.” During the period of socialist revolution and construction, with the adjustment of the ownership of the means of production, the Party’s task in the cultural field also shifted from struggle to construction, extending the scope of cultural construction from local areas to all fields across the country, shouldering the cultural mission of building a “new socialist culture.” During the period of reform and opening up and the new era of socialist modernization, cultural construction was placed in a key position within the overall layout of national construction. The spread of various foreign cultures and the negative effects derived from the market economy further increased the difficulty of cultural construction. During this period, the cultural mission of the Communist Party of China was to build a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, to balance economic development with cultural-ethical progress, and to promote the modernization of culture. Entering the New Era, the gradual advancement of cultural confidence and self-strengthening has also developed the Party’s innovative theory, forming Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, [48]48 Xi Jinping Thought on Culture (习近平文化思想) was formally articulated at the National Conference on Publicity, Culture, and Thought Work in October 2023. of which the “theory of the new cultural mission” is an important component. At the 19th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out the need to “carry out cultural creation in practical creation and achieve cultural progress in historical progress.” [49]49 Xi Jinping, Report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC, October 18, 2017. At the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development, he further clearly defined the “new cultural mission,” proposing the new cultural mission of “continuing to promote cultural prosperity, build a country with a strong culture, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.” [50]50 Xi This important thesis is in the same line as the Marxist view of cultural mission, marking that our Party’s cultural initiative and understanding of the basic laws of cultural development have reached a new height. Compared with the cultural missions of past periods, the high-level requirement of the new cultural mission is to build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, reflecting a qualitative leap from “culture” to “civilization,” and also endowing China’s cultural construction with significance for human civilization and world history.

回溯中国共产党一百多年来的探索实践，文化使命作为一条重要线索始终贯穿其中，是党领导人民实现文化救国、文化立国、文化兴国、文化强国的基本遵循。面对封建社会的“三座大山”，中国共产党人的优势就是文化初心，是马克思主义与中国革命实际的结合。“中国文化应有自己的形式，这就是民族形式”。在那一时期，中国共产党的文化使命就是革除旧文化，高举马克思主义旗帜建立中华民族的新文化，建立“文明先进的中国”。社会主义革命和建设时期，随着生产资料所有制的调整，中国共产党在文化领域的任务也由斗争转为建设，并将文化建设的范围由局部延伸至全国各个领域，担负着建设“社会主义新文化”的文化使命。改革开放和社会主义建设新时期，文化建设被置于国家建设总体布局的关键位置，诸多外来文化的传播和市场经济衍生的负面效应等，进一步加大了文化建设的难度，这一时期中国共产党的文化使命即建设中国特色社会主义文化，在发展经济的同时兼顾精神文明建设，促进文化的现代化。进入新时代，文化自信自强的逐步推进也发展着党的创新理论，形成了习近平文化思想，“新的文化使命论”是其中的重要构成内容。在党的十九大上，习近平总书记指出，要“在实践创造中进行文化创造，在历史进步中实现文化进步”，在文化传承发展座谈会上又对“新的文化使命”作出明确规定，提出了“继续推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国、建设中华民族现代文明”新的文化使命。这一重要论断与马克思主义文化使命观一脉相承，标志着我们党的文化主动和对文化发展基本规律的认识已经达到一个新的高度。相对过去时期的文化使命，新的文化使命的高阶要求是建设中华民族现代文明，体现着由“文化”到“文明”的质的飞跃，也赋予了中国文化建设以人类文明意义和世界历史意义。

3. Enhancing Cultural Confidence

3.增强文化自信

Whether forming the Communist Party of China’s view of civilization or building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, firm cultural confidence is required, mainly manifested as the subject’s confidence in its own civilization, and it is also the spiritual driving force for promoting the inheritance, development, and innovation of civilization. From ancient times to the present, human society has formed many forms of civilization, and rich and diverse plural civilizations complement each other, jointly composing the colorful picture of the history of world civilization development. Western countries regard their own civilization as a model for human civilization, which is unfair. Facing issues such as international conflicts and climate crises, the one-sidedness of Western civilization’s pursuit of interests is gradually being exposed. Chinese civilization takes the community as its foundation, upholds the spirit of harmony, and while advancing its modernization transformation, it also demonstrates its global significance. Western scholars such as Arnold Toynbee, Samuel Huntington, and Oswald Spengler have also affirmed the status of Chinese civilization in the history of world civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the “Four Confidences” [51]51 The five spheres refer to economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization construction, as outlined in the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan., emphasizing that “cultural confidence is a more fundamental, broader, and deeper confidence, a more basic, deeper, and more enduring force.” The cultural confidence of the Communist Party of China is reflected in the systematic consideration and inheritance and development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and also in the pioneering advancement of Chinese civilization in the New Era.

无论是形成中国共产党文明观，还是建设中华民族现代文明，都需要坚定的文化自信，主要表现为主体对自身文明的信心，也是推动文明传承、发展和创新的精神动力。从古到今，人类社会形成了诸多文明形态，丰富多彩的多元文明交相辉映，共同构成世界文明发展史的多彩画卷，西方国家将自身文明视为人类文明的范本，这有失公允。面对国际冲突、气候危机等问题，西方文明利益诉求的片面性逐渐暴露出来。中华文明以共同体为本位，崇尚和合精神，推进现代化转型的同时彰显出世界意义，汤因比、塞缪尔·亨廷顿、斯宾格勒等西方学者也肯定了中华文明在世界文明史中的地位。习近平总书记提出“四个自信”，强调“文化自信，是更基础、更广泛、更深厚的自信，是更基本、更深沉、更持久的力量”。中国共产党的文化自信体现在对中华优秀传统文化的系统考量与继承发展中，也体现在对中华文明在新时代的开拓推进中。

The cultural confidence of Chinese Communists has a long historical origin, stemming from confidence in the long history of Chinese civilization, confidence in the historical contributions of Chinese civilization, and confidence in the future development form of Chinese civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the Chinese nation has made outstanding contributions to human civilization in history, “We should feel immensely proud of this, and we should also feel immensely confident because of this.” Compared with other ancient civilizations, Chinese civilization has not perished but has continued unbroken, and there was once the flourishing scene of the Hundred Schools of Thought. “Every civilization system will have a dominant ideological system.” Confucian culture once occupied a dominant position in the Chinese civilization system for a long time. Core Confucian ideas such as filial piety, fraternal duty, loyalty, faithfulness, the unity of heaven and man, and the benevolent loving others are still widely circulated today, becoming the unique spiritual identity of the Chinese nation and also the source of wisdom supporting the endless vitality of Chinese civilization. The Communist Party of China was born in the process of Chinese civilization’s transformation from tradition to modernity. The generation of the CPC’s view of civilization is inseparable from a dialectical examination of Chinese civilization, deeply reflected in the revelation of the essence of Chinese civilization, the summary of the five prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization [52]52 Hu Jintao, “Making Joint Efforts to Build a Harmonious World,” speech at the United Nations Summit, September 15, 2005., and the establishment of the goal of building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. It is an important step from cultural consciousness to cultural confidence. True cultural confidence refers not only to a high degree of identification with one’s own culture but also to respect for and tolerance of other cultures worldwide. Changes unseen in a century are accelerating, cultural competition on the international stage is becoming increasingly fierce, exchanges and mutual learning between different civilizations have become the norm, and the perspective for viewing the world has also changed. World development cannot focus only on a certain part but should pay attention to the shared destiny of all humanity. Fine traditional Chinese culture pursues overall harmony and unity, which is a view of civilization that aligns with the needs of the times. The new form of human civilization is a form of civilization formed on the basis of inheriting the traditional Chinese view of the world. It is a kind of civilizational innovation. Its inherent holistic concept of civilization reflects the CPC’s maintenance and promotion of the common values of all humanity, becoming a value standard with significance for all humanity, greatly enhancing the cultural confidence of the CPC.

中国共产党人的文化自信具有绵延的历史渊源，来自对中华文明悠久历史的自信、对中华文明历史贡献的自信、对中华文明未来发展形态的自信。习近平总书记指出，中华民族在历史上对人类文明有着突出贡献，“我们应该为此感到无比自豪，也应该为此感到无比自信”。与其他古文明相比，中华文明非但没有消亡而且绵延不绝，也曾出现过诸子百家的盛况。“每个文明系统都会有一个居于主导地位的思想体系。”儒家文化在中华文明体系中曾长期占据主导地位，孝悌忠信、天人合一、仁者爱人等儒学的核心思想理念，至今仍广为流传，成为中华民族独特的精神标识，也是支撑中华文明生生不息的智慧源泉。中国共产党诞生于中华文明从传统向现代转型的过程中，中国共产党文明观的生成离不开对中华文明的辩证审视，深刻体现在对中华文明精髓的揭示、对中华文明五大突出特性的概括、对建设中华民族现代文明目标的确立中，是从文化自觉迈向文化自信的重要一步。真正的文化自信既是指对本国文化的高度认同，也包括对世界范围内其他文化的尊重和包容。世界百年未有之大变局加速演进，国际舞台上的文化竞争日趋激烈，不同文明之间的交流互鉴成为常态，观世界的视野也发生了变化，世界发展不能只关注某个部分，而应注重人类整体的命运与共。中华优秀传统文化追求整体的和谐与统一，是与时代需要相契合的文明观。人类文明新形态是在继承中华传统天下观的基础上形成的文明形态，是一种文明创新，其内蕴的整体性文明理念体现了中国共产党对全人类共同价值的维护和弘扬，成为具有全人类意义的价值尺度，极大增强了中国共产党的文化自信。

III. The Systemic Composition of the CPC’s View of Civilization

三、中国共产党文明观的体系构成

As a scientific system with rich content and complete structure, the CPC’s view of civilization centrally embodies how our Party views civilization, how to promote the development of Chinese civilization, and how to handle the relationship between Chinese civilization and human civilization. It is a concrete manifestation of our Party’s adherence to theoretical innovation in terms of its view of civilization. It can be concentratedly summarized into four dimensions: civilizational critique, civilizational value, civilizational construction, and civilizational governance.

作为一个内容丰富、结构完备的科学体系，中国共产党文明观集中体现了我们党如何看待文明、如何推进中国文明发展、如何处理中华文明与人类文明之间的关系等一系列问题，是我们党坚持理论创新在文明观上的具体表现。可集中概括为文明批判、文明价值、文明建构、文明治理四个向度。

(I) The Dimension of Civilizational Critique

（一）文明批判向度

As a Marxist political party, the CPC has a distinct class attribute and a firm civilizational stance, with a clear understanding of what to criticize and what to uphold in terms of civilization. The CPC’s view of civilization includes both self-criticism of Chinese civilization and a dialectical understanding of other civilizations in the world, providing a scientific guide for resolving the “ancient-modern and Chinese-Western debate” [53]53 Fei Xiaotong, “Reflections on Cultural Self-Awareness,” in *Selected Works of Fei Xiaotong*, vol. 16 (Qunyan Press, 1999), p. 22.. At its founding, guided by Marxism and in light of the national conditions and world development situation at the time, Chinese Communists criticized the two erroneous trends of “wholesale Westernization” and “wholesale restoration of antiquity,” pointing the correct direction for consolidating the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation.

作为马克思主义政党，中国共产党有着鲜明的阶级属性和坚定的文明立场，对于在文明上批判什么、坚持什么有着清晰的认知。中国共产党文明观既包含对中华文明的自我批判，也包括对世界其他文明的辩证认知，为破解“古今中西之争”提供了科学指南。创建之初，中国共产党人以马克思主义为指导，结合当时国情和世界发展局势，批判“全盘西化”和“全盘复古”两种错误思潮，为巩固中华民族的文化主体性指明了正确方向。

Critique of the “wholesale Westernization” trend. The first generation of Chinese Communists were mostly deeply influenced by the New Culture Movement [54]54 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Dialogue between the CPC and World Political Parties,” March 15, 2023.. The Marxist view of civilization is an important theoretical basis for the CPC’s view of civilization. Western capitalist countries, relying on the first-mover advantage of the Industrial Revolution, achieved modernization first and labeled themselves as “civilized” countries, while most Asian, African, and Latin American countries were labeled as “barbaric” or “semi-civilized and semi-barbaric.” “The prestige of the Manchu dynasty vanished before the guns of the British; the superstition of the Celestial Empire’s eternal existence was shattered; the state of barbaric, closed, and isolated from the civilized world was broken, and contact with the outside world began.” [55]55 Deng Xiaoping, “Uphold the Four Cardinal Principles,” March 30, 1979. Although in this passage, Marx’s use of the concepts of “civilization” and “barbarism” was influenced by popular Western discourse, while acknowledging the progressive significance of Western civilization, he did not endorse its absolute superiority. Lenin also believed that “in the most advanced, most civilized, and most democratic republics, despite the great progress of bourgeois culture and bourgeois democracy, the broad masses of working people remain an ignorant, oppressed mass of wage slaves or oppressed peasants, plundered and insulted by a handful of capitalists.” [56]56 Jiang Zemin, “Report at the 16th National Congress of the CPC,” November 8, 2002. It is this insurmountable internal contradiction and injustice that ultimately points to the possibility of generating a new form of civilization. Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao, returning from their studies in Japan, saw the defects of capitalist civilization and believed that to avoid its drawbacks, a “paired” “upward civilization,” that is, a third civilization, should be established in China. The outbreak of World War I further made China’s advanced intellectuals realize that the “civilization” packaged and whitewashed by Western countries was merely a cloak to cover up the essence of aggression. Against this historical backdrop, the CPC’s attitude towards Western civilization gradually turned to dialectical critique, recognizing that relying on the masses to create a new civilization was the correct path to save the nation.

对“全盘西化”思潮的批判。第一代中国共产党人大多深受新文化运动的影响，马克思主义文明观是中国共产党文明观的重要理论依据。西方资本主义国家凭借工业革命的先发优势率先实现了现代化，将自身标榜为“文明”国家，大部分亚非拉国家被贴上“野蛮”或“半文明半野蛮”的标签。“满族王朝的声威一遇到英国的枪炮就扫地以尽，天朝帝国万世长存的迷信破了产，野蛮的、闭关自守的、与文明世界隔绝的状态被打破，开始同外界发生联系”。虽然在这段话中，马克思对“文明”与“野蛮”概念的使用受到西方流行话语的影响，但他在承认西方文明进步意义的同时，并不赞同其绝对优越性。列宁也认为，“在最先进最文明最民主的共和国内，尽管资产阶级文化和资产阶级民主有很大的进步，广大劳动群众仍旧是一群愚昧的、受压抑的雇佣奴隶或被压迫的农民，横遭一小撮资本家的掠夺和侮辱。”正是这种无法克服的内在矛盾和非正义性，最终指向一种新的文明形态的可能性生成。从日本求学归来的陈独秀和李大钊看到了资本主义文明的缺陷，认为要规避其弊端，在中国“对偶式”建立“向上之文明”，即第三种文明。一战的爆发使中国的先进知识分子进一步意识到，西方国家包装粉饰的“文明”不过是掩盖侵略实质的外衣。在这样的时代背景下，中国共产党对西方文明的态度逐渐转为辩证批判，认识到必须依靠人民群众创立新文明，才是救国的正确道路。

Critique of the “wholesale restoration of antiquity” trend. The fundamental reason why the Chinese nation suffered brutal trampling and its brilliance was obscured in modern times was ultimately cultural backwardness. The feudal dregs in traditional culture caused constraints on the people’s thinking, and its negative content should be reformed. In the Party’s history, Chen Duxiu was called the “standard-bearer of the New Culture Movement” for his critique of traditional culture, and it was precisely his reflection on Confucian thought, Yin-Yang school thought, Daoist thought, etc., that led later generations to distinguish the essence from the dross of fine traditional Chinese culture. Comrade Mao Zedong called himself a “student of their generation” of Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao. In his youth, Mao Zedong recognized the key role of culture in national development, advocating a dialectical attitude towards fine traditional Chinese culture, preserving the excellent culture created by the Chinese nation, while “taking from the outside to enrich the inside,” promoting the integration of Chinese and foreign cultures. Therefore, as soon as New China was founded, the CPC led the people in activities to transform the old civilization, sweeping away the various “filth and mire” left by the old society, and building a new civilization. Since reform and opening up, the CPC has continuously promoted adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, sublating and developing traditional culture, using excellent cultural resources to provide scientific guidance for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and demonstrating the modern significance of Chinese civilization. To this day, General Secretary Xi Jinping still attaches great importance to

对“全盘复古”思潮的批判。中华民族在近代之所以惨遭蹂躏，明珠蒙尘，归根结底在于文化的落后。传统文化中的封建糟粕给国民思想造成了禁锢，应对其消极内容进行改造。在党的历史上，陈独秀因对传统文化的批判被称为“新文化运动的旗手”，也正是由于他对孔子思想、阴阳家思想、道家思想等的反思，引发了后人对中华传统文化精华与糟粕的区分。毛泽东同志自称是陈独秀、李大钊“他们那一代的学生”，青年时代的毛泽东就认识到文化在国家发展中的关键作用，主张对中华传统文化应持辩证态度，守住中华民族创造的优秀文化，同时“取外以资内”，促进中外文化融合。因此，新中国一成立，中国共产党就带领人民进行改造旧文明的活动，扫除旧社会留下的各种“污泥浊水”，建设新文明。改革开放以来，中国共产党持续推进马克思主义中国化时代化，扬弃和发展传统文化，利用优秀文化资源为中国特色社会主义事业提供科学指导，彰显了中华文明的现代意义。直至今日，习近平总书记仍十分重视对中华文明发展史的全面了解，实现中华优秀传统文化在新时代的发展和运用。

(2) The Dimension of Civilizational Value

（二）文明价值向度

The concept of civilization encompasses value generation and value identification; civilizational values sustain the concept of civilization and define the ideological foundation and practical orientation of its formation. Western civilization, based on the logic of capital, has constructed a “center–periphery” global civilizational pattern, forming a “self-aggrandizing” Western-centric value system. Changes in the current global political and economic landscape have also brought about adjustments in the trend of civilizational development, and a holistic view of civilization characterized by “the mutual appreciation of beauty in each other’s company” is emerging. The Communist Party of China transcends the discourse system of civilization centered on capital supremacy, refutes the false proposition that “civilizations can be ranked as superior or inferior,” and asserts that different civilizations are not in a center–periphery relationship but rather in a relationship of equal dialogue. All civilizational forms that have existed, exist, or will emerge worldwide possess their own unique significance; “all human civilizations are equal in value, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.”

文明观念包含着价值生成和价值认同，文明价值维系着文明观念，规定了文明观形成的思想基础和实践取向。西方文明基于资本逻辑构筑了“中心—边缘”的全球文明格局，形成“唯我独尊”的西方中心主义价值观。当今世界政治经济格局的变化也带来了文明发展趋势的调整，一种“美美与共”的整体性文明观呼之欲出。中国共产党超越资本至上的文明话语体系，推翻“文明分优劣”的伪命题，主张不同文明之间不是中心和边缘的关系，而是平等对话的关系，世界范围内过去、现在以及即将形成的所有文明形态，都有其独特意蕴，“各种人类文明在价值上是平等的，都各有千秋，也各有不足。”

Pursuing a holistic value system of equality and harmony among human civilizations. That civilizations are equal in value is the concentrated expression of the CPC’s view of civilization in the dimension of civilizational value. Capitalist civilization initiated the process of world history, yet it “constantly fabricates the hypothesis of ‘heterogeneous civilizations,’ imposing its own will on others through conquest, expansion, and even colonization,” inevitably leading to civilizational conflict and confrontation—the subjugation of weaker civilizations by stronger ones. Chinese civilization advocates harmony and inclusiveness: Confucianism aspires to “a world of great harmony,” and Mohism proposes “universal love and non-aggression,” all of which embody the Chinese nation’s eternal pursuit of social equality and harmony. Rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture, the CPC’s view of civilization advocates, domestically, the overall balanced development of the five spheres [51]51 The five spheres refer to economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization construction, as outlined in the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan., and, externally, rejects the narrow thinking of Western capitalist civilization, appealing to the common development and coordinated progress of global civilizations. To promote the building of a harmonious world, Comrade Hu Jintao proposed “advocating an open and inclusive view of civilization… striving to enable all civilizations and all nations in the world to join hands and cooperate to advance the noble cause of human peace and development.” [52]52 Hu Jintao, “Making Joint Efforts to Build a Harmonious World,” speech at the United Nations Summit, September 15, 2005. Currently, all countries coexist in a community with a shared future where “you have me, and I have you,” and also in a civilizational community of mutual survival and shared prosperity. “Only when different ethnic groups, nations, countries, and various civilizations reach some new consensus can the world achieve a relatively stable and peaceful situation.” [53]53 Fei Xiaotong, “Reflections on Cultural Self-Awareness,” in *Selected Works of Fei Xiaotong*, vol. 16 (Qunyan Press, 1999), p. 22. General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the common values of all humanity, which is the civilizational value that the CPC advocates to the world. Using the common values of all humanity as a bond facilitates the construction of a bridge for equal dialogue between Chinese and Western civilizations and among the world’s different civilizations, treating all civilizations in the treasure house of human civilization equally, and forming a pattern of civilizational exchange and mutual learning premised on affirming and respecting others.

追求人类文明平等、和谐的整体性价值观。文明在价值上是平等的，这是中国共产党文明观在文明价值向度上的集中表达。文明是现代民族、现代社会进步的重要标志，资本主义文明开启了世界历史进程，但它“不断制造‘异质文明’的假说，通过征服、扩张乃至殖民，将自己的意志强加于人”，必然带来文明的冲突和对抗，是强势文明对其他文明的征服。中华文明主张和谐兼容，儒家向往“天下大同”、墨家提出“兼爱非攻”等，均体现了中华民族对社会平等、和谐的永恒追求。中国共产党文明观根植于中华优秀传统文化，对内主张五大文明发展的总体平衡，对外摒弃西方资本主义文明的狭隘思维，诉诸全球文明的共同发展、协同进步。为推动构建和谐世界，胡锦涛同志提出，“倡导开放和兼容并蓄的文明观……努力使世界上所有文明、所有民族携手合作，共同推进人类和平与发展的崇高事业”。当前世界各国共处于“你中有我、我中有你”的命运共同体，也处于共生共荣的文明共同体，“只有当不同族群、民族、国家以及各种不同文明，达到了某些新的共识，世界才可能出现一个相对安定祥和的局面”。习近平总书记提出全人类共同价值，这是中国共产党向世界阐明的中国所提倡的文明价值观。以全人类共同价值为纽带，有利于在中西文明、世界不同文明之间构建起平等对话的桥梁，平等地对待人类文明宝库中的所有文明，形成以肯定和尊重他者为前提的文明交流互鉴。

Adhering to a people-centered civilizational purpose. Different civilizations have different value pursuits in their development. Within the Western capitalist civilizational system, capital is the axis supporting the entire society; therefore, the maximization of capital interests is the value criterion of the Western view of civilization, and in this process, humans are alienated into “one-dimensional beings.” The CPC’s view of civilization adheres to the people-centered nature of Marxism, inherits the people-oriented thought of fine traditional Chinese culture, transcends the logic of capital with the logic of the human, pays greater attention to human beings themselves in civilizational development, and consistently upholds the value concepts of “people-centeredness” and “taking the people as the main driving force,” thereby achieving a critique of the Western view of civilization in the dimension of civilizational value. The Chinese-path modernization led by the Party is a construction of civilization centered on the people. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “We must adhere to the principle of putting the people first and highlight the people-centered nature of modernization.” [54]54 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Dialogue between the CPC and World Political Parties,” March 15, 2023. Placing the people in a priority position in modernization, making various factors of productive forces serve the developmental needs of the people, and through the effective use of capital, turning it into a tool for serving the people, we pursue the comprehensive enrichment of material things and the free and all-round development of the individual. At the same time, the CPC is a political party that seeks progress for humanity and common prosperity for the world. The CPC’s view of civilization takes a community with a shared future for mankind and the common values of all humanity embodied therein as its value purpose, promoting the joint building of a better world.

坚持以人民为中心的文明旨归。不同文明发展的价值追求不同。在西方资本主义文明体系内，资本是支撑整个社会的轴心，因此，资本利益最大化是西方文明观的价值准则，人在这一过程中被异化为“单向度的人”。中国共产党文明观坚守马克思主义的人民性，传承中华优秀传统文化的民本思想，以人的逻辑超越资本逻辑，在文明发展中更加关注人本身，始终坚持“以人民为中心”和“以人民为主体动力”的价值理念，在文明价值向度实现了对西方文明观的批判。党领导的中国式现代化是以人民为中心的文明形态建构，习近平总书记指出，“我们要坚守人民至上理念，突出现代化方向的人民性”。将人民置于现代化建设的优先地位，让各种生产力要素服务于人的发展需求，通过对资本的有效利用使其成为为人民服务的工具，追求物的全面丰富和人的自由全面发展。同时，中国共产党是为人类谋进步、为世界谋大同的政党，中国共产党文明观以人类命运共同体及其所体现的全人类共同价值为价值旨归，推动共建美好世界。

(III) The Dimension of Civilizational Construction

（三）文明建构向度

Civilization marks the progress of human society, but whether modern civilization is a one-sidedly developed civilization or a coordinatedly developed civilization has not reached a unified consensus. In the process of advancing Chinese-path modernization, the CPC has gone through explorations of “two civilizations,” “three-in-one,” “four-in-one,” and “five-sphere integrated plan,” forming a Chinese-path modernization pattern of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan. From the perspective of the view of civilization, the CPC is the leader of Chinese-path modernization and, in the process of practice, has initiated a new type of civilization. Chinese-path modernization is a modernization that comprehensively promotes the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan, outlining a new glorious chapter of modern human civilization with its superiority over Western modernization.

文明标志着人类社会的进步，但现代文明是片面发展的文明还是协调发展的文明，并未形成统一共识。中国共产党在推进中国式现代化的进程中，历经“两个文明”“三位一体”“四位一体”“五位一体”探索，形成了“五位一体”的中国式现代化格局。从文明观视角看，中国共产党是中国式现代化的引领者，也在践行过程中开启一种新文明类型。中国式现代化是“五位一体”全面提升的现代化，以超越西方现代化的优越性擘画了人类现代文明新的辉煌篇章。

Promoting the construction of socialist material civilization with Chinese characteristics. Material civilization is the foundation of modern civilization. Chinese-path modernization has achieved a compatible construction of the market economy and socialism, enriching and developing the modern market economy. The government and the market are two modes of resource allocation and also two major “driving forces” for the construction of material civilization. Capitalist countries implement an economic model of “free market + minimal state,” aimed at satisfying the maximization of capital interests. The CPC adheres to the basic principles of scientific socialism and the dominant position of public ownership, and through market-oriented reforms and opening up, it leverages the incentive effect of the market economy on the development of productive forces, forming a socialist market economy theory of “both an ‘effective market’ and a ‘competent government.’” Compared with Western countries, the CPC’s propositions on the construction of material civilization can not only stimulate the economic vitality of diverse market entities but also help to exert the government’s external regulatory role, correctly handling the mutual relationship between the government and the market to promote high-quality development. This is one of the most innovative theories of the CPC concerning material civilization. Today, historically resolving absolute poverty, entering the ranks of innovative countries, and achieving world-leading scientific and technological results all demonstrate the outstanding achievements of China’s economic construction.

推进中国特色社会主义物质文明建设。物质文明是现代文明的基础，中国式现代化实现了市场经济与社会主义的兼容性建构，是对现代市场经济的丰富发展。政府与市场是资源配置的两种方式，也是物质文明建设的两大“推手”。资本主义国家实行“自由市场+最小国家”经济模式，目的在于满足资本利益最大化，中国共产党坚持科学社会主义基本原则和公有制主体地位，通过市场化改革和对外开放，发挥市场经济对生产力发展的激励作用，形成了“既要‘有效的市场’，也要‘有为的政府’”的社会主义市场经济理论。与西方国家相比，中国共产党在物质文明建设方面的主张，既能够激发多元市场主体的经济活力，也有助于发挥政府的外部调节作用，以正确处理政府与市场的互相关系推动经济高质量发展，这是中国共产党关于物质文明最富创新精神的理论之一。如今，历史性解决绝对贫困问题、步入创新型国家行列、科技成果世界领先等，均彰显了中国经济建设的卓越成就。

Creating a socialist political civilization with Chinese characteristics that transcends capitalist political civilization. Political civilization is the positive achievement formed by humanity in political practice in terms of political culture, political system, and political behavior, providing political guarantees for Chinese-path modernization. Upholding the Party’s leadership is a distinctive feature of socialist political civilization with Chinese characteristics and also the fundamental guarantee for the construction of political civilization. The Party’s leadership in the victory of the New Democratic Revolution created the prerequisite for socialist political civilization. The core of socialist political civilization with Chinese characteristics is that the people are the masters of the country. This is first reflected in the state system of the people’s democratic dictatorship in our country, and secondly, it needs to be realized through corresponding political systems. Comrade Deng Xiaoping pointed out, “Capitalism has a history of several hundred years. The science and technology developed by the people of various countries under the capitalist system, and the various useful knowledge and experience they have accumulated, are all things we must inherit and learn from.” [55]55 Deng Xiaoping, “Uphold the Four Cardinal Principles,” March 30, 1979. Through comparison, discrimination, and learning from Western political civilization, the CPC has established a system of institutions including China’s new type of political party system, the system of people’s congresses, and the system of regional ethnic autonomy, providing guarantees for whole-process people’s democracy. A sound political operation mechanism is a necessary condition for socialist political civilization with Chinese characteristics; therefore, it is necessary to “realize the institutionalization, standardization, and proceduralization of socialist democratic politics.” [56]56 Jiang Zemin, “Report at the 16th National Congress of the CPC,” November 8, 2002. At the international level, the founding of the CPC has had a tremendous impact worldwide. The anti-imperialist and anti-feudal struggle led by the Party is an important part of the world revolution and has enlightening significance for the liberation of all humanity.

创造超越资本主义政治文明的中国特色社会主义政治文明。政治文明是人类在政治实践中形成的政治文化、政治制度、政治行为等方面的积极成果，为中国式现代化提供政治保障。坚持党的领导是中国特色社会主义政治文明的显著特色，也是政治文明建设的根本保证，党领导新民主主义革命胜利为社会主义政治文明创造了前提条件。中国特色社会主义政治文明的核心是人民当家作主，首先体现在我国人民民主专政的国体上，其次需要由相应的政治制度来实现。邓小平同志指出，“资本主义已经有了几百年历史，各国人民在资本主义制度下所发展的科学和技术，所积累的各种有益的知识和经验，都是我们必须继承和学习的”。通过对西方政治文明的比较、辨别、借鉴，中国共产党确立了中国新型政党制度、人民代表大会制度、民族区域自治制度等制度体系，为全过程人民民主提供保障。健全的政治运行机制是中国特色社会主义政治文明的必要条件，因此，必须“实现社会主义民主政治的制度化、规范化和程序化”。在国际层面，中国共产党的成立在世界领域产生了极大影响，党领导的反帝反封建斗争是世界革命的重要组成部分，对实现全人类解放具有启示意义。

Emphasize the building of a high level of socialist cultural-ethical progress. The Chinese Communists believe that a country’s vigorous advance requires both economic impetus and spiritual support, and maintain that material civilization and cultural-ethical progress are both indispensable. Chinese-path modernization must enrich both the “pocket” and the “mind,” “build a high level of socialist cultural-ethical progress,” and meet the people’s needs for spiritual culture. On the one hand, it is necessary to consolidate the material foundation of modernization and create the material conditions required for the development of cultural-ethical progress; on the other hand, the construction of cultural-ethical progress must be simultaneously elevated, and advanced socialist culture must be vigorously developed. Since entering the New Era, many new features have emerged in people’s spiritual world, ideological disputes in the international arena still exist, and advancing Chinese-path modernization, which is characterized by a distinct cultural-ethical progress, should place greater emphasis on spiritual purification and moral education, enhance the people’s cultural quality through repeated practices of cultural-ethical progress, and continuously strengthen confidence in the culture.

注重建设高度的社会主义精神文明。中国共产党人认为，一个国家的昂扬前行既需要经济动力，也不能离开精神支撑，主张物质文明与精神文明缺一不可，中国式现代化既要富“口袋”，也要富“脑袋”，“建设高度的社会主义精神文明”，满足人民对精神文化的需求。一方面，要厚植现代化的物质基础，创造精神文明发展所需要的物质条件；另一方面，也要同步提升精神文明建设，大力发展社会主义先进文化。进入新时代以来，人们精神世界出现许多新特点，国际领域的意识形态纷争依然存在，推进具有鲜明精神文明特征的中国式现代化，应更加重视精神洗礼和道德教化，在一次次精神文明实践中提升人民文化素质，不断增强文化自信。

Create a higher-level form of social civilization. From a “civilized and advanced China” and a “great country with a high level of modern culture” to “fostering ideas, mental attitudes, civilized customs, and behavioral norms that meet the requirements of the New Era,” the CPC’s view of social civilization has gradually taken shape. Compared with capitalist civilization, the fundamental attribute of the new socialist social civilization with Chinese characteristics is socialism, its subject is the people, and raising the cultural quality of the entire people and promoting the all-round development of the individual are important indicators for interpreting the level of social civilization. Since reform and opening up, the CPC has upheld and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics, safeguarded fairness and justice for the people, and advanced and ensured the people’s well-being. It has not only ensured that every household has ample food and clothing but also that everyone knows honor and disgrace. Social customs and popular mores are indicators that reflect the level of a society’s civilization. “When official conduct is upright, popular mores are pure.” The CPC has continuously advanced the construction of Party conduct and civilization, consciously using Party conduct and government conduct to drive social customs and popular mores, fully leveraging the exemplary role of Party members and cadres in the construction of social civilization, and creating a favorable social environment.

开创更高层次的社会文明形态。从“文明先进的中国”“高度现代文化程度的伟大的国家”到“推动形成适应新时代要求的思想观念、精神面貌、文明风尚、行为规范”，逐步形成了中国共产党的社会文明观。与资本主义文明相比，中国特色社会主义新型社会文明的根本属性是社会主义，主体是人民，提高全民文化素质、促进人的全面发展是诠释社会文明程度的重要标志。改革开放以来，中国共产党坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，维护人民公平正义、推进和保障人民福祉，不仅实现家家仓廪实，也要确保人人知荣辱。社风民风是反映一个社会文明程度的标识，“官风正则民风淳”，中国共产党持续推进党风文明建设，自觉以党风政风带动社风民风，充分发挥党员干部在社会文明建设中的带头作用，营造良好的社会环境。

Build an ecological civilization community in which humans and nature coexist harmoniously. Ecological civilization occupies an important position in the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and is an essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization. The CPC advances the construction of ecological civilization with systematic thinking, adheres to the concept of green development, and pays attention not only to the beautiful “appearance” of Chinese-path modernization but also to global ecological justice, forming an ecological view of harmonious development between humans and nature. Mao Zedong proposed that “the air in the sky, the forests on the land, and the treasures underground are all important factors needed for building socialism,” and that ecological pollution caused by industrialization should be properly handled to achieve scientific, coordinated, and sustainable development, designating “ecological civilization” as one of the indicators for completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. [57]57 The “completion of the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects” (全面建成小康社会) was a strategic goal set by the CPC for the centenary of its founding in 2021, encompassing economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological targets. Since entering the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has incorporated “green” into the new development concept. This not only reflects a further deepening of the understanding of civilization but also effectively resolves the dilemma between development and protection, representing an important contribution of the CPC to global ecological health. In global ecological governance, the CPC adheres to “ecological civilization,” advocates strengthening ecological cooperation between countries, and jointly builds a clean and beautiful world.

构建人与自然和谐共处的生态文明共同体。生态文明在“五位一体”结构中占据重要地位，是中国式现代化的本质要求，中国共产党以系统思维推进生态文明建设，坚持绿色发展理念，既注重中国式现代化建设的美丽“容颜”，也关注全球生态正义，形成人与自然和谐发展的生态观。毛泽东提出，“天上的空气，地上的森林，地下的宝藏，都是建设社会主义所需要的重要因素”，应正确处理工业化造成的生态污染，实现科学、协调、可持续发展，将“生态文明”确定为全面建成小康社会的指标之一。进入新时代，习近平总书记将“绿色”纳入新发展理念，这不仅体现了对文明认识的进一步深化，也有效解决了发展与保护的难题，是中国共产党对全球生态健康的重要贡献。在全球生态治理中，中国共产党坚守“生态文明”，主张加强国与国之间的生态合作，共同建设清洁美丽的世界。

(4) The Dimension of Civilized Governance

（四）文明治理向度

“Civilized governance is ‘civilized’ governance that takes governance civilization as its goal” and is an important means of realizing the modernization of national governance. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC pointed out that “developing advanced socialist culture and broadly rallying the people’s spiritual strength is a profound support for the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity.” [58]58 The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC was held in October 2019, focusing on upholding and improving the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and modernizing the national governance system and governance capacity. This statement clarifies the relationship between national governance and civilization construction. An institutional system is an indispensable component of national governance, but without the guidance of modern, civilized governance values, the governance system may instead lead national governance toward backwardness and autocracy. The CPC draws wisdom from traditional governance, integrates civilization into all aspects of national governance, and has formed a more humanistic view of civilized governance.

“文明治理就是以治理文明为目标的‘文明’的治理”，是实现国家治理现代化的重要手段。党的十九届四中全会指出，“发展社会主义先进文化、广泛凝聚人民精神力量，是国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的深厚支撑”，这一论述明确了国家治理与文明建设的关系。制度体系是国家治理必不可少的内容，但如果缺少现代化的、文明的治理价值引导，治理制度反而会将国家治理引向落后、专制。中国共产党从传统治理中汲取智慧，将文明融入国家治理的方方面面，形成了更具人文性的文明治理观。

Integrate the moral ethics of “enriching the people and nurturing life, balancing righteousness and benefit” into economic governance. The debate over righteousness and benefit has long been a contentious topic in economic thought. Confucius proposed that “the gentleman understands righteousness, the petty person understands benefit,” laying an important foundation for the economic ethics of “balancing righteousness and benefit, putting righteousness first” in fine traditional Chinese culture, and also forming the “Chinese characteristics” of the debate over righteousness and benefit. “Enriching the people and nurturing life” is the value orientation of fine traditional Chinese culture in economic development. The *Guanzi* states, “The way of governing a country must first enrich the people,” emphasizing that governance should lighten taxes and corvée labor, first “enrich” the people and then “educate” them, which is called the way of good governance. [59]59 The *Guanzi* (管子) is a foundational Chinese philosophical and political text traditionally attributed to Guan Zhong (c. 720–645 BCE), a statesman of the Qi state during the Spring and Autumn period. This concept has influenced the governing philosophy of rulers throughout history. The CPC inherits the economic ethics of balancing righteousness and benefit and enriching and nurturing the people. This not only aligns with the basic principles of Marxism but also continues the ideas and propositions of ancient Chinese sages. In economic governance, achieving common prosperity is an important feature of Chinese-path modernization. Comrade Deng Xiaoping used the term “moderately prosperous” to describe the phased goal of socialist modernization with Chinese characteristics and proposed the “three-step” development strategy for realizing modernization. [60]60 The “three-step” development strategy (三步走发展战略) was proposed by Deng Xiaoping in 1987: first, doubling the 1980 GNP and solving the problem of food and clothing by 1990; second, doubling GNP again by the end of the 20th century to reach a moderately prosperous level; third, reaching the level of moderately developed countries by the mid-21st century. In 2020, after winning the battle against poverty, the CPC led the people onto the path of comprehensive rural revitalization. Whether it is solving the problem of food and clothing for the people, completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, fighting poverty, or the rural revitalization strategy, all reflect the CPC’s people-centered view of civilized governance.

将“富民厚生，义利兼顾”的道义伦理融入经济治理。义利之辨在经济思想界一直是争论不休的话题，孔子提出“君子喻于义，小人喻于利”，为中华优秀传统文化“义利兼顾，以义为先”的经济伦理奠定重要基础，也形成了义利之辨的“中国特色”。“富民厚生”是中华优秀传统文化在经济发展上的价值导向，《管子》有言“凡治国之道，必先富民”，强调治国理政应轻赋税、薄徭役，对民众“富之”而后“教之”，谓善治之道也。这一观念影响着历代统治者的执政理念，中国共产党传承义利兼顾、富民养民的经济伦理观，既与马克思主义基本原理相契合，也与中国古代先贤的思想主张一脉相承。在经济治理方面，实现共同富裕是中国式现代化的重要特征，邓小平同志用“小康”来描述中国特色社会主义现代化建设的阶段性目标，提出了实现现代化的“三步走”发展战略。2020年，在打赢脱贫攻坚战后，中国共产党带领人民走上乡村全面振兴的道路，无论是解决人民温饱问题、全面建成小康社会、脱贫攻坚还是乡村振兴战略，都体现了中国共产党坚持以人民为中心的文明治理观。

Construct a governance system with holistic thinking. Traditional Chinese society implemented the governance concept of the unity of family and state. The political pattern of the Chinese nation, where all regions under heaven are interconnected and multiple ethnic groups are unified, is deeply embedded in the history of Chinese civilization, forming a traditional Chinese holistic way of thinking that emphasizes observing things from the perspective of unity. Under the influence of holistic thinking, the Chinese Communists are adept at considering and handling domestic and international affairs from a grand historical perspective and are often able to consider issues from a longer-term perspective. For domestic governance, the CPC draws on the traditional Chinese concept of “using both rites and law, with virtue as the principal and punishment as the auxiliary,” implementing a governance strategy that combines rule of law and rule of virtue. Chinese-path modernization is a comprehensive and coordinated modernization that emphasizes promoting overall economic and social progress from a holistic perspective. Social governance is an undertaking in which all the people participate, and multiple subjects should be incorporated into the governance system to form a new pattern of social governance based on co-construction, co-governance, and shared benefits. When participating in global governance, China has always attached importance to the importance of global stability for national development. For a long time, Western civilization has dominated the global governance system, forming an unreasonable logic of hegemony. The CPC has proposed the scientific plan of building a community with a shared future for mankind. A community with a shared future for mankind is not only an economic community but also a community of security, culture, and ecology. Through initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the three major global initiatives, and promoting the common values of all humanity, it calls on all countries to work together with one heart and mind for world peace and stability. [61]61 The “three major global initiatives” (三大全球倡议) refer to the Global Development Initiative (2021), the Global Security Initiative (2022), and the Global Civilization Initiative (2023), proposed by Xi Jinping.

以整体性思维构建治理体系。传统中国社会实行家国同构的治理思想，中华民族九州共贯、多民族一统的政治格局深深熔铸于中华文明发展史中，形成了中国传统的整体性思维，注重从统一的角度去观察事物。在整体性思维的影响下，中国共产党人善于从大历史观思考和处理国内外事务，也往往能够从更长远的角度来考虑问题。对于国内治理，中国共产党借鉴中华文明“礼法并用、德主刑辅”的传统观念，实行法治与德治相结合的治国方略；中国式现代化是全面协调的现代化，注重从整体上推进经济社会全面进步；社会治理是全体人民共同参与的事业，应将多元主体纳入治理体系，形成共建共治共享的社会治理新格局。在参与全球治理时，中国历来重视全球稳定对国家发展的重要性。长期以来，西方文明主导着全球治理体系，形成了不合理的霸权逻辑，中国共产党提出构建人类命运共同体的科学方案，人类命运共同体不仅是经济共同体，也是安全、文化、生态的共同体，并以共建“一带一路”、三大全球倡议、弘扬全人类共同价值等呼吁世界各国同心同德，共同致力于世界和平稳定。

To achieve more humanistic governance through the value preferences of Chinese civilization. The effectiveness of national governance needs to be presented through behavior; behavioral governance is an important aspect of national governance. However, in fact, human behavior is governed by the thoughts and consciousness of the subject. Conducting spiritual governance over the human being as the behavioral subject will be an effective way to enhance governance outcomes. Civilizational governance is the combination of behavioral governance and spiritual governance, highlighting the humanistic character of national governance. The CPC’s view of civilization draws on the value core of traditional Chinese morality, uses the core socialist values to clarify the basic moral principles for people in different fields, and helps to enhance citizens’ moral cultivation, creating a good mass foundation for achieving good governance of the country. Now that humanity has entered the intelligent era where crises and opportunities coexist, as a “double-edged sword,” artificial intelligence not only provides high-tech means for the modernization of national governance but also greatly increases the difficulty of governance. It must be recognized that technology is a tool created by humans to serve themselves, but technological empowerment and the “technological Leviathan” go hand in hand. If too much reliance is placed on technological means such as artificial intelligence, it will cause technology to oppress human nature, which runs counter to the original intention of technological progress. In this regard, based on the integrity and innovation of Chinese civilization, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes that the humanistic advantages of civilizational governance relative to technological governance should be brought into play, the positive functions of science and technology should be guided by the integration of civilizational elements, and greater attention should be paid to the protection of personal privacy, rights, and individuality. This is a more scientific and effective means of governance in modern society and can also better play the positive role of technology in benefiting humanity.

以中华文明价值偏好实现更具人文性的治理。国家治理成效需要以行为来呈现，行为治理是国家治理的一个重要方面，但事实上，人的行为受到主体思想和意识的支配，对作为行为主体的人进行心灵治理，将是提升治理效果的有效途径。文明治理是行为治理与心灵治理的结合，彰显了国家治理的人文色彩。中国共产党文明观汲取中华传统道德观的价值内核，以社会主义核心价值观明确了人们在不同领域的基本道德原则，有助于提升公民道德素养，为实现国家善治创造良好的群众基础。如今人类进入危机与机会并存的智能时代，作为一把“双刃剑”，人工智能既给国家治理现代化提供了高科技手段，也大大增加了治理难度。必须看到，科技是人类创造出来用于服务自身的工具，但科技赋能与“科技利维坦”是相伴而在的，如果过于依赖人工智能等技术手段将会造成科技对人类本性的压迫，这有悖科技进步的初衷。对此，基于中华文明的守正创新，习近平总书记强调，要发挥文明治理相对科技治理的人文优势，以文明要素的融入引导科学技术正向功能的发挥，更加注重对个人隐私、权利、个性的保护，是现代社会更科学有效的治理手段，也能够更好发挥科技造福人类的积极作用。

As mentioned above, the CPC’s view of civilization is a continuation of the Marxist view of civilization and the traditional Chinese view of civilization in the contemporary era, possessing profound theoretical depth; it is generated from the process of civilizational construction led by the Party and the people over more than a hundred years, manifesting a distinct practical character; it embodies the subjective consciousness and historical initiative of the Chinese Communists in leading civilizational development, containing prominent Party attributes, and is the product of unique historical heritage, theoretical foundation, and practical basis. As a comprehensive system involving multiple aspects of civilization, the CPC’s view of civilization not only belongs to China but is also beneficial to the world. On the one hand, the CPC’s view of civilization conforms to the basic laws of the emergence and development of civilization, providing scientific theoretical guidance for advancing Chinese-path modernization and the construction of modern Chinese civilization; on the other hand, the CPC’s view of civilization exhibits distinct subjective characteristics, responding forcefully to the major issue of “where human civilization is heading” with the international vision of a century-old Party embracing the world, and achieving innovation in the theory and practice of modern world civilization. “The real content of all epoch-making systems arises from the needs of the period that produced them.” [62]62 Marx and Engels, *The German Ideology*, *Collected Works of Marx and Engels*, Vol. 1, Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 2009, p. 544. Facing the international situation where the risks and challenges of human civilization development are intensifying, the CPC’s view of civilization provides directional inspiration for the leap of human civilization, resolves civilizational conflicts and confrontations with inclusive thinking, strengthens dialogue and cooperation between civilizations, and constructs a new picture of human civilization development characterized by beauty in diversity and harmony without uniformity.

诚如前文所述，中国共产党文明观是对马克思主义文明观、中华民族传统文明观的时代延续，具有厚重的理论深度；生成于百余年来党领导人民的文明建设历程，彰显鲜明的实践品格；体现中国共产党人引领文明发展的主体自觉和历史主动，蕴含突出的政党属性，是独特历史底蕴、理论根基、实践基础的产物。作为一个涉及文明多方面内容的综合体系，中国共产党文明观不仅属于中国，而且有利于世界。一方面，中国共产党文明观顺应文明发生、发展的基本规律，为推进中国式现代化和中华民族现代文明建设提供科学的理论指导；另一方面，中国共产党文明观表现出鲜明的主体特征，以百年大党胸怀天下的国际视野对“人类文明向何处去”的重大课题作出有力回应，实现了对世界现代文明理论和实践的创新。“一切划时代的体系的真正的内容都是由于产生这些体系的那个时期的需要而形成起来的。” 面对人类文明发展风险与挑战加剧的国际形势，中国共产党的文明观为人类文明跃升提供了方向性启示，以包容性思维化解文明冲突与对抗，加强文明之间的对话与合作，构建美美与共、和而不同的人类文明发展新图景。

Source: *Social Sciences in China*, Issue 10, 2024

文章来源：《中国社会科学》2024年第10期

Online Editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆