Deeply Grasping the Distinctive Characteristics of the Party’s Cultural Leadership

General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the major proposition of “the cultural leadership of the Communist Party of China” at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development, clarifying the extreme importance of upholding the Party’s cultural leadership. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made systematic plans and arrangements for all aspects and the entire process of building socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, continuously consolidating and expanding the Party’s leading position in the cultural field. Deeply understanding and grasping the distinctive characteristics of the Party’s cultural leadership and summarizing regular patterns of understanding are inevitable requirements for studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, as well as an important prerequisite for providing the fundamental political guarantee for building a strong cultural country.

习近平总书记在文化传承发展座谈会上提出“中国共产党的文化领导权”的重大命题，明确了坚持党的文化领导权的极端重要性。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央对中国特色社会主义文化建设的各方面与全过程作出系统谋划和部署，不断巩固和扩大党在文化领域的领导地位。深刻认识和把握党的文化领导权的鲜明特质，总结规律性认识，是学习贯彻习近平文化思想的必然要求，也是给予文化强国建设根本政治保证的重要前提。

I

一

The Party’s cultural leadership is first embodied in the correct summarization and profound grasp of the laws governing cultural development. Since the New Era, in its long-term practice of leading cultural development, the Party has not only deepened its essential understanding of the internal logic of cultural development but also systematically constructed a multi-dimensional, deep-level theoretical framework for building socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, reflecting a distinct advanced nature. Through summarizing and applying the laws of cultural development, the Party innovates and improves cultural development concepts, paths, and methods, ensuring the correct direction for the prosperous development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics.

党的文化领导权首先体现在对文化建设规律的正确总结与深刻把握上。新时代以来，党在领导文化建设的长期实践中，既深化了对文化发展内在逻辑的本质认识，又系统性地构建起中国特色社会主义文化建设多维度、深层次的理论框架，体现出鲜明的先进性。党通过对文化建设规律的总结与运用，创新完善文化发展理念、路径与方法，确保中国特色社会主义文化繁荣发展的正确方向。

First, it comprehensively reveals the basic laws governing the building of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. In the process of leading cultural development, starting from the dialectical relationship of interaction between the economic base and the superstructure, and based on the material foundation and social basis of cultural development, the Party scientifically formulates cultural development strategies and goals that are compatible with the economic and political conditions of each period, avoiding blindness and one-sidedness.

一是全面揭示中国特色社会主义文化建设的基本规律。党在领导文化建设的过程中，从经济基础与上层建筑相互作用的辩证关系出发，立足文化发展的物质根基与社会基础，科学制定与各时期经济政治状况相适应的文化发展战略与文化发展目标，避免了盲目性与片面性。

Second, it comprehensively reveals the special laws governing the development of traditional Chinese culture. Our Party deeply analyzes the development context, unique attributes, and functional value of traditional Chinese culture, creatively puts forward the important principle of the Two Integrations [1]1 The Two Integrations (两个结合) refers to the principle of integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture., insists on endowing fine traditional Chinese culture with new contemporary connotations through Marxism, and clarifies the correct attitude and scientific methods towards traditional culture with a strong historical responsibility and cultural confidence, providing scientific theoretical guidance and practical paths for promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture.

二是全面揭示中华传统文化发展的特殊规律。我们党深刻剖析中华传统文化的发展脉络、独特属性及功能价值，创造性地提出“两个结合”重要原则，坚持以马克思主义赋予中华优秀传统文化以新的时代内涵，以强烈的历史担当与文化自信明确对待传统文化的正确态度与科学方法，为推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化和创新性发展提供科学理论指导与实践路径。

Third, it comprehensively reveals the general laws governing the development of human civilization. Our Party deeply perceives the inevitable trend of inter-civilization exchanges and mutual learning and the important value of civilizational diversity and pluralism. Against the backdrop of economic globalization, it both adheres to its own cultural stance and absorbs outstanding foreign cultural achievements, while actively advocating the common values of all humanity, promoting dialogue and cooperation among different civilizations, and continuously invigorating the building of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics within a broad global perspective.

三是全面揭示人类文明发展的一般规律。我们党深刻洞察文明交流互鉴的必然趋势与文明多样多元的重要价值，在经济全球化背景下既坚守本国文化立场、吸收外来优秀文化成果，又积极倡导全人类共同价值，推动不同文明间的对话与合作，推动中国特色社会主义文化建设在宽广的世界视野中不断焕发生机与活力。

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The Party’s cultural leadership is essentially the leadership of ideological work. The collapse of a political power often begins in the ideological sphere. Political turmoil and regime change can happen overnight, but ideological evolution is a long-term process. Once the ideological defense line is breached, other defense lines are difficult to hold. Since the New Era, the Party has always emphasized that “mastering ideological leadership is the foundation for mastering all leadership,” carrying out creative practical explorations in the construction of mainstream ideology. It has made upholding Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological sphere and building a socialist ideology with strong cohesion and leading power the core proposition for building the Party’s cultural leadership in the New Era, reflecting a distinct political nature. On the one hand, it clarifies the extreme importance of ideological work. Economic construction is the Party’s central work, and ideological work is an extremely important task for the Party. Ideology concerns our banner, our path, and national political security. Building a socialist ideology with strong cohesion and leading power is an important strategic task that the entire Party, especially the propaganda and ideological work front, must undertake. On the other hand, it makes concrete efforts to maintain and consolidate mainstream ideology. The Party has established and adhered to the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological sphere, comprehensively implemented the responsibility system for ideological work, strengthened the construction and management of positions, improved systems such as the study of the theoretical study center groups of Party committees (Party leadership groups) and cadre education and training, insisted on arming the entire Party, educating the people, and guiding practice with the Party’s innovative theories, continuously consolidated the positive and improving trend in the ideological sphere, and used socialist ideology as a guide to clarify the political direction of building socialist culture with Chinese characteristics.

党的文化领导权实质上是意识形态工作领导权。一个政权的瓦解往往是从思想领域开始的，政治动荡、政权更迭可能在一夜之间发生，但思想演化是个长期过程。思想防线被攻破了，其他防线就很难守住。新时代以来，党始终强调“掌握思想领导是掌握一切领导的基础”，对主流意识形态建设进行了创造性的实践探索，将坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位，建设具有强大凝聚力和引领力的社会主义意识形态，作为新时代党的文化领导权建设的核心命题，体现出鲜明的政治性。一方面，明确意识形态工作的极端重要性。经济建设是党的中心工作，意识形态工作是党的一项极端重要的工作。意识形态关乎旗帜、关乎道路、关乎国家政治安全，建设具有强大凝聚力和引领力的社会主义意识形态，是全党特别是宣传思想战线必须担负起的重要战略任务。另一方面，在维护巩固主流意识形态上切实发力。党确立和坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位的根本制度，全面落实意识形态工作责任制，加强阵地建设和管理，完善党委（党组）理论学习中心组学习、干部教育培训等制度，坚持用党的创新理论武装全党、教育人民、指导实践，持续巩固意识形态领域向上向好的态势，以社会主义意识形态为指引明确中国特色社会主义文化建设的政治方向。

III

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General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Propaganda, ideology, and cultural work faces new situations and new tasks, and must have a new atmosphere and new achievements.” Since the New Era, our Party has scientifically grasped the trends in cultural development, actively responded to diverse and changing cultural needs and environments, directly faced and resolved challenges and problems in all aspects, and led cultural construction to continuously radiate vigorous vitality and strong dynamism, reflecting a distinct contemporary character. With profound insight into the times and practical innovation capability, our Party rationally analyzes new problems, new situations, and new challenges in the cultural field, and adopts targeted policy measures and concrete actions. At the international level, facing the challenges to value identification posed by cultural hegemonism, it has significantly enhanced national cultural soft power and consolidated the cultural subjectivity and spiritual independence of the Chinese nation through measures such as actively constructing a discourse system for philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, strengthening the international dissemination of Chinese culture, and prospering and developing cultural undertakings. At the domestic level, it clearly opposes various erroneous trends of thought such as cultural nihilism and “universal values” that seek to dissolve social consensus by distorting history and values, insists on using core socialist values to integrate and guide diverse trends of thought and public opinion, actively promotes the construction of a healthy online civilization, promotes the healthy development of social ideology and culture, and continuously lays the ideological foundation for cultural identity and national centripetal force. Within the Party, it deeply advances the Party’s self-revolution, using fine conduct as a guide, strict discipline as a guarantee, and anti-corruption and punishment of evil to remove obstacles, ensuring that the Party always maintains ideological unity, political solidarity, and unity in action.

习近平总书记强调：“宣传思想文化工作面临新形势新任务，必须要有新气象新作为。”新时代以来，我们党科学把握文化发展趋势，积极应对多元多变的文化需求和文化环境，直面并解决各方面挑战和问题，引领文化建设持续焕发蓬勃生机与强大活力，体现出鲜明的时代性。我们党以深刻的时代洞察力和实践创新力，理性分析文化领域新问题、新情况及新挑战，并采取有针对性的政策措施和切实行动。在国际层面，直面文化霸权主义造成的价值认同挑战，通过积极构建中国特色哲学社会科学话语体系、强化中华文化的国际传播、繁荣发展文化事业等举措，显著提升国家文化软实力，巩固中华民族的文化主体性与精神独立性。在国内层面，旗帜鲜明反对文化虚无主义、“普世价值”等通过歪曲历史、扭曲价值观来瓦解社会共识的各种错误思潮，坚持以社会主义核心价值观整合引领多样思潮与社会舆论，积极推动网络文明建设，促进社会思想文化健康发展，不断奠定文化认同感和国家向心力的思想根基。在党内，深入推进党的自我革命，以优良作风作引领，以严明纪律强保障，以反腐惩恶清障碍，确保党始终保持思想上的统一、政治上的团结、行动上的一致。

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四

Since the New Era, our Party has clarified the fundamental direction of cultural development serving the people and serving socialism, insisted that cultural development is for the people, relies on the people, and its fruits are shared by the people, maximizing the gathering of hearts and minds in the ideological and cultural field, reflecting a distinct people-centered character. Our Party has always adhered to the people-centered value orientation, and on the basis of effectively meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the people, continuously enhances the people’s political, ideological, and emotional identification with the Party’s leadership in cultural development.

新时代以来，我们党明确文化建设为人民服务、为社会主义服务的根本方向，坚持文化发展为了人民、依靠人民，发展成果由人民共享，最大限度实现思想文化领域的凝心聚力，体现出鲜明的人民性。我们党始终坚持以人民为中心的价值导向，在切实满足人民群众精神文化需求的基础上，不断增进人民群众对党领导文化建设的政治认同、思想认同以及情感认同。

First, focusing on the diverse, multi-level, and multi-faceted spiritual and cultural needs of the people, it takes enriching the people’s spiritual world, strengthening the people’s spiritual strength, and enhancing the people’s spiritual well-being as the starting point and ultimate goal of cultural development, striving to enable the people to enjoy a higher quality and higher standard of spiritual and cultural life.

一是着眼人民群众多样化、多层次、多方面的精神文化需求，把丰富人民精神世界、增强人民精神力量、增进人民精神福祉作为文化建设的出发点和落脚点，致力于让人民群众享有更高质量与更高品质的精神文化生活。

Second, it insists on unifying respect for the laws of cultural development with respect for the principal position of the people, draws ideological wisdom from the people’s life practice, continuously enhances the people’s sense of participation and belonging in cultural development, and relies on the people’s initiative to write a new chapter in the prosperous development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics.

二是坚持把尊重文化发展规律与尊重人民主体地位统一起来，从人民群众的生活实践中汲取思想智慧，不断增强人民群众对文化建设的参与感与归属感，依靠人民群众的主动精神书写中国特色社会主义文化繁荣发展的新篇章。

Third, it continuously promotes the standardization and equalization of basic public cultural services, establishes a mechanism for high-quality cultural resources to reach the grassroots directly, ensures that the fruits of cultural development benefit all the people, and pushes the people’s spiritual and cultural life to a new level.

三是持续推动基本公共文化服务标准化均等化，建立优质文化资源直达基层机制，确保文化发展成果惠及全体人民，推动人民群众的精神文化生活迈上新台阶。

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The Party’s cultural leadership is not limited to a single corner or a single link in the cultural field, but is based on the macro-framework of cultural development, providing comprehensive and in-depth guidance and regulation for the overall situation of cultural development. Since the New Era, the Communist Party of China, from the strategic height of building a strong cultural country, has carried out unified planning and coordination for the multiple dimensions and complex links of cultural development, promoting cultural development into a holistic project with interlocking links and comprehensive development, highlighting a distinct systematic character.

党的文化领导权并非局限于文化领域的某一隅或单一环节，而是立足于文化建设的宏观架构，对文化发展全局进行全面深入的引领与调控。新时代以来，中国共产党从文化强国建设的战略高度出发，对文化建设的多元面向与复杂环节进行了统一的规划与协调，推动文化建设成为一个环环相扣、全面发展的整体性工程，彰显出鲜明的系统性。

At the level of ideology and public opinion, it comprehensively leads propaganda, ideology, and cultural work. Our Party, based on the fundamental task of the Two Consolidations [2]2 The Two Consolidations (两个巩固) refers to consolidating the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere and consolidating the common ideological foundation for the unity and struggle of the entire Party and all ethnic groups in the country., clearly and unequivocally insists that the Party manages propaganda, manages ideology, manages the media, and manages the internet, insists that politicians run newspapers, run periodicals, run television stations, and run news websites, strengthens the construction of mainstream ideological and public opinion positions, and promotes the entire society to unite closely around the Communist Party of China in terms of ideals, beliefs, values, and moral concepts.

在思想舆论层面，全面领导宣传思想文化工作。我们党立足“两个巩固”的根本任务，旗帜鲜明坚持党管宣传、党管意识形态、党管媒体、党管互联网，坚持政治家办报、办刊、办台、办新闻网站，强化主流思想舆论阵地建设，推动全社会在理想信念、价值理念、道德观念上紧密团结在中国共产党的周围。

At the level of cultural development, it comprehensively leads cultural innovation and creation. Our Party unswervingly follows the path of cultural development with Chinese characteristics, deeply imprinting cultural innovation with the unique hallmark of socialism with Chinese characteristics, firmly grasping the originality of cultural content production and the advanced nature of theoretical innovation, and ensuring that cultural innovation and creation proceed steadily and far in resisting erroneous ideological trends and guiding social customs.

在文化发展层面，全面领导文化创新创造。我们党坚定不移地走中国特色社会主义文化发展道路，将文化创新深深打上中国特色社会主义的独特标识，牢牢把握文化内容生产的原创性与理论创新的先进性，确保文化创新创造在抵御错误思潮、引领社会风尚中行稳致远。

At the level of cultural work, it comprehensively leads the organization and management of cultural work. Our Party comprehensively strengthens its leadership over various types of cultural institutions, organizations, and units, coordinates and guides the practical activities of cultural work teams and cultural workers, establishes and improves the leadership system for cultural work, management institutions, and the system of policies and regulations, and effectively advances the process of standardization, law-based governance, and high efficiency in cultural construction and management.

在文化工作层面，全面领导文化组织管理工作。我们党全面加强对各类文化机构、组织及单位的领导，统筹指导文化工作队伍与文化工作者的实践活动，建立健全文化工作领导体制、管理机构以及政策法规体系，有效推进文化建设和管理的标准化、法治化、高效化进程。

(Author: Wang Yan, specially appointed researcher of the Jiangsu Provincial Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Professor at the School of Marxism, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics)

（作者：王岩，系江苏省习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心特约研究员、南京航空航天大学马克思主义学院教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心