Marx’s Theory of Civilization and the Building of the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation

The development and progress of human society cannot be sustained without the support of culture and the guidance of civilization. In Marx’s theory of civilization, civilization reflects the state of social development, possesses a specific content structure and forms of expression, and this theory emphasizes that the future civilization is one capable of realizing the free and comprehensive development of every individual. This also laid an important theoretical foundation for the proposal of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Continuing to promote cultural prosperity, build a strong cultural country, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation at a new starting point is our new cultural mission in the New Era.” [1]1 Marx, “Critique of the Gotha Programme” (1875). The quotation is from Marx’s discussion of the distribution of the means of consumption in a future communist society. On the new journey of the New Era, the closer we get to the great goal of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the more we need to make more arduous efforts, the more we need to strengthen the people’s strength and invigorate the national spirit, constantly shoulder the new cultural mission, build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, and use the power of civilization to aid the practical development of Chinese-path modernization.

人类社会的发展进步，离不开文化的支撑与文明的指引。在马克思的文明理论中，文明反映着社会发展的状态，具有特定的内容结构与表现形式，并且这一理论强调未来文明是能够实现每个人自由全面发展的文明，这也为中华民族现代文明的提出奠定了重要理论基础。习近平指出：“在新的起点上继续推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国、建设中华民族现代文明，是我们在新时代新的文化使命。”新时代新征程，愈是接近民族复兴伟大目标，愈需要付出更为艰巨的努力，愈需要增强人民力量、振奋民族精神，不断担负起新的文化使命，建设中华民族现代文明，以文明之力助益中国式现代化的实践发展。

I. Marx’s Theory of Civilization

一、马克思的文明理论

“Civilization” is a historical category, closely related to the degree of social development, reflecting the state of progress of human society. Marx deeply studied the historical process of human civilization, proposing that the development of human civilization is the unity of social formation and state form, that the free and comprehensive development of the human person is the goal of the development of human civilization, and that the powerful driving force of modern civilization development comes from the formation and systematization of world history. He scientifically answered questions concerning the structural characteristics, value pursuits, and driving forces of the development of human civilization, forming an important theoretical basis for deeply understanding and interpreting the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

“文明”是一个历史性范畴，与社会发展程度密切相关，反映着人类社会的进步状态。马克思深入研究人类文明的历史进程，提出人类文明发展是社会形态与国家形态的统一、人的自由全面发展是人类文明发展的目标以及近代文明发展的强大动力来自世界历史的形成与体系化等，科学回答了人类文明的结构特征、价值追求以及文明发展动力等问题，是深入理解和阐释中华民族现代文明的重要理论基础。

(I) Social Formation and State Form in the Development of Human Civilization

（一）人类文明发展中的社会形态与国家形态

Marx’s concept of civilization is established on the basis of an analysis of the internal structure of material production and spiritual culture. In essence, it refers to the social formation of a specific historical stage. Marx proposed concepts such as “civilized society” and “civilized epoch,” closely linking civilization with social progress, and emphasizing that the emergence of the state is compatible with the overall process of civilization of society, profoundly revealing the internal laws of the emergence and development of civilization.

马克思的文明概念，建立在物质生产与精神文化的内在结构分析基础上，本质上是指一定历史阶段的社会形态。马克思提出“文明社会”“文明时代”等概念，将文明与社会进步紧密联系在一起，并且强调国家的产生与整个社会的文明化进程相适应，深刻揭示了文明产生与发展的内在规律。

First, the development of civilization is the progress of social formation, manifested as the organic unity of material progress and spiritual progress. Civilization is a marker reflecting the socio-economic and cultural progress brought about by the development of productive forces, highlighting the state of progress of human society. In the texts of Marx and Engels, civilization is closely linked with social progress. This means that civilization is not only a concept in the cultural sphere but also a comprehensive social concept, encompassing many elements such as social order and social relations of production. In this sense, the form of civilization is, in the final analysis, an important manifestation of the social formation. It not only depends on the social formation for its existence but is also the concretization of the economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological aspects created by the social formation. “Any nation, if deprived of industry, thereby reduced to a mere collection of peasants, cannot keep pace with other nations in civilization.” [2]2 “Seven focal efforts” (七个着力): A set of requirements put forward by Xi Jinping in 2023 concerning cultural work, covering ideology, core values, cultural undertakings and industries, and cultural confidence. Here, civilization refers to material civilization. In Marx’s view, civilization always exists and is expressed in certain forms, and the decisive factor driving the progress of civilization should be attributed to material production. At the same time, Marx believed that civilization itself has its internal structure, and a society with a high degree of civilization, in particular, must be one where material civilization and spiritual civilization are highly coordinated in their development. Marx held that material civilization and spiritual civilization are closely linked and mutually reinforcing. “The mode of production of material life conditions the general process of social, political and intellectual life.” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Cultural Work” (2023). This statement clarifies the conditioning role of “the mode of production of material life” over “intellectual life,” which can provide the necessary material conditions for spiritual civilization. At the same time, material production activities are also influenced by intellectual life, such as ideology and values. Marx also emphasized the counteractive effect of “intellectual life” on “material life,” stating that spiritual civilization can provide the necessary intellectual support for the construction of material civilization. According to Marx’s exposition, only when material civilization and spiritual civilization develop together and promote each other can human civilization be propelled into a new stage of development. This is also the inherent meaning of the progress of human civilization.

第一，文明发展是社会形态的进步，它表现为物质进步与精神进步的有机统一。文明是反映生产力发展带来的社会经济和文化进步的标识，彰显了人类社会进步的状态。在马克思恩格斯的文本里，文明是与社会进步紧密地联系在一起的，这意味着文明不仅是文化领域的概念，还是一个综合性的社会概念，包含着社会秩序、社会生产关系等诸多要素。从此意义上讲，文明形态归根结底是社会形态的重要表现形式，既依赖于社会形态而存在，同时也是社会形态创造的经济、政治、文化、社会、生态等各方面的具体化。“任何一个民族，如果被剥夺了工业，从而沦为单纯是庄稼汉的集合体，就不能和其他民族在文明上并驾齐驱”。这里的文明指的是物质文明。在马克思看来，文明都是以一定的形态存在和表现出来的，推动文明进步的决定性因素应归结到物质生产。同时，马克思认为文明本身有其内在结构，特别是具有高度文明的社会，必然是物质文明与精神文明高度协调发展的。马克思认为，物质文明与精神文明是紧密联系、相互促进的。“物质生活的生产方式制约着整个社会生活、政治生活和精神生活的过程。”这一论述明确了“物质生活的生产方式”对“精神生活”的制约作用，能够为精神文明提供必要的物质条件。与此同时，物质生产活动也受思想意识、价值观念等精神生活的影响，马克思同时强调了“精神生活”对“物质生活”的反作用，精神文明能够为物质文明建设提供必要的智力支撑。根据马克思的阐释，只有物质文明与精神文明共同发展、相互促进，才能推动人类文明进入新发展阶段，这也是人类文明进步的应有之义。

Second, the development of civilization is also the development of the state form. The state is a product of society reaching a certain stage of development; the emergence of the state is a marker of humanity’s entry into civilized society. “The state is the epitome of civilized society.” [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). The state is the most prominent civilized entity, a composite formed by a series of institutional arrangements and state apparatuses. Civilization and the development of the state form promote each other and complement each other. On the one hand, the state is the carrier of civilization and has a driving effect on the development of civilization. Looking at the ancient civilizations of the world, the formation of early states had a huge driving effect on the development of human social civilization. Its main manifestation is that the state form must ensure the orderliness of civilizational progress, which requires establishing various political systems and rule-of-law systems to ensure that social development proceeds within the political order. In this regard, Marx pointed out: “All common regulations are mediated by the state and thus acquire a political form.” [5]5 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). Historically, there have been different civilized entities, such as ancient Greek civilization, ancient Roman civilization, and Chinese civilization. A common feature of these civilizational forms is the emergence of kingship and the state, and they primarily existed and operated relying on state politics. Taking Chinese civilization as an example, from the dynasties of Xia, Shang, and Zhou, to the establishment of a centralized unified multi-ethnic state by Qin, the unified state form shaped the diverse and integrated pattern of Chinese civilization. It enriched and developed itself by integrating different cultures from multiple regions and ethnic groups, maintaining the vitality of Chinese civilization through openness and inclusiveness. At the same time, the unified institutional system effectively safeguarded national unity and social stability, providing a stable environment for the continuous development of Chinese civilization. On the other hand, civilization supports the continuation and development of the state form. As the various civilizational elements that constitute the state form, the orderliness of civilizational progress allows the state to develop in a stable and orderly space; the institutional nature of civilizational progress promotes the establishment of various political systems, ensuring that national development proceeds within the political order; the rule-of-law nature of civilizational progress promotes the establishment of various rule-of-law systems, enabling state governance to rely more on the rule of law to resolve contradictions and conflicts. In particular, the strong centripetal force and cohesion formed by a common ideological and cultural foundation lay an important foundation for the continuation of the state form.

第二，文明发展也是国家形态的发展。国家是社会发展到一定阶段的产物，国家的产生是人类进入文明社会的标志。“国家是文明社会的概括”，国家是最显著的文明体，是由一系列制度安排与国家机器所构成的集合体。文明与国家形态发展之间相互促进、相辅相成。一方面，国家是文明的载体，对文明发展具有推动作用。从世界各古老文明来看，早期国家的形成对人类社会文明的发展产生了巨大推动作用。其主要表现为，国家形态要保证文明进步的有序性，就要建立各种政治体制与法治体系，保障社会发展在政治秩序内进行。对此，马克思指出：“一切共同的规章都是以国家为中介的，都获得了政治形式。”历史上存在着不同的文明体，如古希腊文明、古罗马文明、中华文明，这些文明形态的共同特征是均出现了王权和国家，并且主要依赖国家政治而存在和运行。以中华文明为例，从夏商周的王朝，到秦建立中央集权的统一多民族国家，大一统的国家形态形塑了多元一体的中华文明格局，通过融汇多地区、多民族的不同文化丰富发展自己，在开放包容中使得中华文明永葆生机活力，同时大一统的制度体系有力地维护了国家统一和社会安定，为中华文明的持续发展提供了稳定环境。另一方面，文明支撑着国家形态的延续与发展。作为构成国家形态的各种文明要素，文明进步的有序性使国家在稳定有秩序的空间之下发展；文明进步的制度性推动建立各种政治体制，保障国家发展在政治秩序之内进行；文明进步的法治性推动建立各种法治体系，使国家治理更多依靠法治解决矛盾与冲突，特别是共同的思想和文化基础所形成的强大向心力和凝聚力，为国家形态的延续奠定了重要基础。

(II) The Free and Comprehensive Development of the Human Person as the Goal Orientation of the Development of Human Civilization

（二）人的自由全面发展是人类文明发展的目标指向

Marx’s theory of civilization not only conducts an in-depth analysis of the structural characteristics of human civilization but also makes scientific predictions about the development trends and basic features of future human civilization. In Marx’s view, the degree of human emancipation is an important factor in measuring the level of development of human civilization. Therefore, Marx established the ultimate goal of the development of human civilization as the free and comprehensive development of every individual, clearly outlining the beautiful blueprint for future society.

马克思的文明理论不仅对人类文明的结构特征进行深入分析，而且对未来人类文明的发展趋势及基本特征做了科学预测。在马克思看来，人的解放程度是衡量人类文明发展水平的重要因素，因此，马克思把人类文明发展的最终目标确立为每个人的自由全面发展，清晰地勾勒出未来社会的美好蓝图。

First, the state of human development is an important yardstick for measuring the development of civilization. Marx’s study of human civilization must necessarily proceed from the real human person, especially focusing on the real-life world of the human person, and using the development and progress of the human person to measure the degree of development of human civilization. The state of human development is closely linked to the conditions for human development and requires corresponding socio-historical conditions. “‘Emancipation’ is a historical activity, not a mental activity, and ‘emancipation’ is brought about by historical relations, by the state of industry, commerce, agriculture, and intercourse.” [6]6 “Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground” (守正创新): A key concept in Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, meaning to adhere to the fundamental tenets of Marxism and socialism while innovating in response to new conditions. In Marx’s view, realizing human emancipation must take the emancipation of productive forces as a prerequisite. Only by creating extremely abundant material wealth is it possible to satisfy people’s material needs. However, the free and comprehensive development of the human person is not only manifested in the comprehensive development of people’s needs and abilities but also in the enrichment of people’s social relations and the overall improvement of people’s comprehensive qualities. In this regard, Marx particularly emphasized that the comprehensive development of the individual depends on social production and social progress, and that socio-historical conditions lay an important foundation for promoting the improvement of people’s intellectual, physical, ideological-moral, and scientific-cultural qualities. It can be seen that Marx examines and considers the basic state of human civilizational progress from the perspective of the development and progress of the human person, ultimately orienting the development of civilization towards the free and comprehensive development of the human person.

第一，人的发展状况是衡量文明发展的重要尺度。马克思对人类文明的研究必然要从现实的人出发，特别是注重人的现实生活世界，并且以人的发展进步来衡量人类文明的发展程度。人的发展状况与人的发展条件紧密联系，需要相应的社会历史条件。“‘解放’是一种历史活动，不是思想活动，‘解放’是由历史的关系，是由工业状况、商业状况、农业状况、交往状况促成的”。在马克思看来，实现人的解放要以生产力解放为前提，只有创造出了极大丰富的物质财富，才有可能满足人的物质需要。然而，人的自由全面发展不仅表现为人的需要和能力的全面发展，更是人的社会关系的丰富及人的综合素质的全面提升。对此，马克思突出强调了个人的全面发展依赖于社会生产及社会进步，是社会历史条件为促进人的智力、体力、思想道德素质和科学文化素质的提升奠定重要基础。可见，马克思从人的发展进步来审视和考量人类文明进步的基本状况，使文明发展最终指向为人的自由全面发展。

Second, the free and comprehensive development of the individual is the objective destination of civilizational progress. The yardstick of a society’s civilizational progress is the condition of the social-historical circumstances available to each individual for developing their own talents. Without the comprehensive development of the individual, it is difficult to achieve civilizational progress for the whole of society. Therefore, Marx sharply criticized the miserable situation of individual existence in capitalist society, taking the free and comprehensive development of the individual as the ultimate goal and value pursuit of the development of human civilization. In Marx’s view, capitalist civilization broke the relations of personal dependence solidified by the feudal hierarchy, bringing many favorable conditions for human development. However, under the strong domination of the logic of capital, the development of capitalist civilization ultimately achieves development by sacrificing human beings. Fundamentally, the degree of civilization’s development is internally consistent with the degree of human liberation’s realization. Capitalist civilization represents only the interests of the bourgeoisie, not the common interests of all humanity. In this sense, Marx revealed that the essence of capitalist civilization is a civilization based on private ownership; due to its inherent defects and intrinsic contradictions, it will inevitably be replaced by a higher stage of development: “In place of the old bourgeois society, with its classes and class antagonisms, we shall have an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.” [1]1 Marx, “Critique of the Gotha Programme” (1875). The quotation is from Marx’s discussion of the distribution of the means of consumption in a future communist society. Thus it can be seen that capitalist civilization is not the ultimate form of human civilization; what represents the direction of human civilization’s advance will be a new type of civilization that transcends capitalism, a civilization capable of abolishing private ownership and realizing the free and comprehensive development of each individual.

第二，人的自由全面发展是文明进步的客观归宿。一个社会文明进步的标尺就是每一个人可以用于发展自身才能的社会历史条件的状况。如果没有个人的全面发展，就难有全社会的文明进步。因此，马克思曾强烈地批判资本主义社会中个人生存的悲惨处境，将个人的自由全面发展作为人类文明发展的终极目标与价值追求。在马克思看来，资本主义文明打破了封建等级制度所固化的人身依附关系，为人的发展带来许多有利条件。然而，在资本逻辑的强势统治下，资本主义文明发展归根到底还是通过牺牲人的方式获得发展。从根本上看，文明的发展程度与人的解放的实现程度具有内在一致性。资本主义文明代表的只是资产阶级的利益，而不是全人类的共同利益。在此意义上，马克思揭露出资本主义文明的本质是建立在私有制基础上的文明，由于其先天缺陷以及固有矛盾，必将被更高的发展阶段所代替，“代替那存在着阶级和阶级对立的资产阶级旧社会的，将是这样一个联合体，在那里，每个人的自由发展是一切人的自由发展的条件”。由此可见，资本主义文明并不是人类文明的终极形态，代表人类文明前进方向的将是超越资本主义的新型文明，是能够消灭私有制、实现每个人自由全面发展的文明。

(III) The driving force of modern civilization’s development comes from the formation and systematization of world history

（三）近代文明发展的动力来自世界历史的形成与体系化

The formation of world history is an important driving force for civilizational progress and also the basic prerequisite for the development of modern civilization. Beginning in the 14th century, human history started to transform from regional history to global history, from national history to world history. The emergence of the capitalist mode of production created immense productive forces, further promoting the expansion of the world market, breaking through narrow geographical boundaries, connecting the entire world as one, and merging national histories into world history. In Marx’s view, in the process of “the transformation of history into world history,” the original state of closed isolation was replaced by a state of interdependence and universal intercourse, the degree of interdependence among various nations and regions of the world continuously strengthened, and the world increasingly developed into an interconnected organic whole, objectively laying an important foundation for the progress of human civilization.

世界历史的形成是文明进步的重要动力，也是近代文明得以发展的基本前提。14世纪开始，人类的历史开始由区域历史向全球历史、由民族历史向世界历史转变。资本主义生产方式的出现，创造了巨大的生产力，进一步推动世界市场的扩大，冲破狭窄的地域范围，使得整个世界连为一体，由民族历史汇成世界历史。在马克思看来，“历史转变为世界历史”的进程中，原始封闭孤立的状态被相互依赖、普遍交往的状态所代替，世界各民族各地区间的依存度不断加强，世界日益发展成为一个相互联系的有机整体，客观上为人类文明进步奠定了重要基础。

First, the capitalist mode of production propelled the process of world history. The emergence of the capitalist mode of production objectively created the necessary material basis for civilizational progress. In Marx’s view, capitalist industrial production inaugurated world history, “making the satisfaction of the needs of every civilized country and every individual within it dependent on the whole world, because it abolished the previous state of natural isolation and seclusion of each country.” [2]2 “Seven focal efforts” (七个着力): A set of requirements put forward by Xi Jinping in 2023 concerning cultural work, covering ideology, core values, cultural undertakings and industries, and cultural confidence. In past historical epochs, because various countries and nations largely relied on traditional small-scale production models, this self-sufficient and isolated mode of production hindered the world-historical activities of regional nations. Capitalism represents a new mode of production; in particular, the emergence of modern elements such as the socialization of production, the social division of labor, and industrialization greatly promoted the exchange and circulation of commodities, further accelerating the expansion of capital and the formation of the world market. Marx also emphasized the basic elements of the formation of “world history,” namely, industrial production, means of transportation, the world market, etc., which broke the original geographical limitations of nation-states and became important driving forces for initiating the process of world history. These three driving forces gave rise to two revolutions: first, the scientific and technological revolution. During this period, science and technology developed rapidly, starting with Copernicus’s *On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres*, then promoted by Galileo, Kepler, and a large number of scientists represented by Newton, establishing the modern system of natural science. The scientific revolution of the late 17th century not only provided the preconditions for the Enlightenment but also provided the basic premise for people to understand the world and go out into the world, objectively laying the material foundation for the development of modern civilization. Second, the revolution in means of transportation and communication. Marx emphasized that “to annihilate space with time” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Cultural Work” (2023). must rely on modern means of transportation and communication as the main carrier. Since the early 19th century, due to the continuous expansion of capital, industrialization created means of transportation, such as the steam locomotive invented by the British engineer Stephenson and the steamship built by the American Fulton, which gradually strengthened the universal intercourse among various nations and countries. Space was compressed by time; capitalism brought backward nations, regions, and classes into the process of modern civilization, prompting capital to continuously break through original geographical limitations and go global, to a certain extent promoting the process of world history.

第一，资本主义生产方式推动了世界历史的进程。资本主义生产方式的出现，客观上为文明进步创造了必要的物质基础。在马克思看来，资本主义工业化生产开创了世界历史，“使每个文明国家以及这些国家中的每一个人的需要的满足都依赖于整个世界，因为它消灭了各国以往自然形成的闭关自守的状态”。在以往的历史时代，由于各个国家和民族基本上依靠传统的小生产模式，这种闭关自守的生产方式阻碍了地域性民族的世界性历史活动。资本主义代表着一种新的生产方式，特别是生产社会化、社会分工、工业化等现代化要素的出现，极大地促进了商品的交换和流通，进一步加速了资本的扩张和世界市场的形成。马克思也强调了“世界历史”形成的基本要素，即工业生产、交通工具、世界市场等，打破了原初民族国家地域的限制，成为开启世界历史进程的重要动力。这三大动力催生了两方面的革命：一是科学技术革命。这一时期，科学和技术革命快速发展，从哥白尼的《天体运行论》开始，后经伽利略、开普勒，再到以牛顿为代表的一大批科学家的推动，建立了近代自然科学体系。17世纪后期的科学革命不仅为启蒙运动提供了先决条件，而且为人们认识世界和走向世界提供了基本前提，客观上为近代文明的发展奠定了物质基础。二是交通运输工具革命。马克思强调，“用时间消灭空间”，就必须以现代化的交通运输工具为主要载体。19世纪初期以来，由于资本的不断扩张，工业化创造了交通工具，如英国工程师斯蒂芬逊发明火车，美国人富尔顿造出汽船，使得各个民族和国家的普遍交往逐渐加强。空间被时间压缩了，资本主义把落后民族、地区和阶级纳入现代文明进程之中，促使资本不断冲破原有的地域限制而走向世界，一定程度上推动了世界历史的进程。

Second, the formation of world history objectively promoted the process of human civilization. Marx deeply investigated the developmental process of world history, emphasizing that world history is the social-historical foundation for the in-depth development of human civilization. In Marx’s view, capitalism, with its cheap commodities as heavy artillery for destroying other nations and “conquering the barbarians,” “compels them to introduce what it calls civilization among them, i.e., to become bourgeois. In a word, it creates a world after its own image.” [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). The colonial expansion of capitalist civilization forced various nation-states to be drawn into the capitalist system. In this process, “the more the original isolation of separate nationalities is destroyed by the developed mode of production and intercourse and the division of labor between various nations naturally brought forth by these, the more history becomes world history.” [5]5 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). The development of world history sublated the previous state of one-sided development within narrow geographical boundaries; “the old local and national seclusion and self-sufficiency were replaced by an all-round interdependence and mutual intercourse among nations.” [6]6 “Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground” (守正创新): A key concept in Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, meaning to adhere to the fundamental tenets of Marxism and socialism while innovating in response to new conditions. In Marx’s view, the formation of world history continuously spread modern civilization to all parts of the world, ending the long history of isolation, seclusion, and self-sufficiency of various nations, which also objectively advanced the historical evolution of the forms of human civilization. However, while affirming the progressive nature of capitalist civilization, Marx also exposed and criticized its contradictions and crises. In his view, from its birth, capitalist civilization contained a duality: progressiveness and barbarism coexisted. That is, while playing a civilizing role and accelerating the process of human civilization, its mode of realization was also full of bloodshed and barbarism. In this regard, Marx repeatedly used phrases such as “the infamies of civilization,” “the cesspool of civilization,” and “the barbarism of civilization” [7]7 Marx, “The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte” (1852). to criticize the hypocrisy of bourgeois civilization and reveal the non-civilized essence beneath its civilized exterior. “When we look at the native country of bourgeois civilization, it presents itself as a hypocritical, barbarous, and utterly degraded spectacle; but when we turn our gaze to the colonies, this hypocrisy and barbarism stand revealed in their true colors.” [8]8 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). It can be seen that Marx directly exposed the formation process of capitalism as one full of bloodshed, violence, and barbarism. In this regard, although capitalist society and its civilizational form inaugurated world history, confined by the fetters of its private ownership of the means of production, and coupled with its inherently distinct barbarism, it inevitably cannot represent the direction of human civilization’s development; the mutual integration of different civilizations is the basic trend of human civilization’s development.

第二，世界历史的形成客观上推动了人类文明的进程。马克思深入考察了世界历史的发展进程，强调世界历史是人类文明得以深入发展的社会历史基础。在马克思看来，资本主义以其低廉价格的商品作为摧毁其他民族、“征服野蛮人”的重炮，“它迫使它们在自己那里推行所谓的文明，即变成资产者。一句话，它按照自己的面貌为自己创造出一个世界”。资本主义文明的殖民扩张，导致各个民族国家被迫卷入资本主义的体系。在此过程中，“各民族的原始封闭状态由于日益完善的生产方式、交往以及因交往而自然形成的不同民族之间的分工消灭得越是彻底，历史也就越是成为世界历史”。世界历史的发展扬弃了过去在狭隘地域范围片面发展的状态，“过去那种地方的和民族的自给自足和闭关自守状态，被各民族的各方面的互相往来和各方面的互相依赖所代替了。”在马克思看来，世界历史的形成，不断将现代文明传播到世界各地，终结了长期以来各个民族孤立隔绝、闭关自守的历史，这也在客观上推进了人类文明形态的历史演进。然而，马克思在肯定了资本主义文明进步性的同时，也对其矛盾与危机进行了揭露与批判。在他看来，资本主义文明从其诞生起就包含着两面性：进步性与野蛮性共存。即在发挥文明作用、加速人类文明进程的同时，其实现方式也充满了血腥与野蛮。对此，马克思多次使用“文明的暴行”“文明的阴沟”“文明中的野蛮”等话语来批判资产阶级文明的虚伪，揭示其文明外表下的非文明本质。“当我们把目光从资产阶级文明的故乡转向殖民地的时候，资产阶级文明的极端伪善和它的野蛮本性就赤裸裸地呈现在我们面前，它在故乡还装出一副体面的样子，而在殖民地它就丝毫不加掩饰了。”可以看出，马克思直接揭露了资本主义的形成过程是一个充满血腥、暴力和野蛮的过程。就此而言，资本主义社会及其文明形态虽然开创了世界历史，但是囿于其生产资料私人占有制的桎梏，加之本质上带有鲜明的野蛮性，必然不能代表人类文明发展的方向，不同文明之间相互交融才是人类文明发展的基本趋势。

II. The Innovative Development of Marx’s Theory of Civilization by the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation

二、中华民族现代文明对马克思文明理论的创新发展

Xi Jinping points out: “On the deep foundation of more than 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, the only path to opening up and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is to integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture.” The modern civilization of the Chinese nation has gradually taken shape and developed in the historical process of integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture. It possesses both the basic features of modern civilizations in countries around the world and distinct national characteristics, creating a new form of human civilization with socialist features. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation promotes the coordinated development of the five major civilizations [1]1 Marx, “Critique of the Gotha Programme” (1875). The quotation is from Marx’s discussion of the distribution of the means of consumption in a future communist society., manifests the civilizational foundation of being people-centered, advocates for exchanges and mutual learning among world civilizations, writes a new chapter in Marx’s theory of civilization in terms of civilizational paradigm, and demonstrates the direction and trend of the evolution of human civilization with a new line of thinking.

习近平指出：“在五千多年中华文明深厚基础上开辟和发展中国特色社会主义，把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际、同中华优秀传统文化相结合是必由之路。”中华民族现代文明是在马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合的历史进程中逐渐形成发展的，既具有世界各国现代文明的基本特征，又具有鲜明的民族特色，创造了具有社会主义特色的人类文明新形态。中华民族现代文明统筹推进五大文明协调发展，彰显了坚持以人民为中心的文明底蕴，倡导世界文明交流互鉴，在文明范式上谱写了马克思文明理论的新篇章，以崭新的思路彰显了人类文明演进的方向和趋势。

(I) A New Type of Civilization Unifying Social Formation and State Form

（一）社会形态与国家形态相统一的新型文明

Marx believed that civilization is an organic system with a complex structure composed of interconnected elements such as the material and the cultural, in which different civilizational elements interact and are dialectically unified. In particular, material civilization and cultural-ethical progress are closely linked, jointly promoting the progress of the overall civilization of human society. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation, based on following Marx’s relevant expositions on the structure of human civilization and social formations, innovatively develops Marx’s theory of civilization by integrating it with China’s actual conditions and the needs of the times, achieving the unity of social formation and state form. This unity is centrally manifested in the fact that this modern civilization belongs, in concept and direction, to the socialist civilizational formation and is established on the foundation of the Chinese state form. It is prominently expressed by adhering to the guidance of Marx’s theory of civilization, giving full play to the significant superiority of the socialist system, promoting the coordinated development of material, political, cultural-ethical, social, and ecological civilization, and while manifesting the unified state form of the Chinese nation, it more fully embodies high-quality development and the coordinated development of the economy and society.

马克思认为，文明是由物质、文化等各要素联系而成的具有复杂结构的有机系统，其中不同文明要素相互作用、辩证统一，特别是物质文明与精神文明紧密联系，共同推动着人类社会整体文明的进步。中华民族现代文明以遵循马克思对人类文明结构和社会形态的相关论述为基础，结合中国实际和时代的需要对马克思的文明理论进行创新发展，实现了社会形态与国家形态相统一。这种统一性集中表现为这一现代文明在理念和方向上属于社会主义文明形态，建立在中国国家形态的基础之上。它突出表现为坚持以马克思的文明理论为指导，发挥社会主义制度显著优越性，推动物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明协调发展，在彰显中华民族大一统国家形态的同时，更加体现高质量发展和经济社会的协同发展。

The modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a civilization of the socialist social formation. “Civilization” is closely linked to “social formation” and constitutes a general description of the state of social development. Marx believed: “The production of ideas, of conceptions, of consciousness, is at first directly interwoven with the material activity and the material intercourse of men, the language of real life.” [2]2 “Seven focal efforts” (七个着力): A set of requirements put forward by Xi Jinping in 2023 concerning cultural work, covering ideology, core values, cultural undertakings and industries, and cultural confidence. This fully demonstrates that systematicity and wholeness are basic features of human civilization. A social formation with a high degree of civilization includes both material life elements centered on productive forces and spiritual life elements such as culture, art, and morality. From the perspective of constituent elements, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation manifests as the coordinated development of material, political, cultural-ethical, social, and ecological civilization. It has successfully applied and developed Marx’s theory of civilization in both theory and practice, forming a new model of civilizational development known as the “Five-Sphere Integrated Plan.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Cultural Work” (2023)., the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has coordinated the advancement of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan, focused on resolving issues of unbalanced and inadequate development, continuously optimized the content and objectives of modernization, and formed a new form of human civilization characterized by the overall coordinated advancement of the “five major civilizations.” This comprehensively presents and reveals the basic paradigm of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation: First, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation fully implements the new development philosophy [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023)., persists in taking the path of new-type industrialization, achieves the synchronous advancement and coordinated development of “new-type industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization,” [5]5 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). surpasses Western industrial civilization through changes in development models and industrial structures, and promotes the economy to achieve effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth. Second, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation creates a new political civilization for humanity. This new political civilization, through new political system innovation and the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, provides a complete institutional guarantee for realizing national rejuvenation. At the same time, it adheres to whole-process people’s democracy, effectively transforming democratic concepts into scientific and effective institutional arrangements through various channels and forms, avoiding the severe social fragmentation caused by multi-party competition and partisan conflicts, fundamentally surpassing capitalist elite democracy, and creating a new height in the development of human political civilization. Third, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation adheres to guiding cultural-ethical progress with core socialist values, takes Xi Jinping Thought on Culture [6]6 “Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground” (守正创新): A key concept in Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, meaning to adhere to the fundamental tenets of Marxism and socialism while innovating in response to new conditions. as its guide, actively promotes the best of traditional Chinese culture, continuously enriches the people’s spiritual world with high-quality cultural products and cultural services, deeply advances activities for the creation of civilized society [7]7 Marx, “The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte” (1852)., and accumulates more proactive spiritual strength for realizing national rejuvenation. Fourth, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation upholds social fairness and justice, advances the realization of common prosperity for all the people as an important task, actively corrects problems such as regional disparities, urban-rural gaps, and income inequality, accelerates the improvement of the multi-tiered social security system, and promotes the harmonious and orderly operation of the entire society. Fifth, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation adheres to the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature, emphasizes the coordinated advancement of economic development and ecological environmental protection, vigorously develops the green economy, circular economy, and low-carbon economy, and strives to build a socialist ecological civilization. In summary, the five major civilizations complement each other, manifesting the current state of social development and progress and a rational social system, and together constitute the organism of the new form of human civilization.

中华民族现代文明是社会主义社会形态的文明。“文明”与“社会形态”密切相连，是对社会发展状态的一种总体描述。马克思认为：“思想、观念、意识的生产最初是直接与人们的物质活动，与人们的物质交往，与现实生活的语言交织在一起的。”这充分说明，系统性与整体性是人类文明的基本特征，具有高度文明的社会形态既包括以生产力为核心的物质生活要素，也包括文化、艺术、道德等精神生活要素。从构成要素来看，中华民族现代文明表现为物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明协调发展，在理论与实践上成功运用和发展了马克思的文明理论，形成了“五位一体”的文明发展新模式。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局，着力解决发展不平衡不充分问题，不断优化现代化建设的内容目标，形成了以“五大文明”整体协调推进的人类文明新形态，全面呈现和揭示了中华民族现代文明的基本范式：一是中华民族现代文明全面贯彻新发展理念，坚持走新型工业化道路，实现“新型工业化、信息化、城镇化、农业现代化”同步推进、协调发展，以发展模式和产业结构的变革实现对西方工业文明的超越，推动经济实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长。二是中华民族现代文明创造了人类政治新文明，这种政治新文明以新的政治制度创新、国家治理能力与治理体系现代化，为实现民族复兴提供完善的制度保证。同时坚持全过程人民民主，通过各种途径和形式切实把民主理念转化为科学有效的制度安排，避免了多党竞争和党派冲突造成的严重社会撕裂，实现对资本主义精英民主的根本性超越，缔造了人类政治文明发展的新高度。三是中华民族现代文明坚持以社会主义核心价值观引领精神文明建设，以习近平文化思想为指引，积极弘扬中华优秀传统文化，不断以高质量的文化产品和文化服务丰富人民的精神世界，深入推进文明创建活动，为实现民族复兴积蓄更为主动的精神力量。四是中华民族现代文明坚持社会公平正义，把实现全体人民共同富裕作为一项重要任务加以推进，不断对地区差距、城乡差距和收入差距等问题进行积极矫正，加快健全多层次社会保障体系，促进整个社会和谐有序运行。五是中华民族现代文明坚持人与自然和谐共生，注重经济发展与生态环境保护的协同推进，大力发展绿色经济、循环经济、低碳经济，着力构建社会主义生态文明。总之，五大文明相辅相成，彰显了当前社会发展进步状态和理性的社会体系，共同构成了人类文明新形态的有机体。

The modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a civilization of the socialist state form. The progress of civilization and the development of the state possess a high degree of consistency; human society mainly relies on state governance for its existence and operation. Marx regarded the state as the epitome of civilized society [1]1 Marx, “Critique of the Gotha Programme” (1875). The quotation is from Marx’s discussion of the distribution of the means of consumption in a future communist society.. The emergence of the state meant that the fruits of human civilization were manifested not only at the material and spiritual levels but also at the institutional level, and that the order of human social development was guaranteed by state governance. This is an objective law of the evolution of human civilization, and it is also the basic principle to be followed in building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Chinese civilization is the only great civilization in the world that has continued unbroken and developed to this day in the form of a state.” [2]2 “Seven focal efforts” (七个着力): A set of requirements put forward by Xi Jinping in 2023 concerning cultural work, covering ideology, core values, cultural undertakings and industries, and cultural confidence. Before the founding of New China, Chinese civilization was a unified state form under the feudal imperial system, forming a political state of blood-lineage patriarchal organization and secularized royal power through “all under Heaven as one family” and the “hereditary system.” The founding of New China transformed the state form of Chinese civilization into a state form of people’s political power in the true sense. This means that the masters of the state are the masses of the people, and the development of civilization is guaranteed by law, institutions, and values. Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation inherently requires giving full play to the leading role of the state and efficiently using state institutions to manage the various affairs of the state. Correctly exerting the leading role of the state can better coordinate social development and shape a development environment conducive to achieving stable and long-term economic and social progress. In particular, it is necessary to carry out top-level design and formulate strategic layouts under the leadership of the Party. In 2012, Xi Jinping put forward the Chinese Dream of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Subsequently, taking the realization of the great dream as its goal, the Communist Party of China further clarified the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan overall layout and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy strategic layout. The 20th National Congress of the CPC wrote “comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” into the theme of the Party Congress and mapped out the grand blueprint for the second centenary goal: to build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. This development blueprint not only plans the goals and tasks for realizing national rejuvenation but also clarifies the scientific goals for the evolution of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. At the same time, as a civilization of the socialist state form, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is built on the socialist economic base, which determines its development model and practical advantages. In this process, China has formed basic economic systems, including public ownership as the mainstay with diverse forms of ownership developing side by side, distribution according to work as the mainstay with multiple modes of distribution coexisting, and the socialist market economy system, allowing the market to play a decisive role in resource allocation and the government to better play its role. This both continuously liberates and develops social productive forces, achieving high-quality development, and, through reasonable institutional arrangements, properly handles the relationship between efficiency and fairness, preventing polarization, thus constituting the economic foundation and institutional guarantee for the smooth advancement of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. In short, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation fully utilizes the laws of modernization development, creatively constructing under the guidance of Marxism a new type of civilization that combines socialist nature with modernization construction. By adhering to the leadership of the Party, it makes the goals of modern civilization construction clearer and the paths more definite through long-term strategic planning and top-level design.

中华民族现代文明是社会主义国家形态的文明。文明进步与国家的发展具有高度的一致性，人类社会主要依赖国家治理而存在和运行。马克思将国家视为文明社会的概括，国家的出现使得人类文明成果不仅表现为物质和精神层面，更表现为制度层面，并且依靠国家治理保障人类社会发展的秩序。这是人类文明发展的客观演进规律，也是建设中华民族现代文明的基本遵循。习近平指出：“中华文明是世界上唯一绵延不断且以国家形态发展至今的伟大文明。”中华文明在新中国成立以前是封建帝制的统一国家形态，通过“家天下”“世袭制”等形成了血缘宗法组织、世俗化王权的政治国家。新中国的成立，使中华文明的国家形态成为真正意义上的人民政权国家形态。这意味着国家的主人是人民群众，文明的发展是有法律、制度、价值观念加以保障的。建设中华民族现代文明内在地要求必须充分发挥国家主导作用，高效运用国家制度管理国家各项事务。正确发挥国家主导作用，能够更好地统筹社会发展，塑造有利于实现经济社会行稳致远的发展环境。特别是需要在党的领导下进行顶层设计，制定战略布局。2012年，习近平提出了实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦。此后，中国共产党以实现伟大梦想为目标，进一步明确了“五位一体”总体布局、“四个全面”战略布局。党的二十大把“全面推进中华民族伟大复兴”写进党代会的主题，擘画了第二个百年的宏伟蓝图：把我国建成富强民主文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化强国。这一发展蓝图不仅规划了实现民族复兴的目标任务，也明确了中华民族现代文明演进的科学目标。与此同时，作为社会主义国家形态的中华民族现代文明建立在社会主义经济基础之上，这决定了中华民族现代文明的发展模式与现实优势。在此过程中，我国形成了公有制为主体、多种所有制经济共同发展，按劳分配为主体、多种分配方式并存，社会主义市场经济体制等基本经济制度，使市场在资源配置中起决定性作用，更好发挥政府作用。既不断解放和发展社会生产力，实现高质量发展，又通过合理的制度安排妥善处理了效率与公平的关系，防止两极分化，构成了中华民族现代文明顺利推进的经济基础与制度保障。总之，中华民族现代文明充分运用现代化发展规律，在马克思主义指导下创造性地构建了社会主义性质与现代化建设相结合的新型文明，通过坚持党的领导，以放眼长远的战略规划和顶层设计使现代文明建设的目标更加清晰、路径更加明确。

(II) A New Type of Civilization Combining Fine Traditional Chinese Culture with Marx’s Theory of Civilization

（二）中华优秀传统文化与马克思的文明理论相结合的新型文明

Fine traditional Chinese culture contains elements with important ideological connotations and contemporary value (such as “the people are the foundation of the state” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Cultural Work” (2023).), forming the distinctive foundation of Chinese civilization. Similarly, in Marx’s theory of civilization, the degree of civilization of a society depends on the degree of human liberation and development within that society; the progress of civilization implies the comprehensive improvement of human living conditions and overall quality. Therefore, Marx’s theory of civilization has a distinct people-centered character, aiming to achieve the liberation of the masses of the people and the free and comprehensive development of the individual. On the basis of fully absorbing China’s traditional “people-oriented” thought, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation creatively applies Marx’s thought on “the free and comprehensive development of the individual,” proposing to adhere to a people-centered approach, strive to promote common prosperity for all the people, and work to promote the free and comprehensive development of the individual.

中华优秀传统文化中包含了具有重要思想内涵和时代价值的元素（如“民惟邦本”），成为中华文明的鲜明底色。同样，在马克思的文明理论中，一个社会的文明程度取决于这个社会中人的解放与发展的程度，文明的进步意味着人的生存条件及综合素质的全面提升，因此马克思的文明理论具有鲜明的人民性，旨在实现人民大众的解放以及人的自由全面发展。中华民族现代文明在充分汲取我国传统“民本”思想基础上，创造性地运用马克思关于“人的自由全面发展”思想，提出坚持以人民为中心，着力推进全体人民共同富裕，努力促进人的自由全面发展。

The fundamental value orientation of building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is to adhere to a people-centered approach. In Marx’s theory of civilization, the realization of human liberation must be premised on the liberation of productive forces: “as long as people cannot obtain sufficient guarantees for the quality and quantity of their food, drink, housing, and clothing, they fundamentally cannot achieve liberation” [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023).. This indicates that only by creating extremely abundant material wealth can the material conditions for realizing the free and comprehensive development of the individual be provided. This point has an inherent identity with the people-oriented thought of fine traditional Chinese culture. The people-oriented thought in traditional culture is mainly manifested in several aspects: first, the people are the foundation of the state, emphasizing that those who win the people’s hearts win the world, and focusing on understanding the people’s conditions and will; second, loving and caring for the people, advocating for cherishing and protecting the masses of the people and seeking benefits for them; third, the people’s prosperity makes the country strong, basing the people’s happiness on “a strong country and social peace,” closely linking national interests with the interests of the common people, reflecting the social ideal of realizing a world of great harmony (datong). The Communist Party of China combines Marx’s basic viewpoint emphasizing “realizing the free and comprehensive development of the individual” with the people-oriented thought in traditional culture, proposing to adhere to a people-centered approach, reflecting the Party’s upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground regarding people-oriented thought according to the needs of the New Era. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation consistently upholds the principle of putting the people first, ensuring that the fruits of China’s modernization development are not monopolized by any privileged class or interest group, but are shared by all the people more and more fairly, promoting common prosperity for all the people in a coordinated manner. Xi Jinping pointed out: “We insist on taking the realization of the people’s aspiration for a better life as the starting point and落脚点 [5]5 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). of modernization construction, striving to maintain and promote social fairness and justice, striving to promote common prosperity for all the people, and resolutely preventing polarization.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, based on the strategic goal of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, has regarded the realization of common prosperity as an important strategic task on the new journey to be deployed and advanced. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC also placed the realization of common prosperity for all the people in a more important position, making an important judgment on common prosperity as an “essential requirement,” not only scientifically formulating the strategic plan for modernization construction but also proposing the task requirements for realizing common prosperity: by 2035, common prosperity will achieve substantial progress; by the middle of this century, common prosperity for all the people will be basically realized. It can be seen that adhering to a people-centered approach and solidly promoting common prosperity are important goals for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

建设中华民族现代文明的根本价值取向是坚持以人民为中心。在马克思的文明理论中，人的解放的实现要以生产力解放为前提，“当人们还不能使自己的吃喝住穿在质和量方面得到充分保证的时候，人们就根本不能获得解放”。这表明只有创造出极大丰富的物质财富，才能为实现人的自由全面发展提供物质条件。这一点与中华优秀传统文化的民本思想具有内在同一性。传统文化中的民本思想主要体现在几方面：一是民为邦本，强调得民心者得天下，注重体察民情民意；二是爱民恤民，主张体恤爱护人民群众，为民谋利益；三是民富国强，将人民的幸福建立在“国家强盛、社会安宁”之上，把国家利益与百姓利益紧密联系起来，体现了实现天下大同的社会理想。中国共产党将马克思强调的“实现人的自由全面发展”的基本观点同传统文化中的民本思想相结合，提出坚持以人民为中心，体现了党根据新时代需求对民本思想进行的守正创新。中华民族现代文明始终坚持人民至上理念，确保我国现代化建设发展成果不会为任何特权阶级和利益集团所占有，而是更多更公平惠及全体人民，协同推进全体人民共同富裕。习近平指出：“我们坚持把实现人民对美好生活的向往作为现代化建设的出发点和落脚点，着力维护和促进社会公平正义，着力促进全体人民共同富裕，坚决防止两极分化。”党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央立足全面建设社会主义现代化国家战略目标，把实现共同富裕作为新征程上一个重要战略任务加以部署和推进。党的二十大报告也把实现全体人民共同富裕摆在更加重要的位置，对共同富裕从“本质要求”上作出重要论断，不仅科学制定了现代化建设的战略规划，也提出了实现共同富裕的任务要求：到2035年，共同富裕取得实质性进展；到本世纪中叶，全体人民共同富裕基本实现。由此可见，坚持以人民为中心，扎实推进共同富裕是建设中华民族现代文明的重要目标。

The developmental goal of constructing the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is the realization of people’s free and comprehensive development. In essence, the ultimate objective of civilizational progress is not to promote the development of things, but to realize the free and comprehensive development of human beings. Marx measured the degree of civilizational development by human development, viewing capitalist civilization as a sinful civilization built on the enslavement of labor; capitalist society is bound to be replaced by a higher form of society, and with the progress of human civilization, the degree of people’s free and comprehensive development will be elevated. “Free individuality, based on the universal development of individuals and on their subordination of their communal, social productivity as their social wealth” [1]1 Marx, “Critique of the Gotha Programme” (1875). The quotation is from Marx’s discussion of the distribution of the means of consumption in a future communist society. scientifically elucidates the value goal of the form of human civilization and envisions that transcending capitalist civilization must necessarily be a form of civilization centered on human value. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation, guided by Marx’s theory of civilization, establishes a people-centered logic of development, continuously advances common prosperity for all the people, and overcomes the defect of Western capitalist civilization, which is centered on capital and leads to polarization. Xi Jinping points out: “The ultimate goal of modernization is the free and comprehensive development of human beings. Whether a path of modernization can ultimately be taken smoothly and steadily depends on whether it adheres to being people-centered.” [2]2 “Seven focal efforts” (七个着力): A set of requirements put forward by Xi Jinping in 2023 concerning cultural work, covering ideology, core values, cultural undertakings and industries, and cultural confidence. Human development is all-encompassing. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation, on the basis of realizing modernization, continuously creates various favorable conditions for improving people’s living conditions and enhancing their free and comprehensive development. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party, taking the cultivation of a new generation capable of shouldering the mission of the times as the focal point, has made building a strong educational system a key strategic task for realizing a modern socialist country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, accelerating the construction of a high-quality education system, comprehensively raising the level of modernization of the education governance system and governance capacity, and using a strong educational system to lead the construction of a culturally strong country and a talent-strong country. Moreover, with the advancement of the Healthy China and sports power strategies, efforts are dedicated to promoting the comprehensive improvement of the physical fitness and mental state of all the people, guiding the masses to cultivate a civilized lifestyle, thereby laying a more solid foundation for realizing the free and comprehensive development of the individual.

建设中华民族现代文明的发展目标是实现人的自由全面发展。从本质上看，文明进步的最终目标不是促进物的发展，而是实现人的自由全面发展。马克思根据人的发展来衡量文明发展程度，将资本主义文明看作建立在劳动奴役制上的罪恶的文明，资本主义社会必将被更高级的社会所替代，伴随人类文明的进步，人的自由全面发展程度得到提升。“建立在个人全面发展和他们共同的、社会的生产能力成为从属于他们的社会财富这一基础上的自由个性”，科学阐明了人类文明形态的价值目标，展望了超越资本主义文明必然是以人的价值为本位的文明形态。中华民族现代文明以马克思的文明理论为指导，确立了以人民为中心的发展逻辑，不断推进全体人民共同富裕，克服了西方资本主义文明以资本为中心、导致两极分化的缺陷。习近平指出：“现代化的最终目标是实现人自由而全面的发展。现代化道路最终能否走得通、行得稳，关键要看是否坚持以人民为中心。”人的发展是全方位的，中华民族现代文明就是在实现现代化基础上不断为改善人的生活状况、提升人的自由全面发展而创造各种有利条件。党的十八大以来，我们党以培育时代新人为着力点，把建设教育强国作为实现现代化强国与中华民族伟大复兴的重要战略任务，加快建设高质量教育体系，全面提高教育治理体系和治理能力现代化水平，以教育强国引领文化强国、人才强国建设。不仅如此，随着健康中国、体育强国战略的推进，致力于促进全体人民身体素养、精神状态全方位提高，引导人民群众养成文明生活方式，为实现个人的自由全面发展奠定了更为坚实的基础。

(3) The exchange and mutual learning between Chinese civilization and world civilizations

（三）中华文明与世界文明交流互鉴的新型文明

Marx believed that the formation of world history powerfully propelled the process of human civilization. In the transformation of history into world history, the process of human civilization is also objectively advanced continuously, and the world increasingly becomes an interconnected organic whole. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation creatively integrates Marx’s theory of civilization with the idea of a commonwealth for all under heaven [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Cultural Work” (2023). from the excellent traditional Chinese culture. In particular, the Two Integrations endows the modern civilization of the Chinese nation with an open and inclusive global vision, taking exchange and mutual learning as an important method and driving force for promoting the development of one’s own nation and world civilization, respecting the diversity of human civilizations, advocating for civilizational exchange and mutual learning, using civilizational dialogue to bridge civilizational differences, promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and using new concepts of civilizational interaction to promote the common development of different civilizations, thereby pointing a new direction for the historical evolution of human civilization.

马克思认为，世界历史的形成有力推动了人类文明进程，历史在向世界历史的转变中，人类文明进程也在客观上不断被推进，世界愈来愈成为一个相互联系的有机整体。中华民族现代文明创造性地将马克思的文明理论与中华优秀传统文化中的天下大同思想融会贯通，特别是“两个结合”赋予中华民族现代文明开放包容的世界胸怀，以交流互鉴作为推进本民族和世界文明发展的重要方式和动力，尊重人类文明多样性、倡导文明交流互鉴，以文明对话弥合文明分歧，推动构建人类命运共同体，以新的文明交往理念促进不同文明共同发展，为人类文明的历史演进指明了新的方向。

The modern civilization of the Chinese nation respects the diversity of human civilizations and advocates a view of civilization based on equality and inclusiveness. Equality and inclusiveness are the prerequisites for exchange and mutual learning among world civilizations. Mutual respect, working together with one heart, and harmonious coexistence are the correct paths for the development of human civilization. Marx once criticized the brutality of capitalist civilization: “The barbarian conquerors, according to an eternal historical law, are themselves conquered by the higher civilization of the subjects they have conquered. The British were the first conquerors of a civilization higher than that of India, and therefore not influenced by Indian civilization. They destroyed the local communes, ruined the local industries, leveled everything great and sublime in Indian society, and thus destroyed Indian civilization.” [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). The value concepts upheld by Chinese civilization, such as “It is natural for things to be different” [5]5 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). and “The Way proceeds without conflict with others” [6]6 “Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground” (守正创新): A key concept in Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, meaning to adhere to the fundamental tenets of Marxism and socialism while innovating in response to new conditions., are highly compatible with the view of civilization based on equality and inclusiveness that Marx pursued, laying a solid ideological foundation for constructing the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation fully respects the diverse civilizations created by various nations of the world, emphasizes that all world civilizations are equal, and respects the diversity of world civilizations, thereby transcending the thinking paradigms of the “theory of civilizational superiority” and the “clash of civilizations.” “As long as we uphold the spirit of inclusiveness, there will be no ‘clash of civilizations,’ and civilizational harmony can be achieved.” [7]7 Marx, “The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte” (1852). This statement powerfully responds to the “clash of civilizations” theory and clearly establishes the principle of peaceful coexistence among different civilizations. History has already proven that the logic of attempting to exclude and transform other civilizations using the “clash of civilizations” theory, or trying to replace diverse civilizations with a single civilization, has no way out and is bound to end in failure. On the basis of respecting the diversity of world civilizations, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation has forged a path that rejects civilizational conflict, advocates treating other civilizations with an attitude of equality and inclusiveness, and demonstrates to the world its civilizational propositions and sense of responsibility for promoting peaceful development.

中华民族现代文明尊重人类文明多样性，倡导平等包容的文明观。平等包容是世界文明得以进行交流互鉴的前提，相互尊重、和衷共济、和合共生才是人类文明发展的正确道路。马克思曾对资本主义文明的野蛮性进行了批判，“野蛮的征服者，按照一条永恒的历史规律，本身被他们所征服的臣民的较高文明所征服。不列颠人是第一批文明程度高于印度因而不受印度文明影响的征服者。他们破坏了本地的公社，摧毁了本地的工业，夷平了本地社会中伟大和崇高的一切，从而毁灭了印度的文明。”中华文明秉持的“物之不齐，物之情也”“道并行而不相悖”的价值理念，与马克思追求的平等包容的文明观具有高度的契合性，为建设中华民族现代文明奠定了坚实思想基础。中华民族现代文明充分尊重世界各民族所创造出的多样文明，强调世界各种文明是平等的，尊重世界文明多样性，从而超越了“文明优越论”“文明冲突论”的思维范式。“只要秉持包容精神，就不存在什么‘文明冲突’，就可以实现文明和谐。”这一论述有力回应了“文明冲突论”，明确树立不同文明和平共处的原则。历史已然证明，企图以“文明冲突论”加以排斥和改造其他文明，或者试图以单一文明取代多样文明的思维逻辑是没有任何出路的，都必将以失败而告终。中华民族现代文明在尊重世界文明多样性基础上，走出了一条摒弃文明冲突的道路，主张用平等包容的态度去对待其他文明，向世界展现了促进和平发展的文明主张与责任担当。

The modern civilization of the Chinese nation strives to promote the harmonious coexistence, exchange, and mutual learning of different civilizations. Exchange and mutual learning among different civilizations are important driving forces for advancing civilizational progress. Xi Jinping points out: “Openness and inclusiveness have always been a source of vitality for the development of civilizations and a notable hallmark of cultural confidence. The broad and magnificent atmosphere of Chinese civilization benefits from the open attitude and inclusive mind of Chinese culture since ancient times.” [8]8 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). In Marx’s view, with the continuous development of the world division of labor and universal interaction, the world will inevitably become an interdependent and interconnected whole. “The intellectual creations of individual nations become common property. National one-sidedness and narrow-mindedness become more and more impossible, and from the numerous national and local literatures, a world literature arises.” [9]9 Xi Jinping Thought on Culture (习近平文化思想): A component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, formally articulated at the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Cultural Work in October 2023. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party has profoundly observed the trends of world development, integrated the basic tenets of Marxism with the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and proposed building a community with a shared future for mankind, painting a new picture of civilizational development for humanity characterized by mutual learning and a commonwealth for all under heaven. “We should promote mutual respect and harmonious coexistence among different civilizations, making civilizational exchange and mutual learning a bridge for enhancing friendship among peoples, a driving force for advancing human society, and a bond for maintaining world peace.” [10]10 These six virtues (讲仁爱、重民本、守诚信、崇正义、尚和合、求大同) are a standard official summary of the core values of traditional Chinese culture, frequently invoked in Party discourse on cultural inheritance. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation actively promotes exchange and mutual learning among different cultures, respects the explorations of different countries’ peoples for their own development paths, and promotes the common values of all humanity embodied in Chinese civilization, fully demonstrating the value concepts and global vision of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has profoundly grasped the inherent laws of the development of human civilization, proposing original theories such as the Belt and Road Initiative, a community with a shared future for mankind, the common values of all humanity, and the Global Civilization Initiative, and, with profound concern for civilization, joins hands with the people of the world to jointly build a better world. Xi Jinping points out: “Replace civilizational estrangement with civilizational exchange, civilizational clashes with civilizational mutual learning, and civilizational superiority with civilizational coexistence.” [11]11 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting” (2023). Therefore, proposing the new cultural mission of “constructing the modern civilization of the Chinese nation” and advocating the civilizational values of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness reflect the innovative development of Marx’s theory of civilization, transcend the narrow view of civilization of capitalism and “Western-centrism,” and provide profound insights for promoting the progress of human civilization as a whole.

中华民族现代文明努力促进不同文明和谐共存、交流互鉴。不同文明之间交流互鉴是推进文明进步的重要动力。习近平指出：“开放包容始终是文明发展的活力来源，也是文化自信的显著标志。中华文明的博大气象，就得益于中华文化自古以来开放的姿态、包容的胸怀。”在马克思看来，随着世界分工和普遍交往的不断发展，世界必将成为相互依存相互联系的整体。“各民族的精神产品成了公共的财产。民族的片面性和局限性日益成为不可能，于是由许多种民族的和地方的文学形成了一种世界的文学。”党的十八大以来，我们党深刻洞察世界发展潮流，将马克思主义基本原理与中华优秀传统文化相结合，提出构建人类命运共同体，为人类描绘出一幅互学互鉴、天下大同的文明发展新图景。“我们应该推动不同文明相互尊重、和谐共处，让文明交流互鉴成为增进各国人民友谊的桥梁、推动人类社会进步的动力、维护世界和平的纽带。”中华民族现代文明积极推动不同文化进行交流互鉴，尊重不同国家人民对自身发展道路的探索，弘扬中华文明蕴含的全人类共同价值，充分展现了习近平文化思想的价值理念与世界情怀。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央深刻把握人类文明发展的内在规律，提出共建“一带一路”倡议、人类命运共同体、全人类共同价值、全球文明倡议等原创性理论，以深刻的文明关切携手世界人民共同构建更加美好的世界。习近平指出：“以文明交流超越文明隔阂，以文明互鉴超越文明冲突，以文明共存超越文明优越”。因此，提出“建设中华民族现代文明”的新的文化使命，倡导平等、互鉴、对话、包容的文明价值观，体现了对马克思的文明理论的创新发展，超越了资本主义的狭隘文明观和“西方中心论”，为促进人类整体文明进步提供了深刻启示。

III. Realistic Paths for Constructing the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation

三、建设中华民族现代文明的现实路径

The modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a civilization of the coordinated development of the “Five Civilizations” [12]12 Marx, “Letter to the Editor of the New-York Daily Tribune” (1853), on the role of Chinese inventions in the rise of the European bourgeoisie., transcending the deformed development pattern of Western capitalist civilization characterized by materialistic expansion, and continuously manifesting a new form of human civilization. On the new journey, we must inherit and develop the excellent traditional Chinese culture, strive to construct the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, and contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to the development and progress of human civilization.

中华民族现代文明是“五大文明”协调发展的文明，超越了西方资本主义文明物质主义膨胀的畸形发展样态，不断展现出人类文明新形态。在新征程上，我们要传承发展中华优秀传统文化，努力建设中华民族现代文明，为人类文明发展进步贡献中国智慧与中国方案。

(I) Constructing the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation in the Process of Advancing Chinese-Path Modernization

（一）在推进中国式现代化进程中建设中华民族现代文明

Chinese-path modernization and the modern civilization of the Chinese nation are closely linked; the process of advancing Chinese-path modernization is also the process of building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. In this process, Chinese-path modernization takes root in the fertile soil of fine traditional Chinese culture, prompting the ancient Chinese civilization to continuously radiate new vitality and vigor in the course of modernization and to realize its transformation from tradition to modernity. Therefore, in building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, we must adhere to taking our own path, using Chinese-path modernization to provide a powerful driving force for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

中国式现代化与中华民族现代文明紧密相连，推进中国式现代化的进程，也是建设中华民族现代文明的进程。在这一进程中，中国式现代化扎根于中华优秀传统文化的沃土，促使古老的中华文明在现代化进程中不断焕发新的生机与活力，并实现由传统向现代的转型。因此，我们建设中华民族现代文明，就要坚持走自己的路，以中国式现代化为建设中华民族现代文明提供强大动力。

There is an intrinsic connection between civilizational development and modernization; modernization objectively creates the necessary material foundation for civilizational progress. Marx pointed out: “Different nations in different civilized countries, however diverse their forms may be, have one thing in common: they are all based on modern bourgeois society.” [1]1 Marx, “Critique of the Gotha Programme” (1875). The quotation is from Marx’s discussion of the distribution of the means of consumption in a future communist society. Here, Marx highly affirmed the driving role of capitalist modernization in human civilization, especially the fact that the development of modernization realized the transformation of human society from traditional agricultural civilization to modern industrial civilization. Therefore, in building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, we must adhere to taking our own path, using Chinese-path modernization to provide its practical support. First, adhere to taking our own path, building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation on the basis of spiritual independence and self-reliance. Xi Jinping pointed out: “To strengthen cultural confidence is to adhere to taking our own path.” Chinese-path modernization is a modernization of independence and self-reliance, resolving countless paradoxes and pitfalls in the process of human civilization, such as the “Huntington paradox.” [2]2 “Seven focal efforts” (七个着力): A set of requirements put forward by Xi Jinping in 2023 concerning cultural work, covering ideology, core values, cultural undertakings and industries, and cultural confidence. The essence of this paradox is how to resolve the relationship between rapid economic development and long-term social stability. Many countries, in the process of modernization, fall into the paradox that rapid economic development makes it difficult to maintain social stability, and without social stability there is no rapid economic development. Chinese-path modernization, however, has achieved the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, prompting Chinese civilization to radiate new brilliance of the times. Therefore, in building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, we must adhere to taking our own path, neither taking the old path of closed-door rigidity nor the evil path of changing flags and banners, [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Cultural Work” (2023). insisting on placing the development of the country and the nation on the basis of our own strength, comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese-path modernization, continuously consolidating the solid foundation for the rejuvenation of Chinese civilization, and strengthening the cultural confidence of all Chinese people. Second, coordinate the advancement of the coordinated development of the “five civilizations.” [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). Chinese-path modernization is a modernization of comprehensive and coordinated development, always adhering to the organic unity of comprehensiveness and coordination, committed to overcoming the one-sided drawbacks of modern civilizational development and promoting the progress of human civilization. Using Chinese-path modernization to advance the building of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation requires solving both the problem of the speed of development and the problem of the quality of development. This requires adhering to a systems perspective, coordinating the advancement of the coordinated development of all areas of modernization, adhering to the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan, promoting the coordinated development of socialist material civilization, political civilization, cultural-ethical progress, social civilization, and ecological civilization, and striving to achieve higher quality, more efficient, fairer, and more sustainable development. At the same time, highlighting the principal position of the people, placing the satisfaction of the people’s needs for a better life in a prominently important position, promoting the comprehensive development of the individual, and striving to achieve common prosperity for all the people are the only ways to lay the deepest foundation of popular support and public opinion for the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

文明发展与现代化具有内在联系，现代化建设客观上为文明进步创造了必要的物质基础。马克思指出：“不同的文明国度中的不同的国家，不管它们的形式如何纷繁，却有一个共同点：它们都建立在现代资产阶级社会的基础上”。在这里，马克思高度肯定了资本主义现代化对于人类文明的推动作用，特别是现代化的发展实现了人类社会从传统农业文明向现代工业文明的转变。因此，建设中华民族现代文明，要坚持走自己的路，以中国式现代化为其提供实践支撑。首先，坚持走自己的路，以精神上的独立自主建设中华民族现代文明。习近平指出：“坚定文化自信，就是坚持走自己的路。”中国式现代化是独立自主的现代化，破解着人类文明进程中无数的悖论和陷阱，如“亨廷顿悖论”。这个悖论的实质是如何解决经济快速发展与社会长期稳定的关系。很多国家在现代化进程中陷入经济快速发展就难以保持社会稳定、没有社会稳定就没有经济快速发展的悖论中。而中国式现代化实现了经济快速发展和社会长期稳定的两大奇迹，促进中华文明重新焕发新的时代光彩。因此，建设中华民族现代文明，就要坚持走自己的路，既不走封闭僵化的老路，也不走改旗易帜的邪路，坚持把国家和民族发展放在自己力量的基点上，以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴，不断夯实中华文明复兴的坚实基础，坚定全体中国人的文化自信。其次，统筹推进“五个文明”协调发展。中国式现代化是全面协调发展的现代化，始终坚持全面性与协调性的有机统一，致力于克服现代文明发展的片面化弊端，推动人类文明发展进步。以中国式现代化推进建设中华民族现代文明，既要解决发展的速度问题，也要解决发展的质量问题。这就需要坚持系统观念，统筹推进现代化建设的各领域协调发展，坚持“五位一体”总体布局，推进社会主义物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明协调发展，努力实现更高质量、更有效率、更加公平、更可持续的发展。同时突出人民的主体地位，把满足人民群众的美好生活需要放在突出重要的位置，促进人的全面发展，努力实现全体人民共同富裕，才能为中华民族现代文明奠定最为深厚的民心支持和民意基础。

(II) Building the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation through Extensive Absorption and Reference to the Achievements of Human Civilization

（二）在广泛吸收借鉴人类文明成果中建设中华民族现代文明

Human civilization is diverse; only through mutual exchange and learning between different civilizations can cultural prosperity and civilizational progress be continuously promoted. Xi Jinping pointed out: “To uphold openness and inclusiveness means to more actively learn from and draw on all the outstanding achievements of civilization created by humanity.” Viewed from the historical process of the evolution of human civilization, there is no civilization that develops in isolation; every civilization grows by absorbing the rich nutrients of other civilizations. In this sense, building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation inherently requires respecting the laws of the development of human civilization and continuously revitalizing the new vitality of Chinese civilization on the basis of drawing on and absorbing all the outstanding achievements of human civilization.

人类文明具有多样性，不同文明之间相互交流学习，才能持续推动文化繁荣与文明进步。习近平指出：“秉持开放包容，就是要更加积极主动地学习借鉴人类创造的一切优秀文明成果。”从人类文明演进的历史进程来看，世界上不存在孤立发展的文明，每一个文明都是在吸纳其他文明丰富营养中生长起来的。在此意义上，建设中华民族现代文明内在地要求尊重人类文明发展的规律，在借鉴吸收人类一切优秀文明成果基础上不断焕发中华文明新的生命力。

Looking at the entire history of the development of human civilization, any civilization has its own unique value, and in its civilizational development there are inevitably experiences worthy of study and reference by other civilizations. Marx once pointed out: “A country can and should learn from other countries.” [5]5 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). It can be seen that civilizational progress cannot develop independently in closed-door rigidity; it requires correctly treating the successful experiences of the outside world and continuously absorbing the civilizational achievements of various countries to enrich and develop oneself. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Chinese civilization is a civilization born on Chinese soil, and it is also a civilization formed through continuous exchange and mutual learning with other civilizations.” Chinese civilization has a prominent quality of inclusiveness, which determines that Chinese civilization must uphold an open and inclusive mind and absorb all that is valuable from world civilizations. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Regarding the various civilizations created by human society, whether it is the ancient Chinese civilization, Greek civilization, Roman civilization, Egyptian civilization, Mesopotamian civilization, Indian civilization, etc., or the contemporary Asian civilization, African civilization, European civilization, American civilization, Oceanian civilization, etc., we should all adopt an attitude of learning and drawing on them, and should actively absorb the beneficial components within them.” Therefore, building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation should realize dialogue and exchange between different civilizations with an open and inclusive mind, and continuously absorb and draw on the outstanding achievements of other civilizations to enrich and develop itself. It is necessary to respect the historical characteristics and cultural traditions of various countries, be adept at seeking wisdom and absorbing nourishment from different civilizations, especially humbly accepting the excellent ideological and cultural essences of other countries and nations, and continuously enrich and develop the modernity and worldliness of Chinese civilization in the process of promoting the localization of foreign cultures, providing rich nourishment for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. At the same time, drawing on and absorbing all the outstanding achievements of human civilization does not mean wholesale copying; it should adopt the principle of taking ourselves as the mainstay and using them for our own purposes, learning from the beneficial components of other civilizations, transforming and surpassing them through learning, in order to continuously enhance the vitality and vigor of Chinese civilization.

纵观人类文明发展史，任何一种文明都具有自己的独特价值，其文明发展中必然存在值得其他文明学习借鉴的经验。马克思曾指出：“一个国家应该而且可以向其他国家学习。”可见，文明进步不可能在封闭僵化中独立发展，需要正确地对待外部成功经验，不断吸收各国文明成果来丰富和发展自己。习近平指出：“中华文明是在中国大地上产生的文明，也是同其他文明不断交流互鉴而形成的文明。”中华文明具有突出的包容性，这决定了中华文明要秉持开放包容的胸怀,对世界文明兼收并蓄。习近平指出：“对人类社会创造的各种文明，无论是古代的中华文明、希腊文明、罗马文明、埃及文明、两河文明、印度文明等，还是现在的亚洲文明、非洲文明、欧洲文明、美洲文明、大洋洲文明等，我们都应该采取学习借鉴的态度，都应该积极吸纳其中的有益成分。”因此，建设中华民族现代文明应以开放包容的胸怀实现不同文明交流对话，不断吸收借鉴其他文明的优秀成果来丰富和发展自己。要尊重各国的历史特点、文化传统，善于从不同文明中寻求智慧、汲取营养，特别是虚心接受其他国家、民族的优秀的思想文化精华，在促进外来文化本土化进程中不断丰富发展中华文明的现代性和世界性，为建设中华民族现代文明提供丰富滋养。同时，借鉴吸收人类文明一切优秀成果不等于全盘照搬，应该采取以我为主、为我所用的原则，学习借鉴其他文明的有益成分，在学习中转化与超越，才能不断增强中华文明的生机与活力。

(III) Building the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation through Promoting the Flourishing and Prosperity of Socialist Culture

（三）在推动社会主义文化繁荣兴盛中建设中华民族现代文明

Xi Jinping pointed out: “I hope everyone will shoulder the mission, work diligently, and jointly strive to create a new culture belonging to our era and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation!” Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, at a deep level, manifests as promoting cultural confidence and self-strengthening, realizing the enrichment and fulfillment of the spiritual life of all the people, forming a good social civilization ethos and a firm state of cultural confidence, and continuously enhancing the national cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese civilization. Therefore, it is necessary to promote the flourishing and prosperity of socialist culture, shoulder the important task of building a strong cultural country, and provide value support and spiritual motivation for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

习近平指出：“希望大家担当使命、奋发有为，共同努力创造属于我们这个时代的新文化，建设中华民族现代文明！”建设中华民族现代文明，深层次上表现为推进文化自信自强，实现全体人民精神生活的丰富与充盈，形成良好的社会文明风尚和坚定的文化自信状态，不断提升国家文化软实力和中华文明影响力。因此，要推动社会主义文化繁荣兴盛，肩负起建设文化强国的重要任务，为建设中华民族现代文明提供价值支撑与精神动力。

In Marx’s conception of the future human society, the main purpose of social production is to satisfy the basic needs of the masses of the people, thereby providing social members with an abundant material foundation and spiritual enjoyment. “Under the condition that everyone must labor, everyone will equally and ever more richly obtain the means of subsistence, the means of enjoyment, and the means for the development and exertion of all physical and mental faculties.” [1]1 Marx, “Critique of the Gotha Programme” (1875). The quotation is from Marx’s discussion of the distribution of the means of consumption in a future communist society. Marx attached great importance to the significance of people’s spiritual life, taking the satisfaction of people’s spiritual needs as an important feature of the future communist society; this is also the theoretical basis for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. When Xi Jinping put forward the requirement of the “seven focal efforts” [2]2 “Seven focal efforts” (七个着力): A set of requirements put forward by Xi Jinping in 2023 concerning cultural work, covering ideology, core values, cultural undertakings and industries, and cultural confidence. regarding the new cultural mission of continuing to promote cultural prosperity, building a strong cultural country, and building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation at the new historical starting point, one important aspect was “making focal efforts to promote the flourishing and development of cultural undertakings and the cultural industry.” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Cultural Work” (2023). At the new historical starting point, building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation requires promoting the flourishing and prosperity of advanced socialist culture and continuously expanding the supply of high-quality cultural products. It is necessary to flourish and develop cultural undertakings and the cultural industry, improve the modern cultural industry system and market system, promote supply-side structural reform in the cultural field, strengthen the construction of cultural infrastructure and the digital construction of public culture, and form a cultural supply system with online-offline integrated interaction and three-dimensional coverage. It is necessary to adhere to a people-centered creative orientation, launch more fine works that enhance the people’s spiritual strength, and better meet the spiritual and cultural needs of the people with high-quality cultural supply. At the same time, it is necessary to take core socialist values as the guide and build a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation. Xi Jinping pointed out: “It is necessary to integrate cultural confidence into the spiritual temperament and cultural character of the entire nation, cultivating an upward and enterprising demeanor and a rational and peaceful mindset.” [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). Establishing a social atmosphere that advocates virtue and goodness and is rational and peaceful, and raising the level of social civility, are inherent requirements of building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. It is necessary to deeply advance the construction of core socialist values, raise the level of civility in the whole society, better construct the Chinese spirit, Chinese values, and Chinese strength, and provide a continuous source of spiritual motivation and moral nourishment for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

在马克思关于未来人类社会的设想中，社会生产的主要目的在于满足人民群众的基本需要，从而为社会成员提供富足和充裕的物质基础和精神享受。“在人人都必须劳动的条件下，人人也都将同等地、愈益丰富地得到生活资料、享受资料、发展和表现一切体力和智力所需的资料”。马克思高度重视人的精神生活的重要性，把满足人的精神需要作为未来共产主义社会的重要特征，这也是建设中华民族现代文明的理论依据。习近平围绕在新的历史起点上继续推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国、建设中华民族现代文明这一新的文化使命时提出“七个着力”的要求，其中一个重要方面就是“着力推动文化事业和文化产业繁荣发展”。在新的历史起点上，建设中华民族现代文明要推动社会主义先进文化的繁荣兴盛，不断扩大优质文化产品供给。要繁荣发展文化事业和文化产业，健全现代文化产业体系和市场体系，推动文化领域供给侧结构性改革，加强文化基础设施建设和公共文化数字化建设，形成线上线下融合互动、立体覆盖的文化供给体系。要坚持以人民为中心的创作导向，推出更多增强人民精神力量的精品力作，以高质量文化供给更好地满足人民群众精神文化需求。同时，要以社会主义核心价值观为引领，建设中华民族共有的精神家园。习近平指出：“要把文化自信融入全民族的精神气质与文化品格中，养成昂扬向上的风貌和理性平和的心态。”树立崇德向善、理性平和的社会风气，提升社会文明程度是建设中华民族现代文明的题中之义。要深入推进社会主义核心价值观建设，提高全社会文明程度，更好构筑中国精神、中国价值、中国力量，为建设中华民族现代文明提供源源不断的精神动力和道德滋养。

(IV) Building the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation in the Process of the Creative Transformation and Innovative Development of Fine Traditional Chinese Culture

（四）在推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化和创新性发展中建设中华民族现代文明

Fine traditional Chinese culture contains profound cultural deposits and unique advantages, providing important cultural resources and spiritual strength for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Only by comprehensively and deeply understanding the history of Chinese civilization can we more effectively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, more forcefully advance the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.” [5]5 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). Fine traditional Chinese culture is the root and source of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is not a simple inheritance and continuation of traditional culture, but rather requires adhering to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground [6]6 “Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground” (守正创新): A key concept in Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, meaning to adhere to the fundamental tenets of Marxism and socialism while innovating in response to new conditions., promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and in this process integrating modern values to create a modern civilization of the Chinese nation with Chinese characteristics that leads the direction of human civilization.

中华优秀传统文化蕴含着深厚的文化底蕴和独特优势，为建设中华民族现代文明提供重要的文化资源和精神力量。习近平指出：“只有全面深入了解中华文明的历史，才能更有效地推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展，更有力地推进中国特色社会主义文化建设，建设中华民族现代文明。”中华优秀传统文化是中华民族现代文明的根和源，建设中华民族现代文明，并不是对传统文化的简单传承与延续，而是要坚持守正创新，推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展，并在这一过程中融入现代化价值观念，创造出富有中国特色、引领人类文明方向的中华民族现代文明。

The development of modern civilization requires reflecting on and drawing lessons from traditional culture on the basis of dialectical sublation. Marx pointed out: “Men make their own history, but they do not make it just as they please; they do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly encountered, given and transmitted from the past.” [7]7 Marx, “The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte” (1852). That is, the development of human society always advances on the basis of dialectical inheritance and innovation. Similarly, the progress of human civilization cannot be separated from upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground with respect to traditional culture; therefore, it is necessary to make focal efforts to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. Xi Jinping pointed out: “To open up and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics on the deep foundation of over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture is the only way. This is the regular understanding we have gained in exploring the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and it is our greatest magic weapon for achieving success.” [8]8 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Cultural Work” (2023). Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation requires continuously promoting fine traditional Chinese culture and integrating it with the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method. On the new journey, it is necessary to consciously take Xi Jinping Thought on Culture [9]9 Xi Jinping Thought on Culture (习近平文化思想): A component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, formally articulated at the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Cultural Work in October 2023. as a guide, treat national traditional culture scientifically, adhere to treating it with discernment and inheriting it with sublation, make the past serve the present and weed through the old to bring forth the new, and deeply excavate and elucidate the contemporary values of fine traditional Chinese culture, such as promoting benevolence, emphasizing the people, upholding good faith, advocating justice, esteeming harmony, and seeking common ground. [10]10 These six virtues (讲仁爱、重民本、守诚信、崇正义、尚和合、求大同) are a standard official summary of the core values of traditional Chinese culture, frequently invoked in Party discourse on cultural inheritance. At the same time, in light of the needs of the development of the times, it is necessary to promote the integration of fine traditional Chinese culture with advanced socialist culture, use advanced socialist culture to nourish the national temperament and lead social customs, and provide rich cultural resources for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage and consolidate the cultural foundation of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. To build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, it is necessary to safeguard one’s own historical context. Taking the inheritance and promotion of Chinese civilization and the strengthening of the protection and utilization of historical and cultural relics as the entry point, it is necessary to effectively increase the protection of historical artifacts and heritage, deeply excavate their modern value, and create a strong social atmosphere for inheriting Chinese civilization. In particular, it is necessary to use new media digital technology to promote the protection, dissemination, and display of fine traditional Chinese culture, enrich the contemporary expression and artistic presentation of excellent traditional culture, and continue the Chinese cultural lineage while upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground.

现代文明的发展需要在辩证扬弃的基础上，对传统文化进行反思和借鉴。马克思指出：“人们自己创造自己的历史，但是他们并不是随心所欲地创造，并不是在他们自己选定的条件下创造，而是在直接碰到的、既定的、从过去承继下来的条件下创造。”即人类社会发展总是在辩证的继承与创新基础上前进。同样，人类文明的进步也离不开对于传统文化的守正创新，因此需要着力推进中华优秀传统文化创造性转化和创新性发展。习近平指出：“在五千多年中华文明深厚基础上开辟和发展中国特色社会主义，把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际、同中华优秀传统文化相结合是必由之路。这是我们在探索中国特色社会主义道路中得出的规律性的认识，是我们取得成功的最大法宝。”建设中华民族现代文明就要不断弘扬中华优秀传统文化，将它与马克思主义立场观点方法结合起来。在新征程上，要自觉以习近平文化思想为指导，科学对待民族传统文化，坚持有鉴别的对待、有扬弃的继承，古为今用、推陈出新，深入挖掘和阐发中华优秀传统文化讲仁爱、重民本、守诚信、崇正义、尚和合、求大同的时代价值。同时结合时代发展需要，推进中华优秀传统文化与社会主义先进文化相融通，用社会主义先进文化滋养民族气质、引领社会风尚，为建设中华民族现代文明提供丰富的文化资源。此外，要加强文化遗产保护和传承，铸牢中华民族现代文明的文化根基。建设中华民族现代文明，要守护好自身的历史文脉。以传承弘扬中华文明、加强历史文化遗存保护利用为切入点，切实加大历史文物以及遗产保护力度，深入挖掘其现代价值，营造传承中华文明的浓厚社会氛围。特别是要运用新媒体数字技术推动中华优秀传统文化的保护、传播与展示，丰富优秀传统文化的时代化表达、艺术化呈现，在守正创新中延续中华文脉。

(V) Promoting Chinese Civilization to the World in the Process of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind

（五）在构建人类命运共同体中推动中华文明走向世界

Xi Jinping pointed out: “Today, when the future and destiny of all countries are closely connected, the coexistence of different civilizations through tolerance, exchange, and mutual learning plays an irreplaceable role in promoting the modernization process of human society and enriching the garden of world civilizations.” [11]11 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting” (2023). As a new form of human civilization, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation transcends civilizational estrangement, civilizational conflict, and civilizational superiority, and aligns with the common interests and demands of people of all countries. In this regard, building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation should actively construct a community with a shared future for mankind, promote Chinese civilization to the world, and strive to present the contemporary image of China and the charm of Chinese civilization to the world.

习近平指出：“在各国前途命运紧密相连的今天，不同文明包容共存、交流互鉴，在推动人类社会现代化进程、繁荣世界文明百花园中具有不可替代的作用。”中华民族现代文明作为一种新的人类文明形态，超越了文明隔阂、文明冲突和文明优越，契合世界各国人民的共同利益诉求。就此而言，建设中华民族现代文明应积极构建人类命运共同体，推动中华文明走向世界，努力向世界展现当代中国形象和中华文明魅力。

Chinese civilization occupies an important position in the history of world civilization and has had a profound impact on the development and progress of human society. In Marx’s view, Chinese civilization has a huge driving effect on the development of world civilization, “setting aside the invention of gunpowder, the compass, and the printing press – these were all necessary preconditions for the development of the bourgeoisie.” [12]12 Marx, “Letter to the Editor of the New-York Daily Tribune” (1853), on the role of Chinese inventions in the rise of the European bourgeoisie. Marx pointed out: “Whatever a nation does as a nation, it does for human society.” [13]13 Marx, “Critical Marginal Notes on the Article ‘The King of Prussia and Social Reform’” (1844). This highlights the basic law of the development of world civilization, which is to continuously promote the spread of civilization and deepen exchanges and mutual learning between different civilizations. As a civilization that advocates the common progress of all mankind, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation not only transcends the existing forms of capitalist civilization but also further expands the connotation of the new form of human civilization. It seeks progress for mankind and represents the common interests and common demands of the people of all countries. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC pointed out: “Deepen exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and better promote Chinese culture to the world.” [14]14 Xi Jinping, “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects” – Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC (2022). Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation requires promoting Chinese civilization to the world, sharing the new achievements of human civilization with the people of the world, and making the new form of human civilization a clear banner that leads the trend of the times and the direction of human progress. Facing the diversity and differences of civilizational forms between different countries and regions, it is necessary to establish a view of civilization that is colorful, equal, and inclusive, adhere to promoting the common values of all mankind embodied in Chinese civilization, build a community with a shared future for mankind, adhere to the path of civilizational development of peaceful development and shared destiny, drive the common development of all countries in the world with one’s own development, and make greater contributions to the progress of human civilization. It is also necessary to tell the story of Chinese civilization well, strengthen communication and exchange with other excellent civilizations of the world, disseminate and explain well the spiritual symbols and cultural essence of Chinese civilization, such as promoting benevolence, emphasizing the people, upholding good faith, advocating justice, esteeming harmony, and seeking common ground, showcase the long history and profound heritage of Chinese civilization, and provide intellectual inspiration for promoting the prosperity and progress of human civilization.

中华文明在世界文明史上占有重要的地位，对人类社会的发展进步产生了深刻的影响。在马克思看来，中华文明对世界文明的发展具有巨大的推动作用，“撇开火药、指南针和印刷术的发明不谈——这些都是资产阶级发展的必要前提”。马克思指出：“凡是民族作为民族所做的事情，都是他们为人类社会而做的事情”。这里突出强调了世界文明发展的基本规律，就是要不断推动文明传播，深化不同文明之间的交流互鉴。中华民族现代文明作为一种倡导全人类共同进步的文明，不仅是对现有资本主义文明形态的超越，更使人类文明新形态的内涵得到进一步拓展，其要为人类谋进步，代表着世界各国人民的共同利益和共同要求。党的二十大报告指出：“深化文明交流互鉴，推动中华文化更好走向世界。”建设中华民族现代文明要推动中华文明走向世界，与世界人民共享人类文明新成果，使人类文明新形态成为引领时代潮流和人类前进方向的鲜明旗帜。面对不同国家、地区之间的文明形态的多样性和差异性，既要树立多彩、平等、包容的文明观，坚持弘扬中华文明蕴含的全人类共同价值，构建人类命运共同体，坚持走和平发展、命运与共的文明发展道路，以自身的发展带动世界各国的共同发展，为人类文明进步作出更大贡献；也要讲好中华文明故事，加强与世界其他优秀文明的沟通和交流，传播和阐释好中华文明讲仁爱、重民本、守诚信、崇正义、尚和合、求大同的精神标识和文化精髓，展现中华文明的悠久历史和深厚底蕴，为推动人类文明繁荣进步提供思想启迪。

(Author: Duan Yan, Professor, Department of Marxism, Northeast Normal University)

（作者：段妍，东北师范大学马克思主义学部教授）

Online Editor: You Heng

网络编辑：有恒