Let Youth Shine More Brilliantly on the Track of National Rejuvenation

Realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the greatest dream of the Chinese nation in modern times. The history of the Chinese nation’s rejuvenation tells us that “whether in the past, present, or future, Chinese youth have always been the vanguard force in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” Young people of the New Era are born into a great era and bear a historic mission. They must strive to be at the forefront on the track of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, using their pure hearts to sing the “song of youth” of the New Era. In his report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping expressed ardent hopes and weighty entrustment to youth: “The vast majority of young people should unswervingly listen to the Party and follow it, cherish dreams yet be down-to-earth, dare to think and act yet be good at accomplishing things, resolve to be good young people of the New Era who have ideals, dare to take responsibility, can endure hardship, and are willing to struggle, letting their youth bloom with brilliant flowers in the fiery practice of comprehensively building a modern socialist country.”

实现中华民族伟大复兴是近代以来中华民族最伟大的梦想。中华民族复兴史告诉我们，“无论过去、现在还是未来，中国青年始终是实现中华民族伟大复兴的先锋力量！”新时代青年生逢伟大时代，肩负历史使命，要在实现中华民族伟大复兴的赛道上奋勇争先，用赤子之心唱响新时代的“青春之歌”。习近平总书记在党的二十大报告中对青年提出殷切希望和厚重嘱托：“广大青年要坚定不移听党话、跟党走，怀抱梦想又脚踏实地，敢想敢为又善作善成，立志做有理想、敢担当、能吃苦、肯奋斗的新时代好青年，让青春在全面建设社会主义现代化国家的火热实践中绽放绚丽之花”。

I. Inheriting the Red Gene, Young People of the New Era Must Button the First Button of Life Correctly

一、传承红色基因，新时代青年要扣好人生第一粒扣子

The formation and establishment of values is like “buttoning a coat”: if the first button is wrong, all the remaining buttons will be wrong. The youth stage is at the critical juncture of life’s “period of jointing and booting” [1]1 A metaphor from agriculture: the jointing and booting stages are critical for the growth of cereal crops, analogous to the formative period of youth.; the value orientation of youth determines a person’s ideals and beliefs, life goals, and life direction. It is essential to “button the first button of life correctly.” In his report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “Promote the spiritual lineage of Chinese Communists originating from the great founding spirit of the Party, deeply carry out education and publicity on the core socialist values, deepen education in patriotism, collectivism, and socialism, and focus on cultivating new generations capable of shouldering the great task of national rejuvenation.” Young people of the New Era are the vanguard force in comprehensively advancing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It is necessary to educate and guide the vast majority of young people to always cherish patriotic feelings and aspirations to serve the country, strengthen cultural confidence, draw nourishment from the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation, inherit the red gene, nourish their sentiments with advanced socialist culture, and inspire young people to integrate personal ideals with the future of the country and the destiny of the nation, aligning personal pursuits with social needs and the interests of the people.

价值观的形成和确立就像“穿衣服扣扣子”，如果第一粒扣错了，剩余的扣子都会扣错。青年阶段正处在人生“拔节育穗期”的紧要关头，青年时期的价值取向决定了一个人的理想信念、人生目标和人生方向，必须“扣好人生的第一粒扣子”。习近平总书记在党的二十大报告中强调，“弘扬以伟大建党精神为源头的中国共产党人精神谱系，深入开展社会主义核心价值观宣传教育，深化爱国主义、集体主义、社会主义教育，着力培养担当民族复兴大任的时代新人。”新时代青年是全面推进中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的先锋力量，要教育引导广大青年常怀爱国情、报国志，坚定文化自信，从中华民族优秀传统文化中汲取营养，传承红色基因，用社会主义先进文化滋养情怀，激励广大青年将个人理想与国家前途、民族命运相结合，将个人追求与社会需要和人民利益保持一致。

Ideals and convictions are the “calcium” in the spirit of Communists. Whether young people of the New Era can “button the first button of life correctly” and tighten the “master switch” of ideals and convictions determines, to a certain extent, the progress and success or failure of the great cause of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Our Party united and led the people in carrying out the great revolution, opening up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, enabling China to catch up with the times in big strides. Today, we are closer to, more confident in, and more capable of realizing the grand goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation than at any time in history. Why the Communist Party of China can succeed and why socialism with Chinese characteristics is good is, in the final analysis, because Marxism works, and because Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times works. The vast majority of young people must strengthen their belief in Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, comprehensively study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, achieve the integration of learning, thinking, and application, and the unity of knowledge, belief, and action, and effectively transform the power of thought into a mighty force driving the practice of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

理想信念是共产党人精神上的“钙”。新时代青年能否“扣好人生第一粒扣子”、拧紧理想信念“总开关”，一定程度上决定着中华民族伟大复兴伟业的进程与成败。我们党团结带领人民进行伟大革命，开辟了中国特色社会主义道路，使中国大踏步赶上时代。今天，我们比历史上任何时期都更接近且更有信心和能力实现中华民族伟大复兴的宏伟目标。中国共产党为什么能，中国特色社会主义为什么好，归根到底是马克思主义行，是中国化时代化的马克思主义行。广大青年要坚定对中国化时代化马克思主义的信仰，全面学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，做到学思用贯通、知信行统一，切实将思想伟力转化为推动中华民族伟大复兴实践的磅礴力量。

II. Holding High the Great Banner, Young People of the New Era Must Fulfill the Vow of “A Strong Nation Depends on Me”

二、高举伟大旗帜，新时代青年要践行强国有我的誓言

The cause of the Party and the state in the New Era has achieved historic accomplishments and undergone historic transformations. These great achievements fully prove that socialism is built through hard work, and the New Era is achieved through struggle. Since the May Fourth Movement [2]2 The May Fourth Movement of 1919 was a patriotic, anti-imperialist, and anti-feudal movement initiated by Chinese students and intellectuals, widely regarded as the beginning of the New Democratic Revolution in China., on the journey of national rejuvenation led by the Communist Party of China, generation after generation of Chinese youth have inherited the May Fourth tradition, firmly held the ideals and convictions of communism and socialism with Chinese characteristics, taken national independence, national prosperity, and people’s happiness as their own responsibility, harbored concerns for the country and the people, loved the country and the people, bravely shouldered the heavy responsibilities of the times, integrated personal ideals and pursuits into the cause of the Party and the people, shouted the powerful voice of the times “Better to be a shattered piece of jade than a whole tile” [3]3 A classical Chinese idiom expressing a preference for honorable death over a dishonorable life., established the lofty aspiration “Willing to shed hot blood to defend our China” [4]4 A line from a poem by the Chinese Communist martyr Zhao Yiman (1905–1936)., wrote the youthful chapter “Pure love, only for China” [5]5 A phrase written by Chen Xiangrong (2001–2020), a young soldier of the People’s Liberation Army who died in a border clash with Indian troops, which became a popular slogan among Chinese youth., composed one stirring song of youth after another, and have become the vanguard fighters in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To grow into a new generation capable of shouldering the great task of national rejuvenation, contemporary youth must hold high the great banner of Marxism, heed the call of the Party and the people, establish lofty aspirations, always keep the country in mind, always think of the people everywhere, achieve “love what benefits the country, hate what harms the country” [6]6 A classical Chinese saying from the historian Sima Qian (c. 145–86 BCE)., strive to be dream chasers of great ideals and the fresh force of the great cause, and inspire youth and make contributions in realizing the “firm ideal of lifelong struggle and sincere dedication for the motherland and the people.”

新时代党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，伟大成就充分证明：社会主义是干出来的，新时代是奋斗出来的。五四运动以来，在中国共产党领导的民族复兴征程上，一代又一代中国青年继承五四传统，坚定共产主义、中国特色社会主义的理想和信念，以民族独立、国家富强、人民幸福为己任，胸怀忧国忧民之情、爱国爱民之心，勇担时代重任，把个人理想追求融入党和人民事业，喊出“宁为玉碎，勿为瓦全”的时代强音，立下“愿拼热血卫吾华”的远大志向，写下“清澈的爱，只为中国”的青春华章，谱写了一曲曲气壮山河的青春之歌，已成为实现中华民族伟大复兴的先锋战士。当代青年要成长为能够担当民族复兴大任的时代新人，就要高举马克思主义伟大旗帜，听从党和人民召唤，树立远大志向，时时胸怀国家，处处心想人民，做到“利于国者爱之，害于国者恶之”，争当伟大理想的追梦人、伟大事业的生力军，在实现“为祖国为人民永久奋斗、赤诚奉献的坚定理想”中激扬青春、建功立业。

The New Era is an era for strivers. The report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC emphasizes, “From now on, the central task of the Communist Party of China is to unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups across the country to comprehensively build a great modern socialist country, achieve the Second Centenary Goal, and comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.” The grand new blueprint drawn up by the 20th National Congress of the CPC requires the joint efforts of the entire people. “Youth are the most active and vital force in the entire social force; the hope of the country lies in youth, and the future of the nation lies in youth.” There is no doubt that the great achievements of the New Era have opened up a brighter broad road for the vast majority of young people and built a broader life stage. Young people of the New Era must adhere to the people-centered principle, firmly stand with the people, be brave to take responsibility, be good at making achievements, and humbly practice the youthful vow “Rest assured, the Party; a strong nation depends on me” on the journey of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

新时代是奋斗者的时代。党的二十大报告中强调，“从现在起，中国共产党的中心任务就是团结带领全国各族人民全面建成社会主义现代化强国、实现第二个百年奋斗目标，以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴。”党的二十大擘画的宏伟新蓝图，需要全国人民的共同努力，“青年是整个社会力量中最积极、最有生气的力量，国家的希望在青年，民族的未来在青年。”毋庸置疑，新时代取得伟大成就为广大青年开辟了更加美好的康庄大道，搭建了更为广阔的人生舞台，新时代青年必须坚持人民至上，站稳人民立场，勇于担当，善于作为，在中华民族伟大复兴征程中躬身践行“请党放心、强国有我”的青春誓言。

III. Discarding Arrogance and Indolence, Young People of the New Era Must Take Up the Baton of Willingness to Endure Hardship

三、摒弃骄娇二气，新时代青年要接过甘于吃苦的接力棒

Realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is a historical relay race, requiring generation after generation of aspiring youth to continue striving. Willingness to endure hardship is a spiritual character of the Chinese nation that is ever new over time, and an important guarantee for the Communist Party of China to move from victory to greater victory. Young people of the New Era must take up the baton of willingness to endure hardship passed on by Chinese Communists. “Young people should seek progress, actively join the Communist Youth League and the Party, and use every opportunity to temper themselves. They should be hardworking and thrifty, and ‘seek hardship for themselves.’” [7]7 A paraphrase of remarks made by Xi Jinping during his early years of rural work in Liangjiahe, Shaanxi Province. Looking back at the Party’s century-long history, from the Red Army soldiers who “took the sky as their roof, the ground as their bed, ate grass roots and gnawed tree bark, crossed snow-capped mountains and grasslands” to the aerospace personnel who are “especially capable of enduring hardship, especially capable of fighting, especially capable of tackling difficulties, and especially capable of dedication,” the excellent quality of Chinese Communists—not fearing hardship, being able to endure hardship, and being willing to endure hardship—has been passed down from generation to generation. Young people of the New Era must settle down to work hard and do solid work, actively go to places where the Party and the people need them, not fear difficulties, go to border areas with harsh conditions, the front lines of scientific and technological research, the front lines of epidemic prevention and control, etc., to temper themselves and hone their skills, treat the grassroots as a “training ground” and “whetstone,” temper their strong will, enhance their ability to struggle, improve their service level, and strive to walk well on the new era’s road of the examination [8]8 A reference to the “examination” metaphor used by Mao Zedong on the eve of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, comparing the Party’s new task of governance to sitting for a national examination..

实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦是一场历史接力赛，需要一代又一代有志青年接续奋斗。甘于吃苦是中华民族历久弥新的精神品格，是中国共产党从胜利走向更大胜利的重要保障。新时代青年要接过中国共产党人甘于吃苦的接力棒，“年轻人就应该要求进步，积极入团入党，利用一切机会锻炼自己。要艰苦朴素，要‘自找苦吃’。”回望百年党史，从“天当房、地作床，吃草根、啃树皮，翻雪山、过草地”的红军战士到“特别能吃苦、特别能战斗、特别能攻关、特别能奉献”的航天人，中国共产党人不怕苦、能吃苦、甘于吃苦的优秀品质代代传承。新时代青年要沉下身子苦干实干，主动走向党和人民需要的地方，不畏困难到条件艰苦的边疆、科技攻关的前沿、疫情防控的一线等摔打磨砺、锤炼本领，把基层当作“练兵场”“磨刀石”，锤炼坚强意志，增强斗争本领，提高服务水平，奋力走好新时代赶考路。

Only through difficulty can courage and perseverance be shown. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will definitely not be achieved by beating gongs and drums, easily and effortlessly. Realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is like ascending Mount Tai; the vast majority of young people should deeply understand General Secretary Xi Jinping’s revolutionary spirit and lofty sentiment of “seeking hardship for oneself,” discard arrogance and indolence, be confident and self-reliant, forge ahead with vigor and vitality, uphold the spirit of taking hardship as joy and hardship as honor, show the tenacity of hard work, solid work, and intensified work, with the vigor and courage of a newborn calf not fearing tigers and the more dangerous the situation, the more forward one advances, take up the baton of willingness to endure hardship in the relay race of realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, strive to run this leg well that belongs to young people, and achieve outstanding results that live up to history, the times, and the people.

惟其艰难，方显勇毅。中华民族伟大复兴，绝不是轻轻松松、敲锣打鼓就能实现的。实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦犹如泰山登顶，广大青年更应深刻领会习近平总书记“自找苦吃”的革命精神和崇高情怀，摒弃骄娇二气，自信自强，踔厉奋发，秉持以苦为乐、以苦为荣的精气神，拿出苦干、实干、加油干的坚韧劲，以初生牛犊不怕虎、越是艰险越向前的刚健勇毅，在实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的接力赛中接过甘于吃苦的接力棒、奋力跑好属于青年人的这一棒，跑出一个不负历史、不负时代、不负人民的骄人成绩。

IV. Promoting the Spirit of Struggle, Young People of the New Era Must Uphold the Family Heirloom of Hard Work and Struggle

四、弘扬奋斗精神，新时代青年要禀承艰苦奋斗的传家宝

The journey is long, and only through struggle can we advance. Hard struggle is our Party’s fine tradition and style of work; it is the heirloom with which the Party has united and led the Chinese people to press forward one after another, overcome difficulties, and achieve tremendous successes. The New Era is an era of struggle, and struggle is the bright background of youth. Young people of the New Era must cherish their dreams while being down-to-earth; they must possess the steadfast perseverance of “sitting for ten years on a cold bench” [9]9 “Sitting for ten years on a cold bench” (板凳坐得十年冷) is a Chinese idiom meaning to endure long periods of solitary, painstaking study or work without seeking immediate fame or reward., and even more the grinding struggle of “biting firmly into the green mountain and never letting go” [10]10 “Biting firmly into the green mountain and never letting go” (咬定青山不放松) is a line from a poem by the Qing dynasty painter and poet Zheng Xie (1693–1765), often used to symbolize unyielding perseverance.. They should align the coordinates of their personal growth with national development, throw their fervent youth into the great torrent of building the great motherland, write the chapter of the times with a struggling youth, and strive to make great achievements in the New Era, which is full of potential. The great achievements of the first decade of the New Era are engraved with the struggle marks of Chinese youth. In the fields, in factory workshops, at border posts, on sports arenas, at the frontiers of science and technology, amid the waves of innovation and entrepreneurship, on the battlefield of poverty alleviation, on the front line of epidemic prevention and control, and on the front of rural revitalization — in all the places where the motherland and the people need them most — they are dedicating their youth and building their achievements for the cause of the Party and the state with a spirit of hard struggle that feels that time waits for no one and that every day must be seized. They use hard struggle to empower themselves to strive to grow into new-era figures worthy of the heavy responsibility of national rejuvenation.

征途漫漫，唯有奋斗。艰苦奋斗是我们党的优良传统和作风，是党团结带领中国人民前赴后继、战胜困难、取得巨大成就的传家宝。新时代是奋斗的时代，奋斗是青春鲜亮的底色。新时代青年要怀抱梦想又脚踏实地，要有“板凳坐得十年冷”的笃定坚守，更要有“咬定青山不放松”的砥砺奋斗，把个人成长坐标与国家发展统一起来，将火热的青春投身于伟大祖国建设洪流中，以奋斗青春书写时代华章，努力在大有可为的新时代大有作为。新时代十年的伟大成就镌刻着中国青年的奋斗印记，在田间地头、工厂车间、边关哨所、运动赛场、科技前沿、创新创业浪潮、脱贫攻坚战场、疫情防控一线、乡村振兴阵地等祖国和人民最需要的地方，他们正以时不我待、只争朝夕的艰苦奋斗精神，为党和国家事业奉献青春、建功立业，用艰苦奋斗赋能努力成长为堪当民族复兴重任时代新人。

When a boat reaches mid-stream, the waves grow fiercer; when a person reaches mid-mountain, the path grows steeper. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is at a critical juncture of “climbing slopes and crossing hurdles” [11]11 “Climbing slopes and crossing hurdles” (爬坡过坎) is a common Chinese political metaphor for overcoming difficulties and obstacles in a critical period of development.. On the journey of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, there are still many “snowy mountains” and “grasslands” to cross, and many “Loushan Passes” and “Lazikou Passes” to conquer [12]12 “Snowy mountains,” “grasslands,” “Loushan Pass,” and “Lazikou Pass” refer to famous obstacles encountered by the Red Army during the Long March (1934–1935), often used metaphorically to describe difficult challenges.. Struggle creates glorious history; struggle opens up a bright future. Young people of the New Era must bravely shoulder the mission of national rejuvenation, and engage in hard struggle for the comprehensive construction of a modern socialist country and the comprehensive advancement of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Hard struggle is the foundation for building the Party and the state. Young people of the New Era must unswervingly listen to the Party’s words, feel the Party’s grace, and follow the Party. They must vigorously promote the spirit of hard struggle, always keep in mind the mission of national rejuvenation, and unswervingly work together with the entire people to hack a path through brambles and thorns and march forward courageously for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. They must act with real effort and work hard in obscurity, striving to walk well the Long March of the New Era.

船到中流浪更急，人到半山路更陡。中华民族伟大复兴正处于“爬坡过坎”的关键时期，中华民族伟大复兴征程中还有许多“雪山”“草地”要跨越，还有许多“娄山关”“腊子口”要征服，奋斗创造辉煌历史，奋斗开创美好未来，新时代青年要勇担民族复兴使命，为全面建设社会主义现代化国家、全面推进中华民族伟大复兴而艰苦奋斗。艰苦奋斗是立党立国的基础，新时代青年要坚定不移听党话、感党恩、跟党走，大力弘扬艰苦奋斗精神，时刻牢记民族复兴使命，矢志不渝地同全国人民一道为实现中华民族伟大复兴披荆斩棘、勇往直前，真抓实干、埋头苦干，奋力走好新时代长征路。

Struggle is the eternal theme of youth. Young people of the New Era are the fresh troops for the development of the cause of the Party and the state; they are both born at the right time and bear heavy responsibilities. On the new journey of the second centenary goal [13]13 The “second centenary goal” refers to the goal of building China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the centenary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 2049., and in the practice of building a Chinese-path modernization great power, the vast majority of young people must deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the Two Establishments [14]14 The Two Establishments (两个确立) refers, strengthen the Four Consciousnesses [15], firm up the Four Confidences [16], and achieve the Two Upholds [17]. They must comprehensively and deeply study and implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, hold high the great banner, keep in mind the leader’s entrustment, never forget the original aspiration and founding mission, be modest and prudent, and march forward with determination. With the spiritual realm of “achievements need not be mine” and the historical responsibility of “achievements must certainly be mine,” they must anchor themselves to the central task of the Party on the new journey, not deviate, not fall behind, and not drop out of the ranks on the new journey of comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. They must roll up their sleeves and work hard, striving to become new-era figures who can be of great use and bear heavy responsibilities, so that youth can bloom with even greater brilliance on the track of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation!

奋斗是青年永恒的主题。新时代青年是党和国家事业发展的生力军，既生逢其时，又重任在肩。在第二个百年奋斗新征程中，在中国式现代化强国建设实践中，广大青年要深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”。全面深入学习贯彻落实党的二十大精神，高举伟大旗帜，牢记领袖嘱托，不忘初心使命，谦虚谨慎、笃定前行，以“功成不必在我”的精神境界和“功成必定有我”的历史担当，锚定新征程党的中心任务，在全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的新征程中不走偏、不落伍、不掉队，撸起袖子加油干，努力成为可堪大用、能担重任的时代新人，让青春在实现中华民族伟大复兴赛道上绽放更加绚丽的光彩！

(Author bios: Jiang Dujun, Dean of the School of Marxism at Henan University of Technology, Ph.D., professor, doctoral supervisor; Wei Jinping, master’s student at the School of Marxism at Henan University of Technology.)

（作者简介：蒋笃君，河南工业大学马克思主义学院院长，博士、教授、博士生导师；魏锦萍，河南工业大学马克思主义学院硕士研究生。）

(Fund project: This article is a phased result of the Henan Province Higher Education Teaching Reform Research and Practice Project “Precision and Synergy: Optimization and Practice of the ‘Four Histories’ Education System in College Ideological and Political Courses” (2021SJGLX946).)

（基金项目：本文系河南省高等教育教学改革研究与实践项目“精准与协同：高校思政课 “四史”教育体系优化和实践”(2021SJGLX946）阶段性成果）

Online editor: Tongxin

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