“The Two Integrations” Forge a New Cultural Life Form

When culture thrives, the nation’s fortunes thrive; when culture is strong, the nation is strong. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has, from an overall and strategic height, systematically planned and deployed work on propaganda, ideology, and culture, driving historic achievements and historic transformations in the cause of propaganda, ideology, and culture in the New Era. In particular, our Party has adhered to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the finest traditional Chinese culture, forging an organically unified new cultural life form. General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed that “the Two Integrations” are our greatest magic weapon for achieving success, called for a profound understanding of the great significance of “the Two Integrations,” and pointed out that “‘integration’ is not a ‘patchwork,’ not a simple ‘physical reaction,’ but a profound ‘chemical reaction,’” thereby elucidating the laws of motion and the resultant form of “the Two Integrations” and providing an ideological weapon and a guide to action for better shouldering the new cultural mission at a new starting point.

文化兴则国运兴，文化强则民族强。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央从全局和战略高度，对宣传思想文化工作作出系统谋划和部署，推动新时代宣传思想文化事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革。特别是我们党坚持把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，造就了一个有机统一的新的文化生命体。习近平总书记强调“两个结合”是我们取得成功的最大法宝，要求深刻理解“两个结合”的重大意义，指出“‘结合’不是‘拼盘’，不是简单的‘物理反应’，而是深刻的‘化学反应’”，阐明了“两个结合”的运动规律和成果形态，为在新的起点上更好担负起新的文化使命提供了思想武器和行动指南。

From a theoretical perspective, the formation of the new cultural life form originates from the mutual compatibility and mutual achievement of Marxism and the finest traditional Chinese culture. From a historical perspective, the new cultural life form is relevant not only to the New Era but also to the Party’s century-long struggle, and its power has been fully verified in the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. From a future-oriented perspective, as socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a New Era, better shouldering the historical mission of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation especially requires us to consolidate our cultural subjectivity and uphold our spiritual independence. Promoting the renewal and modern transformation of Chinese civilization through Marxism, and continuing to advance cultural prosperity, build a strong cultural nation, and construct the modern civilization of the Chinese nation at a new starting point, have thus become the new cultural mission of the New Era.

从学理上看，新的文化生命体的形成，源于马克思主义与中华优秀传统文化的彼此契合和互相成就。从历史上看，新的文化生命体不仅是对新时代而言的，也是对党百余年的奋斗历程而言的，其力量已经在马克思主义中国化时代化进程中得到充分验证。从未来指向上看，中国特色社会主义进入新时代，更好担负起中华民族伟大复兴的历史使命，尤其需要我们巩固文化主体性，坚守精神独立性。以马克思主义推动中华文明的生命更新和现代转型，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，也因而成为新时代新的文化使命。

Originating from the Mutual Compatibility and Mutual Achievement of Marxism and the Finest Traditional Chinese Culture

源于马克思主义与中华优秀传统文化彼此契合互相成就

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “‘The Second Integration’ makes Marxism Chinese and makes the finest traditional Chinese culture modern, making the new culture formed through ‘integration’ the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization.” This important thesis is built upon a profound summation of the historical experience of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times and a deep grasp of the laws of development of Chinese civilization, and it has a solid theoretical foundation.

习近平总书记指出：“‘第二个结合’让马克思主义成为中国的，中华优秀传统文化成为现代的，让经由‘结合’而形成的新文化成为中国式现代化的文化形态。”这一重要论断建立在对马克思主义中国化时代化历史经验的深刻总结、对中华文明发展规律的深刻把握之上，有着深厚的学理基础。

The prerequisite for “integration” is mutual compatibility. Although Marxism and the finest traditional Chinese culture have different origins, there is a high degree of compatibility between them. After Marxism was introduced into China, it was warmly welcomed by the Chinese people and ultimately took root and blossomed in Chinese soil precisely because China’s excellent historical culture, inherited over several millennia, and the values that the broad masses use daily without conscious thought share many points of convergence with Marxism in terms of philosophical thought, value pursuits, habits of thinking, and viewpoints and propositions. For example, Marxism’s pursuit of liberation for all humanity converges with the finest traditional Chinese culture’s “taking the world as one’s own responsibility”; the ideal of a communist society converges with the social ideal of a world shared by all and great harmony; the political concept of putting the people first converges with the governance thought of taking the people as the foundation of the state and governing with virtue; the view opposing the polarization of rich and poor converges with the concept of “not worrying about scarcity but about inequality”; the view that practice is the sole source of knowledge converges with the philosophical thought of seeking truth from facts and the unity of knowledge and action; and so on. All of these embody the mutual compatibility of Marxism and the finest traditional Chinese culture. Mutual compatibility also lays an important foundation for their organic integration.

“结合”的前提是彼此契合。马克思主义和中华优秀传统文化虽然来源不同，但彼此存在高度的契合性。马克思主义传入中国后，受到中国人民热烈欢迎，并最终扎根中国大地、开花结果，正是因为我国传承了几千年的优秀历史文化和广大人民日用而不觉的价值观念与马克思主义在哲学思想、价值追求、思维习惯、观点主张等方面存在诸多契合点。例如，马克思主义为全人类谋解放的追求与中华优秀传统文化中的“以天下为己任”相融通，共产主义社会理想与天下为公、天下大同的社会理想相融通，人民至上的政治观念与民为邦本、为政以德的治理思想相融通，反对贫富两极分化的观点与“不患寡而患不均”的观念相融通，实践是认识的唯一来源的观点与实事求是、知行合一的哲学思想相融通，等等。这些无不体现着马克思主义和中华优秀传统文化的相互契合。相互契合也为二者有机结合奠定了重要基础。

The result of “integration” is mutual achievement. “Integration” not only makes Marxism “Chinese” but also makes the finest traditional Chinese culture “modern.” General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “When Marxism entered China, it not only triggered a profound transformation of Chinese civilization but also went through a process of gradual Sinicization.” In every historical period of revolution, construction, and reform, our Party has always adhered to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities, using Marxism as a guide to study and resolve various major theoretical and practical issues. This historical process is also a process of using the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method to study and excavate the excellent genes of traditional Chinese culture and promote the creative transformation and innovative development of the finest traditional Chinese culture, and a process of realizing the integration of Marxism with the finest traditional Chinese culture and even their mutual achievement in practice. While profoundly changing China, Marxism has itself been integrated into Chinese civilization, and the cultural life of Marxism has thus been continuously enriched. At the same time, Chinese civilization has been able to activate its own genes through the truth-light of Marxism, thereby achieving life renewal and modern transformation.

“结合”的结果是互相成就。“结合”不仅让马克思主义成为“中国的”，而且让中华优秀传统文化成为“现代的”。习近平总书记指出：“马克思主义进入中国，既引发了中华文明深刻变革，也走过了一个逐步中国化的过程。”我们党在革命、建设、改革各个历史时期始终坚持马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，以马克思主义为指导，研究解决各种重大理论和实践问题。这一历史过程，也是一个运用马克思主义立场观点方法研究和挖掘中华传统文化优秀基因并推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展的过程，是一个在实践中实现马克思主义同中华优秀传统文化相结合乃至互相成就的过程。马克思主义在深刻改变中国的同时，自身也融入中华文明之中，马克思主义的文化生命因而不断被充实。与此同时，中华文明得以被马克思主义的真理之光激活自身的基因而实现了生命更新和现代转型。

Verified in Practice through the Process of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context and the Needs of the Times

在马克思主义中国化时代化进程中得到实践验证

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Why is our socialism different? Why can it be vigorous and full of vitality? The key lies in Chinese characteristics. The key to Chinese characteristics lies in ‘the Two Integrations.’” This tells us both that “the Two Integrations” are the necessary path for opening up and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and the greatest magic weapon for achieving success, and it clearly explains that the power of the new cultural life form forged by “the Two Integrations” has been fully verified in practice through the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

习近平总书记指出：“我们的社会主义为什么不一样？为什么能够生机勃勃、充满活力？关键就在于中国特色。中国特色的关键就在于‘两个结合’。”这既告诉我们，“两个结合”是开辟和发展中国特色社会主义的必由之路，是取得成功的最大法宝，又清楚地阐明，由“两个结合”造就的新的文化生命体，其力量已经在马克思主义中国化时代化进程中得到充分实践验证。

The Communist Party of China has led the Chinese people along a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and every step has been based on China’s specific realities and the finest traditional Chinese culture. At the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC, Comrade Mao Zedong profoundly elaborated on the issue of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, emphasizing: “To make Marxism concrete in China, so that in every one of its manifestations it acquires the necessary Chinese characteristics, that is, to apply it in accordance with China’s characteristics.” [1]1 The Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC, held in 1938, was a key meeting during the War of Resistance Against Japan where Mao Zedong’s leadership was consolidated and the principle of adapting Marxism to China’s specific conditions was formally articulated. During the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Deng Xiaoping as their main representative, made the historic decision to shift the focus of the Party and state work to economic construction and implement reform and opening up, and proposed “taking our own road and building socialism with Chinese characteristics.” As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered a New Era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to “the Two Integrations,” held fast to the “soul vein” of Marxism and the “root vein” of the finest traditional Chinese culture, established Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, formed new theoretical and practical advantages, and driven historic achievements and historic transformations in the cause of the Party and the state.

中国共产党带领中国人民走出了一条中国特色社会主义道路，每一步都是基于中国具体实际和中华优秀传统文化的。在党的六届六中全会上，毛泽东同志对马克思主义中国化问题作出深刻阐述，强调：使马克思主义在中国具体化，使之在其每一表现中带着必须有的中国的特性，即是说，按照中国的特点去应用它。改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，以邓小平同志为主要代表的中国共产党人作出把党和国家工作中心转移到经济建设上来、实行改革开放的历史性决策，提出“走自己的路，建设有中国特色的社会主义”。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚持“两个结合”，坚守马克思主义这个“魂脉”和中华优秀传统文化这个“根脉”，创立了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，形成了新的理论优势和实践优势，推动党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革。

The path of socialism with Chinese characteristics has been taken under the guidance of Marxism and has also emerged from over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization history. The new cultural life form forged by “the Two Integrations” is increasingly radiating new vitality and vigor in the new practice of building a strong cultural nation.

中国特色社会主义道路是在马克思主义指导下走出来的，也是从5000多年中华文明史中走出来的，由“两个结合”造就的新的文化生命体正在文化强国建设新的实践中日益焕发新的生机和活力。

Continuously Building the Shared Spiritual Home of the Chinese Nation

不断构筑中华民族共有精神家园

General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed: “Continuing to promote cultural prosperity, build a strong cultural nation, and construct the modern civilization of the Chinese nation at a new starting point is our new cultural mission in the New Era.” In the long river of history, Chinese civilization has erected one peak after another with its unique innovation and creation and its persistent adherence and continuity. As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a New Era, on the new journey of building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, with firm cultural consciousness and cultural confidence, starting from continuously consolidating cultural subjectivity, has proposed the new cultural mission of the New Era, pointing out the value pursuit of the new cultural life form.

习近平总书记强调：“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。”在悠远的历史长河中，中华文明以独树一帜的创新创造、一脉相承的坚持坚守，树立起一座座文明高峰。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，在强国建设、民族复兴的新征程上，以习近平同志为核心的党中央以坚定的文化自觉与文化自信，从持续巩固文化主体性出发，提出新时代新的文化使命，指明了新的文化生命体的价值追求。

General Secretary Xi Jinping has said: “Where do we come from? Where are we headed? China has reached today, and I constantly remind myself to possess such a sense of history. … China’s firm confidence in its path, confidence in its theory, and confidence in its system are essentially a cultural confidence built on the foundation of more than 5,000 years of civilizational inheritance.” [2]2 The “confidence in the path, confidence in the theory, and confidence in the system” are three of the Four Confidences (四个自信), a set of political slogans promoted by the CPC The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation must be supported by a cultural rejuvenation, and it will inevitably bring about a great development and great flourishing of culture. In the course of advancing and expanding Chinese-path modernization, we realize the mutual integration of Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture, vigorously promote the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, and gather for national rejuvenation a force that is more fundamental, deeper, and more enduring. At the same time, this requires that the practice of constructing the modern civilization of the Chinese nation endow the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization with cultural momentum and grant it civilizational bearing. In this sense, the new cultural life form forged by the Two Integrations is the most vital. It takes the more than 5,000-year civilizational history of the Chinese nation as its foundation, takes continuing to promote cultural prosperity, build a strong cultural country, and construct the modern civilization of the Chinese nation at a new starting point as its contemporary concern, possesses deep historical roots and broad practical foundations, and is aligned with the Chinese path, Chinese theory, and Chinese system, thereby enabling it to create a cultural form that matches the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

习近平总书记说：“我们从哪里来？我们走向何方？中国到了今天，我无时无刻不提醒自己，要有这样一种历史感。……中国有坚定的道路自信、理论自信、制度自信，其本质是建立在5000多年文明传承基础上的文化自信。”中华民族伟大复兴必然以文化的复兴为支撑，也必然带来文化的大发展、大繁荣。我们在推进和拓展中国式现代化的进程中实现马克思主义和中华优秀传统文化相融通，大力推动中华民族现代文明建设，为民族复兴凝聚起更基本、更深沉、更持久的力量，同时也要求以建设中华民族现代文明的实践为中国式现代化的文化形态构筑文化气象、赋予文明气度。从这个意义上说，由“两个结合”造就的新的文化生命体是最有生命力的。它以中华民族5000多年文明史为根基，以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为时代关切，具有深厚的历史渊源和广泛的现实基础，与中国道路、中国理论、中国制度相契合，从而能够创造出与中华民族伟大复兴相匹配的文化形态。

The best inheritance of history is to create new history; the greatest respect for human civilization is to create new forms of human civilization. The new cultural life form is the inevitable creation of the life renewal and modern transformation of Chinese civilization. It will inevitably, in the course of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, in the inheritance and development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and in the practical exploration of promoting the localization of foreign cultures, continuously cultivate and create socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, continue to promote cultural prosperity, build a strong cultural country, and construct the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, and continuously build the common spiritual home of the Chinese nation.

对历史最好的继承，就是创造新的历史；对人类文明最大的礼敬，就是创造人类文明新形态。新的文化生命体是中华文明生命更新和现代转型的必然创造，必将在马克思主义中国化时代化的进程中，在中华优秀传统文化的传承发展中，在促进外来文化本土化的实践探索中，不断培育和创造新时代中国特色社会主义文化，继续推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国、建设中华民族现代文明，不断构筑中华民族共有精神家园。

[The author is a specially appointed researcher of the Shandong Provincial Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and Executive Vice Dean of the School of Marxism (Weihai) at Shandong University.]

【作者系山东省习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心特约研究员、山东大学马克思主义学院（威海）常务副院长】

Online editor: Ma Jingren

网络编辑：马京仁