Deeply Grasp the Core Essence and Internal Logic of Xi Jinping’s Cultural Thought

Xi Jinping’s cultural thought is the theoretical summation of the Party’s practical experience in leading cultural construction in the New Era. It is a major achievement in adhering to the Two Integrations and advancing the theoretical innovation of Marxist cultural theory. It marks that our Party’s understanding of the laws governing socialist cultural construction has reached a new height, indicates that our Party’s historical confidence and cultural confidence have reached a new height, and provides a powerful ideological weapon and scientific guide for doing a good job in propaganda, ideology, and cultural work on the new journey of the New Era and for shouldering the cultural mission of the New Era. Xi Jinping’s cultural thought is rich in content and profound. To deeply study and grasp Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, it is necessary to deeply grasp its core essence and internal logic.

习近平文化思想是新时代党领导文化建设实践经验的理论总结，是坚持“两个结合”、推进马克思主义文化理论创新的重大成果，标志着我们党对社会主义文化建设规律的认识达到了新高度，表明我们党的历史自信、文化自信达到了新高度，为做好新时代新征程宣传思想文化工作、担负起新时代的文化使命提供了强大思想武器和科学行动指南。习近平文化思想内涵丰富、博大精深。深入学习领会习近平文化思想，需要深入把握其核心要义及其内在逻辑。

The Era Value of Fine Traditional Chinese Culture Is Further Manifested in the New Era

中华优秀传统文化的时代价值在新时代进一步彰显

General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “We have always emphasized combining the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific realities, and now we have explicitly put forward the ‘Second Integration’.” The “now” here mainly refers to the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The Chinese-path modernization construction in the New Era has further manifested the era value of fine traditional Chinese culture, and thus inherently requires combining the basic principles of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture. It can be said that without affirming the era value of fine traditional Chinese culture, it is difficult to deeply grasp the internal logic and great significance of the Second Integration.

习近平总书记指出：“我们一直强调把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，现在我们又明确提出‘第二个结合’。”这里的“现在”，主要是指中国特色社会主义新时代。新时代的中国式现代化建设，让中华优秀传统文化的时代价值进一步彰显出来，进而内在要求把马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合。可以说，没有对中华优秀传统文化时代价值的确认，就难以深入把握“第二个结合”的内在逻辑及重大意义。

In the New Era, comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation inherently requires inheriting and promoting fine traditional Chinese culture. Culture is the soul of a country and a nation; cultural fortune is linked to national fortune, and cultural lineage is connected to national lineage. Culture concerns the foundation of the state and national fortune; when culture thrives, national fortune thrives; when culture is strong, the nation is strong. The prosperity of a country and a nation is always supported by cultural prosperity. Culture can inject more proactive spiritual strength into comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation, and can build a more solid cultural foundation.

新时代，全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业，内在要求传承弘扬中华优秀传统文化。文化是一个国家、一个民族的灵魂，文运同国运相牵，文脉同国脉相连，文化关乎国本、国运，文化兴国运兴，文化强民族强。一个国家、一个民族的强盛，总是以文化兴盛为支撑。文化可以为全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业注入更为主动的精神力量，筑牢更为坚实的文化根基。

In the New Era, enriching the people’s spiritual world and strengthening the people’s spiritual strength inherently requires inheriting and promoting fine traditional Chinese culture. Chinese-path modernization is a modernization in which material civilization and cultural-ethical progress are coordinated. In the New Era, our Party is fully aware of the danger of “spiritual slackening” it faces, and places the danger of “spiritual slackening” at the top of the “Four Dangers” [1]1 The “Four Dangers” (四种危险) refers to the dangers of spiritual slackening, insufficient capacity,脱离群众 (being divorced from the masses), and passive corruption, identified by the CPC as major risks to the Party’s governance., fully illustrating the harmfulness of spiritual slackening. The ideas contained in fine traditional Chinese culture, such as benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness; gentleness, kindness, respect, frugality, forbearance; and cultivating oneself, regulating the family, governing the state, and bringing peace to all under heaven, are of great significance for constructing the spiritual world of the Chinese people in the New Era. They manifest increasingly important era value in enriching the people’s spiritual world and strengthening the people’s spiritual strength.

新时代，丰富人民精神世界、增强人民精神力量，内在要求传承弘扬中华优秀传统文化。中国式现代化是物质文明和精神文明相协调的现代化。新时代我们党充分意识到所面临的“精神懈怠”危险，并把“精神懈怠”危险置于“四种危险”之首，充分说明精神懈怠的危害性。中华优秀传统文化蕴含的仁义礼智信、温良恭俭让、修身齐家治国平天下等思想，对构建新时代中国人民精神世界具有重要意义，在丰富人民精神世界、增强人民精神力量中彰显出越来越重要的时代价值。

In the New Era, promoting peaceful development, cooperation, and mutual benefit fully highlights the global significance of fine traditional Chinese culture. Today’s world is undergoing changes unseen in a century. Fine traditional Chinese culture contains spiritual treasures such as harmonizing all nations, benefiting the whole world, great harmony under heaven, and amity and good-neighborliness, providing rich ideological resources and cultural support for promoting peaceful development, cooperation, and mutual benefit.

新时代，促进和平发展、合作共赢，充分凸显中华优秀传统文化的世界意义。当今世界正处于百年未有之大变局，中华优秀传统文化蕴含协和万邦、兼济天下、世界大同、亲仁善邻等精神财富，为促进和平发展、合作共赢提供了丰富的思想资源和文化支撑。

The “Second Integration” Opens Up a Broader Cultural Space for Future-Oriented Theoretical and Institutional Innovation

“第二个结合”让面向未来的理论和制度创新有了更广阔的文化空间

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “The ‘Second Integration’ is another ideological emancipation, allowing us to fully utilize the precious resources of fine traditional Chinese culture in a broader cultural space to explore future-oriented theoretical and institutional innovation.” The combination of the soul vein of Marxism and the root vein of fine traditional Chinese culture opens up a broader cultural space for theoretical and institutional innovation.

习近平总书记强调：“‘第二个结合’是又一次的思想解放，让我们能够在更广阔的文化空间中，充分运用中华优秀传统文化的宝贵资源，探索面向未来的理论和制度创新。”马克思主义这个魂脉和中华优秀传统文化这个根脉相结合，打开了理论和制度创新更广阔的文化空间。

The “Second Integration” enables us to master ideological and cultural initiative. “Another ideological emancipation” is mainly an ideological emancipation on how to treat fine traditional Chinese culture, Chinese civilization, and Western modernization. It strives to break the myth of “modernization = Westernization,” to break down cultural nihilism towards fine traditional Chinese culture and Chinese civilization, enabling us to deeply understand the era value of fine traditional Chinese culture, and through creative transformation and innovative development, to inherit, develop, and fully utilize the precious resources contained therein. This is an ideological emancipation in the sense of cultural outlook and civilizational outlook. Its great significance lies in helping people get rid of blind worship of and path dependence on Western modernization, in strengthening cultural confidence, and in enabling people to master ideological and cultural initiative.

“第二个结合”使我们掌握思想和文化主动。“又一次的思想解放”，主要是在如何对待中华优秀传统文化、中华文明、西方现代化问题上的思想解放，它着力破除“现代化=西方化”的迷思，破除对待中华优秀传统文化、中华文明的文化虚无主义，使我们深刻认识中华优秀传统文化的时代价值，通过创造性转化、创新性发展，传承发展并充分运用蕴含其中的宝贵资源。这是文化观和文明观意义上的思想解放，重要意义在于帮助人们摆脱对于西方现代化的盲目崇拜和路径依赖，在于坚定文化自信，使人们掌握了思想和文化主动。

The “Second Integration” helps us explore future-oriented innovation. In the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, adhering to the soul vein of Marxism and the root vein of fine traditional Chinese culture is the fundamental prerequisite for our exploration of future-oriented theoretical and institutional innovation. Adhering to the guidance of Marxism, using the scientific worldview and methodology of Marxism, deeply excavating the ideas, humanistic spirit, and moral norms contained in fine traditional Chinese culture, and promoting the new through the old in line with the requirements of the times, enriching the cultural life of Marxism, can make Marxism Chinese and make fine traditional Chinese culture modern. Future-oriented innovation advances in the direction led by the new cultural life form and the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization, advances in the direction determined by creating a new form of human civilization and seeking progress for humanity, and advances in the direction specified by consolidating the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation.

“第二个结合”有助于我们探索面向未来的创新。在推进马克思主义中国化时代化进程中，坚守马克思主义这个魂脉和中华优秀传统文化这个根脉，是我们探索面向未来的理论和制度创新的根本前提。坚持以马克思主义为指导，运用马克思主义的科学世界观和方法论，深入挖掘中华优秀传统文化蕴含的思想观念、人文精神、道德规范，并结合时代要求推陈出新，充实马克思主义的文化生命，能够让马克思主义成为中国的、让中华优秀传统文化成为现代的。面向未来的创新，朝着新的文化生命体和中国式现代化的文化形态所引领的方向推进，朝着创造人类文明新形态、为人类谋进步所确定的方向推进，朝着巩固中华民族的文化主体性所指定的方向推进。

The “Integration” Creates an Organically Unified New Cultural Life Form

“结合”造就了有机统一的新的文化生命体

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “‘Integration’ is not a ‘patchwork,’ not a simple ‘physical reaction,’ but a profound ‘chemical reaction,’ creating an organically unified new cultural life form.” In Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, the new cultural life form is an overarching and fundamental identifying concept.

习近平总书记强调：“‘结合’不是‘拼盘’，不是简单的‘物理反应’，而是深刻的‘化学反应’，造就了一个有机统一的新的文化生命体。”在习近平文化思想中，新的文化生命体是具有总体性、根本性的标识性概念。

The “new” in the new cultural life form is embodied in the dominance of the soul vein of Marxism and in the genes of the root vein of fine traditional Chinese culture. It is a new result generated by combining the basic principles of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture.

新的文化生命体之“新”，体现在马克思主义魂脉之统摄，体现在中华优秀传统文化根脉之基因，是马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合而生成的一种新成果。

The “cultural” in the new cultural life form advocates exchange and mutual learning between different cultures, advocates forming a relationship of mutual supplementation and coexistence between different cultural forms, making Chinese-path modernization a completely new form of human civilization.

新的文化生命体之“文化”，倡导不同文化之间的交流互鉴，主张在不同文化形态之间形成一种相互补充、彼此共生的关系，使中国式现代化成为一种全新的人类文明形态。

The “life” in the new cultural life form is “life” in the philosophical sense, meaning that this new cultural form grows robustly, is full of vitality, and is brimming with energy. This new cultural life form continuously achieves self-renewal through discarding the old and embracing the new, persistently promoting cultural innovation and development.

新的文化生命体之“生命”，是哲学意义上的“生命”，意味着这种新的文化形态茁壮成长、朝气蓬勃、充满活力。这一新的文化生命体在吐故纳新中不断实现自我更新，持续推动文化创新发展。

The “form” in the new cultural life form is both a systematic “whole” and a “subject” with subjectivity. As a systematic “whole,” it is based on Chinese-path modernization, with Marxism as the soul vein and fine traditional Chinese culture as the root vein; as a “subject” with subjectivity, it is distinguished from the “form” in the debate between “Western form, Chinese function” and “Chinese form, Western function,” emphasizing the new cultural life form as the subject.

新的文化生命体之“体”，既是一个系统的“整体”，也是具有主体性的“主体”。作为系统的“整体”，立足中国式现代化，以马克思主义为魂脉，以中华优秀传统文化为根脉；作为具有主体性的“主体”，区别于“西体中用”和“中体西用”之争中的“体”，强调以新的文化生命体为主体。

Grasp the Theoretical Character of Understanding the Substance and Applying It, Integrating Substance and Application

把握明体达用、体用贯通的理论品格

Xi Jinping’s cultural thought has both innovations and breakthroughs in cultural theoretical viewpoints and deployment requirements in the layout of cultural work, understanding the substance and applying it, integrating substance and application. This not only manifests the theoretical character of Xi Jinping’s cultural thought but also clarifies the great significance of deeply implementing and carrying out Xi Jinping’s cultural thought. The so-called substance mainly refers to the principle of Xi Jinping’s cultural thought; the so-called application mainly refers to guiding specific cultural work based on the principle, manifested as the use of theory and the use of practice.

习近平文化思想既有文化理论观点上的创新和突破，又有文化工作布局上的部署要求，明体达用、体用贯通。这既彰显习近平文化思想的理论品格，也明确深入贯彻落实习近平文化思想的重大意义。所谓体，主要是指习近平文化思想之理；所谓用，主要是指依据理来指导具体的文化工作，体现为理论之用和实践之用。

The theoretical utility of Xi Jinping’s cultural thought is embodied in deconstructing the “Western-centric theory,” eradicating cultural nihilism, resolving the “ancient-modern, Chinese-Western debate,” opening up the innovation space of thought and culture, and consolidating cultural subjectivity. The “Western-centric theory” adheres to a logical framework of “the East being subordinate to the West,” regarding the Western world as the “subject” and the non-Western world as the “object,” emphasizing that “the subject rules the object.” Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, by contrast, insists on integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture, taking the new cultural life form as the “subject” and “cornerstone,” achieving spiritual independence and self-reliance, consolidating the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, and stepping out of and deconstructing the “Western-centric theory.” The “ancient-modern, Chinese-Western debate” involves “ancient-modern” as a historical-temporal issue and “Chinese-Western” as a historical-spatial issue, concerning how to scientifically treat China’s fine traditional

习近平文化思想的理论之用，体现在解构“西方中心论”，破除文化虚无主义，破解“古今中西之争”，打开思想文化的创新空间，巩固文化主体性。“西方中心论”奉行“东方从属于西方”的逻辑框架，把西方世界看作“主”，把非西方世界看作“客”，强调“主统治客”。习近平文化思想则是坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合，以新的文化生命体为“主体”和“基石”，实现精神上的独立自主，巩固了中华民族的文化主体性，走出并解构了“西方中心论”。“古今中西之争”，“古今”是历史时间问题，“中西”是历史空间问题，涉及如何科学对待中华优秀传统文化和西方文化。习近平文化思想运用马克思主义立场观点方法，对中华优秀传统文化进行创造性转化、创新性发展，使其古为今用，破除了文化虚无主义，着力破解“古今”问题；立足中国式现代化，注重巩固中华民族的文化主体性，着力破解“中西”问题。

The practical application of Xi Jinping’s cultural thought is embodied in using a unique cultural form to lay a profound cultural foundation for comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong country and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, to provide rich cultural nourishment for enriching the people’s spiritual world and strengthening their spiritual strength, and to offer substantial cultural support for promoting peaceful development and win-win cooperation.

习近平文化思想的实践之用，体现在以独特的文化形态为全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业奠定深厚文化根基，为丰富人民精神世界、增强人民精神力量提供厚重文化滋养，为促进和平发展、合作共赢提供丰厚文化支撑。

Shouldering the Cultural Mission of the New Era

担负新时代的文化使命

General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward the cultural mission of the New Era, proposing to “continue to promote cultural prosperity and build a strong cultural country at a new starting point,” and emphasizing the need to “jointly create a new culture that belongs to our era.” This fully demonstrates our Party’s sense of historical mission, marking the cultural coordinates and anchoring the civilizational direction for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

习近平总书记提出新时代的文化使命，提出“在新的起点上继续推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国”，强调要“共同努力创造属于我们这个时代的新文化”，充分彰显了我们党的历史使命感，为中华民族伟大复兴标示了文化坐标、锚定了文明航向。

To shoulder the cultural mission of the New Era, it is necessary to do a good job in propaganda, ideology, and cultural work on the new journey of the New Era. This is the foundation and prerequisite, with the goal of promoting cultural prosperity and building a strong cultural country.

担负起新时代的文化使命，必须做好新时代新征程宣传思想文化工作，这是基础和前提，目标是推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国。

Promoting cultural prosperity addresses culture at the level of “prosperity,” concerning the spiritual and cultural life of the broad masses of the people. It is the foundation for building a strong cultural country. Without cultural prosperity, a strong cultural country cannot be built; without the guiding role of the goal of building a strong cultural country, promoting cultural prosperity will lose its direction.

推动文化繁荣是在“繁荣”层面谈文化，关乎广大人民群众精神文化生活，它是建设文化强国的基础。没有文化繁荣，就建不成文化强国；没有建设文化强国的目标导向作用，推动文化繁荣就会迷失方向。

Building a strong cultural country addresses culture at the level of “strength.” Culture is an important component of a country’s soft power. A country’s cultural strength not only affects its international status and influence but also relates to the long-term stability of the country and the people’s good life. To build a strong cultural country, it is necessary to vigorously develop advanced socialist culture, promote revolutionary culture, and inherit fine traditional Chinese culture.

建设文化强国是在“强国”层面谈文化。文化是国家软实力的重要组成部分，一个国家的文化实力不仅关系国家的国际地位和影响力，而且关系国家长治久安和人民美好生活。建设文化强国，就要大力发展社会主义先进文化、弘扬革命文化、传承中华优秀传统文化。

Continuously Consolidating Cultural Subjectivity

不断巩固文化主体性

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Cultural confidence comes from our cultural subjectivity.” Cultural subjectivity reflects a nation’s and a country’s conscious awareness of its own culture and its proactive spirit of cultural innovation and creation. The “Integration” [2]2 The “Integration” (结合) refers to the “Two Integrations” (两个结合), a key theoretical concept proposed by Xi Jinping: the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture. has consolidated cultural subjectivity, and the establishment of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the most powerful manifestation of this cultural subjectivity.

习近平总书记指出：“文化自信就来自我们的文化主体性。”文化主体性反映了一个国家和民族对自身文化的自觉意识和进行文化创新创造的主动精神。“结合”巩固了文化主体性，创立习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想就是这一文化主体性的最有力体现。

Consolidating cultural subjectivity requires adhering to the Party’s cultural leadership. The Party’s cultural leadership is mainly reflected in its leadership, management, and discursive power over ideological work, which inherently requires implementing Party leadership in all aspects and throughout the entire process of building socialism with Chinese characteristics in culture. To consolidate cultural subjectivity, it is necessary to adhere to the Party’s cultural leadership. Once the Party has mastered cultural leadership, it will have a powerful cultural force to lead the times, and cultural confidence will have a fundamental support. Adhering to the Party’s cultural leadership requires upholding the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological domain, and must be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, providing a strong political guarantee for shouldering the cultural mission of the New Era.

巩固文化主体性要坚持党的文化领导权。党的文化领导权主要体现为对意识形态工作的领导权、管理权、话语权，内在要求把党的领导落实到中国特色社会主义文化建设的各方面和全过程。巩固文化主体性，必须坚持党的文化领导权。党掌握了文化领导权，就有了引领时代的强大文化力量，文化自信就有了根本依托。坚持党的文化领导权，必须坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位，必须坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，为担负起新时代的文化使命提供坚强政治保证。

Consolidating cultural subjectivity requires focusing on “breaking.” Since the West initiated modernization and led world modernization, it has constructed a logical framework of “the East being subordinate to the West.” On the one hand, it has drawn countries around the world into this framework; on the other hand, it has narrowed, fixed, and stereotyped modernization using the institutional models, values, and ideologies of Western modernization, leading many countries to mechanically imitate and blindly worship Western modernization. This erroneous perception has also influenced some people within our country, who consciously or unconsciously seek to imitate the Western modernization model, lacking cultural confidence. Only by thoroughly breaking this erroneous perception and escaping the rut of “Western-centrism” can we continuously consolidate the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. To this end, it is necessary to deeply study and implement Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, base ourselves on the theory and practice of Chinese-path modernization, use Chinese principles to summarize Chinese experience well, elevate Chinese experience into Chinese theory, neither blindly follow various dogmas nor copy foreign theories, and truly achieve spiritual independence and autonomy.

巩固文化主体性要注重“破”。自西方开启现代化并引领世界现代化后，便建构起“东方从属于西方”的逻辑框架，一方面，把世界各国卷入其中，另一方面，用西方现代化的制度模式、价值观念、意识形态等把现代化狭义化、固定化、刻板化，导致不少国家对西方现代化机械模仿、盲目崇拜。这种错误认知对我国国内一些人也产生了影响，他们自觉不自觉地想要模仿西方现代化模式，缺乏文化自信。只有彻底破除这种错误认知，跳出“西方中心论”的窠臼，才能不断巩固中华民族的文化主体性。为此，要深入学习贯彻习近平文化思想，立足中国式现代化理论和实践，用中国道理总结好中国经验，把中国经验提升为中国理论，既不盲从各种教条，也不照搬外国理论，真正实现精神上的独立自主。

Consolidating cultural subjectivity requires focusing on “establishing,” which means basing ourselves on advancing Chinese-path modernization. On the basis of long-term exploration and practice since the founding of New China, especially since reform and opening up, and through theoretical and practical innovations since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party has successfully advanced and expanded Chinese-path modernization. Chinese-path modernization has broken through “Western-centrism,” providing a practical foundation for creating a new cultural life form, and is the foothold for constructing an independent knowledge system of China. A new cultural life form is one with vigorous vitality and strong creativity. Only by continuously enriching the new cultural life form on the basis of the practice of Chinese-path modernization and constructing an independent knowledge system of China can we continuously consolidate the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation.

巩固文化主体性要注重“立”，就是立足于推进中国式现代化。在新中国成立特别是改革开放以来长期探索和实践基础上，经过党的十八大以来在理论和实践上的创新突破，我们党成功推进和拓展了中国式现代化。中国式现代化突破了“西方中心论”，为造就新的文化生命体提供了实践基础，是建构中国自主的知识体系的立足点。新的文化生命体是具有旺盛生命力和强大创造力的生命体。只有在中国式现代化实践基础上不断丰富新的文化生命体，建构中国自主的知识体系，才能不断巩固中华民族的文化主体性。

(The author is a Distinguished Research Fellow of the Beijing Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era)

（作者为北京市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）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧