Deeply Understanding the Practical Logic of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is the theoretical summation of the Party’s practical experience in leading cultural construction in the New Era, and is the scientific worldview and methodology guiding China’s socialist cultural construction. It is of great significance for inheriting and developing the Marxist view of culture, interpreting and promoting the fine traditional Chinese culture, and advancing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture contains both innovations in cultural theory and breakthroughs in cultural practice, running through the practical logic of “understanding the substance to realize its application, integrating substance and application” [1]1 “明体达用，体用贯通” (míng tǐ dá yòng, tǐ yòng guàn tōng): A classical Chinese philosophical formulation, originally from the Song dynasty, meaning to understand the fundamental principles (体, tǐ) and to apply them in practice (用, yòng), achieving a thorough integration of the two. Here it is used to characterize the practical logic of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture., achieving the dialectical unity of theory and practice, of epistemology and methodology. It is the fundamental guide for leading cultural construction in the New Era.

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，是指导我国社会主义文化建设的科学世界观和方法论，对继承与发展马克思主义文化观，阐释和弘扬中华优秀传统文化，助推马克思主义中国化时代化具有重要意义。习近平文化思想既有文化理论方面的创新，又有文化实践上的突破，贯穿“明体达用、体用贯通”的实践逻辑，实现理论与实践、认识论与方法论的辩证统一，是引领新时代文化建设的根本指南。

“Understanding the substance to realize its application, integrating substance and application” requires guiding practice with theory and enriching theory through practice. “Substance” is the correct theoretical system; “application” is practice. “Understanding the substance” means discerning the correct direction of theory; “realizing its application” means guiding practice with the correct theoretical system. Marx’s dialectical materialism holds that matter and consciousness are a unity of opposites; their opposition arises from practice and is ultimately unified in practice. “Material productive labor” is the most basic form of practice, which determines that theoretical thinking cannot transcend life practice; it both guides practice and is interdependent with practice. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “To develop socialism with Chinese characteristics on the foundation of more than 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, it is a necessary path to combine the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture.” [2]2 “体” (tǐ): In Chinese philosophy, “体” refers to the fundamental substance, essence, or principle, as opposed to “用” (yòng), its function or application. In this context, it means that Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture is the foundational theoretical system that guides practice. The combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities profoundly reveals the truth of the dialectical unity and mutual reinforcement of matter and consciousness, of practice and theory. “Marxism is the fundamental guiding ideology for building our Party and our country, and it is the soul and banner of our Party.” [3]3 “Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture” (习近平文化思想) refers to the cultural dimension of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, formally articulated at the National Conference on Propaganda and Cultural Work in October 2023. It emphasizes the integration of Marxist principles with China’s traditional culture and the leadership of the CPC in cultural-ethical progress. The October Revolution brought Marxism-Leninism to China with a single cannon shot. [4] Marxism not only changed the theoretical orientation of modern China’s struggle for national salvation, enabling China’s revolutionaries to find a revolutionary path suited to national conditions, but also propelled the modernization process of New China’s construction. History and reality tell us that “the reason why the Communist Party of China can succeed and why socialism with Chinese characteristics works is, in the final analysis, that Marxism works, and that Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times works.” [5] The key to why Marxism works lies in the fact that Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times endows Marxism with a practical foundation and theoretical annotations. In the New Era, to uphold and promote Marxism, we must base ourselves on the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era and further promote the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the Marxism of contemporary China and the Marxism of the twenty-first century. We must firmly grasp this foundation, understand the big picture, recognize the overall situation, and make new achievements

“明体达用、体用贯通”要求以理论指导实践，以实践丰富理论。“体”就是正确的理论体系，“用”就是实践。“明体”就是甄别理论的正确方向，“达用”就是以正确的理论体系指导实践。马克思辩证唯物主义认为物质和意识是对立统一的，物质和意识的对立产生于实践，又最终在实践中实现统一。“物质生产劳动”就是最基本的实践，这就决定理论思维不能超越生活实践，它既指导实践又与实践相依相存。习近平总书记指出：“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。”马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，深刻揭示了物质与意识、实践与理论辩证统一、相辅相成的真理光辉。“马克思主义是我们立党立国的根本指导思想，是我们党的灵魂和旗帜。”十月革命一声炮响送来了马克思列宁主义，马克思主义不仅改变了近代中国救亡图存的理论取向，促使中国的革命者们找到了适合国情的革命道路，也推动了新中国建设的现代化进程。历史和现实告诉我们“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”。马克思主义为什么行，重点在于中国化时代化的马克思主义赋予了马克思主义实践根基和理论注脚。在新时代，我们要坚持弘扬马克思主义，就要立足新时代中国特色社会主义伟大实践，进一步推动马克思主义中国化时代化。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想就是当代中国的马克思主义、二十一世纪的马克思主义，我们要牢牢抓住这个根本，明大体、识大局、拓新功，用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想指引建设实践，并用实际行动丰富习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的理论注脚。具体到文化建设领域，就是要用习近平文化思想指导文化建设实践，牢牢把握社会主义文化建设的正确方向，在文化建设领域建功立业，实现习近平文化思想的宏伟蓝图。

“Understanding the substance and achieving its application, with substance and application interlinked” requires both adhering to the Party’s comprehensive leadership over cultural development and upholding the people-centered fundamental purpose. “Substance” (ti) is the foundation, and “application” (yong) is the goal. “Understanding the substance” means grasping the foundation, and “achieving its application” means realizing the goal. The core of grasping the foundation lies in upholding integrity (shouzheng). General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Upholding integrity means upholding the fundamental institution of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain, upholding the fundamental requirements of the ‘Two Integrations,’ and upholding the Chinese Communist Party’s cultural leadership and the Chinese nation’s cultural subjectivity.” [1]1 “明体达用，体用贯通” (míng tǐ dá yòng, tǐ yòng guàn tōng): A classical Chinese philosophical formulation, originally from the Song dynasty, meaning to understand the fundamental principles (体, tǐ) and to apply them in practice (用, yòng), achieving a thorough integration of the two. Here it is used to characterize the practical logic of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture. Cultural development, in particular, is a key link in realizing Chinese-path modernization and building Chinese civilization. For cultural development, upholding integrity ensures that we do not lose ourselves or lose our direction. The primary prerequisite for cultural development is to raise the banner and set the course; the Chinese Communist Party is the standard-bearer. The Chinese Communist Party has always attached great importance to culture; it is both an active leader and practitioner of China’s advanced culture and a faithful inheritor and promoter of China’s fine traditional culture. The Chinese Communist Party always stands at the forefront of the times, taking “building a national, scientific, and mass-oriented new culture of the Chinese nation” as its mission, consciously assuming the political and leadership responsibilities for propaganda, ideology, and cultural work, leading the people in advancing cultural upholding of integrity and innovation through practical creation, and continuously forging new brilliance in Chinese culture. Adhering to the Party’s comprehensive leadership over cultural development means adhering to the forward direction of China’s advanced culture. At the same time, raising the banner is even more about gathering the people’s hearts and cultivating a new generation. The fundamental purpose of the Chinese Communist Party is to serve the people wholeheartedly. The goal of the Chinese Communist Party’s leadership over cultural development is to be “people-centered,” to promote the coordinated development of cultural-ethical progress and material civilization, and to realize the people’s aspirations for a better life. By actively promoting core socialist values, we achieve the transformation of people through culture and the education of people through culture, comprehensively enhancing the people’s spiritual quality. At the same time, we stimulate the creative vitality of the masses, ask the people about their needs, ask the people for their advice, and fully rely on the people to jointly create new brilliance in socialist culture in the New Era.

“明体达用、体用贯通”要求既坚持党对文化建设的全面领导，又坚持以人民为中心的根本宗旨。“体”就是根本，“用”就是目标。“明体”就是要抓住根本，“达用”就是要实现目标。抓住根本的核心就是要守正，习近平总书记指出：“守正，守的是马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位的根本制度，守的是‘两个结合’的根本要求，守的是中国共产党的文化领导权和中华民族的文化主体性。”尤其文化建设是实现中国式现代化、建设中华文明的关键一环，对文化建设来说，守正才能不迷失自我、不迷失方向。文化建设的首要前提就是要举旗定向，中国共产党就是那个旗手。中国共产党历来高度重视文化，既是中国先进文化的积极引领者和践行者，又是中华优秀传统文化的忠实传承者和弘扬者。中国共产党始终站在时代前沿，把“建设民族的科学的大众的中华民族新文化”作为自己的使命，自觉担负起宣传思想文化工作的政治责任和领导责任，领导人民在实践创造中推进文化守正创新，不断铸就中华文化新辉煌。坚持党对文化建设的全面领导，就是坚持中国先进文化的前进方向。同时，举旗帜更是为了聚民心、育新人。中国共产党的根本宗旨是全心全意为人民服务，中国共产党领导文化建设的目标就是以“人民为中心”，促进精神文明和物质文明协调发展，实现人民群众对美好生活的向往。通过积极宣传社会主义核心价值观，做到以文化人、以文育人，全面提升人民的精神素养。同时，激发人民群众的创造力，问需于民，问计于民，充分依靠人民共同创造新时代社会主义文化新辉煌。

“Understanding the substance and achieving its application, with substance and application interlinked” requires adhering to China’s fine traditional culture and promoting upholding integrity and innovation in socialist cultural development. “Substance” is the root source, and “application” is the manifestation. “Understanding the substance” means clearly recognizing the root source on which one stands, and “achieving its application” means carrying it forward and expanding it. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “The major proposition of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times itself determines that we must never abandon the soul of Marxism, and must never abandon the root of China’s fine traditional culture.” [2]2 “体” (tǐ): In Chinese philosophy, “体” refers to the fundamental substance, essence, or principle, as opposed to “用” (yòng), its function or application. In this context, it means that Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture is the foundational theoretical system that guides practice. For socialist cultural development, adhering to China’s fine traditional culture is the root source on which we rely, and it is also the foundation for fully realizing the “Second Integration.” Promoting the inheritance and development of China’s fine traditional culture has always been a major goal of socialist cultural development in the New Era. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has accurately grasped the trend

“明体达用、体用贯通”要求坚守中华优秀传统文化，促进社会主义文化建设守正创新。“体”就是本源，“用”就是体现。“明体”就是清醒认识自身立足的本源，“达用”就是将其发扬光大。习近平总书记指出：“马克思主义中国化时代化这个重大命题本身就决定，我们决不能抛弃马克思主义这个魂脉，决不能抛弃中华优秀传统文化这个根脉。”对社会主义文化建设而言，坚守中华优秀传统文化就是我们依托的本源，也是促进“第二个结合”充分实现的根基。推动中华优秀传统文化传承发展一直都是新时代社会主义文化建设的重大目标。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记准确把握世界范围内思想文化相互激荡、国内社会思想观念深刻变化的趋势，围绕新时代社会主义文化建设提出一系列新思想新观点新论断，构成了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的文化篇，形成了习近平文化思想。习近平文化思想围绕“什么是新时代社会主义文化建设”“为什么要加强新时代社会主义文化建设”“怎样加强新时代社会主义文化建设”等一系列重大问题，聚焦“着力加强党对宣传思想文化工作的领导，着力建设具有强大凝聚力和引领力的社会主义意识形态，着力培育和践行社会主义核心价值观，着力提升新闻舆论传播力引导力影响力公信力，着力赓续中华文脉、推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化和创新性发展，着力推动文化事业和文化产业繁荣发展，着力加强国际传播能力建设、促进文明交流互鉴”，为继承弘扬中华优秀传统文化、推动社会主义文化建设擘画了宏伟蓝图。习近平文化思想必将进一步激发全民族文化创新创造的活力，巩固团结奋斗的共同思想基础，提升国家文化软实力和中华文化影响力，为全面建设文化强国、全面推进中华民族伟大复兴提供坚强的思想保证和强大的精神力量。

We must deeply understand the practical logic of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture, which is “to understand the fundamental principles and apply them in practice, integrating the fundamental principles with their application” [1]1 “明体达用，体用贯通” (míng tǐ dá yòng, tǐ yòng guàn tōng): A classical Chinese philosophical formulation, originally from the Song dynasty, meaning to understand the fundamental principles (体, tǐ) and to apply them in practice (用, yòng), achieving a thorough integration of the two. Here it is used to characterize the practical logic of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture., and grasp that Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture originates from the socialist cultural practice of the New Era, thereby better guiding the value orientation of cultural practice. We must clarify that Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture serves as the fundamental “body” [2]2 “体” (tǐ): In Chinese philosophy, “体” refers to the fundamental substance, essence, or principle, as opposed to “用” (yòng), its function or application. In this context, it means that Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture is the foundational theoretical system that guides practice.; on the basis of fully studying and applying Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture, we must devote all our efforts to socialist cultural practice and strive to realize the grand goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

我们要深刻理解习近平文化思想“明体达用，体用贯通”的实践逻辑，把握习近平文化思想来源于新时代社会主义文化实践，从而更好地指引文化实践的价值导向。我们要明确习近平文化思想作为“体”这个根本，在充分学习运用习近平文化思想的基础上，全力投入社会主义文化实践，奋力实现中华民族伟大复兴的宏伟目标。

(The authors are researchers at the Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in Chongqing and the Institute of Literature and History of the Chongqing Academy of Social Sciences; and the Director of the Institute of Literature of the Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences.)

（作者系重庆市中国特色社会主义理论体系研究中心、重庆社会科学院文史研究所研究员；四川省社会科学院文学研究所所长）

Online Editor: Huihui

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