The Philosophical Implications of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture

From a philosophical perspective, culture is the process and non-material achievements of all conscious, purposeful human activities. Within the purview of Marxist philosophy, culture originates from human production and life practice; the objective world constantly changes with the development of practice, and culture inevitably develops continuously with practice and the evolution of the times. Culture is essentially a manifestation of social consciousness and exerts a counteractive effect on social being. Humans are the subjects of culture, the cause and driving force of cultural creation and development. Only progressive, advanced culture can promote social and historical development, thereby being inherited and developed. Extensive interaction helps to inherit and develop advanced culture. Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture is the cultural chapter of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It takes Marxist philosophy as its theoretical foundation and possesses rich philosophical implications.

从哲学视角看，文化就是人类一切自觉的、有目的的活动的过程和非物质性成果。在马克思主义哲学视域下，文化来源于人的生产和生活实践，客观世界是随着实践的发展不断变化的，文化也必然随着实践和时代的发展不断发展；文化本质上是社会意识的体现，对社会存在具有反作用；人是文化的主体，是文化创生、发展的原因和动力；只有进步的、先进的文化才会对社会和历史发展产生推动作用，从而被传承和发展；广泛交往有助于继承和发展先进文化。习近平文化思想是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的文化篇，以马克思主义哲学为理论根基，具有丰富的哲学意蕴。

The People’s Standpoint and the People-Centered Cultural Orientation

人民立场与以人民为中心的文化导向

The fundamental standpoint of Marxism is the people’s standpoint. Marxist philosophy is the worldview foundation and methodological basis of Marxism. The starting point of its new materialist turn and revolutionary transformation is the concern for and defense of the material interests of the masses of the people. Adhering to the people-centered fundamental governing philosophy embodies the distinct stance of our Party in leading and promoting cultural construction and is the distinct theme and main thread running through the entire process of propaganda, ideology, and cultural reform and development in the New Era.

马克思主义的根本立场是人民立场。马克思主义哲学是马克思主义的世界观基础和方法论依据，它实现的新唯物主义转向和革命性变革的起点就是对人民群众物质利益的关注和维护。坚持以人民为中心的根本执政理念体现了我们党领导和推动文化建设的鲜明立场，是贯穿新时代宣传思想文化改革发展历程的鲜明主题和主线。

Cultural construction in the New Era takes meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the people as its fundamental starting point and ultimate goal. The Communist Party of China is a party that serves the people wholeheartedly. The starting point and ultimate goal of all work of the Party and the state is to realize, safeguard, and develop the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people. In cultural work, this means meeting the spiritual and cultural needs and fundamental interests of the people. After completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, spiritual and cultural needs have become particularly prominent in the hierarchy of the people’s needs; in the life-world of the people, the shaping of the spiritual world is especially urgent; in elevating the realm of the people’s life, solving the problem of spiritual impoverishment is particularly salient. Meeting the people’s spiritual and cultural needs in the New Era is a fundamental requirement for our Party to firmly uphold the Marxist people’s standpoint. General Secretary Xi Jinping especially emphasizes that to promote cultural prosperity, we must adhere to a people-centered work orientation, take meeting the people’s spiritual and cultural needs as the starting point and ultimate goal, and ensure that cultural development is for the people, relies on the people, and its fruits are shared by the people. Adhering to the people-oriented orientation in cultural work requires that “all cultural fields keep pace with the development of the times, grasp the needs of the people, and produce excellent works that the people love to see and hear with abundant passion, vivid brushstrokes, beautiful melodies, and moving images, dedicating the best spiritual nourishment to the people.”

新时代文化建设以满足人民群众精神文化需要为根本出发点和落脚点。中国共产党是全心全意为人民服务的政党，党和国家一切工作的出发点和落脚点是实现好、维护好、发展好最广大人民根本利益，而在文化工作方面，就是满足人民群众的精神文化方面的需要和根本利益。在全面建成小康社会后，在人民群众的需要层次中，精神文化需要格外强烈；在人民群众的生活世界中，精神世界的塑造格外急迫；在提升人民群众生命境界中，解决精神世界贫乏的问题格外凸显。新时代满足人民精神文化需要是我们党坚定马克思主义人民立场的根本要求。习近平总书记特别强调，推动文化繁荣，必须坚持以人民为中心的工作导向，把满足人民精神文化需求作为出发点和落脚点，做到文化发展为了人民、依靠人民、成果由人民共享。坚持文化工作的人民导向，就是要求“文化各领域都要跟上时代发展、把握人民需要，以充沛的激情、生动的笔触、优美的旋律、感人的形象创作生产出人民喜闻乐见的优秀作品，把最好的精神食粮奉献给人民”。

The people are the creators of history, both the creators of material wealth and the creators of spiritual wealth, and they are the main force in building a socialist cultural power. Adhering to a people-centered approach requires fully affirming the people’s pioneering spirit and their principal position in cultural construction, safeguarding the people’s cultural rights and interests, combining the work of propaganda, education, guidance, and service to the masses, stimulating the people’s vitality and creativity, promoting the unity of meeting the people’s cultural needs and enhancing their spiritual strength, and providing an inexhaustible source of power for cultural development.

人民群众是历史的创造者，既是物质财富的创造者，也是精神财富的创造者，是建设社会主义文化强国的主体力量。坚持以人民为中心，就要充分肯定人民群众的首创精神和在文化建设中的主体地位，要保障人民文化权益，把宣传、教育、引导和服务群众结合起来，激发人民群众的活力、创造力，促进满足人民文化需求和增强人民精神力量相统一，为文化发展提供不竭动力源泉。

Materialist Dialectics and the “Two Integrations”

唯物辩证法与“两个结合”

Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture adheres to Marxist dialectics, analyzes cultural phenomena in the New Era with dialectical thinking, seeks the driving force for cultural development, and promotes the achievement of results in building a cultural power.

习近平文化思想坚持马克思主义辩证法，以辩证思维分析新时代文化现象，寻找文化发展动力，推动文化强国建设取得成效。

Adhere to the organic unity of the “root vein” and the “soul vein.” General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “We must never abandon the soul vein of Marxism, and we must never abandon the root vein of fine traditional Chinese culture.” The process of integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture is also a process of the mutual integration and organic unity of the “soul vein” and the “root vein.” The “Two Integrations” [n1] manifest the unity of theory and practice, and of universal principles and specific cultural achievements. Among them, the basic tenets of Marxism are the general theory and fundamental principles, reflecting the universal laws of the development of human society. However, they cannot be directly applied to solve China’s specific problems; they must be integrated with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture to form more realistic and practically meaningful results of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, which can then directly guide China’s revolution, construction, reform, and development. In particular, as we comprehensively advance Chinese-path modernization and build a socialist cultural power, we must pay greater attention to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture. The former has universality, the latter has particularity; the former is the ideological guide for changing reality, the latter is the spiritual foundation tracing history; the former is based on reality and points to the future, the latter reflects history and influences the present; the former is the spiritual driving force for realizing the common ideal and the lofty ideal, the latter is the historical code for the Chinese nation to maintain its unique spiritual outlook. The two are unified in the practice of China’s reform and development in the New Era. We must use Marxist scientific theory to activate the genes of Chinese civilization, endow them with contemporary connotations, and enable them to generate contemporary power; we must use fine traditional Chinese culture to enrich the cultural life of Marxism, making it more vibrant and dynamic. Only by achieving the organic integration of the two can we form the spiritual strength and powerful driving force for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

坚持“根脉”和“魂脉”有机统一。习近平总书记强调：“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。”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过程，也是“魂脉”“根脉”相互结合、有机统一的过程。“两个结合”彰显了理论与实践、普遍原理与具体文化成果的统一关系。其中，马克思主义基本原理是一般理论、根本原则，反映了人类社会发展普遍规律，但其不能直接应用于解决中国具体问题，必须与中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，形成更具有现实性、更具有实践意义的马克思主义中国化时代化的成果，才能直接指导中国革命、建设和改革发展。特别是我们要全面推进中国式现代化，建设社会主义文化强国，要更加注重马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合，前者具有普遍性，后者具有特殊性；前者是改变现实的思想指南，后者是追溯历史的精神根基；前者立足现实、指向未来，后者反映历史、影响现在；前者是实现共同理想和远大理想的精神动力，后者是中华民族保持独特精神面貌的历史密码，二者统一在新时代中国改革发展的实践中。必须用马克思主义科学理论激活中华文明基因，赋予其时代内涵，使其产生出时代力量；必须用中华优秀传统文化充实马克思主义文化生命，使之更加鲜活、更具活力。而只有实现二者有机结合，才能形成全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的精神力量和强大动力。

The “Two Integrations” are both possible and necessary. First, why can they be integrated? The prerequisite for “integration” is mutual compatibility. Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture have different origins, but there is a high degree of compatibility between them. Second, how to integrate? The result of “integration” is mutual achievement. “Integration” is a profound “chemical reaction,” creating a new cultural life form that is organically unified. Third, the “Two Integrations” have achieved excellent results: First, they have consolidated the foundation of the path. Why is socialism with Chinese characteristics so vibrant and full of vitality? The key lies in the Chinese characteristics, the key lies in the “Two Integrations.” Second, they have opened up vast space for theoretical and practical innovation. The “Two Integrations” have enabled us to master ideological and cultural initiative and have powerfully acted upon the path, theory, and institutions. Third, they have consolidated the cultural subjectivity of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Our Party has deeply grasped the laws of cultural development in the “Two Integrations,” enhancing the consciousness and initiative of cultural construction; new achievements in cultural development and new results in civilizational development highlight the autonomy and self-activity of cultural construction; in the course of world history, in comparison with modern Western civilization, cultural confidence has been enhanced.

“两个结合”既是可能的，又是必要的。第一，为什么能结合：“结合”的前提是彼此契合。马克思主义和中华优秀传统文化来源不同，但彼此存在高度的契合性。第二，怎样结合：“结合”的结果是互相成就。“结合”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。第三，“两个结合”取得了优秀成果：一是筑牢了道路根基。中国特色社会主义为什么能够生机勃勃、充满活力？关键就在于中国特色，关键就在于“两个结合”。二是开启了广阔的理论和实践创新空间。“两个结合”让我们掌握了思想和文化主动，并有力地作用于道路、理论和制度。三是巩固了中国特色社会主义文化主体性。我们党在“两个结合”中深刻把握文化发展规律，增强了文化建设自觉性、主动性；文化发展的新成就、文明发展的新成果彰显了文化建设自主性、自为性；在世界历史进程中，在与现代西方文明比较中，提升了文化自信。

The Relative Independence of Social Consciousness and Adherence to the Party’s Cultural Leadership

社会意识独立性与坚持党的文化领导权

Culture belongs to the category of social consciousness and is the spiritual element of the social structure. Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture embodies the historical initiative spirit of the Chinese Communists and reflects cultural subjectivity.

文化属于社会意识范畴，是社会结构的精神要素。习近平文化思想蕴含着中国共产党人的历史主动精神，体现了文化主体性。

Marxist philosophy affirms that social being determines social consciousness, but it places greater emphasis on the relative independence of social consciousness, prominently manifested in the active counteractive effect of social consciousness. Through the practical activities of the people, it changes social being and promotes social progress. This is an important manifestation of human historical subjectivity. On the new journey of the New Era, to overcome various risks and challenges faced in the cultural field, achieve cultural development and security, and fully leverage the active role of social consciousness on social being and social development, we must uphold and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership over propaganda, ideology, and cultural work, firmly holding the cultural leadership in our own hands.

马克思主义哲学肯定社会存在决定社会意识，更强调社会意识具有相对独立性，突出地表现为社会意识具有能动的反作用。它通过人民群众实践活动，改变社会存在，推动社会进步。这是人的历史主体性的重要表现。新时代新征程，要战胜文化领域面临的各种风险挑战，实现文化发展与安全，充分发挥社会意识对社会存在、社会发展的能动作用，必须坚持和加强党对宣传思想文化工作的全面领导，把文化领导权牢牢掌握在自己手中。

The culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics originates from the fine traditional Chinese culture nurtured over more than 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, is forged in the revolutionary culture and advanced socialist culture created by the Party leading the people in revolution, construction and reform, and becomes the spiritual driving force for realizing the Party’s centenary goals. On the new journey of the New Era, to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects, we must give full play to the active spirit and driving role of culture. At present, we are at the critical juncture of embarking on the second centenary goal [1]1 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 middle of the 21st century, the centenary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (2049).; facing the complex situation in which various ideologies, social trends and cultural phenomena are interwoven, upholding the Party’s overall leadership is the fundamental principle and the guarantee of victory. Ideology is the core and soul of culture. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [2]2 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership., the situation in China’s ideological sphere has undergone a sweeping and fundamental transformation, but the work of ideology still faces a complex and severe situation. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “Facing the complex situation of reform, development and stability, the diversity and multiplicity of social thought and consciousness, and the profound changes in the media landscape, while concentrating our efforts on economic construction, we must not relax or weaken ideological work for a single moment; we must firmly hold in our hands the leadership, management and discursive power over ideological work, and never let it slip away at any time, otherwise we will make an irretrievable historical mistake.” Only by upholding the Party’s cultural leadership can we grasp the laws of cultural development, develop advanced socialist culture, promote revolutionary culture, and carry forward the fine traditional Chinese culture; only then can we firmly take the people’s stand, clarify the direction of ideological development, stimulate the driving force for progress, and gather historical synergy.

中国特色社会主义文化，源自于中华民族五千多年文明历史所孕育的中华优秀传统文化，熔铸于党领导人民在革命、建设、改革中创造的革命文化和社会主义先进文化，成为实现党的百年奋斗目标的精神动力。在新时代新征程中，我们要建成社会主义现代化强国，必须充分发挥文化的主动精神和推动作用。当前，我们处于开启第二个百年奋斗目标的关键节点，面对各种意识形态、社会思潮和文化现象相互交织的复杂局面，坚持党的全面领导，是根本原则和胜利的保证。意识形态是文化的核心和灵魂。党的十八大以来，我国意识形态领域形势发生全局性、根本性转变，但意识形态工作面临的形势依然复杂严峻。习近平总书记指出：“面对改革发展稳定复杂局面和社会思想意识多元多样、媒体格局深刻变化，在集中精力进行经济建设的同时，一刻也不能放松和削弱意识形态工作，必须把意识形态工作的领导权、管理权、话语权牢牢掌握在手中，任何时候都不能旁落，否则就要犯无可挽回的历史性错误。”坚持党的文化领导权，才能把握文化发展规律，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；才能坚定人民立场，明确意识形态发展方向，激发前进动力，凝聚历史合力。

World History and the Exchange and Mutual Learning of Civilizations

世界历史与文明交流互鉴

Marxist philosophy holds that the expansion of the world market has broken down the narrow boundaries of nations and regions, turning history into world history. Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture, from the perspective of world history, elucidates the exchange and mutual learning among the civilizations of different nations and puts forward China’s proposals for the future development of human civilization.

马克思主义哲学认为，世界市场的开拓打破了民族、区域的狭隘界限，使历史变为世界历史。习近平文化思想在世界历史视野下，阐释各民族文明交流互鉴，为人类文明未来发展提出了中国主张。

World history provides the precondition for the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations, and the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations provides the driving force for world history. Closure and rigidity can only interrupt civilizational intercourse; exchange and mutual learning alone can promote development and sustain civilization. History tells us that only through exchange and mutual learning can a civilization be full of vitality. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “We should promote mutual respect and harmonious coexistence among different civilizations, and make the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations a bridge of friendship among peoples of all countries, a driving force for the progress of human society, and a bond for maintaining world peace. We should seek wisdom and draw nourishment from different civilizations, provide people with spiritual support and solace, and work together to address the various challenges facing mankind.”

世界历史为文明交流互鉴提供了前提，文明交流互鉴为世界历史提供了动力。封闭僵化只会中断文明交往，交流互鉴才能促进发展、延续文明。历史告诉我们，只有交流互鉴，一种文明才能充满生命力。正如习近平总书记指出的：“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。我们应该从不同文明中寻求智慧、汲取营养，为人们提供精神支撑和心灵慰藉，携手解决人类共同面临的各种挑战。”

Constructing a Chinese discourse and Chinese narrative system. China’s reform and development have made tremendous contributions to the progress of human civilization. We must not only be able to do it, but also be able to articulate it; we must construct a Chinese discourse and Chinese narrative system, spread China’s voice, and enhance the communication power and influence of Chinese civilization. “We must clearly explain what kind of civilization and what kind of country China is.” Discourse embodies thought, standpoint and values. In civilizational intercourse and cultural exchange, we must construct a Chinese discourse and Chinese narrative system in order to hold fast to China’s standpoint and spread China’s voice. General Secretary Xi Jinping has clearly stated that we must tell the story of socialism with Chinese characteristics well, tell the story of the Chinese Dream well, tell the story of the Chinese people well, tell the story of fine Chinese culture well, and tell the story of China’s peaceful development well. Only in this way can we make a greater contribution to the development of human civilization.

构建中国话语和中国叙事体系。中国的改革发展为人类文明进步作出了巨大贡献。我们不仅要做得到，还要讲得出，要构建中国话语和中国叙事体系，传播中国声音，增强中华文明传播力影响力。“要讲清楚中国是什么样的文明和什么样的国家”。话语体现思想、立场和价值观，在文明交往、文化交流中，我们必须构建中国话语和中国叙事体系，才能坚守中国立场，传播中国声音。习近平总书记明确指出，要讲好中国特色社会主义的故事，讲好中国梦的故事，讲好中国人的故事，讲好中华优秀文化的故事，讲好中国和平发展的故事。这样才能为人类文明发展作出更大贡献。

Online editor: Paul

网络编辑：保罗