Examining the Historical Formation and Eternal Value of Revolutionary Culture through the Lens of the “Two Integrations”

Theoretical innovation is a precious quality of Marxism and a fine tradition of the Communist Party of China. The essence of our Party’s adherence to theoretical innovation lies in integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby forming Marxism that has been adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. In his speech at the ceremony marking the centenary of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping put forward the major thesis of “upholding the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Speech at a Conference Commemorating the 120th Anniversary of the Birth of Comrade Mao Zedong” (26 December 2013). The “Two Integrations,” with a high degree of historical consciousness and cultural confidence, summarize the successful experience of the Communist Party of China in its century-long struggle, enrich the ideological connotation of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and open up a new realm of contemporary Chinese Marxism.

理论创新是马克思主义的宝贵品质，也是中国共产党的优良传统。我们党坚持理论创新的实质在于将马克思主义基本原理与中国具体实际、与中华优秀传统文化相结合，从而形成中国化时代化的马克思主义。在庆祝中国共产党成立100周年大会上的讲话中，习近平提出“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”重大论断。“两个结合”以高度的历史自觉和文化自信总结了中国共产党百年奋斗的成功经验，丰富了马克思主义中国化时代化的思想内涵，开辟了当代中国马克思主义新境界。

Revolutionary culture is the sum total of material culture, spiritual culture, and institutional culture created by our Party, uniting and leading the broad masses of the people, in the process of applying Marxism to solve China’s problems. For a long time, academia has conducted extensive research on the basic theory, development process, content forms, and other issues of revolutionary culture, yielding rich research results. On this basis, from the perspective of the Two Integrations, we can further study the historical formation and contemporary value of revolutionary culture. Under the guidance of Marxism, revolutionary culture inherits the fine traditional Chinese culture, is generated from the specific realities of the Chinese revolution, and is a cultural innovation achievement of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Therefore, examining the historical formation of revolutionary culture and its historical contribution to the Sinicization of Marxism from the perspective of the “Two Integrations” is of great significance for advancing the building of a culturally strong country.

革命文化是我们党团结带领广大人民，运用马克思主义在解决中国问题过程中创造出的物质文化、精神文化、制度文化的总和。长期以来，学界围绕革命文化的基本理论、发展历程、内容形态等问题做了大量研究，形成丰富研究成果，可以在此基础上，从两个结合视域出发，进一步研究革命文化的历史生成与时代价值。革命文化在马克思主义指引下，继承中华优秀传统文化，生成于中国革命具体实际，是马克思主义中国化时代化的文化创新成果。因此，以“两个结合”的视域考察革命文化的历史生成及其对马克思主义中国化的历史贡献，对于推进文化强国建设具有重要意义。

I. Revolutionary Culture Is Generated in the Historical Process of the “Two Integrations”

一、革命文化生成于“两个结合”的历史进程

After the Opium War, with the invasion of Western powers, old China gradually degenerated into a colonial and semi-colonial society

鸦片战争后，随着西方列强入侵，旧中国逐步沦为殖民地半殖民地社会，逐渐丧失作为独立文化主体的尊严和地位。毛泽东所写“东海有岛夷，北山尽仇怨”，“全国各地，压迫太甚”，形象表现出近代中国面临的国内外形势。方志敏的散文《可爱的中国》、蒋光慈的诗歌《哀中国》，用切身经历和情感体验，揭露了帝国主义侵略和旧社会制度的腐败。“中国往何处去”成为时代中心问题，无数仁人志士为探索救国救民的变革主张前赴后继。改良主义、自由主义、社会达尔文主义、无政府主义、工团主义等各种理论和思潮风行一时，但都无法应对和解决中国现实问题。欲改变中国积贫羸弱的现状、实现中华民族伟大复兴，就需要建立一个先进领导集体、找到一套科学理论，形成新的政治力量和经济力量，培育和生成支撑民族独立与复兴的崭新文化形态。毛泽东指出：“人的正确思想是从哪里来的？是从天上掉下来的吗？不是。是自己头脑里固有的吗？不是。人的正确思想，只能从社会实践中来，只能从社会的生产斗争、阶级斗争和科学实验这三项实践中来。”经过对各种思想及流派的反复实践和考察，马克思主义逐渐成为主流思想而被广泛接受。革命文化，正是马克思主义基本原理运用于中国具体实际，充分吸纳中华优秀传统文化而形成的文化形态。

(I) The Entry of Marxism-Leninism into China Promotes the Germination of Revolutionary Culture

（一）马克思列宁主义进入中国推动革命文化萌发

The salvo of the October Revolution sent Marxism-Leninism to China. Progressive Chinese intellectuals successively came to recognize that Marxism explained the fundamental reason for China's reduction to a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, exposed the darkness of the multiple oppressions—feudalism, bureaucratic capitalism, and imperialism—suffered by the Chinese laboring masses, and pointed out the direction for the people to achieve freedom and liberation. In his poem "At the Rainy Arashiyama," Zhou Enlai expressed his joy at discovering the revolutionary truth of Marxism through the line "a ray of sunlight pierces through the clouds, growing ever more brilliant." Zhang Wentian's "Morning by the West Lake" and Li Dazhao's "The Victory of Bolshevism" similarly conveyed a welcome for Marxism and an anticipation for the founding of the Chinese Communist Party. Thereafter, the number of publications propagating Marxism increased daily, greatly promoting the germination of revolutionary culture. A group of democratic revolutionaries and progressive intellectuals gradually grew into Marxists and actively participated in the founding of the CPC and social revolution. With the influence and assistance of Soviet Russia, the CPC emerged as the times required. Taking Marxism-Leninism as its theoretical weapon, the CPC united and led the broad masses in revolutionary activities, possessing a worldview and methodology for struggling against all reactionary forces, and taking the realization of communism as its goal of struggle. It painted an ideal picture for the Chinese people, fundamentally changed the Chinese revolution from its organizational strength to its theoretical guidance, and filled the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with hope.

十月革命一声炮响为中国送来马克思列宁主义，中国进步知识分子相继认识到马克思主义阐释了中国沦为半殖民地半封建社会的根本原因，揭露了中国劳苦大众遭受封建主义、官僚资本主义、帝国主义等多重压迫的黑暗，指明了人民实现自由解放的方向。周恩来在《雨中岚山》中通过“一线阳光穿云出，愈见姣妍”，抒发了找到马克思主义革命真理的喜悦心情。张闻天的《西湖滨的早晨》、李大钊的《布尔什维主义的胜利》，同样流露出对马克思主义的欢迎和对成立中国共产党的期盼。此后，宣传马克思主义的刊物日益增多，极大促进革命文化萌发。一批民主主义革命者和先进知识分子逐渐成长为马克思主义者，并积极投身中国共产党的创建及社会革命。在苏维埃俄国影响和帮助下，中国共产党应运而生。中国共产党以马克思列宁主义为理论武器，团结带领广大人民进行革命活动，具备同一切反动势力进行斗争的世界观和方法论，并以实现共产主义为奋斗目标，为中国人民绘就了一幅理想图景，使中国革命从组织力量到理论指导发生了根本改变，也使中华民族伟大复兴充满希望。

From the very beginning of the CPC's founding, its members expressed the understanding that Marxism must be integrated with China's concrete realities. In August 1919, Li Dazhao emphasized: "For a socialist to make his doctrine have some influence in the world, he must study how to apply his ideal as much as possible to the actual circumstances surrounding him." At the end of 1920, Yun Daiying wrote: "Our task is to seek a policy that suits the national conditions and is also in line with communism." Guided by this simple view of practice, our Party achieved remarkable results in spreading Marxism, organizing the urban workers' movement, establishing rural base areas, and strengthening the Party's own construction. For example, it clearly put forward the slogans "Down with imperialism" and "Down with feudal warlords," reflecting thorough revolutionary character. Formulating a scientific Party program was an important element of Marxist political party theory. Based on its understanding of Marxism and its grasp of China's national conditions, our Party relatively completely proposed a revolutionary program: "Eliminate civil strife, overthrow warlords, and build domestic peace"; "Overthrow the oppression of international imperialism and achieve the complete independence of the Chinese nation"; "Unify China proper into a truly democratic republic"; and "Establish a political dictatorship of workers and peasants, eradicate the system of private property, and gradually reach a communist society."

中国共产党成立伊始，中国共产党人就表达出马克思主义须同中国具体实际相结合的认识。1919年8月，李大钊强调：“一个社会主义者，为使他的主义在世界上发生一些影响，必须要研究怎么可以把他的理想尽量应用于环绕着他的实境。”1920年底，恽代英写道：“我们的任务，在寻求一个适合国情，而又合于共产主义的方针来。”在这种朴素的实践观指导下，我们党在传播马克思主义、组织城市工人运动、创建农村根据地、加强党的自身建设等方面，取得了显著成效，如明确提出“打倒帝国主义”“打倒封建军阀”的口号，体现出彻底的革命性。制定科学的党纲，是马克思主义政党学说一项重要内容。基于对马克思主义的理解和对中国国情的认识，我们党比较完整地提出革命纲领：“消除内乱，打倒军阀，建设国内和平”“推翻国际帝国主义的压迫，达到中华民族完全独立”“统一中国本部为真正民主共和国”“建立劳农专政的政治，铲除私有财产制度，渐次达到一个共产主义的社会”。

(II) Revolutionary Culture Develops Alongside the "Two Integrations"

（二）革命文化伴随“两个结合”而发展

For Marxism to play its great role in liberating humanity and transforming the world, it must be integrated with the concrete realities of each nation and country, and with the excellent traditional cultures of each nation. Mao Zedong clearly pointed out: "The great power of Marxism-Leninism lies precisely in its connection with the concrete revolutionary practice of each country."

马克思主义要发挥解放人类、改造世界的伟大作用，必须同各民族、各国家的具体实际、与各民族优秀传统文化结合起来。毛泽东明确指出：“马克思列宁主义的伟大力量，就在于它是和各个国家具体的革命实践相联系的。”

Historically speaking, from the lessons and experiences of the failure in leading the "three armed uprisings,"[1]1 Xi Jinping, “Speech at a Conference Commemorating the 120th Anniversary of the Birth of Comrade Mao Zedong” (26 December 2013). the Chinese Communists deeply realized that it was necessary to integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with the concrete realities of the Chinese revolution, to blaze a new path for the Chinese revolution, and to advance the practice of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. To set the Chinese revolution on the right track, Mao Zedong repeatedly studied classic texts, summarized the experience of the Russian revolution, and conducted in-depth investigations into the peasant movement in places such as Xiangxiang, Xiangtan, Hengshan, Liling, and Changsha, writing the "Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan," which provided a scientific rationale for understandings such as "encircling the cities from the countryside" and "carrying out the peasant movement." Mao Zedong gradually came to recognize that the Chinese revolution must proceed from China's specific national conditions; "to discuss Marxism apart from China's characteristics is merely abstract, empty Marxism," and he particularly emphasized that Marxist theory must be integrated with China's concrete realities to conform to the essence and soul of Marxism. In works such as "Why Can China's Red Political Power Exist?" and "The Struggle in the Jinggang Mountains," Mao Zedong answered the fundamental questions of opening up the path of revolutionary struggle in the countryside. Applying the Marxist principle of "the relationship between the universality and particularity of contradictions," and based on China's specific national conditions, he found the correct path for the Chinese revolution. Thereafter, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, actively established rural revolutionary base areas, vigorously carried out cultural construction in the base areas, and opened a new chapter in the development of the revolutionary culture of the CPC. For example, the lyric poems "The Moon over the West River · Jinggang Mountains," "Pure Serene Music · The Jiang-Gui War," and "Butterflies in Love with Flowers · From Tingzhou to Changsha" reflect the historical facts of Mao Zedong leading the Red Army to establish revolutionary base areas. In the Central Soviet Area, the Red Army issued the slogan "Down with the local tyrants, divide up the land," expressing the most simple aspirations of the broad masses and conveying the original purpose of the Red Army. The lyrics of the "Song of the Workers' and Peasants' Uprising" write: "Build the Soviets, the workers and peasants exercise dictatorship; implement the communist system, mankind celebrates great harmony," reflecting the nature of the Soviets as the dictatorship of the workers and peasants and public ownership of the means of production, inspiring the people of all ethnic groups to rise up against the autocratic rule of the Kuomintang. Also, works such as the plays "The Old World" and "Class," the songs "To Be a Soldier, Join the Red Army" and "Seeing Off the Red Army Ten Times," the cartoon "The Party Branch Should Become the Locomotive in the Guerrilla Unit," and the novel "Bathing in Blood, Xiaoluo" all highlight the central theme that "the working and peasant masses can only seek liberation and emancipation by engaging in the revolutionary movement under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party."

历史上看，从领导“三次武装起义”失败的经验教训中，中国共产党人深刻认识到，必须把马克思主义基本原理同中国革命具体实际相结合，走出一条中国革命的新路，推进马克思主义中国化的实践。为了让中国革命走上正道，毛泽东反复研读经典文献，总结俄国革命经验，深入湘乡、湘潭、衡山、醴陵、长沙等地调研农民运动情况，写下了《湖南农民运动考察报告》，为“农村包围城市”和“开展农民运动”等认识提供了科学理据。毛泽东逐渐认识到，中国革命必须从中国具体国情出发，“离开中国特点来看马克思主义，只是抽象的空洞的马克思主义”，特别强调马克思主义理论必须结合中国具体实际才符合马克思主义的本质和灵魂。在《中国红色革命为什么能够存在》《井冈山的斗争》等著作中，毛泽东回答了开辟农村革命斗争道路的基本问题，他运用马克思主义“矛盾普遍性和特殊性关系”原理，基于中国具体国情，找到了中国革命的正确道路。此后，以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人，积极创建农村革命根据地，大力开展根据地文化建设，开创了中国共产党革命文化发展的新篇。如词作《西江月·井冈山》《清平乐·蒋桂战争》《蝶恋花·从汀州向长沙》等，反映了毛泽东领导红军建立革命根据地的史实。在中央苏区，红军发出“打土豪、分田地”的口号，表达了广大民众最朴素的愿望，传递出红军的宗旨本意。《工农暴动歌》的歌词写道：“建设苏维埃，工农来专政；实行共产制，人类庆大同”，体现出苏维埃是工农专政和生产资料公有制的性质，激发起各族人民奋起反抗国民党专制统治的思想。还如戏剧《旧世界》《阶级》，歌曲《当兵就要当红军》《十送红军》，漫画《支部应成为游击队中的火车头》，小说《浴血罗霄》等作品，烘托出“工农大众只有在中国共产党领导下从事革命运动才能谋求翻身解放”的主旨思想。

After the failure of the Fifth Counter-Encirclement and Suppression Campaign,[2]2 Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy” (January 1940). the Central Red Army was forced to begin the Long March. The Long March opened a new chapter in the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution. In particular, the Zunyi Meeting convened in January 1935 established the correct political line, organizational line, and military line. Xiao Hua's "Long March Suite" and Huang Zhen's "Long March Sketch Collection," with their exquisite musical language and profound ideological content, truly reflect the historical event of the Long March, a great strategic shift that reversed the fate of the Chinese people. After arriving in northern Shaanxi, Mao Zedong successively wrote "On Practice" and "On Contradiction," which not only resolutely refuted dogmatism but also, from the perspective of Marxist philosophy, conducted a deep-level summary and systematic refinement of the practical experience of the Chinese revolution. These works are the crystallization of thought produced by the integration of the universal principles of Marxism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution. In "On Contradiction," Mao Zedong pointed out: "The reason why comrades who are dogmatists and empiricists in China make mistakes is that their method of looking at things is subjective, one-sided, and superficial." The cause of these two types of "subjective habits" lies in the separation of appearance from essence, the rupture of theory from reality, and the disconnection of cognition from practice. To avoid making dogmatic errors, it is necessary to comprehensively "understand the interconnections of things," objectively "understand the internal laws of things," and thus "faithfully reflect these conditions," that is, to integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific problems. Works such as "On Practice" and "On Contradiction" adhere to the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method, opened a new realm in the Sinicization of Marxist philosophy, clarified the specific contradictions and practical paths of the Chinese revolution, grasped the epochal characteristics, needs, and problems of the Chinese revolution, and unified the thinking of the entire Party on the worldview of dialectical materialism, laying the ideological foundation for the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan and the War of Liberation.

第五次反“围剿”失败后，中央红军被迫开始长征。长征翻开了马克思主义基本原理同中国革命具体实践相结合的新篇章。特别是1935年1月召开的遵义会议，确定了正确的政治路线、组织路线和军事路线。萧华的《长征组歌》和黄镇的《长征画集》，以精湛的音乐语言和深刻的思想内涵，真实反映出长征这一扭转中国人民命运之伟大战略转移的历史事件。到达陕北后，毛泽东先后写作《实践论》《矛盾论》等，不仅坚决反驳了教条主义，而且以马克思主义哲学的视野对中国革命实践经验进行的深层次总结和系统性提炼，是马克思主义普遍原理与中国革命具体实践相结合而产生出思想结晶。在《矛盾论》中，毛泽东指出：“中国的教条主义和经验主义的同志们所以犯错误，就是因为他们看事物的方法是主观的、片面的和表面的。”造成这两类“主观习惯”的原因就在于表象与本质的疏离、理论与实际的断裂、认识与实践的脱节。为避免产生教条主义错误，就需要全面“认识事物的互相联系”，客观“认识事物的内部规律”，从而“如实地反映这些情况”，即把马克思主义基本原理与中国具体问题相结合。《实践论》《矛盾论》等作品坚持马克思主义立场观点方法，开创了马克思主义哲学中国化新境界，明确了中国革命的具体矛盾和实践道路，把握了中国革命的时代特征、需要与问题，并将全党思想统一到辩证唯物主义的世界观上，奠定了抗日战争、解放战争胜利的思想基础。

(III) Revolutionary culture continuously develops with the deepening of the "Two Integrations"

（三）革命文化随着“两个结合”深化不断发展

After the July 7th Incident of 1937,[3]3 Mao Zedong, “The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War” (October 1938). Japan launched a brutal invasion of China, attempting to destroy China and block the cultural inheritance of the Chinese nation. Under these circumstances, cultural confrontation was indispensable. The development of revolutionary culture was not only related to whether the Chinese people could unite as one and persist in the War of Resistance but also to the rise and fall, honor and disgrace of the Chinese nation. Works such as Zhu De's "Spring Sentiments in Taihang," Xian Xinghai's "Yellow River Cantata," Yang Jingyu's "Song of the Western Expedition Victory," and Liu Liu's "Steel and Fire Heroes" all embody the national spirit of the Chinese people uniting with one heart and facing national calamity together, greatly promoting the dissemination and acceptance of revolutionary culture among the broad masses. From 1938 to 1942, Mao Zedong successively wrote and published several important theoretical articles discussing the development of revolutionary culture. In October 1938, at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Party,[4]4 These are specific revolutionary spirits named after key events or locations in CPC history: the Red Boat (founding of the CPC in 1921), Jinggangshan (first rural revolutionary base, 1927-1930), the Soviet Area (the Chinese Soviet Republic, 1931-1937), the Long March (1934-1935), and Yan’an (the Party’s wartime base, 1936-1948). Mao Zedong first proposed "concretizing Marxism." As the three important documents of the Yan'an Rectification Movement,[5]5 Xi Jinping, “Speech at a Forum on Philosophy and Social Sciences” (17 May 2016). "Reform Our Study," "Rectify the Party's Style of Work," and "Oppose Stereotyped Party Writing" specifically put forward the slogan of "integrating the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of China." Works such as "Introducing The Communist," "The Chinese Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party," and "On New Democracy" discussed a series of major theoretical issues concerning the nature, role, and future of culture and politics, economy, literature and art and life, the masses, and so on. Mao Zedong Thought is both an original theoretical summary of the precious experience gained through arduous exploration and immense sacrifice, highlighting the revolutionary conviction of the Chinese Communists with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative. It is an important core and concentrated expression of revolutionary culture, elevating revolutionary culture from various literary and artistic cultural forms to a theoretical form and bringing it to maturity. As the theory and doctrine of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, Mao Zedong Thought reveals the basic laws and correct path of the Chinese revolution, points the way for the victory of the Chinese revolution and provides correct policies and strategies. Its living soul runs through all its components, becoming a powerful ideological weapon for the revolutionary practice of the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people.

七七事变之后，日本对中国发动了残酷的侵略，企图灭亡中国并阻断中华民族文化传承。在这一形势下，文化对垒不可或缺。革命文化的发展不仅关系到中国人民能否万众一心、坚持抗战，而且关系到中华民族的兴衰荣辱。朱德的《太行春感》、冼星海的《黄河大合唱》、杨靖宇的《西征胜利歌》、刘流的《烈火金刚》等作品，皆体现出中华儿女众志成城、共赴国难的民族精神，极大促进了广大人民群众对革命文化的传播和接受。毛泽东1938—1942年先后撰写发表多部论及革命文化发展的重要理论文章，1938年10月，在党的六届六中全会上，毛泽东首次提出“马克思主义具体化”。作为延安整风的三大重要文献，《改造我们的学习》《整顿党的作风》《反对党八股》具体提出“马列主义普遍真理与中国具体实践相结合”的口号，《〈共产党人〉发刊词》《中国革命和中国共产党》《新民主主义论》等，论述了文化与政治、经济，文艺和生活、群众等一系列事关革命文化的性质、作用及前途等重大理论问题。毛泽东思想既是对经过艰苦探索、付出巨大牺牲得来的宝贵经验做出的独创性理论概括，彰显了以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人的革命信念，是革命文化的重要核心和集中体现，使革命文化由各种文艺文化形态上升到理论形态并走向成熟。作为马克思主义中国化时代化的理论与学说，毛泽东思想揭示了中国革命基本规律和正确道路，为中国革命胜利指明方向并提供正确的方针策略，其活的灵魂贯穿于各个组成部分，成为中国共产党和中国人民革命实践的强大思想武器。

The period of the War of Liberation was a critical period in which the Chinese Communist Party won the support and endorsement of the broad masses, seized national cultural leadership, and gained political legitimacy. It was also an important historical stage for the enrichment and development of revolutionary culture, particularly emphasizing the principal position and important role of the people in the development of revolutionary culture, thereby enriching and developing revolutionary culture. Mao Zedong's poems "Chongqing Negotiations" and "The People's Liberation Army Captures Nanjing," Chen Yi's "Let the Two Huai" and "Great Victory in Southern Shandong," the play "Snow on Lushan" written and performed by generals such as Luo Ronghuan and Nie Rongzhen, and other literary and artistic works originating from the liberated areas all highlight the original aspiration of the Chinese Communist Party to overthrow the corrupt regime and return power to the people. At the same time, they nurtured revolutionary spirits such as the Red Rock Spirit and the Xibaipo Spirit.[6]6 Karl Marx, “Introduction to a Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right” (1843-1844). Mao Zedong pointed out: "Since the Chinese learned Marxism-Leninism, the Chinese have taken the initiative in spirit from being passive. ... The great and victorious Chinese People's War of Liberation and the great people's revolution have revived and are reviving the great culture of the Chinese people." The great practice of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context opened up the correct path for the Chinese revolution, formed advanced revolutionary theory, cultivated excellent revolutionary spirit, and created advanced revolutionary culture. An important reason why Marxism could establish the Party and the country, and rejuvenate the Party and the country, is that the Chinese Communist Party developed the truth, revolutionary character, and affinity for the people of Marxism, integrated Marxism with the concrete realities of the Chinese revolution and with the fine traditional Chinese culture, continuously explored and innovated, and gave birth to a revolutionary culture that inspired the revolutionary enthusiasm and revolutionary motivation of the broad masses. Marxism provides directional guidance for the development of Chinese culture, and revolutionary culture is a concrete manifestation of this progress.

解放战争时期是中国共产党赢得广大人民群众支持和拥护，夺取全国文化领导权并取得政治合法性的关键时期，也是革命文化丰富发展的重要历史阶段，特别是强调了人民在革命文化发展中的主体地位和重要作用，使革命文化得到丰富发展。毛泽东诗歌《重庆谈判》《人民解放军占领南京》，陈毅的《让两淮》《鲁南大捷》，罗荣桓、聂荣臻等将领编剧及演出的话剧《庐山之雪》以及产生于解放区的其他文艺作品，皆衬托出中国共产党推翻腐朽政权，还政于民的拳拳初心，同时孕育出红岩精神、西柏坡精神等革命精神。毛泽东指出：“自从中国人学会了马克思列宁主义后，中国人在精神上就由被动转入主动。……伟大的胜利的中国人民解放战争和人民大革命，已经复兴了并正在复兴着伟大的中国人民的文化。”马克思主义中国化的伟大实践，开辟了正确的中国革命道路，形成了先进的革命理论，培育了优秀的革命精神，创造了先进的革命文化。马克思主义之所以能够立党立国、兴党兴国，一个重要原因是中国共产党发展了马克思主义的真理性、革命性和人民性，将马克思主义与中国革命的具体实际、与中华优秀传统文化相结合，不断探索、勇于创新，催生出激发广大人民革命热情和革命动力的革命文化。马克思主义给予中国文化发展以方向性引领，革命文化就是这一进步的具体体现。

II. Revolutionary Culture as Vivid Evidence of the “Two Integrations”

二、革命文化蕴含“两个结合”的鲜活明证

Revolutionary culture unfolds in the course of the Communist Party of China’s assumption of the historical mission of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It both inherits the fine cultural tradition of the Chinese people’s anti-imperialist and anti-feudal struggle since modern times and carries forward the national spirit centered on patriotism. It is not only a cultural innovation under the guidance of Marxism but also draws rich nourishment from the fine traditional Chinese culture. “After Marxism was introduced into China, the propositions of scientific socialism were warmly welcomed by the Chinese people and ultimately took root, blossomed, and bore fruit in China. This was no accident; it was because they resonated with the excellent historical culture that China has inherited for several thousand years and with the values that the broad masses of the people unconsciously practice in their daily lives.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Speech at a Conference Commemorating the 120th Anniversary of the Birth of Comrade Mao Zedong” (26 December 2013). In the course of its historical formation, revolutionary culture fully demonstrates itself as a vivid example of the “Two Integrations.”

革命文化是在中国共产党担当实现中华民族伟大复兴历史使命的进程中展开的，既传承了近代以来中华民族反帝反封建的优秀文化传统，又弘扬了以爱国主义为核心的民族精神。不仅是马克思主义引领下的文化创新，而且从中华优秀文化传统中汲取了丰厚营养。“马克思主义传入中国后，科学社会主义的主张受到中国人民热烈欢迎，并最终扎根中国大地、开花结果，绝不是偶然的，而是同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融通的。”革命文化在历史形成过程中，充分展现出自身是“两个结合”的鲜明例证。

(I) The “Two Integrations” as the Foundation of Revolutionary Culture

（一）“两个结合”是革命文化的基础

Since modern times, the Communist Party of China has shouldered both the task of national salvation and the mission of cultural rejuvenation. “The so-called new-democratic culture is the anti-imperialist and anti-feudal culture of the broad masses of the people… This culture can only be led by the cultural ideology of the proletariat, that is, communist ideology.” [2]2 Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy” (January 1940). Fine traditional Chinese culture is a precious treasure and spiritual lifeline accumulated over more than five thousand years of civilization. It carries the unique thought, wisdom, way of life, and behavioral habits of the Chinese nation and constitutes its distinctive spiritual emblem and outstanding advantage. The Communist Party of China has always been a faithful inheritor and promoter of fine traditional Chinese culture. On this point, Mao Zedong pointed out: “We should study our historical heritage and sum it up critically using the Marxist method” and “We should not cut off history. From Confucius to Sun Yat-sen, we should sum it up and inherit this precious legacy.” [3]3 Mao Zedong, “The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War” (October 1938). Fine traditional Chinese culture not only provides a spiritual home and cultural nourishment for the reproduction, development, and flourishing of the Chinese nation but also provides an important cultural medium and value foundation for the Communist Party of China to uphold and develop Marxism. As an important ideological weapon for the Chinese revolution, Marxism greatly activated the deep spiritual power of Chinese culture and endowed it with the possibility of civilizational renewal. Under the guidance of Marxism, the genes of fine traditional Chinese culture permeated the spiritual bloodline of Chinese Communists, giving rise to “revolutionary cultures” with distinct epochal characteristics and national features, such as the Red Boat Spirit, the Jinggangshan Spirit, the Soviet Area Spirit, the Long March Spirit, and the Yan’an Spirit. [4]4 These are specific revolutionary spirits named after key events or locations in CPC history: the Red Boat (founding of the CPC in 1921), Jinggangshan (first rural revolutionary base, 1927-1930), the Soviet Area (the Chinese Soviet Republic, 1931-1937), the Long March (1934-1935), and Yan’an (the Party’s wartime base, 1936-1948). Revolutionary culture also stands as a vivid testament in the long river of history to the Chinese Communists’ promotion of the “Two Integrations” and their united leadership of the Chinese people in carrying out social revolution.

近代以来，中国共产党既肩负起民族救亡的重任，又承担起文化复兴的使命。“所谓新民主主义的文化，就是人民大众反帝反封建的文化……这种文化，只能由无产阶级的文化思想即共产主义思想去领导。”中华优秀传统文化是五千多年文明积淀的宝贵财富和精神命脉，承载着中华民族特有的思想智慧、生活方式和行为习惯，是中华民族独特的精神标识、突出优势。中国共产党始终是中华优秀传统文化的忠实继承者和弘扬者。对此，毛泽东指出：“学习我们的历史遗产，用马克思主义的方法给以批判的总结”“我们不应当割断历史。从孔夫子到孙中山，我们应当给以总结，承继这一份珍贵的遗产。”中华优秀传统文化不仅为中华民族繁衍生息、繁荣发展提供精神家园和文化滋养，而且为中国共产党坚持和发展马克思主义提供了重要的文化媒介和价值基础。作为中国革命重要的思想武器，马克思主义极大激活了中华文化深层的精神力量，赋予其文明更新的可能性。在马克思主义引领指导下，中华优秀传统文化基因渗入中国共产党人的精神血脉，形成诸如红船精神、井冈山精神、苏区精神、长征精神、延安精神等富有时代阶段性特征与民族特色的“革命文化”。革命文化也成为历史长河中，中国共产党人推进“两个结合”，团结带领中国人民开展社会革命的鲜活证明。

Fine traditional Chinese culture provides the national foundation and cultural bloodline for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, and it exhibits a high degree of compatibility with the value propositions of scientific socialism… They either correspond to each other or align with each other. As a cultural form generated in the practice of the Chinese revolution, revolutionary culture is the result of the deep integration of the basic principles of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture. The Communist Party of China has always adhered to Marxism as its guiding ideology, inherited and developed fine traditional Chinese culture, and gradually formed many fine traditions, such as seeking truth from facts, self-criticism, hard struggle, loyalty to the people, and pioneering and innovation. Over the Party’s century-plus struggle, the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific realities and fine traditional Chinese culture has nurtured a revolutionary culture that embodies the Chinese spirit, Chinese values, and Chinese strength, and has given rise to entirely new cultural forms such as advanced socialist culture, providing important spiritual support for advancing the great social revolution. Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must strengthen the excavation and elucidation of fine traditional Chinese culture, so that the most basic cultural genes of the Chinese nation can adapt to contemporary Chinese culture and coordinate with modern society.” [5]5 Xi Jinping, “Speech at a Forum on Philosophy and Social Sciences” (17 May 2016).

中华优秀传统文化使马克思主义中国化具有民族根基与文化血脉，同科学社会主义价值观主张具有高度契合性……它们之间或彼此对应，或两相符合。作为在中国革命实践中生成的文化形态，革命文化是马克思主义基本原理和中华优秀传统文化深度结合的结果。中国共产党始终坚持以马克思主义为指导思想，继承发展中华优秀传统文化，逐渐形成实事求是、自我批评、艰苦奋斗、忠诚为民、开拓创新等诸多优良传统。在党的百余年奋斗历程中，马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际和中华优秀传统文化相结合，孕育出体现中国精神、中国价值、中国力量的革命文化，衍生出社会主义先进文化等全新文化形态，为推进伟大的社会革命提供了重要精神支撑。习近平指出：“要加强对中华优秀传统文化的挖掘和阐发，使中华民族最基本的文化基因同当代中国文化相适应、同现代社会相协调。”

(II) Revolutionary Culture Promotes the Adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese Context and the Needs of the Times

（二）革命文化推进马克思主义中国化时代化

Marx pointed out: “Theory is capable of seizing the masses as soon as it demonstrates ad hominem, and it demonstrates ad hominem as soon as it becomes radical.” [6]6 Karl Marx, “Introduction to a Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right” (1843-1844). Since the May Fourth Movement, neither the New Culture Movement nor the left-wing cultural movement truly solved the problem of making culture popular among the masses. Although the New Culture Movement raised the slogan of “literature for the common people,” the “common people” here mainly referred to the urban petty bourgeoisie and bourgeois intellectuals. The Executive Committee of the League of Left-Wing Writers explicitly stipulated that “the popularization of literature” was “the first major issue” in building revolutionary literature and issued the slogan of building “proletarian literature.” [7]7 The League of Left-Wing Writers (Zuolian) was a cultural organization established in Shanghai in 1930 under the leadership of the CPC, active until 1936. However, constrained by the worldviews and literary views of writers at the time, left-wing literature had limitations in the depth and breadth of reflecting the lives of workers and peasants, in shaping the images of workers and peasants, and in language and expressive techniques. The “Sovietized” and “Europeanized” features in cultural forms persisted until the eve of the Yan’an Rectification Movement. [8]8 The Yan’an Rectification Movement (1942-1945) was a Party-wide campaign to study Marxism-Leninism, correct subjectivist and sectarian tendencies, and establish a unified ideological line. Mao Zedong deeply understood that the masses of the people contained immense revolutionary power. For workers, peasants, and the petty bourgeoisie, Marxism was abstract; the Western-style discourse expressions and bookish theoretical systems were obscure and difficult for the broad masses to understand and accept. This required “explaining many truths to the masses of workers in popular language.” [9]9 Mao Zedong, “Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan” (March 1927). Therefore, when constructing the expression of revolutionary theory, Mao Zedong actively absorbed the essence of fine traditional Chinese culture, infusing it with distinct national colors, while skillfully integrating folk cultural elements widely loved by the people, such as fables, stories, idioms, common sayings, proverbs, and aphorisms, making theoretical expression more approachable and full of interest. This mode of expression, which seamlessly blended abstract theory with vivid everyday language, effectively eliminated the discourse gap between our Party and the masses, allowing revolutionary culture to take root in people’s hearts and be more easily accepted by the public. In *On New Democracy*, when describing the “realm of freedom” discussed by Marx and Engels, Mao Zedong used the traditional Chinese cultural terms “Peach Blossom Spring” and “Great Harmony,” likening the Chinese-style artistic conception of a “land of peace and happiness away from the turmoil of the world” to the longing for an ideal society. He used a series of old sayings familiar to the common people, such as “let everyone fight the enemy together,” “let everyone have work to do together,” and “let everyone have food to eat together,” to help the masses understand the revolutionary discourse proposed by the Communist Party of China. These sinicized modes of expression were highly innovative and constituted a sinicized Marxist discourse. Furthermore, Mao Zedong brought this discursive style into his writings, incorporating various traditional cultural texts such as the *Book of Han*, *Classic of Mountains and Seas*, *Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government*, *The Art of War*, *Huainanzi*, *Journey to the West*, *Water Margin*, and *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* into his thought, greatly advancing the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

马克思指出：“理论只要说服人，就能掌握群众；而理论只要彻底，就能说服人。”五四运动以来，无论新文化运动还是左翼文化运动，都没有真正解决文化大众化的问题。新文化运动虽然提出“平民文学”口号，但这里的“平民”主要指城市小资产阶级和资产阶级知识分子。“左联”执委会明确规定“文学的大众化”是建设革命文学的“第一个重大的问题”，并发出建设“普罗文学”的口号。但是，囿于彼时作家的世界观和文学观，左翼文学在反映工农群众生活的深度与广度、塑造工农形象、语言及表现手法等方面，都存在局限。文化形式上的“苏化特征”和“欧化特征”直到延安整风前夕依然存在。毛泽东深知，人民群众蕴含巨大的革命力量。对于工人、农民和小资产阶级而言，马克思主义是抽象的，西方话语表达方式和书本化的理论体系晦涩难懂，并不易被广大人民群众理解接受，这就要求“以通俗的言语解释许多道理给工人群众听”。因此，毛泽东在构建革命理论表述时，积极吸收中华优秀传统文化精华，为其注入鲜明的民族色彩，同时巧妙融合民众广泛喜爱的民间文化元素，如寓言、故事、成语、熟语、谚语、警语等，使理论表达更加平易近人、充满趣味。这种将抽象的理论与生动的生活语言融会贯通的表达方式，有效消除了我们党与人民群众的话语隔阂，使革命文化深入人心，更加容易被大众接受。在《新民主主义论》中，毛泽东描绘马克思、恩格斯所谈的“自由王国”时，运用中国传统文化中的词语“桃源”与“大同”，把带有中国式意境的“世外桃源”类比为对理想社会的憧憬；用“有敌大家打”“有事大家做”“有饭大家吃”等一系列被百姓熟知的老话，使人民群众理解中国共产党提出的革命话语。这些中国化的表达方式极具创新性，构成中国化的马克思主义话语。此外，毛泽东还将这种话语风格带入著作，将《汉书》《山海经》《资治通鉴》《孙子》《淮南子》《西游记》《水浒传》《三国演义》等多种传统文化论述纳入其思想，极大推进了马克思主义中国化时代化进程。

The “Talks at the Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art” not only enriched and developed Marxist literary theory, creatively resolving the issues of the path and laws of China’s revolutionary cultural development, but also realized the Sinicization of Marxist literary theory. Inspired by the spirit of the Yan’an Talks, the questions “for whom is literature and art?” and “how to serve them” became deeply ingrained in people’s minds. Revolutionary literary and art workers created a large number of works that played an important role in spreading the Party’s revolutionary thought and ideals and convictions, uniting the people, educating the people, striking at the enemy, and annihilating the enemy. Mao Zedong pointed out: “Revolutionary culture is a powerful revolutionary weapon for the broad masses of the people. Before the revolution, it is an ideological preparation for the revolution; during the revolution, it is a necessary and important front in the general revolutionary front.” [10]10 Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy” (January 1940). The original Chinese quotation is: “革命文化，对于人民大众，是革命的有力武器。革命文化，在革命前，是革命的思想准备；在革命中，革命文化是革命总战线中的一条必要和重要的战线。” Works such as the opera *The White-Haired Girl* and *Brother and Sister Reclaim the Wasteland*, the novels *The Marriage of Xiao Erhei*, *Changes in Li Village*, and *The Hurricane*, the poems *Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang* and *The Cart Driver*, the folk art piece *Liu Qiao’s Reunion*, the historical drama *Driven to Join the Liangshan Rebels*, the Shaanxi opera *Blood and Tears of Hatred*, and the poetry collection *The East Is Red* extensively absorbed popular characteristics, were deeply welcomed by the people and widely circulated, pointing the direction for the creation of the people’s character of revolutionary culture. *The White-Haired Girl*, in particular, embedded the revolutionary theme within an artistic form combining Chinese and Western elements, vividly interpreting the Chinese revolution and effectively inspiring the revolutionary fervor of the broad masses. *The Sun Shines over the Sanggan River*, with its vivid and delicate brushstrokes, concretely depicted the spiritual outlook of various classes during the early stage of the land reform movement in the liberated areas of North China in 1946, narrating the story of Chinese peasants embarking on a bright path under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. Furthermore, works such as “The Three Red Classics, One Creation, The Green Mountains and the Evergreen Forests” [11]11 “三红一创，青山保林” (sān hóng yī chuàng, qīng shān bǎo lín) is a shorthand reference to eight classic revolutionary novels from the 1950s and 1960s: *Red Crag* (红岩), *Red Flag Manual* (红日), *Red Flag Spectrum* (红旗谱), *The Builders* (创业史), *Song of Youth* (青春之歌), *Mountain Flowers in Bloom* (山乡巨变), *Keep the Forest* (保卫延安), and *The Forest in the Snow* (林海雪原). shaped and strengthened the people’s value identification with the CPC; *The Cock Crows at Midnight* demonstrated the superiority of socialism through stark contrasts between eras; novels like *Great Changes in a Mountain Village* and *The Hurricane* showcased the people’s sense of being masters of their own destiny through the liberation of the worker and peasant classes. Through the transformation of discursive content, these rich revolutionary cultural creations turned abstract and theorized revolutionary discourse into language that the masses found pleasing, easy to understand, and popular, greatly promoting the widespread dissemination of Marxism and becoming a discourse and set of values that the broad masses use daily without conscious awareness.

《在延安文艺座谈会上的讲话》不仅丰富发展了马克思主义文艺理论，创造性解决了中国革命文化发展的道路和规律问题，而且实现了马克思主义文艺理论的中国化。在延安讲话精神鼓舞下，“文艺为了什么人的问题”和“如何为”从此深入人心。革命文艺工作者创造了大量文艺作品，对于传播党的革命思想和理想信念，团结人民、教育人民、打击敌人、消灭敌人发挥了重要作用。毛泽东指出：“革命文化，对于人民大众，是革命的有力武器。革命文化，在革命前，是革命的思想准备；在革命中，革命文化是革命总战线中的一条必要和重要的战线。”歌剧《白毛女》《兄妹开荒》、小说《小二黑结婚》《李家庄的变迁》《暴风骤雨》、诗歌《王贵与李香香》《赶车转》、曲艺《刘巧团圆》、历史剧《逼上梁山》、秦腔剧《血泪仇》、诗选《东方红》等作品广泛吸收大众特色，深受人民欢迎并广为流传，为革命文化的人民性创作指明了方向。《白毛女》更是将革命主题寓于中西合璧的艺术形式，生动阐释了中国革命，有效激发了广大民众的革命热情。《太阳照在桑干河上》以生动细腻的笔触，具象描摹出1946年华北解放区土地改革运动初期各阶级的精神面貌，叙写了中国农民在中国共产党领导下踏上光明大道的故事。此外，“三红一创，青山保林”等作品塑造并强化了人民群众对中国共产党的价值认同；《半夜鸡叫》以强烈的时代对比，展现了社会主义优越性；《山乡巨变》《暴风骤雨》等小说以工农阶级翻身解放，彰显出人民群众的主人翁意识。通过话语内容的转化，这些丰富的革命文化创作将抽象化与理论化的革命话语转化为人民群众喜闻乐见、通俗易懂的语言，极大促进了马克思主义广泛传播，成为广大人民日用而不觉的话语与价值观。

(III) Revolutionary Culture Embodies the Creative Transformation and Innovative Development of Fine Traditional Chinese Culture

（三）革命文化体现出中华优秀传统文化创造性转化与创新性发展

In the “Second Integration,” the key to truly making the past serve the present and weeding through the old to bring forth the new lies in thoroughly integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, vigorously promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and generating new theoretical achievements in the fusion of the ancient and the modern. Fine traditional Chinese culture not only nourishes the development of revolutionary culture but also demonstrates epochal value that advances with the times. For example, “seeking truth from facts” was an ancient Chinese method of scholarship, intended to express “devotion to learning and antiquity, seeking truth from facts.” Mao Zedong organically integrated dialectical materialism and historical materialism with fine traditions in Chinese traditional culture such as practical statecraft and pragmatism, summarizing them using the traditional Chinese phrase “seeking truth from facts,” thereby elevating and developing the Party’s ideological line. Mao Zedong’s interpretation and application of “seeking truth from facts” is a vivid case of promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture on the basis of a deep understanding of the history of Chinese civilization. Through Mao’s interpretation, “seeking truth from facts” was creatively transformed from an ancient Chinese idiom into the fundamental Marxist requirement of proceeding from reality in everything, and ultimately innovatively developed into the basic method of thinking, working, and leading of the Chinese Communist Party. People-oriented thought is also an important manifestation of fine traditional Chinese culture. On the basis of summarizing and inheriting people-oriented thought, revolutionary culture transcended the old value concepts of people-centeredness, clarifying the question of “relying on whom to make revolution and for whom to make revolution.” For instance, Mao Zedong successively wrote articles such as *In Memory of Norman Bethune*, *Serve the People*, and *The Foolish Old Man Who Removed the Mountains*, which expounded on the purpose and values of Chinese Communists, endowing “serving the people” in revolutionary culture with entirely new ideological connotations.

在“第二个结合”中，要真正做到古为今用、推陈出新，关键在于把马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化融会贯通起来，着力推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化和创新性发展，在熔铸古今中生发出新的理论成果。中华优秀传统文化不仅为革命文化的发展提供滋养，而且表现出与时俱进的时代价值。如“实事求是”是中国古代的治学方法，旨在言明“修学好古，实事求是”。毛泽东把辩证唯物主义、历史唯物主义与中华优秀传统文化中的经世实学、实用主义等优良传统有机结合在一起，用中国传统用语“实事求是”加以概括，升华和发展了党的思想路线。毛泽东关于“实事求是”的阐释和运用，正是在深入理解中华文明历史的基础上，推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展的生动案例。经过毛泽东的阐释，“实事求是”由一个中国古代成语创造性转化为马克思主义一切从实际出发的根本要求，并最终创新性发展为中国共产党的基本思想方法、工作方法和领导方法。民本思想也是中华优秀传统文化的重要体现，在总结和继承民本思想的基础上，革命文化超越了旧有民本价值理念，阐明了“依靠谁革命、为谁革命”这一问题，如毛泽东先后写作《纪念白求恩》《为人民服务》《愚公移山》等文章，论述了中国共产党人的宗旨和价值观，赋予革命文化中的“为人民服务”以全新思想内涵。

Revolutionary culture is directly derived from Marxism, while also actively drawing resources from fine traditional Chinese culture. Revolutionary culture inherits the core concepts of fine traditional Chinese culture, shaping the special cultural character and cultural form of revolutionary culture. The inheritance of the value concepts of fine traditional Chinese culture by revolutionary culture is by no means a simple return to the past, nor is it blindly xenophobic. In this regard, Xi Jinping pointed out: “Regarding historical culture, especially the values and moral norms passed down by our ancestors, we must adhere to making the past serve the present and weeding through the old to bring forth the new, treating them with discrimination, inheriting them with a critical eye, and striving to use all the spiritual wealth created by the Chinese nation to educate and cultivate people through culture.” Revolutionary culture deeply excavates the fine “core” of traditional Chinese culture, breaking through and discarding feudal autocratic thought. The creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese culture by revolutionary culture benefit from Marxism, and endow it with an expression form suited to the times through the basic pathways of nationalization, scientization, and popularization.

革命文化既直接来源于马克思主义，又积极从中华优秀传统文化中汲取资源。革命文化继承了中华优秀传统文化的核心理念，塑造了革命文化特殊的文化品格和文化样态。革命文化对中华优秀传统文化价值理念的继承，绝不是简单复古，也并非盲目排外。对此，习近平指出：“对历史文化特别是先人传承下来的价值观念和道德规范，要坚持古为今用、推陈出新，有鉴别地加以对待，有扬弃地予以继承，努力用中华民族创造的一切精神以文化人、以文育人。”革命文化深入挖掘中华传统文化的优良“内核”，破除和摈弃封建专制思想。革命文化对中华传统文化进行的创造性转化和创新性发展，得益于马克思主义，并以民族化、科学化、大众化的基本途径赋予其时代化表达样式。

In *On the New Stage*, Mao Zedong proposed that “there is no abstract Marxism, only concrete Marxism,” and that “so-called concrete Marxism is Marxism through national forms.” [12]12 Mao Zedong, “On the New Stage” (October 1938). The original Chinese quotation is: “没有抽象的马克思主义，只有具体的马克思主义。所谓具体的马克思主义，就是通过民族形式的马克思主义。” “National form” is the concrete manifestation of the integration of Marxism with traditional Chinese culture. First, revolutionary culture emphasizes the Chinese characteristics of the Chinese revolution, adheres to the Marxist standpoint, and is based on China’s concrete reality and China’s historical and cultural traditions. Second, to awaken the consciousness of the masses, revolutionary culture formed a “Sinicized” mode of expression in its discursive system, vividly and concretely interpreting and disseminating Marxism in terms of national language, national style, and national narrative, playing an important role in the development of Marxist theory.

毛泽东在《论新阶段》中提出“没有抽象的马克思主义，只有具体的马克思主义”，而“所谓具体的马克思主义，就是通过民族形式的马克思主义”。“民族形式”是马克思主义与中华传统文化相结合的具象表现。一是，革命文化强调中国革命的中国特色内容，坚持马克思主义立场，立足于中国具体实际和中国历史文化传统；二是，为唤醒民众的意识，革命文化在话语体系上形成“中国化”表达方式，从民族语言、民族风格、民族叙事等方面，生动形象地阐释和传播了马克思主义，为马克思主义理论发展发挥了重要作用。

III. The Eternal Value of Revolutionary Culture in Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context and the Needs of the Times

三、革命文化推进马克思主义中国化时代化的永恒价值

Revolutionary culture not only gave birth to rich theoretical achievements but also left behind valuable experience in theoretical exploration and innovation, providing precious resources for opening up the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times in the New Era. It possesses eternal value, mainly manifested in the following three aspects.

革命文化既孕育出丰富的理论成果，也留下了宝贵的理论探索和创新经验，为新时代开辟马克思主义中国化时代化提供了宝贵资源，具有永恒价值，主要体现在以下三方面。

First, adhering to combining theory with practice to advance the Party’s theoretical innovation, and consistently upholding the correct direction for guiding cultural development. Any theory is born in a specific era and is a scientific response to the issues of that era. China’s concrete reality is also a concrete manifestation under specific historical conditions. The key to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s concrete reality lies in the Chinese Communists’ constant close attention to the pulse and changes of the times. Based on the themes, trends, and currents of the times, they establish the themes and content of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, enabling Marxism to embody the characteristics of the times and reflect the demands of the times, thus realizing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

第一，坚持与实际相结合推进党的理论创新，始终坚持引领文化发展的正确方向。任何理论均诞生于特定时代，是对其时代问题的科学回应。中国具体实际也是在特定时代条件下的具体体现。马克思主义基本原理与中国具体实际相结合的关键，就在于中国共产党人始终密切关注时代发展脉络与变迁，依据时代发展的主题、潮流及趋势，确立马克思主义中国化的主题和内容，使马克思主义体现时代特点、反映时代诉求，实现了马克思主义中国化时代化。

Revolutionary culture is the product of the Chinese Communist Party’s integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s concrete reality and fine traditional Chinese culture. The integration of Marxism, China’s concrete reality, and fine traditional Chinese culture is not a mechanical “splicing” or “combination,” but a mutual integration and interpenetration that produces a profound “chemical reaction.” The century-plus struggle of the Chinese Communist Party is also the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. The “First Integration” is adhering to the guidance of Marxism, proceeding from reality in everything, and seeking truth from facts to solve the concrete problems of China’s social revolution, construction, and reform. This theoretical character has enabled the Chinese Communist Party to integrate Marxism with the concrete realities of revolution, construction, and reform, gradually forming Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of the “Three Represents,” the Scientific Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The proposal of the proposition of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context marks the Party’s shift from unconsciousness to consciousness in its approach to Marxism and its use of Marxism to solve Chinese problems. It is a manifestation of the Party’s theoretical consciousness, cultural consciousness, historical consciousness, and practical consciousness.

革命文化是中国共产党将马克思主义基本原理与中国具体实际和中华优秀传统文化相结合的产物。马克思主义、中国具体实际、中华优秀传统文化的结合，不是机械“拼接”和“组合”，而是相融互通并发生深刻的“化学反应”。中国共产党百余年奋斗历程也是马克思主义中国化时代化的进程。“第一个结合”是坚持以马克思主义为指导，一切从实际出发、实事求是解决我国社会革命、建设和改革的具体问题。这种理论品格，使中国共产党把马克思主义与革命、建设和改革的具体实际相结合，逐步形成毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观以及习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想。马克思主义中国化命题的提出，标志着党在对待马克思主义和运用马克思主义解决中国问题等方面由不自觉转向自觉，是党的理论自觉、文化自觉、历史自觉、实践自觉的体现。

Second, adhere to the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and always maintain the profound connotation of cultural development. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping has profoundly put forward a series of important expositions such as “promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture.” [13]13 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of Xi Jinping’s leadership and the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. “Creative transformation and innovative development” is a theoretical expression of the transformation and development of fine traditional Chinese culture in the historical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, profoundly revealing the objective laws of cultural development and clearly demonstrating the role and significance of culture in social development. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Only by comprehensively and deeply understanding the history of Chinese civilization, more effectively promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and more forcefully advancing the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, can we build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.” [14]14 Xi Jinping, speech at a symposium on cultural heritage, 2023. As an ideological creation based on economic activities, adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times can only stimulate the historical initiative of the masses, create a new form of civilization that leads the times and reflects the needs of the people, by grounding itself in material production activities and the social practice changes they encompass, and following dialectical materialism. Historically, the Chinese nation created a brilliant ancient civilization.

第二，坚持中华优秀文化创造性转化、创新性发展，始终保持文化发展的深刻内涵。党的十八大以来，习近平深刻提出了“推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展”等一系列重要论述。“创造性转化、创新性发展”是在马克思主义中国化时代化历史进程中对中华优秀传统文化进行转化发展的理论表达，深刻揭示了文化发展的客观规律，鲜明展现出文化在社会发展中的作用意义。习近平指出：“只有全面深入了解中华文明的历史，更有效地推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展，更有力地推进中国特色社会主义文化建设，建设中华民族现代文明。”作为奠基于经济活动之上的意识形态创造，马克思主义中国化时代化只有立足物质生产活动及其涵盖的社会实践变革，遵循唯物辩证法，才能激发人民群众的历史主动性，创造出引领时代和反映人民需要的新文明形态。历史上，中华民族创造了璀璨的古代文明。

In the process of the development of Chinese civilization, the emergence and development of revolutionary culture occurred precisely during the critical period of the transformation from the ancient Chinese civilization to modern civilization, enduring the historical pains brought by the continuous impact of capitalist culture and the gradual decline of feudal culture. Revolutionary culture, taking the liberation of the proletariat as its mission, became an indispensable, most advanced, and most representative cultural form of the people’s interests during the revolutionary period, and is of great significance for promoting the forward development of Chinese civilization. As an important component of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, revolutionary culture is a cultural form created by the Chinese people in the process of pursuing national independence, national liberation, and national prosperity. It not only embodies the excellent qualities of the Chinese nation, such as fearlessness of sacrifice, unremitting self-improvement, and tenacious struggle, but also highlights the value pursuit of willingness to dedicate and courage to advance. Under new historical conditions, facing the questions of the times, the world, and China, advocating social consciousness and fairness consciousness, adhering to the principles of dialogue, cooperation, mutual benefit, and win-win, eliminating cultural estrangement through cultural exchange, transcending cultural conflict through cultural mutual learning, surpassing cultural superiority through cultural coexistence, and promoting the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation are also key essentials for achieving the common progress of human civilization. The proposal of the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind has profound significance, representing a new cultural form in the New Era. This concept originates both from the traditional Chinese civilizational inheritance of “all under heaven as one family” and from the Marxist theoretical vision of a “community of free individuals.” With its strong cultural appeal and practical influence, it conveys the peace concept passed down through generations of the Chinese nation, reflects Marxism’s universal concern for human destiny, and contains the ideological essence of the basic principles of Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture.

在中华文明发展进程中，革命文化的产生和发展正处于古老的中华文明向现代文明转型的关键时期，承受着资本主义文化的持续冲击和封建文化日益衰落带来的历史阵痛。革命文化以促进无产阶级解放为己任，成为革命时期不可或缺、最为先进、最能代表人民利益的文化形态，对于推动中华文明向前发展意义重大。作为中国特色社会主义文化的重要组成部分，革命文化是中国人民在追求民族独立、民族解放、国家富强的过程中创造的文化形态，不仅体现出中华民族不畏牺牲、自强不息、顽强拼搏的优秀品格，而且彰显出甘于奉献、勇往直前的价值追求。在新的历史条件下，面对时代之问、世界之问和中国之问，倡导社会意识和公平意识，坚持对话合作、互利共赢的原则，以文明交流消除文明隔阂，以文明互鉴超越文明冲突，以文明共存超越文明优越，推动中华民族现代文明建设，也是实现人类文明共同进步的关键要旨。人类命运共同体理念的提出就具有深刻意义，代表了新时代新的文化形态，这一理念既来源于传统中国“天下一家”的文明传承，又来源于马克思主义“自由人联合体”的理论设想，它以强大的文化感召力与现实影响力，传达了中华民族世代相承的和平理念，映射出马克思主义对于人类命运的普遍关切，蕴含马克思主义基本原理与中华优秀传统文化的思想精髓。

Third, adhere to and consolidate the Party’s cultural leadership, and promote cultural confidence and the building of a culturally strong country. Revolutionary culture is rooted in revolutionary practice, contains rich red genes, integrates the resources of fine traditional Chinese culture, and constitutes a vivid practice and great model of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Revolutionary culture manifests the CPC’s responsibility for cultural construction and runs through the entire process of the CPC’s national governance and social governance. The “Two Integrations” reveal the mechanism of Marxism’s transformation of China, demonstrate the “Way” (Dao) of Marxism and China not failing each other, and answer why the CPC is “capable” and why Marxism “works.” [15]15 “Way” (Dao) here refers to the fundamental principle or path of interaction between Marxism and Chinese reality. Only by practicing the “Two Integrations” can the CPC lead the people to write a new chapter in the great social revolution, and can contemporary Chinese Marxism shine brilliantly in the history of Marxist development.

第三，坚持和巩固党的文化领导权，推动文化自信和文化强国建设。革命文化扎根于革命实践，蕴含丰富的红色基因，整合了中华优秀传统文化资源，构成马克思主义中国化时代化的生动实践和伟大典范。革命文化彰显了中国共产党的文化建设责任，贯穿于中国共产党国家治理和社会治理的全过程。“两个结合”揭示了马克思主义改变中国的作用机理，展示了马克思主义和中国互不辜负之“道”，回答了中国共产党何以“能”、马克思主义何以“行”。只有践行“两个结合”，中国共产党才能带领人民续写伟大社会革命新篇章，才能使当代中国马克思主义在马克思主义发展史中熠熠生辉。

Revolutionary culture is an artistic projection and cultural mirror of the Chinese people’s journey from national peril to the reconstruction of national confidence, from being enslaved and oppressed to becoming masters of their own affairs, and it has consolidated the CPC’s cultural leadership. Revolutionary culture was created by the CPC uniting and leading the Chinese people in arduous and extraordinary struggle practices. Its thorough revolutionary spirit, firm revolutionary stance, lofty revolutionary ideals, and scientific theoretical guidance have broken down resistance, injected stability, and provided impetus for the Chinese nation to rebuild cultural confidence, thereby laying a solid cultural foundation for strengthening the “Four Confidences.” [16]16 The “Four Confidences” are confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Looking at its formation process and connotative forms, revolutionary culture profoundly expresses the ultimate goal of realizing the highest ideal of communism, the fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, the important principle of collectivism, and the ideological and behavioral norms of loving the motherland, advocating dedication, and working hard; vividly embodies the historical process of the CPC rescuing the people from misery, saving the country from peril, and achieving national independence; and reflects the spiritual outlook and real life of a special historical period. Revolutionary culture not only enriches the connotation of Chinese culture but also provides spiritual support for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Xi Jinping emphasized: “The prosperity of a country and a nation is always supported by cultural prosperity. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation requires the development and flourishing of Chinese culture as a condition.” [17]17 Xi Jinping, speech at a forum on literature and art, 2014. Revolutionary culture, bred and developed in the specific practice of the Chinese revolution, possesses distinct inheritance and innovation. It is the condensation and sublimation of the fine traditional culture of the Chinese nation and a vivid manifestation of the great creative spirit of the CPC and the Chinese people. On the new journey of the New Era, it will continuously promote the regeneration and re-creation of Chinese culture.

革命文化是中国人民从民族危亡到重建民族自信，由被奴役、受压迫到当家作主的艺术投射和文化镜像，巩固了中国共产党的文化领导权。革命文化是中国共产党团结带领中国人民在艰苦卓绝的斗争实践中缔造的，其彻底的革命精神、坚定的革命立场、崇高的革命理想以及科学的理论指导为中华民族重建文化自信破除了阻力，注入了定力，提供了动力，从而为坚定“四个自信”奠定了坚实的文化基础。纵观生成过程和内涵形式，革命文化深刻表露出以实现共产主义最高理想为最终目标，以全心全意为人民服务为根本宗旨，以集体主义为重要原则，以热爱祖国、崇尚奉献、艰苦奋斗等思想行为规范；生动体现出中国共产党拯斯民于水火、救国家于危亡、致民族于独立的历史进程；辉映出特殊历史时期的精神风貌和现实生活。革命文化不仅丰富了中国文化的内涵，而且为全面推进中华民族伟大复兴提供了精神支撑。习近平强调：“一个国家、一个民族的强盛，总是以文化兴盛为支撑的，中华民族伟大复兴需要以中华文化发展繁荣为条件。”在中国革命具体实践中孕育和发展而来的革命文化，具有鲜明的继承性和创新性，是中华民族优秀传统文化的凝聚升华，也是中国共产党和中国人民伟大创造精神的生动体现，在新时代新征程上，将不断推动中华文化再生再造。

Source: *Mao Zedong Deng Xiaoping Theory Research*, Issue 10, 2024

文章来源：《毛泽东邓小平理论研究》2024年第10期

Online Editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆