Building a Culturally Strong Country under the Guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture: Conceptual Explanation, Content System, and Advancement Pathways

A culturally strong country is a socialist culturally strong country led by the Communist Party of China. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has elevated its theoretical height, propelling the great practice of the Party’s leadership in building a culturally strong country into a new stage. Building a culturally strong country signifies the prescriptive content of the cultural mission of the New Era at the national level, serving as a link between the preceding and the following for the construction of cultural great development and flourishing at the social level. On the new journey, advancing the building of a culturally strong country is an important topic for studying, researching, interpreting, and thoroughly implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture.

文化强国是中国共产党领导的社会主义文化强国，习近平文化思想擢升了其理论高度，推动党领导文化强国建设的伟大实践步入崭新的阶段。建设文化强国指征了新时代的文化使命在国家层面的规定性内容，其之于社会层面的文化大发展大繁荣建构起到承上启下的作用。新征程上，推进文化强国建设是学习研究阐释和深入贯彻落实习近平文化思想的重要议题。

Conceptual Explanation: The Connotation and Extension of a Culturally Strong Country

概念释解：文化强国的内涵与外延

(I) Examination of “Culture”: The Cultural Scope of a Culturally Strong Country

（一）“文化”审视：文化强国的文化范围

Marx’s understanding of culture is inseparable from human beings and their practical activities. He believed that human practical activities create culture, that culture is the product of the objectification of human essence, and that culture has the fundamental characteristic of belonging to humanity. Marxist interpretations and applications of culture are relatively rich. According to the order from broad scope to narrow scope, culture can be defined as: first, the social civilization constructed by humanity; second, the social relations of human beings at a specific stage of social development; third, the conceptual products of social material production practice, which are appropriated by real human beings and their communities in the practical intercourse of human sociality; fourth, ideology. Marx once regarded political content such as law and institutions as special forms of culture.

马克思对文化的理解离不开人及其实践活动，认为人的实践活动创造了文化，文化是人的本质的对象化活动的产物，文化具有属人的根本特质。马克思主义对文化的解释与运用较为丰富，按照从广义范围到狭义范围的序次可以把文化界定为：其一是人类建构的社会文明；其二是社会发展特定阶段人的社会关系；其三是社会物质生产实践的观念产物，此种观念产物在人的社会性交往实践中被现实的人及其共同体所占有；其四是意识形态，马克思曾把法律、制度等政治性的内容也视为文化的特殊形态。

By sorting through the Party’s relevant discussions on a culturally strong country, it can be found that expressions concerning a “culturally strong country” mostly appear in the field of social life and are used in parallel with education, science, health, sports, etc., constituting the well-known “science, education, culture, health, and sports” undertakings. In this sense, the content related to a culturally strong country in the Party’s policy documents is mostly linked to economic and social development. Culture is an important yardstick for measuring social progress and, together with education, science and technology, sports, etc., constitutes the multiple facets of a modernized strong country. Here, culture transcends the general theoretical narrative level of human practical creations; its scope of definition is more explicit and specific, namely, unfolding around the field of people’s social life.

通过梳理党关于文化强国的相关论述可以发现，有关“文化强国”的表述多出现在社会生活领域，并与教育、科学、卫生、体育等并列使用，构成了我们熟知的“科教文卫体”事业。在此种意义上，党的政策文件中有关文化强国的内容多与经济社会发展相关，文化是衡量社会进步的重要标尺，并且与教育、科技、体育等共同构成了现代化强国的多重面相。此处的文化超越了一般性理论叙事层面的人类实践创造物，其限定范围更为明确和具体，即围绕人们的社会生活领域展开。

In defining the culture of a culturally strong country under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, two erroneous tendencies must be avoided: first, the broadness of “big culture” at the theoretical-logical level, which holds that culture mainly refers to a generalized designation of the sum total of material and spiritual wealth created by human practice; second, being confined by the framework of “small culture” in the sphere of civil society, which holds that culture specifically refers to “knowledge and facilities in education, science, literature, art, health, sports, etc.,” with a relatively limited scope of research and vision. We believe that the correct way of understanding should avoid both tendencies, achieving a balanced approach by interpreting the culture of a culturally strong country as “medium culture,” that is, a category between the creations of human practice and the limited field of cultural life, mainly including ideological systems, forms of consciousness, and value concepts.

在习近平文化思想指导下对文化强国的文化进行界定须避免两种错误倾向：一是理论逻辑层面“大文化”的宽泛，认为文化主要是对人类实践所创造的物质财富和精神财富总和的泛化指代；二是囿于市民社会领域“小文化”的框限，认为文化专指“教育、科学、文学、艺术、卫生、体育等方面的知识与设施”，其研究的视域和范围较为有限。我们认为，正确的理解方式应规避以上两种倾向，做到执两用中，把文化强国的文化解释为“中文化”，即介于人类实践创造物和有限的文化生活领域之间的范畴，主要包括思想体系、意识形态和价值观念等。

(II) Interpretation of “Strong”: The Overall Image of a Culturally Strong Country

（二）“强盛”释义：文化强国的整体形象

The *Cihai* [1]1 *Cihai* (《辞海》) is a comprehensive Chinese dictionary and encyclopedia, a standard reference work in China. gives two interpretations of “strong” (*qiang*): first, “strong” as an adjective describes something as robust and powerful, or having surpassing force, indicating a higher degree; second, when “strong” is used as a verb, it means to make something strong and powerful. Therefore, the “strong” in “culturally strong country” can be analyzed around these two dimensions. On the one hand, “strong” as an adjective means “firm, surpassing in force.” A culturally strong country is a generalized description of the overall strength of China’s national cultural soft power, as well as a summary of the future vision and goals of China’s current cultural construction and development. On the other hand, “strong” as a verb means “to make strong, to make powerful.” By leveraging the accumulated and inherent potential of culture, it uses intangible forces to promote the multifaceted development of the country and society, achieving a significant enhancement and substantive improvement in comprehensive national power. Comparatively, “strong” as an adjective mainly focuses on the static aspect of a culturally strong country, representing a forward-looking vision and future aspiration for the goal of a strong country, reflecting the value rationality and overall schema embedded in the construction of a culturally strong country; “strong” as a verb emphasizes the dynamic aspect of a culturally strong country, serving as a true portrayal of the CPC’s historical process of saving the nation, establishing the nation, rejuvenating the nation, enriching the nation, and strengthening the nation through culture, playing the instrumental rational role of culture in transforming and shaping the national political community.

《辞海》对“强”给出两种解释：一是“强”作形容词用来描述某事物健壮有力，或者势力过人，体现出程度更高之意；二是“强”作动词使用时，意指使某项事物强大、强壮。故“文化强国”之“强”可以围绕这两个维度进行分析。一方面，“强”作为形容词，是指“坚强、势力过人”。文化强国是对中国国家文化软实力总体强盛的概括性描叙，以及对我国当前文化建设和文化发展的未来远景目标作出的总结。另一方面，“强”作为动词，是指“使强大、使强壮”。通过发挥文化所积聚和内蕴的势能，以无形的力量助推国家和社会的多方面发展，实现综合国力显著增强和实质性提升。比较而言，作为形容词的“强”主要聚焦文化强国的静态层面，是对强国远景目标的前瞻眺望和未来憧憬，反映了文化强国建设蕴含的价值理性和整体图式；作为动词的“强”则侧重于文化强国的动态层面，是中国共产党以文化救国、立国、兴国、富国、强国等过程性历史实践的真实写照，发挥了文化具有的工具理性作用，通过文化改变和塑造国家政治共同体。

(III) The Connotation and Extension of a Culturally Strong Country

（三）文化强国的内涵与外延

The connotation of a culturally strong country centrally reflects our understanding of a culturally strong country. The connotation of a culturally strong country includes its guiding ideology, leading force, practical subject, cultural resources, and critical reference, i.e., adhering to the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, consolidating the leadership of the CPC over the construction of a culturally strong country, guiding the masses to correctly understand and utilize fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture, combining new practices to create realistic cultural content that embodies the keynote of “becoming strong” in the New Era, continuously enhancing China’s national cultural soft power, and gradually gaining recognition from people of all countries for the international image of a cultural China and a civilized China.

文化强国的内涵集中反映我们关于文化强国的认识。文化强国的内涵包括其指导思想、领导力量、实践主体、文化资源及批判借鉴等，即坚持以习近平文化思想为科学指导，巩固中国共产党对文化强国建设的领导权，引导人民群众正确地认识和运用中华优秀传统文化、革命文化和社会主义先进文化，结合新的实践创造体现新时代“强起来”基调的现实性文化内容，不断增强中国国家文化软实力，让文化中国、文明中国的国际形象为世界各国人民逐步认同。

The extension of a culturally strong country is the essential attributes reflected by the concept of a culturally strong country and its internal and external objects. On the one hand, as a descriptive concept, a culturally strong country is a strategic goal of cultural construction at the national level, a concentrated summary of the long-term vision for basically achieving socialist modernization by 2035 in the field of cultural life. On the other hand, in terms of external objects, our culturally strong country provides Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions for the diverse development of world culture and the pluralistic construction of human civilization.

文化强国的外延是文化强国概念所反映的本质属性及其内外对象。一方面，作为描述性概念，文化强国是文化建设在国家层面的战略目标，是对2035年我国基本实现社会主义现代化远景目标在文化生活领域的集中概括。另一方面，就外部对象而论，我们的文化强国为世界文化的多样发展和人类文明的多元构建提供了中国智慧和中国方案。

Content System: The Structural Dimensions of a Culturally Strong Country

内容体系：文化强国的结构维度

(I) The Dimension of Civil Society: Multi-level Coordinated Efforts to Raise the Level of Social Civilization

（一）市民社会之维：多层面协同发力，提升社会文明程度

First, forge souls and educate people with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. To advance the construction of a culturally strong country and form ideas and concepts that meet the requirements of the New Era, the most important thing is to form a scientific understanding of Marxist theory, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, adhere to and apply the positions, viewpoints, and methods that run through it, grasp its worldview and methodology, cultivate and consolidate correct ideological understanding and value concepts, and arm the mind and guide practice with scientific thought and theory.

首先，以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想铸魂育人。推进文化强国建设，形成契合新时代发展要求的思想观念，最主要是对马克思主义理论，特别是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想形成科学认知，坚持并运用好贯穿其中的立场观点方法，把握好其世界观和方法论，培育巩固正确的思想认识和价值观念，用科学的思想理论武装头脑、指导实践。

Second, shape the spiritual world with the Chinese spirit. The spiritual content required by the construction of a culturally strong country is the contemporary expression of the Chinese spirit, including the national spirit of unity, love of peace, diligence and courage, and self-reliance centered on patriotism; the spirit of the times centered on reform and innovation; and the spiritual lineage of Chinese Communists originating from the great founding spirit of the Party.

其次，以中国精神塑造精神世界。文化强国建设所要求的精神层面的内容是中国精神的时代化表达，包括以爱国主义为核心的团结统一、爱好和平、勤劳勇敢、自强不息的民族精神，以改革创新为核心的时代精神，以伟大建党精神为源头的中国共产党人精神谱系。

Third, lead social customs with civilized words and deeds. Social civilized customs are an important content of a culturally strong country at the social level. Efforts must be made to implement them in detail, small matters, and concrete actions, shaping civilized customs through civilized words and deeds. Adhere to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground; both value the customs and traditions that have been passed down through history, endowing them with contemporary vitality, and combine them with the current state of economic and social development to cultivate new civilized customs.

再次，以文明言行引领社会风尚。社会文明风尚是文化强国在社会层面的重要内容。要在落细落小落实上下功夫，以文明言行塑造文明风尚。坚持守正创新，既要重视历史上流传至今的风俗传统，赋予其时代活力，又要结合当下经济社会发展现状，培育新的文明风尚。

Finally, regulate daily behavior with morality, law, and institutions. Moral norms point to the ethical and moral level, mainly maintained by social public opinion, others’ evaluations, and inner self-following. Legal norms are a coercive force, serving as deterrence before illegal acts and punishment after, with everyone equal before laws and regulations. Institutional norms, in the form of regulations and provisions, target specific objects, providing practical references and guidelines for words and deeds. These normative forces constitute the basic content of a culturally strong country in people’s social life practice.

最后，以道德、法律和制度规约日常行为。道德规范指向伦理道德层面，主要依靠社会舆情、他人评价和自我内心遵循等进行维系。法律规范则是一种强制性力量，对违法行为起到事前威慑和事后惩戒的作用，法律法规面前所有人一律平等。制度规范以条例条文等形式面向特定对象，为其提供实践参考与言行准则。这些规范性力量构成了文化强国在人们社会生活实践的基本内容。

(II) The Dimension of National Culture: Multi-dimensional and Three-dimensional Construction to Enhance National Cultural Soft Power

（二）国家文化之维：多维度立体构建，增强国家文化软实力

First, the critical and creative power of Chinese culture facing history embodies the requirement of upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground in the construction of a culturally strong country under Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. On the one hand, the critical power of culture is determined by the subject’s criteria for evaluating and analytical ability towards a certain culture, influenced by the subject’s cultural literacy and thinking ability. On the other hand, the creative power of culture is the subsequent force that follows the critical power of culture, i.e., by exerting the subject’s initiative and creativity to carry out creative transformation and innovative development of a certain culture, especially the traditional culture of one’s own nation that has been passed down through history, enhancing its vitality and developmental momentum, making it enduring and ever new.

第一，中华文化面向历史的批判力和创造力，体现了习近平文化思想关于文化强国建设守正创新的要求。一方面，文化的批判力由主体对待某种文化的评判标准和分析能力所决定，受主体文化素养和思维能力影响。另一方面，文化的创造力是承接文化批判力的后续力量，即通过发挥主体的能动性和创造性对某种文化特别是历史上流传至今的本民族传统文化进行创造性转化和创新性发展，增强其生命活力与发展动力，使其历久弥新。

Second, the guiding and regulating force of Chinese culture facing the contemporary era reflects the requirement of problem orientation in Xi Jinping’s cultural thought regarding the construction of a culturally strong country. On the one hand, this guiding force manifests as political leadership and value orientation toward other types of culture, enabling them to follow and conform to the ideological concepts and value concepts advocated by mainstream culture, while also appropriately expanding the space needed for the development of cultural life forms, deepening and perfecting the cultural development pattern of “one dominant principle, tolerance of diversity.” On the other hand, this regulating force is expressed as struggle and regulation against erroneous cultures such as those that are negative and decadent under the influence of capital.

第二，中华文化面向当代的引导力和规范力，体现了习近平文化思想关于文化强国建设问题导向的要求。一方面，此种引导力表现为对其他各类文化的政治引领与价值导航，使其遵循并符合主流文化所倡导的思想理念与价值观念，还能适度拓展文化生命体发展所需的空间，深化完善“一元主导、包容多样”的文化发展格局。另一方面，此种规范力体现为对资本影响下的消极腐朽等错误文化展开的斗争与规制。

Third, the attractiveness and cohesive force of Chinese culture facing the nation reflects the requirement of confidence and self-reliance in Xi Jinping’s cultural thought regarding the construction of a culturally strong country. On the one hand, this attractiveness is expressed as the “siphon” effect [2]2 “虹吸效应” (siphon effect) is a metaphor borrowed from physics, used here to describe how mainstream culture attracts and draws in elements from other cultures. that mainstream culture exerts on other cultures. On the other hand, the cohesive force of culture is an important power for凝聚 and integrating the ideological concepts of community members. The trajectory of cultural cohesive force unfolds as a reverse “differential mode of association.” [3]3 “差序格局” (differential mode of association) is a sociological concept coined by Chinese scholar Fei Xiaotong to describe the Chinese social structure based on concentric circles of relationships radiating outward from the self.

第三，中华文化面向民族的吸引力和聚合力，体现了习近平文化思想关于文化强国建设自信自立的要求。一方面，此种吸引力体现为占主流地位的文化对其他文化产生的“虹吸”效应。另一方面，文化的聚合力是凝聚和整合共同体成员思想观念的重要力量。文化聚合力的延展轨迹体现为一种逆向的“差序格局”。

Fourth, the disseminative and absorptive force of Chinese culture facing the world reflects the requirement of embracing the world with a broad mind in Xi Jinping’s cultural thought regarding the construction of a culturally strong country. On the one hand, cultural disseminative force manifests as the outward spread, diffusion, and influence radiation of culture from within, that is, the energy generated by a certain culture in the process of influencing other heterogeneous cultures, mainly taking two forms: horizontal expansion and diffusion, and vertical deepening and consolidation. On the other hand, cultural absorptive force is the ability of cultural subjects to consciously absorb, differentiate, and digest foreign cultures. “Attraction” focuses on the effectiveness of culture in influencing others, while “absorption” emphasizes the positive attitude of culture toward foreign cultures.

第四，中华文化面向世界的传播力和吸收力，体现了习近平文化思想关于文化强国建设胸怀天下的要求。一方面，文化传播力表现为文化自内向外的传播扩散和影响辐射，即某种文化在对其他异质文化产生影响的过程中所生成的能量，主要有横向的拓展扩散和纵向的走实走深两种表现形式。另一方面，文化吸收力是文化主体自觉对外来文化进行吸纳、鉴别和消化的能力。“吸引”关注文化对他者产生影响的有效性，“吸收”强调文化对外来文化的积极态度。

(III) The Dimension of Overseas Audiences: Multi-Level Progressive Deepening, Chinese Culture’s Influence Broad and Deep

（三）海外受众之维：多层级进阶拓深，中华文化影响广泛深入

First, Chinese culture at the material-object level. This refers to various cultural products that take material entities as their carriers, which bear and reflect intangible cultural content. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, the material carrier level of Chinese culture must accelerate the production of more cultural products accepted by people around the world, thereby displaying China’s image as a culturally strong country. In essence, the focus is on sustained efforts and integrated advancement in areas such as the market layout, brand building, and creative production of overseas cultural products.

首先，器物层面的中华文化。这是指以物质实体为载体的各类文化产品，其承载并反映了无形的文化内容。在习近平文化思想指导下，中华文化的物质载体层面须加快产出更多为世界人民所接受的文化产品，通过其展现文化强国的中国形象。要言之，重点在海外文化产品的市场布局、品牌建设和创作生产等方面持续发力、一体推进。

Second, Chinese culture at the practical level. This reflects the words and deeds of the subjects who disseminate culture. As a product of human practice, the external dissemination of culture cannot be separated from human practical activities. In essence, it mainly encompasses three different groups: first, overseas Chinese and ethnic Chinese; second, cultural and artistic workers dedicated to promoting cultural exchange; third, scholars researching philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics.

其次，实践层面的中华文化。这反映了传播文化的主体所表现出的言行实践。作为人的实践创造物，文化的对外传播离不开人的实践活动。要言之，其主要涵括了三个不同群体：一是海外的华人华侨，二是致力于推动文化交流的文化文艺工作者，三是研究中国特色哲学社会科学的学者。

Finally, Chinese culture at the conceptual level. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out, “For China to enhance its national cultural soft power, it must make contemporary Chinese values go global.” [4]4 This is a direct quotation from Xi Jinping, originally from a speech on In the process of dissemination, it is necessary to base it on the customs and traditions of different countries, take into account the thinking modes and cognitive habits of different audiences, flexibly use cross-cultural communication methods, achieve dissemination according to time, circumstances, and place, and actively promote Chinese culture and its latest content of contemporary innovative development to the world.

最后，观念层面的中华文化。习近平总书记指出，“我国要提高国家文化软实力，就必须使当代中国价值观念走向世界”。传播过程中，须基于不同国家的风俗传统，兼顾不同受众的思维方式和认知习惯，灵活运用跨文化交流的方式，做到因时因势因地传播，把中华文化及其在当代创新发展的最新内容积极地推向世界。

Advancement Pathways: Practical Paths for Building a Culturally Strong Country

推进理路：建设文化强国的实践路径

(I) Guided by Xi Jinping’s Cultural Thought

（一）以习近平文化思想为指导

Xi Jinping’s cultural thought is the “powerful ideological weapon and scientific action guide” for guiding the construction of a culturally strong country. The most fundamental thing is to adhere to and grasp the worldview and methodology of the “six musts be upheld.” [5]5 The New Era (新时代) refers to the period beginning with the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017, characterized by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guiding ideology. First, we must uphold putting the people first. Be people-centered, stimulate the people’s cultural innovation and creativity, and gather the people’s cultural practical power. Second, we must uphold confidence and self-reliance. We must closely combine our own reality, correctly handle the relationship between universality and particularity, and rely on the Chinese people’s own strength to build a culturally strong country. Third, we must uphold upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground. We must uphold the fundamental principle of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain, uphold the fundamental principle of the leadership of the CPC, and uphold the fundamental principle of the Chinese excellent traditional culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture encompassed by socialist culture with Chinese characteristics; we must break new ground in the theoretical achievements of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, break new ground in China’s independent knowledge system, and break new ground in the new form of human civilization. Fourth, we must uphold problem orientation. Building a culturally strong country must focus on the goals and tasks of “holding high the banner,凝聚 the people, cultivating new generations, developing culture, and presenting the image,” [6] and resolve various contradictions and problems encountered in the process of practice through the combination of problem orientation and goal orientation. Fifth, we must uphold the systems concept. Handle the relationships between the whole and the parts, the present and the long term, domestic and foreign, theory and practice, and adhere to the unity of overall planning and coordinated advancement. Sixth, we must uphold embracing the world with a broad mind. Maintain a global vision, broaden thinking, and open up the pattern. We must both promote the “going global” of a culturally strong country, enhance foreign friends’ understanding and concern for Chinese culture, and critically absorb and learn from the construction experience of world cultural powers, taking ourselves as the mainstay and using them for our own benefit.

习近平文化思想是指导文化强国建设的“强大思想武器和科学行动指南”，最根本的是要坚持并把握好“六个必须坚持”的世界观和方法论。一是必须坚持人民至上。以人民为中心，激发人民的文化创新创造活力，汇聚人民的文化实践伟力。二是必须坚持自信自立。须紧密结合自身实际，在正确处理普遍性和特殊性关系的基础上，依靠中国人自己的力量建设文化强国。三是必须坚持守正创新。须守马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位之正，守中国共产党的领导之正，守中国特色社会主义文化所涵括的中华优秀传统文化、革命文化和社会主义先进文化之正；须创马克思主义中国化时代化理论成果之新，创中国自主知识体系之新，创人类文明新形态之新。四是必须坚持问题导向。建设文化强国须聚焦“举旗帜、聚民心、育新人、兴文化、展形象”的目标任务，在问题导向与目标导向的结合中化解实践过程中遇到的各类矛盾问题。五是必须坚持系统观念。处理好整体与部分、当前与长远、国内与国外、理论与实践等关系，坚持全局谋划和协调推进相统一。六是必须坚持胸怀天下。秉持世界眼光，拓宽思维、打开格局，既要推动文化强国“走出去”，增进国外友人对中华文化的理解与关切，又要批判地吸收借鉴世界文化强国的建设经验，以我为主、为我所用。

(II) Upholding the Leadership of the CPC

（二）坚持中国共产党的领导

The key to handling China’s affairs well lies in the Party. On the new journey, the key to advancing the construction of a culturally strong country lies in upholding the leadership of the CPC, continuing to consolidate the Party’s cultural leadership, and enhancing the Party’s ability and level in leading the construction of a culturally strong country. First, the entire Party must better shoulder the cultural mission of the New Era and strengthen the sense of responsibility for building a culturally strong country. Second, the entire Party must fully tap and utilize the three types of cultural resources—Chinese excellent traditional culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture—to advance the construction of a culturally strong country. Finally, the entire Party must explore the practical laws of building a culturally strong country on the new journey in the New Era. This is the essential prescriptive requirement for the Party to lead the construction of a culturally strong country.

办好中国的事情关键在党。新征程上推进文化强国建设关键在于坚持中国共产党的领导，赓续巩固党的文化领导权，提升党领导文化强国建设的能力和水平。首先，全党须更好地担负起新时代的文化使命，强化建设文化强国的担当意识。其次，全党要充分挖掘利用中华优秀传统文化、革命文化和社会主义先进文化这三类文化资源，推进文化强国建设。最后，全党要探索新时代新征程上文化强国建设的实践规律。这是党领导文化强国建设的本质规定性要求。

(III) Stimulating the Cultural Innovation and Creativity of the Entire Nation

（三）激发全民族文化创新创造活力

Advancing the construction of a culturally strong country under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s cultural thought must emphasize the active role of practical subjects, stimulating and releasing the cultural innovation and creativity of the people. On the one hand, stimulate the cultural creativity of the people. First, respect the people’s cultural creations, guarantee their cultural rights, and promote the people’s cultural initiative spirit; second, vigorously provide supporting guarantees, orderly carry out mass activities for cultural-ethical progress, and encourage people’s cultural creation; third, face up to the cultural development gaps between urban and rural areas and between regions, and orderly solve the problem of unbalanced supply of cultural products and services. On the other hand, release the innovative impetus of cultural and artistic talent. First, guide cultural and artistic talent to adhere to the people-centered creative orientation, reflecting the people’s production and life practices through cultural and artistic works; second, guide cultural and artistic talent to adhere to the creative orientation of truth, goodness, and beauty, using excellent works to enhance the people’s aesthetic ability; third, guide cultural and artistic talent to create iconic achievements reflecting the accomplishments of a culturally strong country, launching a batch of fine cultural works that have a broad impact worldwide.

习近平文化思想指导下推进文化强国建设须重视实践主体的能动作用，激发和释放人民群众的文化创新创造活力。一方面，激发人民群众的文化创造活力。一要尊重人民群众的文化创造，保障其享有的文化权利，发扬人民的文化首创精神；二要大力提供配套支持，有序开展群众性精神文明创建活动，鼓励人们的文化创造；三要正视城乡间、区域间存在的文化发展差距，有序解决文化产品和服务供给不平衡的问题。另一方面，释放文化文艺人才的创新动力。一要引导文化文艺人才坚守以人民为中心的创作导向，通过文化文艺作品反映人民群众的生产生活实践；二要引导文化文艺人才坚持真善美的创作取向，用优秀作品提升人民群众的审美能力；三要引导文化文艺人才创作反映文化强国成就的标识性成果，推出一批在世界范围内产生广泛影响的文化精品力作。

(IV) Flourishing and Developing Cultural Undertakings and Cultural Industries

（四）繁荣发展文化事业和文化产业

Both the public-benefit cultural undertakings and the for-profit cultural industries, as two different types of cultural driving forces, are of great significance for building a culturally strong country. On the one hand, building a culturally strong country must always adhere to the social benefits of culture and vigorously flourish socialist cultural undertakings. First, strengthen the leading role of the government in the development of cultural undertakings; second, give full play to the advantages of state-owned cultural enterprises and institutions, highlighting their industry-leading effectiveness; third, deepen the Party’s leadership and cultivation mechanism for cultural undertaking talent; fourth, adhere to the downward shift of the focus, resources, and services of cultural undertakings; fifth, rely on various policy documents of the Party and the state on promoting the development of cultural undertakings to promote their implementation and execution. On the other hand, building a culturally strong country must continuously enhance the economic benefits of cultural industries and actively develop socialist cultural industries. First, promote the refined development of cultural industry categories, enhancing the differentiation and recognition of China’s cultural products in the world; second, clarify the various business entities of cultural industries, achieving clear rights and responsibilities, proper management, and thoughtful service; third, actively utilize digital technology and artificial intelligence and other means to explore and promote the digital and intelligent transformation of cultural industries; fourth, promote the large-scale operation of cultural industries, take the path of large-scale development, and gain more market share.

公益性的文化事业和经营性的文化产业这两种不同性质的文化驱动力量对于建设文化强国都具有重要意义。一方面，建设文化强国须始终坚守文化的社会效益，大力繁荣社会主义文化事业。一要强化政府在文化事业发展中的引领作用；二要发挥好国有文化企事业单位优势，凸显其行业引领效能；三要深化党对文化事业人才的领导和培育机制；四要坚持文化事业重心下移、资源下移和服务下移；五要依托党和国家关于促进文化事业发展的各项政策文件，推动其落地实施和贯彻执行。另一方面，建设文化强国须不断提升文化产业的经济效益，积极发展社会主义文化产业。一要推动文化产业类别的精细化发展，提升我国文化产品在世界的区分度和辨识度；二要明确文化产业的各类经营主体，做到权责清晰、管理到位和服务周到；三要积极利用数字技术和人工智能等手段，探索和推动文化产业数智化转型；四要推动文化产业规模化经营，走规模化发展道路，获取更多市场份额。

Conclusion

结语

The emergence of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture marks that the Party’s ideological consciousness and action autonomy in leading the building of a cultural powerhouse on the new journey have reached a new realm. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, this article, by defining the connotation and extension of a cultural powerhouse, analyzing its content system, and constructing advancement pathways, aims to respond to and answer the questions of “what is” and “what to do” regarding the building of a cultural powerhouse under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, thereby making due academic contributions to shouldering the cultural mission of the New Era [5]5 The New Era (新时代) refers to the period beginning with the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017, characterized by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guiding ideology. and accelerating the construction and timely completion of a cultural powerhouse.

习近平文化思想的出场标志着新征程上党领导文化强国建设的思想自觉和行动自主达到了新境界。在习近平文化思想指导下，本文通过厘定文化强国的内涵与外延，剖析其内容体系并建构推进理路，旨在回应和解答习近平文化思想指导下文化强国建设“何谓”与“何为”的问题，为担负起新时代的文化使命，加快建设并如期建成文化强国作出应有的学术贡献。

Online editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆