The Mutual Construction Logic of Advancing Chinese-Path Modernization and the Development of Chinese Civilization

In June 2023, at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly pointed out: “Chinese-path modernization endows Chinese civilization with modern power, and Chinese civilization endows Chinese-path modernization with profound heritage.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development, June 2023. The *Study Outline of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture* puts forward the important thesis of “the development of Chinese civilization” and emphasizes “endowing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with deeper cultural connotations and broader civilizational dimensions.” [2]2 *Study Outline of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture* (Beijing: People’s Publishing House, 2024). This profoundly answers that advancing Chinese-path modernization and the development of Chinese civilization are the two major missions of creating a new form of human civilization in the New Era, and are new tasks facing contemporary Chinese Communists. Chinese-path modernization possesses rich civilizational and advanced qualities, has the basic characteristics of socialist civilization, is the Chinese civilizational mode of socialist modernization, is a modern civilization that drives Chinese civilization to regain its glory, and is the basic driving force for making Chinese civilization a new form of human civilization. At the same time, realizing the development of Chinese civilization is also inseparable from Chinese-path modernization. Chinese-path modernization is a process that, in the course of modernization, adheres to the guidance of the Marxist view of civilization, integrates modern civilization with Chinese civilization, continuously injects elements of the times, and carries out innovative development. Advancing Chinese-path modernization and the development of Chinese civilization jointly present civility. The core essence of civility is the critique and transcendence of the other, based on the reflection and reshaping of traditional civilization, taking the integration and active absorption of achievements from others as the path, and marked by the generation of a new cultural community through creative transformation and innovative development. Conducting research on the “one body, two sides” mutual construction logic of advancing Chinese-path modernization and the development of Chinese civilization from the perspective of civility is a research topic of great theoretical value at present.

2023年6月，习近平总书记在文化传承发展座谈会上明确指出：“中国式现代化赋予中华文明以现代力量，中华文明赋予中国式现代化以深厚底蕴。”《习近平文化思想学习纲要》提出“中华文明发展”的重要论断，并强调“赋予中华民族伟大复兴更为深刻的文化内涵和更为宽广的文明维度”。这深刻回答了推进中国式现代化与中华文明发展是新时代创造人类文明新形态的两大使命任务，是当代中国共产党人面临的新课题。中国式现代化具有丰富的文明性、先进性，具有社会主义文明的基本特质，是社会主义现代化的中华文明方式，是推动中华文明重焕荣光的现代文明，是推动中华文明成为人类文明新形态的基本动力。与此同时，实现中华文明发展也离不开中国式现代化。中国式现代化是在现代化进程中坚持以马克思主义文明观为指导，把现代文明和中华文明相互融合，不断注入时代元素并加以创新发展的过程。推进中国式现代化与中华文明发展共同呈现文明性。文明性的核心要义是对他者的批判和超越，是以对传统文明的反思和重塑为基础，以现代文明融会贯通、主动汲取他者成果为途径，经过创造性转化和创新性发展生成新的文化共同体为标志。从文明性视角开展推进中国式现代化和中华文明发展“一体两面”互构逻辑的研究，是当前具有重大理论价值的研究课题。

I. Literature Review and Problem Formulation

一、文献述评与问题提出

Modernization is a new type of social development model that relies on advanced science and technology, is guided by modern civilizational concepts, and undergoes cultural and social changes. Fundamentally, modernization is the product of changes in the times and the replacement of the old by the new, and is the inevitable result of the transformation of human civilization from tradition to modernity. Academic circles have engaged in heated discussions around the basic connotations, distinctive characteristics, people-oriented foundation, civilizational heritage, and other theoretical issues of Chinese-path modernization. At the same time, in the construction of a new era of culture that promotes cultural innovation and strengthens cultural confidence, the theoretical proposition of how to realize the innovative development of Chinese civilization through creative transformation and innovative development has increasingly attracted academic attention.

现代化是以先进科学技术为依托、以现代文明理念为引领，经历文化与社会变迁的新型社会发展模式。从根本上说，现代化是时代变迁、新旧更迭的产物，是人类文明从传统向现代转型的必然结果。学界围绕中国式现代化的基本内涵、鲜明特质、人本根基、文明底蕴等理论问题展开了热烈的讨论。与此同时，在推动文化创新、坚定文化自信的新时代文化建设中，如何通过创造性转化和创新性发展实现中华文明创新发展的理论命题也日益被学界关注。

First, academic circles have begun preliminary explorations around the civility of Chinese-path modernization. Some scholars believe that Chinese-path modernization is essentially a pluralistic and multi-civilizational view, distinct from the “singular civilizational view” of “Western-centrism”; this is the “civilizational existence” of Chinese-path modernization. Some scholars point out that Chinese-path modernization adheres to combining the value propositions of scientific socialism with fine traditional Chinese culture, realizing in theory and practice the creative inheritance and development of the ideological concepts, practical essentials, and value system of fine traditional Chinese culture. Chinese-path modernization is also related to modern thought; it is a product with the characteristics of modern civilization. It transcends the value concept of “capital first” with the value concept of “people first,” takes people as the subject, purpose, and destination of modernization, and promotes the comprehensive development of people and the overall progress of society as the value orientation of Chinese-path modernization. Other scholars believe that in the initial stage of modernization, the civility of modernization more often exhibits characteristics of universality and commonality; as modernization develops, especially with the prominence and guidance of cultural factors, it increasingly shows its own unique characteristics. This reveals that modernization is a diverse form, demonstrating that Chinese-path modernization has a “Chinese background” different from general modernization.

一是学界围绕中国式现代化的文明性问题展开了初步的探讨。有学者认为，中国式现代化实质上是复数多元文明观，区别于“西方中心论”的“单数文明观”，这是中国式现代化的“文明存在”。有学者指出，中国式现代化坚持将科学社会主义价值观主张与中华优秀传统文化相结合，在理论和实践中实现了对中华优秀传统文化思想观念、实践要旨与价值体系的创造性继承与发展。中国式现代化还同现代思想有关，是具有现代文明特质的产物，它以“人民至上”的价值理念超越“资本至上”的价值理念，将人作为现代化的主体、目的和归宿，推动人的全面发展与社会的全面进步是中国式现代化的价值导向。还有学者认为，在现代化生成的初期阶段，现代化的文明性更多表现出普遍性和共性的特点，随着现代化的发展尤其是文化因素的突显与导引愈发呈现出各自的独异性特征。这揭示了现代化是多样性的形态，展现出中国式现代化具有与一般现代化不同的“中国底色”。

Second, academic circles have focused on the civility of Chinese civilization and the issue of how Chinese civilization can empower Chinese-path modernization and provide it with powerful ideological resources and spiritual impetus. Some scholars believe that emphasizing the national characteristics of Chinese-path modernization means emphasizing that Chinese civilization best embodies the prominent features of the Chinese nation; these prominent features and distinctive characteristics also give Chinese-path modernization significant national advantages, making it the “national existence” of Chinese-path modernization. Clearly, the consensus is gradually forming in academic circles that Chinese civilization provides inspiration for resolving the so-called paradox of modernization.

二是学界集中探讨了中华文明的文明性以及中华文明何以赋能中国式现代化，并为其提供强大思想资源和精神动力的问题。有学者认为，强调中国式现代化的民族特质就是强调中华文明最能体现中华民族的突出特性，这种突出特性和鲜明特质又使中国式现代化具有显著的民族优势，是中国式现代化的“民族性存在”。显然，中华文明为解决所谓现代化悖论提供启迪逐渐成为学界的共识。

Third, academic circles focus on the relationship between Chinese-path modernization and the modernization of other countries. Some scholars believe that highlighting the Chinese characteristics of Chinese-path modernization is not an artificial setting of differences between Chinese-path modernization and Western modernization, but rather an examination of Chinese-path modernization within the broad perspective of human civilization, highlighting the Chinese characteristics and Chinese advantages of modernization. At the same time, recognizing the important role played by different national cultures in promoting modernization and realizing civilizational development from the perspective of the coexistence of Western civilization and world multiculturalism can provide valuable resources and feasible paths for the modernization development of various countries. Chinese-path modernization advocates exchange and mutual learning among different civilizations, because through civilizational exchange and mutual learning, one can learn from others’ strengths to compensate for weaknesses, realize “each appreciating its own beauty,” and ultimately achieve “the beauty of all.” [3]3 “Each appreciating its own beauty” and “the beauty of all” are phrases from the Chinese sociologist Fei Xiaotong, expressing an ideal of cultural coexistence and mutual appreciation.

三是学界聚焦中国式现代化与其他国家现代化的关系。有学者认为，彰显中国式现代化的中国特色并不是人为设定中国式现代化与西方现代化的不同，而是将中国式现代化置于人类文明的广阔视野进行考察，凸显现代化的中国特点和中国优势。同时，从西方文明和世界多元文化并存的角度认识不同民族文化在推进现代化和实现文明发展时所起到的重要作用，能为各国的现代化发展提供宝贵资源和可行路径。中国式现代化主张不同文明之间交流互鉴，因为通过文明的交流互鉴可以取长补短，实现“各美其美”，最终达到“美美与共”。

Fourth, academic circles grasp the relationship between Chinese-path modernization and Chinese civilization from the perspective of a new form of human civilization. Some scholars point out that to regard advancing Chinese-path modernization and realizing the development of Chinese civilization as a new form of human civilization, efforts must be made to highlight the civility of the Chinese national spirit, because the civilizational mechanism of Chinese-path modernization is concretely implemented as “Chinese characteristics based on one’s own national conditions.” [4]4 “Chinese characteristics based on one’s own national conditions” is a standard formulation from official CPC discourse, emphasizing the adaptation of general principles to China’s specific circumstances. Chinese-path modernization not only embodies the world-consciousness and national responsibility of Chinese civilization but also represents a modern world-historical consciousness oriented towards a new civilization, reflecting that modern China has always possessed a strong world-historical consciousness and sense of mission. Some scholars believe that Chinese-path modernization takes civilizational equality as the basic premise for dispelling civilizational prejudice, achieving not only a positive response to “Western-centrism” but also building a bridge for equal interaction between different civilizations. Other scholars have conducted research around the civility of Chinese-path modernization and Chinese civilization, arguing that Chinese-path modernization advocates a reasonable connection between tradition and modernity, both continuing the Chinese cultural lineage and receiving the rich nourishment of modern civilization. This is the key to creating a completely new form of human civilization and is also the traditional cultural foundation for successfully avoiding the pitfalls of Western modernization.

四是学界从人类文明新形态的角度把握中国式现代化与中华文明的关系。有学者指出，把推进中国式现代化和实现中华文明发展作为人类文明新形态，要着力做到突出中华民族精神的文明性，因为中国式现代化的文明机理具体落实为“基于自己国情的中国特色”。中国式现代化不仅体现了中华文明的天下意识和民族责任，而且代表了面向新文明的现代世界历史意识，反映出现代中国始终具有强烈的世界历史意识和使命感。有学者认为，中国式现代化以文明平等作为解蔽文明偏见的基本前提，既实现了对“西方中心论”的正面回应，也为不同文明之间的平等交往搭建了桥梁。也有学者围绕中国式现代化和中华文明的文明性展开研究，认为中国式现代化主张传统与现代的合理衔接，既赓续中华文脉，又接受现代文明的丰厚滋养。这是创造全新人类文明形态的关键所在，也是成功规避西方现代化陷阱的传统文化根基。

Fifth, academic circles analyze the relationship between Chinese-path modernization and Chinese civilization from the perspective of a new cultural life entity. Some scholars propose that the mission and task of the Communist Party of China on the new journey of the New Era focuses on comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, and the new cultural mission forms corresponding construction requirements. Other scholars emphasize that the new cultural life entity is the cultural expression of the historical renewal of Chinese civilization, injecting powerful spiritual strength into the modern reshaping of Chinese civilization and the development and progress of human civilization.

五是学界从新的文化生命体视角分析中国式现代化与中华文明的关系。有学者提出，新时代新征程中国共产党的使命任务聚焦以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴，新的文化使命形成与之相应的建设要求。还有学者强调，新的文化生命体是中华文明历史性更新的文化表达，为中华文明现代重塑和人类文明发展进步注入强大精神力量。

In summary, academic circles have paid attention to the relational issues between Chinese-path modernization and the development of Chinese civilization from multiple dimensions, and have attempted to deepen the study of the new form of human civilization through research on this theme. This paper focuses on the civility commonly possessed by Chinese-path modernization and the development of Chinese civilization as the entry point, conducting research from the civilizational connotation of Chinese-path modernization, the characteristics of civility inherent in Chinese civilization, and the paths to realizing civilizational development, in order to provide useful theoretical reflections for the Chinese solution of creating a new form of human civilization.

总之，学界从多个维度关注了中国式现代化与中华文明发展的关系性问题，并试图通过对该主题的研究达到深化对人类文明新形态研究的目的。本文着重以中国式现代化和中华文明发展共同具有的文明性为切入点，从中国式现代化的文明内涵、中华文明内蕴的文明性特点以及实现文明发展的路径展开研究，为创造人类文明新形态的中国方案提供有益的理论思考。

II. The Civilizational Connotation of Chinese-Path Modernization

二、中国式现代化的文明内涵

Different from Western modernization, Chinese-path modernization is a socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China. It not only possesses the general characteristics of modernization but is also a modernization based on China’s national conditions, with Chinese characteristics, and is a new form of socialist civilization with distinct characteristics of modern human civilization and the qualities of the Chinese nation. Chinese-path modernization not only “establishes oneself” and “achieves oneself,” seeking happiness and development for one’s own people, advancing the construction of a great modern socialist country, and turning the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation into reality; it also “establishes others” and “achieves others,” seeking peace and progress for all humanity, advocating and building a community with a shared future for mankind, and actively promoting human society towards a better future. Chinese-path modernization injects unprecedented new connotations and new expressions into the writing of human civilization; it is not only the premise and foundation for creating a new form of human civilization but also an important component of realizing world peace and development.

不同于西方的现代化，中国式现代化是由中国共产党领导的社会主义现代化，它不仅具有现代化的一般特点，更是基于中国国情的、具有中国特色的现代化，是具有鲜明人类现代文明特征和中华民族特质的社会主义文明新形态。中国式现代化不仅“立己”“达己”，为本国人民谋幸福、谋发展，推进社会主义现代化强国建设，推动中华民族伟大复兴中国梦变为现实；更“立人”“达人”，为全人类谋和平、谋进步，倡导并构建人类命运共同体，积极推动人类社会走向更加美好的未来。中国式现代化为书写人类文明注入了前所未有的新内涵和新表达，不仅是创造人类文明新形态的前提和基础，而且是实现世界和平与发展的重要组成部分。

(I) The Liberation and Development of Productive Forces as the Civilizational Underpinning of Chinese-Path Modernization

(一)解放和发展生产力是中国式现代化的文明底色

Western modernization, characterized by the capitalist mode of production, has over several centuries “created more massive and more colossal productive forces than have all preceding generations together,”[5]5 Marx and Engels, *Manifesto of the Communist Party* (1848). opening a path for humanity from traditional agrarian civilization to modern civilization. Although the capitalist civilization shaped by Western modernization was the first to shake off the backwardness and ignorance of traditional agrarian society, it simultaneously created immense problems for the West itself and for countries around the world. Fundamentally, the formation and development of Western civilization are inseparable from the immense role of capital, which from its very inception has displayed a dual character of civilization and barbarism. As a mode of modern civilization, capital, with its internal dynamic of aggressive进取, not only accelerates the development of productive forces, to a certain degree facilitates the establishment and consolidation of social relations, and promotes the creation of various elements required for a new, higher-level formation, but also accelerates the expansion of enterprises and the formation of domestic and international markets, completing the process of modernization in the shortest possible time. However, the essence of capital is to obtain profit; the expansive nature of capital turns production into “production based on capital,” and, in a posture of disorderly expansion, draws all countries and nations into capitalist civilization.

以资本主义生产方式为基本特征的西方现代化在几百年中“所创造的生产力，比过去一切世代创造的全部生产力还要多，还要大”，为人类找到了一条由传统农耕文明走向现代文明的道路。由西方现代化塑造的资本主义文明虽然率先摆脱了传统农耕社会的落后和愚昧，但同时也给西方自身与世界各国的发展带来了巨大的难题。从根本上说，西方文明的形成和发展离不开资本的巨大作用，资本从它落地的那天起就呈现出文明与野蛮的两重性。作为现代文明的方式，资本以其社会内部积极进取的内生动力不仅加速了生产力发展，一定程度上有利于社会关系的建立和巩固，也有利于推动更高级别新形态所需的各种要素的创造，而且加速企业的扩张和国内、国际市场的形成，在最短的时间内完成了现代化进程。然而，资本的本质是获得利润，资本的扩张本性使生产成为“以资本为基础的生产”，并以无序扩张的态势将一切国家和民族都卷入资本主义文明中来。

This shows that the “civilizing” aspect of capital has both a positive and a negative side: on the one hand, capital enables the bourgeoisie to create a modern civil society according to its own developmental needs; on the other hand, capital is highly deceptive and hypocritical, with the power of capital that exploits workers’ surplus value becoming a tool for a minority of capitalists to grab benefits, and the barbaric acts and brutal methods of capital expansion are cloaked in the garb of “civilization.” When Marx exposed the nature of capital, he pointed out that because of capital’s innate “man-eating” character, coupled with the inherent and insurmountable limitations of Western modernization based on private ownership of the means of production, the capitalist civilization founded on Western modernization is bound, over time, to turn into the opposite of civilization. In short, when Western modernization stamps productive forces with the imprint of capital and reduces them to an appendage and victim of capital, the limitations of Western modernization are exposed, making Western civilization unable to resolve the various difficulties in the modernization process and ultimately unable to escape the predicament of modernity. Fundamentally, productive forces are a mode of civilizational existence based on sociality, aimed at comprehensive social growth, and characterized by equal labor relations; the social nature of productive forces is the main hallmark of modern civilization. Only by truly releasing the social nature of productive forces, achieving the regulation and restriction of capital’s disorderly expansion and controlling the negative effects of capital’s rampage, can productive forces truly become the fundamental driving force for the development of social civilization, rather than degenerating into a plaything and tool in the hands of the bourgeoisie.

这表明资本的“文明性”既具有积极的一面也具有消极的一面：一方面，资本使资产阶级能够根据自身发展的需求创造出现代文明社会；另一方面，资本极具欺骗性和虚伪性，剥削工人剩余价值的资本力量成为服务于少数资本家攫取利益的工具，资本扩张的野蛮行径及残暴方式披上了“文明”的外衣。马克思在揭露资本属性时指出，由于资本与生俱来的“吃人”本性，加之建立在生产资料私有制基础上的西方现代化先天具有自身无法克服的局限性，这就决定了以西方现代化为基础的资本主义文明随着时间的推移必定走向文明的反面。总而言之，当西方现代化将生产力打上资本的印记、使生产力沦为资本的附属物和牺牲品时，西方现代化的局限性就暴露出来，从而使西方文明无法解决现代化进程中的各种难题并最终无法走出现代性的困境。从根本上说，生产力是以社会性为基础、以实现社会全面增长为目的、以实现平等劳动关系为基本特征的文明存在方式，生产力的社会属性是现代文明的主要标志。只有使生产力真正释放其社会的本性，达到规范和限制资本的无序扩张和使资本肆虐的负面性得以控制，才能使生产力真正成为推动社会文明发展的根本动力，而不是堕落为资产阶级手中的玩偶和工具。

The decline of one civilization is often accompanied by the rise of another. In stark contrast to Western modernization, Chinese-path modernization is built on the foundation of socialist civilization; it is a process of continuously adjusting and perfecting relations of production to ensure the full unfolding of the social nature of productive forces. Marx pointed out the connection between civilization and social productive forces, namely that the growth of productive forces plays a decisive role in the progress of human civilization, and the social nature of productive forces is the main indicator of whether the civilizational character of a society is manifested. In China, Deng Xiaoping gave the historic answer that “liberating and developing productive forces, eliminating exploitation and polarization, and ultimately achieving common prosperity” constitutes the essential definition of socialism. After more than 40 years of reform and opening up, the CPC has always adhered to taking the development of productive forces as the central task, maximizing the liberation and development of productive forces, and fully releasing their social nature. This not only highlights the civilizational foundation of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics but also proves that Chinese-path modernization possesses a distinct civilizational matrix.

一种文明的陨落往往伴随着另一种文明的崛起。与西方现代化截然不同，中国式现代化建立在社会主义文明的基础上，是经过不断调整和完善生产关系、保证生产力的社会属性得以充分展开的过程。马克思指出了文明与社会生产力之间的关联，即生产力的增长对人类文明进步起决定性的作用，生产力的社会属性是决定社会文明性是否得以体现的主要标志。在中国，邓小平给出了“解放生产力，发展生产力，消灭剥削，消除两极分化，最终达到共同富裕”是社会主义本质规定这一历史性的回答。经历改革开放40余年，中国共产党始终做到以发展生产力为中心，最大程度地解放和发展生产力，使生产力的社会属性得到充分释放。这不仅彰显了中国特色社会主义制度的文明根基，而且证明了中国式现代化具有鲜明的文明基质。

(II) Taking the People as the Subject of Value as the Essential Requirement of Chinese-Path Modernization

(二)把人民作为价值主体是中国式现代化的本质要求

Modern civilization embodies the value and ideal of people’s free and comprehensive development, whereas Western modernization is modernization aimed at capital accumulation and governed by the logic of capital; in essence, it is the modernization of a minority bourgeoisie exploiting and oppressing the majority. Western modernization has not only failed to achieve “the reconciliation of mankind with nature and of man with himself”[6]6 Marx, *Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844*. and to satisfy the needs of people’s free and comprehensive development, but has instead triggered numerous crises and conflicts, leading to the膨胀 of materialism and the deepening polarization between rich and poor, so that intensifying social contradictions hinder the progress of human civilization. Marx summarized capitalist social relations as based on dependence on things, where “the social relations of individuals are transformed into the social relations of things, and their own capacities into the capacity of things.”[7]7 Marx, *Grundrisse* (1857–1858). In Marx’s view, in capitalist civilization, the relationships between people and things, and between people themselves, all appear as relationships between things; “alienation” becomes the normal state of capitalist society. There is no denying that capitalist development can satisfy people’s material needs to a considerable extent, but the operation of the logic of capital merely confines people to the satisfaction of material needs, ignoring the diverse needs of people as the subjects of civilization, ultimately distorting human development and turning people into “one-dimensional” beings.

现代文明蕴含人的自由全面发展的价值和理想，而西方现代化是以资本增殖为目的、由资本逻辑支配的现代化，本质上是代表少数人的资产阶级剥削压榨多数人的现代化。西方现代化不仅未能实现“人类与自然的和解以及人类本身的和解”和满足人的自由全面发展的需求，反而引发诸多危机与冲突，从而导致物质主义膨胀、贫富两极化日益加深，使得不断激化的社会矛盾阻碍人类文明的进步。马克思将资本主义的社会关系概括为以物的依赖性为基础，“人的社会关系转化为物的社会关系，人的能力转化为物的能力”。在马克思看来，资本主义文明中人与物、人与人的关系均表现为物与物的关系，“异化”成为资本主义社会的常态。不否认资本主义的发展能较大程度地满足人的物质需求，但资本逻辑运作仅仅将人停留在对物质需要的满足，忽视人这一文明主体的多样性需求，最终只会造成人的发展被扭曲，成为“单向度”的人。

Chinese-path modernization is people-centered; it is modernization that adheres to the Marxist stance of the people, firmly establishes the principal position of the people, takes meeting the people’s growing needs for a better life as the goal of struggle, and takes the realization of people’s free and comprehensive development as the main thread. First, the people are the main force driving Chinese-path modernization, historical progress, and social development; the practical activities of the people are the living source of Chinese-path modernization. Second, the diverse needs of the people are the endogenous driving force for the continuous advancement of Chinese-path modernization. From the Eighth National Congress of the CPC[8]8 The Eighth National Congress of the CPC was held in 1956, shortly after the completion of socialist transformation, and set the task of building a strong socialist industrial country. clearly proposing “the need to build an advanced industrial country and achieve rapid development of the economy and culture,” to the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee[9]9 The Sixth Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee was held in 1981; its “Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of Our Party since the Founding of the PRC” formally defined the principal contradiction as that between the growing material and cultural needs of the people and backward social production. summarizing it as “the growing material and cultural needs of the people,” and then to the 19th National Congress of the CPC[10]10 The 19th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2017; it revised the formulation of the principal contradiction to “the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life.” proposing “the people’s growing needs for a better life,” the close attention and high importance attached to changes in the people’s needs demonstrate that the CPC, in advancing Chinese-path modernization, always takes the people as the subject, responding to the people’s concerns, reflecting the people’s will, and meeting the people’s needs. Finally, Chinese-path modernization is modernization that benefits the people; its fundamental goal is “development for the people, development relying on the people, and development achievements shared by the people.” This is fundamentally different from Western modernization. In essence, Chinese-path modernization takes the people as the subject and aims at the free and comprehensive development of people, fully displaying the civilizational matrix of Chinese-path modernization.

中国式现代化以人民为中心，是坚持马克思主义人民立场、牢固树立人民主体地位、把满足人民日益增长的美好生活需要作为奋斗目标、以实现人的自由全面发展为主线的现代化。首先，人民是推进中国式现代化、推动历史进步和社会发展的主体力量，人民的实践活动是中国式现代化的源头活水。其次，人民的多样性需要是推进中国式现代化不断向前发展的内生动力。从党的八大明确提出“建立先进的工业国以及经济文化迅速发展的需要”到党的十一届六中全会概括为“日益增长的物质文化需要”，再到党的十九大提出“日益增长的美好生活需要”，对于人民需要变化的密切关注和高度重视彰显了中国共产党推进中国式现代化始终做到以人民为主体，是回应人民关切、体现人民意愿、实现人民需要的现代化。最后，中国式现代化是造福于民的现代化，中国式现代化的根本目标是“发展为了人民、发展依靠人民、发展成果由人民共享”。这与西方现代化具有本质的区别。从根本上说，中国式现代化以人民为主体、以实现人的自由全面发展为目的，充分展现了中国式现代化的文明基质。

(III) Adhering to Independence as the Civilizational Path of Advancing Chinese-Path Modernization

(三)坚持独立自主是推进中国式现代化的文明之径

The existence of every civilization is related to the country’s history and traditional civilization; each is formed by continuing the spiritual bloodline of a country and its nation. “Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past.”[11]11 Marx, *The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte* (1852). When a country and a nation choose which mode of modernization to use to promote their own development, the attitude they adopt toward their own historical traditions, social conditions, and ideological culture is of crucial importance. Consistently adhering to national character and the country’s own historical traditions determines the ability to make correct choices when facing modernization with an independent posture.

每一种文明的存在都与国家历史及传统文明有关，均是延续一个国家和民族的精神血脉而成。“人们自己创造自己的历史，但是他们并不是随心所欲地创造，并不是在他们自己选定的条件下创造，而是在直接碰到的、既定的、从过去承继下来的条件下创造。”当一个国家和民族在选择以何种现代化方式推动本国发展时，对本国和本民族的历史传统、社会境遇以及思想文化采取什么样的态度至关重要。始终坚持民族性和本国的历史传统，决定了以独立性姿态在面对现代化到来时能作出正确的选择。

It cannot be denied that Western modernization underwent ideological and cultural transformations, breaking feudal shackles and eliminating religious superstition, laying the ideological and cultural foundation for Western modernization with humanism and scientism; through the European bourgeois revolutions, it overthrew feudal autocratic rule, established a political system suited to the development of the capitalist economy, and provided a strong political guarantee for the advancement of Western modernization; the First Industrial Revolution accelerated the modernization process of Western countries from agricultural to industrial societies. These transformations exhibit the historical characteristics of the development of Western modern civilization. Beginning in the 1840s, China was passively drawn into the modernization process dominated by the West for more than a hundred years. “In a semi-colonial, semi-feudal, and divided China, to develop industry, build national defense, benefit the people, and achieve national prosperity and strength—how many people over how many years have dreamed of this, but all such dreams have been shattered.” [12]12 Mao Zedong, “On Coalition Government” (1945). The founding of the People’s Republic of China laid the basic institutional conditions for China’s modernization development; during the period of socialist revolution and construction, an independent and self-reliant industrial system was established for China’s modernization, initiating an active exploration of socialist modernization. The proposal of “Chinese-style modernization” was a component of Deng Xiaoping’s exploration of the theory of “socialism with Chinese characteristics” and the idea of “building a moderately prosperous society” in the early period of reform and opening up; it was a modernization development goal combining China’s actual conditions with the “three-step” strategy. [13]13 The “three-step” strategy, proposed by Deng Xiaoping in 1987, set modernization goals: first, doubling the 1980 GNP by 1990 and securing basic subsistence; second, quadrupling it by 2000 and reaching a moderately prosperous level; third, achieving a per capita GNP level of moderately developed countries by the mid-21st century. In the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made important expositions on a series of fundamental issues concerning the leadership, core theme, essential characteristics, and development path of Chinese-path modernization, thereby truly establishing the proposition of “Chinese-path modernization.” After thirty years of preliminary exploration in New China and more than forty years of tremendous development since reform and opening up, the CPC has successfully advanced and expanded the great practice of Chinese-path modernization, forging a successful path of Chinese-path modernization.

不否认西方现代化经历思想文化变革，打破了封建禁锢、祛除了宗教迷信，以人本主义和科学主义为西方现代化奠定了思想文化基础；通过欧洲资产阶级革命推翻了封建专制统治，建立起适应资本主义经济发展的政治体制，为西方现代化的推进建立了强有力的政治保障；第一次工业革命加速了西方国家从农业社会向工业社会转变的现代化进程，这些变革呈现出西方现代文明发展的历史特点。中国从19世纪40年代开始，被动卷入西方主导的现代化进程长达一百多年之久。“在一个半殖民地的、半封建的、分裂的中国里，要想发展工业，建设国防，福利人民，求得国家的富强，多少年来多少人做过这种梦，但是一概幻灭了。”中华人民共和国的成立为中国的现代化发展奠定了基本的制度条件，社会主义革命和建设时期为中国的现代化建立起独立自主的工业体系，开启了对社会主义现代化建设的积极探索。提出“中国式的现代化”是邓小平在改革开放初期探索“有中国特色的社会主义”理论和“建设小康社会”思想的组成部分，是结合中国实际提出“三步走”战略的现代化发展目标。在中国特色社会主义新时代，习近平总书记就中国式现代化的领导力量、核心主题、本质特征和发展道路等一系列基本问题作出了重要论述，使“中国式现代化”命题得以真正确立。经过新中国30年的初步探索、改革开放40余年的巨大发展，中国共产党成功推进和拓展了中国式现代化的伟大实践，走出了一条中国式现代化的成功之路。

Chinese-path modernization originates from the long-term exploration and practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics; it is the “Chinese experience” of modernization repeatedly verified through practice, a manifestation of the social development logic that adheres to the unity of “material abundance” and “human development,” and an example of achieving success in socialism with Chinese characteristics by upholding independence. It cannot be denied that Western modernization is, to a certain extent, a modernization model historically verified and realized in the West; following Western historical circumstances and cultural traditions, it has taken a “serial” development path of industrialization, urbanization, agricultural modernization, and informatization proceeding sequentially. Chinese-path modernization, proceeding from China’s national conditions and adhering to its own historical traditions and national cultural foundations, has forged a modernization path different from the West, one that promotes the synchronous development of industrialization, urbanization, agricultural modernization, informatization, and greening through a “parallel” development model. This is a modernization path independently forged by the Chinese nation, surpassing Western modernization with its most vibrant modernization model.

中国式现代化源于中国特色社会主义长期的探索与实践，是经过反复实践验证的现代化的“中国经验”，是坚持“物的丰盈”和“人的发展”相统一的社会发展逻辑的体现，是坚持独立自主取得中国特色社会主义成功的范例。不否认西方现代化在一定程度上是被历史验证了的、在西方得以实现的现代化模式，它按照西方历史境遇和文化传统，走出了以工业化、城镇化、农业现代化和信息化依次循序渐进的“串联式”发展的历程。中国式现代化从中国国情出发，坚守本国历史传统和民族文化基础，走出了一条不同于西方以“并联式”发展模式推动工业化、城镇化、农业现代化、信息化和绿色化同步发展的现代化之路。这是一条中华民族独立自主走出来的现代化之路，它以最富有活力的现代化模式超越了西方现代化。

III. The Development of Chinese Civilization Endows Chinese-Path Modernization with Profound Cultural Foundations

三、中华文明发展赋予中国式现代化深厚的文化底蕴

Civilization is a symbol of the forward development of human society. As the achievements of human invention and creation in material, spiritual, and institutional aspects, civilization collectively manifests the state of existence and level of development of human society at a given historical stage. Although civilizations that flourished for a time have appeared in the long river of world history, the vast majority have perished after brief brilliance, and only Chinese civilization has been transmitted to the present day. It is precisely because Chinese civilization inherently possesses the excellent quality of discarding the old and ushering in the new, always integrating with the times, and actively absorbing reasonable elements in exchanges with diverse world cultures, that it has been able to continuously innovate and elevate itself on the path of civilization development. The civilizational matrix of continuous innovation in the development of Chinese civilization not only continuously provides Chinese-path modernization with the precious ideological essence and inexhaustible spiritual impetus of fine traditional Chinese culture, but also creates boundless vitality for Chinese civilization to continuously develop and regain its glory amid the changes of the times.

文明是人类社会向前发展的象征，作为人类在物质、精神、制度等方面发明创造的成果，文明集中展现着人类社会在一定历史阶段的生存状态和发展水平。在世界历史长河中虽然也出现过盛极一时的文明，但绝大多数都在短暂辉煌过后走向湮灭，而只有中华文明传承至今。正是因为中华文明先天具有除旧布新的优秀品格，始终做到与时代融合，并在同世界多元文化交往中主动汲取合理元素，才得以在文明发展之路上不断创新和升华。中华文明在发展中不断创新的文明基质既源源不断地为中国式现代化提供中华优秀传统文化宝贵的思想精华和不竭的精神动力，也为中华文明在时代变迁中不断发展、重焕荣光创造出无限生机。

(A) The Development of Chinese Civilization Deepens the Cultural Foundation of Chinese-Path Modernization

(一)中华文明发展厚植中国式现代化的文化根基

Chinese civilization provides intellectual wisdom and a source of strength for the continuous progress of Chinese-path modernization. The development of Chinese civilization originates from the accumulation and continuous creation of the Chinese nation over more than five thousand years of history. It is both an inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture and an active integration of contemporary elements and the essence of modern civilization; inheritance and innovation constitute the two main threads of Chinese civilization’s development. Precisely because of this, the development of Chinese civilization not only injects profound cultural connotations into the advancement of Chinese-path modernization in the New Era, but also infuses inexhaustible developmental momentum into the long-standing and enduring Chinese civilization.

中华文明为中国式现代化不断前行提供思想智慧和力量源泉。中华文明发展源于中华民族五千多年悠久历史的积淀和不断创造，它既是对中华优秀传统文化的传承，又是主动融入时代元素和现代文明精华的发展，继承与创新构成中华文明发展的两条主线。正因如此，中华文明发展不仅为新时代推进中国式现代化注入了深厚的文化内涵，也为历史悠久且长盛不衰的中华文明注入了不竭的发展动力。

Fine traditional Chinese culture is the concentrated manifestation of Chinese civilization; it endows Chinese-path modernization with powerful cultural momentum. The people-oriented thought of “the people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is stable, the state is at peace” [14]14 From the *Book of Documents* (Shangshu), a classical Chinese text. both highlights the broad-mindedness of the Chinese nation in caring for the people and embracing the world, and reflects the grand vision of “modernization with a huge population scale”; the governing philosophy of “the people are also weary, let them rest and attain moderate prosperity” and “the way of governing the state begins with enriching the people” [15]15 “The people are also weary, let them rest and attain moderate prosperity” is from the *Book of Songs* (Shijing); “the way of governing the state begins with enriching the people” is from the *Records of the Grand Historian* (Shiji) by Sima Qian. both reflects the millennia-old aspiration of the Chinese nation for national strength and people’s prosperity, and points to the goal of “modernization for common prosperity for all the people”; the concept of righteousness and benefit of “being wealthy yet courteous” and “after wealth, then educate” [16]16 “Being wealthy yet courteous” is from the *Analects* of Confucius; “after wealth, then educate” is from the *Mencius*. both reveals the Chinese nation’s profound understanding of material interests and spiritual pursuits, and provides value support for achieving “modernization where material and cultural-ethical progress are coordinated”; the natural philosophy of “harmony between heaven and humanity” and “the Dao follows nature” [17]17 “Harmony between heaven and humanity” is from the *Zhuangzi*; “the Dao follows nature” is from the *Laozi* (Daodejing). both highlights the Chinese nation’s value orientation of revering and conforming to nature, and expresses the unremitting pursuit of “modernization of harmony between humanity and nature”; the principle of interaction of “being kind and benevolent to neighbors” and “harmony among all nations” [18]18 “Being kind and benevolent to neighbors” is from the *Zuo Commentary* (Zuozhuan); “harmony among all nations” is from the *Book of Documents* (Shangshu). both demonstrates the Chinese nation’s spiritual quality of loving peace and valuing harmony, and pioneers the development model of “modernization on the path of peaceful development.”

中华优秀传统文化是中华文明的集中呈现，它赋予中国式现代化以强大的文化动能。“民惟邦本，本固邦宁”的民本思想既彰显中华民族心系苍生、胸怀人间的博大胸襟，又体现出“人口规模巨大的现代化”之宏伟展望；“民亦劳止，汔可小康”“治国之道，富民为始”的施政理念既反映了中华民族国家强盛、人民富裕之千年夙愿，又指明了“全体人民共同富裕的现代化”之奋斗目标；“富而好礼”“富而后教”的义利观既揭示了中华民族对物质利益与精神追求的深刻认识，又为实现“物质文明和精神文明相协调的现代化”提供价值支撑；“天人合一”“道法自然”的自然理念既凸显了中华民族崇尚自然、顺应自然的价值取向，又表明了“人与自然和谐共生的现代化”之不懈追求；“亲仁善邻”“协和万邦”的交往原则既展现了中华民族爱好和平、以和为贵的精神品质，又开创了“走和平发展道路的现代化”发展模式。

The reason Chinese-path modernization can break the myth that only the Western path can achieve modernization and eliminate the misunderstanding that there is only one feasible plan for modernization is closely related to the many ideological understandings and cultural concepts within Chinese civilization that coincide with modernization. The compatibility between Chinese civilization and Chinese-path modernization proves that modernization is a diversified development model with distinct Chinese national cultural characteristics. The success of Chinese-path modernization is not only due to the leadership of the CPC, but also, as the ancient saying goes, “to make a tree grow tall, one must strengthen its roots; to make a stream flow far, one must dredge its source,” [19]19 From the *Memorial to the Throne on Admonishing the Zongzheng Emperor* by Wei Zheng, a Tang dynasty official. Chinese-path modernization also originates from the foundation of Chinese civilization. Chinese civilization can provide ideological nourishment, methods of thinking, and practical wisdom for the generation and development of Chinese-path modernization, playing an important role in constructing the uniquely distinctive Chinese-path modernization as a new form of human civilization. This shows that the development of civilization is a process: on the one hand, through historical changes and the evolution of the times, ancient civilizations will eventually be replaced by modern civilizations, and the civilizational achievements created by states and nations are continuously surpassed in the process of civilization; on the other hand, the surpassing of civilization is merely the continuation of time and the replacement of civilizations; it does not come at the cost of destroying the original civilization or causing a rupture in civilization. The generation of a new civilization begins with the nurturing of the original civilization and is inherited and developed through the discernment of the original civilization. Clearly, the development of Chinese civilization not only injects rich ideological elements and cultural connotations into Chinese-path modernization, but its distinctive national characteristics, profound historical heritage, and rich modern elements also engrave unique markers on the development of Chinese civilization.

中国式现代化之所以能够打破唯有走西方道路才能实现现代化的迷思和消除现代化只有一种可行方案的误解，这与中华文明内含许多与现代化不谋而合的思想认识和文化观念密切相关。中华文明与中国式现代化相契合，证明了现代化是具有鲜明中华民族文化特点的多样化发展模式。中国式现代化获得成功不仅得益于中国共产党的领导，而且正如古语“求木之长者，必固其根本；欲流之远者，必浚其泉源”所言，中国式现代化还源自中华文明之根本。中华文明能为中国式现代化的生成和发展提供思想滋养、思维方法和实践智慧，为构建独具特色的中国式现代化这一人类文明新形态起到重要的作用。这表明，文明的发展是一个过程：一方面，经历历史的更迭和时代的发展，古代文明终将会被现代文明所取代，而国家和民族创造的文明成果也在文明的进程中不断被超越；另一方面，文明的超越只是时间的延续和文明的更替，它不是以毁掉原有的文明和造成文明断裂为代价，新文明的生成始于原有文明的养育，并在对原有文明的鉴别中得以传承和发展。显然，中华文明发展不仅为中国式现代化注入了丰富的思想元素和文化内涵，其鲜明的民族特色、深厚的历史底蕴和丰富的现代元素也为中华文明发展镌刻上了独一无二的标识。

(B) The Development of Chinese Civilization Provides Spiritual Support for Chinese-Path Modernization

(二)中华文明发展为中国式现代化提供精神支撑

Chinese civilization not only gave birth to the splendid Chinese culture, but also built a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation, forged the unique spiritual qualities of the Chinese nation, and provided a powerful spiritual support for advancing Chinese-path modernization in the New Era. “The great national spirit cultivated, inherited, and developed by the Chinese people in their long-term struggles has provided a powerful spiritual impetus for China’s development and the progress of human civilization.” [20]20 Xi Jinping, speech at the First Session of the 13th National People’s Congress, March 20, 2018. Promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization is both a great project of continuing the cultural lineage and recreating civilization, and an important marker of Chinese civilization’s transition from tradition to modernity. In the process of advancing Chinese-path modernization and actively promoting the modern transformation of Chinese civilization, every step is inseparable from the inherent need of Chinese civilization to continuously forge ahead and achieve self-transcendence. Only by always maintaining reverence for fine traditional Chinese culture, and by developing through inheritance and innovating through development, has the inevitable result of the continuous development of Chinese civilization today been achieved.

中华文明不仅孕育了璀璨的中华文化，而且构筑起中华民族共有精神家园，铸就了中华民族独特的精神品质，为新时代推进中国式现代化提供了强大的精神支撑。“中国人民在长期奋斗中培育、继承、发展起来的伟大民族精神，为中国发展和人类文明进步提供了强大精神动力。”以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴，既是文脉赓续和再造文明的伟大工程，也是中华文明从传统走向现代的重要标志。在推进中国式现代化进程中主动推动中华文明的现代转型，每一步都离不开中华文明具有不断进取、实现自我超越的内在需求。始终保持对中华优秀传统文化的敬畏，并做到在继承中发展和在发展中创新，才有了今天中华文明得以不断发展的必然结果。

First, the spiritual tradition of Chinese civilization’s “discarding the old and establishing the new” [21]21 A four-character idiom meaning to remove the old and bring in the new, often used to describe reform or innovation. manifests the great creative spirit of the Chinese nation. Over more than five thousand years, the Chinese people have continuously created a splendid Chinese civilization, forming a history of civilizational development in which Chinese civilization continuously innovates while maintaining a single line of inheritance.

其一，中华文明革故鼎新的精神传统彰显了中华民族的伟大创造精神。中国人民在长达五千多年的岁月中不断创造璀璨夺目的中华文明，形成了中华文明在一脉相承中不断创新的文明发展史。

Second, although the Chinese nation has endured many hardships, it has still struggled unremittingly, creating a brilliant history of Chinese social development. This demonstrates that Chinese civilization will never fear difficulties, seek ease, or stagnate; Chinese civilization possesses a spiritual character of active striving and indomitability, which impels the Chinese nation to never cease struggling on the difficult path forward. This is also the key reason why Chinese civilization, as the only one among the world’s four great ancient civilizations to have continued to the present day without interruption.

其二，中华民族历经磨难却仍然不懈奋斗，创造出辉煌的中国社会发展史，表征了中华文明绝不会畏难苟安、停滞不前，中华文明具有积极奋进、不屈不挠的精神品格，催生着中华民族在艰难前行的道路上总是奋斗不止。这也是中华文明作为世界四大古代文明中唯一延续至今、从未中断的关键所在。

Third, Chinese civilization emphasizes unity, advocates a community consciousness, and manifests the great spirit of solidarity of the Chinese nation. Through a long historical accumulation, Chinese civilization has formed a spirit of solidarity that is pluralistic and integrated, with centripetal force and cohesion. This is the spiritual pillar for achieving great unity among all ethnic groups based on unity, and is a concentrated expression of the Chinese people’s strong feelings of family and country.

其三，中华文明强调统一性，倡导共同体意识，彰显了中华民族的伟大团结精神。在漫长的历史积淀中，中华文明形成了多元一体具有向心力和凝聚力的团结精神，这是以统一性为基础的实现民族大同的精神支柱，是中国人民具有强烈家国情怀的集中体现。

Fourth, unlike the Western value orientation of individual interests first and the pursuit of egoistic values, the Chinese nation possesses a spirit of collectivist dedication. This collectivist spirit is not only conducive to forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, uniting all ethnic groups into a community of shared honor and disgrace and shared destiny, but also enables hundreds of millions of people to gather a mighty force to comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.

其四，不同于西方个人利益至上的价值取向以及利己主义的价值追求，中华民族具有集体主义的奉献精神。这种集体主义精神不仅有利于铸牢中华民族共同体意识，使各民族结为荣辱与共的命运共同体，也使亿万人民能够凝聚起磅礴伟力以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴。

Fifth, the spiritual realm of Chinese civilization, “taking dreams as horses, traveling far begins from near,” [22]22 A poetic phrase meaning to pursue lofty ideals with determination, starting from concrete, near-at-hand actions. manifests the great spirit of dreaming of the Chinese nation. This is the spiritual force that leads the Chinese nation to advance courageously and the fundamental driving force that supports the Chinese nation in forging ahead with determination. It inspires the Chinese nation to continuously develop, and also uses the mighty force of practice to turn the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation from a dream into reality.

其五，中华文明“以梦为马，行远自迩”的精神境界彰显了中华民族的伟大梦想精神。这是引领中华民族勇毅前行的精神力量和支撑中华民族砥砺奋进的根本动力，它激励中华民族不断发展，也以实践的伟力推动中华民族伟大复兴由梦想变为现实。

(III) The Development of Chinese Civilization Accumulates Practical Wisdom for Chinese-Path Modernization

(三)中华文明发展为中国式现代化积累实践智慧

Chinese-path modernization is a great practical exploration by the Chinese people to independently solve China’s problems. Chinese civilization, which embodies the great practical spirit of the Chinese people, plays an important role in this process, providing rich practical wisdom for advancing Chinese-path modernization. On the one hand, fine traditional Chinese culture contains much practical wisdom worthy of being drawn upon. “Long heaving sighs I wipe my tears, grieving for the hardships of people’s lives” [23]23 From Qu Yuan’s (c. 340–278 BCE) poem “Li Sao” (Encountering Sorrow), expressing grief over the people’s suffering. manifests a benevolent heart that pities the fate of the people and cares about their joys and sorrows; “The foundation of people’s livelihood lies in diligence; diligence leads to no scarcity” [24]24 From the Zuo Zhuan (Commentary of Zuo), a historical text from the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BCE). provides the answer that the foundation of people’s lives lies in hard work; “Be the first to worry about the world’s troubles and the last to enjoy its pleasures” [25]25 From Fan Zhongyan’s (989–1052 CE) essay “Record of Yueyang Tower,” expressing a Confucian ideal of public service. embodies the noble sentiment of worrying about the country and the people; “I will have no self, and live up to the people” [26]26 Xi Jinping’s statement, often cited to express selfless dedication to the people. gives the response of caring for the people and benefiting them; “If everyone abides by the law, the whole society will be fair and just” [27]27 A principle from the legalist tradition, emphasizing rule of law as the basis for social justice. emphasizes that fairness and justice come from abiding by the law; “The key to governing the country lies in fairness and uprightness” [28]28 From the Zhenguan Zhengyao (Essentials of Government in the Zhenguan Era), a Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) political text. reveals that the foundation of state governance lies in ensuring that decrees and policies are fair and selfless. These practical wisdoms are summarized from the concrete practices of the people, accumulated and sublimated into theory through continuous practice, becoming the ideological guidance and action guide for advancing Chinese-path modernization.

中国式现代化是中国人民独立自主解决中国问题的伟大实践探索，作为凝聚中国人民伟大实践精神的中华文明在其中发挥着重要作用，为推进中国式现代化提供了丰富的实践智慧。一方面，中华优秀传统文化中内含着众多值得汲取的实践智慧。“长太息以掩涕兮，哀民生之多艰”彰显了悲悯人民命运、关切人民悲欢的仁爱心怀，“民生在勤，勤则不匮”则给出了人民生活的根基在于辛勤劳动的答案；“先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐”体现了忧国忧民的高尚情操，“我将无我，不负人民”则给予了心系人民、造福人民的回应；“奉公如法则上下平”强调公平正义来自奉公守法，“理国要道，在于公平正直”则揭示了治国理政之根本在于保证法令政策公允无私。这些实践智慧从人民群众具体实践中总结出来，并在不断的实践中得以积累并升华为理论，成为推进中国式现代化的思想引领和行动指南。

On the other hand, fine traditional Chinese culture contains important insights for solving the difficult problems of contemporary human social development, and can provide feasible solutions for world development. “When the great Way prevails, the world is shared by all” [29]29 From the “Liyun” (Evolution of Rites) chapter of the Book of Rites, a Confucian classic describing an ideal society. advocates that the world is owned by all people; “a community with a shared future for mankind” emphasizes that the future and destiny of every nation and every country are closely linked together. “The reason a state becomes a state is that it has its people” [30]30 From the Han dynasty text “Lun Gui Min Shu” (On the Importance of the People), attributed to Jia Yi (200–168 BCE). expresses that the people are the foundation of the state; “The country is the people, and the people are the country” [31]31 Xi Jinping’s statement, emphasizing the people-centered nature of the Party and state. clarifies that the success of the Party and the state’s undertakings depends on the people, and that popular support is a matter of life and death for the Party. “A country’s claim to wealth lies in enriching its people” [32]32 From the Xunzi, a Confucian text by Xun Kuang (c. 310–235 BCE). means that national prosperity lies in the people’s prosperity, reflecting Marx and Engels’ concept that “production will aim at the wealth of all.” [33]33 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, “The Communist Manifesto” (1848). “Heaven and earth were born together with me, and the ten thousand things and I are one” [34]34 From the Zhuangzi, a Daoist classic attributed to Zhuang Zhou (c. 369–286 BCE). metaphorically refers to “harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature,” not only presenting Marx and Engels’ idea that “people create the environment, and likewise the environment creates people,” [35]35 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, “The German Ideology” (1845–1846). but also providing a useful reference for contemporary China’s efforts to achieve the coordinated development goals of the “five civilizations.” [36]36 The “five civilizations” refer to the coordinated development of material, political, cultural-ethical, social, and ecological civilization, a goal of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan. In summary, the inheritance and development of Chinese civilization not only provides valuable cultural nourishment and practical experience for Chinese-path modernization, but also provides precious ideological wealth and an inexhaustible source of spiritual power for realizing the development of Chinese civilization through “creative transformation and innovative development” [37]37 “Creative transformation and innovative development” (创造性转化和创新性发展) is a policy principle for revitalizing traditional culture, often abbreviated as “双创” (shuangchuang). in the New Era.

另一方面，中华优秀传统文化蕴含着解决当代人类社会发展难题的重要启示，能为世界发展提供可行方案。“大道之行也，天下为公”主张天下是人们所共有，“人类命运共同体”则强调每个民族、每个国家的前途命运都紧紧联系在一起；“国之所以为国者，以有民也”表达了人民是国家的根本，“江山就是人民，人民就是江山”阐明了党和国家的事业成功与否取决于人民，人心向背关系党的生死存亡；“国之称富者，在乎丰民”意为国家富强在于人民富裕，体现了马克思、恩格斯“生产将以所有的人富裕为目的”的理念；“天地与我并生，万物与我为一”喻指“人与自然和谐共生”，不仅呈现马克思、恩格斯“人创造环境，同样，环境也创造人”的思想，也为当今中国努力实现“五个文明”协调发展目标提供了有益借鉴。概而言之，中华文明的传承和发展不仅为中国式现代化提供宝贵的文化滋养和实践经验，也为新时代在“双创”中实现中华文明发展提供了弥足珍贵的思想财富和源源不断的精神动力。

IV. Promoting the Development of Chinese Civilization in the Practice of Chinese-Path Modernization

四、在中国式现代化实践中推动中华文明发展

Engels put forward the view that “civilization is a matter of practice, a quality of society,” [38]38 Friedrich Engels, “The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State” (1884). clearly answering the relationship between civilization and social material production practice from a historical materialist standpoint, and expressing the practical attributes and social essence of civilization. Civilization is always linked to certain social production practices and is a generalization and summary of human social practice at a certain stage. Once formed, civilization can become a relatively independent historical form, leading practice and promoting social development through its unique cultural methods. This shows that to promote innovation in Chinese civilization, it must rely on the practice of Chinese-path modernization; discussing the development of Chinese civilization apart from Chinese-path modernization can only be empty talk. At the same time, the achievements of Chinese civilization’s development must be integrated into the modernization process, making them a spiritual force that carries social practice activities and plays a role in advancing Chinese-path modernization. Clearly, advancing Chinese-path modernization and the development of Chinese civilization always mutually achieve and promote each other on the new journey of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Their deep integration and mutual interaction can not only accelerate the pace of China’s social development, but also create a new cultural life form, contributing to the creation of a new form of human civilization.

恩格斯提出“文明是实践的事情，是社会的素质”的观点，以历史唯物主义态度清晰回答了文明与社会物质生产实践的关系，表达了文明的实践属性和社会本质。文明总是与一定的社会生产实践相联系，是对一定阶段的人类社会实践的概括和总结。文明一旦形成，便能够成为相对独立的历史形态，以其独有的文化方式引领实践和助力社会发展。这表明，要促成中华文明在发展中创新必须依托中国式现代化实践，离开中国式现代化谈中华文明发展只能是一句空话；同时，要把中华文明发展的成果融入现代化进程，使其成为承载社会实践活动的精神力量，起到推进中国式现代化发展的作用。显然，推进中国式现代化与中华文明发展总是在中华民族伟大复兴新征程中相互成就、相互促进，两者深度融合及彼此互动不仅能够加快中国社会发展的步伐，更是创造出一个新的文化生命体，为创造人类文明新形态作出贡献。

(I) The “Second Integration” is the Methodology for Adhering to the Combination of Cultural Tradition and Modern Civilization

(一)“第二个结合”是坚守文化传统与现代文明结合的方法论

As Mao Zedong pointed out, “Marxism must be combined with the specific characteristics of our country and realized through a certain national form.” [39]39 Mao Zedong, “On the New Stage” (1938), a speech to the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC. The “Two Integrations” are sequential and form a single continuous line; they not only inaugurated and continuously advance Chinese-path modernization, but also gave rise to a new cultural life form of Chinese civilization, that is, a new cultural community formed by the integration and symbiosis of Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture. “Integration” is a process in which two subjects interact due to their compatibility and form a new subject form. The “First Integration” solved the problem of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, realizing the fundamental requirement that Marxism can only be realized through a national form. The “Second Integration” solved the problem of the cultural foundation of Marxism, addressing the issue that Marxism must take root in the historical and cultural soil of its own country and nation to be implemented and deeply rooted in people’s hearts. It reveals that integrating the essence of fine traditional Chinese culture is the key to ensuring Marxism’s long-term vitality in China. It is evident that only through the mutual integration of civilizations can Chinese civilization move from tradition to modernity, can Marxism take root in the land of China, and can a new form of human civilization be created in the great tide of the times.

正如毛泽东指出，“马克思主义必须和我国的具体特点相结合并通过一定的民族形式才能实现”。“两个结合”前后相续、一脉相承，既开创并不断推进中国式现代化，也造就出中华文明新的文化生命体，即马克思主义与中华优秀传统文化融合共生的新文化共同体。“结合”是两个主体之间由于存在契合而得以相互作用，并形成新的主体形态的过程。“第一个结合”解决了马克思主义中国化问题，实现了马克思主义只有通过民族形式才能实现的根本要求。“第二个结合”解决了马克思主义文化基础的问题，解决了马克思主义必须根植本国本民族历史文化的沃土才能落地生根、深入人心的问题，揭示了融入中华优秀传统文化精华是保证马克思主义在中国拥有长久生命力的关键所在。显而易见，只有文明的相互融通才能使中华文明从传统走向现代，才能使马克思主义扎根中华大地，才能在时代发展大潮中创造出人类文明新形态。

The “Second Integration” [40]40 The “Second Integration” (第二个结合) refers to the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture, as distinct from the “First Integration” of Marxism with the concrete realities of China. It was formally articulated by Xi Jinping in 2021. is another ideological emancipation of contemporary Chinese Marxism. Besides exploring cultural construction, theoretical innovation, and institutional design to secure a broader cultural space for the Chinese nation, it more importantly provides an extremely valuable methodology for the development of Chinese civilization. On the one hand, adhering to traditional culture aims to preserve the ideological essence of the national culture; on the other hand, placing traditional culture within the perspective of the times and integrating it with elements of modern civilization can promote the modern development of traditional culture. This methodology inherently contains the principle of combining an advanced culture with one’s own national culture. It not only has significant Chinese significance but also offers important methodological insights for countries and nations around the world on how to integrate their own cultures into modernization theory. First, the “Second Integration” reveals that any culture is national; only by first becoming a national culture can it possibly become a world culture. The national character of culture highlights its uniqueness and embodies its subjectivity, which is the hallmark and value orientation of each nation’s culture. Second, the “Second Integration” reveals that no form of civilization is isolated or exclusive; it always establishes some connection through exchange and mutual learning. At the same time, every form of civilization is a presentation of history and the times, always generated by history and developed by the times. In China, Chinese civilization has never been interrupted or severed by dynastic changes or social transformations; instead, it has been continuously reborn and moved toward the future amidst the rise and fall of the state. Facing changes in the times, Chinese civilization must incorporate fresh contemporary content, enabling the civilization with a long historical tradition to radiate vitality in the new era. Third, the “Second Integration” is both an inheritance and innovation of fine traditional Chinese culture and a summary and synthesis of Marxist cultural innovation. In cultural innovation, the summary of the five major characteristics of Chinese civilization—“continuity, innovativeness, unity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness”—provides a good perspective for developing countries to fully understand the characteristics of their own national culture and to consider how their culture can combine with modern civilizational thought in the process of moving toward modernization. Finally, through an understanding of the laws of Chinese social development, the “Second Integration” achieves a profound comprehension and grasp of the Chinese path, Chinese system, and Chinese solutions from the perspective of the unity of history and reality. The scientific spirit of the subjects of socialist practice with Chinese characteristics in strengthening cultural confidence, maintaining historical initiative, and actively exploring the laws of social development provides a feasible path to success for developing countries. The core “code” of this successful path can be expressed as follows: the key to achieving success in one’s own modernization development is not to rely on external forces but to activate the endogenous vitality of one’s own culture, shape a new cultural life entity that can reflect distinct national characteristics, and make it an endogenous driving force for promoting one’s own modernization development. It can be seen that taking the “Second Integration” as a methodology for adhering to cultural tradition and the development of modern civilization can not only provide beneficial inspiration for countries around the world, especially developing countries, in exploring how their own culture and civilization can face modernization and integrate into modernization, but also provide methodological guidance for human society to jointly explore the path to realizing modern civilization.

“第二个结合”是当代中国马克思主义的又一次思想解放，它除了为中华民族获得更广阔文化空间探索文化建设、理论创新和制度设计外，更重要的是为中华文明发展提供了极有价值的方法论。一方面，坚守传统文化意在守住民族文化的思想精华；另一方面，把传统文化置于时代视野融入现代文明元素，才能推动传统文化的现代发展。这一方法论内在蕴含着实现先进文化与本国文化相结合的道理，不仅具有重要的中国意义，也对世界各国各民族如何实现把本国文化融入现代化理论具有重要的方法论启示。首先，“第二个结合”揭示了任何文化都是民族的，只有首先成为民族的文化，才有可能成为世界的文化。文化的民族性彰显文化的独特性，体现文化的主体性，这是每个民族文化的标识和价值观所在。其次，“第二个结合”揭示了任何文明形态都不是孤立和排他的，它总是在交流互鉴中发生某种联系。与此同时，任何文明形态均是历史与时代的呈现，总是因历史而生成、因时代而发展。在中国，中华文明从未因朝代更迭、社会变迁而被中断、割裂，反而在国家治乱兴衰中不断重生并走向未来。面对时代变迁，中华文明必须融入时代鲜活的内涵，使具有悠久历史传统的中华文明在新的时代焕发出活力。再次，“第二个结合”既是对中华优秀传统文化的传承与创新，也是对马克思主义文化创新的概括和总结。在文化创新中对中华文明“连续性、创新性、统一性、包容性、和平性”五大特性的概括，能为发展中国家在走向现代化进程中全面认识自身民族文化的特点、思考本国文化如何同现代文明思想结合提供了一个很好的视角。最后，“第二个结合”通过对中国社会发展规律的认识，从历史与现实相统一的角度实现了对中国道路、中国制度、中国方案的深刻理解和把握。中国特色社会主义实践主体坚定文化自信、坚持历史主动、积极探索社会发展规律的科学精神，为发展中国家提供了一条可行的成功之路。这条成功之路的核心“密码”可以表述为：取得本国现代化发展成功的关键不是借助外力的推动，而是要激活本国文化的内生活力，塑造出一个能够体现鲜明民族特色的新的文化生命体，并使其成为推动本国现代化发展的内生动力。可见，把“第二个结合”作为坚守文化传统与现代文明发展的方法论，既能为世界各国尤其是发展中国家探索本国文化与文明如何面向现代化、融入现代化提供有益启迪，也能为人类社会共同探索实现现代文明之路提供方法论指导。

(II) Strengthening Cultural Confidence Is the Endogenous Driving Force for Consolidating the National Foundation and Building Social Civilization

(二)坚定文化自信是筑牢民族根基和建设社会文明的内生动力

Culture is the soul of a nation and the foundation of a nation’s existence. Cultural confidence is the fundamental driving force for a nation to affirm itself and develop itself. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Without a high degree of cultural confidence and without cultural prosperity and flourishing, there will be no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” [41]41 Xi Jinping, “Secure a Decisive Victory in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects and Strive for the Great Success of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC, October 18, 2017. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, [42]42 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in November 2012, marking the beginning of Xi Jinping’s leadership and the official start of the “New Era.” facing the undercurrents in domestic social ideology and culture and the complex and volatile international public opinion environment, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has always seriously responded to the impact of various social trends of thought and ideological infiltration, resolutely opposed cultural hegemonism and the Western “clash of civilizations” theory, repeatedly emphasized cultural confidence, and made a series of strategic deployments around the questions of why to strengthen cultural confidence and how to strengthen cultural confidence. From the 18th National Congress’s proposal to “establish a high degree of cultural consciousness and cultural confidence, and stride forward toward the grand goal of building a socialist cultural power,” through the 19th National Congress’s proposal to “strengthen cultural confidence and promote the prosperity and flourishing of socialist culture,” to the important exposition at the 20th National Congress on “promoting cultural confidence and self-reliance, and forging new brilliance in socialist culture,” [43]43 These three formulations come from the reports to the 18th (2012), 19th (2017), and 20th (2022) National Congresses of the CPC, respectively, showing the evolving emphasis on cultural confidence. this fully demonstrates the Communist Party of China’s deepening understanding of the significance of culture and the importance of strengthening cultural confidence, and also fully proves the great significance of strengthening cultural confidence. Strengthening cultural confidence means having firm confidence in the vitality of one’s own culture; this is the spiritual support for a nation’s rebirth from the ashes. In China, strengthening cultural confidence is the spiritual force driving the development of Chinese-path modernization, the endogenous driving force for the innovative development of Chinese civilization, the Chinese confidence for realizing national rejuvenation, and the fundamental source of national dignity and national cohesion for any nation facing complex situations and challenges. Culture is the most fundamental, deepest, and most enduring spiritual force of a country. Cultural confidence stems from profound history and splendid culture. It is precisely because of profound history and splendid culture that the Chinese nation has forged the spiritual character and confident quality of “As Heaven’s movement is ever vigorous, so must a gentleman ceaselessly strive along the path of self-cultivation,” [44]44 A classical Chinese idiom from the *I Ching* (Book of Changes), often cited to encourage self-improvement and moral striving. and has inspired the Chinese nation to continuously create the remarkable Chinese civilization that attracts worldwide attention.

文化是一个民族的灵魂，是一个民族存在的基础，文化自信则是一个民族坚定自我和发展自我的根本动力。正如习近平总书记指出：“没有高度的文化自信，没有文化的繁荣兴盛，就没有中华民族伟大复兴。”党的十八大以来，面对国内社会思想文化领域的暗流涌动和国际舆论环境的复杂多变，以习近平同志为核心的党中央始终认真应对各种社会思潮冲击和意识形态渗透，坚决反对文化霸权主义和西方“文明冲突论”，反复强调文化自信，围绕为什么坚定文化自信、怎样坚定文化自信等问题作出一系列战略部署。从党的十八大提出“树立高度的文化自觉和文化自信，向着建设社会主义文化强国宏伟目标阔步前进”，经党的十九大提出“坚定文化自信，推动社会主义文化繁荣兴盛”，再到党的二十大“推进文化自信自强，铸就社会主义文化新辉煌”的重要论述的提出，充分表明中国共产党对文化的意义和坚定文化自信认识的不断深化，也充分证明了坚定文化自信的重大意义。坚定文化自信是对自身文化生命力持有的坚定信心，这是一个民族浴火重生的精神支撑。在中国，坚定文化自信就是推进中国式现代化发展的精神力量，就是中华文明在创新中发展的内生动力，就是实现民族复兴的中国底气，也是任何一个民族在面对复杂局面和挑战时民族尊严和民族凝聚力的根本所在。文化是一个国家最基本、最深层、最持久的精神力量，文化自信源于深厚的历史、璀璨的文化。正是源于深厚的历史、璀璨的文化，才造就出中华民族“天行健，君子以自强不息”的精神品格和自信品质，并激励着中华民族源源不断创造出举世瞩目的中华文明。

Where does cultural confidence come from? General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Cultural confidence comes from our cultural subjectivity.” [45]45 Xi Jinping, speech at a symposium on cultural heritage, 2023. Cultural subjectivity is the foundation of cultural confidence. It is the concentrated embodiment of the Chinese nation’s adherence to the independence and autonomy of its own national culture and its open and inclusive attitude toward foreign cultures. Adhering to the independent development of one’s own national culture is the main connotation of subjectivity. It is the fundamental guarantee that Chinese civilization can be passed down from generation to generation, that it can absorb both the good and the bad from foreign cultures, and that it can achieve self-transcendence while firmly maintaining the “self” of Chinese civilization. Adhering to cultural subjectivity is inseparable from cultural innovativeness. The creative transformation of fine traditional Chinese culture is an inherent requirement for continuing the Chinese cultural lineage and inheriting Chinese genes; the innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture is the requirement of the times to integrate traditional culture with contemporary culture and thereby create a new cultural life entity.

文化自信从何而来?习近平总书记指出：“文化自信就来自我们的文化主体性。”文化主体性是文化自信之根本，是坚守中华民族对本民族文化的独立性和自主性以及以开放包容的态度对待外来文化的集中体现。坚持独立自主发展本民族文化是主体性的主要内涵，它是中华文明得以薪火相传，以及对待外来文化兼收并蓄，从而在坚定中华文明“自我”的前提下实现自我超越的根本保证。坚持文化主体性离不开文化的创新性，对中华优秀传统文化的创造性转化是赓续中华文脉、传承中华基因的题中应有之义；对中华优秀传统文化的创新性发展，则是推动传统文化和时代文化相融合、进而创造出新的文化生命体的时代要求。

Cultural confidence, which is based on adhering to the “Second Integration,” recognizing and actively accepting the nourishment of fine traditional Chinese culture, and taking promoting the transformation and continuous innovative development of Chinese civilization as its main content, embodies the inherent characteristics of Chinese civilization and is an outward manifestation of the Chinese national spirit from the inside out. Cultural confidence stems from adherence to the subjectivity of Chinese culture and from the “self” subject’s unremitting persistence in innovation. Strengthening cultural confidence is conducive to enhancing national cultural soft power, to uniting the Chinese people’s hearts and minds, to social civilization and progress, and to withstanding the impact of foreign cultures. It is the endogenous driving force and spiritual pillar for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It is precisely through adherence to the “self” of the civilizational subject and persistence in cultural “innovation” that there can be the coordinated development of the “five civilizations” [46]46 The “five civilizations” (五个文明) refer to material, political, spiritual, social, and ecological civilization, a framework for comprehensive socialist modernization. promoted by Chinese-path modernization and the echo of the times that assists in realizing the development of Chinese civilization with steadfast cultural subjectivity.

在坚持“第二个结合”基础上认同并主动接受中华优秀传统文化的滋养，以推动中华文明转型并不断创新发展为主要内容的文化自信，体现了中华文明的内在特质，是中华民族精神由里到外的展现。文化自信源于对中华文化主体性的坚守，源于“自我”主体对于创新的不懈坚持。坚定文化自信有利于提升国家文化软实力、有利于中华民族的凝心聚力、有利于社会文明进步和应对外来文化冲击，是实现中华民族伟大复兴的内生动力和精神支柱。正是做到对文明主体“自我”的坚守和对文化“创新”的坚持，才会有中国式现代化推进“五个文明”协调发展和以笃定的文化主体性助力实现中华文明发展的时代回响。

(III) Civilizational Exchange and Mutual Learning Is the Necessary Path for Promoting Interaction Between Chinese Civilization and the World’s Diverse Cultures

(三)文明交流互鉴是促进中华文明与世界多元文化互动的必由之路

Civilizational development has the characteristics of inheritance and interactivity: the former, due to “the results of a nation’s production practices and interpersonal interactions and their unique methods, has had an important impact on the subsequent process of civilization”; [47]47 The source of this quotation is not specified in the original text; it appears to be a general scholarly formulation. the latter, through opening up to the outside world, takes foreign civilizations as a reference for one’s own civilization, learning from the good and engaging in self-reflection and self-examination, thereby externally promoting the continuous renewal and improvement of one’s own civilization. Clearly, developing through inheritance is an inevitable requirement for adhering to the “self” of civilization; making a discerning selection through exchange is a beneficial supplement to one’s own civilization. Both methods are crucial for promoting the development of civilization. The commonality of the two methods is to view the achievements of different civilizations with an objective and rational attitude, to examine them from a comprehensive and dialectical perspective, and to weigh the pros and cons and choose the best.

文明发展具有继承性和互动性：前者因本民族“生产实践与人际交往产生的成果及其独特方式对后来的文明化过程产生了重要影响”；后者则通过对外开放，将外来文明作为自身文明的对照物择善而从、自省自察，从外部促进自身文明不断更新和完善。显然，在继承中发展是坚守文明“自我”的必然要求，在交流中有鉴别地取舍是对自身文明的有益补充。无论是哪种方式对促进文明的发展都是至关重要的。两种方式的共同之处都是以客观理性的态度看待不同文明的成果，以全面的、辩证的观点加以审视，做到权衡利弊、择优而选。

It is an indisputable fact that civilizations exhibit diversity, because “every civilization is rooted in its own soil for survival, embodies the extraordinary wisdom and spiritual pursuits of a nation and a country, and has its own value for existence.” The world’s diverse civilizations each have their own characteristics yet share a common vision of pursuing progress, all hoping to achieve development through the interaction of civilizations. However, because the development of social productive forces in various countries is uneven and the levels of economic and cultural development are uneven, this determines that there are differences and imbalances between different civilizations. Since modern times, the historical process of modernization first initiated by Western countries has a certain validity; their use of the market economy to promote productive forces, thereby driving rapid economic and cultural development, offers some reference value. Yet the uncivilized acts that have appeared in the course of Western civilization, such as exploitation, plunder, slaughter, and colonization, require vigilance. At present, globalization has made the people of the world increasingly closely connected. Differences in national conditions and cultures can cause conflicts in daily cultural exchanges between countries due to differences in values and diverse cultures. Chinese civilization adheres to the concepts of exchange and mutual learning, win-win cooperation, and common development. Within the broad perspective of the world, it consistently upholds “openness and inclusiveness” and “absorbing things of diverse nature.” This is not only conducive to the development of Chinese-path modernization but also enables Chinese civilization to radiate vitality in its interaction with the world’s diverse cultures.

文明呈现多样性是不争的事实，因为“每一种文明都扎根于自己的生存土壤，凝聚着一个国家、一个民族的非凡智慧和精神追求，都有自己存在的价值”。世界多元文明各具特色又具有追求进步的共同愿景，都期盼通过文明的互动实现发展，但由于各国社会生产力发展不平衡和经济文化发展水平参差不齐，决定了不同文明之间具有差异性和不平衡性。近代以来，西方国家率先开启的现代化历史进程有一定的有效性，它们利用市场经济促进生产力、从而带动经济文化快速发展有一定的借鉴性，但西方文明进程中出现的诸如剥削、掠夺、杀戮、殖民等不文明行径需要警惕。当前，全球化使世界各国人民愈发紧密地联系在一起，存在国情与文化的差异会使各国在日常文化交流中因价值观和多元文化的差异产生冲突。中华文明秉承交流互鉴、合作共赢和共同发展的理念，在世界大视野中始终坚持“开放包容”“兼收并蓄”，不仅有利于中国式现代化的发展，也使中华文明在与世界多元文化交流中焕发勃勃生机。

Marxist philosophy holds that connection is the fundamental attribute of things and also the basis for the existence and continuous development of things. The history of modern Chinese social development, which has undergone twists and turns and arduous exploration, shows that it is absolutely impossible for a country or nation to achieve success by isolating itself from the world, being complacent and conservative, and attempting to succeed through solitary struggle. Closing the country to international intercourse is no different from looking at the sun through a window or sitting in a well and looking at the sky [48]48 “Looking at the sun through a window” and “sitting in a well and looking at the sky” are Chinese idioms meaning having a very limited outlook or narrow perspective.; ultimately, it will only cause the severance of civilization. The world is a closely connected whole. Different countries and nations, with their unique characteristics and advantages, enjoy the rationality of existence within this global whole. Only by placing oneself within this whole, by establishing mutual connections with other countries and nations through opening up, and by achieving exchange and mutual learning in the process of advancing civilization, can one draw on others’ strengths to improve oneself, thereby achieving the goal of both win-win cooperation and common development. Chinese civilization contains concepts such as “stones from other hills can polish jade” [49]49 “Stones from other hills can polish jade” is a Chinese idiom from the *Book of Songs* (Shijing), meaning that advice or help from others can improve one’s own work or character., “choose the good and follow it, choose the bad and correct it” [50]50 This phrase is from the *Analects of Confucius* (Lunyu), advocating learning from others’ strengths and correcting one’s own weaknesses based on their faults., “when you see a worthy person, think of equaling them; when you see an unworthy person, reflect inwardly on yourself” [51]51 This phrase is from the *Analects of Confucius*, encouraging self-reflection and emulation of virtuous people., and “the gentleman is not inherently different from others; he is good at borrowing from things” [52]52 This phrase is from the *Xunzi* (a Confucian text), emphasizing the importance of using external resources and learning from others.. All of these embody the importance of exchange and mutual learning among civilizations. At present, it is necessary to use the Marxist view of connection to understand the great theoretical and practical value of the interconnected nature of the world and the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and to actively promote the interaction between Chinese civilization and the world’s diverse cultures in action. With a positive attitude, we should “use stones from other hills to polish jade, and absorb the strengths of a hundred schools to enrich ourselves” [53]53 This is a modified Chinese saying, combining “stones from other hills can polish jade” with “absorbing the strengths of a hundred schools,” meaning to learn broadly from others to enrich oneself., drawing on and learning from the civilizational achievements of other countries to develop ourselves. We must always firmly believe that strengthening cultural confidence is not arrogant self-importance, and insisting on cultural exchange does not mean losing oneself. At the same time, in the process of exchange and mutual learning, we should actively offer the rich fruits of Chinese civilization’s development to the world. Chinese spirit, Chinese values, and Chinese strength are precisely the new achievements of human civilization created by the Chinese nation for world development on the road to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

马克思主义哲学认为，联系是事物的根本属性，也是事物存在并得以不断发展的基础。近代以来，中国社会发展经历曲折和艰辛探索的历史表明：一个国家和民族如果在发展道路上与世隔绝、故步自封，企图以孤军作战的方式获得成功是绝不可能的。闭关锁国无异于牖中窥日、坐井观天，最终只会造成文明断流。世界是一个紧密联系的整体，不同的国家和民族以独有的特点和优势在世界整体中享有存在的合理性，只有置身于这一整体之中，在对外开放中同其他国家和民族相互联系，在推动文明的进程中实现交流互鉴，才能博采众长、砥砺自身，达到既合作共赢又共同发展的目的。中华文明内含“他山之石，可以攻玉”“择其善者而从之，其不善者而改之”“见贤思齐焉，见不贤而内自省也”“君子生非异也，善假于物也”等理念，无一不体现文明交流互鉴的重要性。当前，要运用马克思主义关于联系的观点认识世界相互联系的本质和构建人类命运共同体愿景的重大理论和实践价值，并且在行动中积极推进中华文明与世界多元文化的互动，以积极姿态在“采他山之石以攻玉，纳百家之长以厚己”中汲取和借鉴他国的文明成果发展自己。要始终坚信，坚定文化自信并不是夜郎自大，坚持文化互通更不是丧失自我。与此同时，在交流互鉴中要主动把中华文明发展的丰硕成果奉献给世界，中国精神、中国价值、中国力量正是中华民族在伟大复兴道路上为世界发展创造出来的人类文明新成果。

V. Conclusion

五、结语

This paper systematically explains the interactive relationship of moving in the same direction and mutually promoting each other between advancing Chinese-path modernization and the development of Chinese civilization. This relationship constitutes the “two sides of one body” [54]54 “Two sides of one body” (yiti liangmian) is a Chinese philosophical term referring to two aspects of a single entity that are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. in creating a new form of human civilization. On the one hand, Chinese-path modernization is an important component of the development of Chinese civilization. With its distinct civilizational character, it has propelled the process of Chinese civilization’s development. From a historical dimension, as an important part of modern civilization, Chinese-path modernization has enabled Chinese civilization to transition from tradition to modernity. It is the practical driving force that pushes fine traditional Chinese culture from tradition to modernity and from “national” to “global.” From a developmental dimension, Chinese-path modernization is the fundamental path for the Communist Party of China to lead all the people in creating a new form of human civilization. It is the modern civilizational foundation for Chinese civilization to regain its glory and the basic guarantee for promoting Chinese civilization to become a newer form of human civilization. From a cultural dimension, Chinese-path modernization is the real force that actively promotes the creative transformation and innovative development of the essence of Chinese civilization. It continuously drives Chinese civilization to develop through inheritance and innovate through development. From a practical dimension, the characteristics of Chinese-path modernization—people-centeredness, comprehensive development, innovation-driven growth, coordinated progress, and peaceful development—ensure the smooth progress of the development process of Chinese civilization. On the other hand, the development of Chinese civilization provides extremely rich ideological resources and spiritual wealth for Chinese-path modernization. The Second Integration [55]55 The Second Integration (the second of the Two Integrations) refers to the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture, as proposed by Xi Jinping. has created a new cultural life form that is organically unified—the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization. With its strength, vitality, and dynamism, it provides rich ideological connotations for Chinese-path modernization, infuses it with abundant spiritual nourishment, and builds a strong cultural foundation, giving it a distinct “Chinese background.” The reason Chinese-path modernization differs from Western modernization and surpasses it with a brand-new form is precisely because of its distinct Chinese characteristics. The core of these characteristics lies in adhering to Marxism and Sinicized Marxism to ensure the correct direction of Chinese-path modernization’s development, while the enduring Chinese civilization provides valuable historical experience, wisdom support, and spiritual motivation for Chinese-path modernization. In summary, in the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, it is precisely the interaction and mutual promotion of the “two sides of one body” of advancing Chinese-path modernization and the development of Chinese civilization that have not only enabled the Chinese nation to truly walk out a brand-new path of modernization different from Western modernization but also provided all of humanity with an effective Chinese solution for constructing a new form of human civilization.

本文系统阐释了推进中国式现代化与中华文明发展两者之间相向而行、相互促进的互动关系，是创造人类文明新形态的“一体两面”。一方面，中国式现代化是中华文明发展的重要组成部分，它以鲜明的文明性推动了中华文明发展的进程。从历史维度看，中国式现代化作为现代文明的重要组成部分，它使中华文明实现由传统到现代转变，是推动中华优秀传统文化从传统走向现代、从“民族的”成为“世界的”的实践动力。从发展维度看，中国式现代化是中国共产党带领全体人民创造人类文明新形态的根本途径，是中华文明得以重焕荣光的现代文明基础，是推动中华文明成为更新的人类文明新形态的基本保证。从文化维度看，中国式现代化是积极推动中华文明之精华创造性转化和创新性发展的现实力量，它不断推动中华文明在继承中发展、在发展中创新。从实践维度看，中国式现代化以人为本、全面发展、创新驱动、协调并进、和平发展的特质保证了中华文明发展进程的顺利进行。另一方面，中华文明发展为中国式现代化提供了极其丰富的思想资源和精神财富。“第二个结合”造就出有机统一的新的文化生命体—中国式现代化的文化形态，它以强大且富有活力和生命力为中国式现代化提供丰富的思想内涵，注入丰富的精神滋养，构筑起强大的文化根基，使其呈现出鲜明的“中国底色”。中国式现代化区别于西方现代化并以其崭新的形态超越西方现代化，正是源于其鲜明的中国特色。这一特色的核心就在于坚持马克思主义、中国化马克思主义以保证中国式现代化发展的正确方向，而历久弥新的中华文明为中国式现代化提供宝贵的历史经验、智慧支持和精神动力。概而言之，在中国特色社会主义新时代，正是推进中国式现代化与中华文明发展的“一体两面”的相互作用、相互促进，不仅使中华民族真正走出了一条不同于西方现代化的崭新的现代化道路，而且为全人类提供了卓有成效的构建人类文明新形态的中国方案。

(Author bios: Liu Zhuohong, Distinguished Professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Marxism, Guangxi Normal University; Li Bin, doctoral student at the School of Marxism, Guangxi Normal University)

（作者简介：刘卓红，广西师范大学马克思主义学院特聘教授，博士生导师；李斌，广西师范大学马克思主义学院博士研究生）

Online editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆