The Fourfold Great Power of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture for Developing Socialist Culture with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era

On October 28, 2024, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held its 17th collective study session on building a strong cultural country. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during the study: “We must anchor ourselves to the strategic goal of building a strong cultural country by 2035, uphold Marxism as the fundamental guiding ideology, take root in the broad and profound Chinese civilization, follow the trends of information technology development, and continuously develop a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era that possesses strong ideological guiding power, spiritual cohesion, value appeal, and international influence, thereby continuously strengthening the people’s spiritual power and consolidating the cultural foundation for building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation.” Thought is the precursor of action; theory is the guide to practice. To develop a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era that possesses strong ideological guiding power, spiritual cohesion, value appeal, and international influence, it is necessary to be guided by a thought with equally great power. This provides a key line of thinking for us to deeply understand and comprehensively grasp the great power of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Historically, the Party’s innovative theory has always been the compass for our Party to arm minds, overcome difficulties, and advance work. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is rich in content and profound in exposition; it clarifies the substance and applies it to practice, integrating substance and application. It has extremely significant guiding significance for developing socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era. On the new journey of vigorously advancing the building of a socialist cultural power, facing the complex and volatile international situation and the arduous and heavy tasks of domestic cultural construction, we must unswervingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to consolidate hearts and gather strength, implement the Party’s innovative theory in all aspects and the entire process of the work of the Party and the state, and continuously use the Party’s innovative theory to study new situations and solve new problems. Systematically sorting out and examining the great power of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture from the level of developing socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era not only helps to deeply study and thoroughly understand the principles, academic theories, and philosophies contained in Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, but also helps to strengthen the confidence, determination, and perseverance of the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups in the country to build a socialist cultural power.

2024 年10月28日，中共中央政治局就建设文化强国进行第十七次集体学习。习近平总书记在学习时强调:“要锚定2035年建成文化强国的战略目标，坚持马克思主义这一根本指导思想，植根博大精深的中华文明，顺应信息技术发展潮流，不断发展具有强大思想引领力、精神凝聚力、价值感召力、国际影响力的新时代中国特色社会主义文化，不断增强人民精神力量，筑牢强国建设、民族复兴的文化根基。”思想是行动的先导，理论是实践的指南。要发展具有强大思想引领力、精神凝聚力、价值感召力、国际影响力的新时代中国特色社会主义文化，就必须以具有同样伟大力量的思想为指导，这为我们深刻认识和全面把握习近平文化思想的伟大力量提供了一条关键性思路。历史地看，党的创新理论始终是我们党武装头脑、攻坚克难、推进工作的指南针。习近平文化思想内涵丰富、论述深刻，明体达用、体用贯通，对于发展新时代中国特色社会主义文化具有十分重大的指导意义。在着力推进社会主义文化强国建设的新征程上，面对复杂多变的国际形势和艰巨繁重的国内文化建设任务，我们必须坚持不懈用习近平文化思想凝心聚力，把党的创新理论贯彻落实到党和国家工作的各方面、全过程，不断运用党的创新理论研究新情况、解决新问题。从发展新时代中国特色社会主义文化的层面系统梳理和考察习近平文化思想的伟大力量，既有助于深学细悟习近平文化思想蕴含的道理、学理和哲理，同时也有助于坚定全党全国各族人民建成社会主义文化强国的信心、决心和恒心。

I. Raising the Banner and Charting the Course: Xi Jinping Thought on Culture Possesses Strong Ideological Guiding Power

一、擎旗领航:习近平文化思想具有强大的思想引领力

A New Era calls for new thought; new thought charts the course for a new journey. “A nation that wants to stand at the pinnacle of science cannot for a moment do without theoretical thinking.” Xi Jinping Thought on Culture systematically answers the fundamental questions of what flag to raise, what path to take, what principles to uphold, what goals to achieve, and how to achieve them in China’s cultural construction in the New Era. It provides scientific guidance for inheriting fine traditional Chinese culture, provides an action guide for building a socialist cultural power, and provides a fundamental basis for the Party’s work in propaganda, ideology, and culture, collectively demonstrating its strong ideological guiding power.

新时代呼唤新思想，新思想领航新征程。“一个民族要想站在科学的最高峰，就一刻也不能没有理论思维。”习近平文化思想系统回答了新时代我国文化建设举什么旗、走什么路、坚持什么原则、实现什么目标以及怎样实现等根本问题，为传承中华优秀传统文化提供了科学指引，为建设社会主义文化强国提供了行动指南，为党的宣传思想文化工作提供了根本遵循，集中展现了其所具有的强大思想引领力。

(1) Providing Scientific Guidance for Inheriting Fine Traditional Chinese Culture

(一)为传承中华优秀传统文化提供科学指引

“Like any new doctrine, it must first proceed from the existing intellectual materials, although its roots are deeply embedded in the material economic facts.” Fine traditional Chinese culture is the crystallization and essence of the wisdom of Chinese civilization, containing profound philosophical thought, rich humanistic spirit, and lofty moral pursuits, and collectively demonstrating the wisdom, courage, and creativity of the Chinese nation over five thousand years. Therefore, it has become an indispensable “existing intellectual material” for contemporary Chinese cultural construction. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture takes the “Two Integrations” [1]1 The Two Integrations (两个结合) refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of fine traditional Chinese culture. It is a key principle in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. as its fundamental principle, focuses on profoundly elucidating the connotation and spirit of fine traditional Chinese culture, propagates the great wisdom of fine traditional Chinese culture, and promotes the spirit of patriotism, providing scientific guidance for the contemporary inheritance of fine traditional Chinese culture.

“同任何新的学说一样，它必须首先从已有的思想材料出发，虽然它的根子深深扎在物质的经济的事实中。”中华优秀传统文化是中华文明的智慧结晶和精华所在，蕴含有深邃的哲学思想、丰厚的人文精神和高尚的道德追求，集中展现了中华民族五千年的智慧、勇敢和创造力，故而成为当代中国文化建设不可或缺的“已有思想材料”。习近平文化思想以“两个结合”为根本原则，聚焦深刻阐释中华优秀传统文化的内涵和精神，宣传中华优秀传统文化的伟大智慧，弘扬爱国主义精神，为当代传承中华优秀传统文化提供了科学指引。

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture profoundly elucidates the connotation and spirit of fine traditional Chinese culture. “Fine traditional Chinese culture is the cultural root of the Chinese nation.” It is like the huge root system of a towering tree, deeply rooted in the fertile soil of civilization on the land of China, continuously absorbing nutrients over the long course of history. It not only enables Chinese civilization to endure and thrive for thousands of years, but its inherent spirit of “harmony between man and nature,” “the doctrine of the mean,” and “people-orientedness” also has a profound impact on contemporary China’s economic, political, and cultural development. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture propagates the great wisdom of fine traditional Chinese culture. In the process of forming Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, General Secretary Xi Jinping often quotes the classics, elucidating the historical and cultural traditions of the Chinese nation, highlighting the deepest spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation, and expressing his own recognition and respect for fine traditional Chinese culture. This not only enhances the national identity and national pride of the people across the country, but also presents unique Chinese concepts and Chinese values to other countries and nations. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture vigorously promotes the spirit of patriotism. “Understanding and accepting the long history and profound culture of the motherland is an important condition for the cultivation and development of people’s patriotic sentiments.” Xi Jinping Thought on Culture advocates closely combining the promotion of the spirit of patriotism with the inheritance and development of fine traditional Chinese culture. It can be said that fine traditional Chinese culture is the cultural fertile ground that nurtures the patriotic feelings of the sons and daughters of China, providing a wealth of vivid material for promoting the spirit of patriotism. The spirit of patriotism is the essence of fine traditional Chinese culture, which, though tempered by time, remains ever new. Therefore, promoting the spirit of patriotism has become an important path for inheriting fine traditional Chinese culture.

习近平文化思想深刻阐释了中华优秀传统文化的内涵和精神。“中华优秀传统文化是中华民族的文化根脉”，它犹如参天大树的巨大根系，深深扎根于中华大地的文明沃土，在漫漫历史长河中不断吸取养分，不仅使中华文明历经数千年而延绵不绝、生生不息，而且其内蕴的“天人合一”“中庸之道”“以人为本”等精神对当代中国经济、政治和文化发展也产生了深远影响。习近平文化思想宣传了中华优秀传统文化的伟大智慧。在习近平文化思想的形成过程中，习近平总书记常常引经据典，阐释中华民族的历史文化传统，彰显中华民族最深沉的精神追求，表达了自己对中华优秀传统文化的认同和尊崇，不仅增强了全国人民的国家认同感和民族自豪感，同时也向其他国家和民族展现了独到的中国理念和中国价值。习近平文化思想大力弘扬了爱国主义精神。“对祖国悠久历史、深厚文化的理解和接受，是人们爱国主义情感培育和发展的重要条件。”习近平文化思想主张将弘扬爱国主义精神与传承和发展中华优秀传统文化紧密结合。可以说，中华优秀传统文化是涵育中华儿女爱国情怀的文化沃土，为弘扬爱国主义精神提供了大量灵动的素材，而爱国主义精神是中华优秀传统文化的精华，虽历经时间洗礼却历久弥新，故而弘扬爱国主义精神成为传承中华优秀传统文化的一条重要路径。

(2) Providing an Action Guide for Building a Socialist Cultural Power

(二)为建设社会主义文化强国提供行动指南

“Culture is the soul of a country and a nation. When culture thrives, the nation thrives; when culture is strong, the nation is strong.” Building a socialist cultural power is both an inevitable requirement for advancing and expanding Chinese-path modernization and a realistic foundation for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To this end, since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has placed cultural construction in an important position in the overall work, drawing up a grand blueprint for comprehensively building a modern socialist country. Especially since the 20th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has deeply observed the general laws of the evolution and development of human culture, stood at the forefront of China’s cultural construction practice, and put forward a series of new thoughts, new viewpoints, and new judgments, providing an action guide for building a socialist cultural power.

“文化是一个国家、一个民族的灵魂。文化兴国运兴，文化强民族强。”建设社会主义文化强国既是推进和拓展中国式现代化的必然要求，也是实现中华民族伟大复兴的现实基础。为此，党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央将文化建设摆在全局工作的重要位置，擘画了全面建设社会主义现代化国家的宏伟蓝图。特别是党的二十大以来，习近平总书记深刻洞察人类文化演进发展的一般规律，站在我国文化建设实践的最前沿，提出了一系列新思想、新观点、新论断，为建设社会主义文化强国提供了行动指南。

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture takes cultural confidence, openness and inclusiveness, and upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground as methodological support, actively exploring the practical path for building a socialist cultural power. Strengthen cultural confidence to achieve spiritual independence. “Strengthening cultural confidence means insisting on taking our own path.” The occasional arguments in China’s cultural field that marginalize Marxism, nihilize fine traditional Chinese culture, and label socialist culture with Chinese characteristics all stem from a lack of cultural confidence. Facing the problem of lack of cultural confidence, in building a socialist cultural power, we should actively establish a sense of spiritual independence, quickly reverse the cognitive biases that have emerged, and strongly criticize and resolutely resist thoughts and behaviors that trample on Chinese culture. Uphold openness and inclusiveness to cultivate socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era. “Openness and inclusiveness have always been the source of vitality for the development of civilizations.” The history of human cultural development is a history of exchange and mutual learning between different cultures. In this sense, the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era cannot be separated from the world, and the flourishing of the world’s cultural forest is equally inseparable from China. The broad and grand atmosphere of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era benefits from the open posture and inclusive mind of fine traditional Chinese culture. Especially in the process of building a cultural power, meeting the people’s spiritual and cultural needs domestically and carrying out cultural exchanges and cooperation internationally both require the integration of Chinese and Western elements and the connection between China and the world. Adhere to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground to forge new brilliance in socialist culture. “For cultural construction, upholding fundamental principles prevents losing oneself and losing direction, while breaking new ground enables grasping the times and leading the times.” Xi Jinping Thought on Culture adheres to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground within the “Two Integrations,” realizing the integration of the essence of Marxist thought with the essence of fine traditional Chinese culture, and promoting the prosperity and flourishing of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era.

习近平文化思想以文化自信、开放包容和守正创新作为方法论支撑，积极探索了建设社会主义文化强国的实践路径。坚定文化自信，实现精神上的独立自主。“坚定文化自信，就是坚持走自己的路。”我国文化领域中曾不时出现的将马克思主义边缘化、中华优秀传统文化虚无化、中国特色社会主义文化标签化的论调，其根源都是缺乏文化自信。面对文化自信缺失问题，在建设社会主义文化强国中应积极树立精神上的独立意识，尽快扭转已经出现的认知偏向，对于践踏我国文化的思想和行为予以强烈批判和坚决抵制。秉持开放包容，培育新时代中国特色社会主义文化。“开放包容始终是文明发展的活力来源”。人类文化的发展史就是一部不同文化间交流互鉴的历史。在此意义上，新时代中国特色社会主义文化的发展离不开世界，而世界文化之林的繁茂同样也离不开中国。新时代中国特色社会主义文化的博大气象，得益于中华优秀传统文化的开放姿态和包容胸怀。特别是文化强国建设过程中对内满足人民精神文化需要，对外开展文化交流与合作，都需要做到中西合璧、融通中外。坚持守正创新，铸就社会主义文化新辉煌。“对文化建设来说，守正才能不迷失自我、不迷失方向，创新才能把握时代、引领时代。”习近平文化思想在“两个结合”中坚持守正创新，实现了马克思主义思想精髓与中华优秀传统文化精华的贯通，推动了新时代中国特色社会主义文化的繁荣兴盛。

(3) Providing a Fundamental Basis for the Party’s Work in Propaganda, Ideology, and Culture

(三)为党的宣传思想文化工作提供根本遵循

“Propaganda, ideology, and cultural work concerns the future and destiny of the Party, concerns the long-term stability and security of the state, concerns national cohesion and centripetal force, and is an extremely important task.” On the new journey of the New Era, the profound adjustment of the balance of international forces and the more complex challenges and risks facing our country determine that the Party’s propaganda, ideology, and cultural work must take on a new look and achieve new accomplishments under the new circumstances. The formal proposal of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is a milestone in the history of the development of the Party’s propaganda, ideology, and cultural work. On the one hand, it shines with the truth of Marxism; on the other hand, it manifests the profound heritage of fine traditional Chinese culture. It is a theoretical summary of the Party’s practical experience in leading cultural construction in the New Era and provides a fundamental guideline for further improving propaganda, ideology, and cultural work.

“宣传思想文化工作事关党的前途命运，事关国家长治久安，事关民族凝聚力和向心力，是一项极端重要的工作。”在新时代新征程上，国际力量对比深刻调整，我国面临的挑战和风险更加复杂，决定了党的宣传思想文化工作在新的形势下必须有新气象和新作为。习近平文化思想的正式提出，在党的宣传思想文化事业发展史上具有里程碑意义，其一方面闪耀着马克思主义的真理光芒，另一方面彰显着中华优秀传统文化的深厚底蕴，是新时代党领导文化建设实践经验的理论总结，为进一步做好宣传思想文化工作提供了根本遵循。

Strengthening Party leadership is the primary issue concerning the success or failure of the Party’s propaganda, ideology, and cultural work. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture insists on simultaneously establishing and breaking, purifying the turbid and promoting the clear, and puts forward the major task of firmly grasping leadership over ideological work, focusing on resolving the problem of weakened Party leadership in the ideological sphere. This has brought about a comprehensive and fundamental transformation in the situation in our country’s ideological sphere and promoted a series of historic achievements in the Party’s propaganda, ideology, and cultural undertakings in the New Era. The key to the Party’s propaganda, ideology, and cultural work lies in the construction of the cadre and talent contingent. “Party committees (Party leadership groups) at all levels must shoulder the major political responsibility of doing a good job in propaganda, ideology, and cultural work, ensuring that the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee on cultural construction are implemented effectively.” Therefore, principal leading comrades of Party committees at all levels should

加强党的领导是事关党的宣传思想文化工作兴衰成败的第一位问题。习近平文化思想坚持立破并举、激浊扬清，提出牢牢掌握意识形态工作领导权这一重大任务，着力解决意识形态领域党的领导弱化问题，使我国意识形态领域形势发生全局性、根本性转变，推动新时代党的宣传思想文化事业取得一系列历史性成就;党的宣传思想文化工作，关键在于干部人才队伍建设。“各级党委(党组)要把做好宣传思想文化工作作为重大政治责任扛在肩上，确保党中央关于文化建设的决策部署落到实处。”因此，各级党委主要负责同志应以习近平文化思想为引领，主动扛起责任，整合各种力量和资源，将宣传思想文化工作同其他方面的工作结合起来，着力构建覆盖全党全社会的“大宣传”格局;繁荣发展文化事业和文化产业是党的宣传思想文化工作的重要内容。当前，数字技术飞速发展，深刻改变着人类的生产生活方式，同时也成为文化事业和文化产业高质量发展的“最大增量”。习近平文化思想“顺应数字产业化和产业数字化发展趋势”，提出以云计算、大数据、人工智能作为核心技术支撑，推进“数字+文化”的深度融合，实现文化新业态和新模式的创新发展，综合提升文化产品和服务的供给品质，更好满足人民群众的高品质文化需求，从而为党的宣传思想文化工作打开新的局面。

II. Unity and Endeavor: Xi Jinping Thought on Culture Possesses a Powerful Spiritual Cohesion

二、团结奋进:习近平文化思想具有强大的精神凝聚力

Culture unites people’s hearts; unity is strength. At present, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core advances with courage and resolve, mapping out strategic measures for further deepening reform comprehensively. The breadth of fields covered, the depth of changes involved, and the complexity of the struggle situation in further deepening reform comprehensively are all unprecedented, thus making it all the more necessary to broadly consolidate ideological consensus. Precisely on this basis, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We have relied on the united struggle of the people of all ethnic groups across the country to create great achievements that shine in the annals of history, and we must also rely on the united struggle of the people of all ethnic groups across the country to write new chapters of glory.” Xi Jinping Thought on Culture consolidates the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the people of all ethnic groups across the country, solidifies the firm foundation for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, and establishes the principle of stimulating the cultural innovation and creativity of the entire nation, thereby centrally demonstrating its powerful spiritual cohesion.

文化凝聚人心，团结就是力量。当前，以习近平同志为核心的党中央勇毅前行，擘画了进一步全面深化改革的战略举措。进一步全面深化改革涵盖领域之广泛、涉及变革之深刻、斗争形势之复杂，都是前所未有的，故而也更加需要广泛凝聚思想共识。正基于此，习近平总书记指出:“我们依靠全国各族人民团结奋斗创造了彪炳史册的伟大成就，也要依靠全国各族人民团结奋斗续写新的辉煌。”习近平文化思想巩固了全国各族人民团结奋斗的共同思想基础、夯实了铸牢中华民族共同体意识的坚实根基、确立了激发全民族文化创新创造活力的原则，集中展现了其所具有的强大精神凝聚力。

(1) Consolidating the Common Ideological Foundation for the United Struggle of the People of All Ethnic Groups Across the Country

(一)巩固了全国各族人民团结奋斗的共同思想基础

The Chinese nation is a big family composed of fifty-six ethnic groups; unity and mutual assistance among all ethnic groups are an important guarantee for our endeavors. The prerequisite for ethnic unity is identification; unity lacking identification is like a tree without roots or water without a source. Therefore, it is necessary to “strengthen ethnic unity and continuously enhance the identification of people of all ethnic groups with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics.” Xi Jinping Thought on Culture upholds the highest interests of the Chinese nation through the “Five Identifications,” constructing the core concept of ethnic unity from the five key points of the nation, the ethnic group, culture, the political party, and the social model, which helps to broadly consolidate social consensus and solidify the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the people of all ethnic groups across the country.

中华民族是由五十六个民族组成的大家庭，各民族间的团结互助是我们干事创业的重要保障。民族团结的前提是认同，缺少认同的团结仿佛无根之木、无源之水。因此，必须“加强民族团结，不断增进各族群众对伟大祖国、中华民族、中华文化、中国共产党、中国特色社会主义的认同”。习近平文化思想以“五个认同”维护了中华民族的最高利益，从国家、民族、文化、政党以及社会模式这五个关键点出发，建构起民族团结的核心理念，有助于广泛凝聚社会共识，巩固全国各族人民团结奋斗的共同思想基础。

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture profoundly elucidates the rich connotations of the “Five Identifications” and clearly proposes the methods and pathways for enhancing the “Five Identifications.” Identification with the motherland manifests the positive cognition and emotion of people of all ethnic groups towards the country to which they belong, a psychological activity emphasizing a sense of belonging. To this end, it is necessary to guide people of all ethnic groups to take a firm stand on major issues of principle concerning national unity, enhance confidence in the country’s future development, and unequivocally safeguard national interests and the dignity of the motherland. Identification with the Chinese nation is a key factor in maintaining the collective existence of people of all ethnic groups, a common national consciousness condensed during the formation and development process of all ethnic groups. The Chinese nation is jointly created by all ethnic groups; people of all ethnic groups should establish a national outlook of “pluralistic unity,” unite with one heart in equality and harmony, and “cling closely together like pomegranate seeds.” [2]2 “Cling closely together like pomegranate seeds” is a metaphor frequently used by Xi Jinping to describe the ideal unity and harmony among China’s 56 ethnic groups. Identification with Chinese culture is an important link in the socialization of people of all ethnic groups, a cognitive judgment of whether one can belong to a certain cultural collective. We should deeply explore the ideological resources in fine traditional Chinese culture that promote cultural identification, and construct a discourse system and effective carriers that comprehensively display the commonality of Chinese culture from multiple angles and in all dimensions, so as to enhance the cultural identification of people of all ethnic groups. Identification with the Communist Party of China is the identification of people of all ethnic groups with the Party’s beliefs, ideas, and policies, a relatively stable psychological tendency and value judgment. This is not only where the common interests of people of all ethnic groups lie but also the political bottom line for people of all ethnic groups. Identification with socialism with Chinese characteristics is identification with the “dialectical unity of the theoretical logic of scientific socialism and the historical logic of China’s social development.” Socialism with Chinese characteristics is a fundamental achievement obtained by the Party leading the people through countless hardships, a scientific socialism rooted in China’s soil and reflecting the people’s will, which should rightly be identified with by people of all ethnic groups.

习近平文化思想深刻阐释了“五个认同”的丰富内涵，明确提出了增强“五个认同”的方法路径。对祖国的认同彰显了各族人民对所属国家积极的认知和情感，是一种强调归属感的心理活动。为此，必须引导各族人民在关乎祖国统一等大是大非问题上坚定立场，增强对国家未来发展的信心，旗帜鲜明地维护国家利益和祖国尊严。对中华民族的认同是维系各族人民群体性存续的关键因素，是各民族在形成和发展过程中凝结起来的共同的民族意识。中华民族是由各个民族共同缔造的，各族人民应当树立“多元一体”的民族观，在平等和谐中同心聚力，“像石榴籽一样紧紧抱在一起”。对中华文化的认同是各族人民社会化的重要环节，是对自身能否归属于某个文化集体的认知判断。我们应当深入挖掘中华优秀传统文化中促进文化认同的思想资源，多角度全方位构建展现中华文化共同性的话语体系和有效载体，以增进各族人民的文化认同。对中国共产党的认同是各族人民对党的信仰、理念和政策的认同，是一种相对稳定的心理倾向与价值判断。这既是维护各族人民共同利益之所在，也是各族人民的政治底线。对中国特色社会主义的认同，就是对“科学社会主义理论逻辑和中国社会发展历史逻辑的辩证统一”的认同。中国特色社会主义是党领导人民历经千辛万苦取得的根本成就，是植根于中国大地、反映了人民意愿的科学的社会主义，理应得到各族人民的认同。

(2) Solidifying the Firm Foundation for Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation

(二)夯实了铸牢中华民族共同体意识的坚实根基

In Marx’s view, Eastern societies represented by China achieved centralization very early on and fully played the role of a “comprehensive unity,” “such as irrigation channels, which played a very important role among Asian peoples, and means of communication, etc., which manifested as a higher unity.” [3]3 This is a reference to Marx’s concept of the “Asiatic mode of production,” discussed in his writings on pre-capitalist economic formations, where he argued that centralized states in Asia managed large-scale public works like irrigation. Currently, although the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical process, China’s ethnic work still faces many new situations and new challenges. In response, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation must be taken as the main line of the Party’s ethnic work in the New Era, “guiding people of all ethnic groups to firmly establish the community concept of sharing weal and woe, sharing honor and disgrace, sharing life and death, and sharing destiny,” [4]4 This phrasing, “sharing weal and woe, sharing honor and disgrace, sharing life and death, and sharing destiny,” is a standard formulation in official Chinese discourse to define the desired relationship among ethnic groups within the Chinese nation community. thereby gathering the mighty force for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture focuses on the practical needs of strengthening and improving ethnic work, solidifying the firm foundation for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.

在马克思看来，以中国为代表的东方社会在很早以前就实现了中央集权化，并充分发挥出“总合的统一体”作用，“如在亚细亚各民族中起过非常重要作用的灌溉渠道，还有交通工具等等，就表现为更高的统一体”。当前，中华民族伟大复兴虽然已进入不可逆转的历史进程，但我国民族工作仍面临着许多新形势新挑战。对此，习近平总书记指出，必须以铸牢中华民族共同体意识作为新时代党的民族工作主线，“引导各族人民牢固树立休戚与共、荣辱与共、生死与共、命运与共的共同体理念”，凝聚起中华民族伟大复兴的磅礴力量。习近平文化思想聚焦加强和改进民族工作的现实需要，夯实了铸牢中华民族共同体意识的坚实根基。

Xi Jinping’s cultural thought attaches great importance to the dialectical and unified relationship between the material and the spiritual, and achieving their coordinated development is the foundation and prerequisite for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. On the one hand, forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation must resolve material issues. Marx fully examined the question of community from the perspectives of labor, capital, wages, and so forth, holding that under the historical conditions of the capitalist world, people can no longer exist independently of community, and that “the relationship of private property remains the relationship of the community to the world of things.” [1]1 The Two Integrations (两个结合) refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of fine traditional Chinese culture. It is a key principle in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It can be said that economic development is the primary task and the master key to solving various problems in ethnic regions. The economic interconnection and common development of all ethnic groups can provide a strong impetus for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. To this end, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward the

习近平文化思想高度重视物质与精神间的辩证统一关系，而实现二者的协调发展则是铸牢中华民族共同体意识的基础和前提。一方面，铸牢中华民族共同体意识必须解决好物质方面的问题。马克思从劳动、资本、工资等角度充分考察了共同体问题，认为人在资本主义世界历史条件下已经不可能脱离共同体独立存在，而“私有财产关系仍然是共同体同物的世界的关系”。可以说，经济发展是第一要务，是解决民族地区各种问题的总钥匙。各民族经济的相互联系、共同发展可以为铸牢中华民族共同体意识提供强劲动力。为此，习近平总书记提出构建中华民族经济统一体的任务，要求各民族“始终保持互通有无、互利共赢的经济联系”，以促进中华民族共同体的发展。另一方面，铸牢中华民族共同体意识必须解决好精神方面的问题。虽然马克思承认“意识不过是以现实共同体、社会存在物为生动形态的那个东西的理论形态”，但也指出在某些特定情况下会出现精神领域的发展与物质生活发展不成比例的现象，故而经济的发展并不意味着能够自然而然地铸牢中华民族共同体意识。正是在此意义上，习近平总书记反复强调文化对于铸牢中华民族共同体意识的价值，指出必须“着力构筑中华民族共有精神家园，为推进中华民族共同体建设提供强大精神文化支撑”。

(3) Establishing the principle of stimulating the creative vitality of the entire nation’s culture

(三)确立了激发全民族文化创新创造活力的原则

“Through practical creation of an objective world, the transformation of inorganic nature, man proves himself a conscious species-being.” [5]5 Karl Marx, “Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844,” in Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, Collected Works, vol. 3 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 276. In Marx’s view, innovation, as a uniquely human capacity for activity, manifests the essential distinction between humans and animals. Therefore, innovation and creation are the lifeblood of culture, the vital source of cultural prosperity and flourishing. History and reality have repeatedly proven that the Chinese nation is a nation with a powerful cultural creative capacity. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture profoundly discerns the epochal trends of civilizational renewal and development and the innovative and creative endowments of the Chinese nation, opens up a new height of Chinese cultural thinking in the dialectical unity of tradition and modernity, establishes a series of principles for stimulating the creative vitality of the entire nation’s culture, coalesces the ideological synergy for building a strong cultural country, and allows the dynamic sources of the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a new era to surge fully.

“通过实践创造对象世界，改造无机界，人证明自己是有意识的类存在物。”在马克思看来，创新作为人独有的活动能力，彰显了人与动物的本质区别。因此，创新创造是文化的生命力，是文化繁荣兴盛的活力源泉。历史和现实一再证明，中华民族是具有强大文化创造力的民族。习近平文化思想深刻洞察人类文明更新发展的时代趋势和中华民族的创新创造禀赋，在传统与现代的辩证统一中开拓了中国特色文化思维的新高度，确立了激发全民族文化创新创造活力的一系列原则，凝聚起文化强国建设的思想合力，让新时代中国特色社会主义文化发展的动力源泉充分涌动。

The people’s standpoint is a clear main thread running through Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. “The people are the mother of literature and art.” [6]6 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Eleventh National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Tenth National Congress of the Chinese Writers Association” (30 November 2021). The masses of the people are not only the creators of society’s material wealth but also the creators of spiritual wealth. The production and life practices of the masses of the people are replete with a wealth of “raw materials” for literary and artistic creation, providing beneficial nourishment for forging the peaks of literature and art in the New Era. Therefore, only by going deep among the masses and learning from the people can the vast number of literary and artistic workers truly feel the inspiring changes in our country’s culture, collect the colorful and diverse materials from the people’s lives, and endow literary and artistic creation with profound power and enduring charm; deepening the reform of the cultural system and mechanism is a powerful manifestation of the innovative thinking and reform logic of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. In his speech at the Second Plenary Session of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, [7]7 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, held in July 2024, focused on further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping designated “deepening the reform of the cultural system and mechanism” as a major measure for further comprehensively deepening reform, focusing on eliminating existing institutional and mechanistic obstacles in the process of China’s cultural construction, accelerating the improvement of a cultural management system and production and operation mechanism conducive to stimulating vitality, taking stimulating the creative vitality of the entire nation’s culture as an important link in deepening the reform of the cultural system and mechanism, so as to provide it with a strong institutional guarantee; actively fostering a good cultural ecology is an important condition for producing and creating high-quality cultural products, and is also the inherent meaning of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture in promoting the rectification of China’s cultural construction from the source. [8]8 “Rectification from the source” (正本清源) is a four-character idiom meaning to fundamentally rectify and clarify, often used in the context of ideological or cultural correction. In this regard, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: it is necessary to “actively foster a good cultural ecology, fully promote academic democracy and literary and artistic democracy, support writers, artists, and experts and scholars in taking root in life and immersing themselves in creation, and promote the continuous burst of vitality in cultural innovation and creation.” [9]9 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development” (2 June 2023).

人民立场是贯穿习近平文化思想的一条鲜明主线。“人民是文艺之母。”人民群众既是社会物质财富的创造者，也是精神财富的创造者。人民群众的生产生活实践中充满大量文学艺术创作的“原料”，为铸就新时代的文艺高峰提供了有益滋养。因此，广大文艺工作者只有深入群众、向人民学习，才能真切地感受到我国文化令人感奋的变化，收集到群众生活中五彩斑斓的素材，使文艺创作具有深沉的力量和隽永的魅力;深化文化体制机制改革是习近平文化思想创新思维和改革逻辑的有力体现。在党的二十届三中全会第二次全体会议上的讲话中，习近平总书记将“深化文化体制机制改革”作为进一步全面深化改革的重大举措，着力消除我国文化建设过程中现存的体制机制障碍，加快完善有利于激发活力的文化管理体制和生产经营机制，将激发全民族文化创新创造活力作为深化文化体制机制改革的重要环节，以为其提供有力的制度保障;积极营造良好的文化生态是生产和创作优质文化产品的重要条件，也是习近平文化思想推动我国文化建设正本清源的应有之义。对此，习近平总书记指出:必须“积极营造良好文化生态，充分发扬学术民主、文艺民主，支持作家、艺术家和专家学者扎根生活、潜心创作，推动文化创新创造活力持续迸发”。

3. Forging the Root and Establishing the Soul: Xi Jinping Thought on Culture Possesses a Powerful Value Appeal

三、铸根立魂:习近平文化思想具有强大的价值感召力

“Theory can convince people as long as it is persuasive; and theory can be persuasive as long as it is thorough.” [10]10 Karl Marx, “Introduction to a Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right,” in Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, Collected Works, vol. 3 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 182. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture “inherits the basic positions, scientific methods, and fundamental viewpoints of Marxism on culture,” [11]11 This is a standard formulation in Chinese academic discourse on Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. is a new chapter of Marxist cultural theory for the times, marks that our Party’s understanding of the laws governing the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics has reached a new height, has withstood the test of history, practice, and the people, and is a scientific theoretical system. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture arms the entire Party with Marxism and its Chinese innovative theories, enhances the cultural confidence of the Chinese people with fine traditional Chinese culture, and cultivates and educates people by fostering and practicing the core socialist values, safeguarding the ideological unity, will unity, and action unity of the entire Party, strengthening the cultural confidence of the Chinese people amidst the world’s cultural currents, highlighting the value significance of enlightening wisdom, nourishing the heart, establishing virtue, and cultivating people, and centrally demonstrating its powerful value appeal.

“理论只要说服人，就能掌握群众;而理论只要彻底，就能说服人。”习近平文化思想“继承了马克思主义关于文化的基本立场、科学方法、根本观点”，是马克思主义文化理论的时代新篇，标志着我们党对中国特色社会主义文化建设规律的认识达到了新高度，经受住了历史、实践和人民的检验，是科学的理论体系。习近平文化思想以马克思主义及其中国化创新理论武装全党、以中华优秀传统文化增强中国人民文化自信、以培育和践行社会主义核心价值观铸魂育人，维护了全党的思想统一、意志统一和行动统一，坚定了中国人民在世界文化激荡中的文化自信，突显了启智润心、立德树人的价值意义，集中展现了其所具有的强大价值感召力。

(1) Arming the entire Party with Marxism and its Chinese innovative theories

(一)以马克思主义及其中国化创新理论武装全党

“To forge an ‘indestructible body,’ one must arm the mind with scientific theory.” [12]12 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda and Ideology Work” (19 August 2013). The phrase “indestructible body” (金刚不坏之身) is a Buddhist metaphor for an invulnerable, diamond-like body, used here to denote ideological firmness. Emphasizing theoretical strengthening of the Party is a distinctive trait and glorious tradition of Marxist political parties. As early as 1875, Engels recognized the importance of arming the German Social Democratic Party with Marxist theory, pointing out that “various absurd views and complete ignorance of socialist literature are effective means of completely destroying the theoretical superiority of the German movement up to now.” [13]13 Frederick Engels, “Letter to August Bebel” (18-28 March 1875), in Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, Collected Works, vol. 24 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1989), p. 71. An important reason why the Communist Party of China has been able to endure hardships and continuously grow and strengthen is that it has always attached importance to theoretical strengthening of the Party. To this end, General Secretary Xi Jinping has issued important instructions on many occasions, incorporating “arming the entire Party with the Party’s innovative theories” into the primary political task of propaganda, ideology, and cultural work, safeguarding the ideological unity, will unity, and action unity of the entire Party with Marxism and its Chinese innovative theoretical achievements.

“要炼就‘金刚不坏之身’，必须用科学理论武装头脑。”注重理论强党是马克思主义政党的鲜明特质和光荣传统。早在1875年恩格斯就意识到了以马克思主义理论武装德国社会民主党的重要性，并指出“各种荒谬观点以及对社会主义文献的一无所知，都是彻底摧毁到现在为止德国运动在理论方面的优势的有效手段”。中国共产党之所以能够历经艰难困苦而不断发展壮大的一个重要原因就是始终重视理论强党。为此，习近平总书记多次作出重要指示，将“用党的创新理论武装全党”纳入宣传思想文化工作的首要政治任务中，以马克思主义及其中国化创新理论成果维护了全党的思想统一、意志统一和行动统一。

Arming the entire Party with Marxism and its Chinese innovative theories is an important theoretical theme of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. On the one hand, “earnestly studying Marxist theory is our fundamental skill for doing all work well.” [14]14 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Celebration of the 95th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China” (1 July 2016). Marxism profoundly reveals the laws of the development of human society, scientifically answers the question of where human society is heading, endows the Communist Party of China with a powerful ideological weapon for understanding and transforming the world, and thus becomes the fundamental guiding ideology for building the Party and the country. Over the past century, the scientific nature and truth of Marxism have been fully tested in socialist China, and it has long become the indestructible spiritual pillar of every Communist. As a firm believer and practitioner of Marxism, the Communist Party of China must earnestly study Marxist theory; on the other hand, “the development of practice has no end, and our understanding of truth and theoretical innovation will have no end.” [15]15 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Conference Celebrating the 90th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China” (1 July 2011). Marxism is not a dogma but an open theory that is constantly developing. Precisely because of its distinct openness, Marxism can forever maintain theoretical vitality and continuously explore new issues raised by the development of the times. Over the past century, the Communist Party of China has insisted on combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities, continuously promoting the development of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is a theoretical achievement of our Party’s unification of adhering to Marxism and developing Marxism, and it must be implemented and carried out in all aspects and the entire process of propaganda, ideology, and cultural work, promoting the concerted efforts of the entire Party from top to bottom, and striving to write a new chapter in the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics on the new journey.

以马克思主义及其中国化创新理论武装全党是习近平文化思想的重要理论主题。一方面，“认真学习马克思主义理论，这是我们做好一切工作的看家本领”。马克思主义深刻揭示了人类社会发展规律，科学回答了人类社会向何处去的问题，赋予了中国共产党认识和改造世界的强大思想武器，进而成为我们立党立国的根本指导思想。一百年来，马克思主义的科学性和真理性在社会主义中国得到了充分检验，早已成为每一个共产党人坚不可摧的精神支柱。中国共产党作为马克思主义坚定的信仰者和实践者，必然要认真学习马克思主义理论;另一方面，“实践发展永无止境，我们认识真理、进行理论创新就永无止境”。马克思主义不是教条而是不断发展着的开放理论。正因为具有鲜明的开放性，马克思主义才能永葆理论活力，不断探索时代发展提出的新课题。一百年来，中国共产党坚持将马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，持续推进了马克思主义的中国化时代化发展。习近平文化思想是我们党将坚持马克思主义和发展马克思主义相统一的理论成果，必须贯彻落实到宣传思想文化工作的各方面和全过程，推动全党上下勠力同心，在新征程上奋力书写中国特色社会主义文化发展新的篇章。

(2) Enhancing the cultural confidence of the Chinese people with fine traditional Chinese culture

(二)以中华优秀传统文化增强中国人民文化自信

“The fine traditional Chinese culture nurtured in the course of more than five thousand years of civilization development… embodies the deepest spiritual pursuit of the Chinese nation and represents the unique spiritual identity of the Chinese nation.” The fine traditional Chinese culture constitutes the ideological and spiritual core of the Chinese people in the New Era and is the rational cognitive source from which the masses develop confidence in their own cultural values and vitality. It follows that the fine traditional Chinese culture is not only an important component of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics but also a crucial cornerstone for the Chinese people to strengthen their cultural confidence amid the surging currents of world culture. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture clarifies the strategic position of the fine traditional Chinese culture, takes it as the fulcrum and foothold for strengthening the Chinese people’s cultural confidence, and further elucidates the powerful confidence and practical pathways for using the fine traditional Chinese culture to strengthen the Chinese people’s cultural confidence.

“在五千多年文明发展中孕育的中华优秀传统文化……积淀着中华民族最深层的精神追求，代表着中华民族独特的精神标识。”中华优秀传统文化构成了新时代我国人民的思想和精神内核，是人民群众对自身文化价值和生命力产生确信的理性认知根源。由此可见，中华优秀传统文化不仅是中国特色社会主义文化的重要组成部分，更是中国人民在世界文化激荡中坚定文化自信的重要基石。习近平文化思想明确了中华优秀传统文化的战略地位，将其作为增强中国人民文化自信的支撑点和立足点，并进一步阐明了以中华优秀传统文化增强中国人民文化自信的强大底气和现实路径。

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture takes the fine traditional Chinese culture as the deep foundation for strengthening the Chinese people’s cultural confidence. Cultural confidence is closely linked to the historical and cultural traditions of a country or nation. The fine traditional Chinese culture possesses a broad-mindedness that embraces all rivers, a spirit of mutual assistance and care, and a character of loving peace. It is precisely for this reason that Chinese civilization has been able to endure countless hardships and continue to this day, laying a solid historical foundation for the cultural confidence of the Chinese people today. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture takes the integration of Marxism with the fine traditional Chinese culture as the powerful source of strength for strengthening the Chinese people’s cultural confidence. “Why has the Communist Party of China been able to do it? Why has socialism with Chinese characteristics been able to do it? In the final analysis, it is because Marxism works!” [16]16 This is a quotation from Xi Jinping’s speech at the celebration of the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China on July 1, 2021. The century-long history of struggle of the Communist Party of China has proven the scientific nature and advanced nature of Marxism. Marxism can activate the excellent factors in traditional Chinese culture and endow them with new contemporary connotations; this is our greatest source of strength in strengthening the Chinese people’s cultural confidence through the integration of Marxism with the fine traditional Chinese culture. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture takes the creative transformation and innovative development of the fine traditional Chinese culture as the practical pathway for strengthening the Chinese people’s cultural confidence. Times are developing, and society is advancing. The fine traditional Chinese culture must change with the times and adapt to circumstances, aligning itself with contemporary culture and coordinating with modern society. Therefore, if we are to use the fine traditional Chinese culture to strengthen the Chinese people’s cultural confidence, we must carry out its creative transformation and innovative development, providing fundamental impetus for strengthening the Chinese people’s cultural confidence through multi-channel and diversified forms of innovative expression.

习近平文化思想以中华优秀传统文化作为增强中国人民文化自信的深厚根基。文化自信是与一个国家或民族的历史文化传统紧密相连的。中华优秀传统文化拥有海纳百川的胸怀、守望相助的情怀、爱好和平的特质。正因如此，中华文明才能够历经无数磨难后仍延续至今，为当今中国人民的文化自信奠定了坚实的历史根基;习近平文化思想以马克思主义与中华优秀传统文化的结合作为增强中国人民文化自信的强大底气。“中国共产党为什么能，中国特色社会主义为什么好，归根到底是因为马克思主义行!”中国共产党的百年奋斗史证明了马克思主义的科学性和先进性。马克思主义能够激活中华传统文化中的优秀因子并赋予其新的时代内涵，这是我们在马克思主义与中华优秀传统文化相结合中增强中国人民文化自信最大的底气;习近平文化思想以中华优秀传统文化的创造性转化和创新性发展作为增强中国人民文化自信的现实路径。时代在发展，社会在进步。中华优秀传统文化必须因时而变、因势而变，与当代文化相适应、与现代社会相协调。因此，若想以中华优秀传统文化增强中国人民的文化自信，必须对其进行创造性转化和创新性发展，通过多渠道、多样化的创新表达形式为增强中国人民文化自信提供根本动力。

(3) Forging souls and educating people by cultivating and practicing the core socialist values

(三)以培育和践行社会主义核心价值观铸魂育人

Every era has its own spirit, and every era has its own values. “For a nation or a country, the most enduring and profound force is the core values commonly recognized by the whole society.” The core socialist values are the core of the socialist core value system, centrally embodying the essential attributes of socialism and representing the common value pursuit of all Chinese people. General Secretary Xi Jinping has precisely summarized the basic content of the core socialist values with the 24 characters: “prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony; freedom, equality, justice, rule of law; patriotism, dedication, integrity, friendship,” and further put forward the task requirement of “forging souls and educating people with the core socialist values.” [17]17 The 24-character formulation of the core socialist values was officially articulated by Xi Jinping in 2013 and subsequently incorporated into the Party constitution and the state constitution. Cultivating and practicing the core socialist values to forge souls and educate people is a foundational and principled content in Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, profoundly highlighting its value significance of enlightening wisdom, nourishing the heart, establishing virtue, and cultivating people.

每个时代都有每个时代的精神，每个时代都有每个时代的价值观念。“对一个民族、一个国家来说，最持久、最深层的力量是全社会共同认可的核心价值观。”社会主义核心价值观是社会主义核心价值体系的内核，集中体现着社会主义的本质属性，代表着全体中国人民共同的价值追求。习近平总书记以“富强、民主、文明、和谐，自由、平等、公正、法治，爱国、敬业、诚信、友善”这24个字精准概括了社会主义核心价值观的基本内容，并进一步提出“用社会主义核心价值观铸魂育人”的任务要求。以培育和践行社会主义核心价值观铸魂育人是习近平文化思想中的基础性、原则性内容，深刻突显了其所具有的启智润心、立德树人的价值意义。

Cultivating and practicing the core socialist values to forge souls and educate people is an inevitable requirement for better meeting the growing spiritual and cultural needs of the people. In today’s world, where social trends of thought are surging and conflicting, and the values of the masses are becoming increasingly diverse, the guiding and integrating role of cultivating and practicing the core socialist values for social concepts is becoming more and more evident. This helps to build a value system that can be recognized by the vast majority of people, assisting the masses in making correct value judgments and choices in the process of social transformation and rapid change. Cultivating and practicing the core socialist values to forge souls and educate people must grasp the key points. “The value orientation of youth determines the value orientation of the entire future society, and youth are in the period of value formation and establishment; grasping the cultivation of values during this period is very important.” [18]18 This is a quotation from Xi Jinping’s speech at a symposium with young students at Peking University on May 4, 2014. The adolescent stage is a critical period of “jointing and booting” in life; it is essential to persistently use the core socialist values to guide the knowledge education and moral construction of young students, enabling them to fasten the first button of their lives in terms of ideals and beliefs, value orientation, and sense of mission. Cultivating and practicing the core socialist values to forge souls and educate people must be based on practice. “For a value to truly play its role, it must be integrated into social life, allowing people to perceive and comprehend it in practice.” [19]19 This is a paraphrase of a statement by Xi Jinping on the need to integrate core socialist values into social life, made in a speech on February 24, 2014, during the 13th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee. If the core socialist values are to truly play the role of forging souls and educating people, they must be linked to people’s production and life practices. Only in this way can their basic content be transformed into people’s conscious action and life norms, thereby becoming the basic guideline for people’s daily work and life.

以培育和践行社会主义核心价值观铸魂育人是更好满足人民群众日益增长的精神文化需要的必然要求。在社会思潮纷纭激荡、人民群众价值观日趋多样的今天，培育和践行社会主义核心价值观对于社会观念的主导和整合作用越发明显，有助于构建起能够被绝大多数人认可的价值体系，帮助人民群众在社会转型和快速变化的过程中作出正确的价值判断和选择。以培育和践行社会主义核心价值观铸魂育人要抓好关键。“青年的价值取向决定了未来整个社会的价值取向，而青年又处在价值观形成和确立的时期，抓好这一时期的价值观养成十分重要。”青少年阶段是人生“拔节孕穗”的关键时期，必须坚持用社会主义核心价值观引导青年学生的知识教育和道德建设，使其在理想信念、价值取向和使命担当等方面扣好人生的第一粒扣子。以培育和践行社会主义核心价值观铸魂育人必须立足实践。“一种价值观要真正发挥作用，必须融入社会生活，让人们在实践中感知它、领悟它。”社会主义核心价值观若想真正发挥铸魂育人的作用，必须与人们的生产生活实践相联系，唯有如此，才能实现其基本内容向人们行动自觉和生活规范的转化，进而成为人们日常工作和生活的基本遵循。

4. Embracing the World with a Broad Mind: Xi Jinping Thought on Culture Possesses Powerful International Influence

四、胸怀天下:习近平文化思想具有强大的国际影响力

Great practice gives birth to great thought, and great thought guides great practice. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is born out of the practice of building socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and it also examines the cultural issues commonly faced by the people of the world from a broad theoretical perspective. Therefore, it has not only become the guiding ideology for China’s cultural construction but also contributed Chinese wisdom to world cultural construction and the progress of human civilization. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture opens up a new realm for the cultural construction of socialist countries, empowers the modernized civilization forms of developing countries, and puts forward the Global Civilization Initiative to promote the progress of human civilization, collectively demonstrating its powerful international influence.

伟大的实践孕育伟大的思想，伟大的思想引领伟大的实践。习近平文化思想脱胎于中国特色社会主义文化建设实践，同时也以宽广的理论视野考察了世界人民共同面对的文化课题，故而不仅成为当代中国文化建设的指导思想，同时也为世界文化建设和人类文明发展贡献了中国智慧。习近平文化思想开辟了社会主义国家文化建设的新境界、赋能了发展中国家的现代化文明新形态、提出了全球文明倡议促进人类文明进步，集中展现了其所具有的强大国际影响力。

(1) Opening Up a New Realm for the Cultural Construction of Socialist Countries

(一)开辟社会主义国家文化建设的新境界

Culture is a more enduring and profound force for a country to shape its own development path and future destiny. In today’s world, the trend of cultural coexistence and diverse development is further highlighted. World culture features both dialogue, exchange, and mutual learning, as well as contradictions, conflicts, and confrontations, presenting a situation where cooperation and competition coexist, and learning and rivalry go hand in hand. The cultural construction of socialist countries faces unprecedented strategic opportunities, but the problems that need to be solved are also more complex than ever before. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, with a high sense of cultural subjectivity and a strong spirit of historical initiative, has creatively formed Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, comprehensively advanced the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and historically opened up a new realm for the cultural construction of socialist countries.

文化是一个国家塑造自身发展道路和前途命运更为持久、深沉的力量。当今世界，文化多元共存和多样发展的趋势进一步突显，世界文化既有对话、交流与互鉴，也有矛盾、冲突和对抗，呈现出合作与竞争并存、借鉴与较量同在的态势。社会主义国家的文化建设既面临前所未有的战略机遇，但需要解决的问题也比以往更加错综复杂。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记以高度的文化主体意识和强烈的历史主动精神，创造性地形成了习近平文化思想，全面推进了中国特色社会主义文化建设，历史性地开辟了社会主义国家文化建设的新境界。

Xi Jinping’s cultural thought elevates the theoretical thinking of socialist state cultural construction. “For a nation to stand at the forefront of the times, it cannot for a moment do without theoretical thinking, cannot for a moment do without ideological guidance.” Xi Jinping’s cultural thought contains the general laws of socialist state cultural construction, preserving the vigorous vitality and exuberant energy of Marxism through the “Two Integrations”[20]20 The Two Integrations (两个结合) refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of fine traditional Chinese culture, a key theoretical formulation in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era., while simultaneously opening up broad innovative space for socialist state cultural construction, providing the “greatest magic weapon”[21]21 “Greatest magic weapon” (最大法宝) is a phrase used by Xi Jinping to describe the Two Integrations, emphasizing their decisive role in the success of socialism with Chinese characteristics. for socialist state cultural construction at a higher theoretical thinking interface. Xi Jinping’s cultural thought shapes the contemporary ethos of socialist state cultural construction. Theory must keep pace with the development of the times to manifest its powerful truth-force. Xi Jinping’s cultural thought inherits and innovates Marxist cultural theory, endowing it with richer contemporary connotations, and strives to transform the theoretical advantages of Marxism into a winning position in cultural construction, practically driving socialist state cultural construction to listen to the voice of the times, respond to the call of the times, and keep pace with the times. Xi Jinping’s cultural thought constructs a brand-new pattern of socialist state cultural construction. The pattern of cultural construction profoundly reflects the position and status of culture within the overall structure of society. Xi Jinping’s cultural thought reveals the important role of culture in governance, requiring that cultural construction be placed in a prominent position within the overall work of the Party and the state, providing a solid ideological guarantee, powerful spiritual strength, and favorable cultural conditions for comprehensively building a modern socialist country, thereby constructing a new pattern of socialist cultural construction that is conscious, confident, and self-reliant.

习近平文化思想提升了社会主义国家文化建设的理论思维。“一个民族要走在时代前列，就一刻不能没有理论思维，一刻不能没有思想指引。”习近平文化思想中内蕴有社会主义国家文化建设的一般规律，以“两个结合”保持了马克思主义的蓬勃生机和旺盛活力，同时打开了社会主义国家文化建设广阔的创新空间，在更高的理论思维界面上为社会主义国家的文化建设提供了“最大法宝”。习近平文化思想塑造了社会主义国家文化建设的时代气象。理论必须跟上时代发展的脚步。才能展现出强大的真理力量。习近平文化思想继承创新了马克思主义文化理论，同时赋予其更加丰富的时代内涵，并着力将马克思主义的理论优势转化为文化建设的胜势，在实践上推动了社会主义国家文化建设聆听时代声音、回应时代呼唤、跟上时代脚步;习近平文化思想构建了社会主义国家文化建设的崭新格局。文化建设格局深刻反映着文化在社会整体结构中的位置状况。习近平文化思想揭示了文化在治国理政中的重要作用，要求将文化建设摆在党和国家工作大局的突出位置，为全面建设社会主义现代化国家提供了坚强的思想保证、强大的精神力量和有利的文化条件，构建起一个自觉、自信、自强的社会主义文化建设新格局。

(2) Empowering a New Form of Modern Civilization for Developing Countries

(二)赋能发展中国家的现代化文明新形态

“The age of civilization is that stage of social development at which the division of labor, the exchange between individuals arising from it, and the commodity production that combines these two, attain their full development and revolutionize the entire previously existing society.” From this it can be seen that civilization originates from human creative activity; it is precisely in continuous creation that humanity bids farewell to the age of savagery and the age of barbarism, welcoming the dawn of the age of civilization. In this regard, General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “The best inheritance of history is to create new history; the greatest respect for human civilization is to create a new form of human civilization.” Xi Jinping’s cultural thought vividly interprets the brand-new form of human civilization created by the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, contributing Chinese wisdom and providing a Chinese solution for countries around the world, especially developing countries, to join hands in moving toward a better future.

“文明时代是社会发展的这样一个阶段，在这个阶段上，分工、由分工而产生的个人之间的交换，以及把这两者结合起来的商品生产，得到了充分的发展，完全改变了先前的整个社会。”由此可见，文明源自人的创造活动，人类正是在不断地创造中告别了蒙昧时代和野蛮时代，迎来了文明时代的曙光。对此，习近平总书记指出:“对历史最好的继承就是创造新的历史，对人类文明最大的礼敬就是创造人类文明新形态。”习近平文化思想生动诠释了中国共产党领导中国人民创造的人类文明的崭新形态，为世界各国特别是发展中国家携手走向美好未来贡献了中国智慧、提供了中国方案。

Developing countries creating a new form of modern civilization should adhere to a people-centered approach. The masses of the people are the main force in historical development and social progress; the ultimate goal of the new form of human civilization is to realize the free and comprehensive development of the individual. To this end, developing countries should actively avoid the capital-centered drawbacks of Western civilization, uphold the principal position of the people, and strive to add a new people-first foundation to the world’s civilizational landscape. Developing countries creating a new form of modern civilization should strive to achieve common prosperity. Research findings in modern sociological theory and development economics both indicate that effectively controlling polarization is not only a necessary condition for developing countries to achieve social stability and harmony but also the key to crossing the “middle-income trap” and entering the ranks of developed countries. Developing countries should take common prosperity as both the goal and the means of creating a new form of modern civilization, striving to resolve the income distribution difficulties that Western civilization finds hard to address. Developing countries creating a new form of modern civilization should promote the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature. “Nature is the foundation for the existence and development of human society, and the relationship between humanity and nature is also an eternal theme of human society,” but the increasingly severe ecological crisis has become a major obstacle to the development and progress of contemporary human civilization. Especially for developing countries, when dealing with the relationship between economic development and environmental protection, they often attend to one thing and lose sight of another. “We, together with our flesh, blood, and mind, belong to nature and exist within nature.” Respecting and protecting nature is an inescapable historical mission of humanity. To this end, developing countries should adhere to “taking a path of civilized development featuring production development, affluent living, and a sound ecology,” making a beautiful ecological environment a growth point for promoting economic development.

发展中国家创造现代化文明新形态应当坚持以人民为中心。人民群众是历史发展和社会进步的主体力量，人类文明新形态的最终目标就是实现人的自由而全面的发展。为此，发展中国家应主动规避西方文明以资本为中心的弊端，坚持人民主体地位，努力为世界文明版图增添人民至上的新底色。发展中国家创造现代化文明新形态应当着力实现共同富裕。现代社会学理论和发展经济学的研究成果都表明:有效控制两极分化，不仅是发展中国家实现社会稳定和谐的必要条件，更是其跨越“中等收入陷阱”、进入发达国家行列的关键。发展中国家应当将共同富裕作为创造现代化文明新形态的目标和手段，着力解决西方文明难以解决的收入分配难题。发展中国家创造现代化文明新形态应当促进人与自然的和谐共生。“自然界是人类社会存在和发展的基础，人与自然的关系也是人类社会永恒的主题”，但日益严重的生态危机问题已成为当代人类文明发展进步的重要障碍。特别是对于发展中国家而言，在处理经济发展与环境保护间的关系问题时常常顾此失彼。“我们连同我们的肉、血和头脑都是属于自然界和存在于自然界之中的。”尊重自然、保护自然是人类责无旁贷的历史使命。为此，发展中国家应当坚持“走生产发展、生活富裕、生态良好的文明发展道路”，让优美的生态环境成为推动经济发展的增长点。

(3) Proposing the Global Civilization Initiative to Promote the Progress of Human Civilization

(三)提出全球文明倡议促进人类文明进步

In today’s world, the future and destiny of nations, as well as their social development, are increasingly closely interconnected, gradually forming “a community of shared future where one prospers and all prosper, one suffers and all suffer.” Therefore, only through enhanced exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations and harmonious coexistence can we achieve the “great harmony under heaven where all things grow together without harming one another, and the ways run parallel without contradicting each other,” and make the garden of world civilizations flourish. Xi Jinping’s cultural thought deeply cultivates the worldview of “all under heaven” (tianxia) inherent in fine traditional Chinese culture, proposing the Global Civilization Initiative with the “four joint advocacies”[22]22 The “four joint advocacies” (四个“共同倡导”) are the core content of the Global Civilization Initiative: advocating respect for the diversity of civilizations, advocating the common values of humanity, advocating the importance of civilizational inheritance and innovation, and advocating robust international people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation. as its main content, vividly interpreting the broad-mindedness of “when the great Way prevails, the world is for the common good,” and fully demonstrating the international influence of gathering civilizational forces to promote the common progress and flourishing development of human civilization.

当今世界，各国之间前途命运、社会发展联系日益紧密，逐渐成为“一个一荣俱荣、一损俱损的命运共同体”，因而只有不同文明加强交流互鉴，和睦相处才能实现“万物并育而不相害，道并行而不相悖”的天下大同，才能使世界文明百花园春色盎然。习近平文化思想厚植中华优秀传统文化的天下观，提出以四个“共同倡导”为主要内容的全球文明倡议，生动演绎了“大道之行也，天下为公”的博大胸怀，充分彰显出汇聚文明力量促进人类文明共同进步、繁荣发展的国际影响力。

Xi Jinping’s cultural thought advocates respecting the diversity of world civilizations, “embracing the civilizational achievements created by people of all countries with an open and inclusive theoretical mindset,” and promoting exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations. Civilizations exist because of diversity; respecting the diversity of world civilizations is a basic norm of civilized society. “Every civilization of every country and nation is rooted in the soil of its own country and nation, and has its own characteristics, strengths, and merits.” Only by actively maintaining the diversity of world civilizations can different civilizations have the possibility of mutual exchange, learning, and reference. Xi Jinping’s cultural thought advocates promoting the common values of all humanity, highlighting the “greatest common divisor” among different civilizations. General Secretary Xi Jinping, with “peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom,” highly summarizes the common aspirations of people of all countries for a better life, outlining a concentric circle of values that transcends differences and divergences, injecting powerful spiritual momentum for the development of human civilization in the right direction. Xi Jinping’s cultural thought advocates valuing civilizational inheritance and innovation, pointing out the ideological and cultural resources needed for the development of human civilization. “Every civilization continues the spiritual lifeline of a country and a nation; it requires not only passing down from generation to generation and guarding from age to age, but also keeping pace with the times and daring to innovate.” The progress of human civilization means not only economic takeoff and technological change but also cultural development. Therefore, humanity needs to enhance its own cultural heritage through civilizational inheritance and innovation, allowing the excellent traditional cultures of all nations to realize their due value. Xi Jinping’s cultural thought advocates strengthening international people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation, promoting the construction of a global network for dialogue and cooperation among civilizations. Currently, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. All countries should break down barriers to cultural exchange with a broad-mindedness that embraces all rivers, persist in deepening exchanges and mutual learning, build cooperation platforms, and inject deep and lasting strength into the joint construction of a community with a shared future for mankind through concrete actions.

习近平文化思想倡导尊重世界文明多样性，“以开放包容的理论胸怀对待世界各国人民创造的文明成果”，促进了不同文明间的交流互鉴。文明因多样而存在，尊重世界文明多样性是文明社会的基本准则。“每一个国家和民族的文明都扎根于本国本民族的土壤之中，都有自己的本色、长处、优点。”只有积极维护世界文明多样性，不同文明间才具有相互交流、学习和借鉴的可能。习近平文化思想倡导弘扬全人类共同价值，突显了不同文明间的“最大公约数”。习近平总书记以“和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由”高度概括了各国人民对于美好生活需要的共同期盼，勾画出超越差异分歧的价值同心圆，为人类文明朝着正确方向发展注入了强大精神动力。习近平文化思想倡导重视文明传承和创新，指出了人类文明发展所需的思想文化资源。“每一种文明都延续着一个国家和民族的精神血脉，既需要薪火相传、代代守护，更需要与时俱进、勇于创新。”人类文明的进步不仅意味着经济腾飞、技术更迭，还意味着文化层面的发展。因此，人类需要通过文明传承和创新增强自身的文化底蕴，让各民族的优秀传统文化都发挥出其应有的价值。习近平文化思想倡导加强国际人文交流合作，推动了全球文明对话合作网络的构建。当前，世界进入新的动荡变革期，各国应以海纳百川的宽广胸怀打破文化交往的壁垒，坚持深化交流互鉴，搭建合作平台，以实际行动为共建人类命运共同体注入深厚持久的力量。