The Core Essence and Value Implications of Xi Jinping’s Important Discourse on Common Prosperity in Spiritual Life

Entering the New Era, Xi Jinping has consistently adhered to a people-centered development philosophy, taking the fundamental interests of the people as the starting point and ultimate goal of Chinese-path modernization, and is committed to meeting the people’s comprehensive and deep-seated needs for a better life. While deeply advancing common prosperity in the people’s material life, he also focuses on promoting common prosperity in the people’s spiritual life, and has put forward a series of new ideas and new judgments on this matter, which carry significant theoretical and practical significance.

进入新时代，习近平始终坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，把人民的根本利益作为中国式现代化建设的出发点和落脚点，致力于满足人民对美好生活的全方位、深层次需要，在深入推进人民物质生活共同富裕的同时，也着眼于促进人民精神生活共同富裕，并对此提出了一系列新思想和新论断，具有重大的理论意义和现实意义。

I. The Generative Logic of the Important Discourse on Common Prosperity in Spiritual Life

一、关于精神生活共同富裕重要论述的生成逻辑

Xi Jinping’s important discourse on common prosperity in spiritual life is by no means a general abstract proposition; it possesses distinct theoretical logic, historical logic, and practical logic.

习近平关于精神生活共同富裕的重要论述绝不是一般的抽象命题，具有鲜明的理论逻辑、历史逻辑和实践逻辑。

(I) Inheritance and Innovation of the Marxist Theory on the Interrelationship between Material Life and Spiritual Life

（一）对马克思主义物质生活和精神生活相互关系理论的继承与创新

Although Marx and Engels did not explicitly propose the concept of “common prosperity in spiritual life,” they conducted a dialectical analysis of the interrelationship between material life and spiritual life. On the one hand, material life is the prerequisite and foundation of spiritual life. Engels pointed out, “People must first eat, drink, have shelter and clothing, before they can pursue politics, science, art, religion, etc.”; conversely, “when people are still unable to secure sufficient quality and quantity of food, drink, shelter, and clothing, they simply cannot achieve liberation.” The productive activity of material life is humanity’s first historical act and the prerequisite condition for all human activities; without the productive activity of material life, all human activities would be impossible, and humanity itself could not survive. On the other hand, spiritual life possesses relative independence and exerts a counteractive effect on material life. “Although the mode of material existence is the primary cause, this does not preclude the ideological sphere from in turn reacting upon the mode of material existence.” Marxism opposes treating the economic factor as the sole determinant of the development of human society; while acknowledging the foundational role of material life, it also recognizes the counteractive effect of spiritual life on material life. Spiritual life originates from material life yet transcends it. Spiritual life is not a simple extension of material life, but rather an active reflection of the objective world through the full exertion of human subjective initiative, providing ideological impetus and spiritual support for the further development of material life.

马克思恩格斯虽然没有明确提出“精神生活共同富裕”概念，但他们对物质生活和精神生活相互关系进行了辩证分析。一方面，物质生活是精神生活的前提和基础。恩格斯指出，“人们首先必须吃、喝、住、穿，然后才能从事政治、科学、艺术、宗教等等”；反之，“当人们还不能使自己的吃喝住穿在质和量方面得到充分保证的时候，人们就根本不能获得解放”。物质生活生产活动是人类第一个历史活动，是人类一切活动的前提条件，没有物质生活生产活动，人类一切活动将无法实现，人类也将无法生存。另一方面，精神生活具有相对独立性，对物质生活具有反作用。“物质存在方式虽然是始因，但是这并不排斥思想领域也反过来对物质存在方式起作用。”马克思主义反对把经济因素当作决定人类社会发展的唯一因素，在承认物质生活基础性作用的同时，也承认精神生活对物质生活的反作用。精神生活源于物质生活，又高于物质生活。精神生活不是物质生活的简单延伸，而是人们充分发挥主观能动性对客观世界的能动反映，为物质生活的进一步发展提供思想动力和精神支撑。

Entering the New Era, Xi Jinping, based on China’s fundamental national conditions and development realities, for the first time proposed the concept of “common prosperity in spiritual life” and emphasized that “common prosperity is the common prosperity of all the people, and it means the people are prosperous in both material and spiritual life.” Achieving common prosperity for all the people is a long-standing beautiful aspiration of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation. Standing at the height of common prosperity, Xi Jinping profoundly elucidated the dialectical relationship between material life and spiritual life. Common prosperity in material life is the prerequisite and foundation for common prosperity in spiritual life; without common prosperity in material life, common prosperity in spiritual life would lose its foundation and soil, becoming an unrealizable utopia. Therefore, while achieving common prosperity in material life, common prosperity in spiritual life must be placed in an equally important position; without common prosperity in spiritual life, common prosperity in material life cannot be truly realized. Standing at the height of people’s all-round development, Xi Jinping profoundly revealed the high degree of unity between common prosperity and people’s all-round development. Common prosperity is not only about the sufficiency and abundance of material life but also about meeting the people’s diverse, multi-level, and multi-faceted spiritual and cultural needs, thereby promoting the enrichment of the people’s spiritual life. Only when both material life and spiritual life are prosperous can people’s all-round development ultimately become a reality. Xi Jinping’s important discourse on common prosperity in spiritual life adheres to the stance, viewpoints, and methods of Marxism, inherits and innovates the Marxist theory on the interrelationship between material life and spiritual life, further enriches Marxist thought on common prosperity, and is an important theoretical achievement in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

进入新时代，习近平立足我国基本国情和发展实际，首次提出“精神生活共同富裕”概念，并强调“共同富裕是全体人民共同富裕，是人民群众物质生活和精神生活都富裕”。实现全体人民共同富裕是中国人民、中华民族长期以来的美好追求。站在共同富裕的高度，习近平深刻阐明了物质生活与精神生活二者的辩证关系。物质生活共同富裕是精神生活共同富裕的前提和基础，如果没有物质生活的共同富裕，精神生活的共同富裕将失去根基、土壤，成为无法实现的空想；因此，实现物质生活的共同富裕必须将精神生活的共同富裕放在同等重要位置，如果没有精神生活的共同富裕，物质生活的共同富裕也将无法真正实现。站在人的全面发展的高度，习近平深刻揭示了共同富裕与人的全面发展的高度统一。共同富裕不仅是物质生活的充足富裕，更要满足人民多样化、多层次、多方面的精神文化需要，促进人民精神生活的富裕。只有物质生活和精神生活都富裕，人的全面发展才最终可能变为现实。习近平关于精神生活共同富裕的重要论述，坚持了马克思主义的立场、观点和方法，继承与创新了马克思主义物质生活和精神生活相互关系理论，进一步丰富了马克思主义共同富裕思想，是马克思主义中国化时代化的重要理论成果。

(II) The Transformation of China’s Principal Social Contradiction Has Placed Common Prosperity in Spiritual Life on the Agenda

（二）我国社会主要矛盾的转化使精神生活共同富裕提上了议事日程

The method of contradiction analysis is the fundamental method of Marxism for understanding and transforming the world. In the course of China’s socialist construction, the Communist Party of China has consistently used the method of contradiction analysis to analyze and solve problems. Shortly after the basic completion of the socialist transformation, the Eighth National Congress of the CPC pointed out that the principal contradiction in our country was “already the contradiction between the people’s need for rapid economic and cultural development and the current inability of the economy and culture to meet that need.” In the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the CPC explicitly stated that the principal social contradiction in our country had transformed into “the contradiction between the people’s ever-growing material and cultural needs and backward social production.” It can be seen that, with the continuous deepening of socialist construction, China’s economy and society have undergone profound changes, and the principal social contradiction has correspondingly transformed accordingly; while developing social productive forces and meeting the people’s material needs, China has also attached importance to the people’s spiritual and cultural construction. However, constrained by the level of development of China’s social productive forces and the state of satisfaction of the people’s material needs, the construction of the people’s spiritual life at that time placed greater emphasis on quantitative accumulation while neglecting qualitative improvement.

矛盾分析方法是马克思主义认识世界和改造世界的根本方法。在我国社会主义建设进程中，中国共产党坚持用矛盾分析方法来分析问题和解决问题。在社会主义改造基本完成后，党的八大指出，我们国内的主要矛盾“已经是人民对于经济文化迅速发展的需要同当前经济文化不能满足人民需要的状况之间的矛盾”。改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，党的十一届六中全会明确提出，我国社会主要矛盾已经转化为“人民日益增长的物质文化需要同落后的社会生产之间的矛盾”。可以看出，随着社会主义建设持续深入，我国经济社会发生了深刻变化，社会主要矛盾也随之发生了相应的转化；我国在发展社会生产力、满足人民物质生活需要的同时，也重视人民的精神文化建设。然而，受制于我国社会生产力的发展水平和人民群众物质生活需要的满足状况，此时人民群众的精神生活建设更侧重于量的积累，而忽视了质的提升。

Entering the New Era, with decades of rapid development under socialism with Chinese characteristics, China’s social productive forces have significantly improved, and the people’s material living conditions have greatly improved. At the same time, this has also raised new and higher demands for development. Based on a profound understanding of China’s national conditions and a deep grasp of the laws of social development, the 19th National Congress of the CPC explicitly pointed out that the principal social contradiction in our country had transformed into “the contradiction between the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development.” The people’s needs for a better life include both the need for a better material life and the need for a better spiritual life; they require both quantitative abundance and qualitative improvement. Compared with the past, while the people still focus on the need for a better material life, they place even greater emphasis on the need for a better spiritual life. The need for a better spiritual life is the external manifestation of common prosperity in spiritual life, while common prosperity in spiritual life is the inherent meaning of the need for a better spiritual life. Since then, the transformation of China’s principal social contradiction has placed common prosperity in spiritual life on the agenda.

进入新时代，随着中国特色社会主义几十年的快速发展，我国社会生产力已显著提升，人民的物质生活条件极大改善，与此同时也对发展提出了新的、更高的要求。基于对我国国情的深刻认识和社会发展规律的深刻把握，党的十九大明确指出，我国社会主要矛盾已经转化为“人民日益增长的美好生活需要和不平衡不充分的发展之间的矛盾”。人民的美好生活需要，既包括对物质生活的美好需要，也包括对精神生活的美好需要；既要有量的丰富，更要有质的提升。相较以往，人民在注重物质生活美好需要的同时，对精神生活的美好需要更为注重。美好精神生活需要是精神生活共同富裕的外在表现形式，精神生活共同富裕则是美好精神生活需要的应有之义。自此，我国社会主要矛盾的转化使精神生活共同富裕提上了议事日程。

(III) The Urgent Need to Achieve the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation through Chinese-Path Modernization

（三）以中国式现代化实现中华民族伟大复兴的迫切需要

The 20th National Congress of the CPC proposed that the central task of the Communist Party of China at present is “to advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese-path modernization.” On the new journey, our goal is to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and our central task is to advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese-path modernization. Common prosperity in spiritual life refers to the common prosperity of all the people in terms of spiritual and cultural life; it runs through the entire process of the Chinese-path modernization path and is also an inherent requirement of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

党的二十大提出，当前中国共产党的中心任务是“以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴”。新征程上，我们的奋斗目标是实现中华民族伟大复兴，我们的中心任务是以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴。精神生活共同富裕是指全体人民在精神文化生活方面的共同富裕，其贯穿于中国式现代化道路的全过程，也是中华民族伟大复兴的题中之义。

On the one hand, enriching the people’s spiritual world is an essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization. Chinese-path modernization pays greater attention to human development; it is essentially the modernization of people, a modernization that achieves people’s all-round development. The modernization of people’s all-round development includes both the modernization of people’s material life and the modernization of people’s spiritual life. In the practice of Chinese-path modernization construction, the modernization of people’s spiritual life is highly consistent with common prosperity in spiritual life. Currently, China has completed the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, historically resolved the issue of absolute poverty, and greatly improved the people’s material living conditions, leading to an increasingly strong need for the development of spiritual life. If the development of spiritual life seriously lags behind the development of material life, it will lead to an imbalanced state of “one leg long, one leg short,” and such modernization is unstable and unhealthy. On the other hand, national rejuvenation requires a powerful spiritual force. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Without the active guidance of an advanced culture, without the great enrichment of the people’s spiritual world, and without the continuous strengthening of the national spiritual strength, a country or a nation cannot stand proudly among the nations of the world.” Realizing the great dream of national rejuvenation requires not only a solid material foundation but also the support of spiritual strength, among which the guidance of scientific theory plays a key role.

一方面，丰富人民精神世界是中国式现代化的本质要求。中国式现代化更关注人的发展，本质上是人的现代化，是实现人的全面发展的现代化。人的全面发展的现代化既包括人的物质生活现代化，也包括人的精神生活现代化。在中国式现代化的建设实践中，人的精神生活现代化与精神生活共同富裕是高度一致的。当前，我国已全面建成小康社会，历史性地解决了绝对贫困问题，人民的物质生活条件得到了极大改善，对精神生活发展的需要愈发强烈。如果精神生活的发展严重滞后于物质生活的发展，就会导致“一条腿长、一条腿短”的失衡状态，这种现代化是不稳固、不健康的。另一方面，民族复兴需要强大的精神力量。习近平指出：“没有先进文化的积极引领，没有人民精神世界的极大丰富，没有民族精神力量的不断增强，一个国家、一个民族不可能屹立于世界民族之林。”实现民族复兴的伟大梦想，不仅需要物质基础的稳固，更需要精神力量的支撑，其中起关键性作用的是科学理论的指引。

II. The Core Essence of the Important Discourse on Common Prosperity in Spiritual Life

二、关于精神生活共同富裕重要论述的核心要义

Common prosperity in spiritual life is both a theoretical concept and a practical课题 [subject]. To promote common prosperity in spiritual life, only by accurately grasping its scientific connotation, following its basic principles, and adopting targeted practical strategies can we drive the great enrichment of the people’s spiritual world and the continuous strengthening of the national spiritual force.

精神生活共同富裕既是一个理论概念，也是一项实践课题。促进精神生活共同富裕，唯有准确把握其科学内涵，遵循其基本原则，采取有针对性的实践方略，才能推动人民精神世界极大丰富、民族精神力量不断增强。

(I) The Scientific Connotation of Common Prosperity in Spiritual Life

（一）精神生活共同富裕的科学内涵

First, common prosperity in spiritual life is an inherent part of common prosperity. Xi Jinping pointed out: “The greatest difference between human society and the animal kingdom is that humans have spiritual needs, and the people’s need for spiritual and cultural life exists at all times.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda and Ideological Work” (August 19, 2013), in *Selected Readings of Xi Jinping’s Works*, Vol. 1, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2024, p. 147. This important thesis profoundly reveals that the need for spiritual and cultural life is an essential attribute of being human, a rigid need that runs through the entire process of human survival and development, and that human spiritual and cultural life is indispensable. Xi Jinping further emphasized: “The common prosperity we speak of is the common prosperity of all the people, and it is the prosperity of both the people’s material life and their spiritual life.” [2]2 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Commemoration of the 110th Anniversary of Comrade Mao Zedong’s Birth” (December 26, 2013), in *Selected Readings of Xi Jinping’s Works*, Vol. 1, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2024, p. 60. This important thesis explicitly elevates “prosperity in spiritual life” to a strategic height equal to that of “prosperity in material life,” profoundly clarifying that common prosperity is not a one-sided prosperity limited to material life, but inherently requires the coordinated common prosperity of material life and spiritual life.

首先，精神生活共同富裕是共同富裕的应有之义。习近平指出：“人类社会与动物界的最大区别就是人是有精神需求的，人民对精神文化生活的需求时时刻刻都存在。”这一重要论断深刻揭示了精神文化生活需求是人之为人的本质属性，是贯穿人类生存与发展始终的刚性需求，人的精神文化生活不可或缺。习近平进一步强调：“我们说的共同富裕是全体人民共同富裕，是人民群众物质生活和精神生活都富裕。”这一重要论断明确地将“精神生活富裕”提升到与“物质生活富裕”同等重要的战略高度，深刻阐明了共同富裕不是仅局限于物质生活富裕的片面富裕，而是内在地要求物质生活和精神生活的协同共富。

Second, common prosperity in spiritual life is a concrete manifestation of the concept of shared development. The concept of shared development focuses on solving the problem of social fairness and justice, and its essence is to be people-centered, ensuring that the fruits of development benefit all the people. Common prosperity in spiritual life also targets all the people; it is the “common” spiritual prosperity of all the people. Xi Jinping pointed out: “The development we pursue is development that benefits the people, and the prosperity we pursue is the common prosperity of all the people.” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Fifth Central Symposium on Work in Xinjiang” (August 26, 2020), *People’s Daily*, August 27, 2020. The “common” prosperity in spiritual life is prosperity for the entire population, prosperity enjoyed by everyone, not prosperity for a minority or a specific group. Whether urban residents or rural folk, whether intellectuals or manual laborers, all can jointly enjoy a rich and varied spiritual and cultural life. The “common” prosperity in spiritual life is comprehensive prosperity; no region or ethnic group can be left behind. Whether the eastern, central, or western regions, whether the majority or minority ethnic groups, all must be prosperous in spiritual life. Common prosperity in spiritual life is the concrete manifestation of the concept of shared development in the cultural and social spheres. In other words, the degree of sharing of the fruits of common prosperity in spiritual life directly affects the quality and substance of shared development.

其次，精神生活共同富裕是共享发展理念的具体体现。共享发展理念注重的是解决社会公平正义问题，其实质就是以人民为中心，确保发展成果惠及全体人民。精神生活共同富裕也是指向全体人民的，是全体人民的“共同”精神富裕。习近平指出：“我们追求的发展是造福人民的发展，我们追求的富裕是全体人民共同富裕。”精神生活的“共同”富裕是全民富裕，是人人享有的富裕，不是少数人的或特定群体的富裕，无论是城市居民还是乡村百姓，无论是知识分子还是体力劳动者，都能共同享有丰富多彩的精神文化生活。精神生活的“共同”富裕是全面富裕，每个地区、每个民族都不能掉队，无论是东部地区、中部地区还是西部地区，无论是主体民族还是少数民族，在精神生活上都要富裕。精神生活共同富裕是共享发展理念在文化与社会领域的具体体现，换言之，精神生活共同富裕成果的共享程度直接关系到共享发展的成色与质量。

Finally, common prosperity in spiritual life is an important dimension of the comprehensive development of the human person. The comprehensive development of the human person is the value destination and ultimate goal of communism. Realizing the comprehensive development of the human person means restoring the comprehensive essence of the human person, making the human person a truly complete being. The human person is a conscious species-being. As beings who simultaneously possess material needs, spiritual needs, and social needs, their development naturally includes the dimension of spiritual life. Realizing the comprehensive development of the human person is inseparable from both the abundance of material life needs and the satisfaction of spiritual life needs; the human person cannot develop comprehensively lacking

最后，精神生活共同富裕是人的全面发展的重要之维。人的全面发展是共产主义的价值归宿和最终目标。实现人的全面发展，就是要复归人的全面本质，使人成为真正意义上完整的人。人是有意识的类存在物。作为同时拥有物质需要、精神需要和社会需要的人，其发展本身自然包含精神生活维度的内容。实现人的全面发展，既离不开物质生活需要的充裕，也离不开精神生活需要的满足，人离开任一需要都无法全面发展。习近平强调，“促进共同富裕与促进人的全面发展是高度统一的”，“共同富裕是人民物质生活和精神生活都富裕”。精神生活共同富裕指向的是人民的精神生活，其核心在于人民精神世界的丰富，具体表现为人民精神生活的充分满足、人民精神境界的极大提高，是对人民精神生活美好需要的积极回应，这与人的全面发展对精神生活的需要是一致的。因此，精神生活共同富裕是人的全面发展的重要组成部分。

(II) Basic Guidelines for Common Prosperity in Spiritual Life

（二）精神生活共同富裕的基本遵循

Regarding common prosperity in spiritual life, its practical subject is the people, the content of prosperity is spiritual life, and the scope of prosperity is commonality. On the new journey, promoting common prosperity in spiritual life must follow the principles of people-centeredness, diversity, and gradualism, so that we can more accurately grasp the direction for realizing common prosperity in spiritual life and more effectively implement targeted measures.

关于精神生活共同富裕，其实践主体是人民群众，富裕内容是精神生活，富裕范围是共同。新征程上，促进精神生活共同富裕必须遵循人民主体性原则、多样性原则、渐进性原则，以便我们更准确地把握精神生活共同富裕的实现方向，更有效地精准施策。

First, adhere to the principle of people-centeredness. To promote common prosperity in spiritual life, we must uphold the people’s character and be people-centered. Xi Jinping pointed out: “To consolidate the Party’s mass foundation and governing foundation, it cannot be said that as long as the people’s material life is good, that is enough”; “if spiritual support is lost among the masses, problems will ultimately arise.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda and Ideological Work” (August 19, 2013), in *Selected Readings of Xi Jinping’s Works*, Vol. 1, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2024, p. 147. Promoting common prosperity in spiritual life must be for the people, rely on the people, be created by the people, and be tested by the people. On the one hand, the people are the subjects of practice. While creating the material wealth needed to meet their own survival and development needs, the people also create precious spiritual wealth. Promoting common prosperity in spiritual life must firmly rely on the powerful subjective force of the people, unleash the people’s initiative, creativity, and agency, and impel the people to more consciously devote themselves to the practice of building common prosperity in spiritual life. On the other hand, the people are the evaluators of the quality of spiritual life. Xi Jinping emphasized: “Ultimately, the effectiveness of all our work must be judged by whether the people have truly gained benefits, whether their lives have truly improved, and whether their rights and interests have truly been safeguarded.” [2]2 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Commemoration of the 110th Anniversary of Comrade Mao Zedong’s Birth” (December 26, 2013), in *Selected Readings of Xi Jinping’s Works*, Vol. 1, Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2024, p. 60. Promoting common prosperity in spiritual life must start from meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the people, always place the fundamental interests of the people first, test effectiveness by whether the people truly recognize and are satisfied, and regard the opinions of the masses as “the best yardstick.”

首先，坚持人民主体性原则。促进精神生活共同富裕，必须坚持人民性，以人民为中心。习近平指出：“巩固党的群众基础和执政基础，不能说只要群众物质生活好就可以了”，“精神上丧失群众基础，最后也要出问题”。促进精神生活共同富裕，要为了人民、依靠人民，由人民创造、受人民检验。一方面，人民群众是实践的主体。人民群众在创造出满足自身生存和发展需要的物质财富的同时也创造出宝贵的精神财富。促进精神生活共同富裕必须紧紧依靠人民群众的强大主体力量，发挥人民群众的积极性、主动性、创造性，推动人民群众更加自觉地投身于精神生活共同富裕建设实践。另一方面，人民群众是精神生活质量的评价者。习近平强调：“检验我们一切工作的成效，最终都要看人民是否真正得到了实惠，人民生活是否真正得到了改善，人民权益是否真正得到了保障。”促进精神生活共同富裕要从满足人民群众的精神文化需要出发，始终把人民群众的根本利益放在首位，以人民群众到底认不认可、满不满意来检验成效，把群众意见视作“最好的尺子”。

Second, adhere to the principle of diversity. To promote common prosperity in the spiritual life of the people, we must base ourselves on the people’s diverse, multi-level, and multifaceted needs for a better spiritual and cultural life. China has a vast territory and a large population; the spiritual and cultural needs of the people in different regions and among different groups will inevitably show differences. Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must correctly grasp the relationship between commonality and difference, enhance commonality while respecting and accommodating difference.” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Fifth Central Symposium on Work in Xinjiang” (August 26, 2020), *People’s Daily*, August 27, 2020. Respecting the differences in people’s spiritual and cultural needs means satisfying the diversity of those needs; there must be both highbrow art and popular culture, both what stands tall and what covers the ground. [4]4 “Highbrow art” (阳春白雪) and “popular culture” (下里巴人) are classical Chinese idioms originally referring to two types of music in the state of Chu during the Warring States period: the former, refined and esoteric, appreciated by few; the latter, simple and common, enjoyed by many. They are used here as a metaphor for the need to cater to both elite and popular tastes in cultural production. Only by adhering to the principle of diversity can traditional and modern, national and global cultural elements interact, collide, blend, and learn from each other, thereby giving birth to more outstanding spiritual and cultural products worthy of the times and worthy of the people, continuously enriching the people’s spiritual life, and making the “common prosperity” of the people’s spiritual life a wellspring with a source and a tree with roots. If the people’s spiritual life is supplied with a single, rigid set of spiritual and cultural products, it would be no different from cutting the feet to fit the shoes, inevitably leading to the neglect of the real needs of some groups and making it impossible to achieve “common” prosperity for all.

其次，坚持多样性原则。促进人民精神生活共同富裕，要立足于人民群众多样化、多层次、多方面的美好精神文化需要。我国幅员辽阔，人口众多，不同地域、不同群体的人民群众对于精神文化的需要必然呈现出差异性。习近平强调：“要正确把握共同性和差异性的关系，增进共同性、尊重和包容差异性。”尊重人的精神文化需要的差异性就是要满足人的精神文化需要的多样性，既要有阳春白雪，也要有下里巴人，既要顶天立地，也要铺天盖地。只有坚持多样性原则，传统的与现代的、民族的与世界的，各种文化元素才能交流碰撞、交融互鉴，从而催生出更多无愧于时代、无愧于人民群众的优秀精神文化产品，不断丰富人民群众的精神生活，使人民群众精神生活的“共同富裕”成为有源之水、有本之木。如果以单一、刻板的精神文化产品去供给人民群众的精神生活，无异于削足适履，必然会导致部分群体的真实需要被忽视，无法实现“全体”的共同富裕。

Finally, adhere to the principle of gradualism. Common prosperity is a long-term goal, which must inevitably undergo a prolonged development process; it cannot be achieved overnight, and must be pursued with solid steps and persistent effort. Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must conduct in-depth research on the goals at different stages and promote common prosperity in stages.” [5]5 Xi Jinping, “Solidly Promoting Common Prosperity,” Qiushi, 2021, No. 20. [This is a standard citation format for Xi’s published speeches in the Party’s theoretical journal.] Common prosperity in spiritual life must follow the objective laws of development, gradually promoting the progressive development of the people’s spiritual life from a low level of common prosperity to a high level of common prosperity. From the perspective of the basic national conditions, China is currently and will remain for a long time in the primary stage of socialism. Promoting common prosperity in spiritual life must proceed from this biggest reality. Whether material life is abundant constrains, to a certain extent, whether spiritual life is satisfied. Therefore, the long-term nature of common prosperity in spiritual life must be fully estimated; one cannot wait, nor can one be impatient. From the perspective of the relationship between supply and demand, the people’s needs for a better spiritual and cultural life exhibit characteristics of diversity, multi-levels, and multiple aspects, which contradict the reality of the current unbalanced and inadequate development of the people’s spiritual life. This objectively existing real contradiction severely restricts the realization of common prosperity in spiritual life. It is undeniable that at the present stage, the construction and development of China’s spiritual life are relatively lagging behind; the supply of spiritual and cultural products, the enhancement of spiritual creativity, and the elevation of the people’s spiritual realm still have a long way to go. To achieve common prosperity in spiritual life in a country with a population of over 1.4 billion, the breadth of involvement is unprecedented, and the difficulty of advancement is unparalleled.

最后，坚持渐进性原则。共同富裕是一个长远目标，必然要经历一个长期的发展过程，不可能一蹴而就，必须脚踏实地、久久为功。习近平指出：“要深入研究不同阶段的目标，分阶段促进共同富裕。”精神生活共同富裕要遵循客观发展规律，分阶段逐步推动人民精神生活从低层次共富到高层次共富的递进发展。从基本国情看，当前我国仍处于并将长期处于社会主义初级阶段，促进精神生活共同富裕要从这个最大的实际出发。物质生活是否充裕在一定意义上制约着精神生活是否满足。因此，要充分估计精神生活共同富裕的长期性，等不得，也急不得。从供需关系看，人民群众对精神文化的美好需要表现出多样化、多层次、多方面的特性，与当前人民群众精神生活不平衡不充分发展的现实相悖，这一客观存在的现实矛盾严重制约着精神生活共同富裕的实现。不可否认，现阶段我国精神生活的建设、发展相对滞后，精神文化产品的供给、精神创造能力的提高以及人民精神境界的提升仍然任重道远。要在十四亿多人口的国家实现精神生活共同富裕，涉及面之广可以说是前所未有，推进难度之大更是空前绝后。

(III) Practical Strategies for Common Prosperity in Spiritual Life

（三）精神生活共同富裕的实践方略

Common prosperity in spiritual life is not only a major theoretical issue but also a major practical issue related to China’s socialist modernization.

精神生活共同富裕不仅是一个重大的理论课题，也是关系到我国社会主义现代化建设的重大实践课题。

First, adhere to the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field, strengthen the leading role of core socialist values, and clarify the political direction for common prosperity in spiritual life. Ideology concerns the banner and direction; it is the spiritual bond that unites the strength of the entire Party and the people of the whole country. Marxism, as the fundamental guiding ideology of our Party and state, is the theoretical foundation and source of strength that sustains the survival and development of the Party and the state. “On the fundamental issue of adhering to the guidance of Marxism, we must be unwavering and must not waver at any time or under any circumstances.” [6]6 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Conference Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Karl Marx,” People’s Daily, May 5, 2018. To promote common prosperity in spiritual life, we must be guided by the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, vigorously develop advanced socialist culture, revolutionary culture, and fine traditional Chinese culture, strengthen cultural confidence, and stimulate the positive energy of the whole society and all the people to strive for goodness and upward progress. “Core values are the spiritual bond that sustains a nation and the common ideological and moral foundation of a country.” [7]7 Xi Jinping, “Cultivate and Practice the Core Socialist Values,” in Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, Vol. 1, Foreign Languages Press, 2014, p. 181. To promote common prosperity in spiritual life, we must attach great importance to the bonding role of core values, actively take core socialist values as the guide, nourish the people’s worldview, outlook on life, and values, internalize them in the mind and externalize them in action, and ensure the correct direction of common prosperity in spiritual life.

首先，坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位，强化社会主义核心价值观的引领作用，为精神生活共同富裕明确政治方向。意识形态关乎旗帜、方向，是凝聚全党全国人民力量的精神纽带。马克思主义作为我们党和国家的根本指导思想，是维系党和国家生存发展的理论根基与力量之源。“在坚持以马克思主义为指导这一根本问题上，我们必须坚定不移，任何时候任何情况下都不能动摇。”促进精神生活共同富裕，必须以马克思主义的立场观点方法为指导，以习近平文化思想为指引，大力发展社会主义先进文化、革命文化、中华优秀传统文化，坚定文化自信，激发全社会、全体人民向上向善的正能量。“核心价值观是一个民族赖以维系的精神纽带，是一个国家共同的思想道德基础。”促进精神生活共同富裕，要高度重视核心价值观的纽带作用，积极以社会主义核心价值观为引领，滋养人民群众的世界观、人生观、价值观，内化于心、外化于行，确保精神生活共同富裕的方向正确。

Second, vigorously develop public cultural undertakings, improve and perfect the public cultural service system, and supply high-quality, healthy, and rich spiritual and cultural products for common prosperity in spiritual life. Xi Jinping pointed out: “To meet the people’s new expectations for a better life, we must provide abundant spiritual nourishment.” [8]8 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. In the practice of Chinese-path modernization, culture is a more fundamental, deeper, and more enduring force. To promote common prosperity in spiritual life, we must insist on putting social benefits first, adhere to the unity of economic and social benefits, vigorously develop public cultural undertakings that satisfy the people, and meet the people’s needs for a better spiritual life. People’s spiritual life has three forms: first, psychological life; second, cultural life; third, belief life. To promote common prosperity in spiritual life, we must start from the forms of people’s spiritual life, strengthen the construction of the social psychological service system, the socialist cultural system, and the socialist belief system, improve and perfect the people-centered public cultural service system, and write a new chapter for common prosperity in spiritual life with high-quality development of public cultural services. Spiritual and cultural products are indispensable in the people’s spiritual life. To promote common prosperity in spiritual life, we must not only expand the supply quantity of spiritual and cultural products, making the “cake” bigger, but also improve the supply quality of spiritual and cultural products, solving the problems of “whether it is good” and “whether it is refined,” and launch a large number of spiritual and cultural products with warmth, depth, and profundity.

其次，大力发展公共文化事业，健全完善公共文化服务体系，为精神生活共同富裕供给优质的、健康的、丰富的精神文化产品。习近平指出：“满足人民过上美好生活的新期待，必须提供丰富的精神食粮。”在中国式现代化建设实践中，文化是更基本、更深沉、更持久的力量。促进精神生活共同富裕，要坚持把社会效益放在首位，坚持经济效益与社会效益相统一，大力发展人民群众满意的公共文化事业，满足人民群众对美好精神生活的需要。人的精神生活具有三重样态，一是心理生活，二是文化生活，三是信仰生活。促进精神生活共同富裕，要从人的精神生活样态着手，加强社会心理服务体系、社会主义文化体系、社会主义信仰体系建设，健全完善以人民为中心的公共文化服务体系，以公共文化服务高质量发展谱写精神生活共同富裕新篇章。精神文化产品是人民群众精神生活中不可或缺的。促进精神生活共同富裕，不仅要扩大精神文化产品的供给数量，做大“蛋糕”，也要提升精神文化产品的供给质量，解决“好不好”“精不精”的问题，推出一大批有温度、有厚度、有深度的精神文化产品。

Third, always place education in the strategic priority position for development, establish a learning society, and provide lasting impetus for common prosperity in spiritual life. Education is a major plan for the country and a major plan for the Party. Xi Jinping emphasized that building a strong country in education “is an effective way to promote common prosperity for all the people.” [9]9 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Fifth Collective Study of the Politburo of the 20th CPC Central Committee,” May 29, 2023. To promote common prosperity in spiritual life, we must always place education in the strategic priority position for development, run education that satisfies the people, develop education for all and lifelong education, promote the equalization and modernization of education, and give full play to the fundamental, overall, and strategic role of education. Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must build a learning society and a learning-oriented country where lifelong learning is pursued by all, promote learning by everyone, everywhere, and at any time, continuously raise the level of education of the people, comprehensively improve the level of human resource development, and promote the all-round development of people.” [10]10 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Education Conference,” September 10, 2018. To promote common prosperity in spiritual life, we must establish a learning society, continuously improve the universal education mechanism covering all people, all regions, and all ages, continuously optimize the lifelong education system of preschool education, basic education, higher education, continuing education, vocational education, and education for the elderly, so that learning by everyone, everywhere, and at any time becomes a reality, providing lasting impetus for common prosperity in spiritual life.

再次，始终把教育摆在优先发展的战略位置，建立学习型社会，为精神生活共同富裕提供持久动力。教育是国之大计、党之大计。习近平强调，建设教育强国“是促进全体人民共同富裕的有效途径”。促进精神生活共同富裕，要始终把教育摆在优先发展的战略位置，办好人民满意的教育，发展全民教育、终身教育，推进教育公平化、现代化，充分发挥教育的基础性、全局性、战略性作用。习近平指出：“要建设全民终身学习的学习型社会、学习型大国，促进人人皆学、处处能学、时时可学，不断提高国民受教育程度，全面提升人力资源开发水平，促进人的全面发展。”促进精神生活共同富裕，要建立学习型社会，不断完善全民、全域、全龄覆盖的全民教育机制，持续优化学前教育、基础教育、高等教育、继续教育、职业教育、老年教育的终身教育体系，让人人皆学、处处能学、时时可学成为现实，为精神生活共同富裕提供持久动力。

Finally, strengthen public opinion guidance, purify the cyberspace, and create a good environment for common prosperity in spiritual life. Social consciousness has relative independence. As a form of social ideology, public opinion has a profound impact on social development and change. Correct public opinion will promote social development, while incorrect public opinion will hinder social development. Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must strengthen public opinion guidance for promoting common prosperity, clarify various vague understandings, prevent impatience for quick success and fear of difficulties, and provide a good public opinion environment for promoting common prosperity.” [11]11 Xi Jinping, “Solidly Promoting Common Prosperity,” Qiushi, 2021, No. 20. To promote common prosperity in spiritual life, we must dare to speak out, strengthen the correct voice of public opinion, clearly explain “for whom” common prosperity in spiritual life is, “on whom” it relies, and “who shares” the fruits, and clarify the dialectical relationship between “the whole and the part” and “getting rich first and getting rich later”; we must eliminate various vague understandings, clarifying that common prosperity in spiritual life is neither the prosperity of a few nor egalitarianism. At present, with the rapid development of information technology, the internet has become the main battlefield for people to express their demands. At the same time, the interweaving of various social trends of thought in cyberspace can easily trap people in information cocoons. Information cocoons have become an increasingly serious problem in the digital age. To promote common prosperity in spiritual life, we must strengthen network legislation, strictly enforce network laws, regulate the dissemination of network information, bravely take a clear stance against various erroneous trends of thought, continuously rectify cyberspace, break out of the cocoon, create a positive and healthy network ecology, and create a good network environment for the people’s spiritual life.

最后，加强舆论引导，净化网络空间，为精神生活共同富裕创造良好环境。社会意识具有相对独立性。社会舆论作为一种社会意识形态，对社会的发展与变革有着深刻的影响。正确的社会舆论会促进社会发展，反之则会阻碍社会发展。习近平强调：“要加强促进共同富裕舆论引导，澄清各种模糊认识，防止急于求成和畏难情绪，为促进共同富裕提供良好舆论环境。”促进精神生活共同富裕，要敢于发声，壮大正确的舆论声音，讲清楚“精神生活共同富裕”为了谁、依靠谁、成果由谁共享，讲明白“整体和部分”“先富和后富”之间的辩证关系；要消除各种模糊认识，澄清精神生活共同富裕既不是少数人的富裕，也不是平均主义。当前，随着信息技术的飞速发展，网络已经成为人们表达诉求的主阵地。与此同时，网络空间中各种社会思潮交织，极易使人们陷入信息茧房。信息茧房已经成为数字时代一个日益严峻的问题。促进精神生活共同富裕，必须加强网络立法，严肃网络执法，规范网络信息传播，勇于向各种错误思潮亮剑，持续整顿网络空间，破茧而出，打造积极健康的网络生态，为人民群众精神生活创造良好的网络环境。

III. The Value Implications of the Important Discourse on Common Prosperity in Spiritual Life

三、关于精神生活共同富裕重要论述的价值意蕴

Xi Jinping’s important discourse on common prosperity in spiritual life has profound value implications. On the new journey of the New Era, we must fully understand the major theoretical and practical significance of this important discourse.

习近平关于精神生活共同富裕的重要论述，具有深远的价值意蕴新时代新征程，我们要充分认识这一重要论述的重大理论意义和现实意义。

(I) Deepening the Understanding of the Essence of Socialism

（一）深化了对社会主义本质的认识

During the period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, Deng Xiaoping, from the perspective of material life prosperity, put forward that poverty is not socialism, and that “the essence of socialism is to liberate and develop the productive forces, eliminate exploitation and polarization, and ultimately achieve common prosperity.” In the New

改革开放和社会主义现代化建设时期，邓小平从物质生活富裕的角度提出，贫穷不是社会主义，“社会主义的本质，是解放生产力，发展生产力，消灭剥削，消除两极分化，最终达到共同富裕”。新时代，习近平在继承马克思主义物质生活和精神生活相互关系理论、中国共产党人关于社会主义本质认识的基础上，基于我国现阶段的具体实际，创造性地提出物质生活和精神生活都富裕的论断，实现了从注重物质生活富裕向注重物质生活和精神生活都富裕的转变，把精神生活的地位和作用提升到一个新的历史高度，丰富了共同富裕的内容框架，是对社会主义本质理论的更深层次的阐释。历史和实践表明，上层建筑的相对独立性影响经济基础的发展，二者的关系不是简单地前后相继而是共同发展。物质贫困不是社会主义，精神贫乏也不是社会主义；物质富有、精神富足才是社会主义。只有人民群众物质生活和精神生活都富裕，中国特色社会主义的制度优势才能得以显现。正如习近平所指出：“只有物质文明建设和精神文明建设都搞好，国家物质力量和精神力量都增强，全国各族人民物质生活和精神生活都改善，中国特色社会主义事业才能顺利向前推进。”

(II) It highlights the unique spiritual hallmark of Chinese-path modernization

（二）彰显了中国式现代化的独特精神标识

Although modernization first began in Western countries, the modernization of Western countries is not the only development model; humanity’s pursuit of modernization remains an unfinished expedition. Objectively, every country and every nation should, based on its own specific realities, explore a modernization development model suited to its own country and nation. Xi Jinping points out: “Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all the people.” On the one hand, Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of prosperity for all the people, not the modernization of prosperity for a minority, nor the modernization of prosperity for some regions or some people, but the modernization of prosperity for all regions and all people. On the other hand, Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of common prosperity. Chinese-path modernization not only pursues the common prosperity of the people’s material life but also pursues the common prosperity of the people’s spiritual life, paying greater attention to the people’s needs for a better spiritual life and to the all-round development of the people. In contrast, Western-style modernization is the modernization of prosperity for a small elite group, a modernization that is materialized and alienated under the logic of capital, one-sidedly pursuing material prosperity while neglecting the prosperity of spiritual life. Xi Jinping’s important discourse on common prosperity in spiritual life highlights the people-centered and comprehensive nature of Chinese-path modernization, completes the historical transcendence of modernization from the logic of capital to the logic of humanism, reveals the inherent defects of Western-style modernization, and demonstrates that the superiority of socialism lies not only in its ability to create a material life more prosperous than capitalism but also in its ability to create a spiritual life that capitalism cannot match, forming a marked distinction from Western-style modernization.

现代化虽最早始于西方国家，但西方国家的现代化不是唯一的发展模式，人类对现代化的追求仍是一场尚未完成的探险。客观上，每个国家、每个民族都应基于本国、本民族具体实际，探索适合自己国家、自己民族的现代化发展模式。习近平指出：“中国式现代化是全体人民共同富裕的现代化。”一方面，中国式现代化是全体人民富裕的现代化，不是少数人富裕的现代化，不是一部分地区、一部分人富裕的现代化，而是所有地区、所有人民都富裕的现代化。另一方面，中国式现代化是共同富裕的现代化。中国式现代化不仅追求人民群众物质生活的共同富裕，更追求人民群众精神生活的共同富裕，更关注人民群众对美好精神生活的需要，更关注人的全面发展。与之相反，西方式现代化是少数精英群体富裕的现代化，是在资本逻辑下物化的、异化的现代化，片面追求物质生活的富裕，忽视了精神生活的富裕。习近平关于精神生活共同富裕的重要论述，彰显了中国式现代化的人民性、全面性，完成了现代化从资本逻辑到人本逻辑的历史性超越，揭示了西方式现代化的内在缺陷，昭示了社会主义的优越性不仅在于能创造比资本主义更富裕的物质生活，更在于能创造资本主义所不及的精神生活，与西方式现代化形成了显著区别。

(III) It provides the spiritual strength for comprehensively building a modern socialist country

（三）提供了全面建设社会主义现代化国家的精神力量

National rejuvenation requires powerful material forces, and even more so, powerful spiritual forces. Throughout the great course of revolution, construction, and reform, Chinese Communists have always attached great importance to the construction of spiritual culture, providing powerful spiritual forces for revolution, construction, and reform. During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, Mao Zedong pointed out the need to build a new democratic culture, that is, “a democratic, scientific, and mass culture.” During the period of socialist revolution and construction, Mao Zedong proposed adhering to “letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend.” During the period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, Deng Xiaoping pointed out the need to “grasp with both hands” and “both hands must be strong.” Jiang Zemin emphasized the need to “develop a socialist culture that is national, scientific, and mass-oriented, facing modernization, facing the world, and facing the future.” Hu Jintao further emphasized: “We must combine the development of social productive forces with raising the civilization quality of the entire nation, promote the coordinated development of material civilization and cultural-ethical progress, and more consciously and proactively promote the great development and flourishing of culture.” Entering the New Era, Xi Jinping, on the basis of inheriting and developing the valuable experience of Chinese Communists in constructing spiritual culture, attaches great importance to the important role of the modernization of the people’s spiritual life in the construction of socialist modernization, providing more proactive spiritual forces for comprehensively building a modern socialist country. Xi Jinping points out: “The modern socialist country we aim to build must be strong not only materially but also spiritually.” Comprehensively building a modern socialist country requires both powerful material forces and, even more so, powerful spiritual forces. The world today is undergoing changes unseen in a century, and on the new journey, we face numerous risks, difficulties, challenges, and contradictions. Against this backdrop, only by deeply studying and practicing Xi Jinping’s important discourse on common prosperity in spiritual life can we effectively resolve risks, difficulties, challenges, and contradictions, consolidate value consensus, gather cultural heritage, and accumulate spiritual momentum for comprehensively building a modern socialist country, thereby providing more proactive spiritual forces.

民族复兴需要强大的物质力量，更需要强大的精神力量。在革命、建设、改革的伟大历程中，中国共产党人始终高度重视精神文化建设，为革命、建设、改革提供了强大的精神力量。新民主主义革命时期，毛泽东指出要建设新民主主义文化，即“民主的、科学的、大众的文化”。社会主义革命和建设时期，毛泽东提出要坚持“百花齐放、百家争鸣”。改革开放和社会主义现代化建设时期，邓小平指出要“两手抓”“两只手都要硬”。江泽民强调，要“发展面向现代化、面向世界、面向未来的，民族的科学的大众的社会主义文化”。胡锦涛进一步强调：“必须把发展社会生产力同提高全民族文明素质结合起来，推动物质文明和精神文明协调发展，更加自觉、更加主动地推动文化大发展大繁荣。”进入新时代，习近平在继承和发展中国共产党人精神文化建设宝贵经验的基础上，高度重视人民群众精神生活现代化在社会主义现代化建设中的重要作用，为全面建设社会主义现代化国家提供了更为主动的精神力量。习近平指出：“我们要建设的社会主义现代化强国，不仅要在物质上强，更要在精神上强。”全面建设社会主义现代化国家既需要强大的物质力量，更需要强大的精神力量。当今世界正处于百年未有之大变局，新征程上面临着诸多风险、困难、挑战与矛盾。在此背景下，唯有深入学习并践行习近平关于精神生活共同富裕的重要论述，方能有效破解风险、困难、挑战、矛盾，为全面建设社会主义现代化国家凝聚价值共识、汇聚文化底蕴、蓄积精神动能，进而提供更为主动的精神力量。

About the authors: Liu Xiangjun, Dean and Professor of the School of Marxism, Liaoning Normal University; Yan Yongxu, Doctoral Candidate, School of Marxism, Liaoning Normal University.

作者简介：刘向，,辽宁师范大学马克思主义学院院长、教授，闫雍，,辽宁师范大学马克思主义学院博士研究生。