An Exploration of the Starting Point of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context – Also a Discussion with Several Popular Views

[Abstract] As a historical process in which theory and practice are organically integrated, the starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context can be decomposed into five starting points: a logical starting point, a theoretical starting point, a practical starting point, a historical starting point, and a theoretical innovation starting point. Through revealing the rich connotations of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, it is argued that the logical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context originates from the idea of nationalizing classical Marxism; the theoretical starting point is the “discourse” represented by Li Dazhao during the May Fourth Movement period [1]1 The May Fourth Movement (1919) was an anti-imperialist, anti-feudal political and cultural movement initiated by Chinese intellectuals and students, which is often seen as a watershed in modern Chinese history and a key moment for the spread of Marxism in China.; subsequently, the establishment of communist groups in various localities constitutes its practical starting point; the theoretical starting point and the practical starting point intertwine and jointly promote the birth of the Communist Party of China, which in turn constitutes the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. The Second National Congress of the CPC [2]2 The Second National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held in Shanghai in July 1922; it formulated the first comprehensive Party program and outlined the anti-imperialist and anti-feudal democratic revolutionary tasks. for the first time creatively integrated Marxism with China’s actual conditions, establishing the first anti-imperialist and anti-feudal democratic revolutionary program in modern Chinese history, which can be regarded as the theoretical innovation starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and belongs to the starting point of Chinese Marxism.

【摘要】马克思主义中国化作为一个理论与实践有机结合的历史过程，其起点可以分解为逻辑起点、理论起点、实践起点、历史起点和理论创新起点等五个起点。通过对马克思主义中国化丰富内涵的揭示，认为马克思主义中国化的逻辑起点源于经典马克思主义的民族化思想，理论起点为五四运动时期以李大钊为代表的“言说”，随后各地共产主义小组的筹建是其实践起点，理论起点与实践起点相互交织、共同推动催生了中国共产党的成立，这又构成了马克思主义中国化的历史起点。中共二大第一次创造性地把马克思主义与中国实际结合起来，创立了中国近现代史上第一个反帝反封建的民主主义革命纲领，堪称是马克思主义中国化的理论创新起点，属于中国化马克思主义的起点。

[Keywords] adapting Marxism to the Chinese context; logical starting point; historical starting point; theoretical innovation starting point

【关键词】马克思主义中国化；逻辑起点；历史起点；理论创新起点

The exploration of the starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is a very important theoretical issue in the study of its historical process, reflecting to varying degrees people’s understanding of the essence of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. Academic circles have discussed the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, initially forming several controversial views. To summarize, the main popular views include “the starting point of the introduction of ideological trends,” “the starting point of the October Revolution in Russia,” “the starting point of the group of communist intellectuals in 1920,” “the starting point of the founding of the Party,” and “the starting point of the Second National Congress of the CPC.” The author believes that the reason for the existence of so many views is mainly the narrow understanding of the scientific connotation of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. This paper, by deepening the rich connotations of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, argues that as a historical process in which theory and practice are organically integrated, the starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context can be decomposed into five starting points: a logical starting point, a theoretical starting point, a practical starting point, a historical starting point, and a theoretical innovation starting point. Each is determined in turn, and on this basis, a brief evaluation is made of the existing “historical starting point” views in academic circles, with the aim of further promoting in-depth discussion of theoretical issues related to adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

对马克思主义中国化起点的探索，是其历史进程研究中一个非常重要的理论问题，不同程度地反映着人们对马克思主义中国化实质的认识。学界围绕着马克思主义中国化的历史起点进行了探讨，初步形成了一些争议较大的观点。概括起来说，主要流行的观点有“思潮传入起点说”、“俄国十月革命说”、“1920年共产主义知识分子群体说”、“党的成立起点说”、“中共二大说”。笔者认为导致这么多观点存在的原因主要是对马克思主义中国化科学内涵的狭隘理解。本文通过深化马克思主义中国化丰富内涵，认为马克思主义中国化作为一个理论与实践有机结合的历史过程，其起点可以分解为逻辑起点、理论起点、实践起点、历史起点和理论创新起点等五个起点，并对其进行了一一判定，进而在此基础上对学界现有的“历史起点”观点进行了简要评析。以期进一步推动对马克思主义中国化相关理论问题的深入探讨。

I. Deepening the Rich Connotations of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context

一、对马克思主义中国化丰富内涵的深化

Generally speaking, adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is the historical process in which the Communist Party of China integrates the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific realities. This is a general and fundamental understanding of the scientific proposition of “adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.” As a long-term historical dynamic process, the starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is an objective issue. Understanding its starting point must be based on a profound and comprehensive grasp of the scientific connotation of “adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.”

一般来说，马克思主义中国化是中国共产党把马克思主义基本原理与中国具体实际相结合的历史过程。这是对“马克思主义中国化”科学命题带有总括性和根本原则性的认识。马克思主义中国化作为一个长期的历史动态过程，其起点是一个客观存在的问题。对其起点的认识必须建立在对“马克思主义中国化”科学内涵的深刻、全面的理解基础之上。

As is well known, the proposition of “adapting Marxism to the Chinese context” was first put forward by Mao Zedong at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC in 1938 [3]3 The Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC was held in Yan'an in 1938; it was a key meeting during the War of Resistance Against Japan, where Mao Zedong's leadership was consolidated and the Sinification of Marxism was formally proposed.. At this session, Mao Zedong strongly called for the CPC to learn to apply Marxism-Leninism to China’s specific environment, “to make Marxism concrete in China, so that in every one of its manifestations it acquires the necessary Chinese characteristics.” That is to say, the CPC should apply Marxism according to China’s characteristics and create a Marxism with “Chinese style and Chinese manner” and with “fresh, lively, and popular Chinese forms that the Chinese people love to see and hear.” [1]1 The May Fourth Movement (1919) was an anti-imperialist, anti-feudal political and cultural movement initiated by Chinese intellectuals and students, which is often seen as a watershed in modern Chinese history and a key moment for the spread of Marxism in China. Clearly, the “integration theory” is closest to the essence of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. This has almost become a basic consensus in theoretical circles. However, as a historical process of integration, adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is both a theoretical issue and a practical issue; it is a historical process in which theory and practice intertwine, promote each other, and unify with each other. This is also a theoretical issue concerning the scientific connotation of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context that needs further exploration.

众所周知，“马克思主义中国化”这一命题是毛泽东在1938年党的六届六中全会上首次提出的。在这次会议上，毛泽东强烈呼吁，中国共产党要学会把马克思列宁主义应用到中国的具体环境之中，“使马克思主义在中国具体化，使之在其每一表现中带着必须有的中国的特性”。也就是说，中国共产党应该按照中国的特点来应用马克思主义，并创造出具有“中国作风和中国气派”并带有“新鲜活泼的、为中国老百姓所喜闻乐见”的马克思主义。〔1〕很明显，“结合论”最接近马克思主义中国化的实质。这几乎成为理论界的一个基本共识。但作为一个结合的历史过程，马克思主义中国化既是一个理论问题，又是一个实践问题，是理论与实践相互交织、相互推动、相互统一的历史进程。这又是一个关于马克思主义中国化科学内涵有待进一步挖掘的理论问题。

First, as a theoretical issue, adapting Marxism to the Chinese context refers to the process in which the cognitive subjects of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context cognize, understand, and scientifically grasp Marxist theory itself, as well as how to apply Marxism to solve China’s practical problems. It includes a series of questions: What is Marxism? How to grasp China’s actual conditions? Why must Marxism be adapted to the Chinese context? How is Marxism adapted to the Chinese context? And so on. The theoretical dimension of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context can be further decomposed into the following two levels: on the one hand, it is the cognitive process of understanding Marxism and China’s actual conditions; on the other hand, it is the process of summarizing experience and raising theory from the practical process of applying Marxism to solve China’s practical problems. Logically, the two levels are two stages of the same process: the former is the logical premise of the latter, the latter is the logical development of the former, and the former lays the foundation for the latter. As understanding deepens at the latter level, the understanding of Marxism and China’s actual conditions themselves also gradually deepens; thus, the latter is also a superimposition of two processes. The intertwining and mutual promotion of the two levels constitute the complete process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context at the theoretical level. The logical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is the Chinese Marxists’ pursuit of the theoretical roots of “why Marxism must be adapted to the Chinese context” in the theoretical process of exploring adapting Marxism to the Chinese context; it is the beginning of theoretical consciousness of the idea of nationalizing classical Marxism. Its theoretical starting point is further manifested as the preliminary theoretical expression of this cognitive process by Chinese Marxists in specific historical movements.

首先，马克思主义中国化作为一个理论问题，是指马克思主义中国化的认知主体对马克思主义理论本身进行认知、理解、科学把握以及如何应用马克思主义解决中国实际问题的一个过程，它包含一系列问题：如，什么是马克思主义、怎样把握中国实际、马克思主义为什么要中国化、马克思主义怎样中国化等等。理论层面的马克思主义中国化又可以分解为以下两个层面：一方面是对马克思主义和中国实际的认识过程；另一方面是对马克思主义解决中国实际问题这一实践过程的经验总结和理论提升。从逻辑上来看，两个层面是同一过程的两个阶段，前者是后者的逻辑前提，后者是前者的逻辑发展，前者为后者奠定基础。随着后一层面认识的深入，对马克思主义和中国实际本身的认识也随之逐步深入，因而后者又是两个过程的叠合。两个层面的相互交织、互相推进构成了理论层面的马克思主义中国化的完整进程。马克思主义中国化的逻辑起点是中国马克思主义者在探索马克思主义中国化理论进程中对“马克思主义为什么要中国化”的理论根源性追寻，是对经典马克思主义民族化思想理论自觉的开端，其理论起点又表现为中国的马克思主义者对这一认识过程在具体历史运动中的初步理论表现。

Second, as a practical issue, adapting Marxism to the Chinese context refers to the practical process in which the practical subjects of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context apply the Marxist worldview and methodology to solve China’s practical problems. This practical process is inseparable from the theoretical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context: theory provides guidance for practice, and practice further tests the correctness of theory; they are mutually corrective and mutually reinforcing. Since its founding, the CPC has adhered to Marxism as its guiding ideology, persistently integrated the universal principles of Marxism with the concrete practice of China’s revolution, construction, and reform, creatively completed the sacred mission of the New Democratic Revolution and the Socialist Revolution, and, on the basis of continuously summing up both positive and negative experiences of socialism, blazed a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics through reform and opening up. Today, the CPC is advancing the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, broadening the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and leading the people with full confidence toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This practical process is a process in which the practice of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context continuously moves forward. Therefore, the practical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context reflects precisely the preliminary practical activities of Chinese Marxists when they attempted to apply Marxism to solve the practical problems facing China. As this practical activity deepens, China’s practical problems are also continuously recognized and resolved.

其次，马克思主义中国化作为一个实践问题，是指马克思主义中国化的实践主体应用马克思主义的世界观和方法论解决中国实际问题的实践过程。这一实践过程与马克思主义中国化作为一个理论过程是不可分的，理论为实践提供指导，实践进一步检验理论的正确性，它们是相互矫正、互相促进的关系。中国共产党自成立以来，坚持以马克思主义为指导思想，坚持不懈地把马克思主义普遍原理与中国革命、建设和改革具体实践结合起来，创造性地完成了新民主主义革命和社会主义革命的神圣使命，在不断总结社会主义正反两个方面经验的基础上，通过改革开放走出了一条中国特色社会主义道路。如今，中国共产党正在推进马克思主义中国化的进程中，拓宽中国特色社会主义道路，带领人民满怀信心地走向中华民族的伟大复兴。这一个实践过程就是一个马克思主义中国化实践不断向前运动的过程。因此，马克思主义中国化的实践起点反映的正是中国的马克思主义者尝试着应用马克思主义来解决中国面临的实际问题时的初步实践活动。随着这一实践活动的深入，中国的实际问题也不断被认清、不断被解决。

In summary, the theoretical dimension of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the practical dimension of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context intertwine and organically combine, together constituting the complete historical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. Therefore, the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context should be jointly borne by its theoretical starting point and its practical starting point, and its starting point highlights the landmark achievement of the organic integration of theory and practice.

概言之，理论层面的马克思主义中国化与实践层面的马克思主义中国化相互交织、有机结合，共同构成了完整的马克思主义中国化历史过程。因此，马克思主义中国化的历史起点就应该由其理论起点和实践起点共同承载，其起点凸显了理论与实践有机结合的标志性成果。

Finally, to comprehensively grasp the essence of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, it is also necessary to distinguish between adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and Chinese Marxism, especially adapting Marxism to the Chinese context at the theoretical level and Chinese Marxism. First, Chinese Marxism is a process of continuously theorizing the experience of China’s revolution, construction, and reform into Marxism. In response to the situation at the time that the Party’s theoretical level of Marxism had not kept pace with the rich practice of revolution, Mao Zedong emphasized in “Rectify the Party’s Style of Work”: “We have not yet raised the rich actual practice to the necessary theoretical level. We have not yet examined all problems, or major problems, of revolutionary practice and raised them to the theoretical stage.” [2]2 The Second National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held in Shanghai in July 1922; it formulated the first comprehensive Party program and outlined the anti-imperialist and anti-feudal democratic revolutionary tasks. That is to say, being adept at elevating the practical experience of the Chinese revolution to the theoretical height of Marxism is an inherent requirement of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. This process is one of “Marxifying the rich actual practice of the Chinese revolution.” In fact, this process is Chinese Marxism. As is well known, in the historical process of advancing adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, the Communist Party of China has produced two major theoretical achievements, Mao Zedong Thought and the system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which belong to Chinese Marxism. Second, in a strict sense, there is a difference between the two formulations “Chinese Marxism” and “Sinicized Marxism.” Chinese Marxism is a process in which the CPC continuously theorizes the practical experience of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context into Marxism; it is a process of continuous theoretical development. What needs special emphasis here is that “continuously theorizing the practical experience of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context into Marxism” refers precisely to the process of continuously applying the Marxist worldview and methodology to theoretically summarize the practical experience of China’s revolution, construction, and reform. “Sinicized Marxism,” on the other hand, is both what people commonly regard as the theoretical achievements produced in the historical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and can also be expressed as the阶段性 theoretical achievements within the theoretical development process of Chinese Marxism. For example, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of the “Three Represents,” and the Scientific Outlook on Development can all be called “Sinicized Marxism.” From the perspective of the law of the transformation of quantity into quality, they all belong to qualitative changes at a stage. That is to say, “Sinicized Marxism” is a theoretical node within the process of “Chinese Marxism.” The interconnection of individual theoretical nodes constitutes a complete process of theoretical development of Chinese Marxism. At the same time, it also outlines the basic framework of the historical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. Third, relative to adapting Marxism to the Chinese context at the theoretical level, Chinese Marxism is a process of theoretical innovation built on the basis of this theoretical process; there is a time lag between the former and the latter. That is, the theoretical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context comes first, and the innovation of this theoretical process then initiates the process of theoretical creation of Chinese Marxism, whereupon the theory of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and Chinese Marxism overlap. It can be said that without the theoretical innovation of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, adapting Marxism to the Chinese context would not be thorough. To a certain extent, the theoretical innovation of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context marks a breakthrough in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand that the theoretical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context comes first, and its theoretical innovation starting point comes later; the theoretical innovation starting point in turn constitutes the starting point of Chinese Marxism. The first theoretical crystallization that creatively combines Marxism with China’s actual conditions in the theoretical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is a breakthrough in its theoretical process and can be regarded as the theoretical innovation starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

最后，为了全面掌握马克思主义中国化实质，还必须对马克思主义中国化和中国化马克思主义，特别是理论层面的马克思主义中国化与中国化马克思主义进行区分。第一，中国化马克思主义是一个中国革命、建设和改革经验不断马克思主义理论化的过程。针对当时党的马克思主义理论水平还没有跟上革命的丰富实践这一情况，毛泽东在《整顿党的作风》中强调：“我们还没有把丰富的实际提高到应有的理论程度。我们还没有对革命实践的一切问题，或重大问题，加以考察，使之上升到理论的阶段。”〔2〕也就是说，善于把中国革命的实践经验提升到马克思主义的理论高度是马克思主义中国化的题中应有之义，这个过程就是一个“使中国革命丰富的实际马克思主义化”，其实，这一过程就是中国化马克思主义。众所周知，中国共产党在推进马克思主义中国化的历史进程中，产生了毛泽东思想和中国特色社会主义理论体系两大理论成果，它们属于中国化的马克思主义。第二，从严格意义上讲，“中国化马克思主义”和“中国化的马克思主义”两种提法是有区别的。中国化马克思主义是中国共产党把马克思主义中国化实践经验不断马克思主义理论化的过程，是一个理论不断发展的过程。需要特别强调的是，这里的“马克思主义中国化实践经验不断马克思主义理论化”指的就是不断应用马克思主义的世界观和方法论对中国革命、建设和改革的实践经验进行理论总结的过程。而“中国化的马克思主义”，既是人们通常所认为的马克思主义中国化历史进程中产生的理论成果，也可以表述为中国化马克思主义这一理论发展过程中的阶段性理论成果。如，毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观，这些都可以称作“中国化的马克思主义”。从质量互变规律来看，它们都属于阶段性质变。也就是说，“中国化的马克思主义”是“中国化马克思主义”这一过程中的一个理论节点。一个个理论节点的相互衔接构成了一个完整的中国化马克思主义理论发展过程。同时，也勾勒出了马克思主义中国化历史进程的基本骨架。第三，相对于理论层面的马克思主义中国化而言，中国化马克思主义又是建立在这一理论过程基础之上的一个理论创新过程，前者与后者有一个时间差。即马克思主义中国化理论过程在先，对这一理论过程的创新才开启了中国化马克思主义的理论创造过程，进而马克思主义中国化理论与中国化马克思主义相叠合。可以说，没有马克思主义中国化的理论创新，马克思主义中国化就不彻底。一定程度而言，马克思主义中国化的理论创新标志着马克思主义中国化的突破。所以，不难理解，马克思主义中国化理论起点在先，其理论创新起点在后，理论创新起点又构成了中国化马克思主义的起点。马克思主义中国化理论进程中创造性地把马克思主义与中国实际结合起来的第一个理论结晶，是其理论进程中的突破，堪称是马克思主义中国化的理论创新起点。

II. Determination of the Starting Point of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context

二、对马克思主义中国化起点的判定

Through deepening and revealing the connotation and essence of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, the starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context can be decomposed into five starting points: the logical starting point, the theoretical starting point, the practical starting point, the historical starting point, and the theoretical innovation starting point. Their determination is as follows:

通过对马克思主义中国化内涵、实质的深化和揭示，可以把马克思主义中国化起点分解为逻辑起点、理论起点、实践起点、历史起点、理论创新起点等五个起点，并对其一一进行判定如下：

(I) The Classical Marxist Idea of Nationalization is the Logical Starting Point of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context

(一)经典马克思主义民族化思想是马克思主义中国化的逻辑起点

The logical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is a reflection in thought, inherent in the theoretical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, of the conscious awareness of Marxist theory. It belongs to the category of issues within the theory of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. Specifically, it is a tracing of the origin of the idea of “adapting Marxism to the Chinese context” in the process of grasping Marxism and China’s actual conditions. Its theoretical source is the idea of nationalization contained in classical Marxism.

马克思主义中国化的逻辑起点是一个内含于马克思主义中国化理论过程中对马克思主义理论自觉的思维反映，属于马克思主义中国化理论范畴内的问题。具体来讲，它是在把握马克思主义和中国实际这一过程中对“马克思主中国化”思想的渊源性追寻，其理论源头就是经典马克思主义蕴含的民族化思想。

Classical writers such as Marx, Engels, and Lenin all made many classic expositions on the “idea of nationalization.” For example, in a letter to Dagobert Oppenheim in late August 1842, Marx emphasized that the correctness of theory lies not only in “combining with concrete conditions” but also in “elucidating and developing it according to existing conditions.” [3]3 The Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC was held in Yan'an in 1938; it was a key meeting during the War of Resistance Against Japan, where Mao Zedong's leadership was consolidated and the Sinification of Marxism was formally proposed. Engels once made a similar expression in a letter to the Russian populist revolutionary Vera Zasulich, stating that the basic condition for the strategy of socialist revolution must adhere to “Marx’s historical theory,” and then only by “applying this theory to the economic and political conditions of one’s own country” can specific and correct revolutionary strategies be found. [4]4 The “May Fourth Period” refers to the era surrounding the May Fourth Movement of 1919, a pivotal anti-imperialist, anti-feudal cultural and political movement in modern China, during which Marxism began to be widely disseminated among Chinese intellectuals. As is well known, Marx and Engels pointed out in the 1872 German edition preface to the *Manifesto of the Communist Party* that the practical application of the general principles of the *Manifesto* “must, as the *Manifesto* itself says, be determined at all times by the prevailing historical conditions.” [5]5 The May Fourth period refers to the intellectual and political ferment in China around the May Fourth Movement of 1919, which is often seen as a key moment in the spread of Marxism in China. These classic expositions all contain the idea of the nationalization of Marxism. Later, Lenin, based on the changed conditions of the era and the basic situation in Russia, further reiterated the importance of the nationalization of Marxism. He said: “We by no means regard the theory of Marx as something completed and inviolable”; on the contrary, people should be deeply convinced that Marx’s theory “only lays the foundation for a science, and socialists, if they do not want to lag behind actual life, should advance this science in all directions.” In response to the tendency towards a dogmatic understanding of Marxism that might appear within the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party at the time, Lenin emphasized: “For Russian socialists in particular, it is necessary to independently explore Marx’s theory, for it provides only general guiding principles, and the application of these principles will differ, concretely speaking, in England from France, in France from Germany, and in Germany from Russia.” [6]6 The “Resolution on Certain Historical Questions” (1945) was an official Party document that summarized the Party’s history and established Mao Zedong’s leadership line as orthodox. It is not difficult to see that Lenin attached great importance to Marx’s idea of nationalization and adhered to and developed this idea. Lenin firmly believed that every nation must move towards socialism, but the path each nation takes is not the same. The most concentrated summary of the classical Marxist idea of nationalization is probably Engels’s following famous saying: “Marx’s entire worldview is not a doctrine, but a method. It provides not ready-made dogmas, but a starting point for further research and the method for this research.” [7]7 The Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee (1945) was a major Party meeting that adopted the resolution on historical questions and prepared for the Seventh National Congress. This endowed each nation with the universal truth of combining Marxism with its own actual conditions in concrete revolutionary practice. As Deng Xiaoping said: “The combination of the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete actual conditions of one’s own country—this statement itself is a universal truth.” [8]8 The Second National Congress of the CPC (1922) formally adopted the Party’s first constitution and outlined its anti-imperialist, anti-feudal program.

马克思、恩格斯、列宁等经典作家对“民族化思想”都有过许多经典阐述。例如，马克思在1842年8月下旬致达哥倍尔特·奥本海默的信中强调，理论的正确性不仅在于“结合具体的情况”，并且要“根据现存条件加以阐明和发挥”〔3〕。恩格斯曾经在致俄国民粹派革命家查苏利奇的信中也有类似的表述，社会主义革命策略的基本条件必须坚持“马克思的历史理论”，进而“把这一理论应用于本国的经济条件和政治条件”之中才能够找出具体的、正确的革命策略。〔4〕众所周知，马克思、恩格斯在《共产党宣言》1872年德文版序言中指出，《宣言》中一般原理的实际运用，“正如《宣言》中所说的，随时随地都要以当时的历史条件为转移”〔5〕。这些经典论述都蕴含着马克思主义民族化思想。后来，列宁根据变化了的时代条件和俄国的基本情况，进一步重申了马克思主义民族化的重要性。他说：“我们绝不把马克思的理论看作是某种一成不变的和神圣不可侵犯的东西”，恰恰相反，人们应该深信：马克思的理论“只是给一种科学奠定了基础，社会党人如果不愿意落后于实际生活，就应该在各方面把这门科学推向前进”。针对当时俄国社会党内可能出现的对马克思主义教条化理解的倾向，列宁强调：“对于俄国社会党人来说，尤其是需要独立地探讨马克思的理论，因为它所提供的只是总的指导原理，而这些原理的应用具体地说，在英国不同于法国，在法国不同于德国，在德国又不同于俄国。”〔6〕不难看出，列宁特别重视马克思民族化思想，并且坚持和发展了这种思想。列宁坚信，每个民族都必须走向社会主义，只是每个民族的走法并不一样。最能够集中概括经典马克思主义民族化思想的恐怕还是恩格斯的下述名言：“马克思的整个世界观不是教义，而是方法。它提供的不是现成的教条，而是进一步研究的出发点和供这种研究使用的方法。”〔7〕这赋予了各个民族在具体的革命实践中把马克思主义与本国实际相结合起来的普遍性真理。正如邓小平所说：“马克思列宁主义的普遍真理与本国的具体实际相结合，这句话本身就是普遍真理。”〔8〕

(II) The “Discourse” Represented by Li Dazhao During the May Fourth Period is the Theoretical Starting Point of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context

(二)五四时期以李大钊为代表的“言说”是马克思主义中国化的理论起点

The theoretical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context refers to when Chinese Marxists began the process of cognizing and scientifically grasping Marxist theory itself. The classical Marxist idea of nationalization is the theoretical basis for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. The historical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is precisely the process of the CPC creatively applying and developing the Marxist idea of nationalization in China.

马克思主义中国化的理论起点是指中国的马克思主义者何时开启了对马克思主义理论本身的认知与科学的把握过程。经典作家的马克思主义民族化思想是马克思主义中国化的理论根据，马克思主义中国化历史过程就是中国共产党对马克思主义民族化思想在中国的创造性应用和发展过程。

As a theoretical issue, adapting Marxism to the Chinese context first manifested in China during the May Fourth period in the “discourse” of Li Dazhao, Chen Duxiu, Cai Hesen, Zhang Tailei, Yun Daiying, Qu Qiubai, and others, among whom Li Dazhao can be regarded as a model. From 1918 onward, Li Dazhao successively published classic articles such as “A Comparative View of the French and Russian Revolutions,” “The Victory of the Common People,” “The Victory of Bolshevism,” “A Further Discussion of Problems and Doctrines,” and “Socialism and the Social Movement,” systematically introducing Marxism and laying the theoretical foundation for the founding of the Communist Party of China. At the same time, the idea of “adapting Marxism to the Chinese context” also began to emerge. For example, he advocated proceeding from China’s “actual circumstances” and the idea of a “fundamental solution” for actual society; he held that socialism, “because the circumstances of each place and each time differ, must be implemented in a way suited to them, thereby giving rise to a new system combining commonality and particularity; hence when it emerges in China in the future, it will necessarily differ from that in England, Germany, Russia…” [9]9 The Jinggangshan road refers to the revolutionary path of establishing rural base areas, encircling cities from the countryside, and seizing state power by armed force, pioneered by Mao Zedong and the CPC in the Jinggangshan Mountains in the late 1920s. Here, “commonality and particularity” initially manifests a philosophical expression of the essence of “adapting Marxism to the Chinese context”; regarding the attitude toward Marxism, he advocated “carefully studying Marx’s historical materialism, how to apply it to the political and economic conditions of China today,… how to carry out the movement for national independence, to rescue China from the oppression of the great powers” [10]10 The Nanchang Uprising (August 1, 1927) was an armed revolt led by the CPC against the Kuomintang, marking the beginning of the Party’s independent leadership of revolutionary armed struggle.. From these classic “discourses” of Li Dazhao, one can see both an exposition of Marxism as a worldview and methodology, and a profound concern for China’s national conditions, containing the idea of “adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.” This represents the conscious manifestation of the nationalization of classical Marxism among early communist advanced intellectuals and can be regarded as the theoretical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

对于马克思主义中国化作为一个理论问题而言，在中国最先表现为五四时期李大钊、陈独秀、蔡和森、张太雷、恽代英、瞿秋白等人的“言说”，其中李大钊堪称典范。李大钊从1918年相继发表了《法俄革命之比较观》、《庶民的胜利》、《布尔什维主义的胜利》、《再论问题与主义》、《社会主义与社会运动》等经典文章，系统介绍了马克思主义，为中国共产党的成立奠定了理论基础，同时“马克思主义中国化”思想也初见端倪。如，主张从中国的“实境”出发，实际社会“根本解决”的思想；社会主义“因各地、各时之情形不同，务求其适合者行之，遂发生共性与特性结合的一种新制度，故中国将来发生之时，必与英、德、俄……有异”〔9〕。这里的“共性与特性”初步显现了“马克思主义中国化”实质的哲学表述；对待马克思主义的态度，主张“细细的研考马克思的唯物史观，怎样应用于中国今日政治经济情形，……怎样去作民族独立的运动，把中国从列强压迫下救济出来”〔10〕。从李大钊这些经典“言说”之中，既可以看到对马克思主义作为一种世界观和方法论的阐发，也透视出对中国国情的深切关注，蕴涵着“马克思主义中国化”思想，是早期共产主义先进知识分子对经典马克思主义民族化思想自觉的表现，可以看作是马克思主义中国化的理论起点。

(3) The establishment of communist groups is the practical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context

(三)共产主义小组的筹建是马克思主义中国化的实践起点

Theory derived from practice must further be used to guide social practice; only then is a complete link between theory and practice achieved. The theory and practice of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context are closely interwoven, dependent on each other, and inseparable. Along with the preliminary exploration of the theory of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, related practices of socialist revolution also gradually unfolded. Forming the Communist Party of China was both an inevitable requirement of Marxism and a practical need of China’s socialist revolution. Under the historical conditions of the growth of the Chinese working class and the development of the workers’ movement, advanced communist intellectuals represented by Li Dazhao and Chen Duxiu began to deliberate on the establishment of the Communist Party of China. In August 1920, Chen Duxiu first initiated and founded the first Chinese communist group in Shanghai. Subsequently, communist groups were also established in Beijing, Jinan, Wuhan, Changsha, Guangzhou, and other places. At that time, the establishment of communist groups had special historical significance. On the one hand, the exploration of the theory of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the practice of socialist revolution gained an initial organizational vehicle. On the other hand, the founding of the Communist Party of China gained organizational strength and a source of cadres. Relying on communist groups, China’s early communist believers actively translated Marxist-Leninist texts, founded progressive publications, published articles, and established progressive book societies to actively propagate and study Marxism, enabling Marxism to take root on Chinese soil. At the same time, they actively participated in the workers’ and students’ movements, engaged in ideological debates and other activities to actively practice Marxism, and attempted to use Marxism to solve various problems facing China. Based on the above discussion, the establishment of communist groups can be regarded as the practical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

来源于实践的理论必须进一步用于指导社会实践，这才是理论与实践的一个完整环节。马克思主义中国化理论和实践是紧密交织在一起的，彼此相依为命，谁也离不开谁。随着马克思主义中国化理论的初步探索，社会主义革命的相关实践也逐步展开。组建中国共产党既是马克思主义的必然要求，也是中国社会主义革命实践的现实需要。在中国工人阶级壮大和工人运动发展的历史条件下，以李大钊、陈独秀为代表的中国共产主义先进知识分子等人开始酝酿中国共产党的建立。1920年8月，陈独秀最先在上海发起创立了第一个中国的共产主义小组。随后，北京、济南、武汉、长沙、广州等地也相继组建了共产主义小组。当时，共产主义小组的建立有着特殊的历史意义。一方面，马克思主义中国化理论的探索和社会主义革命实践的开展有了初步的组织载体。另一方面，中国共产党的创建有了组织力量和干部来源。以共产主义小组为依托，中国早期的共产主义信仰者积极翻译马列文章、创办进步刊物、发表文章、成立进步书社等积极宣传和研究马克思主义，使马克思主义在中国大地上扎根。同时，他们积极投身工人学生运动，开展思想大论战等积极实践马克思主义，并尝试着运用马克思主义来解决中国面临的多种问题。基于以上论述，可以把共产主义小组的筹建视为马克思主义中国化的实践起点。

(4) The founding of the Communist Party of China is the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context

(四)中国共产党的成立是马克思主义中国化的历史起点

During the May Fourth period, the “discourse” of advanced Chinese intellectuals represented by Li Dazhao constituted the theoretical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, and the establishment of communist groups constituted the practical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. One theoretical starting point and one practical starting point together bear the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. The founding of the Communist Party of China was precisely the result of the interweaving and mutual promotion of this theory and practice; hence the founding of the Communist Party of China in turn constitutes the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

五四时期，以李大钊为代表的中国先进知识分子的“言说”构成了马克思主义中国化的理论起点，共产主义小组的建立构成了马克思主义中国化的实践起点。一个理论起点，一个实践起点，共同承担着马克思主义中国化的历史起点。中国共产党的创建正是这种理论和实践相互交织、共同推动的结果，因而中国共产党的成立又构成了马克思主义中国化的历史起点。

The Party’s founding opening the historical prelude to adapting Marxism to the Chinese context has historical inevitability. First, regarding the social-historical conditions for “adaptation,” during the May Fourth Movement period, the formation and development of the Chinese working class and the victory of the Russian October Revolution constituted the “internal and external causes” of the occurrence of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. At the same time, Marxism, with its fundamental value pursuit of human freedom and comprehensive development, met the urgent desire of the Chinese people in a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society for freedom and liberation. Second, regarding the subjective conditions for “adaptation,” the founding of the Communist Party of China was the result of early communist intellectual groups believing in and studying Marxism, and attempting to use Marxism to resolve the various contradictions facing China. The Party’s founding gave adapting Marxism to the Chinese context a clearer theoretical subject and practical subject. For this reason, Mao Zedong pointed out in May 1941 in his article “Reform Our Study”: “The twenty years of the Communist Party of China have been twenty years of the increasingly close integration of the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution.” [11]11 The Second National Congress of the CPC (July 1922) formally adopted the Party’s minimum program, which called for anti-imperialist and anti-feudal democratic revolution, distinct from the maximum program of socialist revolution. Later, this thesis became the collective consciousness of the entire Party. The “Resolution on Certain Historical Questions” adopted at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Party in 1945 declared: “Since its founding in 1921, the Communist Party of China has taken the integration of the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution as the guideline for all its work.” [12]12 *The Review of the Times* (Wanguo Gongbao) was a missionary-run periodical in late Qing China that introduced Western ideas, including early references to socialism. In the new century, Comrade Hu Jintao reiterated this important thesis. At the meeting commemorating the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, he stated that the 85 years of the Communist Party of China have been 85 years of integrating the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific realities and continuously advancing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context. Clearly, our Party has consistently maintained that the Party’s founding opened the historical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

党的成立拉开马克思主义中国化的历史序幕具有历史的必然性。首先，就“化”的社会历史条件而言，五四运动时期，中国工人阶级的形成、发展和俄国十月革命的胜利构成了马克思主义中国化发生的“内外因”。与此同时，以人的自由与全面发展为根本价值追求的马克思主义满足了处于半殖民地半封建社会的中国人民对自由与解放的迫切愿望。其次，从“化”的主体条件来看，中国共产党的成立是早期共产主义知识分子群体信仰、学习马克思主义，并试图用马克思主义来解决中国面临的各种矛盾的结果。党的成立使得马克思主义中国化有了更加明确的理论主体和实践主体。为此，毛泽东1945年5月在《改造我们的学习》一文中指出：“中国共产党的二十年，就是马克思列宁主义的普遍真理和中国革命的具体实践日益结合的二十年。”〔11〕后来，这一论断成为全党的集体意识，1945年党的六届七中全会通过的《关于若干历史问题的决议》声明：“中国共产党自一九二一年成立以来，就以马克思列宁主义的普遍真理和中国革命的具体实践相结合为自己一切工作的指针。”〔12〕新世纪胡锦涛同志重申了这一重要论断，在纪念中国共产党成立85周年大会上讲到，中国共产党的85年，就是马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、不断推进马克思主义中国化的85年。显然，我们党一贯坚持认为，党的成立开启了马克思主义中国化的历史进程。

(5) The Second National Congress of the CPC is the theoretical innovation starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context

(五)中共二大是马克思主义中国化的理论创新起点

Theoretical innovation in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is a new development within the theoretical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. It is the process by which the Communist Party of China creatively applies Marxism to solve China’s practical problems, forming a Marxist theory that suits China’s reality and possesses Chinese characteristics. It belongs to the creative process of Chinese Marxist theory.

马克思主义中国化的理论创新是马克思主义中国化理论进程中的一个新发展，是中国共产党创造性地应用马克思主义解决中国实际问题中形成切合中国实际、具有中国特色的马克思主义理论的过程，属于中国化马克思主义理论的创造过程。

Adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is not accomplished overnight, but is a long-term dynamic historical development process. Although the Communist Party of China has embarked on the great journey of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context since its founding, it was not until the opening up of the Jinggangshan road [9]9 The Jinggangshan road refers to the revolutionary path of establishing rural base areas, encircling cities from the countryside, and seizing state power by armed force, pioneered by Mao Zedong and the CPC in the Jinggangshan Mountains in the late 1920s. that Marxism was generally integrated with China’s actual conditions, and the Jinggangshan road can be regarded as the opening chapter of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. Comrade Hu Jintao emphasized during the 42nd collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on July 26, 2007, that the Nanchang Uprising [10]10 The Nanchang Uprising (August 1, 1927) was an armed revolt led by the CPC against the Kuomintang, marking the beginning of the Party’s independent leadership of revolutionary armed struggle. and the establishment of the Jinggangshan revolutionary base area were the great opening chapter in which the Communist Party of China combined the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution, thereby creating a Sinicized Marxism. On the basis of a series of theoretical innovations during the Jinggangshan struggle period, the Chinese Communists with Mao Zedong at their core continued to combine the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution, creating a revolutionary road theory with Chinese characteristics — the theory of the Jinggangshan road, i.e., “encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing state power by armed force.” As the Chinese revolution advanced forward, this ultimately formed a theoretical system that systematically expounded the object, task, motive force, nature, and prospects of the Chinese revolution — the theory of new-democratic revolution. The process of the germination, formation, development, and perfection of the theory of new-democratic revolution is precisely the process of theoretical innovation in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, that is, the process of the continuous enrichment and development of Sinicized Marxism. Its starting point coincides with the starting point of theoretical innovation in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the starting point of Sinicized Marxism, both originating from the minimum program that conformed to China’s actual conditions proposed at the Second National Congress of the CPC. [11]11 The Second National Congress of the CPC (July 1922) formally adopted the Party’s minimum program, which called for anti-imperialist and anti-feudal democratic revolution, distinct from the maximum program of socialist revolution. The resolution of the Second National Congress of the CPC emphasized that “to achieve the revolutionary goal of opposing imperialism and warlords, it is necessary to form a ‘democratic united front’” [13]13 *Xinmin Congbao* (The New Citizen Journal) was a reformist newspaper founded by Liang Qichao in Japan, which discussed various Western political and social theories.; within this united front, “the basic motive forces of the revolution are the working class, the peasantry, and the petty bourgeoisie. The national bourgeoisie, oppressed by imperialism and the feudal forces of the warlords, is also one of the revolutionary forces” [14]14 The Second National Congress of the CPC was held in Shanghai in July 1922; it formulated the first complete Party program and formally decided to join the Communist International.. At the same time, it stipulated the tasks for the current stage from three aspects: first, eliminate internal strife, overthrow warlords, and build domestic peace. Second, overthrow the oppression of imperialism and achieve the complete independence of the Chinese nation. Third, unify China proper into a genuine democratic republic. [15]15 The Autumn Harvest Uprising was an armed insurrection led by Mao Zedong in Hunan and Jiangxi provinces in September 1927, a key event in the CPC's shift to rural revolution. The Second National Congress of the CPC creatively combined Marxism with China’s actual conditions, constituting the starting point of the theory of new-democratic revolution, forming the starting point of Sinicized Marxism, and marking a breakthrough achievement in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. It can be said that “the Second National Congress of the CPC, for the first time, accurately analyzed China’s actual conditions, combined theory with China’s actual conditions, and produced the first revolutionary program that fit China’s actual conditions, belonging to the starting point of theoretical innovation in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context” [16]16 The Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base Area was the first rural revolutionary base established by the CPC in the Jinggang Mountains in 1927-1928, marking the beginning of the "encircling the cities from the countryside" strategy..

马克思主义中国化不是一蹴而就的，而是一个长期动态的历史发展过程。虽然中国共产党创建以来就开启了马克思主义中国化的伟大历程，但直到井冈山道路的开辟才从总体上把马克思主义与中国实际结合起来，井冈山道路也堪称是马克思主义中国化的开篇之作。胡锦涛同志在2007年7月26日中共中央政治局第四十二次集体学习时强调，南昌起义与井冈山革命根据地的创建，是中国共产党把马克思主义普遍真理与中国革命具体实践相结合，进而创立中国化的马克思主义的伟大开篇。以毛泽东为核心的中国共产党人在井冈山斗争时期的一系列理论创新的基础之上继续把马克思列宁主义基本原理与中国革命的具体实践结合起来，创立了具有中国特色的革命道路理论——“农村包围城市、武装夺取政权”即井冈山道路理论，随着中国革命向前发展，最终形成了系统阐述中国革命的对象、任务、动力、性质、前途的理论体系——新民主主义革命理论。新民主主义革命理论的萌芽、形成、发展与完善的过程就是马克思主义中国化理论创新过程，也即中国化马克思主义不断丰富和发展的过程，其起点与马克思主义中国化的理论创新起点和中国化马克思主义起点是叠合的，都源于中共二大提出的符合中国实际的最低纲领。中共二大会议强调，“为了实现反帝反军阀的革命目标，必须组成‘民主主义的联合战线’”〔13〕，在这一联合战线中，“革命的基本动力是工人阶级、农民和小资产阶级。民族资产阶级因受帝国主义和军阀封建势力的压迫，也是革命的力量之一”〔14〕。同时，从三个方面规定了现阶段的任务：第一，消除内乱，打倒军阀，建设国内和平。第二，推翻帝国主义的压迫，达到中华民族的完全独立。第三，统一中国本部为真正的民主共和国。〔15〕中共二大创造性地把马克思主义与中国实际有机结合起来，是新民主主义革命理论的起点，构成了中国化马克思主义的起点，标志着马克思主义中国化取得了突破性成果。可以说，“中共二大第一次准确分析了中国的实际，将理论和中国实际结合，产生了第一个切合中国实际的革命纲领，属于马克思主义中国化理论创新的起点”〔16〕。

III. An Evaluation of Several Popular Views in Academic Circles

三、对学界几种流行观点的评析

Academic circles have conducted discussions around the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, preliminarily forming the following several views. Based on the rich connotations of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, we have provided a brief evaluation of the following views, hoping to further promote in-depth exploration of related theoretical issues in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

学界围绕着马克思主义中国化的历史起点进行了探讨，初步形成了以下几种观点。我们根据马克思主义中国化的丰富内涵，对以下几种观点进行了简要述评，以期进一步推动马克思主义中国化相关理论问题的深入探讨。

The first view holds that the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context should be calculated from the time Marxism was introduced into China. He Yicheng believes that adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, as a practical process, can be said to have begun when Marxism was introduced into China. [17]17 "Oppose Book Worship" (反对本本主义) is a 1930 essay by Mao Zedong criticizing dogmatic reliance on texts and advocating investigation and practice. Ye Xianming believes that the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is the process of the dissemination and development of Marxism in China. [18]18 The May Fourth Movement was a 1919 anti-imperialist, anti-feudal protest by Chinese students and intellectuals that spurred the spread of Marxism in China. As is well known, the groups that undertook the earliest dissemination of Marxism in China mainly came from three categories. First were Western missionaries. Clearly, in February 1899, an article published in *The Review of the Times* [12]12 *The Review of the Times* (Wanguo Gongbao) was a missionary-run periodical in late Qing China that introduced Western ideas, including early references to socialism., founded by the British in Shanghai, mentioned the names of Marx and Engels for the first time. Second were Chinese anarchists and bourgeois revolutionaries. From 1902 onward, bourgeois reformist figure Liang Qichao successively published some articles in *Xinmin Congbao* [13]13 *Xinmin Congbao* (The New Citizen Journal) was a reformist newspaper founded by Liang Qichao in Japan, which discussed various Western political and social theories., providing a preliminary introduction to Marx’s theory. Some figures from the bourgeois revolutionary faction (mainly Zhu Zhixin, Ma Junwu, Sun Yat-sen, Song Jiaoren, Dai Jitao, etc.) also introduced Marx’s theory to varying degrees. Regarding this, Mao Zedong once said: “Zhu Zhixin was a member of the Kuomintang; from this perspective, it was actually the Kuomintang that talked about Marxism first.” [19] “Talking about Marxism” is not equivalent to “believing in Marxism,” let alone “using Marxism to think about and solve China’s practical problems.” Based on the social and historical conditions of the time, to a large extent, their understanding of Marxism remained merely at the level of academic thought, without engaging in deep theoretical reflection and systematic research on the nature of Marxism itself and its immense value in transforming the world, nor did they take Marxism as the guiding ideology for the Chinese revolution and combine it with the revolutionary practice of transforming China. Therefore, Marxism in its initial entry into China did not yet possess the characteristic of the interweaving of theory and practice inherent in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

第一种观点认为，马克思主义中国化历史起点应该从马克思主义传入中国时算起。何一成认为，马克思主义中国化作为一个实践过程，可以说从马克思传入中国时就开始了。〔17〕叶险明认为，马克思主义中国化的过程就是马克思主义在中国的传播和发展过程。〔18〕众所周知，承担马克思主义最早在中国传播任务的人群主要来自三类。首先是西方传教士。很明显的就是，1899年2月英国人在上海创办的《万国公报》发表的一篇文章中第一次提到了马克思和恩格斯的名字。其次就是中国的无政府主义者和资产阶级革命家。自1902年起，资产阶级维新派人士梁启超在《新民丛报》上陆续发表了一些文章，对马克思的学说进行了初步介绍。资产阶级革命派的一些人物(主要是朱执信、马君武、孙中山、宋教仁、戴季陶等)对马克思的学说也进行了不同程度的介绍。对此，毛泽东曾经讲过：“朱执信是国民党员，这样看来，讲马克思主义倒还是国民党在先。”〔19〕“讲马克思主义”不等于“信仰马克思主义”，更不等于“用马克思主义来思考和解决中国的实际问题”。基于当时的社会历史条件，很大程度上，他们对马克思主义的认知仅仅停留在学术思想层面，没有对马克思主义本身的性质及其改造世界的巨大价值做深度的理论反思和系统研究，更没有把马克思主义当作中国革命的指导思想，并与改造中国的革命实践结合起来。因此，初入中国的马克思主义还不具备马克思主义中国化所包含的理论与实践相交织的特性。

The second view holds that the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context should be calculated from the Russian October Revolution. The main representative holding this view is Qiu Jianguan. He believes that the historical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context began with the dissemination and development of Marxism in China after the Russian October Revolution in 1917. [20] Undeniably, the Russian October Revolution accelerated the dissemination of Marxism in China, served as a demonstration effect for the founding of the Communist Party of China, marked the establishment of Marxist belief in China, and constituted a watershed in the introduction, dissemination, and final establishment of belief in Marxism in China. This can be regarded as the beginning of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context at the theoretical level.

第二种观点认为，马克思主义中国化历史起点应该从俄国十月革命算起。持这种观点的主要代表是邱建观。他认为，马克思主义中国化的历史过程开始于1917年俄国十月革命之后在中国的传播和发展。〔20〕不可否认，俄国十月革命加速了马克思主义在中国的传播，为中国共产党的成立起到示范效应，标志着马克思主义信仰在中国的确立，构成了马克思主义在中国传入、传播与信仰最终确立的分水岭。这可以看作是理论层面的马克思主义中国化开端。

The third view holds that the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context should be the formation of a group of communist intellectuals around 1920. Zhang Yuanxin and Zhang Zhengguang, who hold this view, take elements such as “the subject of adaptation,” “the object of adaptation,” “the purpose of adaptation,” “the path of adaptation,” and “the social and historical conditions of adaptation” to regard the formation of a group of communist intellectuals around 1920 as the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. [21] Zhang Shifei also, using the “level of understanding” and “actual contribution” of “adaptation” as criteria, believes that the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context began with the formation of a group of communist intellectuals around 1920. [22] Undeniably, the group of communist intellectuals in 1920 provided organizational and cadre conditions for the founding of the Communist Party of China and made positive contributions to the generation of the subject of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. However, this view confuses the historical starting point with the logical starting point. Engels emphasized that the unity of logic and history does not mean that logic and history can be completely identical. On the contrary, because historical development has leaps and twists, logic and history can only be roughly unified, and cannot be absolutely and completely unified. Furthermore, the logical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is not a specific historical event; it refers to the deepening of the Marxist theoretical system by the subject of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context in the process of practicing Marxism, requiring a dynamic analysis of the logical starting point. It can be said that its logical starting point is a process in which the theoretical self-awareness in the subject’s thinking continuously strengthens with the development of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

第三种观点认为，马克思主义中国化历史起点应该是1920年前后共产主义知识分子群体的形成。持这种观点的张远新、张正光从“化的主体”、“化的对象”、“化的目的”、“化的途径”、“化的社会历史条件”等要件来把1920年前后共产主义知识分子群体的形成看作是马克思主义中国化的历史起点。〔21〕张世飞也以“化”的“认识水平”和“实际贡献”为判定标准认为，马克思主义中国化的历史起点起始于1920年前后共产主义知识分子群体的形成。〔22〕不可否认，1920年共产主义知识分子群体为中国共产党的成立提供了一个组织和干部上的条件，为马克思主义中国化主体的生成做出了积极贡献。但这种观点把历史起点与逻辑起点相混淆。恩格斯强调的逻辑与历史的统一性并不是指逻辑与历史能够完全一致。恰好相反，由于历史发展具有跳跃性和曲折性，逻辑与历史只能够是大体统一，不可能绝对地完全统一。另外，马克思主义中国化的逻辑起点不是具体的某一个历史事件，它是指马克思主义中国化的主体在实践马克思主义的过程中，对马克思主义理论体系的深化，需要对逻辑起点做动态分析。可以说，其逻辑起点是不断随着马克思主义中国化的发展在其主体思维中的理论自觉不断增强的一个过程。

The fourth view holds that the Second National Congress of the CPC [14]14 The Second National Congress of the CPC was held in Shanghai in July 1922; it formulated the first complete Party program and formally decided to join the Communist International. is the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. Ma Yiyu believes that the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is the Second National Congress of the CPC. [23] In this regard, He Zhaoxia and Li Liang have further demonstrated this view. [24] This view recognizes the breakthrough nature of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. However, it underestimates the contributions of earlier Chinese Marxists to adapting Marxism to the Chinese context in terms of theoretical preparation, practical foundation, and subject formation, and fails to see that there is a time lag between adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and Chinese-path Marxism. The author believes that the Second National Congress of the CPC is a theoretical achievement in the historical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, creating a Marxism that conforms to China's actual conditions. It is a creative application of Marxism by the CPC and can be regarded as the theoretical innovation starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, constituting the starting point of Chinese-path Marxism.

第四种观点认为，中共二大是马克思主义中国化的历史起点。马乙玉认为，马克思主义中国化的历史起点是中共二大。〔23〕对此，贺朝霞、李亮也进一步证明了这一观点。〔24〕这种观点看到了马克思主义中国化的突破性。但却低估了前期中国的马克思主义者对马克思主义中国化在理论准备、实践基础、主体形成等方面的贡献，没有看到马克思主义中国化与中国化马克思主义之间存在一个时间差。笔者认为，中共二大是马克思主义中国化历史进程上的理论成果，创造了符合中国实际的马克思主义，是中国共产党对马克思主义的创造性应用，可以看作是马克思主义中国化的理论创新起点，构成了中国化马克思主义的起点。

Apart from the above popular views, in response to the significant divergence in the academic community on the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, Xu Guangshou believes that the starting point of the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context should be constituted by the organic combination of theory and practice. The practice of the Autumn Harvest Uprising [15]15 The Autumn Harvest Uprising was an armed insurrection led by Mao Zedong in Hunan and Jiangxi provinces in September 1927, a key event in the CPC's shift to rural revolution. and the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base Area [16]16 The Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base Area was the first rural revolutionary base established by the CPC in the Jinggang Mountains in 1927-1928, marking the beginning of the "encircling the cities from the countryside" strategy., together with the publication of a series of important documents represented by "Oppose Book Worship" [17]17 "Oppose Book Worship" (反对本本主义) is a 1930 essay by Mao Zedong criticizing dogmatic reliance on texts and advocating investigation and practice. and the elaboration of major theories between 1928 and 1929, opened the historical prelude to adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. [25] This view fully affirms the status of the Autumn Harvest Uprising and the establishment of the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base Area, as well as a series of major theoretical achievements represented by "Oppose Book Worship," in the historical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. However, taking them as the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is also open to discussion. The Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base Area was pioneered by the CPC on the basis of preliminary exploration of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and is an innovative practical achievement of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. This view fully reveals the dual dimensions of theory and practice in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, but it fails to see that the theoretical development process of Chinese-path Marxism requires the groundwork of the theory and practice of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, and fails to see the long-term and arduous nature of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context as a historical process. Mao Zedong once emphasized: "On the issue of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, it cannot be said that Marxism has already been adapted to the Chinese context. Marxism is a universal thing, and China has special circumstances; it cannot be fully adapted to the Chinese context all at once."

除上述流行观点之外，针对学界在马克思主义中国化历史起点问题上存在的较大分歧，徐光寿认为，马克思主义中国化历程的起点应该由理论与实践两个方面的有机结合构成，秋收起义、井冈山革命根据地的实践连同1928－1929年间以《反对本本主义》为代表的一系列重要文献的发表和重大理论的阐述相结合拉开了马克思主义中国化的历史序幕。〔25〕这种观点充分肯定了秋收起义和井冈山革命根据地的创建以及以《反对本本主义》为代表的一系列重大理论成果在马克思主义中国化历史进程中的地位。但把它们作为马克思主义中国化的历史起点，也是值得商榷的。井冈山革命根据地是中国共产党在马克思主义中国化初步探索的基础上开创的，是马克思主义中国化的创新实践成果。这种观点充分揭示了马克思主义中国化理论与实践的双重维度，但没有看到作为中国化马克思主义这一理论发展过程是需要有马克思主义中国化理论与实践为铺垫，没有看到马克思主义中国化作为一个历史过程的长期性与艰巨性。毛泽东曾经强调：“马克思主义中国化问题，不能说马克思主义早已中国化了。马克思主义是普遍的东西，中国有特殊情况，不能一下子就完全中国化。”

[26] This profoundly reveals that adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is a long and complex historical process. In summary, this view confuses "the great beginning of creating Chinese-path Marxism" with "the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context," which essentially reflects a lack of accurate grasp of the profound connotations and logical relationship between "adapting Marxism to the Chinese context" and "Chinese-path Marxism."

〔26〕这深刻揭示了马克思主义中国化是一个长期复杂的历史过程。归结起来，该观点把“创立中国化的马克思主义的伟大开篇”与“马克思主义中国化的历史起点”相混淆，实质上是对“马克思主义中国化”与“中国化马克思主义”的深刻内涵和逻辑关系缺乏准确把握。

Additionally, Liu Lühong argues that Li Dazhao's statements first described the essence of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and should become the logical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. The combination of Marxist theory with China's actual conditions was first embodied in practice in the establishment of Communist groups, which belongs to the practical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. The Second National Congress of the CPC, for the first time, combined theory with China's actual conditions, producing the first revolutionary program that suited China's actual conditions, which belongs to the theoretical innovation starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. [27] A multi-dimensional interpretation of the starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context expands the understanding of its rich connotations. The view on its theoretical innovation starting point is very insightful, but the discussion on its logical starting point and theoretical starting point needs to be deepened. At the same time, the definition of the historical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context also needs to be elaborated. The logical starting point of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context originates from the idea of nationalization in classical Marxism. During the May Fourth Movement period [18]18 The May Fourth Movement was a 1919 anti-imperialist, anti-feudal protest by Chinese students and intellectuals that spurred the spread of Marxism in China., the "discourse" represented by Li Dazhao and the subsequent establishment of Communist groups in various places intertwined, jointly promoting the difficult start of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, ultimately giving birth to the founding of the CPC, thereby opening the historical process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

另外，刘吕红认为李大钊的言论第一次描述了马克思主义中国化的本质，应该成为马克思主义中国化的逻辑起点。马克思主义理论与中国实际的结合在实践上第一次体现为共产主义小组的建立，属于马克思主义中国化的实践起点。中共二大第一次将理论和中国实际结合，产生了第一个切合中国实际的革命纲领，属于马克思主义中国化理论创新的起点。〔27〕对于马克思主义中国化起点的多维解读，扩充了对马克思主义中国化丰富内涵的理解，对其理论创新起点的看法是很有创建的，但认为其逻辑起点与理论起点的探讨有待深化，与此同时，对马克思主义中国化历史起点的界定也有待阐述。马克思主义中国化的逻辑起点源于经典马克思主义的民族化思想，五四运动时期以李大钊为代表的“言说”与随后各地共产主义小组的建立互相交织，它们共同推动着马克思主义中国化的艰难起步，最终催生了中国共产党的成立，从而开启了马克思主义中国化的历史进程。

【References】

【参考文献】

[1]1 The May Fourth Movement (1919) was an anti-imperialist, anti-feudal political and cultural movement initiated by Chinese intellectuals and students, which is often seen as a watershed in modern Chinese history and a key moment for the spread of Marxism in China. Selected Works of Mao Zedong: Volume 2 [M]. Beijing: People's Publishing House, 1991. 534.

〔1〕毛泽东选集：第2卷〔M〕．北京：人民出版社，1991．534．

[2]2 The Second National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held in Shanghai in July 1922; it formulated the first comprehensive Party program and outlined the anti-imperialist and anti-feudal democratic revolutionary tasks. [11]11 The Second National Congress of the CPC (July 1922) formally adopted the Party’s minimum program, which called for anti-imperialist and anti-feudal democratic revolution, distinct from the maximum program of socialist revolution. [12]12 *The Review of the Times* (Wanguo Gongbao) was a missionary-run periodical in late Qing China that introduced Western ideas, including early references to socialism. Selected Works of Mao Zedong: Volume 3 [M]. Beijing: People's Publishing House, 1991. 813, 795, 952.

〔2〕〔11〕〔12〕毛泽东选集：第3卷〔M〕．北京：人民出版社，1991．813，795，952．

[3]3 The Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC was held in Yan'an in 1938; it was a key meeting during the War of Resistance Against Japan, where Mao Zedong's leadership was consolidated and the Sinification of Marxism was formally proposed. Complete Works of Marx and Engels: Volume 27 [M]. Beijing: People's Publishing House, 1972. 433.

〔3〕马克思恩格斯全集：第27卷〔M〕．北京：人民出版社，1972．433．

[4]4 The “May Fourth Period” refers to the era surrounding the May Fourth Movement of 1919, a pivotal anti-imperialist, anti-feudal cultural and political movement in modern China, during which Marxism began to be widely disseminated among Chinese intellectuals. [7]7 The Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee (1945) was a major Party meeting that adopted the resolution on historical questions and prepared for the Seventh National Congress. Complete Works of Marx and Engels: Volume 4 [M]. Beijing: People's Publishing House, 1995. 669, 742-743.

〔4〕〔7〕马克思恩格斯全集：第4卷〔M〕．北京：人民出版社，1995．669，742－743．

[5]5 The May Fourth period refers to the intellectual and political ferment in China around the May Fourth Movement of 1919, which is often seen as a key moment in the spread of Marxism in China. Selected Works of Marx and Engels: Volume 1 [M]. Beijing: People's Publishing House, 1995. 248.

〔5〕马克思恩格斯选集：第1卷〔M〕．北京：人民出版社，1995．248．

[6]6 The “Resolution on Certain Historical Questions” (1945) was an official Party document that summarized the Party’s history and established Mao Zedong’s leadership line as orthodox. Complete Works of Lenin: Volume 4 [M]. Beijing: People's Publishing House, 1984. 161.

〔6〕列宁全集：第4卷〔M〕．北京：人民出版社，1984．161．

[8]8 The Second National Congress of the CPC (1922) formally adopted the Party’s first constitution and outlined its anti-imperialist, anti-feudal program. Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping: Volume 1 [M]. Beijing: People's Publishing House, 1989. 258-259.

〔8〕邓小平文选：第1卷〔M〕．北京：人民出版社，1989．258－259．

[9]9 The Jinggangshan road refers to the revolutionary path of establishing rural base areas, encircling cities from the countryside, and seizing state power by armed force, pioneered by Mao Zedong and the CPC in the Jinggangshan Mountains in the late 1920s. [10]10 The Nanchang Uprising (August 1, 1927) was an armed revolt led by the CPC against the Kuomintang, marking the beginning of the Party’s independent leadership of revolutionary armed struggle. Collected Works of Li Dazhao: Volume 4 [M]. Beijing: People's Publishing House, 1999. 5, 376.

〔9〕〔10〕李大钊文集：第4卷〔M〕．北京：人民出版社，1999．5，376．

[13]13 *Xinmin Congbao* (The New Citizen Journal) was a reformist newspaper founded by Liang Qichao in Japan, which discussed various Western political and social theories. Hu Sheng. The Seventy Years of the Communist Party of China [M]. Beijing: Party History Publishing House of the CPC, 1991. 35.

〔13〕胡绳．中国共产党的七十年〔M〕．北京：中共党史出版社，1991．35．

[14]14 The Second National Congress of the CPC was held in Shanghai in July 1922; it formulated the first complete Party program and formally decided to join the Communist International. Reference Materials Office of the Party History Teaching and Research Section of the Central Party School of the CPC. Collection of Important Meetings in the History of the Communist Party of China [C]. Shanghai: Shanghai People's Publishing House, 1982. 13.

〔14〕中共中央党校党史教研室资料室．中国共产党历次重要会议集〔C〕．上海：上海人民出版社，1982．13．

[15]15 The Autumn Harvest Uprising was an armed insurrection led by Mao Zedong in Hunan and Jiangxi provinces in September 1927, a key event in the CPC's shift to rural revolution. Edited by the Central Archives. Selected Documents of the CPC Central Committee: Volume 1 [C]. Beijing: Central Party School Press of the CPC, 1989. 115.

〔15〕中央档案馆编．中共中央文献选集：第1册〔C〕．北京：中共中央党校出版社，1989．115．

[16]16 The Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base Area was the first rural revolutionary base established by the CPC in the Jinggang Mountains in 1927-1928, marking the beginning of the "encircling the cities from the countryside" strategy. [27] Liu Lühong, Zhang Yinghua. The Starting Point of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context: Cognitive Framework, Research Status, and Rational Judgment [J]. Journal of Sichuan Normal University, 2011, (4).

〔16〕〔27〕刘吕红，张英花．马克思主义中国化的起点：认识框架、研究现状、理性判断〔J〕．四川师范大学学报，2011，(4)．

[17]17 "Oppose Book Worship" (反对本本主义) is a 1930 essay by Mao Zedong criticizing dogmatic reliance on texts and advocating investigation and practice. He Yicheng. Monographic Study on Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context [Z]. Changsha: Hunan People's Publishing House, 2005. 2-3.

〔17〕何一成．马克思主义中国化专题研究〔Z〕．长沙：湖南人民出版社，2005．2－3．

[18]18 The May Fourth Movement was a 1919 anti-imperialist, anti-feudal protest by Chinese students and intellectuals that spurred the spread of Marxism in China. Ye Xianming. Two Issues in the Study of the History and Logic of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context [J]. Philosophical Research, 2001, (2).

〔18〕叶险明．关于马克思主义中国化的历史和逻辑研究中的两个问题〔J〕．哲学研究，2001，(2)．

[19] Collected Works of Mao Zedong: Volume 3 [M]. Beijing: People's Publishing House, 1996. 290.

〔19〕毛泽东文集：第3卷〔M〕．北京：人民出版社，1996．290．

[20] Qiu Jianguan. Introduction to Chinese-Path Marxism [M]. Wuhan: Wuhan University of Technology Press, 2004.

〔20〕邱建观．中国化马克思主义概论〔M〕．武汉：武汉理工大学出版社，2004．

[21] Zhang Yuanxin, Zhang Zhengguang. A New Exploration of the Logical Starting Point of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context [J]. Marxist Studies, 2008, (6).

〔21〕张远新，张正光．马克思主义中国化逻辑起点新探〔J〕．马克思主义研究，2008，(6)．

[22] Zhang Shifei. On the Historical Starting Point and Formation Criteria of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context — Also a Discussion with Zhang Yuanxin and Others [J]. Marxist Studies,

〔22〕张世飞．论马克思主义中国化的历史起点与形成标准———兼与张远新等商榷〔J〕．马克思主义研究，

2009, (8).

2009，(8)．

[23] Ma Yiyu. Theoretical Analysis of the Historical Starting Point of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context [J]. Journal of Nanhua University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), 2005, (6).

〔23〕马乙玉．马克思主义中国化的历史起点问题理论辨析〔J〕．南华大学学报(哲学社会科学版)，2005，(6)．

[24] He Zhaoxia, Li Liang. A Re-exploration of the Historical Starting Point of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context [J]. Jiangxi Social Sciences, 2010, (7).

〔24〕贺朝霞，李亮．马克思主义中国化历史起点再探讨〔J〕．江西社会科学，2010，(7)．

[25] Xu Guangshou. On the Starting Point of the Historical Process of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context — Also on the Criteria for Judging the Beginning of Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context [J]. Marxist Studies, 2011, (1).

〔25〕徐光寿．论马克思主义中国化历史进程的起点—兼论判断马克思主义中国化肇始的标准〔J〕．马克思主义研究，2011，(1)．

[26] Chronicle of Mao Zedong (1893-1949): Volume 2 [M]. Beijing: Central Party Literature Press, 1993. 149.

〔26〕毛泽东年谱(1893－1949)：中卷〔M〕．北京：中央文献出版社，1993．149．

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