Upholding Cultural Subjectivity and Building a Philosophy and Social Sciences System with Chinese Characteristics

Philosophy and social sciences are important tools for humanity to understand and transform the world, a vital intellectual force driving historical development and social progress, and moreover a resource pool for ideological construction. Their level of development reflects a nation’s thinking capacity, spiritual character, and civilizational quality. On May 17, 2016, at a symposium on philosophy and social sciences work, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that “every major leap forward in human society and every major development in human civilization are inseparable from the knowledge transformation and intellectual pioneering of philosophy and social sciences,” and that “this is an era that needs theory and is certain to produce theory, an era that needs thought and is certain to produce thought.” [1]1 The symposium on philosophy and social sciences work was held by the CPC Central Committee on May 17, 2016, to discuss the development of philosophy and social sciences in China. Without its own cultural subjectivity, and without a philosophy and social sciences system built on that cultural subjectivity, a country cannot achieve spiritual independence or intellectual maturity, nor can it grasp the discourse power and initiative in international exchanges and dialogue. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has continuously deepened its understanding of the laws governing the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics, advanced the construction of disciplinary, academic, and discourse systems, and provided important guidance for forming a philosophy and social sciences system with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese manner.

哲学社会科学是人类认识世界和改造世界的重要工具，是推动历史发展和社会进步的重要思想力量，更是意识形态建设的资源库，其发展水平反映了一个民族的思维能力、精神品格和文明素质。2016年5月17日，习近平总书记在哲学社会科学工作座谈会上强调，“人类社会每一次重大跃进，人类文明每一次重大发展，都离不开哲学社会科学的知识变革和思想先导”，“这是一个需要理论而且一定能够产生理论的时代，这是一个需要思想而且一定能够产生思想的时代”。没有自己的文化主体性，没有建立在这一文化主体性基础上的哲学社会科学体系，一个国家不可能实现精神上的独立、思想上的成熟，也无法在国际交流对话中掌握话语权和主动权。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央不断深化对中国特色社会主义建设规律的认识，推进学科体系、学术体系、话语体系建设，为形成具有中国特色、中国风格、中国气派的哲学社会科学体系提供了重要指导。

I. To build a philosophy and social sciences system with Chinese characteristics, it is necessary to take root in the fertile soil of fine traditional Chinese culture and manifest a cultural bearing of “taking ourselves as the principal.”

一、构建中国特色哲学社会科学，必须扎根中华优秀传统文化的沃土，彰显“以我为主”的文化气象。

The fine traditional Chinese culture, which has continued for several thousand years, is the deep foundation for the growth and development of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. Viewed from the history of human civilization, between 6000 BCE and 3000 BCE, the Eurasian continent successively gave birth to brilliant ancient civilizations. However, in the long historical development that followed, the Babylonian, ancient Egyptian, and ancient Indian civilizations all became interrupted; only Chinese civilization has continued to the present day. One important reason why Chinese civilization has been able to endure for several thousand years without interruption is that the Chinese nation possesses a profound cultural tradition. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC points out that fine traditional Chinese culture, with its long history and extensive profundity, is the crystallization of the wisdom of Chinese civilization. [2]2 The 20th National Congress of the CPC was held in October 2022, at which Xi Jinping delivered a report It contains such concepts as the world being shared by all, the people being the foundation of the state, governing with virtue, discarding the old and introducing the new, appointing people on their merits, the unity of heaven and humanity, unremitting self-improvement, embracing virtue with broad-mindedness, valuing good faith and harmony, and being kind and neighborly. These are important manifestations of the worldview, outlook on the world, social outlook, and moral outlook accumulated by the Chinese people in their long-term production and life, forming a distinctive system of thought and embodying the knowledge, wisdom, and rational discernment accumulated by the Chinese people over several thousand years.

绵延几千年的中华优秀传统文化，是中国特色哲学社会科学成长发展的深厚基础。从人类文明发展史来看，在公元前6000年到前3000年之间，亚欧大陆先后孕育出了辉煌灿烂的古代文明。但是，在此后漫长的历史发展过程中，古巴比伦文明、古埃及文明和古印度文明都中断了，只有中华文明一直延续到了今天。中华文明之所以能够绵延数千年而不绝，其中一个重要原因就在于中华民族有着深厚的文化传统。党的二十大报告指出，中华优秀传统文化源远流长、博大精深，是中华文明的智慧结晶，其中蕴含的天下为公、民为邦本、为政以德、革故鼎新、任人唯贤、天人合一、自强不息、厚德载物、讲信修睦、亲仁善邻等，是中国人民在长期生产生活中积累的宇宙观、天下观、社会观、道德观的重要体现，形成了富有特色的思想体系，体现了中国人几千年来积累的知识智慧和理性思辨。

As the gene pool of Chinese civilization, this profound cultural accumulation and system of thought subtly influence the thinking and behavior patterns of the Chinese people, profoundly shaping China’s cultural character. This has enabled Chinese civilization to overcome various difficulties and challenges in the long historical process, undergoing repeated rebirth like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Building a philosophy and social sciences system with Chinese characteristics requires both passing on the torch from generation to generation and keeping pace with the times through innovation. This demands that we emancipate our minds, adopt an attitude of “discarding the dross and selecting the essential” and “penetrating the surface to reach the core,” and strengthen the excavation and elucidation of fine traditional Chinese culture with as broad a vision as possible, so that the most basic cultural genes of the Chinese nation can adapt to contemporary culture and coordinate with modern society. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s statement that “the social pursuit of a world shared by all and valuing good faith and harmony resonates with the ideals of communism and socialism; the governance thought of the people being the foundation of the state and governing with virtue integrates with the political concept of putting the people first; the responsibility of discarding the old and introducing the new and unremitting self-improvement aligns with the revolutionary spirit of Communists” prominently embodies this characteristic of construction. [3]3 “Not forgetting the original, absorbing the foreign, and facing the future” (不忘本来、吸收外来、面向未来) is a formulation from the CPC’s cultural policy, emphasizing the preservation of Chinese tradition, openness to external influences, and forward-looking development. From the people-oriented principle to democracy, from the unity of the nine provinces to the Chinese national community, from the coexistence of all things to the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature, from enriching the people and enhancing welfare to common prosperity, this has not only achieved a leap from tradition to modernity but has also developed a new form of Chinese civilization, manifesting a cultural pattern and bearing of “taking ourselves as the principal.” At the same time, we must combine new technological means and new forms of expression to endow traditional culture with entirely new contemporary connotations, allowing its spiritual core to achieve integration and resonance with core socialist values and socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, thereby providing deeper impetus for the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture.

作为中华文明的基因库，这一深厚的文化积淀与思想体系潜移默化影响着中国人的思想方式和行为方式，深刻塑造了中国的文化品格，使得中华文明得以在漫长历史进程中克服种种困难挑战，一次次凤凰涅槃，获得新生。构建中国特色哲学社会科学，既需要薪火相传、代代守护，也需要与时俱进、推陈出新。这就要求我们解放思想，以“去粗取精”“由表及里”的态度，以尽可能宽广的视野加强对中华优秀传统文化的挖掘和阐发，使中华民族最基本的文化基因与当代文化相适应、与现代社会相协调。习近平总书记提出的“天下为公、讲信修睦的社会追求与共产主义、社会主义的理想信念相通，民为邦本、为政以德的治理思想与人民至上的政治观念相融，革故鼎新、自强不息的担当与共产党人的革命精神相合”，就突出体现了这一构建特点。从民本到民主，从九州共贯到中华民族共同体，从万物并育到人与自然和谐共生，从富民厚生到共同富裕，不仅实现了从传统到现代的跨越，更发展出了中华文明的崭新形态，彰显了“以我为主”的文化格局与气象。与此同时，我们还要结合新的技术手段以及新的表达形式，为传统文化赋予全新的时代内涵，让其精神内核与社会主义核心价值观、与中国特色社会主义文化产生融通与共鸣，从而为中华优秀传统文化的创造性转化和创新性发展提供更为深层的动力。

II. To build a philosophy and social sciences system with Chinese characteristics, it is necessary to base it on the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics and achieve spiritual independence and self-reliance.

二、构建中国特色哲学社会科学，必须立足中国特色社会主义的伟大实践，实现精神上的独立自主。

Since the 20th century, the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics led by the Communist Party of China has laid a solid practical foundation for contemporary China’s cultural confidence. The path of cultural development for socialism with Chinese characteristics is determined by the nature of the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, as well as the nature of the ruling party. Upholding the guiding role of Marxism, adhering to the socialist direction, and maintaining a people-centered stance are the essential characteristics of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. To build a philosophy and social sciences system with Chinese characteristics, it is necessary to base it on the great historical and contemporary practice of the Chinese nation, use Chinese principles to summarize Chinese experience, and elevate Chinese experience into Chinese theory, neither blindly following any dogma nor copying foreign theories, thereby achieving spiritual independence and self-reliance.

20世纪以来，中国共产党领导的中国特色社会主义伟大实践，为当代中国的文化自信奠定了坚实的现实基础。中国特色社会主义文化发展道路是由中国特色社会主义道路、理论、制度、文化和执政党的性质决定的。坚持马克思主义的指导地位、坚持社会主义方向、坚持人民中心立场，是中国特色社会主义文化的本质特征。构建中国特色哲学社会科学，必须立足中华民族的伟大历史实践和当代实践，用中国道理总结好中国经验，把中国经验提升为中国理论，既不盲从各种教条，也不照搬外国理论，实现精神上的独立自主。

The practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics provides an important foundation for theoretical construction and development, while the continuous improvement of theory, in turn, provides strong epistemological support for the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics at a deeper level. The great social transformation of contemporary China is not a simple continuation of the master copy of China’s historical culture, not a simple application of the template envisioned by classical Marxist writers, not a reprint of the socialist practice of other countries, and not a copy of the modernization development of foreign countries; it is impossible to find ready-made textbooks. [4] Especially since socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era, research in philosophy and social sciences cannot analyze the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics based on the theoretical systems of Western countries, cannot use discourse systems permeated with Western values to interpret Chinese experience, and must instead use China’s own philosophy and social sciences system to clearly explain the Chinese path. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we are excavating new materials, discovering new problems, proposing new viewpoints, and constructing new theories from the practical experience of China’s reform and development, strengthening the systematic summary of practical experience in reform and opening up and socialist modernization, enhancing analytical research in areas such as the development of a socialist market economy, socialist democratic politics, advanced culture, a harmonious society, and ecological civilization, as well as the construction of the Party’s governance capacity, and intensifying the research and interpretation of the new concepts, new thoughts, and new strategies of the Party Central Committee’s governance, thereby refining a series of innovative theories rich in academic rationality and inspiration.

中国特色社会主义实践为理论建构和发展提供了重要基础，而理论的不断完善也在更深层次上为中国特色社会主义实践提供了强大的认识论支撑。当代中国的伟大社会变革，不是简单延续我国历史文化的母版，不是简单套用马克思主义经典作家设想的模板，不是对其他国家社会主义实践的再版，也不是对国外现代化发展的翻版，不可能找到现成的教科书。尤其是中国特色社会主义进入新时代，哲学社会科学研究不能根据西方国家的理论体系来分析中国特色社会主义道路，不能用渗透西方价值观的话语体系来诠释中国经验，而必须用中国自己的哲学社会科学体系来讲清楚中国道路。在习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的指引下，我们正在从我国改革发展的实践中挖掘新材料、发现新问题、提出新观点、构建新理论，加强对改革开放和社会主义现代化建设实践经验的系统总结，加强对发展社会主义市场经济、民主政治、先进文化、和谐社会、生态文明以及党的执政能力建设等领域的分析研究，加强对党中央治国理政新理念、新思想、新战略的研究阐释，提炼出了一系列富有学理性和启发性的创新理论。

At the level of economic form, we have continuously explored the establishment of a socialist market economy system, dialectically resolved the relationship between market resource allocation and a proactive government, and achieved rapid and stable development of the national economy. At the level of political system, through the system of people’s congresses and the system of political consultation, we have explored “whole-process people’s democracy,” effectively ensuring the orderly political participation of the people and truly realizing that “the people are the masters of the country.” At the level of development philosophy, focusing on the global resource dilemma and based on adhering to the Marxist view of nature, we have creatively proposed a socialist ecological civilization. These practical explorations and theoretical innovations are neither a mechanical imitation of traditional socialist models nor a copy of Western modernization models; rather, they are a profound elucidation of the theoretical logic, institutional causes, and path choices behind them, based on the great historical practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the future, we must continue to focus on the major issues facing China’s development and strive to propose concepts, propositions, and plans that embody China’s stance, China’s wisdom, and China’s value.

在经济形式层面，我们不断探索建立社会主义市场经济体制，辩证地解决了市场资源配置与有为政府之间的关系，实现了国民经济的高速稳定发展；在政治制度层面，我们通过人民代表大会制度与政治协商制度，探索“全过程人民民主”，有力保障了人民的有序政治参与，真正实现了“人民当家作主”；在发展理念层面，我们着眼全人类的资源困境，在坚守马克思主义自然观的基础上，创造性提出了社会主义生态文明，这些实践探索与理论创新既不是对传统社会主义模式的机械模仿，也不是对西方现代化模式的照抄照搬，而是立足中国特色社会主义的伟大历史实践，对其背后的理论逻辑、制度成因和道路选择的深刻阐发。未来，我们还要继续围绕我国发展面临的重大问题，着力提出能够体现中国立场、中国智慧、中国价值的理念、主张、方案。

III. To build a philosophy and social sciences system with Chinese characteristics, it is necessary to face the prospect of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and enhance the communication power and influence of Chinese culture.

三、构建中国特色哲学社会科学，必须面向中华民族伟大复兴的前景，增强中华文化的传播力和影响力。

The bright prospect of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation means that the historical inevitability and advanced nature of the development path of socialism with Chinese characteristics have been confirmed, that socialism with Chinese characteristics has contributed Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to solving human problems, and that the cultural confidence of the Chinese people has truly been demonstrated. Firmly grasping the initiative in development in the era of globalization and ultimately realizing the dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the historical mission entrusted to the Communist Party of China by the times and the people. The realization of this great historical mission requires profound cultural support, which inevitably demands accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics.

中华民族伟大复兴的光辉前景，意味着中国特色社会主义发展道路的历史必然性、先进性得到了确证，意味着中国特色社会主义为解决人类问题贡献了中国智慧和中国方案，意味着中国人的文化自信真正得到了彰显。在全球化时代牢牢把握发展的主动权，最终实现中华民族伟大复兴的梦想，是时代和人民赋予中国共产党的历史使命。这一伟大历史使命的实现需要深厚的文化支撑，必然要求加快构建中国特色哲学社会科学。

At present, with China’s development and the elevation of its international status, the world both pays attention to China and needs to understand China. In this historical opportunity, building philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics must adhere to the principle of “not forgetting the original, absorbing the foreign, and facing the future,” [3]3 “Not forgetting the original, absorbing the foreign, and facing the future” (不忘本来、吸收外来、面向未来) is a formulation from the CPC’s cultural policy, emphasizing the preservation of Chinese tradition, openness to external influences, and forward-looking development. and focus on creating new concepts, new categories, and new expressions that integrate Chinese and foreign elements, continuously enhancing the dissemination and influence of Chinese culture, and striving to form an international discourse power commensurate with our comprehensive national strength and international status. On the one hand, we must broaden our academic horizons, base ourselves on the frontiers of international scholarship, continuously track and pay attention to various new ideas, new viewpoints, and new knowledge, and on the basis of in-depth understanding and analysis of the formation mechanisms and intrinsic essences of the philosophical and social science systems of various countries, fully absorb and draw upon the beneficial theoretical viewpoints and academic achievements created by humanity; deeply summarize and explain the development path and practical experience of socialism with Chinese characteristics, further improve and develop the category systems, conceptual systems, and theoretical frameworks of contemporary China’s core political, economic, social, and cultural concepts, and while breaking free from academic discourse dependence and standard control, dare to explain the principles and logic of the Chinese system and the Chinese path according to Chinese narratives; accelerate the construction of a knowledge system, disciplinary system, value system, and aesthetic system that reflects the development trends of world civilization, possesses Chinese cultural characteristics, and embodies the laws of theoretical development, enhancing the theoretical explanatory power and discourse influence of contemporary China’s external communication. On the other hand, we must seriously study the development and changes in the world situation, be adept at starting from the changing fates and daily lives of ordinary people, pay attention to enhancing object awareness and affinity, and improve the level and capability of external communication with a confident, peaceful, and inclusive attitude; we must also strengthen the research and innovation of political discourse translation, establish a tripartite working mechanism for the creation, translation, and dissemination of political discourse, truthfully introduce the “complex” China to the world, explain Chinese practice with Chinese discourse, summarize Chinese experience with Chinese principles, and elevate Chinese experience into Chinese theory. Only in this way can we break through the cultural hegemony of “Western-centrism,” take China’s actual conditions as the starting point, explain the Chinese path and interpret Chinese practice, firmly grasp the discourse power and interpretive power of China’s development and progress in our own hands, and truly achieve spiritual independence and autonomy.

当前，随着中国的发展和国际地位的提升，世界既关注中国，也需要了解中国。在这一历史契机下，构建中国特色哲学社会科学，必须坚持“不忘本来、吸收外来、面向未来”的原则，着力打造融通中外的新概念、新范畴、新表述，不断提高中华文化的传播力、影响力，努力形成同我国综合国力和国际地位相匹配的国际话语权。一方面，我们要打开学术视野，立足国际学术前沿，持续追踪关注各种新思想、新观点、新知识，在对世界各国哲学社会科学体系的形成机制及其内在本质进行深入理解和剖析的基础上，充分吸收借鉴人类创造的有益的理论观点和学术成果；深入总结和阐释中国特色社会主义的发展道路和实践经验，进一步完善和发展当代中国核心政治、经济、社会、文化理念的范畴体系、概念系统和理论架构，在打破学术话语依赖和标准控制的同时，敢于按照中国的叙事，把中国制度、中国道路的原理和逻辑讲清楚；加快构建反映世界文明发展趋势、具有中国文化特色、体现理论发展规律的知识体系、学科体系、价值体系和美学体系，提升当代中国对外传播的理论解释力和话语影响力。另一方面，我们要认真研究世界形势的发展变化，善于从普通民众的命运变化与日常生活入手，注意增强对象意识和亲和力，以自信、平和、包容的心态提升对外传播的水平和能力；还要加强政治话语翻译的研究和创新，建立政治话语的创建、翻译、传播三方沟通工作机制，实事求是地向世界介绍“复杂”的中国，用中国话语解释中国实践，用中国道理总结中国经验，把中国经验提升为中国理论。只有如此，我们才能突破“西方中心主义”的文化霸权，以中国实际为起点，阐释中国道路、解读中国实践，把中国发展进步的话语权、解释权牢牢掌握在自己手里，真正实现精神上的独立自主。

The construction of the philosophy and social sciences system with Chinese characteristics in the New Era needs to be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, uphold cultural subjectivity, and explain the ideological sources, theoretical sources, and institutional sources of China’s peaceful development and the changes unseen in a century within the roots of fine traditional Chinese culture; continuously reflect on, refine, and elevate Chinese experience in the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and elaborate on the historical significance of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the comparative advantages of the Chinese system from the perspective of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, providing intellectual resources and solutions for addressing the major problems facing humanity.

新时代中国特色哲学社会科学体系的构建，需要以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，坚持文化主体性，在中华优秀传统文化的根脉中，解释中国和平发展和百年变局的思想之源、理论之源和制度之源；在中国特色社会主义的伟大实践中不断反思、提炼、升华中国经验；在中华民族伟大复兴的视野中阐述中国特色社会主义道路的历史意义、中国制度的比较优势，为解决人类共同面对的重大问题提供思想资源和解决方案。

Online editor: Paul

网络编辑：保罗