Establishing a Correct View of Chinese National History

In September 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the National Conference on Commending Model Units for Ethnic Unity and Progress: “The Chinese nation is a great nation with a civilization history of over five thousand years. All ethnic groups of our country have jointly opened up the vast territory of the motherland, jointly created the unified multi-ethnic state, jointly written the brilliant history of China, jointly created the splendid Chinese culture, and jointly cultivated the great national spirit.” This important exposition is a theoretical interpretation of the scientific connotation of a correct view of Chinese national history, and a powerful ideological weapon for comprehensively understanding the general trend of the Chinese nation’s development and continuously strengthening historical confidence. Firmly establishing a correct view of Chinese national history is an inherent requirement for profoundly comprehending General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on strengthening and improving ethnic work, and is also an internal requirement for promoting Chinese-path modernization through the building of the Chinese national community.

2024年9月，习近平总书记在全国民族团结进步表彰大会上指出：“中华民族是有着五千多年文明史的伟大民族。我国各民族共同开拓了祖国的辽阔疆域，共同缔造了统一的多民族国家，共同书写了辉煌的中国历史，共同创造了灿烂的中华文化，共同培育了伟大的民族精神。”这一重要论述是对正确的中华民族历史观科学内涵的理论阐释，是全面认识中华民族发展大趋势、不断坚定历史自信的有力思想武器。牢固树立正确的中华民族历史观，是深刻领悟习近平总书记关于加强和改进民族工作的重要思想的应有之义，也是以中华民族共同体建设推进中国式现代化发展的内在要求。

I. Deeply Understanding the Rich Connotation and Far-Reaching Implications of the View of Chinese National History Based on the “Five Unities”

一、深刻领会以“五个共同”为基础的中华民族历史观的丰富内涵和深远意蕴

For over a hundred years, we have adhered to integrating Marxist ethnic theory with the concrete realities of China’s ethnic issues and with the fine traditional Chinese culture, creatively blazing a correct path for solving ethnic issues with Chinese characteristics. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [1]1 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in 2012, marking the beginning of Xi Jinping’s leadership and the start of the New Era., General Secretary Xi Jinping, on the basis of inheriting and carrying forward fine traditions, has responded to the changes of the times, focused on forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation and strengthening the building of the Chinese national community, put forward new practical requirements, and endowed the correct path for solving ethnic issues with Chinese characteristics with new contemporary connotations. The view of Chinese national history based on the “Five Unities” profoundly reveals the historical foundation of this correct path, scientifically answers the question of the times regarding where the Chinese nation came from and where it is going, and is an important achievement in advancing the construction of the theoretical system of the Chinese national community through the Two Integrations [2]2 The Two Integrations refer to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture..

一百多年来，我们坚持把马克思主义民族理论同中国民族问题具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，创造性地走出了一条中国特色解决民族问题的正确道路。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记在继承和发扬优良传统的基础上，顺应时代变化，聚焦铸牢中华民族共同体意识、加强中华民族共同体建设，提出了新的实践要求，为中国特色解决民族问题的正确道路赋予了新的时代内涵。以“五个共同”为基础的中华民族历史观，深刻揭示了这一正确道路的历史根基，科学回答了中华民族从哪里来、向哪里去的时代之问，是以“两个结合”推进中华民族共同体理论体系建设的重要成果。

It further enriches the connotation of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times in ethnic theory. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes that ethnic unity is the lifeline of the people of all ethnic groups in our country. The correct view of Chinese national history fully embodies the core essence of Marxist ethnic theory, namely adhering to the basic principles of ethnic equality, maintaining ethnic unity, and promoting common prosperity among all ethnic groups, greatly deepening our Party’s understanding of the laws governing ethnic issues and ethnic work. The correct view of Chinese national history creatively applies concepts from the fine traditional Chinese culture, such as “all under heaven as one family” and “harmonious coexistence,” to understanding and comprehending the generation and development process of the Chinese nation, centrally embodying the Two Integrations, especially the Second Integration [3]3 The Second Integration refers specifically to integrating Marxism with the fine traditional Chinese culture, as distinct from the first integration with China’s specific realities.. It not only upholds the theoretical origins of the classic Marxist writers and inherits the roots of the fine traditional Chinese culture, but also endows Marxist ethnic theory with new content and forms, continuously advancing with the times in practice, and opening up a new realm of adapting Marxist ethnic theory to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

进一步丰富了马克思主义民族理论的中国化时代化内涵。习近平总书记强调，民族团结是我国各族人民的生命线。正确的中华民族历史观充分体现了马克思主义民族理论的核心要义，即坚持民族平等、维护民族团结、促进各民族共同繁荣的基本原则，极大深化了我们党对民族问题和民族工作的规律性认识。正确的中华民族历史观，将中华优秀传统文化中的“天下一家”、“和合共生”等理念，创造性地运用于认识和理解中华民族的生成与发展过程中，集中体现了“两个结合”特别是“第二个结合”，既坚持了马克思主义经典作家的理论本源，继承了中华优秀传统文化的根脉，又赋予了马克思主义民族理论新的内容和形式，并在实践中不断与时俱进，开辟了马克思主义民族理论中国化时代化新境界。

It further consolidates the ideological foundation for forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation. Forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation means guiding people of all ethnic groups to firmly establish the community concept of sharing weal and woe, honor and disgrace, life and death, and destiny. It is the main line of the Party’s ethnic work in the New Era [4]4 The New Era refers to the period of socialism with Chinese characteristics under Xi Jinping’s leadership, beginning with the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012.. The correct view of Chinese national history systematically reveals how various ethnic groups have jointly struggled and developed together in the historical process, and shows how they have jointly built a homeland and created culture through practical interaction. This shared historical memory and cultural heritage are precisely the foundation for the generation and consolidation of the sense of community for the Chinese nation. On the new journey of the New Era, establishing a correct view of Chinese national history can reveal the internal logic of forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation at the theoretical level, thereby continuously consolidating the ideological foundation for forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation.

进一步夯实了铸牢中华民族共同体意识的思想基础。铸牢中华民族共同体意识，就是要引导各族人民牢固树立休戚与共、荣辱与共、生死与共、命运与共的共同体理念，是新时代党的民族工作的主线。正确的中华民族历史观系统揭示了各民族如何在历史进程中共同奋斗、共同发展，展现了各民族如何在实践互动中共建家园、共创文化。这种共同的历史记忆和文化传承正是中华民族共同体意识生成与巩固的基础。新时代新征程，树立正确的中华民族历史观能够在理论层面揭示铸牢中华民族共同体意识的内在逻辑，进而不断夯实铸牢中华民族共同体意识的思想基础。

It further deepens the understanding of the laws governing the development of ethnic groups themselves. The correct view of Chinese national history presents the history of various ethnic groups blending and converging into the pluralistic and integrated Chinese nation. It not only explains that the formation of the Chinese national community is an inevitable result of the historical development of the Chinese nation, but also fully confirms the possibility and feasibility of building a community with a shared future for mankind. Establishing a correct view of Chinese national history reflects the scientific thinking of Chinese Communists in grasping the historical orientation of building the Chinese national community from the strategic height of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the historical length of the evolution of Chinese civilization over five thousand years. It also embodies systematic thinking on the interrelationships between the Chinese national community and the modern transformation of Chinese civilization, and between the Chinese national community and a community with a shared future for mankind, providing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions in continuously deepening the understanding of the trends, experiences, and laws of ethnic development.

进一步深化了对民族自身发展规律的认识。正确的中华民族历史观，展现了各民族交融汇聚成多元一体中华民族的历史，不仅说明了中华民族共同体的形成是中华民族历史发展的必然结果，也充分印证了构建人类命运共同体的可能性与可行性。树立正确的中华民族历史观，既体现了中国共产党人从中华民族伟大复兴战略高度、中华文明五千多年演进历史长度，来把握建设中华民族共同体历史方位的科学思维，更体现了中华民族共同体与中华文明现代转型、中华民族共同体与人类命运共同体等相互关系的系统思考，在不断深化民族发展趋势、经验和规律认识中，提供中国智慧和中国方案。

II. Basic Principles and Methods for Establishing a Correct View of Chinese National History

二、树立正确中华民族历史观的基本原则和方法

Establishing a correct view of Chinese national history points the way for correctly understanding and grasping the origins and historical context of Chinese civilization, and the pluralistic and integrated nature of the Chinese nation and Chinese civilization. It has significant contemporary value and practical significance, and must follow corresponding principles and methods.

树立正确的中华民族历史观，为正确认识和把握中华文明起源与历史脉络、中华民族与中华文明的多元一体等指明了方向，具有十分重要的时代价值和实践意义，必须遵循相应的原则和方法。

Adhere to the scientific method of historical materialism. Historical materialism is our fundamental method for understanding and grasping history, and it is also the primary principle to be followed in establishing a correct view of Chinese national history. Adhere to using a developmental, interconnected, and comprehensive perspective to view the historical process of the Chinese nation moving from spontaneity to self-awareness, grasp its inherent characteristics with a grand historical view that connects the past, present, and future, and use an overall broad vision and framework to grasp the unity and continuity of historical China and contemporary China. This allows the rich process of the origin, development, and evolution of the Chinese nation to be displayed in a larger space of historical activity; grasp the content, form, and laws of the historical development of the Chinese nation over a larger time span, thereby better understanding that the Chinese national community formed by various ethnic groups in practice is the will of the people, the trend of the times, and a historical necessity.

坚持唯物史观的科学方法。唯物史观是我们认识把握历史的根本方法，也是我们树立正确的中华民族历史观需要遵循的首要原则。坚持用发展的、联系的、全面的观点来看待中华民族从自在走向自觉的历史过程，以贯通过去、现在和未来的大历史观来把握其内在特征，用整体的大视野、大格局来把握历史中国与现实中国的统一性和连续性，从而在更大的历史活动空间中展现中华民族源起、发展、演进的丰富历程；以更大的时间跨度来把握中华民族历史发展的内容、形式及其规律，进而更好地认识各民族在实践中所形成的中华民族共同体是人心所向、大势所趋和历史必然。

Uphold the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. A great nation creates a great culture, and a great culture nurtures a great nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Uphold the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, and carefully protect, promote, and develop the treasures of Chinese civilization left behind through the vicissitudes of history.” The cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation has a profound internal coupling with establishing a correct view of Chinese national history and forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation, interacting and supporting each other in the rich practice of promoting the modern transformation of Chinese civilization and building the Chinese national community. The correct view of Chinese national history dialectically analyzes relationships such as “tradition and modernity” and “culture and civilization,” emphasizing that the cultures of various ethnic groups have formed a pluralistic and integrated pattern of Chinese civilization through mutual learning and integration, endowing Chinese civilization with profound historical heritage through continuous interaction, exchange, and integration among ethnic groups, and promoting the life renewal and modern transformation of Chinese civilization. On the new journey of the New Era, we must always firmly maintain cultural confidence, nurture the sense of community for the Chinese nation with the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, and continuously consolidate the civilizational foundation of the view of Chinese national history based on the “Five Unities.”

坚守中华民族的文化主体性。伟大民族创造伟大文化，伟大文化滋养伟大民族。习近平总书记强调：“高扬中华民族的文化主体性，把历经沧桑留下的中华文明瑰宝呵护好、弘扬好、发展好。”中华民族的文化主体性与树立正确的中华民族历史观、铸牢中华民族共同体意识具有深刻的内在耦合性，在推动中华文明现代转型和建设中华民族共同体的丰富实践中相互作用、相互支撑。正确的中华民族历史观辩证分析了“传统与现代”、“文化与文明”等关系，强调各民族文化在互鉴交融中形成了多元一体的中华文明格局，在各民族持续交往交流交融中赋予中华文明深厚历史底蕴，推动了中华文明的生命更新和现代转型。新时代新征程，我们必须始终坚定文化自信，以中华民族的文化主体性涵养中华民族共同体意识，持续巩固以“五个共同”为基础的中华民族历史观的文明根基。

Firmly criticize erroneous views of history. For a period of time, some people, under the pretext of so-called academic research and theoretical innovation, have used means such as fragmenting history, distorting history, and fabricating history to put forward erroneous views on historical issues, which have a certain deceptive nature and great harm. We must recognize the harm of erroneous views of history, firmly establish a correct view of Chinese national history, guide the people of all ethnic groups in the country to accurately understand the development context of Chinese national history, and lay a solid ideological foundation and historical basis for forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation.

坚定批评错误历史观。一段时期以来，一些人以所谓学术研究、理论创新为由，通过肢解历史、歪曲历史、虚构历史等手段，提出了一些关于历史问题的错误观点，具有一定迷惑性与极大危害性。我们必须认清错误史观的危害，牢固树立正确的中华民族历史观，引导全国各族人民准确认识中华民族历史的发展脉络，为铸牢中华民族共同体意识奠定坚实的思想基础和历史依据。

III. Practical Paths for Establishing a Correct View of Chinese National History

三、树立正确中华民族历史观的实践路径

Establishing a correct view of Chinese national history is an important part of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thought on strengthening and improving ethnic work, centrally embodying the Marxist scientific worldview and methodology. It is necessary to connect history and reality, integrate theory and practice, continuously forge a sense of community for the Chinese nation, and provide powerful spiritual strength for advancing the building of the Chinese national community.

树立正确的中华民族历史观是习近平总书记关于加强和改进民族工作重要思想的重要内容，集中体现了马克思主义科学的世界观和方法论。必须贯通历史与现实、熔铸理论与实践，不断铸牢中华民族共同体意识，为推进中华民族共同体建设提供强大精神力量。

Strengthen historical research on the Chinese national community. Continue to advance the project of tracing the origins of Chinese civilization, deeply study and interpret the evolutionary path of the Chinese national community embedded in the origins of Chinese civilization and the historical changes in its pluralistic and integrated structure, comprehensively review the practical process of the Chinese national community moving from being in itself to being for itself, summarize its formation characteristics, patterns of change, and direction of progress, and continuously deepen historical understanding of major foundational issues concerning the Chinese national community. On this basis, persistently study the history of interactions, exchanges, and integration among all ethnic groups, deeply explore the rich historical facts of how ethnic groups merged into the larger Chinese national family, focus on researching the process by which all ethnic groups jointly developed the vast territory, deeply analyze the history of struggle in which all ethnic groups jointly created a unified multi-ethnic state, vividly present cases of all ethnic groups jointly writing a long history, vividly describe the experiences of all ethnic groups jointly creating splendid culture, and profoundly explain the threads by which all ethnic groups jointly cultivated a great spirit, thereby deepening the overall understanding and identification of all ethnic groups with the Chinese nation.

加强中华民族共同体的历史研究。继续推进中华文明探源工程，深入研究阐释中华文明起源所蕴含的中华民族共同体演变路径及其多元一体格局的历史变迁，全景式梳理中华民族共同体从自在到自觉的实践历程，总结概括其形成特点、变迁规律和前进方向，不断深化关于中华民族共同体重大基础性问题的历史认识。在此基础上，持续研究各民族交往交流交融史，深入探讨各民族交融汇聚成中华民族大家庭的丰富史实，集中研究各民族共同开拓辽阔疆域的过程，深入分析各民族共同缔造统一多民族国家的奋斗历史，鲜活呈现各民族共同书写悠久历史的案例，生动描述各民族共同创造灿烂文化的经历，深刻阐释各民族共同培育伟大精神的脉络，加深各民族对中华民族的整体认识和认同。

Actively build a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation. Take the establishment and improvement of the education and publicity mechanism for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation as a starting point, strengthen normalized and long-term construction, incorporate it into the national education and social education systems, deeply carry out education on ethnic unity and progress, promote the fruition of practical educational activities on the sense of community for the Chinese nation in ethnic regions, advance the Party’s innovative achievements in ethnic theory into the minds and hearts of the people, and continuously consolidate the ideological foundation of the Chinese national community. Comprehensively promote Chinese cultural identity, innovatively use rich carriers and new technological means for artistic performances, cultural exhibitions, literary creation, etc., adhere to the guidance of the core socialist values, and educate and guide people of all ethnic groups to firmly establish a correct view of the state, history, ethnicity, culture, and religion. At the same time, comprehensively promote and popularize the national common language and script, fully implement the use of nationally unified textbooks, use language connectivity to promote spiritual connectivity and shared destiny; establish and highlight cultural symbols and images of the Chinese nation shared by all ethnic groups, create a batch of cultural identifiers with high acceptance that fully absorb the achievements of modern civilization, inspire the enthusiasm of all Chinese sons and daughters for united struggle in establishing a correct view of Chinese national history, and promote the Chinese nation to become a community with a shared future that has higher recognition and stronger cohesion.

积极构筑中华民族共有精神家园。以建立健全铸牢中华民族共同体意识宣传教育体制机制为抓手，加强常态化长效化建设，将其纳入国民教育和社会教育体系之中，深入开展民族团结进步教育，促进中华民族共同体意识实践教育活动在民族地区开花结果，推动党的民族理论创新成果入脑入心，不断巩固中华民族共同体思想基础。全面推进中华文化认同，创新运用丰富载体、新技术手段等进行文艺展演、文博展陈、文学创作等，坚持以社会主义核心价值观为统领，教育引导各族群众牢固树立正确的国家观、历史观、民族观、文化观、宗教观。同时，全面推广普及国家通用语言文字，全面推行使用国家统编教材，以语言相通促进心灵相通、命运相通；树立和突出各民族共享的中华文化符号和中华民族形象，打造一批接受度高、充分吸收现代文明成果的文化标识，在树立正确的中华民族历史观中激发全体中华儿女共同团结奋斗的热情，推动中华民族成为认同度更高、凝聚力更强的命运共同体。

Visibly, tangibly, and effectively tell the story of the Chinese nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “We must tell the story of the Chinese nation well and vigorously promote the sense of community for the Chinese nation.” [5]5 Xi Jinping made this remark during the fifth study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th Central Committee on October 27, 2023. On the one hand, based on the great historical and contemporary practices of the Chinese nation, focus on the historical process of interactions, exchanges, and integration among all ethnic groups, prioritize telling the historical story of the Chinese Communist Party advancing the construction of the Chinese national community, especially the historic achievements in the construction of the Chinese national community since the New Era. Accelerate the construction of an all-media communication pattern, adopt methods that the masses are happy to see, and continuously enhance the appeal and influence of the story of the Chinese nation. On the other hand, tell the world the story of the development of the Chinese nation, continuously create new concepts, categories, expressions, and systems for ethnic issues that connect China and the world, actively build communication platforms and carriers for external dissemination, tell the world the development process of the Chinese Communist Party leading people of all ethnic groups to improve people’s well-being, and show the world the era’s features of the Chinese nation’s united struggle, inclusiveness, and peace.

有形有感有效讲好中华民族故事。习近平总书记强调，“要讲好中华民族故事，大力宣介中华民族共同体意识”。一方面，立足中华民族伟大历史实践和当代实践，聚焦各民族交往交流交融的历史进程，重点讲好中国共产党人推进中华民族共同体建设的历史故事，特别是新时代以来中华民族共同体建设取得的历史性成就。加快构建全媒体传播格局，采用群众喜闻乐见的方式，不断提升中华民族共同体故事的吸引力感召力。另一方面，向世界讲好中华民族发展故事，不断打造融通中外的民族议题新概念、新范畴、新表述、新体系，积极构建对外传播的交流平台和载体，向世界讲述中国共产党带领各族人民增进民生福祉的发展历程，向世界展现中华民族团结奋斗、包容和平的时代风貌。

Online editor: Paul

网络编辑：保罗