On the Factors Generating the Modern Power of Chinese Civilization

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development: "Chinese-path modernization endows Chinese civilization with modern power, and Chinese civilization endows Chinese-path modernization with profound heritage." The modern power of Chinese civilization is a concept rich in meaning. Viewed from the perspective of a civilizational history spanning over five thousand years, the modern power of Chinese civilization contains within it the cultural accumulation of Chinese civilization and the innovative wisdom of the Chinese nation, fully manifesting the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization and the subjectivity, consciousness, and creativity of the Communist Party of China in uniting and leading the Chinese people to continuously promote the development and progress of Chinese civilization. The generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization is not an accidental phenomenon but an inevitable result of historical development. An in-depth exploration of the factors generating the modern power of Chinese civilization is of great significance for strengthening cultural confidence and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

习近平总书记在文化传承发展座谈会上指出：“中国式现代化赋予中华文明以现代力量，中华文明赋予中国式现代化以深厚底蕴。”中华文明的现代力量是一个意蕴颇丰的概念。从五千多年的文明史来看，中华文明的现代力量内蕴中华文明的文化积淀与中华民族的创新智慧，充分彰显着中华文明的突出特性和中国共产党团结带领中国人民不断推动中华文明发展进步的主体性、自觉性与创造性。中华文明的现代力量的生成并非偶然现象，而是历史发展的必然结果。深入探析中华文明的现代力量的生成因素，对于坚定文化自信、实现中华民族伟大复兴具有重要意义。

The Outstanding Characteristics of Chinese Civilization Are the Important Foundation for the Generation of Its Modern Power

中华文明的突出特性是中华文明的现代力量生成的重要基础

The modern power of Chinese civilization is a historical and indigenous power. Rooted in the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization, exploring the cultural heritage and civilizational genes of the modern power of Chinese civilization is an important prerequisite for understanding its generation.

中华文明的现代力量是历史的、本土的力量。立足于中华文明的突出特性，探析中华文明的现代力量的文化底蕴和文明基因，是理解中华文明的现代力量生成的重要前提。

The modern power of Chinese civilization is an inevitable product of its outstanding characteristics. The generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization does not mean discarding the ancient civilizational factors of the Chinese nation to create a civilizational form absolutely opposed to ancient civilization, but rather continuing the ancient civilization, completing the connection and iterative upgrading between "ancient" and "modern," "new" and "old." From the perspective of abstract, common attributes, the "modern" meaning it contains is a state of civilization and culture, a discursive reference, and a spatiotemporal presentation that is distinct from "backwardness," includes "advanced," and serves as "innovation"; it is the sublation of outdated factors in material objects, values, culture, and institutions. From a temporal dimension, the germinal factors of the modern power of Chinese civilization developed from the ancient civilizational forms of the Chinese nation. Having experienced the backwardness and decline of modern China, Chinese civilization still consistently adhered to the general trend of history, reversed the trend of civilizational decline, and became the only great civilization in the world that has continued unbroken and developed to this day in the form of a nation-state, presenting to the world the unique advantages and strong self-confidence, innovative capacity, and inclusiveness of Chinese civilization. This means that the early civilizational genes of the Chinese nation are deeply connected to the generation and development of the modern power of Chinese civilization. From a spatial structure perspective, unlike the forceful assimilation of Mediterranean civilizations, Chinese civilization developed more under an independent system. Therefore, this determines that the modern power of Chinese civilization is necessarily different from the modern civilizational power derived from the fractured civilizations of the West; it is a unique civilizational power shaped by the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization—historical rather than temporary, endogenous rather than exogenous, active rather than passive, and conscious rather than blind.

中华文明的现代力量是中华文明突出特性的必然产物。中华文明的现代力量的生成，并不意味摒弃中华民族的古代文明因子，创造一种与古代文明绝对对立的文明形态，而是为了赓续古老文明，完成“古代”与“现代”“新”与“旧”的承接连贯与迭代升级。从抽象、共同的属性来看，其所蕴含的“现代”之义，是有别于“落后”的、包含“先进”的且作为“创新”的一种文明和文化的状态展现、话语指涉和时空呈现，是对器物、价值、文化和制度之中旧有因素的扬弃。从时间维度来看，中华文明的现代力量的萌芽因子是从中华民族的古代文明形态中发展起来的。经历了近代中国的落后和衰弱，中华文明仍始终保持着对历史大势的遵循，扭转了文明衰落的态势，成为世界上唯一绵延不断且以国家形态发展至今的伟大文明，向世界呈现出中华文明的独特优势和强大自信力、创新力和包容力。这意味着，中华民族早期的文明基因与中华文明的现代力量的生成发展具有深刻关联。从空间结构来看，中华文明不同于地中海文明的强力同化，更多的是在独立的体系之下发展起来的。因此，这就决定了中华文明的现代力量必然不同于西方断层文明中衍生出来的现代文明力量，是经由中华文明的突出特性塑造的历史而非暂时、内生而非外源、主动而非被动、自觉而非盲目的独特文明力量。

The modern power of Chinese civilization is the contemporary manifestation of its outstanding characteristics. At a macro level, the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization are not only a regular expression of Chinese civilization but also key factors and preconditions influencing its evolution. The history of Chinese civilization over more than five thousand years shows that Chinese civilization is a civilizational entity with the capacity for self-renewal. This renewability is a collective force that integrates the characteristics of continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness of Chinese civilization—each with its own emphasis yet forming an integrated whole—thereby constructing a unified civilizational pattern where diverse civilizations merge and intersect. This enables "Chinese civilization to possess the cultural subjectivity and vigorous vitality for self-development, responding to challenges, and opening up new prospects." Specifically, the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization allow the essence of fine traditional Chinese culture to be inherited and developed, providing important cultural support and spiritual impetus for the CPC's practical exploration of governance. The Chinese-path modernization, the new form of human civilization, and other signs and achievements marking Chinese civilization's entry into a new stage of development and realization of modern transformation not only provide empirical evidence for the modern power of Chinese civilization but also enable the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization to gain contemporary manifestation: the continuous power of "coming down in one continuous line" that penetrates and integrates the unique spirit, values, and concepts of the Chinese nation; the innovative power of "constant renewal" that seizes historical initiative and pursues new developments in morality, mind, concepts, and thought; the unifying power of "unity and concentration" that systematically coalesces diverse forces and coordinates numerous ethnic groups as a whole; the inclusive power of "harmonious coexistence" that emphasizes common values, integrates all things, and embraces all rivers; and the peaceful power of "appreciating the beauty of each other" that maintains civilizational order and eliminates civilizational conflicts.

中华文明的现代力量是中华文明突出特性的时代彰显。在宏观层面上，中华文明的突出特性既是对中华文明的规律性表达，也是影响中华文明演变的关键因子与前提条件。五千多年中华文明史表明，中华文明是具有自我革新性的文明体。这种革新性是一种综合中华文明的连续性、创新性、统一性、包容性、和平性特质在内的，既各有侧重又一体同构的集合力量，从而构筑了多元文明融合交汇的一体文明格局，使得“中华文明具有自我发展、回应挑战、开创新局的文化主体性与旺盛生命力”。具体而言，中华文明的突出特性使得中华优秀传统文化的精髓得以继承和发展，为中国共产党治国理政的实践探索提供了重要的文化支撑和精神动力。中国式现代化道路、人类文明新形态等中华文明迈入发展新阶段、实现现代转型的标志和成果，不仅为中华文明的现代力量提供了实证，更是使得中华文明的突出特性获得了时代彰显：贯通和统合中华民族独特的精神、价值、理念的“一脉相承”的连续性力量；把握历史主动，追求德性、心性、观念、思想等多方面新发展的“辉光日新”的创新性力量；系统凝聚多元合力，整体协同众多民族的“团结集中”的统一性力量；强调共同价值，融通万物，海纳百川的“和合共生”的包容性力量；维护文明秩序，消弭文明冲突，达至“美美与共”的和平性力量。

The Communist Party of China Is the Solid Guarantee for the Generation of the Modern Power of Chinese Civilization

中国共产党是中华文明的现代力量生成的坚实保障

The modern power of Chinese civilization is a civilized and advanced power. The Communist Party of China is a civilized and advanced organization, the creator of new forms of civilization, and the fundamental factor in promoting the progress of Chinese civilization and unleashing its modern power.

中华文明的现代力量是文明的、先进的力量。中国共产党是文明的、先进的组织，是新型文明形态的创造者，是推动中华文明进步、发挥中华文明的现代力量的根本所在。

The CPC's strong political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal lay a solid foundation for the generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization. First, the CPC possesses strong political leadership, creating the realistic conditions for the generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization. Facing the situation in modern China where the nation was humiliated, the people suffered, and civilization was sullied, the CPC accurately grasped and applied "the driving force of history and of religion, philosophy, and any other theory"—revolution, a force that reversed the decline of Chinese civilization in modern times, completely changed the state of enslavement and oppression of the Chinese nation, and liberated the subject of Chinese civilization's construction—the Chinese people. Second, the CPC possesses strong ideological guidance, consolidating the cultural foundation for the generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization. The generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization inevitably contains the dual meaning of strengthening cultural confidence and discarding the old for the new. In modern history, there were many propositions regarding the "debate on ancient and modern, Chinese and Western." Facing these propositions, the CPC not only grasped and led the development direction of Chinese culture with a historical, practical, and dialectical perspective and advanced thought, developing a national, scientific, and popular socialist culture oriented toward modernization, the world, and the future, but also actively promoted the practice of cultural construction, continuously advancing the cause with new cultural awakenings, new theoretical creations, and new cultural achievements, thereby consolidating the cultural foundation for the generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization. Finally, the CPC possesses strong mass organizational capacity and social appeal, gathering subjective vitality for the generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization. In modern China, "the four hundred million people were like a sheet of loose sand," the innovative vitality of Chinese civilization was severely constrained, and Chinese civilization showed a trend of decline. The CPC fundamentally and civilizational-form-wise completely changed this situation, converging the practices of the masses into a historical resultant force, thereby advancing the construction of Chinese civilization.

中国共产党强大的政治领导力、思想引领力、群众组织力、社会号召力，为中华文明的现代力量的生成筑牢基础。首先，中国共产党具有强大的政治领导力，为中华文明的现代力量的生成创设了现实条件。面对近代中国国家蒙辱、人民蒙难、文明蒙尘的局面，中国共产党准确掌握并运用“历史的动力以及宗教、哲学和任何其他理论的动力”——革命，这一扭转近代中国文明衰落态势的力量，彻底改变了中华民族被奴役和压迫的状态，解放了中华文明建设的主体——中国人民。其次，中国共产党具有强大的思想引领力，为中华文明的现代力量的生成夯实了文化根基。中华文明的现代力量的生成必然蕴含着坚定文化自信和革故鼎新的双重含义。近代历史上，关于“古今中西之争”有过很多主张。面对这些主张，中国共产党不仅以历史的、实践的、辩证的眼光和先进的思想把握和引领中华文化的发展方向，发展面向现代化、面向世界、面向未来的，民族的科学的大众的社会主义文化，更是积极推进文化建设实践，不断以思想文化新觉醒、理论创造新成果、文化建设新成就推动事业发展，夯实了中华文明的现代力量生成的文化基底。最后，中国共产党具有强大的群众组织力和社会号召力，为中华文明的现代力量的生成凝聚了主体性活力。近代中国“四万万之众等于一盘散沙”，中华文明创新活力受到严重束缚，中华文明呈现衰弱态势。中国共产党从根本上、从文明形态上彻底改变了这种境况，以人民群众的实践汇聚成历史合力，进而推进中华文明建设。

The CPC accurately grasps the laws of the development of Chinese civilization, actively promotes exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, creates a new form of human civilization, and provides the possibility for the generation and exertion of the modern power of Chinese civilization. Based on a grand historical perspective, the CPC uses the spiritual core of fine traditional Chinese culture to solve the problems of human civilization development, proposes and implements the Global Civilization Initiative, leads the Chinese people on the path of Chinese-path modernization, creates a new form of human civilization, and presents a new modern civilizational blueprint. Chinese-path modernization and the new form of human civilization are portrayals of the inclusiveness of Chinese civilization, important achievements in the generation and application of the modern power of Chinese civilization, the best inheritance of the history of the Chinese nation, and a realistic confirmation that the CPC accurately grasps the laws of civilizational development and continuously leads the development of Chinese civilization with advanced and civilized power.

中国共产党准确把握中华文明发展规律，积极促进文明交流互鉴，创造人类文明新形态，为中华文明的现代力量的生成和发挥提供可能。中国共产党立足大历史观，运用中华优秀传统文化的精神内核解决人类文明发展问题，提出和践行全球文明倡议，并带领中国人民走出中国式现代化道路，创造人类文明新形态，展现了一个新型现代文明图景。中国式现代化和人类文明新形态是中华文明包容性的写照，是中华文明的现代力量生成和运用的重要成果，是对中华民族历史最好的继承，更是对中国共产党准确把握文明发展规律，以先进的、文明的力量持续引领中华文明发展的现实印证。

The "Second Integration" Is the Necessary Pathway for the Generation of the Modern Power of Chinese Civilization

“第二个结合”是中华文明的现代力量生成的必要途径

The modern power of Chinese civilization is a cultural and innovative power. "Using Marxism to guide the comprehensive excavation of the treasure trove of five thousand years of Chinese civilization, using Marxism to activate the vital excellent factors in fine traditional Chinese culture and endow them with new contemporary connotations" is the necessary pathway for promoting the generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization.

中华文明的现代力量是文化的、创新的力量。“以马克思主义为指导对中华五千多年文明宝库进行全面挖掘，用马克思主义激活中华优秀传统文化中富有生命力的优秀因子并赋予新的时代内涵”，是推进中华文明的现代力量生成的必要途径。

The Second Integration [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Conference Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China,” July 1, 2021. connects the morphological leap from tradition to modernity in Chinese civilization, constituting the cultural main line through which the modern power of Chinese civilization is generated. From the origins of Chinese civilization, the farming culture represented by “hoes, plows, and ox-drawn tillage” and the “five grains and six livestock,” the political culture represented by “class differentiation” and “institutional creation,” and the spiritual culture represented by “the way of the sages” and “moral humanism” all occupied an advanced position in their respective periods. After the Western Han dynasty, Confucian thought formed a unique and stable system of values and culture for Chinese civilization, spreading widely across the world. However, traditional culture was after all a product of its time in traditional society; it contains dregs that lack an understanding of the laws governing the development of human society and that served to uphold feudal autocratic rule, and these cannot be directly applied to resolving the contradictions of a new era. Marxism, grounded in a law-governed understanding of the development of human civilization, applies the viewpoints and methods of dialectical materialism to treat fine traditional Chinese culture with “discernment in treatment and sublation in inheritance,” endowing it with new contemporary connotations such as openness and people-centeredness. “From the people as the foundation 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 valuing life to common prosperity” — this not only accomplishes cultural innovation by discarding the old and embracing the new, but also rises to the practical level of governance. The Second Integration makes Marxism Chinese and makes fine traditional Chinese culture modern, thereby providing “practice at the height of principle” for the “creative transformation and innovative development” of fine traditional Chinese culture.

“第二个结合”贯通中华文明传统与现代的形态跨越，构成了中华文明的现代力量生成的文化主线。从中华文明的发端来看，以“锄耜犁耕”和“五谷六畜”为代表的农耕文化、以“阶级分化”和“制度创造”为代表的政治文化、以“圣贤正道”和“道德人文”为代表的精神文化均处于特定时期的先进地位。西汉之后，儒家思想构成了中华文明独特的、稳固的价值文化体系，并在世界范围内广泛传播。然而，传统文化终究是传统社会的时代产物，其中有一些缺乏对人类社会发展规律的认识以及维护封建专制统治的糟粕，不能直接用于解决新的时代矛盾。马克思主义立足对人类文明发展的规律性认识，以辩证唯物主义的观点和方法对中华优秀传统文化进行“有鉴别的对待、有扬弃的继承”，并赋予其开放性、人民性等新的时代内涵。“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”，这不仅完成了文化意义上的革故鼎新，更是上升到了治国理政的实践高度。“第二个结合”让马克思主义成为中国的，中华优秀传统文化成为现代的，进而为中华优秀传统文化的“两创”提供了“有原则高度的实践”。

The Second Integration drives a deep-level transformation of the spiritual character of the Chinese nation, activating the modern power of Chinese civilization. As “another ideological emancipation,” the Second Integration targets, in content and scope, the dismantling of erroneous civilizational concepts such as Western-centrism and the superiority of certain civilizations, thereby pushing forward the transformation of the Chinese nation’s spiritual character toward independence, self-confidence, and self-strengthening. First, the Second Integration consolidates cultural subjectivity and strengthens the cultural confidence of the Chinese nation. In modern times, the West, as a pioneer of modernization, initiated a process of colonial expansion, viewing Chinese civilization as an uncivilized one, which led the Chinese nation to unconsciously develop a passive cultural mentality and a sense of national inferiority. The Second Integration subjects Western civilization to systematic critique through Marxism, revealing the secret of capitalist civilization, pointing out the paradoxes of labor, value, and population inherent in the development of Western civilization, as well as the “specter-like objectivity” [2]2 Karl Marx, “Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Law,” in Marx and Engels Collected Works, vol. 3 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 168. embedded in the driving forces of Western civilization and the barbaric face behind its self-proclaimed “advanced” identity, thereby dismantling the worship of Western civilization. At the same time, the Second Integration enables the Chinese nation to take the initiative in thought and culture, creating Chinese-path modernization and a new form of human civilization, and consolidating cultural subjectivity. With cultural subjectivity, cultural confidence gains a fundamental foundation, and the cultural passivity and national inferiority of the Chinese nation can be eliminated. Second, the Second Integration deepens the Chinese nation’s understanding of the compatibility between Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture, advancing spiritual independence and self-reliance. Since modern times, trends such as cultural revivalism and cultural conservatism have emerged in the cultural sphere of the Chinese nation, either advocating “the inertial force of history,” replacing socialist culture with the old feudal cultural forms, or denying the indigenous culture of the Chinese nation and advocating wholesale Westernization. All of these indiscriminately and blindly place Marxism and Chinese culture in an absolute and antagonistic position, hindering the transformation of Chinese civilization. The Second Integration clarifies that Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture are related as “soul” and “root,” emphasizing their high degree of compatibility in theoretical characteristics, value concepts, and modes of thinking, and revealing that the result of their integration is mutual achievement, jointly providing nourishment for the modern transformation of Chinese civilization, thereby advancing the building of a socialist cultural power and further enhancing the spiritual and cultural independence and self-reliance of the Chinese nation. Third, the Second Integration enables the Chinese nation to consciously recognize and apply fine traditional Chinese culture, promoting the fulfillment of new cultural missions. Culture is the concentrated expression of a nation’s history, spirit, values, and institutions. Fulfilling new cultural missions is a major issue concerning the flourishing and prosperity of Chinese culture. Consciously recognizing and correctly grasping the connotations, significance, and positioning of fine traditional Chinese culture is an inevitable prerequisite for fulfilling new cultural missions. The Second Integration dispels ignorance and obscurantism regarding traditional culture, promotes the transformation of fine traditional Chinese culture in a direction that the masses can understand and identify with, continuously meets the spiritual and cultural needs of the people, advances the fulfillment of new cultural missions in the New Era, and thereby activates the modern power of Chinese civilization in the process of continuing the Chinese cultural lineage and promoting cultural innovation.

“第二个结合”推动中华民族精神品格的深层变革，激活了中华文明的现代力量。“第二个结合”作为“又一次的思想解放”，其对象、内容和范畴是指向于破除西方中心论、文明优越论等错误的文明观念，进而推动中华民族精神品格向独立自主、自信自强变革。其一，“第二个结合”巩固文化主体性，增强中华民族的文化自信。在近代，西方以现代化先行者的身份开启了殖民扩张进程，将中华文明视作未开化的文明，使得中华民族不自觉地形成了被动的文化精神和自卑的民族心理。“第二个结合”以马克思主义对西方文明进行系统批判，揭示了资本主义文明的秘密，指明了西方文明发展中存在的劳动、价值和人口等悖论，以及西方文明动力中固有的“幽灵般的对象性”和其自诩“先进”身份中的野蛮面目，破除了对西方文明的崇拜。同时，“第二个结合”让中华民族掌握了思想和文化主动，创造了中国式现代化和人类文明新形态，巩固了文化主体性。有了文化主体性，文化自信就有了根本依托，中华民族的文化被动性和民族自卑感就得以消除。其二，“第二个结合”深化了中华民族对马克思主义与中华优秀传统文化契合性的认识，推进精神上的独立自主。自近代开始，中华民族的文化领域曾一度出现文化复古主义、文化保守主义等思潮，或是主张“历史的惯性力”，用旧的封建形态文化替代社会主义文化，或是否定中华民族的本土文化主张全盘西化。它们均是不加鉴别地、盲目地将马克思主义和中华文化置于绝对的、对立的境地，阻碍中华文明的转型。“第二个结合”指明了马克思主义和中华优秀传统文化是“魂”与“根”的关系，强调了二者在理论特质、价值观念和思维方法上存在高度的契合性，揭示了二者结合的结果是互相成就，共同为中华文明现代转型提供滋养，从而推动社会主义文化强国建设，进而提升中华民族精神文化上的独立自主性。其三，“第二个结合”使得中华民族自觉认识并运用中华优秀传统文化，推动实现新的文化使命。文化是民族历史、精神、价值、制度的集中体现。实现新的文化使命是关乎中华文化繁荣兴盛的重大问题。自觉认识和正确把握中华优秀传统文化的内涵、意义、定位是实现新的文化使命的必然前提。“第二个结合”破除了对传统文化的无知蒙昧，推动中华优秀传统文化向人民群众所能理解和认同的方向转化，不断满足人民群众的精神文化需求，推动实现新时代新的文化使命，进而使得中华文明的现代力量在赓续中华文脉、推进文化创新中被激活。

The conscious and self-aware action of the Chinese people is the subjective driving force for the generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization.

中国人民自知自觉的行动是中华文明的现代力量生成的主体动力

The modern power of Chinese civilization is a conscious and proactive force. The Chinese people are the main agents in the construction of Chinese civilization. The conscious and self-aware action formed by the Chinese people under the leadership of the Party constitutes the unfolding of the modern power of Chinese civilization, providing an inexhaustible source of practical force for the construction of Chinese civilization.

中华文明的现代力量是自觉的、主动的力量。中国人民是中华文明的建设主体。中国人民在党的领导下形成的自知自觉的行动是中华文明的现代力量的展开，为中华文明的建设提供源源不绝的实践力量。

The practical consciousness of the Chinese nation in creating a new form of human civilization through Chinese-path modernization constitutes the practical path for the generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization. Advancing Chinese-path modernization and creating a new form of human civilization is a historical process in which the objective reality of the transformation of the condition of Chinese civilization is consistent with the conscious activity of the masses — that is, the process of unfolding the modern power of Chinese civilization. First, the practical consciousness of the Chinese people manifests as a powerful historical consciousness, which constitutes the realistic premise for the generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization. The path of Chinese-path modernization, as an objective fact, marks a new stage in the construction of Chinese civilization and contains a comprehensive understanding and profound grasp of the subjects and laws of Chinese civilization construction. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed the need to “stimulate the historical initiative of all the people” and “respect the people’s pioneering spirit.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Conference Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China,” July 1, 2021. Historical initiative is prominently expressed as a comprehensive understanding of the historical process and a profound grasp of historical laws; the pioneering spirit, as a form of historical initiative, is expressed as a spirit of struggle that dares to break conventions and closed rigidities. Under the leadership of the Party, the Chinese people have already realized that the starting point of civilization is not an abstract individual or an individual self-consciousness, but “real, living people,” “people acting in history,” who have already “recognized that their ‘inherent power’ is social power and have organized this power, thereby no longer separating social power from themselves in the form of political power,” [2]2 Karl Marx, “Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Law,” in Marx and Engels Collected Works, vol. 3 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1975), p. 168. so that individual free development and collective creative vitality can be stimulated to the greatest extent, thereby enabling the people to create history more actively and to carry out the historical activity of consciously advancing Chinese-path modernization. Second, profound cultural confidence constitutes a key point in the generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization. Chinese-path modernization is a modernization in which material civilization and cultural-ethical progress are coordinated, containing strong cultural confidence and a conscious grasp of cultural subjectivity. Cultural confidence comes from our cultural subjectivity and signifies the spiritual independence and self-reliance of the Chinese people. In the process of exchange and interaction with different civilizations, the Chinese people have always adhered to “the Chinese cultural stance, inherited the genes of Chinese culture, upheld and improved the unique value system, cultural connotation, and spiritual quality with which Chinese people view the world, society, and life, always maintained a high degree of confidence in their own cultural ideals and cultural values, and always maintained a high degree of confidence in the vitality and creativity of their own culture,” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations,” May 15, 2019. thereby profoundly interpreting that Chinese-path modernization is essentially different from the Western path of modernization, and that the modern power of Chinese civilization is nurtured in the fertile soil of Chinese civilization. Third, scientific theoretical consciousness requires that the modern power of Chinese civilization be realized as vivid, concrete, and material practice. “Civilization is a matter of practice, a quality of society.” [4]4 Friedrich Engels, “Speech at the Grave of Karl Marx,” March 17, 1883. The path of Chinese-path modernization follows the principle of “sensuous activity” of the modern power of Chinese civilization, containing the active, historical, and objective practical determinations of the Chinese people, and can thereby be appealed to as a theoretical consciousness that guides practical activities. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the Marxism of contemporary China and the Marxism of the 21st century. It comprehensively summarizes the historical experience of Chinese civilization construction and profoundly reveals the laws of development and construction of Chinese civilization. Chinese-path modernization, as a result presenting the scientific and contemporary nature of this theory, is a factual interpretation of the modern power of Chinese civilization. Fourth, a high degree of national identity is an important driving force for the generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization. Cohering the practical synergy of the masses in constructing Chinese civilization requires a high degree of cultural identity, social identity, national identity, and state identity. Therefore, forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation [5]5 “Community for the Chinese nation” (中华民族共同体) is a concept promoted under Xi Jinping to emphasize the unity of all ethnic groups in China as a single political and cultural community, countering separatist tendencies. and promoting the spirit of patriotism must run through the entire process of advancing Chinese-path modernization. Only in this way can the masses, based on their emotional resonance and value identification with the Party and the state, consciously and correctly handle the relationships between “upholding fundamental principles” and “breaking new ground,” “the individual” and “the collective,” and “China” and “the world” in the process of Chinese civilization construction, thereby forming a modern power of Chinese civilization that transcends the narrow nationalism of the West that clings to its own national interests, deeply integrates into the life aspirations and value pursuits of the Chinese people and even the people of the world, and then uses this power to construct a world civilization picture of harmonious coexistence and the beauty of each and the beauty of all. [6]6 “The beauty of each and the beauty of all” (美美与共) is a phrase from the Chinese sociologist Fei Xiaotong, advocating mutual appreciation and coexistence of different civilizations.

中华民族以中国式现代化开创人类文明新形态的实践自觉是中华文明的现代力量生成的实践路径。推进中国式现代化和开创人类文明新形态是中华文明境况改变的客观现实和人民群众自觉活动相一致的历史过程，即中华文明的现代力量的展开过程。其一，中国人民的实践自觉表现为强大的历史自觉，构成了中华文明的现代力量生成的现实前提。中国式现代化道路作为一种客观事实存在，标志着中华文明建设的新阶段，蕴含着对中华文明建设主体和建设规律的全面认识和深刻把握。习近平总书记曾反复强调，要“激发全体人民的历史主动精神”“尊重人民首创精神”。历史主动精神突出表现为对历史进程认识的全面性和对历史规律把握的深刻性；作为历史主动精神的首创精神则表现为敢于打破常规和封闭僵化的斗争精神。在党的领导下，中国人民已然意识到文明的起点并非抽象的个体或个别的自我意识，而是“现实的、活生生的人”，是“历史中行动的人”，已经“认识到自身‘固有的力量’是社会力量，并把这种力量组织起来因而不再把社会力量以政治力量的形式同自身分离”，从而使得个体自由发展与集体创造活力得以最大程度激发，进而更加积极地创造历史，开展自觉推进中国式现代化的历史活动。其二，深厚的文化自信，构成了中华文明的现代力量生成的关键要点。中国式现代化是物质文明和精神文明相协调的现代化，内含强大的文化自信和对文化主体性的自觉把握。文化自信来自我们的文化主体性，表征着中国人民精神上的独立自主。在与不同文明交流交往的过程中，中国人民始终坚守“中华文化立场、传承中华文化基因，坚持和完善中国人看待世界、看待社会、看待人生的独特价值体系、文化内涵和精神品质，始终保持对自身文化理想、文化价值的高度信心，始终保持对自身文化生命力、创造力的高度信心”，进而深刻诠释了中国式现代化是从本质上区别于西方现代化道路的，中华文明的现代力量是孕育于中华文明的沃土之中的。其三，科学的理论自觉，要求中华文明的现代力量能够实现为生动的、具体的、物质的实践。“文明是实践的事情，是社会的素质。”中国式现代化道路遵循中华文明的现代力量的“感性活动”原则，内含中国人民能动的、历史的、对象性的实践规定，进而可将其诉诸为指导实践活动的理论自觉。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是当代中国马克思主义、21世纪马克思主义，全面总结了中华文明建设的历史经验，深刻揭示了中华文明的发展规律、建设规律。中国式现代化作为这一理论科学性、时代性的成果呈现，是对中华文明的现代力量的实然诠释。其四，高度的民族认同，是中华文明的现代力量生成的重要动力。凝聚人民群众建设中华文明的实践合力，需要高度的文化认同、社会认同、民族认同、国家认同。因此，铸牢中华民族共同体意识和弘扬爱国主义精神需要贯穿于推进中国式现代化的始终。只有如此，人民群众才能基于对党和国家的情感共鸣和价值认同，自觉正确处理好中华文明建设过程中“守正”与“创新”、“个体”与“集体”、“中国”与“世界”的关系，从而形成一种超越西方固守本国利益的狭隘民族主义、深深融入中国人民乃至世界人民的生活向往和价值追求的中华文明的现代力量，进而以这种力量构建和合共生、美美与共的世界文明图景。

The generation of the modern power of Chinese civilization is both a historical proposition and a proposition of the times. Looking at the world, Latin America and Africa once had splendid civilizations and experienced similar external intervention in modernization as Chinese civilization, but they were unable to show an upward trend like Chinese civilization. Although Western civilization entered the threshold of modernization early, its civilizational momentum has ultimately been insufficient due to various limitations. Looking at China again, the path of development of Chinese civilization has been tortuous, but it is also bright. The outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization have nurtured the unique modern power of Chinese civilization, creating the current thriving and upward-moving Chinese civilization. The modern power of Chinese civilization is generated from the practice of the masses, and it will inevitably stride forward in the practice of the masses.

中华文明的现代力量的生成是一个历史命题，也是一个时代命题。放眼世界，拉丁美洲和非洲也曾有过璀璨的文明，且和中华文明有相似的外力干预现代化的遭遇，但却未能和中华文明一样呈现出上升态势。而西方文明虽提前步入现代化的门槛，但终因种种局限性使其文明后发动力不足。再观中国，中华文明的发展之路是曲折的，但又是光明的。中华文明的突出特性，孕育了独一无二的中华文明的现代力量，造就了如今蓬勃向上的中华文明。中华文明的现代力量是从人民群众的实践中生发出来的，也必然会在人民群众的实践中阔步向前。

Online editor: Paul

网络编辑：保罗