The Intellectual Origins and Original Theoretical Contributions of the “Two Integrations”

It has been over a century since Marxism was introduced into China. Marxism has profoundly changed China, and China has also greatly developed Marxism. In the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, the Communist Party of China has achieved significant results and accumulated important experience. General Secretary Xi Jinping, summarizing the Party’s experience in theoretical innovation and basing himself on the tasks of the New Era, creatively put forward the major scientific thesis of “integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture.” The “Two Integrations” highly condense the intellectual wisdom of the CPC’s century-long theoretical innovation, profoundly reveal the laws of development, rich connotations, and fundamental requirements of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, greatly expand the innovative pathways and developmental space for this adaptation, advance the CPC members’ understanding of it to a new height, and make original contributions to it.

马克思主义传入中国已有一百多年历史，马克思主义极大地改变了中国，中国也极大地发展了马克思主义。中国共产党在推进马克思主义中国化时代化过程中取得了重大成果，积累了重要经验。习近平总书记总结党的理论创新经验，立足新时代任务要求，创造性提出“把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合”的重大科学论断。“两个结合”高度凝结了中国共产党百年理论创新的思想智慧，深刻揭示了马克思主义中国化时代化的发展规律、丰富内涵和根本要求，极大拓展了马克思主义中国化时代化的创新路径和发展空间，把中国共产党人对马克思主义中国化时代化的认识推进到新高度，为马克思主义中国化时代化作出了原创性贡献。

I. The Historical and Intellectual Origins of the Scientific Thesis of the “Two Integrations”

一、“两个结合”科学命题提出的历史与思想渊源

The scientific thesis of the “Two Integrations” was put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping in the New Era, but the process of the “Two Integrations” itself had already begun when Marxism was first introduced into China. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, when Marxism was being sporadically disseminated in China, the Chinese made preliminary attempts to integrate Marxism with China’s realities and Chinese culture, but these were unsuccessful. Representative figures included the reformist Liang Qichao, the revolutionary Zhu Zhixin, and Wang Zichen of the Chinese Socialist Party.

“两个结合”的科学命题，是习近平总书记在新时代提出的，但“两个结合”的过程，在马克思主义传入中国之初就已经开始。19世纪末20世纪初，马克思主义在中国零星传播之时，中国人就有把马克思主义同中国实际、同中国文化结合起来的初步尝试，但是并未成功。相关代表人物有改良派的梁启超、革命派的朱执信、中国社会党人王淄尘等。

In February 1904, Liang Qichao’s article “Chinese Socialism” linked socialism with the ancient well-field system [1]1 The Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee (1938) was a key meeting of the CPC that affirmed Mao Zedong’s leadership and emphasized the Sinification of Marxism. of China. He cited Wang Mang’s “land-grabbing and false taxation” [2]2 The “second integration” refers to Mao’s call after 1956 to adapt Marxism to China’s socialist construction, distinct from the earlier “first integration” during the revolutionary period. and Su Xun’s “theory of the well-field system,” arguing that “China’s ancient well-field system shares the same standpoint as modern socialism, as many people in recent times have been able to state.” Although Liang Qichao failed to grasp the true essence of scientific socialism and erroneously equated Marxism with China’s ancient well-field system, this was undoubtedly a form of “integrating” Marxism with traditional Chinese culture. In November 1905, Zhu Zhixin published “A Short Biography of German Social Revolutionaries” in *Minbao* [3]3 This quote is from Xi Jinping’s speech at the conference marking the 200th anniversary of Marx’s birth in 2018., introducing the *Communist Manifesto*, *Capital*, and the theory of class struggle. Based on China’s actual conditions at the time, he attempted to “introduce [Marxism] to our compatriots,” hoping that “the doctrines and deeds of these few men might spread widely in the minds of our countrymen, so that there might be something to draw upon for social revolution.” It can be said that Zhu Zhixin already had the subjective intention of using Marxism to arm the minds of the Chinese people and provide a reference for China’s social revolution, which can to a certain extent be regarded as an attempt to integrate Marxism with China’s specific realities. In June 1912, the magazine *New World* published Wang Zichen’s article “The Doctrine of Marx, the Great Socialist,” which highly praised Marx’s thought, stating that “Marx is none other than the world’s maker of the times, and the *Communist Manifesto* of the International Socialist Party is none other than the guiding line for the social revolution of the 20th century and the driving force for a new world of great harmony and peace.” He wanted to “introduce Marx’s conduct and doctrines to our comrades and compatriots, so that they may know what to believe and follow, and thus put them into practice,” aiming for the Chinese people to believe in them ideologically and implement them in action, so as to achieve practical results. This was also an attempt to understand and apply Marxism based on China’s specific realities.

1904年2月，梁启超《中国之社会主义》一文，把社会主义与中国古代的井田制勾连起来。他列举了王莽的“分田劫假”、苏洵的“井田制论”等，认为“中国古代井田制度，正与近世之社会主义同一立脚点，近人多能言之矣”。尽管梁启超未能把握科学社会主义的真谛，错误地把马克思主义同中国古代的井田制相提并论，但无疑也是把马克思主义与中国传统文化“结合”的一种方式。1905 年11月，朱执信在《民报》发表《德意志社会革命家小传》，对《共产党宣言》《资本论》以及阶级斗争学说作了介绍，并立足当时中国实际，试图将马克思主义“介绍于吾同胞”，“所期者数子之学说行略，溥遍于吾国人士脑中，则庶几于社会革命犹有所资也”。可以说，朱执信已经有了用马克思主义武装中国人头脑、为中国社会革命提供参考的主观意图，在一定程度上可以视为把马克思主义同中国具体实际相结合的一种尝试。1912年6月，《新世界》杂志刊载王淄尘《社会主义大家马尔克之学说》一文，对马克思的思想作出高度评价，认为“马尔克者，不啻全世界之造时势者，而万国社会党之共产党宣言书又不啻二十世纪社会革命之引导线，大同太平新世界之原动力也”。他要“将马尔克之行义、之学说绍介于吾同党、吾同胞，知所信从而知所则效矣”，使中国人在思想上信仰，在行动上实行，以期达到实践效果。这也是立足中国具体实际来理解并运用马克思主义的一种尝试。

It can be seen that, in the early stage of dissemination, the Chinese had already tried to interpret Marxism in light of China’s social conditions at the time, linked Marxism with traditional Chinese culture, and even proposed applying Marxism to China’s revolutionary practice. Of course, these early disseminators had not established a belief in Marxism, had not grasped the essence of Marxism, had not taken Marxism as their guiding ideology, and had not truly understood, believed in, or used Marxism. Therefore, their “integration” could not produce any real effect.

可以看出，在早期传播阶段，中国人已经试图结合中国当时社会状况解读马克思主义，并把马克思主义与中国传统文化联系起来，甚至提出要把马克思主义用到中国的革命实践中。当然，早期传播者都没有确立马克思主义信仰，没有把握马克思主义精髓，没有把马克思主义作为指导思想，没有真懂、真信、真用马克思主义，所以他们的这种“结合”也就不可能产生真正效果。

From its very beginning, the Communist Party of China strove to integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and the best of traditional Chinese culture. Li Dazhao saw from the October Revolution the scientific nature, truth, and powerful practical force of Marxism, believing that the victory of the October Revolution was “the victory of socialism” and “the achievement of Marx.” For this reason, he was the first to sincerely believe in and consciously disseminate Marxism, writing articles such as “The Victory of the Common People,” “The Victory of Bolshevism,” and “My Marxist Views.” He also edited the sixth issue, volume five, of *New Youth* [4]4 *New Youth* (《新青年》) was a leading intellectual magazine of the New Culture Movement (mid-1910s–1920s), edited by Chen Duxiu, which played a crucial role in promoting modern thought, including Marxism. as a special issue on “Marxist Studies,” publishing multiple introductory articles, including “My Marxist Views.” Yang Pao’an was also prominent among the theorists disseminating Marxism during the May Fourth Movement [5]5 The May Fourth Movement (1919) was a nationwide anti-imperialist and anti-feudal protest that began with student demonstrations in Beijing on May 4, 1919, and is considered a watershed in modern Chinese history, marking the rise of Marxism and the communist movement.. In 1919, he published “Marxism (Also Called Scientific Socialism)” in the *Guangdong Zhonghua New Daily*, expounding on the three components of Marxism. This article was published around the same time as Li Dazhao’s “My Marxist Views,” leading to the academic saying, “Li in the north, Yang in the south.”

中国共产党从一开始就力图把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际、中华优秀传统文化结合起来。李大钊从十月革命中看到马克思主义的科学性、真理性和强大实践力量，认为十月革命的胜利“是社会主义的胜利”，是“马客士（Marx）的功业”。为此，他率先真诚信仰并自觉传播马克思主义，撰写了《庶民的胜利》《Bolshevism 的胜利》《我的马克思主义观》等介绍十月革命和马克思主义的文章，还把《新青年》第6卷第5号编成“马克思主义研究”专号出版，刊登了包括《我的马克思主义观》在内的多篇介绍文章。杨匏安在五四时期传播马克思主义的理论家中也很突出。1919年，他在《广东中华新报》上发表《马科斯主义（一称科学的社会主义）》，阐述了马克思主义的三个组成部分。此文与李大钊的《我的马克思主义观》大致同一时期发表，因此学界有“北李南杨”之说。

In the process of disseminating Marxism, the pioneers of the Chinese communist movement were already discussing issues in light of China’s realities. Li Dazhao proposed that Marxism should be taken as the guide to answer and solve China’s practical problems. Summarizing the successful experience of the October Revolution, Mao Zedong argued, “Lenin, with a million Party members, accomplished the unprecedented great undertaking of a common people’s revolution, sweeping away the counter-revolutionary party and cleansing the upper and middle classes. He had an ideology (Bolshevism), an opportunity (Russia’s defeat in war), preparation, and a truly reliable Party membership. At a single call, they rose up, issuing orders from the source of the flowing stream, and before the morning was over, the laboring and peasant classes, constituting eight or nine-tenths of the country’s population, responded as an echo follows a sound. The success of the Russian revolution lay entirely in these points.” He then combined this with China’s realities, pointing out, “If China were to have a thorough total revolution, I would also approve, but it is not feasible (the reasons are not stated for now). Therefore, China’s affairs cannot be handled from the whole; they can only be handled from the parts.” In August 1920, Cai Hesen, combining this with China’s realities, discussed the question of founding the Communist Party of China: “First, we must organize the Party—the Communist Party… Given the current situation in China, it must be organized first; only then can trade unions and cooperatives develop into powerful organizations.” In September, he more directly proposed to “openly and formally establish a Chinese Communist Party.”

在传播马克思主义过程中，中国共产主义运动先驱们就已经结合中国实际讨论问题。李大钊提出，要坚持以马克思主义为指导，来回答和解决中国的现实问题。毛泽东概括十月革命成功经验认为，“列宁之以百万党员，建平民革命的空前大业，扫荡反革命党，洗刷上中阶级，有主义（布尔失委克斯姆），有时机（俄国战败），有预备，有真正可靠的党众，一呼而起，下令于流水之原，不崇朝而占全国人数十分之八九的劳农阶级，如响斯应。俄国革命的成功，全在这些处所”。他又结合中国实际指出，“中国如有澈底的总革命，我也赞成，但是不行（原因暂不说）。所以中国的事，不能由总处下手，只能由分处下手”。1920年8月，蔡和森结合中国实际，谈到建立中国共产党的问题，“先要组织党——共产党……以中国现在的情形看来，须先组织他，然后工团、合作社，才能发生有力的组织”；9月，他更直接提出，要“明目张胆正式成立一个中国共产党”。

During the period of the Party’s founding and the Great Revolution [6]6 The Great Revolution (1924–1927) refers to the first period of the CPC-KMT united front, during which the Northern Expedition was launched to overthrow the warlords., CPC members began to integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with the specific realities of the Chinese revolution and with the best of traditional Chinese culture, forming some exploratory results. In June 1922, Chen Duxiu, in his article “My Views on Current Chinese Political Issues,” pointed out that China’s economy consisted of three parts: rural household industry in the interior, urban handicrafts, and modern capitalist industry and commerce along the coast and rivers. Politically, China was a semi-colonial country under the oppression of international imperialism. Due to incessant warfare among domestic warlords, industry and commerce could hardly develop, and both the proletariat and the bourgeoisie were very weak. In July 1922, although the Second National Congress of the CPC [7]7 The Second National Congress of the CPC (1922) formally adopted the Party’s program and decided to join the Communist International. did not explicitly put forward the concept of a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, it had in fact already revealed the national conditions of China as a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. While adhering to the highest program of communism, it put forward the minimum program of overthrowing the warlords, overthrowing the oppression of international imperialism, achieving national independence, and establishing a unified democratic republic.

建党之初和大革命时期，中国共产党人开始把马克思主义基本原理同中国革命具体实际、同中华优秀传统文化结合起来，形成一些探索成果。1922年6月，陈独秀在《对于现在中国政治问题的我见》中指出，中国经济由内地乡村的家庭工业、城市的手工业、沿海沿江的近代资本主义工商业等三部分构成，在政治上是一个在国际帝国主义压迫下的半殖民地国家，由于国内军阀混战，工商业难以发展，无产阶级和资产阶级都很幼小。1922年7月，中共二大尽管没有明确提出半殖民地半封建概念，但实际上已经揭示出中国半殖民地半封建社会的国情，在坚持共产主义最高纲领的前提下，提出打倒军阀、推翻国际帝国主义压迫，实现民族独立，建立统一的民主共和国的最低纲领。

Mao Zedong’s *Analysis of the Classes in Chinese Society* employed the method of class analysis to provide a relatively complete analysis of the conditions of each class in Chinese society and their attitudes toward the revolution. He pointed out: “To distinguish real friends from real enemies, we must make a general analysis of the economic status of the various classes in Chinese society and their attitude toward the revolution.” Deng Zhongxia proposed that the working class was the main force of the revolution: “The masses of workers occupy the position of the main force whether in the democratic revolution or the social revolution”; “If China wishes to achieve revolutionary success, it should at present certainly unite all classes to rise together in a national revolution, yet the most important main force, whether now or in the future, must always be the masses of workers in the first rank”; “The future leader of China’s social revolution is undoubtedly the proletariat, and even the current leader of the national revolution is also the proletariat.”

毛泽东的《中国社会各阶级的分析》，运用阶级分析方法，对中国社会各阶级的状况及其对革命的态度等作了较完整分析。他指出：“我们要分辨真正的敌友，不可不将中国社会各阶级的经济地位及其对于革命的态度，作一个大概的分析。”邓中夏提出，工人阶级是革命主力军，“工人的群众不论在民主革命或社会革命中都占在主力的地位”，“中国欲图革命之成功，在目前固应联合各阶级一致的起来作国民革命，然最重要的主力军，不论现在或将来，总当推工人的群众居首位”，“中国将来的社会革命的领袖固是无产阶级，就是目前的国民革命的领袖亦是无产阶级”。

Chen Duxiu, in *The Chinese Peasant Question*, proposed that the peasant masses were a great potential force in the national revolution: “In the national movement (i.e., expelling foreign forces and overthrowing warlords and bureaucrats) that is currently needed and possible in China, the peasant question cannot be ignored.” Li Dazhao, in *Peasants and Land*, praised the peasants’ anti-imperialist and anti-feudal struggle and called on revolutionaries to go to the countryside to educate and guide the peasants. In his *Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan*, Mao Zedong gave a high appraisal of the peasant movement and conducted an in-depth analysis of the role and position of the peasant class in the Chinese revolution.

陈独秀在《中国农民问题》中提出，农民群众是国民革命的一种伟大的潜力，“在中国目前需要的而且是可能的国民运动（即排斥外力打倒军阀官僚）中，不可漠视农民问题”。李大钊在《农民与土地》中，赞扬农民的反帝反封建斗争，号召革命者要到农村中教育引导农民。毛泽东在《湖南农民运动考察报告》一文中，对农民运动给予高度评价，对农民阶级在中国革命中的作用和地位作了深入分析。

During the period of the Agrarian Revolutionary War, Chinese Communists strove to integrate the basic principles of Marxism with the concrete realities of the Chinese revolution and with China’s historical characteristics and cultural traditions, forming the basic theory of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. After the failure of the Great Revolution, the August 7th Meeting [8]8 The August 7th Meeting (1927) was an emergency meeting of the Communist Party of China that ended Chen Duxiu’s Right opportunist line and decided on the policy of agrarian revolution and armed resistance against the Kuomintang. emphasized the importance of armed struggle, proposing that armed struggle was “the Party’s foremost responsibility” and that “we must reorganize and recast our ranks, correct the serious mistakes of the past, and find a new path.” The meeting also stressed the importance of proletarian leadership: “Our strategy is an independent class struggle of the workers and peasants. To put it bluntly, we must take charge of the national revolution” and establish a “worker-peasant democratic dictatorship.” During this period, Chinese Communists represented mainly by Mao Zedong, based on China’s concrete realities and historical-cultural characteristics, founded the doctrine of ideological Party building, emphasizing that “the question of leading the Party ideologically with the proletariat is an extremely important one”; established the principle of the Party’s absolute leadership over the army, founded the idea of political army building, and strove to build an army composed mainly of peasants and former soldiers into a new type of people’s army; creatively absorbed the combat methods of traditional Chinese peasant uprisings into the Red Army’s combat principles and guerrilla warfare tactics; based on the characteristic of the Chinese revolution centering on the countryside, founded the theory of the Chinese revolutionary path of encircling the cities from the countryside and seizing state power by armed force; and conducted in-depth investigations and studies, sharply criticized erroneous ideas, and formed the ideological core of seeking truth from facts, independence and self-reliance, and the mass line, as well as the theoretical framework of Mao Zedong Thought.

土地革命战争时期，中国共产党人努力将马克思主义基本原理同中国革命具体实际、同中国历史特点和文化传统相结合，形成了马克思主义中国化的基本理论。大革命失败后，八七会议强调武装斗争的重要性，提出武装斗争是“我党第一等重要的责任”，“我们要整顿改编自己的队伍，纠正过去严重的错误，而找着新的道路”。会议还强调无产阶级领导权的重要性，“我们的策略是独立的工农阶级斗争。老实不客气的，我们要包办国民革命”，组建“工农民权独裁的政权”。这个时期，以毛泽东为主要代表的中国共产党人立足中国具体实际和历史文化特点，创立思想建党学说，强调“无产阶级思想领导的问题，是一个非常重要的问题”；确立了党对军队绝对领导的原则，创立政治建军思想，着力把以农民和旧军人为主要成分的军队建设成为一支新型人民军队；创造性地将中国传统农民起义的作战方法，吸收进红军作战原则和游击战争战术中；基于中国革命以乡村为中心的特点，创立农村包围城市、武装夺取政权的中国革命道路理论；深入开展调查研究，深刻批评错误思想，形成实事求是、独立自主、群众路线的思想内核以及毛泽东思想的理论框架。

Although the achievements of these two periods were remarkable, the two major questions of what kind of Marxism to uphold and how to uphold Marxism were not well resolved. The long-standing Right and “Left” errors within the Party led to serious setbacks in the Party’s cause. In particular, the “Left” dogmatism represented by Wang Ming mechanically copied Marxist phrases, the experience of the Russian Revolution, and the instructions of the Communist International, making a “forced integration” of Marxism with China’s concrete realities and Chinese historical traditions, rather than an autonomous, thorough organic integration, which nearly ruined the Chinese revolution. It was precisely through setbacks and trials that Chinese Communists awakened, gradually establishing the ideological consciousness of integrating the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete realities and with the finest traditional Chinese culture. In January 1935, at the Zunyi Meeting [9]9 The Zunyi Meeting (January 1935) was a pivotal Politburo meeting during the Long March that established Mao Zedong’s leadership within the Party, correcting the military line of the “Left” dogmatists., the long-tested Chinese Communists correctly chose their own leader, establishing the leading position of the correct Marxist line represented mainly by Mao Zedong in the Party Central Committee. From then on, the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context advanced steadily and deeply.

尽管这两个时期成果显著，但是坚持什么样的马克思主义和怎样坚持马克思主义这两个重大问题，并没有得到很好解决。党内长期存在右和“左”的错误，导致党的事业遭遇严重挫折。尤其是以王明为代表的“左”倾教条主义，机械照搬马克思主义词句、俄国革命经验和共产国际指示，把马克思主义同中国具体实际和中国历史传统作了“硬性结合”，而不是自主的、贯通的有机结合，几乎葬送了中国革命。正是在挫折和磨难中，中国共产党人走向觉醒，逐步确立把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合的思想自觉。1935年1月，在遵义会议上，历经磨难的中国共产党正确选择了自己的领袖，确立了以毛泽东为主要代表的马克思主义正确路线在党中央的领导地位。从此，马克思主义中国化的进程不断深入推进。

II. Proposing the Scientific Proposition of the “Two Integrations” in Inheriting Historical Experience

二、在传承历史经验中提出“两个结合”科学命题

In the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, the Communist Party of China continuously integrated the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete realities and with the finest traditional Chinese culture, forming a series of important theoretical viewpoints and practical methods, providing valuable experience for proposing the “Two Integrations” in the New Era.

中国共产党在推进马克思主义中国化的过程中，不断将马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，形成一系列重要理论观点和实践方法，为新时代提出“两个结合”提供了宝贵经验。

On the question of “integration,” many Party leaders and theorists offered discussions from different angles. For example, in 1923, Qu Qiubai proposed applying Marxism to “study China’s actual political and economic conditions,” “explain the actual social situation, solve actual social problems, and analyze actual social movements,” and “dissect China’s politics and economy and discuss actual movements.” In 1927, he again proposed that “revolutionary theory can never be separated from revolutionary practice,” that “applying Marxism to China’s national conditions cannot be delayed for a single day,” and that “the needs of revolutionary practice are urgently pressing the proletariat’s ideological representatives to solve the many complex and weighty problems in the Chinese revolution.” In April 1938, Ai Siqi, in his article *The Current State and Tasks of Philosophy*, emphasized the need to closely integrate philosophy with the War of Resistance, draw philosophical nourishment from the experience of the War of Resistance, develop philosophical theory, and then use the developing philosophy to guide practice—this process being “the Sinicization and actualization of philosophy.”

在“相结合”问题上，党内许多领导人和理论家都有过不同角度的论述。例如，1923年，瞿秋白提出要运用马克思主义“研究中国现实的政治经济状况”，“解释现实的社会现状，解决现实的社会问题，分析现实的社会运动”，“解剖中国的政治经济，讨论实际运动”。1927年，他再次提出，“革命的理论永不能和革命的实践相离”，“应用马克思主义于中国国情的工作，断不可一日或缓”，“革命实践的需要，正在很急切的催迫着无产阶级的思想代表，来解决中国革命中之许多复杂繁重的问题”。1938年4月，艾思奇在《哲学的现状和任务》一文中，强调要把哲学同抗战紧密结合起来，从抗战的经验中汲取哲学养料，发展哲学理论，再用发展着的哲学来指导实践，这个过程就是“哲学的中国化和现实化。”

Of course, the first to clearly propose and systematically elaborate the Sinicization of Marxism was Mao Zedong. In 1938, at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee [10]10 The Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee (1938) was a major Party meeting that affirmed Mao Zedong’s leadership and formally raised the task of Sinicizing Marxism., drawing on the wisdom of the whole Party, summing up historical experience and lessons, and meeting the needs of the times and practice, he elaborated the scientific connotation of “the Sinicization of Marxism,” marking the formation of the collective consciousness and ideological consensus of the Communist Party of China on adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. In the process of initiating and advancing the Sinicization of Marxism, Mao Zedong made many pioneering contributions to the “Two Integrations” and formed much valuable experience.

当然，首先明确提出并系统阐述马克思主义中国化的，是毛泽东。1938年，党的六届六中全会上，他吸收全党智慧、总结历史经验教训、适应时代与实践需要，阐述了“马克思主义的中国化”的科学内涵，标志着中国共产党形成马克思主义中国化的集体自觉和思想共识。毛泽东在开创和推进马克思主义中国化的过程中，为“两个结合”作出许多开创性贡献，形成许多宝贵经验。

First, he proposed the scientific proposition of “the Sinicization of Marxism” and its principles, tasks, and direction. In May 1930, in *Oppose Book Worship*, Mao Zedong clarified the basic principle of the Sinicization of Marxism: “Marxist ‘books’ must be studied, but they must be combined with China’s actual conditions. We need ‘books,’ but we must correct the book worship that is divorced from actual conditions.” At the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee, in his political report *On the New Stage*, he proposed: “Communists, who are part of the great Chinese nation and are flesh and blood linked to this nation, who talk about Marxism apart from China’s characteristics, are merely talking about abstract, empty Marxism. Therefore, the Sinicization of Marxism, making it in every manifestation bear Chinese characteristics, that is, applying it according to China’s characteristics, has become a problem the whole Party urgently needs to understand and solve.”

第一，提出“马克思主义中国化”的科学命题及其原则、任务和方向。1930年5月，毛泽东在《反对本本主义》中阐明马克思主义中国化的基本原则：“马克思主义的‘本本’是要学习的，但是必须同我国的实际情况相结合。我们需要‘本本’，但是一定要纠正脱离实际情况的本本主义。”在党的六届六中全会上，他在《论新阶段》的政治报告中提出：“成为伟大中华民族之一部分而与这个民族血肉相联的共产党员，离开中国特点来谈马克思主义，只是抽象的空洞的马克思主义。因此，马克思主义的中国化，使之在其每一表现中带着中国的特性，即是说，按照中国的特点去应用它，成为全党亟待了解并亟须解决的问题。”

Second, he emphasized the need to “closely integrate” the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete realities to solve problems in Chinese practice—that is, what he stressed as “making Marxism concrete in China,” reflecting his basic idea that Marxism must achieve concrete development in China. In addition, he also proposed that it was necessary to “make China’s rich revolutionary practice Marxist,” that is, to elevate the rich experience formed in China’s revolutionary practice to the level of Marxism, adding Chinese people’s theoretical creations to Marxism. The task of these two “-izations” was to achieve the mutual integration and mutual promotion of the basic principles of Marxism and China’s concrete realities.

第二，强调必须把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际“紧密地结合”起来，解决中国实践中的问题，也就是他强调的“使马克思主义在中国具体化”，反映了他对马克思主义必须在中国获得具体化发展的基本思想。此外，他还提出，一定“要使中国革命丰富的实际马克思主义化”，就是要把中国在革命实践中形成的丰富经验提升到马克思主义的高度，为马克思主义增添中国人的理论创造。这两个“化”的任务，就是要实现马克思主义基本原理与中国具体实际的相互贯通、相互促进。

Third, it was proposed to inherit the fine traditional Chinese culture under the guidance of Marxism. Mao Zedong pointed out in “On the New Stage” that “from Confucius to Sun Yat-sen, we should sum up and inherit this precious legacy,” which meant realizing the Marxification of fine traditional Chinese culture. He also stated that “Marxism-Leninism, this revolutionary science, must be further and deeply integrated with the practice of the Chinese revolution, Chinese history, and Chinese culture,” which meant promoting the interpenetration and mutual reinforcement of the basic principles of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, realizing the nationalization and localization of Marxism, and rooting it in the soil of Chinese culture.

第三，提出要在马克思主义指导下继承中华优秀传统文化。毛泽东在《论新阶段》中指出，“从孔夫子到孙中山，我们应该给以总结，我们要承继这一份珍贵的遗产”，这就是要实现中华优秀传统文化的马克思主义化。他还指出，“要使马克思列宁主义这一革命科学更进一步地和中国革命实践、中国历史、中国文化深相结合起来”，这就是要推动马克思主义基本原理与中华优秀传统文化相贯通、相促进，实现马克思主义民族化、本土化，扎根于中国文化土壤之中。

Fourth, it was proposed to be “creative Marxists,” independently and creatively applying and developing Marxism. In 1930, Mao Zedong wrote in “Oppose Book Worship” that “the victory of the Chinese revolution depends on Chinese comrades understanding Chinese conditions,” adhering to the “ideological line of creating a new situation through struggle,” and emphasizing the autonomy and creativity of Chinese Communists. In 1938, at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee, he stressed opposing dogmatism and creating a “fresh, lively Chinese style and Chinese manner that the Chinese masses love to see and hear.” [1]1 The Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee (1938) was a key meeting of the CPC that affirmed Mao Zedong’s leadership and emphasized the Sinification of Marxism. In February 1942, in “Rectify the Party’s Style of Work,” he pointed out that “only by making theoretical creations in all aspects that meet China’s needs can it be called the connection between theory and practice.” In March, in “How to Study the History of the CPC,” he proposed “applying the methods of Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin to China and creating something new in China,” which became a question he repeatedly emphasized thereafter.

第四，提出要做“创造性的马克思主义者”，独立自主地、创造性地运用和发展马克思主义。1930年，毛泽东在《反对本本主义》中提出，“中国革命斗争的胜利要靠中国同志了解中国情况”，坚持“从斗争中创造新局面的思想路线”，强调中国共产党人的自主性和创造性。1938年，他在六届六中全会上强调，要反对教条主义，创造“新鲜活泼的，为中国老百姓所喜闻乐见的中国作风与中国气派”。1942年2月，他在《整顿党的作风》中指出，必须要“在各方面作出合乎中国需要的理论性的创造，才叫做理论和实际相联系”。3月，在《如何研究中共党史》中，他提出“要把马、恩、列、斯的方法用到中国来，在中国创造出一些新的东西”，这成为他此后反复强调的问题。

Mao Zedong Thought achieved the first historic leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, greatly advancing the process of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, deeply embedding Marxism in the soil of Chinese culture, and creating a new height in the development of Chinese culture. It “raised the ideological level of our nation to a reasonable height never seen before” and was “the highest expression of the wisdom of the Chinese nation and the highest theoretical generalization.” As Liu Shaoqi summarized at the Seventh National Congress of the CPC, Mao Zedong Thought “is the unified thought of the theory of Marxism-Leninism with the practice of the Chinese revolution, it is Chinese communism, Chinese Marxism,” and “it is an excellent model of the nationalization of Marxism… it is Chinese and yet completely Marxist.”

毛泽东思想实现了马克思主义中国化的第一次历史性飞跃，极大推进了马克思主义中国化进程，使马克思主义深植于中国文化土壤之中，创造了中国文化发展的新高度，“把我国民族的思想水平提到了从来未有的合理的高度”，“是中国民族智慧的最高表现和理论上的最高概括”。正如刘少奇在党的七大上概括的，毛泽东思想“就是马克思列宁主义的理论与中国革命的实践之统一的思想，就是中国的共产主义，中国的马克思主义”，“是马克思主义民族化的优秀典型……是中国的东西，又是完全马克思主义的东西”。

After the founding of New China, Mao Zedong proposed the task of realizing a “second integration” of Marxism with China’s concrete reality. He pointed out, “The most important thing is to think independently and combine the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete reality of China’s revolution and construction… Now is the period of socialist revolution and construction; we must carry out a second integration to find the path for building socialism in China.” [2]2 The “second integration” refers to Mao’s call after 1956 to adapt Marxism to China’s socialist construction, distinct from the earlier “first integration” during the revolutionary period. In the process of this “second integration,” he created the theory of the Ten Major Relationships, the theory of correctly handling contradictions among the people, and others, further enriching Mao Zedong Thought.

新中国成立后，毛泽东提出实现马克思主义与中国具体实际“第二次结合”的任务。他指出，“最重要的是要独立思考，把马列主义的基本原理同中国革命和建设的具体实际相结合……现在是社会主义革命和建设时期，我们要进行第二次结合，找出在中国怎样建设社会主义的道路”。在“第二次结合”过程中，他创立了十大关系理论、正确处理人民内部矛盾理论等，进一步丰富了毛泽东思想。

During the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, Chinese Communists, with Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, and Hu Jintao as their main representatives, further advanced the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete reality and fine traditional Chinese culture. Firmly grasping the fundamental theme of socialism with Chinese characteristics, they scientifically answered core questions such as “what is socialism and how to build it,” “what kind of Party to build and how to build it,” and “what kind of development to achieve and how to achieve it.” They established Deng Xiaoping Theory, formed the important thought of the “Three Represents” and the Scientific Outlook on Development, continuously pushing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context to new heights.

改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，以邓小平、江泽民、胡锦涛等为主要代表的中国共产党人，进一步推进马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际、中华优秀传统文化的结合，紧紧抓住中国特色社会主义这一根本主题，科学回答了“什么是社会主义、怎样建设社会主义”、“建设什么样的党、怎样建设党”、“实现什么样的发展、怎样发展”等核心问题，创立了邓小平理论、形成了“三个代表”重要思想和科学发展观，不断把马克思主义中国化推进到新的高度。

Chinese Communists have consistently promoted the “Two Integrations” throughout the processes of revolution, construction, and reform, but the focus of practical tasks and theoretical creation has differed across periods. The tasks the Party had to accomplish were first to achieve national independence and people’s liberation, and then to realize national prosperity and people’s happiness. Consequently, in the past, more effort was devoted to integrating the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete reality, while exploration of the “Second Integration” was relatively weak. Although Mao Zedong once used the phrase “deep integration,” he did not conduct further theoretical analysis or form a clear scientific proposition. This was determined by the course of historical development and the logic of theoretical development, and it also left space for later generations’ theoretical innovation.

中国共产党人在革命、建设和改革过程中一直推动“两个结合”，但不同时期实践任务和理论创造的侧重点不同。党要完成的任务，首先是实现民族独立和人民解放，进而实现国家富强和人民幸福，因而过去更多致力于把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，对“第二个结合”的探索则相对薄弱。尽管毛泽东曾提出过“深相结合”的说法，但并没有作进一步的理论分析，没有形成明确的科学命题。这是由历史发展进程和理论发展逻辑决定的，也为后人的理论创新提供了空间。

Entering the New Era, China’s appearance has undergone a fundamental change. Comprehensively building a modern socialist country and comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, whose essence is national prosperity, national rejuvenation, and people’s happiness, have become the historical mission and central task of Chinese Communists in the New Era. While further integrating the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete reality, advancing the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture has become particularly important. Precisely based on the needs of the times, General Secretary Xi Jinping, at the ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC, explicitly put forward the important thesis of the “Two Integrations”: “Uphold the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and fine traditional culture, use Marxism to observe, grasp, and lead the times, and continue to develop contemporary Chinese Marxism and Marxism in the 21st century!”

进入新时代，我国面貌发生根本改变，全面建设社会主义现代化强国，全面推进以国家富强、民族振兴、人民幸福为本质的中华民族伟大复兴，成为新时代中国共产党人的历史使命和中心任务。在进一步把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合的同时，推进马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合，显得尤其重要。正是基于时代需要，习近平总书记在庆祝中国共产党成立100周年大会上，明确提出“两个结合”的重要论断：“坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，用马克思主义观察时代、把握时代、引领时代，继续发展当代中国马克思主义、21世纪马克思主义！”

In October 2022, at the 20th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping elaborated in greater detail on the important status and rich connotations of the “Two Integrations”: “Only by integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and fine traditional culture, and by applying dialectical materialism and historical materialism, can we correctly answer the major questions posed by the times and practice, and can we always maintain the vigor and vitality of Marxism.” To uphold and develop Marxism, it is necessary to integrate it with China’s specific realities, using its scientific worldview and methodology to solve China’s problems, provide correct answers that conform to China’s realities and the requirements of the times, form theoretical results that keep pace with the times, and better guide China’s practice. It is also necessary to integrate it with fine traditional Chinese culture, interpenetrating the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, integrating them with the common values that the people unconsciously use in daily life, continuously consolidating the historical and mass foundations for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and allowing Marxism to take deep root in China.

2022年10月，习近平总书记在党的二十大上更加详细地阐述了“两个结合”的重要地位和丰富内涵：“只有把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，坚持运用辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义，才能正确回答时代和实践提出的重大问题，才能始终保持马克思主义的蓬勃生机和旺盛活力。”坚持和发展马克思主义，必须同中国具体实际相结合，运用其科学世界观和方法论解决中国问题，作出符合中国实际和时代要求的正确回答，形成与时俱进的理论成果，更好指导中国实践；必须同中华优秀传统文化相结合，把马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相贯通，同人民群众日用而不觉的共同价值观念融通起来，不断夯实马克思主义中国化时代化的历史基础和群众基础，让马克思主义在中国牢牢扎根。

The major scientific thesis of the “Two Integrations” profoundly reveals the essential connotation, inherent requirements, and fundamental principles of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. It expands the development path for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, raising the Chinese Communists’ understanding of this adaptation to a new height and elevating it to a new realm.

“两个结合”的重大科学论断，深刻揭示出马克思主义中国化时代化的本质内涵、内在要求和根本原则，拓展了马克思主义中国化时代化的发展路径，把中国共产党人对马克思主义中国化时代化的认识提高到一个新的高度，升华到一个新的境界。

III. The Original Theoretical Contributions of the “Two Integrations” in the New Era

三、新时代“两个结合”的原创性理论贡献

General Secretary Xi Jinping, based on the historical juncture of the New Era, drawing on the Party’s experience in theoretical innovation, and in accordance with new practical developments and the requirements of theoretical innovation, has further advanced the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete reality and with fine traditional Chinese culture. He has creatively answered major questions concerning the development of the Party and the state, forming a series of original theoretical achievements.

习近平总书记立足新时代历史方位，汲取党的理论创新经验，根据新的实践发展和理论创新要求，进一步推进马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，创造性回答了关系党和国家事业发展的重大问题，形成一系列原创性理论成果。

First, applying the Marxist theory of historical epochs to analyze the essence and stage-specific characteristics of the present era, he put forward the important thought of “changes unseen in a century.” General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Although the era we live in has undergone tremendous and profound changes compared with the era Marx lived in, from the broad perspective of 500 years of world socialism, we are still in the historical epoch indicated by Marxism.” [3]3 This quote is from Xi Jinping’s speech at the conference marking the 200th anniversary of Marx’s birth in 2018. That is to say, the world today is still in a historical epoch where the capitalist mode of production predominates but is gradually transitioning to socialism. The centers of technological innovation are mostly still in developed capitalist countries, the discourse power over world order and rules is mainly controlled by a few developed capitalist countries, and the timing for institutional change within capitalist countries is not yet ripe.

第一，运用马克思主义关于历史时代的理论，分析当今时代本质和阶段性特征，提出了“世界百年未有之大变局”的重要思想。习近平总书记指出：“尽管我们所处的时代同马克思所处的时代相比发生了巨大而深刻的变化，但从世界社会主义500年的大视野来看，我们依然处在马克思主义所指明的历史时代。”也就是说，当今世界依然处于资本主义生产方式占主要地位而又逐步向社会主义过渡的历史时代，科技创新中心大多还在发达资本主义国家，世界秩序和规则的话语权主要由少数发达资本主义国家掌控，资本主义国家内部制度变革的时机并未成熟。

However, this era also exhibits new stage-specific characteristics. “Many Western economies are experiencing sustained sluggish growth, widening polarization, and deepening social contradictions, indicating that the inherent contradiction of capitalism between socialized production and private ownership of the means of production persists, though its forms of expression and characteristics differ.” The flourishing development of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era has infused scientific socialism with renewed vitality in 21st-century China, demonstrating the strong vitality of socialism and shifting the balance of power between the two major systems of the contemporary world in a direction favorable to socialism. The momentum of “the East rising and the West declining” and “socialism prospering and capitalism declining” has already emerged. With the deepening development of economic globalization, the basic structure of the world economy is undergoing profound changes, multipolarity is advancing rapidly, and relations among the world’s major powers are undergoing major adjustments. Changes of the world, of the times, and of history are unfolding in ways unprecedented in a century, and the changes unseen in a century are accelerating.

然而，这个时代也呈现出新的阶段性特征。“许多西方国家经济持续低迷、两极分化加剧、社会矛盾加深，说明资本主义固有的生产社会化和生产资料私人占有之间的矛盾依然存在，但表现形式、存在特点有所不同。”新时代中国特色社会主义的繁荣发展，使科学社会主义在21世纪的中国焕发出新的蓬勃生机，彰显出社会主义的强大生命力，推动当今世界两大制度的力量对比朝着有利于社会主义的方向发展。“东升西降”、“社兴资衰”的势头已经显现。随着经济全球化不断深入发展，世界经济基本格局正在发生深刻变化，世界多极化快速推进，世界主要大国之间的关系正在进行重大调整。世界之变、时代之变、历史之变正以前所未有的方式展开，世界百年未有之大变局正在加速演进。

Facing the era’s reality where challenges and hopes coexist, General Secretary Xi Jinping respects the laws of history, organically integrates the resolution of practical problems with attention to future development, and scientifically answers the question of the world: “What is wrong with the world and what should we do about it?” He proposes building a community with a shared future for mankind, emphasizing the need to uphold dialogue and consultation, shared growth through joint contribution, win-win cooperation, exchange and mutual learning, and green and low-carbon development, to build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, clean and beautiful, providing an action plan for solving major contemporary world problems.

面对挑战与希望并存的时代现实，习近平总书记尊重历史规律，将解决现实问题与关注未来发展有机结合，科学回答了“世界怎么了、我们怎么办”的世界之问，提出构建人类命运共同体，强调要坚持对话协商、共建共享、合作共赢、交流互鉴、绿色低碳，建设一个持久和平、普遍安全、共同繁荣、开放包容、清洁美丽的世界，为解决当代世界重大问题提供了行动方案。

Second, applying the basic principles of Marxism to analyze the overall strategic situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, it puts forward the concept of the “New Era” and the theory of the “new contradiction,” scientifically grasps the dialectics of “constancy and change” in the basic national conditions, makes strategic deployments for China’s development in the New Era, and promotes historic transformations in the cause of the Party and the state. Through unremitting efforts, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a New Era, and “the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved into the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life.” The new contradiction and new national conditions of the New Era impose many new requirements on the work of the Party and the state, requiring the Party to lead the people, on the basis of continuing to promote development, to focus on solving the problems of unbalanced and inadequate development, vigorously improve the quality and efficiency of development, promote the advancement of modernization to a higher level, better meet the people’s needs in economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological aspects, and better realize the comprehensive development of individuals and the overall progress of society. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, coordinating the overall

第二，运用马克思主义基本原理分析中华民族伟大复兴战略全局，提出“新时代”观和“新矛盾”论，科学把握基本国情“不变与变”的辩证法，作出新时代中国发展战略部署，推动党和国家事业实现历史性变革。经过不懈努力，中国特色社会主义进入新时代，“我国社会主要矛盾已经转化为人民日益增长的美好生活需要和不平衡不充分的发展之间的矛盾”。新时代的新矛盾和新国情，对党和国家工作提出了许多新要求，需要党带领人民在继续推动发展的基础上，着力解决好发展不平衡不充分的问题，大力提升发展质量和效益，推动现代化建设向更高层次发展，更好满足人民在经济、政治、文化、社会、生态等方面的需要，更好实现人的全面发展和社会全面进步。以习近平同志为核心的党中央，统筹国内国际两个大局，以高度的历史自信和历史主动，统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局，制定并实施科教兴国、人才强国、创新驱动、乡村振兴、区域协调发展、可持续发展等战略，采取一系列战略性举措，推进一系列变革性实践，实现一系列突破性进展，取得一系列标志性成果，使党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革。新时代十年的伟大变革，在党史、新中国史、改革开放史、社会主义发展史、中华民族发展史上具有里程碑意义。

Third, by organically integrating the common features of modernization across countries with the distinctive characteristics of Chinese modernization, we have further advanced and expanded Chinese-path modernization, developed a new form of human civilization, and established the theory of Chinese-path modernization. The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC provided a comprehensive and systematic exposition of Chinese-path modernization, pointing out that Chinese-path modernization is socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China, with Party leadership as its greatest advantage and most essential characteristic, and socialism as its fundamental institutional attribute. On the one hand, Chinese-path modernization possesses the common features and universal requirements of modernization in all countries, such as highly developed productive forces, a solid economic base, and improved living standards for the people, reflecting the general laws of human social development. On the other hand, Chinese-path modernization is firmly rooted in China's concrete realities and possesses distinct Chinese characteristics; it is modernization with a huge population, common prosperity for all, coordination between material and cultural-ethical progress, harmony between humanity and nature, and peaceful development. Chinese-path modernization is fundamentally different from capitalist modernization in terms of leadership, nature and purpose, value orientation, development direction, and methods and pathways. It overcomes the drawbacks of capitalist modernization and creates a new model and development path for human modernization. The new form of human civilization promoted by Chinese-path modernization draws on the essence of traditional Chinese culture, absorbs the rational elements of modernization development in other countries, reflects the demands of the current era and the general trend of historical development, and represents a comprehensive innovation of the outstanding achievements of human civilization, including both Western and Chinese civilizations. It is a holistic civilization characterized by the coordinated development of material, political, cultural-ethical, social, and ecological civilization, transcending the one-sided and unidimensional nature of Western civilization, altering the current balance of power between the two systems, and providing wisdom and solutions for humanity's progress toward a more advanced social form.

第三，把世界各国现代化的共同特征和中国现代化的鲜明特征有机结合起来，进一步推进和拓展中国式现代化，发展人类文明新形态，创立中国式现代化理论。党的二十大报告对中国式现代化作了全面系统阐述，指出中国式现代化是中国共产党领导的社会主义现代化，党的领导是最大优势和最本质特征，社会主义是根本制度属性。一方面，中国式现代化具有各国现代化的共同特征和普遍要求，如生产力高度发达、经济基础雄厚、人民生活水平提高等，体现了人类社会发展的一般规律；另一方面，中国式现代化牢牢立足中国具体实际，具有鲜明的中国特色，是人口规模巨大、全体人民共同富裕、物质文明和精神文明相协调、人与自然和谐共生、走和平发展道路的现代化。中国式现代化在领导力量、性质目的、价值取向、发展方向、方法路径等方面与资本主义现代化有着本质区别，克服了资本主义现代化的弊端，创造了人类现代化的崭新模式和发展路径。中国式现代化推动形成的人类文明新形态，汲取了中华传统文化的精华，吸收了其他国家现代化发展的合理因素，反映了当今时代要求和历史发展大势，是对包括西方文明、中华文明在内的人类文明优秀成果的综合创新，是物质文明、精神文明、政治文明、社会文明、生态文明共同发展的总体性文明，超越了片面性和单向度的西方文明，改变了当今两种制度的力量对比，为人类走向更加先进的社会形态提供了智慧和方案。

Fourth, by applying the Marxist worldview and methodology throughout the cultural development of the New Era, we have put forward the basic stance, principles, attitudes, and methods for dealing with fine traditional Chinese culture, elevating the understanding of fine traditional Chinese culture among Chinese Communists to a new height. At the 19th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "To develop socialist culture with Chinese characteristics means to develop a socialist culture for our nation—a culture that is sound and people-oriented, that embraces modernization, the world, and the future, and that both promotes socialist material wellbeing and raises socialist cultural-ethical standards. In developing this culture, we must follow the guidance of Marxism, base our efforts on Chinese culture, and take into account the realities of contemporary China and the conditions of the present era. We should ensure that this culture serves the people and serves socialism. We should follow the principle of letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend, and encourage creative transformation and development, so as to add new luster to Chinese culture." He emphasized the need to uphold the guiding role of Marxism, put forward the cultural stance of "upholding Chinese culture," the cultural principle of "encouraging creative transformation and development," and the cultural task of "adding new luster to Chinese culture," providing fundamental guidance for inheriting and promoting fine traditional Chinese culture.

第四，把马克思主义世界观和方法论贯穿到新时代文化建设当中，提出对待中华优秀传统文化的基本立场、方针、态度和方法，把中国共产党人对中华优秀传统文化的认识提到新的高度。在党的十九大上，习近平总书记指出：“发展中国特色社会主义文化，就是以马克思主义为指导，坚守中华文化立场，立足当代中国现实，结合当今时代条件，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，推动社会主义精神文明和物质文明协调发展。要坚持为人民服务、为社会主义服务，坚持百花齐放、百家争鸣，坚持创造性转化、创新性发展，不断铸就中华文化新辉煌。”他强调要坚持马克思主义指导地位，提出“坚守中华文化”的文化立场，“坚持创造性转化、创新性发展”的文化方针，“铸就中华文化新辉煌”的文化任务，为传承和弘扬中华优秀传统文化提供了根本遵循。

Regarding the attitudes and methods for dealing with traditional Chinese culture, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that Chinese Communists are by no means historical nihilists or cultural nihilists; they have "always been faithful inheritors and promoters of China's fine traditional culture, and from Confucius to Sun Yat-sen, we have always paid attention to absorbing its positive nutrients." This means using Marxist dialectics to examine traditional Chinese culture, from the dual perspectives of contemporary Chinese practice and future Chinese development, to better inherit its outstanding achievements, promote its fine traditions, and make them serve our purposes, serve the present, and serve the future, thereby achieving an effective integration of historical culture, contemporary practice, and future development. It means adhering to the principle of making the past serve the present, making a dialectical selection, and bringing forth the new through the old; treating it with discrimination, inheriting it with a critical spirit, discarding outdated, negative ideas imbued with the ideology of the exploiting classes, and promoting positive ideas that transcend time, possess universal value, and can promote contemporary development, striving to cultivate and educate people through culture.

关于对待中华传统文化的态度和方法，习近平总书记强调，中国共产党人决不是历史虚无主义者和文化虚无主义者，“始终是中国优秀传统文化的忠实继承者和弘扬者，从孔夫子到孙中山，我们都注意汲取其中积极的养分”。这就是要用马克思主义辩证法去审视中华传统文化，从当代中国实践和未来中国发展这两个角度，更好地继承其优秀成果，弘扬其优良传统，为我所用、为今所用、为将来所用，实现历史文化、当代实践和未来发展的有效贯通；就是要坚持古为今用、辩证取舍、推陈出新，有鉴别地加以对待，有扬弃地予以继承，摒弃那些过时的、带有剥削阶级意识形态的消极思想，弘扬那些超越时空、具有普遍价值、对当代发展有推动作用的积极思想，努力以文化人、以文育人。

Fifth, incorporating fine traditional Chinese culture into the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, excavating and promoting its essential meanings, so that it releases powerful vitality in the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes that “socialist culture with Chinese characteristics is derived from the fine traditional Chinese culture nurtured over the five-thousand-year history of the Chinese nation, is forged from the revolutionary culture and advanced socialist culture created by the Party leading the people in revolution, construction, and reform, and is rooted in the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” [11]11 Xi Jinping, “Secure a Decisive Victory in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects and Strive for the Great Success of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC, October 18, 2017. That is to say, the most essential feature of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics is its guidance by Marxism, its most realistic foundation is the practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and its deepest cultural root is fine traditional Chinese culture. It is necessary to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional culture, making it an organic component of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics and a powerful support for strengthening cultural confidence.

第五，把中华优秀传统文化纳入中国特色社会主义文化建设当中，发掘和弘扬其精髓要义，使之在新时代释放出强大生命力。习近平总书记强调，“中国特色社会主义文化，源自于中华民族五千多年文明历史所孕育的中华优秀传统文化，熔铸于党领导人民在革命、建设、改革中创造的革命文化和社会主义先进文化，植根于中国特色社会主义伟大实践”。这就是说，中国特色社会主义文化最本质的特征是以马克思主义为指导，最现实的基础是中国特色社会主义实践，最深厚的文化根基是中华优秀传统文化，要推进优秀传统文化的创造性转化和创新性发展，使之成为中国特色社会主义文化的有机构成，成为坚定文化自信的有力支撑。

On the question of the spiritual genealogy of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping organically integrates fine traditional Chinese culture with the guiding ideology, political stance, ideals and beliefs of the CPC, and puts forward the great founding spirit of the Party, namely, “upholding truth and ideals, staying true to the original aspiration and founding mission, braving sacrifice and fighting tenaciously, and remaining loyal to the Party and faithful to the people. This is the wellspring of the spirit of the CPC.” [12]12 Xi Jinping, speech at the ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC, July 1, 2021. Fine traditional Chinese culture contains the spirit of pursuing truth expressed in “having heard the Way in the morning, one may die content in the evening,” [13]13 From the *Analects* of Confucius, *Li Ren* chapter. the spirit of adhering to ideals expressed in “on and on I will search, high and low,” [14]14 From Qu Yuan’s poem *Li Sao* (Encountering Sorrow). the spirit of forever preserving the original aspiration expressed in “never forget why you started, and you can accomplish your mission,” [15]15 A common modern Chinese saying derived from Buddhist scripture. the spirit of mission and responsibility expressed in “to ordain conscience for Heaven and Earth, to secure life and fortune for the people, to continue lost teachings for past sages, and to establish peace for all future generations,” [16]16 Attributed to the Song dynasty philosopher Zhang Zai. the spirit of struggle expressed in “as Heaven moves with vigor, the gentleman strives constantly to strengthen himself,” [17]17 From the *I Ching* (Book of Changes), commentary on the hexagram *Qian*. the patriotic spirit expressed in “everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the nation,” [18]18 Attributed to the Qing dynasty scholar Gu Yanwu. and the people-oriented spirit expressed in “the people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is secure, the state is tranquil.” [19]19 From the *Book of Documents* (Shang Shu), “The Songs of the Five Sons.” The great founding spirit of the Party is deeply rooted in the fertile soil of these precious spiritual heritages. It is an important manifestation of the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, adding new content to the spiritual world of the Chinese nation.

在中国共产党精神谱系问题上，习近平总书记把中华优秀传统文化同中国共产党的指导思想、政治立场、理想信念等有机结合起来，提出了伟大建党精神，即“坚持真理、坚守理想，践行初心、担当使命，不怕牺牲、英勇斗争，对党忠诚、不负人民的伟大建党精神，这是中国共产党的精神之源”。中华优秀传统文化包含着“朝闻道，夕死可矣”的追求真理精神，“吾将上下而求索”的坚守理想精神，“不忘初心、方得始终”的永葆初心精神，“为天地立心，为生民立命，为往圣继绝学，为万世开太平”的使命担当精神，“天行健，君子以自强不息”的奋斗精神，“天下兴亡，匹夫有责”的爱国精神，“民惟邦本，本固邦宁”的民本精神等。伟大建党精神深植于这些宝贵精神遗产的沃土之中，是中华优秀传统文化创造性转化和创新性发展的重要体现，为中华民族的精神世界增添了崭新内容。

On the question of core socialist values, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes that many of the ideas, concepts, and moral norms in traditional culture have timeless value, becoming common values that the people use daily without conscious awareness, and providing important resources for cultivating core socialist values. For example, “immersing oneself with an open mind” is an important method for studying texts and pursuing the Way, as well as for moral cultivation. It requires one, in a state of unity of mind and spirit, to delve deeply, repeatedly seek, and grasp the essence, thereby achieving an elevation of intellectual wisdom and moral character. To cultivate and promote core socialist values, they must permeate daily life, being as ubiquitous and ever-present as the air, allowing people to perceive and comprehend them in their lives, and making them a consensus of thought and value for the whole society.

在社会主义核心价值观问题上，习近平总书记强调，传统文化中的很多思想理念和道德规范都具有永不褪色的价值，成为人民群众日用而不觉的共同价值观念，为涵养社会主义核心价值观提供了重要资源。例如，“虚心涵泳”就是一种重要的读书问道和道德养成的方法，要求人们在心神合一状态下沉潜其中，反复求索，得其精髓，实现思想智慧和道德人格的提升。培育和弘扬社会主义核心价值观，就要让其渗透到日常生活之中，像空气一样无所不在、无时不有，让人们在生活中感知它、领悟它，成为全社会的思想和价值共识。

On the question of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes that the Chinese nation possesses a profound cultural tradition, forming a distinctive system of thought that embodies the knowledge and wisdom accumulated by the Chinese people over thousands of years. Constructing philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics must reflect inheritance and national character, be adept at integrating the resources of Marxism, fine traditional Chinese culture, and foreign philosophy and social sciences, and adhere to the principle of “not forgetting the original, absorbing the foreign, and facing the future.” [20]20 A formulation used in official discourse on cultural development. It is necessary to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, activate its powerful vitality and value appeal in the present era, and, together with the colorful civilizations created by the people of all countries, provide correct spiritual guidance for humanity.

在中国特色哲学社会科学问题上，习近平总书记强调，中华民族有着深厚文化传统，形成了富有特色的思想体系，体现了中国人民几千年来积累的知识智慧；构建中国特色哲学社会科学，要体现继承性、民族性，要善于融通马克思主义的资源、中华优秀传统文化的资源、国外哲学社会科学的资源，坚持不忘本来、吸收外来、面向未来；要推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展，激活其在当今时代的强大生命力和价值感召力，使之同各国人民创造的多彩文明一道，为人类提供正确精神指引。

Sixth, using profound philosophical thinking and a systematic approach, scientifically revealing the points of convergence between the fundamental principles of Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture, and, in the process of promoting their integration, forming major theoretical creations. At the 20th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The fine traditional Chinese culture, extensive and profound, is the crystallization of the wisdom of Chinese civilization. It contains, among others, the concepts of ‘the world is for all,’ ‘the people are the foundation of the state,’ ‘governing with virtue,’ ‘reforming the old and establishing the new,’ ‘appointing people on their merit,’ ‘the unity of Heaven and humanity,’ ‘striving constantly to strengthen oneself,’ ‘embracing all things with great virtue,’ ‘upholding good faith and harmony,’ and ‘being kind and neighborly.’ These are important manifestations of the worldviews, views on society, and views on morality accumulated by the Chinese people in their long-term production and life.” [21]21 Xi Jinping, “Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive in Unity to Build a Modern Socialist Country in All Respects,” report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, October 16, 2022. These contents are the essence of traditional Chinese culture, possessing powerful historical penetrative force, cultural appeal, and spiritual inspiration, and are highly compatible with socialist values.

第六，以深邃的哲学思维和系统观念，科学揭示马克思主义基本原理与中华优秀传统文化的契合点，在推动二者贯通的过程中，形成重大理论创造。在党的二十大上，习近平总书记指出：“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。”这些内容是中华传统文化的精华，具有强大的历史穿透力、文化感染力和精神感召力，同社会主义价值观具有高度契合性。

General Secretary Xi Jinping integrates the Marxist view that the masses are the creators of history with the people-oriented thought in fine traditional Chinese culture, prominently emphasizing “putting the people first” as a standpoint, viewpoint, and method. Marxism holds that the masses are the creators of history, that “historical activity is the activity of the masses,” and that as historical activity deepens, the mass of the people will inevitably grow. [22]22 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *The Holy Family* (1845). What determines historical development is the “acting masses.” [23]23 Friedrich Engels, *Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy* (1886). The “people-oriented” thought is one of the essences of fine traditional Chinese culture, with classic expressions such as “the people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is secure, the state is tranquil,” “take the people’s heart as one’s own heart,” and “the people are the most important; the state is secondary; the sovereign is the least.” [24]24 Respectively from the *Book of Documents*, the *Dao De Jing* (Laozi), and the *Mencius*. General Secretary Xi Jinping combines these two kinds of thought, systematically elaborating the people-centered development thought, upholding the principal position of the people, and promoting the development of whole-process people’s democracy.

习近平总书记把马克思主义关于人民群众创造历史的观点，与中华优秀传统文化中的民本思想贯通，将“人民至上”作为立场观点方法突出强调。马克思主义认为，人民群众是历史的创造者，“历史活动是群众的活动，随着历史活动的深入，必将是群众队伍的扩大”，决定历史发展的是“行动着的群众”。“民本”思想是中华优秀传统文化的精华之一，“民惟邦本，本固邦宁”、“以百姓心为心”、“民为贵，社稷次之，君为轻”等都是其经典表达。习近平总书记将这两种思想结合起来，系统阐发了以人民为中心的发展思想，坚持人民主体地位，推动发展全过程人民民主。

General Secretary Xi Jinping integrates the Marxist communist ideal of a “true community” with the ideal of a “great harmony” society of “the world is for all” in fine traditional Chinese culture, putting forward the thought of a community with a shared future for mankind. Marxism holds that the development of human history inevitably leads to communism, “in place of the old bourgeois society, with its classes and class antagonisms, we shall have an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.” [25]25 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *The Communist Manifesto* (1848). Traditional Chinese culture contains the idea of “all under Heaven as one family” and “great harmony in the world,” emphasizing “valuing harmony,” “harmony in diversity,” “do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself,” and “harmonizing all nations,” pursuing “when the Great Way prevails, the world is for all.” [26]26 From the *Book of Rites* (Li Ji), “The Conveyance of Rites” chapter. General Secretary Xi Jinping integrates these two kinds of ideal pursuits, bases himself on the contemporary reality of changes unseen in a century in the world, explores answers to the questions of the contemporary world, and, from the combination of ideal and reality, puts forward the thought of a community with a shared future for mankind, providing Chinese wisdom for solving the questions of the world.

习近平总书记把马克思主义“真正共同体”的共产主义理想，与中华优秀传统文化“天下为公”的大同社会理想贯通，提出人类命运共同体思想。马克思主义认为，人类历史发展必然走向共产主义，“代替那存在着阶级和阶级对立的资产阶级旧社会的，将是这样一个联合体，在那里，每个人的自由发展是一切人的自由发展的条件”。中国传统文化蕴含着天下一家、世界大同的思想，强调“以和为贵”、“和而不同”、“己所不欲，勿施于人”、“协和万邦”，追求“大道之行，天下为公”。习近平总书记贯通两种理想追求，立足世界百年变局的时代现实，探索解决当今世界之问的答案，从理想与现实结合上提出人类命运共同体思想，为解决世界之问提供了中国智慧。

General Secretary Xi Jinping integrates the Marxist thought on the dialectical unity of transforming nature and respecting nature with the thought in fine traditional Chinese culture of “the unity of Heaven and humanity” and “the Way follows nature,” putting forward the thought of ecological civilization featuring harmony between humanity and nature. Marxism emphasizes both that the subjective practice of transforming nature is an important indicator of the development of productive forces, and that nature must be respected, and that economic growth cannot be achieved by destroying nature: “Let us not, however, flatter ourselves overmuch on account of our human victories over nature. For each such victory nature takes its revenge on us.” [27]27 Friedrich Engels, *The Dialectics of Nature* (1883). Fine traditional Chinese culture also emphasizes revering the Way of Heaven and not violating the laws of nature. Mencius, for instance, said: “If the seasons of farming are not interfered with, the grain will be more than can be eaten. If close-meshed nets are not allowed to enter the pools, the fish and turtles will be more than can be consumed. If axes and hatchets are used in the mountains only at the proper times, the timber will be more than can be used.” [28]28 From the *Mencius*, “King Hui of Liang, Part I.” General Secretary Xi Jinping integrates these two, putting forward that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” that humanity and nature are a community of life, that nature and the ecological environment must be protected as we protect our own eyes, and that we must unswervingly follow a civilized development path of production that is developed, life that is prosperous, and ecology that is sound.

习近平总书记把马克思主义关于改造自然与尊重自然辩证统一的思想，与中华优秀传统文化中天人合一、道法自然的思想贯通，提出人与自然和谐共生的生态文明思想。马克思主义既强调改造自然的主体性实践是生产力发展的重要标志，又强调要尊重自然，不能以破坏自然的方式来获得经济增长，“我们不要过分陶醉于我们人类对自然界的胜利。对于每一次这样的胜利，自然界都对我们进行报复”。中华优秀传统文化也强调要敬重天道，不能违背自然规律，孟子就提出“不违农时，谷不可胜食也；数罟不入洿池，鱼鳖不可胜食也；斧斤以时入山林，材木不可胜用也”。习近平总书记把二者贯通起来，提出绿水青山就是金山银山，人与自然是生命共同体，要像保护眼睛一样保护自然和生态环境，坚定不移走生产发展、生活富裕、生态良好的文明发展道路。

General Secretary Xi Jinping has integrated the Marxist theory of the advanced nature and purity of political parties with the traditional Chinese cultural ideas of self-examination and self-encouragement, and has put forward the theory of self-revolution. Marxism holds that the Communist Party always represents the interests of the proletariat and all humanity, and “is the most resolute and always driving force among the workers’ parties of all countries.” [29] In Chinese history, there was the “Sigh of Zang Wenzhong” as early as the Spring and Autumn period. [30] The *Zuo Commentary* records that in the autumn of the eleventh year of Duke Zhuang of Lu, the state of Song suffered a flood. Duke Min of Song, reflecting on himself, said to the envoy from Lu, “I alone was irreverent, and Heaven sent down this calamity, which has also caused you, my lord, anxiety. I bow to receive your command.” Upon hearing this, Zang Wenzhong sighed and said, “Song is about to rise. Yu and Tang blamed themselves, and their rise was sudden; Jie and Zhou blamed others, and their fall was swift.” [31] This story reveals a basic principle of order and chaos, rise and fall: if those in power can examine and correct themselves, the state will prosper; otherwise, they will perish with the fall of their regime. In July 1945, during the “cave dialogue” in Yan’an, Huang Yanpei raised the issue of the historical cycle of order and chaos, rise and fall. [32] Mao Zedong said that the Chinese Communist Party had already found the answer: “Only by letting the people supervise the government can the government not slacken. Only when everyone takes responsibility will there be no fall of the regime.” General

习近平总书记把马克思主义政党的先进性纯洁性思想，与中华优秀传统文化中反求诸己、自省自励的思想贯通，提出自我革命理论。马克思主义认为，共产党始终代表无产阶级和全人类利益，“是各国工人政党中最坚决的、始终起推动作用的部分”。中国历史上，春秋时期就有过“臧文仲之叹”。《左传》记载，鲁庄公十一年秋，宋国遭洪灾，宋闵公对鲁国来使自我反省道，“孤实不敬，天降之灾，又以为君忧，拜命之辱”，臧文仲闻言感叹：“宋其兴乎。禹、汤罪己，其兴也悖焉；桀、纣罪人，其亡也忽焉”。这个故事道出一个治乱兴衰的基本道理：执政者若能自我反省、自我矫正，国家就会兴旺繁荣，否则就会人亡政息。1945 年7月，黄炎培在延安“窑洞对”中谈到治乱兴衰的历史周期率问题，毛泽东说中国共产党已经找到了答案，“只有让人民来监督政府，政府才不敢松懈。只有人人起来负责，才不会人亡政息”。习近平总书记把马克思主义政党先进性纯洁性思想与传统文化中的自警自省思想结合起来，对治乱兴衰的历史规律进行深刻揭示，给出跳出历史周期率的第二个答案：“如何跳出治乱兴衰的历史周期率？毛泽东同志在延安的窑洞里给出了第一个答案……经过百年奋斗特别是党的十八大以来新的实践，我们党又给出了第二个答案，这就是自我革命。”

Conclusion

结语

Under the historical conditions of the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has profoundly summarized historical experience, and in accordance with the requirements of practical and theoretical innovation, creatively put forward the major proposition of the “Two Integrations,” further deepening the understanding of the laws governing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. In the process of theoretical innovation in the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has led the entire Party to continuously advance the concretization of

在新时代的历史条件下，习近平总书记深刻总结历史经验，根据实践和理论创新要求，创造性提出“两个结合”的重大命题，进一步深化对马克思主义中国化时代化的规律性认识。在新时代的理论创新过程中，习近平总书记带领全党不断推进马克思主义在中国的具体化，不断推进新时代中国丰富经验的马克思主义化，不断实现马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际、同中华优秀传统文化的深度结合、相互贯通。一方面，使马克思主义深深扎根于中华优秀传统文化之中，深深扎根于中国人民的生产生活实践当中，不断增强人们对马克思主义的文化认同、思想认同和心理认同，着力实现马克思主义与中国文化的融合；另一方面，使中华优秀传统文化上升到马克思主义的高度，实现其创造性转化、创新性发展，着力实现中国文化的马克思主义化。通过双向转化，马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化贯通起来，同人民群众日用而不觉的共同价值观念融通起来，在中国大地焕发出新的勃勃生机，中华优秀传统文化也不断展现出当代价值和持久生命力。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想就是“两个结合”的光辉典范，是当代中国的马克思主义、二十一世纪的马克思主义，是中华文化和中国精神的时代精华，实现了马克思主义中国化时代化的新飞跃，形成了马克思主义中国化时代化的新成果，开辟了马克思主义中国化时代化的新境界，标注了新时代中国共产党人实践“两个结合”的新高度。

(The author Jin Minqing is a research fellow at the Institute of Modern History, Chinese Academy of History)

（作者金民卿，系中国历史研究院近代史研究所研究员）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心