The Historical and Theoretical Logic of the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation

Culture is like water, moistening people’s hearts; civilization is like light, illuminating the path ahead. Human progress and world development cannot be sustained without the support of culture and the guidance of civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development comprehensively, systematically, and deeply elaborates on a series of major issues concerning shouldering new cultural missions and building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. It indicates that our Party’s understanding of the laws governing cultural construction and civilizational development has reached a new height, makes original contributions to Marxist cultural theory, and holds milestone significance in the history of the Chinese nation’s development and the history of human civilization.

文化若水，润泽人心；文明如光，照亮前程。人类的进步、世界的发展，离不开文化的支撑和文明的指引。习近平总书记在文化传承发展座谈会上的重要讲话，围绕担负新的文化使命、建设中华民族现代文明的一系列重大问题作出了全面系统深入阐述，表明我们党对文化建设和文明发展规律的认识达到了新高度，对马克思主义文化理论作出了原创性贡献，在中华民族发展史、人类文明发展史上具有里程碑意义。

Profound Historical Origins and Cultural Foundations

深厚的历史渊源和文化根基

China is recognized as one of the world’s four great ancient civilizations, with a history of more than five thousand years. The industrious and courageous Chinese nation created a broad and profound Chinese culture and a splendid and brilliant Chinese civilization, and for a considerable period of history, it led the world. We had highly developed agriculture and handicrafts very early on; rice, millet, pigs, dogs, silkworms, and cocoons were all first domesticated by the ancient Chinese people from wild animals and plants. The achievements of ancient Chinese civilization, such as the Four Great Inventions, poetry and song, rites and music, legal systems, and the classics and historical records, all reached the peak of world cultural development at that time, making tremendous contributions to the progress of human civilization.

中国是世界公认的四大文明古国之一，有五千多年的文明史。勤劳勇敢的中华民族创造了博大精深的中国文化和辉煌灿烂的中华文明，并且在相当长的历史时期里走在了世界前列。我们很早就有发达的农业和手工业，稻米粟黍、猪狗蚕茧等都是中华先民最早从野生动植物中培育而来的。我国古代文明成果如四大发明、诗词歌赋、礼乐教化、律法制度、经史子集等都达到当时世界文化发展的高峰，对人类文明进步作出了巨大贡献。

Over the millennia-long river of history, the Chinese nation created a cultural tradition centered on governance through culture and education, giving rise to the only great civilization in the world that has continued to develop uninterrupted to this day. Unique cultural traditions and civilizational characteristics are the cultural foundation and spiritual pillar of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping comprehensively reveals the five outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization and their decisive significance, emphasizing that Chinese civilization has outstanding continuity, which fundamentally determines that the Chinese nation must take its own path; Chinese civilization has outstanding innovativeness, which fundamentally determines the enterprising spirit of the Chinese nation to uphold the fundamental principles without being conservative, to respect the ancients without restoring the old, and its fearless character of not fearing new challenges and being brave in accepting new things; Chinese civilization has outstanding unity, which fundamentally determines that the cultures of all ethnic groups in China merge into one, and even when encountering major setbacks, they remain firmly cohesive, and national unity is forever the core of China’s core interests; Chinese civilization has outstanding inclusiveness, which fundamentally determines the historical orientation of the Chinese nation toward interaction, exchange, and integration, the harmonious pattern of coexistence of multiple religious beliefs in China, and the open-mindedness of Chinese culture to absorb all that is good from world civilizations; Chinese civilization has outstanding peacefulness, which fundamentally determines that China is always a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order, and that China constantly pursues exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations without engaging in cultural hegemony. Only by comprehensively and deeply understanding the history of Chinese civilization and profoundly grasping its outstanding characteristics can we truly understand the historical inevitability, cultural connotation, and unique advantages of the Chinese path, more effectively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and more forcefully advance the construction of a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

中华民族在数千年的历史长河中，开创了以文治教化为主旨的文化传统，造就了世界上唯一绵延不断发展至今的伟大文明。独特的文化传统和文明特性，是中华民族现代文明的文化根基和精神支柱。习近平总书记全面揭示中华文明的五个突出特性及其决定性意义，强调中华文明具有突出的连续性，从根本上决定了中华民族必然走自己的路；中华文明具有突出的创新性，从根本上决定了中华民族守正不守旧、尊古不复古的进取精神和不惧新挑战、勇于接受新事物的无畏品格；中华文明具有突出的统一性，从根本上决定了中国各民族文化融为一体，即使遭遇重大挫折也牢固凝聚，国家统一永远是中国核心利益的核心；中华文明具有突出的包容性，从根本上决定了中华民族交往交流交融的历史取向，中国各宗教信仰多元并存的和谐格局，中华文化对世界文明兼收并蓄的开放胸怀；中华文明具有突出的和平性，从根本上决定了中国始终是世界和平的建设者、全球发展的贡献者、国际秩序的维护者，中国不断追求文明交流互鉴而不搞文化霸权。只有全面深入了解中华文明的历史，深刻把握中华文明突出特性，才能真正理解中国道路的历史必然、文化内涵与独特优势，才能更有效地推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展，更有力地推进中国特色社会主义文化建设，建设中华民族现代文明。

Unique Development Path and Essential Attributes

独特的发展道路和本质属性

In modern times, Western countries, relying on the Enlightenment, the scientific and technological revolution, and the industrial revolution, first entered capitalist industrial civilization. While promoting tremendous development of productive forces, they simultaneously exploited and oppressed internally and engaged in aggression and expansion externally, bringing profound disasters to the people of all countries, “making barbarian and semi-barbarian countries dependent on civilized ones, making peasant nations dependent on bourgeois nations, making the East dependent on the West.” [1]1 This is a paraphrase of a passage from *The Communist Manifesto* by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Especially after the Opium War, due to the invasion of Western powers and the corruption of feudal rule, China sank into the abyss of a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. The country suffered humiliation, the people endured hardship, and civilization was tarnished. The Chinese nation encountered “changes unseen in several millennia” and a great crisis of national extinction. From the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Uprising to the Boxer Rebellion, from the Westernization Movement to the Hundred Days’ Reform and the Xinhai Revolution, these were all arduous explorations by the Chinese people of that time to save the nation from peril. However, whether it was returning to national essence to revive Chinese culture or imitating the West to rebuild Chinese civilization, all ended in failure.

近代以来，西方国家凭借启蒙运动、科技和产业革命，首先进入资本主义工业文明。他们在促进生产力巨大发展的同时，对内剥削压迫、对外侵略扩张，给各国人民带来深重灾难，“使未开化和半开化的国家从属于文明的国家，使农民的民族从属于资产阶级的民族，使东方从属于西方”。尤其是鸦片战争以后，由于西方列强的入侵和封建统治的腐败，中国陷入半殖民地半封建社会的深渊，国家蒙辱、人民蒙难、文明蒙尘，中华民族遭遇“数千年未有之大变局”和亡国灭种的大危机。从太平天国起义到义和团运动，从洋务运动到戊戌变法、辛亥革命，都是当时的中国人为挽救民族危亡而进行的艰苦探索。但无论是返求国粹以重振中国文化，还是仿效西方以再造中华文明，都以失败而告终。

The October Revolution brought Marxism-Leninism to China, providing us with the theoretical weapon for national salvation and survival and for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. Since its founding, the Communist Party of China has held high the banner of Marxism, taking it as its mission to “bring civilization to the world and create happiness for mankind.” In the great struggle of leading revolution, construction, and reform, it has combined the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture, striving to promote the modern transformation of Chinese civilization. During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, the Party proposed “transforming a backward and ignorant China ruled by old culture into an advanced and civilized China ruled by new culture,” leading the people in building a national, scientific, and mass-oriented new democratic culture, creating the political prerequisites and social conditions for the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. After the founding of New China, the Party led socialist revolution and construction, eradicating the poverty and ignorance left by old China, proposing “making the past serve the present and foreign things serve China” and “letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend,” vigorously building a socialist culture, and providing the institutional guarantees and material foundation for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. During the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, the Party proposed, while building a high degree of material civilization, to strive to build a high degree of socialist cultural-ethical progress, develop socialist political civilization, successfully initiate and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, and provide the institutional guarantees full of new vitality and the material conditions for rapid development for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, the Party has coordinated the promotion of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, providing more complete institutional guarantees, a more solid material foundation, and a more proactive spiritual force for the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

十月革命一声炮响，给中国送来了马克思列宁主义，使我们找到了救亡图存、建设中华民族现代文明的理论武器。中国共产党自成立之日起，就高举马克思主义旗帜，以“为世界进文明、为人类造幸福”为己任，在领导革命、建设和改革的伟大斗争中，把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，努力推动中华文明的现代转型。在新民主主义革命时期，党提出“把一个被旧文化统治因而愚昧落后的中国，变为一个被新文化统治因而文明先进的中国”，领导人民建设民族的科学的大众的新民主主义文化，为中华民族现代文明创造政治前提和社会条件。新中国成立后，党领导社会主义革命和建设，扫除旧中国留下来的贫困和愚昧，提出“古为今用、洋为中用”与“百花齐放、百家争鸣”，大力建设社会主义文化，为建设中华民族现代文明提供了制度保障和物质基础。在改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，党提出在建设高度物质文明的同时，努力建设高度的社会主义精神文明，发展社会主义政治文明，成功开创和发展了中国特色社会主义，为建设中华民族现代文明提供了充满新的活力的体制保证和快速发展的物质条件。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，党统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局，为中华民族现代文明提供了更为完善的制度保证、更为坚实的物质基础、更为主动的精神力量。

The banner guides the direction; the path determines the destiny. In his speech, General Secretary Xi comprehensively elaborated on the rich connotations and great significance of the Two Integrations, [2]2 The Two Integrations refers to the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture. clearly pointing out that the prerequisite for “integration” is mutual compatibility. Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture have different origins, but there is a high degree of compatibility between them; only through mutual compatibility can they be organically integrated. The result of “integration” is mutual achievement, creating an organically unified new cultural life form, making Marxism Chinese and fine traditional Chinese culture modern, and making the new culture formed through “integration” the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization. [3]3 Chinese-path modernization (中国式现代化) is the official term for China’s model of modernization under the leadership of the CPC, distinct from Western models. “Integration” has consolidated the foundation of the path, giving the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics a broader and deeper historical dimension and expanding the cultural foundation of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Chinese-path modernization endows Chinese civilization with modern power, and Chinese civilization endows Chinese-path modernization with profound heritage. “Integration” has opened up space for innovation, allowing us to master ideological and cultural initiative and powerfully act upon the path, theory, and system, enabling us to fully utilize the precious resources of fine traditional Chinese culture in a broader cultural space and explore theoretical and institutional innovations oriented toward the future. “Integration” has consolidated cultural subjectivity; the creation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the most powerful manifestation of this cultural subjectivity. In short, the Two Integrations are the only way to open up and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation on the profound foundation of more than five thousand years of Chinese civilization; they are the greatest magic weapon for our success.

旗帜指引方向，道路决定命运。习近平总书记在讲话中全面阐述了“两个结合”的丰富内涵和重大意义，明确指出“结合”的前提是彼此契合，马克思主义和中华优秀传统文化来源不同，但存在高度的契合性，相互契合才能有机结合。“结合”的结果是相互成就，造就了一个有机统一的新的文化生命体，让马克思主义成为中国的，中华优秀传统文化成为现代的，让经由“结合”而形成的新文化成为中国式现代化的文化形态。“结合”筑牢了道路根基，让中国特色社会主义道路有了更加宏阔深远的历史纵深，拓展了中国特色社会主义道路的文化根基。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。“结合”打开了创新空间，让我们掌握了思想和文化主动，并有力地作用于道路、理论和制度，让我们在更广阔的文化空间中，充分运用中华优秀传统文化的宝贵资源，探索面向未来的理论和制度创新。“结合”巩固了文化主体性，创立习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想就是这一文化主体性的最有力体现。总之，“两个结合”是在五千多年中华文明深厚基础上开辟和发展中国特色社会主义、建设中华民族现代文明的必由之路，是我们取得成功的最大法宝。

Chinese-path modernization and the modern civilization of the Chinese nation are closely linked and organically unified in the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation that we are building is a socialist civilization jointly created by the entire Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China; it is a new type of civilization in which the material and the spiritual interact dialectically and humanity and nature coexist harmoniously; it is a new type of civilization that promotes common prosperity for all the people and the free and comprehensive development of the individual; it is a new type of civilization that safeguards world peace and common development and builds a community with a shared future for mankind. This new type of civilization resolves many of the difficult problems in the development of human society and presents a new picture different from the Western model of civilization; it follows the universal laws of the development of human civilization and possesses national characteristics and contemporary values based on its own national conditions and the features of the times; it embodies the advanced nature of scientific socialism and provides a Chinese solution for humanity’s exploration of a better social system; it represents the direction of the development of human civilization and has broad space for development and a bright future.

中国式现代化与中华民族现代文明紧密联系，有机统一于中国特色社会主义伟大实践。我们建设的中华民族现代文明，是中国共产党领导全国各族人民共同创造的社会主义文明，是物质与精神辩证互动、人与自然和谐共生的新型文明，是促进全体人民共同富裕、人的自由全面发展的新型文明，是维护世界和平与共同发展、构建人类命运共同体的新型文明。这种新型文明破解人类社会发展的诸多难题，展现不同于西方文明模式的新图景；遵循人类文明发展的普遍规律，具有基于自己国情和时代特征的民族特色和时代价值；体现科学社会主义先进本质，为人类对更好社会制度的探索提供中国方案；代表人类文明发展方向，具有广阔的发展空间和美好的发展前景。

A scientific guiding ideology and fundamental principles to follow

科学的指导思想和根本遵循

Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation cannot be separated from the correct guidance of scientific theory and the powerful support of national culture. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [n4], the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, in the practice of leading the people in advancing the governance of the country, has placed cultural development in an important position in the overall work, continuously deepened the understanding of the laws of cultural development, and put forward a series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new conclusions. For example: upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over propaganda, ideology, and cultural work; shouldering the new cultural mission; building a socialist cultural power; forging new brilliance in socialist culture; upholding the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain; adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times; building a socialist ideology with strong cohesion and leading power; strengthening cultural confidence; promoting the prosperity and flourishing of socialist culture; building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation; guiding cultural development with core socialist values; extensively carrying out education on socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Chinese Dream; uniting the entire people closely together in ideals, beliefs, values, and moral concepts; accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics; taking China’s actual conditions as the starting point for research; explaining the Chinese path; interpreting Chinese practice; constructing Chinese theory; promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture; enabling Chinese culture to display enduring charm and contemporary brilliance; enhancing the communication power, guidance power, influence, and credibility of news and public opinion; promoting the main theme and spreading positive energy; consolidating and strengthening the mainstream ideological public opinion that strives forward in the New Era; adhering to a people-centered orientation in artistic creation; putting social benefits first; producing more outstanding works that enhance the people’s spiritual strength; protecting historical and cultural heritage as one cherishes one’s own life; strengthening the protection and utilization of cultural relics and the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage; safeguarding the Chinese cultural lineage; Chinese-path modernization is a modernization in which material civilization and cultural-ethical progress are coordinated; promoting common prosperity in the spiritual life of all the people; promoting the comprehensive development of the individual; forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation; building a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation; emphasizing that if one cannot pass the test of the internet, one cannot pass the test of long-term governance; turning this variable of the internet into an increment for the development of the cause; cultivating a positive, healthy, uplifting, and virtuous online culture; building a cyber civilization; enhancing the country’s cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture; strengthening the capacity for international communication; telling China’s stories well; promoting Chinese culture to better reach the world; promoting the common values of all humanity; implementing the Global Civilization Initiative; promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations; enriching the garden of world civilizations; and so on. These important viewpoints cover all fields and the entire process of cultural development. They are the theoretical summary of the Party’s practical experience in leading cultural development in the New Era and are the fundamental principles to follow in building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

建设中华民族现代文明，离不开科学理论的正确指引和民族文化的有力支撑。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央在领导人民推进治国理政的实践中，把文化建设摆在全局工作的重要位置，不断深化对文化建设的规律性认识，提出一系列新思想新观点新论断。比如，坚持和加强党对宣传思想文化工作的全面领导，担负起新的文化使命，建设社会主义文化强国，铸就社会主义文化新辉煌；坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位的根本制度，推进马克思主义中国化时代化，建设具有强大凝聚力和引领力的社会主义意识形态；坚定文化自信，推动社会主义文化繁荣兴盛，建设中华民族现代文明；以社会主义核心价值观引领文化建设，广泛开展中国特色社会主义和中国梦宣传教育，使全体人民在理想信念、价值理念、道德观念上紧紧团结在一起；加快构建中国特色哲学社会科学，以我国实际为研究起点，阐释中国道路，解读中国实践，构建中国理论；推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展，让中华文化展现出永久魅力和时代风采；提高新闻舆论传播力、引导力、影响力、公信力，弘扬主旋律、传播正能量，巩固壮大奋进新时代的主流思想舆论；坚持以人民为中心的创作导向，把社会效益放在首位，推出更多增强人民精神力量的优秀作品；要像爱惜自己的生命一样保护好历史文化遗产，加强文物保护利用和文化遗产保护传承，守护好中华文脉；中国式现代化是物质文明和精神文明相协调的现代化，促进全体人民精神生活共同富裕，促进人的全面发展；铸牢中华民族共同体意识，构筑中华民族共有精神家园；强调过不了互联网这一关就过不了长期执政这一关，要把互联网这个变量变成事业发展的增量，培育积极健康、向上向善的网络文化，建设网络文明；提升国家文化软实力和中华文化影响力，加强国际传播能力建设，讲好中国故事，推动中华文化更好走向世界；弘扬全人类共同价值，落实全球文明倡议，推动文明交流互鉴，丰富世界文明百花园；等等。这些重要观点涵盖了文化建设的各领域和全过程，是新时代党领导文化建设实践经验的理论总结，是建设中华民族现代文明的根本遵循。

The modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a great creation that transcends both the ancient civilization of China and the modern civilization of the West. We are not cyclical theorists but progressive theorists; restoring ancient ways and clinging to the old has never led anywhere. We are not closed-door theorists but open theorists; closing the country to international intercourse ultimately leads to backwardness and being beaten. We are not end-of-history theorists but developmental theorists; human civilization continuously advances and will never come to an end. In his speech, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that at the new historical starting point, to continue promoting cultural prosperity, building a socialist cultural power, and building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, we must strengthen cultural confidence, adhere to taking our own path, base ourselves on the great historical and contemporary practice of the Chinese nation, use Chinese principles to summarize Chinese experience well, elevate Chinese experience into Chinese theory, and achieve spiritual independence and autonomy. We must uphold openness and inclusiveness, adhere to adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, inherit and develop fine traditional Chinese culture, promote the localization of foreign cultures, and continuously cultivate and create socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for the New Era. We must uphold fundamental principles and break new ground; with the integrity and drive to uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, we must continue the historical cultural lineage and write a contemporary chapter.

中华民族现代文明是既超越中国古代文明又超越西方近代文明的伟大创造。我们不是循环论者，而是进步论者，复古守旧从来没有出路；我们不是封闭论者，而是开放论者，闭关自守终究落后挨打；我们不是终结论者，而是发展论者，人类文明不断前进，永远不会终结。习近平总书记在讲话中强调，在新的历史起点上继续推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国、建设中华民族现代文明，要坚定文化自信，坚持走自己的路，立足中华民族伟大历史实践和当代实践，用中国道理总结好中国经验，把中国经验提升为中国理论，实现精神上的独立自主。要秉持开放包容，坚持马克思主义中国化时代化，传承发展中华优秀传统文化，促进外来文化本土化，不断培育和创造新时代中国特色社会主义文化。要坚持守正创新，以守正创新的正气和锐气，赓续历史文脉、谱写当代华章。

The soul of a nation is transformed and forged by culture. China, ancient yet ever new, in its long and magnificent historical process, has preserved for humanity the richest cultural heritage and the most magnificent picture of civilization. Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a long-term, world-historical process, and even more so an arduous and exploratory great undertaking; it can by no means be accomplished overnight or easily completed. “A scholar must be broad-minded and resolute, for the burden is heavy and the road is long.” [n5] Philosophy and social science workers, in conjunction with the ongoing thematic education [n6], must take the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech as guidance, comprehensively implement the fundamental requirements of the “Two Integrations” [n7], continuously strengthen research and interpretation of the essential laws and major issues of cultural development and the development of civilization, and contribute wisdom and strength to advancing the modern civilization of the Chinese nation and building a socialist cultural power.

国家之魂，文以化之，文以铸之。古老而常新的中国，在源远流长、波澜壮阔的历史进程中，为人类保存着最丰厚的文化遗产和最壮美的文明图谱。建设中华民族现代文明是一个长期的、世界性的历史过程，更是一项艰巨的、探索性的伟大事业，绝非一蹴而就、轻而易举就能完成的。“士不可以不弘毅，任重而道远。”哲学社会科学工作者要结合正在开展的主题教育，以习近平总书记重要讲话精神为指导，全面贯彻“两个结合”的根本要求，不断加强对文化建设和文明发展的本质规律和重大问题的研究阐释，为推进中华民族现代文明和社会主义文化强国建设贡献智慧和力量。

(Author: Luo Wendong, Secretary of the Party Committee, Deputy Director, and Researcher of the Institute of World History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.)

（作者：罗文东，中国社会科学院世界历史研究所党委书记、副所长、研究员。）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心