“The Two Integrations” Are the Only Way

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “To develop socialism with Chinese characteristics on the foundation of more than 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, it is the only way to integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture.” How are we to understand “the only way”? “Actually there was never a road on the ground; when many people walk it, it becomes a road.” [1]1 A reference to a famous line from Lu Xun’s 1921 short story “The True Story of Ah Q,” often cited to illustrate that paths are created through collective human action. This indicates that a road does not exist naturally but is actively opened up by people. “The only way” means that choosing this path has a necessity; taking this path is determined by objective laws. As the only way, the Two Integrations possess objective possibility and necessity.

习近平总书记指出：“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，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是必由之路。”如何理解必由之路？“其实地上本没有路，走的人多了，也便成了路。”这说明路并非天然存在的，而是人能动地开辟出来的。必由之路则意味着选择这一道路具有必然性，走这条路是由客观规律所决定的。“两个结合”作为必由之路，具有客观上的可能性和必然性。

This possibility lies in the fact that although Marxism and the best of traditional Chinese culture have different origins, there is a high degree of compatibility between them. Only through mutual compatibility can organic integration be achieved. This high degree of compatibility is manifested in many aspects. For example, from the perspective of philosophical ontology, there is a profound compatibility between Marxist philosophy and traditional Chinese philosophy. From Plato to Hegel, many schools of Western philosophy, despite their differing positions and viewpoints, mostly adhered to a transcendent metaphysical ontology, that is, they conceived of some transcendent, eternal being as the origin of the real world. Marx pulled this transcendent thing down from the sacred heaven to the earthly ground, no longer reducing the real world to some transcendent noumenon, but understanding the real world from the interaction between humans and their surrounding world. Such an ontology of human-world interaction, unlike the ontology of transcendent “things,” is more embodied as an ontology of practical “affairs.” Traditional Chinese philosophy, especially Confucian philosophy, never fell into the transcendent metaphysics of Western philosophy but instead held an ontology of “affairs” based on the interactive relationship between real people and the world in which they exist. Of course, the ontology of “affairs” in Marxist philosophy and that in classical Chinese philosophy differ in origin and nature, but there is indeed a certain compatibility between them.

这种可能性在于马克思主义和中华优秀传统文化虽然来源不同，但彼此存在高度的契合性。相互契合才能有机结合。这种高度的契合性体现在许多方面，比如从哲学本体论来看，马克思主义哲学与中国传统哲学存在着深刻的契合性。西方哲学从柏拉图到黑格尔，许多学派尽管立场观点各异，但大都抱持超验的形而上学的本体论，即将某种超验的永恒的存在物设想为现实世界的本原。马克思将这种超验之物从神圣的天国拉到人世间的地面上来，不再将现实世界归结为某种超验的本体，而是从人与其周围世界的互动来理解现实世界。这样一种人与世界互动的本体论，与超验的“物”的本体论不同，更多体现为现实的“事”的本体论。中国传统哲学特别是儒家哲学，不曾陷入过西方哲学那种超验的形而上学，而是持有一种现实的人与其所在世界关联互动的“事”的本体论。当然，马克思主义哲学的“事”的本体论与中国古典哲学的“事”的本体论来源和性质都不同，但其中确实存在着某种契合性。

The integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture has been realized through the repeated exploration and practice of the Communist Party of China over more than a hundred years. Marxism, as a scientific truth, was introduced into China. On the one hand, it provided an opportunity for traditional Chinese culture to transform into modernity; on the other hand, it offered a broad stage for Marxism to take root and develop in an ancient Eastern country with a long history. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “‘Integration’ is not a ‘patchwork,’ not a simple ‘physical reaction,’ but a profound ‘chemical reaction,’ giving birth to a new cultural life form that is organically unified.” It is precisely through the spread and rooting of Marxism in China, its continuous adaptation to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and the generation of new theoretical achievements that have profoundly influenced the developmental form of Chinese civilization, that Marxism has become Chinese and the best of traditional Chinese culture has become modern. This has allowed the new culture formed through “integration” to become the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization.

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结合是中国共产党在一百多年的反复探索和实践中实现的。作为科学真理的马克思主义传入中国，一方面给中国传统文化提供了向现代转化的机遇，另一方面也为马克思主义在历史悠久的东方大国扎根发展提供了广阔舞台。习近平总书记指出：“‘结合’不是‘拼盘’，不是简单的‘物理反应’，而是深刻的‘化学反应’，造就了一个有机统一的新的文化生命体。”正是马克思主义在中国传播、扎根，不断中国化时代化，产生新的理论成果，深刻影响了中华文明发展形态，才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。

After entering modern times, the impact of Western civilization caused some people to fall into confusion and lose confidence in their own culture. With historical development, people have come to realize more and more deeply that only by taking root in the fertile soil of one’s own country’s and nation’s history and culture can a civilization return to its origins, open up new horizons, innovate and develop, and possess vigorous vitality. The outstanding achievements of other countries and nations can be absorbed and borrowed, but such absorption and borrowing must adhere to a principle of taking oneself as the mainstay, with the aim of enriching and developing oneself, not becoming like others. The integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with the best of traditional Chinese culture, which has profound historical foundations, both promotes the modernization of Chinese culture and allows Marxism to be nourished by Chinese culture, making the tree of Marxist truth take deeper root and grow more luxuriantly.

进入近代以后，西方文明的冲击使得一些人陷入迷失，对自己的文化没有了自信。随着历史发展，人们越来越深刻地认识到，只有植根本国、本民族历史文化沃土，文明才能返本开新、创新发展，具有旺盛生命力。其他国家和民族的优秀文明成果可以吸收借鉴，但这种吸收借鉴要坚持以我为主，目的是充实发展自身，而非变成别人的样子。马克思主义基本原理同具有深厚历史底蕴的中华优秀传统文化相结合，既推动中华文化走向现代，也使得马克思主义获得中华文化的滋养，让马克思主义真理之树更加根深叶茂。

“Integration” has opened up space for innovation, enabling us to take the initiative in ideology and culture, and has powerfully acted upon the path, theory, and system. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: “Without the five thousand years of Chinese civilization, where would Chinese characteristics come from? Without Chinese characteristics, how could we have the successful path of socialism with Chinese characteristics today?” Our Party adheres to the fundamental guiding ideology of Marxism and integrates the best of traditional Chinese culture into all aspects of governance, further expanding the cultural foundation of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. For example, drawing on the people-oriented thought that “the people are the foundation of the state” and “governance lies in nourishing the people,” we uphold that “the country is the people, and the people are the country”; drawing on the political wisdom of “inclusiveness and seeking common ground while reserving differences,” we organically combine electoral democracy and consultative democracy to develop whole-process people’s democracy; drawing on the natural view of “harmony between humanity and nature” and “following the laws of nature,” we insist on the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature; and so on.

“结合”打开了创新空间，让我们掌握了思想文化上的主动，并有力地作用于道路、理论、制度。习近平总书记强调：“如果没有中华五千年文明，哪里有什么中国特色？如果不是中国特色，哪有我们今天这么成功的中国特色社会主义道路？”我们党坚持马克思主义的根本指导思想，把中华优秀传统文化融汇于治国理政的方方面面，进一步拓展了中国特色社会主义道路的文化根基。比如，汲取民为邦本、政在养民的民本思想，坚持江山就是人民、人民就是江山；汲取兼容并包、求同存异的政治智慧，把选举民主和协商民主有机结合起来，发展全过程人民民主；汲取天人合一、道法自然的自然观，坚持人与自然和谐共生；等等。

Our Party leads the people in adhering to the Two Integrations, unswervingly following the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, promoting the coordinated development of material civilization, political civilization, cultural-ethical progress, social civilization, and ecological civilization, creating a new path of Chinese-path modernization and a new form of human civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: “Chinese-path modernization endows Chinese civilization with modern power, and Chinese civilization endows Chinese-path modernization with profound heritage.” Chinese-path modernization continues the ancient civilization and presents a new picture different from the Western modernization model. Advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization is a historic contribution made by Chinese Communists in the New Era to expand the path of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.

我们党领导人民坚持“两个结合”，坚定不移走中国特色社会主义道路，推动物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明协调发展，创造了中国式现代化新道路，创造了人类文明新形态。习近平总书记强调：“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。”中国式现代化赓续古老文明，展现了不同于西方现代化模式的新图景。以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴，是新时代中国共产党人为拓展强国建设、民族复兴道路作出的历史性贡献。

In the real world, there are many differences in the worldviews and values of different cultures. However, if one therefore becomes isolated and closed, rejecting and negating other cultures, it will not only be detrimental to the progress of human civilization but also give rise to many conflicts. “Harmony in diversity,” “seeking common ground while reserving differences,” and “a world of great harmony” are not only manifestations of the worldview and values upheld by the best of traditional Chinese culture but also an effective method for handling conflicts. Chinese Communists both adhere to Marxism’s ideal of seeking liberation for humanity and inherit the best of traditional Chinese culture, promoting the common values of all humanity—peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom—proposing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, promoting mutual understanding and affinity among peoples of all countries, respecting the diversity of world civilizations, and jointly responding to various global challenges. This provides a new possibility for the development of human society and points to a new path of civilized development based on win-win cooperation and shared construction and benefits. From this perspective, the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture has broad prospects for development. The new cultural life form formed through this will surely grow robustly, increasingly demonstrate vigorous vitality, and have a profound impact on the process of human civilization.

现实世界中，不同文化的世界观、价值观存在很多差异。但是，如果因此就孤立封闭，排斥、否定其他文化，那就不仅不利于人类文明进步，还会产生许多纷争。和而不同、求同存异、天下大同既是中华优秀传统文化所秉持的世界观和价值观的体现，也是一种处理纷争的有效方法。中国共产党人既坚守马克思主义为人类求解放的理想，又传承中华优秀传统文化，弘扬和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值，提出构建人类命运共同体，促进各国人民相知相亲，尊重世界文明多样性，共同应对各种全球性挑战。这为人类社会发展提供了一种新的可能，指明了一条合作共赢、共建共享的文明发展新道路。从这个角度来看，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具有广阔发展前景，所形成的新的文化生命体也必将茁壮成长，日益展现出旺盛生命力，对人类文明进程产生深远影响。

Online editor: Zhang Fujun

网络编辑：张福军