The Multi-Temporal Cultural Form of Chinese-Path Modernization

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “Culture concerns the foundation and destiny of a nation.” This thesis reveals and elucidates the essence and function of culture from a broad perspective, and also allows us to see that cultural construction, especially the socialist cultural construction in the New Era, is not solely for the sake of culture itself, but primarily to safeguard and promote the comprehensive construction and development of the nation and people whose fate is bound up with this cultural tradition. The thesis of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization vividly embodies the grasp, from the above broad perspective, of the close interactive relationship between culture and the era’s background, and between culture and the rich practice of the nation and people. Historically, as a cultural form that coexists and coevolves with the process of Chinese-path modernization, the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization, on the one hand, continuously develops in adaptation to the process of Chinese-path modernization, and on the other hand, constantly enriches and supplements the theoretical and practical system of Chinese-path modernization, manifesting a dynamic attribute of multiple stages and multiple tenses, encompassing both a perfect tense, a present continuous tense, and a future tense.

习近平总书记指出：“文化关乎国本、国运。”这一论断从广阔的视角揭示和阐明了文化的本质和功能，也让我们看到，文化建设尤其是新时代社会主义文化建设事业，不单单是为了文化自身，更主要的还是为了保障和促进同这种文化传统休戚与共的民族和国家的全面建设与发展。中国式现代化的文化形态这一论断鲜明地体现了在上述开阔视角下对文化与时代背景、与国家和民族丰富实践之间密切互动关系的把握。历史地看，作为与中国式现代化进程相伴共生的一种文化形态，中国式现代化的文化形态，一方面适应着中国式现代化的进程而不断发展，另一方面不断充实、丰富着中国式现代化的理论与实践体系，体现出了多阶段、多时态的动态属性，既有完成式，又有进行式，还有将来式。

The Perfect Tense of the Cultural Form of Chinese-Path Modernization

中国式现代化的文化形态的完成式

The perfect tense of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization refers to the cultural construction achievements already attained by the Communist Party of China leading the Chinese people during the period of the Chinese revolution and socialist construction. When discussing the significance of integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture (the “Second Integration”), General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The ‘Second Integration’ has made Marxism Chinese, and China’s fine traditional culture modern, and has made the new culture formed through ‘integration’ the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization.” This thesis establishes the basic attributes and theoretical framework of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization. In terms of basic attributes, the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization is the result of the organic integration of two core elements. These two core elements are, first, the time-honored and extensive China’s fine traditional culture, and second, the basic tenets of Marxism. Both are necessary components constituting the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization, but their roles in bringing about this cultural form differ: the basic tenets of Marxism play the role of a “catalyst”; it is precisely because they guide and promptly “activate” the genes of China’s fine traditional culture according to circumstances that the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization is brought about.

中国式现代化的文化形态的完成式，是中国共产党带领中国人民在中国革命与社会主义建设时期已经取得的文化建设成就。习近平总书记在论述马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合（“第二个结合”）的意义时指出：“‘第二个结合’让马克思主义成为中国的，中华优秀传统文化成为现代的，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。”这一论断确立了中国式现代化的文化形态的基本属性和理论框架。就基本属性而言，中国式现代化的文化形态是两种核心要素有机结合的结果。这两种核心要素，一是源远流长的中华优秀传统文化，二是马克思主义基本原理。二者都是构成中国式现代化的文化形态的必要成分，但在促成这种文化形态的过程中，作用又有所不同：马克思主义基本原理发挥着“触媒”的作用，正是由于它对中华优秀传统文化基因的因势利导和及时“激活”，才促成了中国式现代化的文化形态。

Over thousands of years of history, Chinese civilization, through continuously absorbing diverse foreign cultures, ultimately formed a cultural atmosphere of all-embracing breadth and vastness—this is the “inclusiveness” of Chinese civilization revealed by General Secretary Xi Jinping. This

中华文明在数千年的历史长河中，通过不断吸收多元的外来文化，最终形成了海纳百川、广阔博大的文化气象，这就是习近平总书记揭示的中华文明的“包容性”。这种包容性为传统的中国顺利接受马克思主义基本原理奠定了坚实的基础。习近平总书记指出，马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化结合的前提是彼此契合。中华文明这种突出的包容性特性，可以看作是中华优秀传统文化与马克思主义之间高度契合性的一种表现，因为它同马克思主义始终坚持和倡导的国际主义高度相符。

At the same time, this inclusiveness can only be truly transformed into a vibrant creativity that adapts to the trend of modernization through the stimulation of Marxism. In modern and contemporary times, in the process of leading the Chinese revolution and the construction of a socialist state, the Chinese Communists, in the field of cultural construction, have on the one hand insisted on absorbing both ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign excellent cultures, and on the other hand have always advocated and practiced the concept of "taking the essence and discarding the dross," successfully guiding the rapid modernization of Chinese society and the construction of socialist culture. This is clear evidence of this. It also facilitated the specific content of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization as a completed state. The core elements of thousands of years of fine traditional Chinese culture, such as the unity of heaven and humanity [1]1 "Unity of heaven and humanity" (天人合一) is a core concept in traditional Chinese philosophy, emphasizing the harmonious relationship between nature and human society., great virtue carrying all things [2]2 "Great virtue carrying all things" (厚德载物) originates from the *I Ching* (Book of Changes), meaning that a person of great virtue can bear heavy responsibilities, like the earth supporting all things., the people as the foundation of the state [3]3 "The people as the foundation of the state" (民为邦本) is a classical Confucian political principle from the *Book of Documents*, stating that the people are the root of a country., and the world under heaven is shared by all [4]4 "The world under heaven is shared by all" (天下为公) is an ideal from the *Book of Rites* (Liji), describing a utopian society where public spirit prevails., have been "activated" by Marxism in the course of unbroken transmission, adapted to the actual contexts of the times and of both the international and domestic spheres, and have been further developed. For example, since the May Fourth New Culture Movement [5]5 The May Fourth New Culture Movement (c. 1915–1920s) was an intellectual and cultural movement that criticized traditional Confucian values and promoted science, democracy, and new literary forms, often seen as a precursor to the founding of the CPC., advanced Chinese intellectuals, under the guidance of Marxism, while insisting on criticizing and resisting feudal tyranny and the ideology of class oppression, have also focused on excavating and highlighting the excellent traditional components of national culture, while always maintaining the global vision of "opening their eyes to see the world" [6]6 "Opening their eyes to see the world" (睁眼看世界) refers to the attitude of late Qing reformers like Lin Zexu and Wei Yuan, who advocated learning from Western technology and ideas to strengthen China.. They strove to build a new national culture on the basis of folk and popular cultural traditions, through active exchange and interaction with world civilizations, effectively promoting the modern transformation of Chinese culture and also laying the basic pattern of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization.

与此同时，这种包容性只有经过马克思主义的激发，才能真正转化为适应现代化潮流并且富有生机的创造力。近现代以来，中国共产党人在领导中国革命和社会主义国家建设的过程中，在文化建设领域，一方面坚持对古今中外的优秀文化兼收并蓄，另一方面又始终倡导和践行“取其精华，去其糟粕”的理念，成功引领了中国社会的快速现代化及社会主义文化建设，就是这方面的明证。它同时也促成了作为完成式的中国式现代化的文化形态的具体内容。数千年中华优秀传统文化的核心要素，诸如天人合一、厚德载物、民为邦本、天下为公等，在生生不息的传承中，经过马克思主义的“激活”，适应时代与国际、国内的实际语境，并得到了进一步发展。例如，五四新文化运动以来，中国先进知识分子在马克思主义引领下，在坚持批判和反抗封建暴政与阶级压迫思想的同时，又注重发掘和彰显民族传统文化的优秀成分，同时始终保持“睁眼看世界”的天下胸怀，力图以民间的、大众的文化传统为基础，在与世界文明的积极交流互动中建设民族新文化，有效推动了中华文化的现代转型，也奠定了中国式现代化的文化形态的基本格局。

In the completed state of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization, there is an even more important core element: the crucial methodological foundation established by Chinese Communists for the modernization of national traditional culture, namely, the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with China's fine traditional culture. Specifically, it can be summarized as proceeding from dialectical materialism and historical materialism, showing high respect for the laws of inheritance and development of China's fine traditional culture itself, and fully exercising historical initiative and subjective agency in the process of cultural inheritance and construction. This is the basic theory and fundamental framework for forming, building, and developing the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization, and it is also the basic basis for our belief that there exists a completed state of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization.

中国式现代化的文化形态的完成式中，还有一个更为重要的核心要素，那就是中国共产党人为民族传统文化的现代化所确立的重要方法论基础，也就是把马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合。具体来说，它可以概括为从唯物辩证法和历史唯物主义出发，对中华优秀传统文化自身传承发展规律的高度尊重，以及在文化传承与建设过程中对历史主动性和主体能动性的充分发挥。这是形成、建设和发展中国式现代化的文化形态的基础理论与基本框架，也是我们之所以认为存在一种完成式的中国式现代化的文化形态的基本依据。

The Progressive State of the Cultural Form of Chinese-Path Modernization

中国式现代化的文化形态的进行式

The progressive state of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization corresponds to the flourishing cultural construction of the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Continuing to promote cultural prosperity, build a strong cultural country, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation at a new starting point is our new cultural mission in the New Era." [7]7 Xi Jinping, speech at a symposium on cultural heritage and development, 2023. With regard to the grand blueprint for comprehensively building a modern socialist country and the great goal of building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization still has many aspects that need further improvement and development. Contemporary cultural workers must respond to the call of the new era, work together, and play a more practical and active role in advancing this cause.

中国式现代化的文化形态的进行式，对应的是方兴未艾的新时代文化建设。习近平总书记指出：“在新的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，是我们在新时代新的文化使命。”就全面建设社会主义现代化国家的宏伟蓝图和建设中华民族现代文明的伟大目标而言，中国式现代化的文化形态，还存在诸多需要进一步完善和发展的地方。当代文化工作者，必须适应新的时代召唤，齐心协力，为推进这一事业发挥更加切实积极的作用。

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "'Combination' is not a 'patchwork,' not a simple 'physical reaction,' but a profound 'chemical reaction,' creating a new, organically unified cultural life entity." [8]8 Xi Jinping, speech at the symposium on the Two Integrations, 2023. This requires that in the process of cultural construction in the New Era, we must pay attention to avoiding a homogenized, mechanical (metaphysical) understanding and handling of cultural traditions. Instead, guided by historical materialism and dialectical materialism, based on the rich achievements of fine traditional Chinese culture and socialist cultural construction, we should refine the genes of excellent traditional culture and their internal logic, explore the inherent points of convergence between these cultural genes and Marxism, and at the same time, combine this with the people's actual cultural practices and needs, understand tradition with a critical attitude of sublation, and build a cultural form that meets the requirements of the New Era.

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。”这要求我们在新时代文化建设过程中，一定要注意避免对文化传统做均质化的、机械式（形而上学）的理解和处理，而应该以历史唯物主义和唯物辩证法为指导，立足于丰厚的中华优秀传统文化和社会主义文化建设成就，通过提炼优秀传统文化基因及其内在逻辑，探寻这些文化基因与马克思主义的内在契合点，同时结合人民现实的文化实践与需要，以扬弃的态度认识传统，建设符合新时代要求的文化形态。

In practice, there are three specific paths: First, by continuously improving the self-cultivation of cultural workers and the general public, strengthen and guarantee the accuracy of the inheritance and dissemination of knowledge of fine traditional Chinese culture, guide the masses to establish a correct attitude and stance towards traditional culture, and strengthen confidence in Chinese cultural traditions within the global pattern of cultural diversity; Second, actively engage with the contemporary, vibrant, and creative cultural practices of the people—for example, the inheritance of diverse yet integrated ethnic cultures within the framework of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation [9]9 "Forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation" (铸牢中华民族共同体意识) is a key policy concept under Xi Jinping, aimed at promoting national unity and ethnic solidarity., and the flourishing practice of intangible cultural heritage under the influence of the concept of world cultural diversity—by actively observing their manifestations and functions, summarizing patterns and characteristics, while carefully nurturing and safeguarding the subjectivity and creativity of the broad masses in these fields, so as to guide the healthy development of contemporary cultural practices and further promote the comprehensive prosperity of contemporary cultural undertakings; Third, actively face the world, to contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to promoting peaceful exchange and common development in the international cultural field, and to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

在实践中，具体路径有三：一是要通过不断提升文化工作者及广大民众的自身素养，加强和保障中华优秀传统文化知识传承、传播的准确性，引导大众树立对于传统文化的正确态度和立场，并强化在世界文化多样性格局中对中国文化传统的信心；二是要积极面向当代鲜活多姿、富于创造力的人民文化实践——例如，在铸牢中华民族共同体意识框架下的多元一体的民族文化传承，以及在世界文化多样性理念影响下蓬勃开展的非物质文化遗产实践——通过积极观察其表现与功能，归纳总结规律和特征，同时精心呵护和保障广大人民在这些领域的主体性与创造力，以引领当代文化实践健康发展，进一步推动当代文化事业的全面繁荣；三是要积极面向世界，为推动国际文化领域的和平交流、共同发展，为构建人类命运共同体贡献中国智慧与中国方案。

In summary, the present tense of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization is to, guided by the Second Integration [10]10 The Second Integration (第二个结合) refers to the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture, as distinct from the first integration of Marxism with China’s concrete realities., on the basis of a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the historical laws of Chinese civilization, and with an attitude actively oriented toward the present, comprehensively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. This both embodies full respect for and comprehensive mobilization of the innovative character of Chinese civilization, and includes the active exertion of the agency of contemporary cultural workers.

概而言之，中国式现代化的文化形态的现在式，就是以“第二个结合”为引领，在全面深入了解中华文明历史规律的基础上，以积极朝向当下的态度，全面推动中华优秀传统文化的创造性转化和创新性发展。其中既体现着对中华文明创新性特性的充分尊重和全面调动，又包含着当代文化工作者能动性的积极发挥。

The future tense of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization

中国式现代化的文化形态的将来式

The future tense of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization emphasizes the goals and significance of cultural construction in the New Era. Building the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization well is both the necessary path to constructing the modern civilization of the Chinese nation and an important prerequisite for constructing a new form of human civilization. Its ultimate goal is oriented both toward the self and toward the world, but in the final analysis it is oriented toward the future.

中国式现代化的文化形态的将来式，强调的是新时代文化构建的目标与意义。建设好中国式现代化的文化形态，既是建设中华民族现代文明的必由之路，也是建设人类文明新形态的重要前提。其最终的目标，既朝向自我，又朝向世界，但归根结底是朝向未来。

General Secretary Xi Jinping points out that when culture thrives, the nation thrives; when culture is strong, the nation is strong. [11]11 Xi Jinping, speech at a symposium on cultural heritage, 2023. At the level oriented toward the self, promoting the construction of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization is intended to promote the comprehensive flourishing of Chinese culture, to guide the broad masses of the people in strengthening their confidence in Chinese culture within the diverse pattern of world cultures, to enrich the significance of Chinese-path modernization through cultural flourishing, and thereby to assist the grand blueprint of comprehensively building a modern socialist country.

习近平总书记指出，文化兴国运兴，文化强民族强。在朝向自我的层面，推进建设中国式现代化的文化形态，是为了促进中国文化的全面繁荣，为了引领广大人民在世界文化多样性格局中增强对中国文化的信心，为了以文化的繁荣丰富中国式现代化的意义，进而助力全面建设社会主义现代化国家的宏图伟业。

At the level oriented toward the world, promoting the construction of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization is intended to explore and contribute solutions to peacefully resolve the world’s difficult problems in response to the current complex and volatile global situation. Since its founding, the Communist Party of China has always maintained a spirit of embracing the world with a broad mind. Since the New Era, the proposal and continuous popularization of a series of new concepts such as a community with a shared future for mankind and a new form of human civilization have pushed this spirit to a new height. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “China’s fine traditional culture, including Confucian thought, contains important inspirations for solving the difficult problems facing contemporary humanity.” [12]12 Xi Jinping, speech at the International Conference on Confucius and the Analects, 2014. These inspirations greatly enhance our confidence in using Chinese wisdom to respond to world problems and to face the future. It is certain that, on the premise of refining the “five outstanding characteristics” of Chinese civilization [13]13 The “five outstanding characteristics” (五个突出特性) of Chinese civilization, as articulated by Xi Jinping, are: continuity, innovativeness, unity, inclusiveness, and peaceful nature., and on the basis of actively inheriting and developing these characteristics, exploring effective paths for dialogue, communication, and harmonious development among world cultures and civilizations will not only effectively promote the further improvement of the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization, but will inevitably “provide new opportunities for the world through China’s new development” [14]14 Xi Jinping, speech at the 2022 World Economic Forum virtual session., playing a positive role in building a more brilliant future for humanity.

在朝向世界的层面，推进建设中国式现代化的文化形态，是要为应对当前世界纷繁复杂的局势，探索与贡献和平解决世界难题的方案。中国共产党自成立以来，始终保持胸怀天下的气度，新时代以来有关人类命运共同体、人类文明新形态等一系列新理念的提出和不断普及，更是把这种气度推向了新的高度。习近平总书记指出：“包括儒家思想在内的中国优秀传统文化中蕴藏着解决当代人类面临的难题的重要启示。”这些启示极大地增强了我们以中国智慧因应世界难题、面向未来的底气。可以肯定的是，以对中华文明“五个突出特性”的提炼为前提，在积极传承和发展这些特性的基础上，探讨世界文化与文明间对话沟通、和谐发展的有效路径，将不仅能切实推动中国式现代化的文化形态的进一步完善，而且必然会“以中国的新发展为世界提供新机遇”，为建设人类更加光辉的未来发挥积极作用。

This multi-temporal cultural form of Chinese-path modernization is both an achievement of Chinese-path modernization and an organic component of the process of Chinese-path modernization. The emphasis on the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization further allows us to see that Chinese-path modernization is a comprehensive modernization; it includes not only modernization at the scientific, technological, and material levels, but must also include modernization at the cultural and spiritual levels. The emphasis on the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization both enriches the meaning of modernization and increases the depth of Chinese-path modernization.

这种多时态的中国式现代化的文化形态，既属于中国式现代化的成果，又是中国式现代化进程的有机组成要素。对中国式现代化的文化形态的强调，进一步让我们看到，中国式现代化是全面的现代化，它不仅包括科学技术和物质层面的现代化，还必然包括文化和精神层面的现代化。对中国式现代化的文化形态的强调，既丰富了现代化的含义，也增加了中国式现代化的厚度。

(The author is Deputy Director of the Institute of Literature, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

（作者系中国社会科学院文学研究所副所长）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心