Constructing China’s Autonomous Knowledge System Based on Chinese-Path Modernization

Core Reading

核心阅读

Constructing China’s autonomous knowledge system should be based on the process of Chinese-path modernization, studying and explaining from a scholarly perspective the theoretical and practical innovations and breakthroughs of Chinese-path modernization, using the Chinese characteristics of Chinese-path modernization to highlight the autonomy of the knowledge system, and using the autonomy of the knowledge system to highlight the original contributions of Chinese-path modernization to world modernization.

建构中国自主的知识体系，应立足中国式现代化进程，从学理上研究和阐释中国式现代化在理论和实践上的创新突破，以中国式现代化的中国特色彰显知识体系的自主性，以知识体系的自主性彰显中国式现代化对世界现代化的原创性贡献。

In April 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during his inspection of Renmin University of China: “Accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics ultimately boils down to constructing China’s autonomous knowledge system.” [1]1 Xi Jinping’s speech at Renmin University of China on April 25, 2022, emphasizing the construction of an autonomous knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important exposition is a scientific judgment on the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, pointing out the direction forward and providing fundamental guidance for the development of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, and has major theoretical value and strategic significance. In the New Era, an extremely important aspect of constructing China’s autonomous knowledge system is to base it on the process of theoretical and practical innovation in Chinese-path modernization, using the Chinese characteristics of Chinese-path modernization to highlight the autonomy of the knowledge system, and using the autonomy of the knowledge system to highlight the original contributions of Chinese-path modernization to world modernization.

2022年4月，习近平总书记在中国人民大学考察时强调：“加快构建中国特色哲学社会科学，归根结底是建构中国自主的知识体系。”习近平总书记的重要论述，是对中国特色哲学社会科学建设作出的科学判断，为发展中国特色哲学社会科学指明了前进方向、提供了根本遵循，具有重大理论价值和战略意义。新时代，建构中国自主的知识体系，一个极为重要的方面就是立足中国式现代化理论和实践创新进程，以中国式现代化的中国特色彰显知识体系的自主性，以知识体系的自主性彰显中国式现代化对世界现代化的原创性贡献。

Basic Paths for Constructing China’s Autonomous Knowledge System Based on Chinese-Path Modernization

立足中国式现代化建构中国自主的知识体系的基本路径

In a certain sense, a knowledge system is the sum total of specific professional knowledge refined and summarized on the basis of certain practical experiences and knowledge achievements. It includes the knowledge system of natural sciences and the knowledge system of philosophy and social sciences. Constructing China’s autonomous knowledge system in the field of philosophy and social sciences means independently building China’s unique experience and knowledge system of philosophy and social sciences, advocating independent thinking, focusing on original achievements, solving China’s problems, prospering Chinese scholarship, and developing Chinese theory. The essence of constructing China’s autonomous knowledge system based on Chinese-path modernization is that, along with the successful advancement and expansion of Chinese-path modernization, a Chinese theory that goes to the world is constructed, China’s cultural soft power is enhanced, our theoretical discourse power is elevated, and the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation is consolidated. This is a critical and arduous systemic project, strategic, holistic, and long-term in nature. It cannot be rushed nor delayed, and requires the joint efforts of China’s philosophy and social sciences community.

从一定意义上讲，知识体系是基于一定实践经验和知识成果而提炼概括出的特定专业知识的总和，它包括自然科学知识体系和哲学社会科学知识体系。在哲学社会科学领域建构中国自主的知识体系，就是自主建设中国特有的哲学社会科学的经验和知识系统，就是倡导自主思考，注重原创成果，解决中国问题，繁荣中国学术，发展中国理论。立足中国式现代化建构中国自主的知识体系，其实质就是随着中国式现代化的成功推进和拓展，建构起走向世界的中国理论，增强中国文化软实力，提升我国理论话语权，巩固中华民族的文化主体性。这是一项紧要而艰巨的系统工程，具有战略性、全局性、长期性，既慢不得也急不得，需要我国哲学社会科学界共同努力。

Adhere to the unity of upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground. [2]2 “Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground” (守正创新) is a key methodological principle in Xi Jinping Thought, combining adherence to core socialist tenets with innovation. We must take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guide, grasp the worldview and methodology of this important thought, and uphold and apply the stances, viewpoints, and methods that run through it. Under this premise, in scholarly terms, we must follow the general laws of the development of philosophy and social sciences, continuously deepen the research and explanation of the theoretical and practical innovations of Chinese-path modernization, focus on grasping the internal connections among these achievements, and vigorously promote the construction and innovation of the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system.

坚持守正和创新相统一。要坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，把握好这一重要思想的世界观和方法论，坚持好、运用好贯穿其中的立场观点方法。在此前提下，在学理上要遵循哲学社会科学发展一般规律，不断深化对中国式现代化理论和实践创新成果的研究阐释，注重把握成果之间的内在联系，大力推进学科体系、学术体系、话语体系建设和创新。

Properly handle the relationship between principled theoretical achievements and iconic concepts. In the construction of the philosophy and social sciences knowledge system, principled theoretical achievements often appear in the form of iconic concepts. Behind each iconic concept, there is usually a corresponding principled theoretical achievement. To construct China’s autonomous knowledge system, we must base it on the great process of Chinese-path modernization, especially take General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on Chinese-path modernization as the guide, focus on systematic and theoretical elaboration, continuously expand the breadth and depth of research, strengthen holistic and systematic research and explanation, and transform the principled theoretical achievements in General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on Chinese-path modernization into the knowledge discourse, research paradigms, and academic theories of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics.

把握好原理性理论成果和标识性概念的关系。在哲学社会科学知识体系的建构中，原理性理论成果往往以标识性概念的形式出现，每个标识性概念的背后大都蕴含与之相对应的原理性理论成果。建构中国自主的知识体系，必须立足中国式现代化伟大进程，特别是要坚持以习近平总书记关于中国式现代化的重要论述为指导，以体系化学理化为着力点，不断拓展研究的广度和深度，加强整体性系统性研究阐释，把习近平总书记关于中国式现代化的重要论述中的原理性理论成果转化为中国特色哲学社会科学的知识话语、研究范式、学术理论。

Adhere to not forgetting the original, absorbing the foreign, and facing the future. Not forgetting the original means continuously promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture; absorbing the foreign means drawing on all beneficial achievements of human civilization; facing the future means facing the trends of the 21st-century world and the development of the times, continuously advancing knowledge innovation, theoretical innovation, and methodological innovation.

坚持不忘本来、吸收外来、面向未来。不忘本来，就是要不断推进中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展；吸收外来，就是要借鉴人类文明一切有益成果；面向未来，就是要面向21世纪世界和时代发展趋势，不断推进知识创新、理论创新、方法创新。

Break free from the rut of the Western-centric theory. In a sense, the Western-centric theory is the theoretical form of Western modernization. Western modernization and the Western-centric theory it has formed have had a broad impact on the world. Since modern times, many major theories of Western philosophy and social sciences have generally been constructed around the Western-centric theory. To construct China’s autonomous knowledge system based on Chinese-path modernization, we must both confront the core elements and iconic categories of the Western-centric theory for in-depth reflection, and base ourselves on the practical experience of Chinese-path modernization to refine the core elements and iconic categories of China’s autonomous knowledge system, deeply understanding that Chinese-path modernization is a transcendence of Western modernization theory and practice.

跳出西方中心论的窠臼。从某种意义上说，西方中心论就是西方现代化的理论形态。西方现代化及其形成的西方中心论对世界产生了广泛影响，近代以来西方众多哲学社会科学的重大理论总体上是围绕西方中心论建构起来的。立足中国式现代化建构中国自主的知识体系，既要直面西方中心论的核心要素和标识性范畴进行深入反思，又要立足中国式现代化实践经验，提炼中国自主的知识体系的核心要素和标识性范畴，深刻认识中国式现代化是对西方现代化理论和实践的超越。

Using the Chinese Characteristics of Chinese-Path Modernization to Highlight the Autonomy of the Knowledge System

以中国式现代化的中国特色彰显知识体系的自主性

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Whether our philosophy and social sciences have Chinese characteristics ultimately depends on whether they have subjectivity and originality.” [3]3 Xi Jinping’s statement on the importance of subjectivity and originality in Chinese philosophy and social sciences, from his 2016 speech at the symposium on philosophy and social sciences. Chinese-path modernization is socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China. It has the common features of modernization in all countries, but more importantly, it has Chinese characteristics based on its own national conditions. To construct China’s autonomous knowledge system based on Chinese-path modernization, we must adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guide, uphold subjectivity and originality, form concepts from the knowledge achievements derived from the practice of Chinese-path modernization through abstraction, induction, and deduction, and on this basis further form empirical connections and structural relationships among them, constituting a knowledge system with scientific logic.

习近平总书记指出：“我们的哲学社会科学有没有中国特色，归根到底要看有没有主体性、原创性。”中国式现代化是中国共产党领导的社会主义现代化，既有各国现代化的共同特征，更有基于自己国情的中国特色。立足中国式现代化建构中国自主的知识体系，必须坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，坚持主体性、原创性，把来自中国式现代化实践的知识成果，通过抽象、归纳、演绎形成概念，在此基础上进一步形成相互之间的经验联系和结构关系，构成具有科学逻辑的知识体系。

The population issue is a holistic, long-term, and strategic issue facing our country. Population development is a major event related to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of a huge population. Over 1.4 billion people are to enter modernized society as a whole, a scale exceeding the total population of existing developed countries. In leading and advancing the construction of Chinese-path modernization, our Party strives to improve the overall quality of the population, optimize the population structure, closely integrate high-quality population development with the people’s high-quality life, promote the rational distribution of modern human resources, promote long-term balanced population development, and strive to promote the adaptation of population development to high-quality economic and social development. To construct China’s autonomous knowledge system, we should base it on the reality of the huge population scale, deeply research and explain the connotation and extension of high-quality population development, and systematically sort out, summarize, and refine the regular understandings and principled theoretical achievements obtained by Chinese-path modernization in improving the overall quality of the population, strengthening the comprehensive competitiveness of the population, and promoting sustainable population development, providing scholarly support for supporting Chinese-path modernization with high-quality population development.

人口问题是我国面临的全局性、长期性、战略性问题，人口发展是关系中华民族伟大复兴的大事。中国式现代化是人口规模巨大的现代化，14亿多人口要整体迈入现代化社会，规模超过现有发达国家人口的总和。在领导和推进中国式现代化建设的进程中，我们党着力提高人口整体素质、优化人口结构，把人口高质量发展同人民高品质生活紧密结合起来，推动现代化人力资源合理分布，促进人口长期均衡发展，努力推动人口发展与经济社会高质量发展相适应。建构中国自主的知识体系，应立足人口规模巨大的实际，深入研究和阐释人口高质量发展的内涵和外延，以体系化、学理化的方式梳理、总结、提炼中国式现代化在提高人口整体素质、厚植人口综合竞争力、推动人口可持续发展等方面取得的规律性认识、原理性理论成果，为以人口高质量发展支撑中国式现代化提供学理支持。

Modernization should not mean the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. How to avoid the problems of a wide gap between rich and poor and polarization in the process of modernization is an important issue in advancing modernization. Chinese-path modernization adheres to common prosperity, the essential requirement of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and is the modernization of common prosperity for all people. In leading and advancing the construction of Chinese-path modernization, our Party adheres to the people-centered development thought, follows the path of common prosperity, and while making the “cake” bigger, also distributes the “cake” well, so that the fruits of development benefit all people more and more fairly. To construct China’s autonomous knowledge system, we should firmly base it on common prosperity for all people, the essential characteristic of Chinese-path modernization, deeply research and explain the major theoretical and practical achievements obtained by Chinese-path modernization in advancing common prosperity from aspects such as coverage scope, content covered, realization paths, and practical process, systematically sort out and summarize the original contributions of Chinese-path modernization in understanding and handling the relationship between efficiency and fairness, and between growth and distribution, helping to build Chinese-path modernization of common prosperity for all people.

现代化不应是贫者愈贫、富者愈富，在现代化进程中如何避免出现贫富悬殊、两极分化问题，是推进现代化的重要课题。中国式现代化坚持共同富裕这一中国特色社会主义的本质要求，是全体人民共同富裕的现代化。在领导和推进中国式现代化建设中，我们党坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，坚持走共同富裕道路，在做大“蛋糕”的同时分好“蛋糕”，让发展成果更多更公平惠及全体人民。建构中国自主的知识体系，应牢牢立足全体人民共同富裕这一中国式现代化的本质特征，从覆盖范围、涵盖内容、实现途径、实践过程等方面，深入研究和阐释中国式现代化建设在推进共同富裕方面取得的重大理论成果和实践成果，系统梳理和总结中国式现代化在认识和处理效率和公平的关系、增长和分配的关系中的原创性贡献，助力建设全体人民共同富裕的中国式现代化。

Material civilization and cultural-ethical progress are the summation and crystallization of all the achievements of humanity’s understanding and transformation of the world. Promoting the coordinated development of material civilization and cultural-ethical progress is an inherent requirement of modernization. Chinese-path modernization emphasizes both material abundance and cultural-ethical enrichment; it is a modernization in which material civilization and cultural-ethical progress are coordinated. In leading and advancing the construction of Chinese-path modernization, our Party has persistently worked to build material civilization, continuously strengthening the material foundation of modernization and constantly consolidating the material conditions for the people’s happy life. At the same time, it has consistently worked to build cultural-ethical progress, vigorously developing advanced socialist culture, strengthening education in ideals and convictions, and inheriting Chinese civilization. To construct China’s independent knowledge system based on Chinese-path modernization, we must conduct in-depth scholarly research and explanation of the dialectical and unified relationship between material civilization and cultural-ethical progress in the construction of Chinese-path modernization, thereby providing methodological guidance for transforming the subjective and objective worlds and for better building a Chinese-path modernization in which material civilization and cultural-ethical progress are coordinated.

物质文明和精神文明是人类认识世界、改造世界全部成果的总括和结晶。促进物质文明和精神文明协调发展，是建设现代化的题中应有之义。中国式现代化强调物质富足和精神富有，是物质文明和精神文明相协调的现代化。在领导和推进中国式现代化建设中，我们党持之以恒抓好物质文明建设，不断厚植现代化的物质基础，不断夯实人民幸福生活的物质条件。同时，一以贯之抓好精神文明建设，大力发展社会主义先进文化，加强理想信念教育，传承中华文明。立足中国式现代化建构中国自主的知识体系，就要从学理上深入研究和阐释在中国式现代化建设中物质文明和精神文明的辩证统一关系，为改造主观世界和客观世界，更好建设物质文明和精神文明相协调的中国式现代化提供方法论指导。

The relationship between humanity and nature is the most fundamental relationship in human society. How to understand and handle this relationship is a universal issue in the modernization process. In the course of modernization, some countries, by taking the path of “pollute first, clean up later,” have wantonly plundered natural resources and severely damaged the ecological environment, leading to serious problems such as environmental pollution and resource depletion. Chinese-path modernization inherits and develops the Marxist view of nature and ecology, creatively transforms and innovatively develops the excellent traditional Chinese ecological culture, and adheres to the ecological values of respecting, conforming to, and protecting nature. It is a modernization in which humanity and nature coexist harmoniously. To construct China’s independent knowledge system, we must deeply grasp this essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization—promoting the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature—and systematically study and summarize the important theoretical and practical achievements of Chinese-path modernization in understanding and handling the relationships between high-quality development and high-level protection, between tackling key issues and coordinated governance, between natural restoration and artificial restoration, between external constraints and internal motivation, and between the “dual carbon” commitments [4]4 “Dual carbon” commitments refer to China’s pledge to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. and autonomous action. In deepening the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with the practice of China’s ecological civilization construction and with the excellent traditional Chinese ecological culture, we must help build a Chinese-path modernization in which humanity and nature coexist harmoniously.

人与自然的关系是人类社会最基本的关系，如何认识和处理这一关系，是现代化建设的普遍性课题。在现代化进程中，一些国家通过走“先污染后治理”的路子对自然资源肆意掠夺，对生态环境恶性破坏，导致环境污染、资源枯竭等严重问题。中国式现代化继承和发展马克思主义自然观、生态观，创造性转化、创新性发展中华优秀传统生态文化，坚持尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然的生态价值观，是人与自然和谐共生的现代化。建构中国自主的知识体系，应深刻把握促进人与自然和谐共生这一中国式现代化的本质要求，系统研究和总结中国式现代化在认识和处理高质量发展和高水平保护的关系、重点攻坚和协同治理的关系、自然恢复和人工修复的关系、外部约束和内生动力的关系、“双碳”承诺和自主行动的关系等方面的重要理论和实践成果，在深入推进马克思主义基本原理同中国生态文明建设实践相结合、同中华优秀传统生态文化相结合中，助力建设人与自然和谐共生的中国式现代化。

Humanity is a community with a shared future. Only by passing the torch of peace from generation to generation can the process of world modernization continue to advance. Chinese-path modernization adheres to independence and self-reliance, always holds high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, firmly stands on the right side of history and the side of human civilization and progress, seeks its own development while safeguarding world peace and development, and in turn better safeguards world peace and development through its own development. It is a modernization that follows the path of peaceful development. To construct China’s independent knowledge system based on Chinese-path modernization, we must deeply grasp this prominent feature of Chinese-path modernization—following the path of peaceful development—conduct in-depth research and explanation of the worldview of Chinese-path modernization, clearly explain the major theoretical and practical significance of the theory of Chinese-path modernization for building a community with a shared future for mankind, and provide theoretical support for promoting a world modernization that achieves peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation, and common prosperity.

人类是一个命运共同体，只有让和平的薪火代代相传，世界现代化进程才能不断向前推进。中国式现代化坚持独立自主、自力更生，始终高举和平、发展、合作、共赢的旗帜，坚定站在历史正确的一边、站在人类文明进步的一边，在维护世界和平与发展中谋求自身发展，又以自身发展更好维护世界和平与发展，是走和平发展道路的现代化。立足中国式现代化建构中国自主的知识体系，必须深刻把握走和平发展道路这一中国式现代化的突出特征，深入研究和阐释中国式现代化的世界观，讲清楚中国式现代化理论对于构建人类命运共同体的重大理论和实践意义，为推动实现和平发展、互利合作、共同繁荣的世界现代化提供理论支撑。

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “Chinese-path modernization has broken the myth that ‘modernization equals Westernization,’ presenting another picture of modernization, expanding the path choices for developing countries to achieve modernization, and providing a Chinese solution for humanity’s exploration of a better social system.” [5]5 This quotation is from Xi Jinping’s speech at the opening ceremony of the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, March 15, 2023. The paths to achieving modernization are diverse; the Western path to modernization is not the only one. Chinese-path modernization is deeply rooted in the excellent traditional Chinese culture, embodies the advanced nature of scientific socialism, draws on and absorbs all outstanding achievements of human civilization, represents the direction of the development of human civilization and progress, and presents a new picture different from the Western model of modernization. It is a completely new form of human civilization. To construct China’s independent knowledge system based on Chinese-path modernization, we must adhere to taking our own path, focus on what we are doing, and conduct scholarly research and explanation of the innovative breakthroughs of Chinese-path modernization in both theory and practice. At the same time, we must promote Chinese theory to “go global” in a systematic and scholarly way, so that the world knows “China in academia,” “China in theory,” and “China in philosophy and social sciences.”

习近平总书记指出：“中国式现代化，打破了‘现代化=西方化’的迷思，展现了现代化的另一幅图景，拓展了发展中国家走向现代化的路径选择，为人类对更好社会制度的探索提供了中国方案。”实现现代化的道路具有多样性，不是只有西方现代化道路可走。中国式现代化深深植根于中华优秀传统文化，体现科学社会主义的先进本质，借鉴吸收一切人类优秀文明成果，代表人类文明进步的发展方向，展现了不同于西方现代化模式的新图景，是一种全新的人类文明形态。立足中国式现代化建构中国自主的知识体系，要坚持走自己的路，以我们正在做的事情为中心，从学理上研究和阐释中国式现代化在理论和实践上的创新突破。同时，以体系化、学理化的方式推动中国理论“走出去”，让世界知道“学术中的中国”“理论中的中国”“哲学社会科学中的中国”。

(The author is a researcher at the Beijing Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era)

（作者为北京市习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心