The Spiritual Essence of the “Second Integration” as Embodied in Mao Zedong Thought

In 2023, Xi Jinping pointed out in his speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development: “To develop socialism with Chinese characteristics on the foundation of over five thousand years of Chinese civilization, it is essential to combine the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture.” Against the backdrop of the New Era, Xi Jinping explicitly put forward the “Two Integrations” on the basis of Mao Zedong Thought and other foundations. The so-called “Two Integrations” constitute the substantive content of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. Among them, the “First Integration” is primarily manifested at the levels of reality, practice, utility, and practical effect—that is, the concrete application of Marxist theory in transforming Chinese society—while the “Second Integration” is manifested at the levels of thought, culture, spirit, and concept—that is, the “national form” that Marxist theory takes on in China. Therefore, compared with the “First Integration,” the “Second Integration” represents a breakthrough in theoretical framework, a leap in ideological connotation, and an innovation in practical significance. In Mao Zedong’s work, the “Two Integrations” were usually put forward in the form of a single integration. For example, Mao said: “Communists are internationalist Marxists, but Marxism must be combined with China’s specific characteristics and realized through a certain national form.” [1]1 Mao Zedong, “On the New Stage,” report at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC, October 1938. “Specific characteristics” inherently includes China’s specific national conditions, while “national form” refers to China’s national cultural form. However, Mao also had formulations that juxtaposed several “integrations,” such as when he said: “It is necessary to further integrate Marxism-Leninism, this revolutionary science, deeply with the practice of the Chinese revolution, Chinese history, and Chinese culture.” [2]2 Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy,” January 1940. The three aspects with which Marxism-Leninism was to be deeply integrated here are, first, the practice of the Chinese revolution, and second and third, Chinese history and Chinese culture—this is undoubtedly the prototype of the formulation of the “Two Integrations.” It can be seen that Mao Zedong made a foundational contribution to the “Two Integrations,” especially the “Second Integration,” and Mao Zedong Thought embodies the spiritual essence of the “Second Integration.”

2023年，习近平在文化传承发展座谈会上的讲话指出：“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。”习近平于新的时代背景下在毛泽东思想等的基础上明确提出了“两个结合”。所谓“两个结合”，就是马克思主义中国化的实质内容，其中，“第一个结合”主要体现在实际、实践、实用、实效层面即马克思主义理论在变革中国社会的具体应用上，“第二个结合”体现在思想、文化、精神、理念层面即马克思主义理论在中国形成的“民族形式”上。因此，“第二个结合”相比“第一个结合”有着理论框架的突破、思想内涵的飞跃和实践意蕴的创新。“两个结合”在毛泽东那里通常是用一个结合的方式提出来的，如毛泽东说：“共产党员是国际主义的马克思主义者，但是马克思主义必须和我国的具体特点相结合并通过一定的民族形式才能实现。”“具体特点”内在地包含了中国的具体国情，“民族形式”就是指中国的民族文化形式。但毛泽东也曾有过把几个“结合”并列起来的提法，如说：“要使得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。”这里提到的马克思列宁主义要同中国深相结合的三个方面，第一个方面是中国革命实践，第二、第三个方面分别是中国历史和中国文化——这无疑是“两个结合”提法的原型。可见，毛泽东对“两个结合”尤其是“第二个结合”做出了奠基性的贡献，毛泽东思想体现了“第二个结合”的精神实质。

I. Shaping the Original Form of the “Second Integration”

一、塑造了“第二个结合”的原初形态

The “First Integration” is the original form of the “Second Integration.” The so-called “original form” means that the “First Integration” contains the ideological elements of the “Second Integration,” laying the theoretical foundation for the “Second Integration” and opening up a logical path; the “First Integration” is the source of the “Second Integration,” and the “Second Integration” is the spiritual essence of the “First Integration.” This reflects the natural historical process of thought and theory itself. Clarifying the historical logic of the emergence of the “First Integration” and exploring the internal connection between the “First Integration” and the “Second Integration” are very necessary for understanding and interpreting Xi Jinping’s cultural thought on a theoretical level.

“第一个结合”是“第二个结合”的原初形态。所谓“原初形态”就是指“第一个结合”蕴含着“第二个结合”的思想要素，为“第二个结合”奠定了理论基础，开辟了逻辑进路；“第一个结合”是“第二个结合”的源泉，“第二个结合”是“第一个结合”的精神实质。这体现了思想和理论自身的自然历史过程。厘清“第一个结合”出场的历史逻辑，探寻“第一个结合”与“第二个结合”的内在联系，对在学理上领会和阐释习近平文化思想十分必要。

1. The Historical Logic of the Emergence of the “First Integration”

1.“第一个结合”出场的历史逻辑

The historical logic of the emergence of the “First Integration” is the process of exploring the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context. Where history begins, logic begins. The historical background of the “First Integration” is that, since modern times, traditional Chinese society and traditional culture, compared with modern Western society and culture, experienced a sharp decline and a worsening situation. Based on this situation, contemporary sages proposed “seeking truth from the West”—learning from the West in thought, culture, and theory—which is the logical starting point of the “First Integration.” Mao Zedong wrote: “In China, the imperial examination system was abolished, schools sprang up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, and people worked hard to learn from the West. In my youth, I also studied these things. … To save the nation, there was only reform; to reform, there was only learning from foreign countries.” [3]3 Mao Zedong, “On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship,” 1949. But the various “ideological weapons” that the Chinese borrowed from the Western bourgeoisie were as weak and powerless as feudalism. The New Culture Movement and the October Revolution in Russia shed the light of truth on the Eastern land. Marxism, as the most advanced cultural thought that “absorbed and transformed all that was valuable in the development of human thought and culture over more than two thousand years,” [4]4 V. I. Lenin, “On Proletarian Culture,” 1920. was chosen by the Chinese people without hesitation in its confrontation with other social ideologies. From its inception, the Communist Party of China was a proletarian party guided by Marxism, and it continuously explored the integration of Marxism with China’s specific realities. Li Dazhao once pointed out that socialism, “because circumstances differ from place to place and time to time, must be implemented in a way that suits them, thus giving rise to a new system combining commonality and particularity (commonality is the universal, particularity is what varies with time and place). Therefore, when it emerges in China, it will inevitably differ from England, Germany, Russia…” [5]5 Li Dazhao, “Socialism and the Movement for World Peace,” 1919. Although early Chinese Communists like Li Dazhao did not explicitly put forward the proposition of “integrating Marxism with China’s specific realities,” they were already able to propose the independent insight of “combining commonality and particularity”—essentially the integration of the universal truth of Marxism with China’s specific particularities—which preset the historical and logical premise for Mao Zedong to later explicitly put forward this proposition.

“第一个结合”出场的历史逻辑，就是马克思主义中国化的探索过程。历史从哪里开始，逻辑就从哪里开始。“第一个结合”的历史背景是近代以来中国传统社会、传统文化相较于西方现代社会、现代文化地位急剧跌落，江河日下。基于此种情状，时贤提出“向西方寻求真理”——从思想、文化、理论上向西方学习，此为“第一个结合”的逻辑起点。毛泽东写道：“国内废科举，兴学校，好像雨后春笋，努力学习西方。我自己在青年时期，学的也是这些东西。……要救国，只有维新，要维新，只有学外国。”但中国人从西方资产阶级借来的各种“思想武器”同封建主义一样软弱无力。新文化运动与俄国十月革命，将真理之光洒向东方大地，马克思主义作为“吸收和改造了两千多年来人类思想和文化发展中一切有价值的东西”的最先进的文化思想，在同其他社会思想文化的交锋中，被中国人民义无反顾地选择。自成立开始，中国共产党就是以马克思主义为指导的无产阶级政党，并不断探索马克思主义同中国具体实际的结合。李大钊曾指出，社会主义“因各地、各时之情形不同，务求其适合者行之，遂发生共性与特性结合的一种新制度（共性是普遍者，特性是随时随地不同者），故中国将来发生之时，必与英、德、俄……有异”。尽管李大钊等早期的中国共产党人没有明确提出“马克思主义同中国具体实际相结合”这一命题，但他们已能提出“共性与特性结合”——实质上就是马克思主义的普遍真理与中国具体的特性相结合的独立见解，这为毛泽东此后明确提出这一命题预设了历史和逻辑前提。

Regarding the actual emergence of the “First Integration,” because the success of the socialist revolution existed only in Russia, early Chinese Communists who had not yet achieved theoretical self-consciousness could only take Russia as their teacher and follow the Russian path. As a branch of the Communist International, the Communist Party of China was naturally influenced by the dogmatism and doctrinairism of the Communist International. It was precisely in the struggle against various doctrinaire and opportunist errors, based on China’s specific realities, that Mao Zedong enhanced the theoretical self-consciousness of advancing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context. In 1930, in his article “Oppose Book Worship,” Mao Zedong pointed out: “We must study the ‘books’ of Marxism, but they must be combined with China’s actual conditions.” [6]6 Mao Zedong, “Oppose Book Worship,” May 1930. This is undoubtedly the origin of the “First Integration.” In terms of the discursive expression of the emergence of the “First Integration,” a passage from Mao Zedong’s report “On the New Stage” at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC in 1938 is classic. He said: “Communists are internationalist Marxists, but Marxism must be realized through a national form. There is no abstract Marxism, only concrete Marxism. What is called concrete Marxism is Marxism that takes a national form, that is, applying Marxism to the concrete struggles in the concrete environment of China, rather than applying it abstractly. Communists who become a part of the great Chinese nation and are flesh and blood with this nation, if they talk about Marxism divorced from China’s characteristics, are only talking about abstract, empty Marxism. Therefore, the sinicization of Marxism, making it bear China’s characteristics in every manifestation, that is, applying it according to China’s characteristics, has become a problem that the whole Party urgently needs to understand and solve.” [7]7 Mao Zedong, “On the New Stage,” October 1938. In January 1940, in “On New Democracy,” Mao Zedong pointed out: “The same applies to the application of Marxism by Chinese Communists. The universal truth of Marxism must be completely and appropriately unified with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution, that is, combined with the characteristics of the nation.” [8]8 Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy,” January 1940. In 1945, the “Resolution on Certain Historical Questions” pointed out: “Since its founding in 1921, the Communist Party of China has taken the integration of the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution as the guideline for all its work. Comrade Mao Zedong’s theory and practice of the Chinese revolution are the representative of this integration.” [9]9 “Resolution on Certain Historical Questions,” adopted at the Seventh Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the CPC, April 1945. After the founding of New China, in the revision of the first edition of the “Selected Works of Mao Zedong,” due to domestic and international political backgrounds and other reasons, “the sinicization of Marxism” was revised to “making Marxism concrete in China,” while the phrase “Marxism must be combined with China’s specific characteristics and realized through a certain national form” was added. This shows the historical and logical process of the “integration” in Mao’s work from its initial emergence during the war years to its discursive transformation after the founding of New China.

就“第一个结合”的实际出场而言，由于社会主义革命的成功只存在于俄国一隅，尚未实现理论自觉的早期中国共产党人只能以俄为师，走俄国人的路。中国共产党作为共产国际的一个支部，自然会受到共产国际本本主义、教条主义的影响。毛泽东正是在同各种教条主义、机会主义错误的斗争中，立足于中国具体实际，增强了推进马克思主义中国化的理论自觉。1930年，毛泽东在《反对本本主义》一文中指出：“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。”这无疑是“第一个结合”的滥觞。就“第一个结合”出场话语表述而言，1938年毛泽东在党的六届六中全会的报告《论新阶段》中的一段话很经典，他说：“共产党员是国际主义的马克思主义者，但马克思主义必须通过民族形式才能实现。没有抽象的马克思主义，只有具体的马克思主义。所谓具体的马克思主义，就是通过民族形式的马克思主义，就是把马克思主义应用到中国具体环境的具体斗争中去，而不是抽象地应用它。成为伟大中华民族之一部分而与这个民族血肉相连的共产党员，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。”1940年1月，毛泽东在《新民主主义论》中指出，“中国共产主义者对于马克思主义在中国的应用也是这样，必须将马克思主义的普遍真理和中国革命的具体实践完全地恰当地统一起来，就是说，和民族的特点相结合”。1945年，《关于若干历史问题的决议》指出：“中国共产党自一九二一年产生以来，就以马克思列宁主义的普遍真理和中国革命的具体实践相结合为自己的一切工作的指针，毛泽东同志关于中国革命的理论和实践便是此种结合的代表。”在新中国成立之后，对《毛泽东选集》第一版的修编，出于当时国内外的政治背景等原因将“马克思主义的中国化”修订成了“使马克思主义在中国具体化”，同时增加了“马克思主义必须和我国的具体特点相结合并通过一定的民族形式才能实现”。这显示了“结合”在毛泽东那里由战争年代的最初出场到新中国成立后话语转化的历史和逻辑进程。

2. The “First Integration” Contains the Ideological Elements of the “Second Integration”

2.“第一个结合”蕴含着“第二个结合”的思想要素

Marxism is the essence of human thought and culture. As it spreads in the soil of Chinese society and thought and culture, it naturally engages in mutual learning, interaction, and integration with traditional Chinese culture. As the spread deepens, this integration becomes increasingly pronounced. The “concrete reality” in the “First Integration” includes both actual conditions and people’s actions. Mao Zedong believed that the laws of all things are “the reflection of objective reality in our minds; aside from our minds, everything is objective reality.” [10]10 Mao Zedong, “On Practice” (1937), in *Selected Works of Mao Zedong*, vol. 1. China’s objective reality encompasses both the reality of Chinese society, such as revolutionary practice, utility, implementation, and practical results, and the reality of traditional Chinese culture, such as traditional philosophy, thought, scholarship, spiritual beliefs, and customs. Thus, the “Second Integration” is inherently contained within the actual content of the “First Integration.” “Marxism must be realized through a specific national form in combination with China’s specific characteristics” — content is necessarily expressed through form, and form is the form of content. The “specific national form” here refers precisely to the form of the thought and culture of the Chinese nation. Mao Zedong also emphasized that Marxism should possess “a Chinese style and Chinese manner that the common Chinese people find pleasing and accessible” — Chinese style and Chinese manner clearly belong to the cultural and spiritual sphere, representing the unity of content and form. Mao Zedong said, “We should not cut off history. From Confucius to Sun Yat-sen, we should sum it up and inherit this precious legacy.” [11]11 Mao Zedong, “The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War” (1938), in *Selected Works of Mao Zedong*, vol. 2. This is tantamount to declaring to the world that Chinese Marxists are the legitimate inheritors of traditional Chinese culture, and the essence of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is embodied precisely at the spiritual and cultural level.

马克思主义是人类思想文化的精华，其在中国社会和思想文化土壤中传播，自然要与中国传统文化互鉴、互动和融合，随着传播的深入，这种结合也变得日益显著。“第一个结合”中的“具体实际”既包含真实的情况，又包含人们的行动。毛泽东认为，一切事物的规律都是“客观实际在我们头脑中的反映，除了我们的头脑以外，一切都是客观实际的东西”。中国的客观实际既包含中国社会的实际，如革命的实践、实用、实行、实效等，又包含中国传统文化的实际，如传统的哲学、思想、学术、精神信仰、习俗等。可见，“第二个结合”内在包含在“第一个结合”的实际内容之中。“马克思主义必须和我国的具体特点相结合并通过一定的民族形式才能实现”——内容必然由形式表现出来，形式是内容的形式，这里的“一定的民族形式”也就是中华民族思想文化的形式；毛泽东还强调马克思主义应当具有“中国老百姓所喜闻乐见的中国作风和中国气派”——中国作风与中国气派显然属于文化与精神范畴，是内容与形式的统一。毛泽东说“我们不应当割断历史。从孔夫子到孙中山，我们应当给以总结，承继这一份珍贵的遗产”，这无异于向世人明示中国马克思主义者就是中国传统文化的合法继承者，马克思主义中国化的实质就体现在精神与文化层面。

After the founding of New China, Mao Zedong rarely used the term “Sinicization” in his essay “Conversation with Music Workers,” but here “Sinicization” is juxtaposed with “Westernization,” specifically referring to the cultural and ideological sphere. He emphasized that foreign culture “should be based on China’s foundation and absorb foreign things. It should be crossbred and organically integrated.” [12]12 Mao Zedong, “Conversation with Music Workers” (1956), in *Selected Works of Mao Zedong*, vol. 7. Any foreign culture that does not take root in the soil of Chinese culture and does not respond to the call of China’s times will inevitably be as fleeting as an ephemeral flower. If Marxism does not take root in China’s fertile cultural soil, absorb China’s cultural nutrients, and integrate with China’s fine traditional culture, it will not function as a powerful ideological weapon for transforming Chinese society, nor can it rise to become the mainstream ideology and spiritual symbol of contemporary China.

新中国成立后，毛泽东在《同音乐工作者的谈话》一文中罕见地使用了“中国化”一词，但这里的“中国化”是和“洋化”相对应的，特指文化和意识形态领域。他强调外来文化“应该在中国的基础上面，吸取外国的东西。应该交配起来，有机地结合”。任何一种外来文化如果不植根于中华文化的土壤，不响应中国时代的呼唤，就必然如昙花一现。马克思主义如果不植根于中国的文化沃土，不吸收中国的文化养分，不同中华优秀传统文化相结合，就不会发挥出改变中国社会的强大思想武器的作用，也不可能上升为当今中国的主流意识形态和精神标识。

Mao Zedong was always committed to integrating the basic principles of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture. The Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, are both inheritors and promoters of China’s fine traditional culture. Mao Zedong not only encompassed the ideological elements of the “Second Integration” within the narrative of the “First Integration,” but was also the founder of the discourse expression of the “Two Integrations.” From the perspective of Mao Zedong’s logical thinking, adapting Marxism to the Chinese context is essentially a process of deeply combining the scientific truth of Marxism-Leninism with China’s revolutionary practice and with China’s historical culture. We must recognize that the grand ideological vision of the “Two Integrations” initially articulated by Mao Zedong was aimed at solving the problem of victory in the New Democratic Revolution. However, as the historical scene shifts and the times advance, Marxism must be further and more deeply combined with China’s revolutionary practice and Chinese historical culture, using this as an ideological resource for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context in keeping with the times.

毛泽东始终致力于把马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合。以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人是中华民族优秀传统文化的继承者，也是中华民族优秀传统文化的弘扬者，毛泽东不仅在“第一个结合”的叙事中囊括了“第二个结合”的思想要素，而且是“两个结合”话语表述的奠基者。从毛泽东的逻辑思路来看，马克思主义中国化实质上就是马克思列宁主义的科学真理同中国革命实践、同中国历史文化深相结合起来的进程。我们必须看到，毛泽东最初阐发出的“两个结合”的思想宏旨，是要解决新民主主义革命胜利的问题，而随着历史场景的转换和时代的前行，马克思主义同中国革命实践和中国历史文化就必须更进一步地深相结合起来，并以此作为与时俱进的马克思主义中国化的思想资源。

3. The “Second Integration” is the Spiritual Core and Deep-Seated Driving Force of the “First Integration”

3.“第二个结合”是“第一个结合”的精神内核和深层动力

The demand of China’s revolutionary practice for theory is the main driving force and mechanism for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. It inevitably requires the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific reality, and further inevitably requires the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture. At the practical level, adapting Marxism to the Chinese context manifests as the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with the specific reality of China’s revolution, while at the spiritual level, it manifests as the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture. The reason Marxism can be adapted to the Chinese context is that it not only responds to the needs of China’s historical social changes and transformations, but also responds to the needs of the historical transformation and development of China’s traditional mainstream culture. The “Two Integrations” is not a simple quantitative addition of the “First Integration” and the “Second Integration,” but rather reflects the qualitative sublimation and innovation of the “Second Integration” over the “First Integration.” The “Second Integration” is the spiritual core of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. If the “First Integration” is based on the self-conscious reality of practice, then the “Second Integration” is based on the self-aware reality of culture. The development from the “First Integration” to the “Second Integration” is a manifestation of the Chinese Communists’ grasp of reality moving from self-consciousness to self-awareness. In fact, these “Two Integrations” occurred almost simultaneously. Although the “First Integration” is rich in cultural factors, for Marxism to achieve a new leap in adapting to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, it must necessarily pass through a stage from cultural self-awareness to cultural confidence. Therefore, the “First Integration” is the practical foundation of the “Second Integration,” and the “Second Integration” is the underlying logic and deep-seated driving force of the “First Integration.”

中国革命实践对理论的需求是马克思主义中国化的主要动因和机制，必然要求马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，并且必然进一步要求马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合。马克思主义中国化在实践层面上表现为马克思主义基本原理同中国革命的具体实际相结合，而在精神层面上则体现为马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合。马克思主义之所以能够实现中国化，是因为其不仅因应中国社会历史性变革与转型的需求，而且因应中国传统主流文化历史性转型和发展的需要。“两个结合”不是“第一个结合”与“第二个结合”简单的量的相加，而体现了“第二个结合”对“第一个结合”的质的升华与创新。“第二个结合”是马克思主义中国化的精神内核所在。如果说“第一个结合”基于实践上的自为的实际，那么“第二个结合”则基于文化上的自觉的实际。从“第一个结合”到“第二个结合”的发展，是中国共产党人对实际的把握从自为走向自觉的表现。实际上，这“两个结合”几乎是同时发生的，尽管“第一个结合”富含文化因素，但要使马克思主义实现中国化时代化的新飞跃，就必然要有一个由文化自觉进到文化自信的阶段。因此，“第一个结合”是“第二个结合”的现实基础，“第二个结合”是“第一个结合”的底层逻辑和深层动力。

Mao Zedong always regarded culture as an organic component of the social formation. He pointed out, “New political forces, new economic forces, and new cultural forces are all revolutionary forces in China.” [13]13 Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy” (1940), in *Selected Works of Mao Zedong*, vol. 2. This statement fully affirms the immense role of culture in social development. China’s fine traditional culture is the psychological, spiritual, popular customary, and ideological-cultural foundation for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. In his works, Mao Zedong expounded on the role of culture, interpreting culture as a basic, deep-seated, and enduring historical driving force and spiritual power. The cultural content rich in the “First Integration” is more of a scientific attitude of seeking truth from facts, while the cultural factor emphasized in the “Second Integration” is a profound cultural philosophy. This cultural philosophy emphasizes nurturing national character through culture. National character is also called “national essence,” as Liang Qichao said: “A nation stands in the world; it must have something on which to base itself. What is that something? I have no name for it, so I call it national essence. A nation has an essence, just as a person has a nature. Human natures differ, like faces; though very similar, they cannot ultimately be exchanged. Losing one’s nature means losing what makes one human. The same is true for a nation. Because of the difference in essence, each nation stands on its own in the world.” [14]14 Liang Qichao, “On National Essence” (1902), a key essay by the late Qing reformist thinker arguing that a nation’s unique cultural character is essential to its survival. This “national essence” is an enlarged version of human nature, also called “national character,” i.e., the national spirit of a country. National essence is nurtured within a profound national culture. Culture is inherently a force “used daily without awareness,” a humanizing education that “moistens things silently.” [15]15 A classical allusion to Du Fu’s poem “Joyful Rain on a Spring Night,” describing the subtle, nourishing effect of culture. Humanizing education is the most fundamental value orientation of culture. It influences the people, the family, society, and the state through social consciousness such as politics, law, philosophy, morality, literature, and art, in a manner of “the silent surpassing the vocal” and “the formless surpassing the formed.” Therefore, the national character of culture is a kind of cultural gene. Once a national tradition based on a cultural gene is subjected to a major threat, it inevitably provokes a instinctive resistance from the cultural organism, awakening cultural self-awareness and national salvation consciousness. It can be said that the entire modern history of China is a history of the Chinese nation’s movement from cultural self-existence and self-consciousness to cultural self-awareness and self-confidence, proactive advancement, and national salvation and survival.

毛泽东始终将文化视作社会形态的一个有机组成部分，他指出，“新的政治力量，新的经济力量，新的文化力量，都是中国的革命力量”。这一论述充分肯定了文化在社会发展中的巨大作用。中华优秀传统文化是马克思主义中国化的心理、精神、大众习俗和思想文化的基础，毛泽东在其著作中阐述了文化的作用，诠释了文化是基本、深层、持久的历史推动力和精神伟力。“第一个结合”所富含的文化内容更多是一种实事求是的科学态度，而“第二个结合”所强调的文化因素则为深厚的文化哲学，这种文化哲学强调以文化滋培民族性。民族性又被称为“国性”，如梁启超说：“国于天地，必有与立。国之所以与立者何？吾无以名之，名之曰国性。国之有性，如人之有性然。人性不同，乃如其面，虽极相近而终不能以相易也。失其本性，斯失其所以为人矣。惟国亦然，缘性之殊，乃各自为国以立于大地。”这种“国性”就是人性的扩大版，也被称为“国民性”，即一个国家的民族精神。国性滋养于深厚的民族文化之中。文化本是一种“日用而不知”的力量，是一种“润物细无声”的人文教化。教化就是文化最根本的价值旨归，它以“无声胜有声”“无形胜有形”的方式通过政治、法律、哲学、道德、文学、艺术等社会意识影响着人民、家庭、社会和国家，因此，文化的民族性乃是一种文化基因。一种基于文化基因的民族传统一旦受到重大威胁，必然会激起文化机体本能的抵抗，唤起文化自觉和民族救亡意识。可以说，整个中国近代史，就是一部中华民族由文化自在自为到文化自觉自信、积极进取、救亡图存的运动史。

Mao Zedong was an outstanding representative and eminent leader in the history of China’s cultural transformation movement. Mao Zedong Thought, as a shining example of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, made its great contribution by initiating the theoretical precedent of the “Two Integrations” and providing successful experience for later generations. After the founding of New China, our Party became the ruling party, and the focus of the Party’s work underwent a historic shift. The “Two Integrations” encountered entirely new issues, requiring theoretical renewal and “upgrading” by combining historical experience and responding to the needs of the times. As Mao Zedong said, facing the new situation, “If we only had ‘On Practice’ and ‘On Contradiction,’ without writing new works and forming new theories to meet new needs, that would not do either.” [16]16 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *The German Ideology*. The “new works” and “new theories” he spoke of were undoubtedly “the result of combining the basic principles of Marxism with the excellent traditional Chinese culture at the ideological and cultural level, a summary and synthesis of new practice, which in turn guided practice.” The cultural and theoretical innovation value of the “Second Integration” stems from the demand that practice places on theoretical innovation.

毛泽东是中国文化变革运动史上的杰出代表和卓越领袖。毛泽东思想作为马克思主义中国化的光辉范例，其伟大贡献就在于开启了“两个结合”的理论先河，并为后世提供了成功经验。新中国成立后，我们党成为执政党，党的工作重心发生了历史性转移，“两个结合”遇到了全新的课题，需要结合历史经验并因应时代需求进行理论更新和“升级”。正如毛泽东所说，面对新的局面，“如果单有《实践论》、《矛盾论》，不适应新的需要，写出新的著作，形成新的理论，也是不行的”。他所说的“新的著作”“新的理论”无疑“都是在思想文化层面上马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合的结果，是对新的实践的概括总结，并反过来用以指导实践”。“第二个结合”的文化和理论创新价值，源于实践对理论创新的需求。

II. Mao Zedong Thought Contains the Core Viewpoints of the “Second Integration”

二、毛泽东思想蕴含“第二个结合”的核心观点

The “Second Integration” embodies the Chinese Communist Party’s view of Marxism, view of traditional culture, and view of Chinese and Western cultures, answering questions about how to treat Marxism, Chinese traditional culture, and foreign cultures. Mao Zedong correctly handled the contradictory relationships between “the one” and “the many,” “the ancient” and “the modern,” and “China” and “the West.” Mao Zedong Thought contains the core viewpoints of the “Second Integration.” In the New Era, Xi Jinping has inherited and developed Mao Zedong Thought, pointing out: “We must persist in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, inherit and develop the excellent traditional Chinese culture, promote the localization of foreign cultures, and continuously cultivate and create socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era.” This statement contains three core viewpoints of the “Second Integration”: the Marxist view of multiculturalism, the view of national culture that inherits excellent traditions, and the view of foreign culture in the “method of the ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign.” [17]17 Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy” (January 1940).

“第二个结合”蕴含中国共产党的马克思主义观、传统文化观、中西文化观，回答了如何对待马克思主义、中国传统文化、外来文化等问题。毛泽东正确处理了“一”与“多”、“古”与“今”、“中”与“外”等矛盾关系，毛泽东思想蕴含了“第二个结合”的核心观点。新时代，习近平继承发展了毛泽东思想，指出：“我们必须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。”这一论述内含“第二个结合”的三个核心观点：马克思主义的多元文化观、继承优秀传统的民族文化观和“古今中外法”中的外来文化观。

1. The Marxist View of Multiculturalism

1.马克思主义的多元文化观

From Mao Zedong to Xi Jinping, the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party have

从毛泽东到习近平，中国共产党的领袖们一直都在致力于解决文化上的一元指导与多样性繁荣的辩证关系，即“一”与“多”的关系。“第二个结合”创造性地阐释了中国化的马克思主义观，使马克思主义立于中华民族文化的沃土之上，成为新的中国主流文化有机体的灵魂，并得到发扬光大，实现与时俱进，成为时代精神的精华，从而不断彰显中国化与时代化的统一。

First, we do not hesitate to state that Marxism holds an unshakable guiding position in China and is the ideology of the ruling party and the working class of China. “The ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas, i.e. the class which is the ruling material force of society, is at the same time its ruling intellectual force.” [16]16 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *The German Ideology*. Culture, as part of the superstructure, is determined by the economic base and serves the economic base; this is an immutable objective law. The so-called “most democratic” capitalist countries of the West all use a “culture-ideology” representing the interests of the big bourgeoisie as a tool for ideological rule, and their so-called “multiculturalism” is merely the branches and leaves of their bourgeois mainstream culture. The Chinese Communists have always had a clear understanding of this. Mao Zedong pointed out long ago that the new culture after the May Fourth Movement, that is, the new-democratic culture, “can only be led by the cultural ideology of the proletariat, i.e., communist ideology; the cultural ideology of any other class cannot lead it.” [17]17 Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy” (January 1940). For China to promote the flourishing of cultural diversity, it can only take Marxism as its guiding ideology and can only adhere to this “monism” of Marxism.

首先，我们毫不讳言，马克思主义在中国具有不可动摇的指导地位，是中国执政党和工人阶级的意识形态。“统治阶级的思想在每一时代都是占统治地位的思想。这就是说，一个阶级是社会上占统治地位的物质力量，同时也是社会上占统治地位的精神力量。”文化作为上层建筑由经济基础所决定，并服务于经济基础，这是不变的客观规律。西方所谓“最民主”的资本主义国家无不以代表大资产阶级利益的“文化-意识形态”作为思想统治的工具，他们所谓的“多元文化”不过只是其资产阶级主流文化的枝枝叶叶而已。对此，中国共产党人历来有着清醒的认识，毛泽东早就指出，五四运动以后的新文化，即新民主主义的文化，“只能由无产阶级的文化思想即共产主义思想去领导，任何别的阶级的文化思想都是不能领导了的”。中国推动文化多样性繁荣，只能以马克思主义作为指导思想，只能坚持马克思主义这个“一元”。

Second, upholding the guiding position of Marxism will promote the flourishing of cultural diversity. “Monism” stands in relation to “pluralism”; without the “one” there is no “many,” and without the “many” there is no “one.” Historical experience proves that to keep cultural development perpetually vibrant, it is necessary both to have the leadership and guidance of a mainstream culture and to have the convergence and support of diverse cultures. “A single flower does not make spring, while a hundred flowers in bloom bring spring to the garden.” [18]18 A Chinese proverb, often used to emphasize the value of diversity. To develop and prosper socialist culture, it is necessary to let a hundred flowers bloom. The policy of “letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend” advocated by Mao Zedong is consistent with the cultural policy of upholding Marxism’s leading position in cultural development. “Implementing the policy of letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend will not weaken Marxism’s leading position in the realm of thought; on the contrary, it will strengthen this position.” [19]19 Mao Zedong, “On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People” (February 1957). Marxism must be allowed to continuously develop and grow amidst contention with many ideologies and cultures, and amidst the storms of struggle, thereby realizing the continuous adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. The “Two Hundreds” policy first emphasizes letting the “hundred flowers” compete to bloom. If one cannot understand this profound meaning, they would be “distorting the ‘Two Hundreds’ policy, a Marxist policy of the proletariat, into a liberal policy of the bourgeoisie.” [20]20 Mao Zedong, “Speech at the Chinese Communist Party’s National Conference on Propaganda Work” (March 1957). Therefore, it must be made clear that the “Two Hundreds” policy is a policy that unifies the flourishing of cultural diversity with the monistic guidance of Marxism. Entering the New Era, Xi Jinping pointed out, “Upholding the guidance of Marxism is the fundamental hallmark that distinguishes philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics from other philosophy and social sciences,” and “letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend is an important policy for prospering and developing our country’s philosophy and social sciences.” [21]21 Xi Jinping, “Speech at a Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences” (May 2016). This is in the same line as the cultural prosperity policy proposed by Mao Zedong.

其次，坚持马克思主义的指导地位，将会促进文化多样性繁荣。“一元”相对于“多元”而立，没有“一”就没有“多”，而没有“多”也谈不上“一”。历史经验证明，要使文化发展永葆活力，就既离不开主流文化的领导和指引，又要有多样性文化的汇聚和托衬。“一花独放不是春，百花齐放春满园”，发展和繁荣社会主义文化，必须百花齐放。毛泽东所倡导的“百花齐放、百家争鸣”的方针与坚持马克思主义在文化发展中领导地位的文化政策是一致的。“实行百花齐放、百家争鸣的方针，并不会削弱马克思主义在思想界的领导地位，相反地正是会加强它的这种地位。”要让马克思主义在同诸多思想文化的争鸣之中、在斗争的风雨之中不断地发展壮大，从而实现马克思主义持续中国化时代化。“双百”方针首先强调的是让“百花”竞相开放，如果不能理解这一深意，就是“把‘双百’方针这个无产阶级的马克思主义的方针，歪曲为资产阶级的自由主义的方针了”。因此，必须明确“双百”方针是实现文化多样性繁荣与马克思主义一元化指导相统一的方针。进入新时代，习近平指出，“坚持以马克思主义为指导，是当代中国哲学社会科学区别于其他哲学社会科学的根本标志”，“百花齐放、百家争鸣，是繁荣发展我国哲学社会科学的重要方针”。这同毛泽东提出的文化繁荣方针一脉相承。

2. The View of National Culture That Inherits Excellent Traditions

2.继承优秀传统的民族文化观

Establishing the general direction of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the guiding position of mainstream culture does not mean that traditional Chinese culture can be marginalized. On the contrary, the Chinese Communist Party attaches great importance to the inheritance and promotion of national culture. In March 1943, the Party solemnly declared: “Chinese Communists are the inheritors of all the finest traditions of our nation’s culture, thought, and morality, regarding all these fine traditions as things intimately connected with their own flesh and blood, and will continue to carry them forward and develop them.” [22]22 From a Central Committee resolution on Party history, March 1943. What is emphasized here for inheritance, carrying forward, and development are the “finest traditions” and “all fine traditions” within “our nation’s culture, thought, and morality.” The implication is that those things which are not fine, or even feudal, cannot be inherited or carried forward, but must be resolutely and thoroughly discarded. Therefore, Mao Zedong pointed out in *On New Democracy*: “China’s long feudal society created a splendid ancient culture. To clear up the process of development of ancient culture, to reject its feudal dross and absorb its democratic essence, is a necessary condition for developing a new national culture and enhancing national self-confidence; but we must never swallow anything and everything uncritically.” [23]23 Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy” (January 1940). This dichotomy of dividing traditional culture into “essence” and “dross” was once criticized. Little did people know that this is a method of sublation rather than total negation, and it is also a view consistently held by the founders of Marxism towards historical culture. Therefore, it is a scientific view derived from analyzing traditional culture using historical materialism and class analysis.

确立了马克思主义中国化的大方向和对主流文化的指导地位，并不意味着中国传统文化可以被边缘化。恰恰相反，中国共产党十分重视对民族文化的传承和弘扬。1943年3月，党庄严宣布：“中国共产党人是我们民族一切文化、思想、道德的最优秀传统的继承者，把这一切优秀传统看成和自己血肉相连的东西，而且将继续加以发扬光大。”这里强调要继承、发扬光大的是“我们民族一切文化、思想、道德”中的“最优秀传统”和“一切优秀传统”，言外之意，那些不优秀的甚至封建性的东西，不仅不能继承和发扬光大，而且要坚决彻底地抛弃。因此，毛泽东在《新民主主义论》中指出：“中国的长期封建社会中，创造了灿烂的古代文化。清理古代文化的发展过程，剔除其封建性的糟粕，吸收其民主性的精华，是发展民族新文化提高民族自信心的必要条件；但决不能无批判地兼收并蓄。”这种把传统文化分成“精华”与“糟粕”的两分法，一度受到诟病，殊不知，这是一种扬弃而非全盘否定的方法，也是马克思主义创始人对待历史文化一贯坚持的观点，因此是一种运用历史唯物论和阶级分析法剖析传统文化而得出的科学观点。

However, correctly distinguishing the essence from the dross is no easy task. Mao Zedong pointed out: “Whether a perception or a theory is true is not determined by subjective feeling but by the results of objective social practice. The sole criterion of truth is social practice.” [24]24 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 (the combination of Marxism with China’s concrete realities). Therefore, in addition to the method of class analysis, using the method of practical verification to distinguish the “essence” from the “dross” in traditional culture is also an effective approach. Whether the ideological elements in Chinese traditional culture are excellent, whether they are “essence” or “dross,” also depends on whether these ideological elements meet the needs of China’s revolutionary practice and whether they can prove their truth and value in practice. As Mao Zedong emphasized: “This knowledge was, for the ancients and for foreigners, the product of direct experience. If, when the ancients and foreigners had this direct experience, it conformed to the conditions Lenin spoke of as ‘scientific abstraction’ and scientifically reflected objective things, then this knowledge is reliable; otherwise, it is unreliable.” [25]25 V. I. Lenin, “On Proletarian Culture” (1920). For example, concepts such as the “Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues” [26]26 Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy” (1940). in Chinese traditional culture have been repeatedly proven harmful in practice and belong to the dross of ideology and culture, and therefore should be resolutely discarded. In contrast, concepts such as “seeking truth from facts,” “the people are the foundation of the state,” “self-reliance,” and “independence and self-determination” have been repeatedly proven beneficial in practice and are the essence of ideology and culture, and therefore should be unshirkably inherited. Xi Jinping has frequently quoted ancient Chinese sayings such as “the world is for all” and “the people are the foundation of the state.” The value concepts of fine traditional Chinese culture contained in these ancient sayings are core values that are compatible with Marxism and have been proven by practice to suit China’s current national conditions, and thus belong to the essence of national culture. The essence of national culture is the substance of China’s fine traditional culture, abbreviated as the “Chinese substance.” [27]27 Ibid.

然而，正确地区分精华与糟粕并非易事。毛泽东指出：“判定认识或理论之是否真理，不是依主观上觉得如何而定，而是依客观上社会实践的结果如何而定。真理的标准只能是社会的实践。”因此，除了阶级分析法，用实践检验法来区分传统文化中的“精华”与“糟粕”也不失为一种行之有效的方法。中国传统文化中的思想要素优秀与否，是“精华”还是“糟粕”，还要看这一思想要素是否适应中国革命实践的需要，以及能否在实践中证明它的真理性和价值。正如毛泽东强调的那样：“这些知识在古人在外人是直接经验的东西，如果在古人外人直接经验时是符合于列宁所说的条件‘科学的抽象’，是科学地反映了客观的事物，那末这些知识是可靠的，否则就是不可靠的。”例如，中国传统文化中的“三纲五常”等观念在实践中被反复证明是有害的，属于思想文化糟粕，故而应当被坚决抛弃，而“实事求是”“民为邦本”“自力更生”“独立自主”等观念则在实践中被反复证明是有益的，是思想文化精华，故而应当被责无旁贷地继承。习近平多次引用“天下为公”“民为邦本”等中国古语，这些古语中蕴含的中华优秀传统文化的价值理念，是与马克思主义相契合并被实践证明适合中国当下国情的核心价值，因而属于民族文化的精华。民族文化的精华是中华优秀传统文化的本体，简称“中体”。

The continuity of Chinese culture determines that this cultural system possesses the characteristic of being inherited in an unbroken line. Only by deeply recognizing the bloodline connection between modern Chinese culture and ancient Chinese culture can we grasp the direction of China’s present and future cultural development. Mao Zedong pointed out: “To study our historical heritage and to critically sum it up using the Marxist method is another of our learning tasks. Our nation has a history of several thousand years, has its own characteristics, and has many precious treasures. In this regard, we are still primary school students.” [28]28 Mao Zedong, “How to Study Party History” (1942). In the face of profound and extensive traditional culture, we should be humble and willingly be primary school students. However, to revere the past and despise the present, to be hidebound and inflexible, and to mechanically copy and imitate the ancients without any criticism, “is the most worthless and most harmful.” [29]29 Ibid. When dealing with Chinese traditional culture, we should uphold the spirit of critical analysis of historical materialism, and be careful to avoid the attitude that “what is bad is absolutely bad, everything is bad; what is good is absolutely good, everything is good.” [30]30 Ibid. Cultural revivalism and cultural nihilism are both extremely one-sided erroneous trends of thought and should be resolutely resisted and criticized. Xi Jinping pointed

中华文化的连续性决定了该文化系统具有一脉相承的特点，只有深刻认识到中国现代文化与中国古代文化之间的血脉联系，才能把握中国现在和未来文化发展的方向。毛泽东指出：“学习我们的历史遗产，用马克思主义的方法给以批判的总结，是我们学习的另一任务。我们这个民族有数千年的历史，有它的特点，有它的许多珍贵品。对于这些，我们还是小学生。”在博大深厚的传统文化面前，我们应当谦卑，甘当小学生，然而，厚古薄今，泥古不化，对古人毫无批判的硬搬和模仿，“乃是最没有出息的最害人的”。对待中国传统文化应秉持历史唯物主义的分析批判精神，切忌“所谓坏就是绝对的坏，一切皆坏；所谓好就是绝对的好，一切皆好”。文化复古主义与文化虚无主义都是极端片面的错误思潮，应坚决给予抵制和批判。习近平在纪念孔子诞辰2565周年国际学术研讨会上指出：“我们要善于把弘扬优秀传统文化和发展现实文化有机统一起来，紧密结合起来，在继承中发展，在发展中继承。”这一论述彰显了中国共产党一以贯之的正确的传统文化观。

3. The View of Foreign Culture in the “Ancient-and-Modern, Chinese-and-Foreign Method”

3.“古今中外法”中的外来文化观

Mao Zedong resolved the contradiction between “China” and “the West” and the issue of compatibility between foreign culture and Chinese culture, creatively elaborating the view of foreign culture embedded in the “Second Integration” [24]24 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 (the combination of Marxism with China’s concrete realities). — namely, that one must scientifically absorb foreign culture, oppose blind worship of foreign culture and wholesale Westernization, and promote the localization of foreign culture.

毛泽东解决了“中”与“西”的矛盾问题、外来文化与中国文化的兼容问题，创造性地阐释了“第二个结合”所蕴含的外来文化观，即要坚持科学吸收外来文化，反对盲目崇拜外来文化和全盘西化，促进外来文化本土化。

On the one hand, foreign culture should be absorbed selectively. “Proletarian culture must be the regular development of the sum total of knowledge created by humanity under the oppression of capitalist society, landlord society, and bureaucratic society.” [25]25 V. I. Lenin, “On Proletarian Culture” (1920). Whatever culture contains progressive elements can serve as nourishment for proletarian culture, but it must be sifted during the process of absorption. Mao Zedong offered a profound discussion of this, pointing out that China should absorb large quantities of progressive foreign culture — whether modern Western culture or ancient culture, “for example, the culture of the Enlightenment era in various capitalist countries — everything that we can use today should be absorbed.” [26]26 Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy” (1940). Absorbing Western culture that is “usable” can be abbreviated as “Western use.” How to achieve “Western use” or “use the West”? Mao Zedong put it vividly: “Just as with food, it must pass through our own oral chewing and gastrointestinal movement, be sent through saliva, gastric juice, and intestinal fluid, be broken down into two parts — the essence and the dregs — and then the dregs are excreted and the essence is absorbed, so that it can benefit our bodies. We must never swallow it whole and uncritically.” [27]27 Ibid.

一方面，应当有选择地吸收外来文化。“无产阶级文化应当是人类在资本主义社会、地主社会和官僚社会压迫下创造出来的全部知识合乎规律的发展。”无论何种文化，只要其中具有先进性的因素都可以成为无产阶级文化的养分，只是在吸收的过程中要加以甄别。毛泽东对此有深刻的论述，他指出，中国应该大量吸收外国的进步文化，无论是西方的现代文化还是古代文化，“例如各资本主义国家启蒙时代的文化，凡属我们今天用得着的东西，都应该吸收”。吸收“用得着的”西方文化，可简称为“西用”。如何“西用”或者“用西”呢？毛泽东形象地说：“如同我们对于食物一样，必须经过自己的口腔咀嚼和胃肠运动，送进唾液胃液肠液，把它分解为精华和糟粕两部分，然后排泄其糟粕，吸收其精华，才能对我们的身体有益，决不能生吞活剥地毫无批判地吸收。”

In 1942, in the article “How to Study Party History,” Mao Zedong proposed an “ancient-and-modern, Chinese-and-foreign method.” He said: “What I am raising today is only one aspect of this method. Put in popular terms, I want to call it the ‘ancient-and-modern, Chinese-and-foreign method’ — that is, to clarify the specific time and specific space in which the problem under study arises, and to study the problem as a historical process under given historical conditions. What is called ‘ancient and modern’ is historical development; what is called ‘Chinese and foreign’ is China and foreign countries, that is, oneself and the other side.” [28]28 Mao Zedong, “How to Study Party History” (1942). What Mao Zedong called “foreign” (“the other side”) referred mainly to the West. He vividly compared this “ancient-and-modern, Chinese-and-foreign method” to “sitting one’s backside on China. We must also study world capitalism and socialism,” and “when we study China, we must take China as the center, sit on China’s body to study the things of the world.” [29]29 Ibid. That is, take ourselves (China) as the center, sit firm as Mount Tai, take what is Eastern and take what is Western, combine ancient and modern, combine Chinese and Western, and just like eating meat, “swallow it and turn it into my own flesh — that is correct. It absolutely does not mean that if I eat dog meat I become dog meat.” [30]30 Ibid. Mao Zedong stressed that excellent Western culture must be absorbed and digested, making it part of our own cultural organism. At the same time, he criticized some people: “Some of our comrades have a bad habit: they take foreign things as the center, act like gramophones, mechanically and uncritically transplant foreign things into China without studying China’s characteristics. If we do not study China’s characteristics but instead transplant foreign things, we cannot solve China’s problems.” [31]31 Ibid.

1942年，毛泽东在《如何研究党史》一文中提出了一个“古今中外法”。他说：“我今天提出的只是这个方法的一个方面，通俗地讲，我想把它叫作‘古今中外法’，就是弄清楚所研究的问题发生的一定的时间和一定的空间，把问题当作一定历史条件下的历史过程去研究。所谓‘古今’就是历史的发展，所谓‘中外’就是中国和外国，就是己方和彼方。”毛泽东所说的“外国”（“彼方”）主要指西方，他形象地比喻这种“古今中外法”就是“把屁股坐在中国身上。世界的资本主义、社会主义，我们也必须研究”，“我们研究中国就要拿中国做中心，要坐在中国的身上研究世界的东西”。也就是说，以我（中国）为中心，稳坐泰山，东方的拿过来，西方的也拿过来，把古今结合、中西结合，像吃肉一样，“吃下去了，把它变为我的肉，这就对了，绝不是说吃了狗肉我就变成了狗肉”[1]。毛泽东强调对于西方优秀的文化一定要吸收、消化，使之变为我们自己文化机体的一部分。同时，他又批评一些人：“我们有些同志有一个毛病，就是一切以外国为中心，作留声机，机械地生吞活剥地把外国的东西搬到中国来，不研究中国的特点。不研究中国的特点，而去搬外国的东西，就不能解决中国的问题。”

On the other hand, promoting the development of Chinese culture requires drawing on all advanced achievements of world civilization, using stones from other hills to polish jade, and fully leveraging the practical utility of advanced Western culture—that is, giving play to the function of “Western utility

另一方面，推动中华文化的发展要借鉴世界文明的一切先进成果，借他山之石以攻玉，充分发挥西方先进文化经世致用的功能，即发挥“西用”的功能。正如习近平所言：“中华文明的包容性，从根本上决定了中华民族交往交流交融的历史取向，决定了中国各宗教信仰多元并存的和谐格局，决定了中华文化对世界文明兼收并蓄的开放胸怀。”这一论述表明，中国共产党在领导中国文化建设的过程中始终秉持胸怀天下的精神，始终对外来文化持开放的科学态度。对待以西方文化为主的外来先进文化，既要认识到“他山之石，可以攻玉”的文化致用道理，也要认识到“橘生淮南则为橘，橘生淮北则为枳”的文化变异道理。毛泽东认为，应当合理吸收进步的外来文化，以此作为发展中国文化的镜鉴，吸收外来文化究其根本是为了自身的发展。对此，习近平深刻地指出：“马克思主义就是我们共产党人的‘真经’，‘真经’没念好，总想着‘西天取经’，就要贻误大事！”因此，坚持吸收外来先进文化的前提是深刻把握马克思主义和中华优秀传统文化。毛泽东所说的要使外来文化“越搞越中国化，而不是越搞越洋化”，就是说，对待外来文化必须用马克思主义的世界观和方法论即用“马魂”来加以改造，以具有独创性的中国思想文化为主体即用“中体”来消化吸收。“如果不加分析把国外学术思想和学术方法奉为圭臬，一切以此为准绳，那就没有独创性可言了。如果用国外的方法得出与国外同样的结论，那也就没有独创性可言了。”要使马克思主义中国化时代化，就不能不加分析地把国外学术思想和学术方法奉为圭臬，否则，淮南之“橘”就会异化为淮北之“枳”。

Mao Zedong consistently adhered to the policy of “making foreign things serve China,” insisting both on taking ourselves as the principal and using things for our own purposes, and on embracing the world with a broad mind, profoundly elucidating the view on foreign culture within the “Second Integration.”

毛泽东始终坚持“洋为中用”的方针，既坚持了以我为主、为我所用，又坚持了胸怀天下，深刻阐释了“第二个结合”中的外来文化观。

III. The Essence of the “Three Magic Weapons” Embodies the “Second Integration”

三、“三大法宝”的实质体现了“第二个结合”

Xi Jinping stated: “Historical experience, both positive and negative, shows that the ‘Two Integrations’ are the greatest magic weapon for our success.” [32]32 The “Two Integrations” (两个结合) refers to the principle of integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the finest traditional Chinese culture, a key concept in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. In 1939, Mao Zedong also used the term “magic weapon” when summarizing the historical experience of the Chinese Communist Party’s revolutionary struggle in his article “Introducing ‘The Communist’.” He pointed out, “The united front, armed struggle, and Party building are the three magic weapons with which the Chinese Communist Party has defeated the enemy in the Chinese revolution.” These “three magic weapons,” also known as the “Three Great Magic Weapons,” precisely constitute the most valuable summary of the Party’s experience in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context during the revolutionary war period and are an important component of Mao Zedong Thought. The “Three Great Magic Weapons” are undoubtedly the result of the “Two Integrations,” and their essence embodies the “Second Integration.”

习近平说：“历史正反两方面的经验表明，‘两个结合’是我们取得成功的最大法宝。”1939年，毛泽东在《〈共产党人〉发刊词》中总结中国共产党革命斗争的历史经验时也使用了“法宝”一词。他指出，“统一战线，武装斗争，党的建设，是中国共产党在中国革命中战胜敌人的三个法宝”。这“三个法宝”又被称为“三大法宝”，恰是对党在革命战争时期马克思主义中国化的最宝贵经验的总结，是毛泽东思想的重要组成部分。“三大法宝”无疑是“两个结合”的结果，实质体现了“第二个结合”。

1. The Sinicization of the “United Front”

1.“统一战线”的中国化

The “united front” was a policy and strategy advocated and implemented by the Communist International during its struggles. When the Chinese Communist Party implemented this policy and strategy, it sinicized them, that is, it integrated the Marxist-Leninist theory of the united front with China’s specific realities and with the finest traditional Chinese culture, forming a theory of the united front suited to China’s national conditions and cultural traditions.

“统一战线”是共产国际在斗争中提倡和实行的政策和策略，中国共产党在执行这一政策和策略时把它中国化了，即把马克思列宁主义的统一战线理论同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，形成了适合中国国情和文化传统的统一战线理论。

First, the purpose of establishing a united front lies in uniting all those who can be united to strive for common victory. This is highly compatible with the ancient Chinese “worldview” of “all under heaven as one family” and “heaven, earth, and the myriad things as one body.” Confucius said: “The superior man is respectful and without fault; in his dealings with others, he is courteous and observant of propriety; then all within the four seas are his brothers.” (The Analects, Yan Yuan) [33]33 The Analects (论语) is a collection of sayings and ideas attributed to Confucius and his disciples, compiled during the Warring States period (c. 475–221 BCE), and is a foundational text of Confucianism. A superior man acts cautiously without error, gets along with others modestly and with propriety; then all people under heaven are willing to become brothers with him. This idea of “all within the four seas are brothers” aligns with the purpose of the Communist Manifesto. The slogan of the League of the Just, the predecessor of the Communist League founded by Marx and Engels, was “All Men Are Brothers.”

首先，建立统一战线的宗旨在于团结一切可以团结的人去争取共同的胜利。这跟中国古代“天下一家”“天地万物一体”的“天下观”十分契合。孔子说：“君子敬而无失，与人恭而有礼，四海之内，皆兄弟也。”（《论语·颜渊》）君子谨行没有过失，与人相处谦恭而讲究礼仪，那么，全天下的人都愿同他结为兄弟。这种“四海之内皆兄弟”的思想与《共产党宣言》的宗旨相契合，马克思、恩格斯建立的共产主义者同盟的前身正义者同盟的口号就是“人人皆兄弟”。

Second, the core concept of “unity” within the united front has a profound philosophical foundation in traditional Chinese culture. “Unity” (tongyi) is also referred to as “unification” (yitong). Although there is a slight difference in tone between the two, their semantics are essentially the same. Furthermore, there is the concept of “great unity” (dayitong), which originates from the Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals. The Book of Han states: “The reason the Spring and Autumn Annals values great unity is that it means the six directions share the same customs, and the nine provinces are connected by a single thread.” (Book of Han, Biography of Wang Ji) [34]34 The Book of Han (汉书) is a historical text covering the history of the Western Han dynasty (206 BCE–24 CE), compiled by Ban Gu in the 1st century CE. The Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals (春秋公羊传) is a commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals, a chronicle of the State of Lu, traditionally attributed to Confucius. “The six directions share the same customs, and the nine provinces are connected by a single thread” primarily refers to a high degree of consistency in thought, concepts, customs, and culture, as well as a high degree of integration in institutions. Consequently, the concept of “great unity,” which opposes division, yearns for unity, and pursues national solidarity and territorial integrity, has, after more than two thousand years of refinement, become a cultural psychological accumulation and value orientation of the Chinese nation. This provided suitable cultural soil and preconditions for the rooting of Marxist-Leninist united front thought in China.

其次，统一战线中的核心理念“统一”在中国传统文化中有着深厚的哲学底蕴。“统一”也谓“一统”，两者虽然稍有语气上的不同，但语义上无殊。进而又有“大一统”，“大一统”源出于《春秋公羊传》。《汉书》说：“《春秋》所以大一统者，六合同风，九州共贯也。”（《汉书·王吉传》）“六合同风，九州共贯”主要指思想、观念、风俗和文化上的高度一致和制度上的高度一体。由此，反对分裂、渴求统一和追求民族团结、国土完整的“大一统”理念经历两千多年的陶炼遂成为中华民族的一种文化心理积淀和价值导向，这为马克思列宁主义的统一战线思想在中国扎根提供了适宜的文化土壤和前提条件。

Finally, the philosophical categories of “harmony” (he) and “integration” (he) have a profound impact on the cultural psychology and values of the Chinese people. “Harmony” and “integration” are often combined into a single word, “harmonious integration” (hehe), as in “harmonious integration of yin and yang,” “harmonious integration of superiors and subordinates,” “harmonious integration of husband and wife,” and so on. Some even argue on this basis that Chinese culture is a “culture of harmonious integration.” Although it is biased to reduce Chinese culture entirely to a “culture of harmonious integration,” “harmonious integration” is indeed one of the core traditional values of the Chinese nation. The philosophical concepts of traditional culture, as a subconscious of the mother culture, are all reflected in the Chinese Communist Party’s united front.

最后，哲学上的“和”“合”范畴对中国民众的文化心理和价值观念影响深远。“和”与“合”常被合成为一个词即“和合”使用，如“阴阳和合”“上下和合”“夫妻和合”等，甚至有人据此认为中国文化就是“和合文化”。虽然把中国文化归结为“和合文化”失之偏颇，但“和合”确实是中华民族传统的核心价值之一。传统文化中的哲学理念作为一种母文化的潜意识，都在中国共产党的统一战线中得到了体现。

The united front requires uniting with friendly forces to jointly confront the enemy. Therefore, Mao Zedong raised the question: “Who are our enemies? Who are our friends? This is a question of the first importance for the revolution.” The Chinese Communist Party has consistently adhered to the “two alliances” (the alliance of workers and peasants, and the alliance of the working class with the national bourgeoisie and the working people) within the united front. In particular, the formation of an alliance between the working class and the national bourgeoisie and petty bourgeoisie embodies the idea that “harmony generates new things” and the dialectical unity of consistency and diversity. Here, “integration” and “harmony” perform the function of isomorphism and unification. Emphasizing the leading position of the proletariat and its party in the united front means adhering to the dialectics of “harmony in diversity,” implying the principle of the proletariat maintaining its individuality and independence within the united front.

统一战线要求联合友军共同对敌，所以毛泽东提出“谁是我们的敌人？谁是我们的朋友？这个问题是革命的首要问题”。中国共产党在统一战线中始终坚持“两个联盟”（工农联盟、工人阶级同民族资产阶级和劳动人民的联盟），尤其是工人阶级同民族资产阶级、小资产阶级结合成联盟，贯穿着“和实生物”和一致性与多样性辩证统一的思想——在这里，“合”与“和”发挥了同构化和一致化的功能。强调无产阶级及其政党在统一战线中的领导地位，就是坚持了“和而不同”的辩证法，意味着无产阶级在统一战线中保持个性和独立性的原则。

2. Mao Zedong’s Military Thought and Traditional Chinese War Culture

2.毛泽东军事思想与中国传统战争文化

When discussing “armed struggle” as one of the “Three Magic Weapons,” Mao Zedong pointed out that our Party established an independent armed force, thereby “learning the art of independent warfare.” This independent art of warfare is primarily embodied in Mao Zedong’s military thought.

在讲到“武装斗争”是“三大法宝”之时，毛泽东指出，我们党建立了独立的武装队伍，从而“学会了独立的战争艺术”。这种独立的战争艺术，主要体现在毛泽东的军事思想之中。

First, Mao Zedong’s military thought absorbed and developed the essence of *The Art of War* by Sunzi. In his article “Problems of Strategy in China’s Revolutionary War,” written in December 1936, Mao quoted numerous passages from *The Art of War*: “Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without peril” comes from “Planning for Attack” in *The Art of War*; “With ease await the fatigued, with full wait for the hungry,” and “Avoid the enemy’s sharp edge, strike when he is sluggish and returns” come from “Military Combat” in *The Art of War*; “Attack where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected” comes from “Initial Calculations” in *The Art of War*; and so on. In this same article, Mao referred to Sun Wu as “the great military scholar of ancient China.” In *On Protracted War*, written in 1938, Mao wrote: “War is not a supernatural thing; it is still a necessary movement in the world. Therefore, Sunzi’s rule, ‘Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without peril,’ remains a scientific truth.” Although some of Mao’s important strategic ideas did not directly quote *The Art of War*, they are closely related to it. For example, the view that “the deepest roots of the great power of war lie in the masses of the people” and that “the soldiers and the people are the foundation of victory” is consistent with the meaning of the passage in “Initial Calculations” in *The Art of War*: “The Way means causing the people to be of one mind with their ruler, so that they will share life with him and not fear danger.” This represents Mao’s creative development of Sunzi’s strategic thought under modern war conditions, based on an organic integration of the Marxist view of the masses with the traditional Chinese idea that “he who wins the people’s hearts wins the world.”

首先，毛泽东军事思想汲取和发展了《孙子兵法》的精华。毛泽东在1936年12月所写的《中国革命战争的战略问题》一文中，多处引用了《孙子兵法》中的语句：“知彼知己，百战不殆”出于《孙子·谋攻篇》；“以逸待劳，以饱待饥”“避其锐气，击其惰归”出于《孙子·军争篇》；“攻其不备，出其不意”出于《孙子·始计篇》；等等。毛泽东还在这篇文章中称孙武为“中国古代大军事学家”。在1938年所著《论持久战》中，毛泽东写道：“战争不是神物，仍是世间的一种必然运动，因此，孙子的规律，‘知彼知己，百战不殆’，仍是科学的真理。”毛泽东的一些重要的战略思想虽然没有直接引用《孙子兵法》，但与《孙子兵法》有密切的关联，如“战争的伟力之最深厚的根源，存在于民众之中”“兵民是胜利之本”的观点，同《孙子·始计篇》中所说的“道者，令民与上同意也，故可以与之生，而不畏危”的意思一致，这是毛泽东在现代战争条件下对《孙子兵法》战略思想的创造性发展，基于把马克思主义的人民群众观与中国传统文化中“得民心者得天下”思想有机结合。

Second, Mao made full use of the dialectical ideas in the *Laozi* to enrich his military dialectics. In 1974, Zhonghua Book Company republished Ma Xulun’s *Collation and Commentary on the Laozi*, originally compiled before the founding of New China, and its “Publisher’s Note” was written according to Mao’s specific instructions. The “Publisher’s Note” states: “The *Laozi* is an idealist work, but it contains relatively rich dialectical thought. It summarizes and generalizes some phenomena of the great social transformation during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, especially the laws of war, so it is also a military book.” Mao’s agreement that the *Laozi* is a military book was not an offhand remark. When discussing strategic retreat, he once wrote: “Regarding the loss of territory, there is often such a situation: only by losing can one avoid losing. This is the principle of ‘to take, one must first give.’ If what we lose is territory, but what we gain is victory over the enemy, plus recovery of the lost territory, plus expansion of territory, then this is a profitable business.” The phrase “to take, one must first give” here originates from the line in Chapter 36 of the *Laozi*: “To take from someone, one must first give to him.” When Mao spoke of “a weak state defeating a strong state,” he listed six examples from Chinese military history and then pointed out that in these campaigns, “both sides were of unequal strength, the weak side first yielded a step, then struck after the enemy had struck, and thus won.” Chapter 76 of the *Laozi* states: “The soft and weak belong to the category of life. Therefore, an army that is strong will not win; a tree that is strong will break. Thus the strong and great are inferior, the soft and weak are superior.” Chapter 78 states: “Nothing in the world is softer and weaker than water, yet nothing can surpass it in attacking the hard and strong, because nothing can replace it. The soft overcomes the hard; the weak overcomes the strong. Everyone in the world knows this, but no one can practice it.” This dialectical method of “the weak overcoming the strong” and “the soft overcoming the hard,” i.e., “striking after the enemy has struck,” is the most brilliant idea in the *Laozi* and also its most important strategic principle. Mao’s emphasis on and application of this principle reached a level of consummate skill in his war practice.

其次，毛泽东充分利用《老子》书中的辩证法思想丰富他的军事辩证法。1974年，中华书局重新出版了马叙伦在新中国成立前编著的《老子校诂》，其“出版说明”就是根据毛泽东的具体指示写的。其“出版说明”指出：“《老子》这部书是唯心主义的，但包含有较为丰富的辩证法思想。它对春秋战国时期社会大变革的一些现象，特别是战争的规律作了概括和总结，所以它也是一部兵书。”毛泽东认同《老子》是一部兵书，并非即兴之谈。他在谈论战略退却时曾经写道：“关于丧失土地的问题，常有这样的情形，就是只有丧失才能不丧失，这是‘将欲取之必先与之’的原则。如果我们丧失的是土地，而取得的是战胜敌人，加恢复土地，再加扩大土地，这是赚钱生意。”此处的“将欲取之必先与之”源出于《老子·三十六章》中的“将欲夺之，必固予之”一句。毛泽东讲到“弱国战胜强国”时，一连举出中国战史上的六大战例，然后指出这些战役“都是双方强弱不同，弱者先让一步，后发制人，因而战胜的”。《老子·七十六章》有“柔弱者生之徒也。是以兵强则不胜，木强则拱。故坚强处下，柔弱处上”；《老子·七十八章》有“天下莫柔弱于水，而攻坚强者莫之能胜，以其无以易之也。柔之胜刚也，弱之胜强也，天下莫弗知也”。这一“柔弱胜刚强”“以柔克刚”即“后发制人”的辩证方法是《老子》中最精彩的思想，也是最重要的战略原则，毛泽东对这一原则的重视和运用，在战争实践中达到了炉火纯青的程度。

Finally, Mao not only drew military wisdom from *The Art of War* and the *Laozi*, but also cited and absorbed valuable insights from various other Chinese classics. Mao’s analysis of the battle of “Three Attacks on the Zhu Family Village” in *Water Margin* and his brilliant adaptation of the story of Sun Wukong drilling into Princess Iron Fan’s belly in *Journey to the West* are examples of his integration of fine traditional Chinese culture with Marxist dialectical philosophy.

最后，毛泽东不仅从《孙子兵法》《老子》中汲取其军事智慧，还从其他各种中国典籍中引用和吸收有价值的论断。毛泽东对《水浒传》中的“三打祝家庄”战例的分析、对《西游记》中孙悟空钻到铁扇公主肚子里的故事的精彩化用，都是他把中华优秀传统文化同马克思主义的辩证法哲学相结合的例证。

3. Building the Party into a Great Sinicized Marxist Political Party

3.把党建成伟大的中国化马克思主义政党

In his article “Introducing *The Communist*,” when discussing “Party building,” Mao emphasized “integrating the theory of Marxism-Leninism with the practice of the Chinese revolution,” with the aim of building the Party into a political party armed with Sinicized Marxism that could guide the Chinese revolution to victory. Mao’s thought on Party building is extremely rich, systematic, and comprehensive. From the perspective of the “Second Integration,” the following points deserve attention.

在《〈共产党人〉发刊词》一文中毛泽东论及“党的建设”时强调“将马克思列宁主义的理论和中国革命的实践相结合”，目的是把党建成一个用中国化马克思主义武装起来、能指导中国革命走向胜利的政党。毛泽东党建思想十分丰富、系统和全面，从“第二个结合”的角度来看，如下几点值得关注。

First, Mao repeatedly stressed that in Party building, it is necessary to deeply understand “China’s historical conditions and social conditions, the characteristics of the Chinese revolution, and the laws of the Chinese revolution.” This was an understanding gained by the Party through bloody lessons in two domestic revolutionary wars. It shows that the Communist Party of China is an advanced political party with a profound understanding and grasp of China’s specific national conditions and laws of social development, a party committed to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To build such a party, it is necessary to integrate Marxism-Leninism with fine traditional Chinese culture, integrate theory with practice, and integrate internationalism with patriotism, so as to prevent the Party from becoming a dogmatic party divorced from China’s historical and cultural traditions and specific national conditions.

第一，毛泽东反复强调在党的建设中要深刻地认识“中国的历史状况和社会状况、中国革命的特点、中国革命的规律”，这是党在两次国内革命战争中基于血的教训换来的认识。这表明中国共产党是一个对中国的具体国情和社会发展规律有着深刻了解和把握的先进政党，是一个致力于中华民族伟大复兴的党。而要建设这样一个党，就必须把马克思列宁主义同中华优秀传统文化相结合，把理论和实际相结合，把国际主义与爱国主义相结合，以使党避免成为一个脱离中国历史文化传统和具体国情的教条主义的党。

Second, the Party’s ideological line of seeking truth from facts was established. The phrase “seeking truth from facts” comes from the *Book of Han*, but its ideological origins can be traced back to the practical rational spirit of primitive Confucianism. For example, Confucius emphasized “to know what you know and to know what you do not know is knowledge” (*Analects*, “Wei Zheng”), and held that “to learn and to practice it at the right time, is that not a pleasure?” (*Analects*, “Xue Er”). In his article “Reform Our Study,” Mao provided a scientific analysis of “seeking truth from facts,” pointing out that studying Marxism-Leninism is not simply for the sake of study itself, but must be linked to the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution and China’s historical and cultural traditions, in order to explore and study the objective laws of the Chinese revolution. Only in this way can we “go a step further in the great cause of integrating the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution.”

第二，确立了党的实事求是的思想路线。“实事求是”一语出自《汉书》，而实事求是的思想渊源却可以追溯到原始儒家的实践理性精神。如孔子就强调“知之为知之，不知为不知”（《论语·为政》），认为“学而时习之，不亦说乎”（《论语·学而》）。毛泽东在《改造我们的学习》一文中对“实事求是”作了科学的分析，指出学习马克思列宁主义不是单纯地为了学习而学习，而必须联系中国革命的具体实践和中国的历史文化传统，以探讨和研究中国革命的客观规律，只有这样，才能“在将马克思列宁主义的普遍真理和中国革命的具体实践互相结合的伟大事业中更进一步”。

Third, the Party’s purpose of serving the people was established. Mao drew on the people-oriented thought in fine traditional Chinese culture, pointing out: “Another significant hallmark distinguishing us Communists from any other political party is our closest ties with the broadest masses of the people. Serving the people wholeheartedly, never for a moment divorcing ourselves from the masses; proceeding from the interests of the people, not from the interests of individuals or small groups; and being responsible to the people and consistent with being responsible to the leading organs of the Party—these are our starting points.” Serving the people is not only the Party’s purpose but also the foundation of the Party’s mass line, embodying the integration of the principles of Marxist historical materialism with fine traditional Chinese culture in Mao’s thought on Party building.

第三，确立了党的宗旨是为人民服务。毛泽东吸取了中华优秀传统文化中的民本思想，指出：“我们共产党人区别于其他任何政党的又一个显著的标志，就是和最广大的人民群众取得最密切的联系。全心全意地为人民服务，一刻也不脱离群众；一切从人民的利益出发，而不是从个人或小集团的利益出发；向人民负责和向党的领导机关负责的一致性；这些就是我们的出发点。”为人民服务不仅是党的宗旨，而且是党的群众路线的基础，是马克思主义历史唯物主义原理与中华优秀传统文化相结合在毛泽东党建思想中的体现。

Fourth, “selecting the worthy and capable” was adopted as the Party’s cadre line and organizational line. Mao inherited the traditional Chinese concept of “having both ability and moral integrity” in talent selection, emphasizing “appointing people on their merit” and opposing “appointing people by favoritism,” fully reflecting the traditional Chinese idea of “esteeming the worthy.” He pointed out: “Once the political line is determined, cadres are the decisive factor. Therefore, it is our combat task to train large numbers of new cadres in a planned way.” These new cadres include both Party cadres and non-Party cadres. The Party must care about the growth of cadres and be good at uniting talents both inside and outside the Party to work together.

第四，把“选贤与能”作为党的干部路线和组织路线。毛泽东继承了中华优秀传统文化中“德才兼备”的人才观，强调“任人唯贤”，反对“任人唯亲”，充分体现了中国传统文化中的“尚贤”思想。他指出：“政治路线确定之后，干部就是决定的因素。因此，有计划地培养大批的新干部，就是我们的战斗任务。”这些新干部，既包括党内干部，也包括党外干部，党要关心干部的成长，要善于团结党内外人才一起共事。

Fifth, in order to build a strong, never-fading great Party, and also to avoid falling into the historical cycle of “rising swiftly and perishing suddenly,” [39]39 A classical allusion to a phrase from the *Zuo Zhuan* (Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals), often cited in Chinese political discourse to refer to the historical pattern of dynastic rise and fall. Mao Zedong took history as a mirror, excelled at summarizing experience and drawing lessons from Chinese history and culture, and used this to warn the entire Party. For example, at the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the Party, [40]40 A key Party meeting held in March 1949, on the eve of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, which set the course for the transition from rural to urban governance and post-war reconstruction. he proposed: “The comrades must be taught to remain modest, prudent, and free from arrogance and rashness in their style of work. The comrades must be taught to preserve the style of plain living and hard struggle.” [41]41 A direct quotation from Mao Zedong’s speech at the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee, known as the “Two Musts,” which became a foundational principle for Party conduct. These “Two Musts” were based both on the historical lessons of the rise and fall of Chinese peasant uprisings and on a summary of the successful experience of Chinese Communists during the period of the New Democratic Revolution; moreover, they were a guide for the future direction of Party building. Emphasizing and upholding the “Two Musts” means that Chinese Communists must forever preserve revolutionary youth, forever maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, unite and lead the people in overcoming various risks and challenges on the path forward, and continuously advance from victory to victory!

第五，为了建成一个坚强的、永不褪色的伟大的党，也为了避免陷入“其兴也勃焉、其亡也忽焉”的历史周期率，毛泽东以史为鉴，擅长从中国历史文化中总结经验和吸取教训，并以此警示全党。例如，他在党的七届二中全会上提出：“务必使同志们继续地保持谦虚、谨慎、不骄、不躁的作风，务必使同志们继续地保持艰苦奋斗的作风。”这“两个务必”既是基于中国农民起义兴衰的历史教训，也是对中国共产党人在新民主主义革命时期成功经验的总结，更是对未来党的建设方向的指引。强调和坚持“两个务必”，意味着中国共产党人要永葆革命青春，永远保持同群众的血肉联系，团结和带领人民战胜前进道路上各种风险和挑战，不断从胜利走向胜利！

In summary, it can be seen that the series of creative theoretical explorations made by Mao Zedong laid the cornerstone for the proposal of the “Two Integrations.” Xi Jinping, in the New Era, has inherited and developed the cultural theories of Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought, pushing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times to a new height, pushing the cultural thought of the “Two Integrations,” especially the “Second Integration,” to a new height, creatively taking cultural confidence as the core category of the “Second Integration,” and taking upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, as well as understanding the substance and applying it in practice, and integrating substance and application, as the practical dimensions of the “Second Integration,” thereby providing a powerful spiritual driving force for Chinese-path modernization and the building of a modern civilization of the Chinese nation, and pointing the direction for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Reviewing Mao Zedong’s foundational contributions to the “Two Integrations” aims to trace the unbroken cultural lineage of Chinese Communists, providing ideological inspiration and spiritual support for further deeply elucidating, thoroughly comprehending, and earnestly implementing Xi Jinping’s cultural thought.

综上所述可知，毛泽东所做的一系列具有创造性的理论探索，为“两个结合”的提出奠定了基石。习近平在新时代继承和发展了马克思列宁主义、毛泽东思想的文化理论，把马克思主义中国化时代化推向了新高度，把“两个结合”尤其是“第二个结合”的文化思想推向了新高度，创造性地把文化自信作为“第二个结合”的核心范畴，把守正创新和明体达用、体用贯通作为“第二个结合”的实践维度，从而为中国式现代化和中华民族现代文明建设提供了强大的精神动力，为中华民族伟大复兴指明了方向。重温毛泽东对“两个结合”的奠基性贡献，旨在回溯中国共产党人一脉相承的文化心路，为进一步深刻阐释、深入领会、认真落实习近平文化思想提供了思想启示和精神助力。

(Author bios: Zhang Yunyi, Distinguished Professor at Shanghai Normal University; Liu Songlin, Doctoral Candidate at the School of Marxism, Shanghai Normal University)

（作者简介：张允熠，上海师范大学特聘教授；刘松璘，上海师范大学马克思主义学院博士研究生）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心

Source: *Jiangsu Social Sciences*, Issue 4, 2024

文章来源：《江苏社会科学》2024年第4期