The Worldview and Methodology Embedded in Xi Jinping’s Cultural Thought

In October 2023, the National Conference on Publicity, Ideology and Cultural Work [n1] put forward Xi Jinping’s cultural thought for the first time. As the cultural chapter of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Xi Jinping’s cultural thought upholds and implements the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, consistently guiding cultural construction and development with the “six imperatives” [n2], promoting cultural prosperity and invigoration, and fostering cultural confidence and self-strengthening. The “six imperatives” are integrated into the theoretical construction and practical evolution of cultural construction. To follow the path of cultural development with Chinese characteristics, we must adhere to the methodological self-awareness of putting the people first, maintaining confidence and self-reliance, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, adopting a problem-oriented approach, applying a systems perspective, and embracing a global vision. Therefore, we must deeply grasp the worldview and methodological implications of the “six imperatives,” using them as fulcrums for grasping the essence and core of Xi Jinping’s cultural thought and as a guide for action in cultural construction on the new journey of the New Era [n3]. This is of great significance for advancing the building of a socialist cultural power.

2023年10月，全国宣传思想文化工作会议首次提出了习近平文化思想。作为习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的文化篇，习近平文化思想坚持和贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的世界观和方法论，始终以“六个必须坚持”指导文化建设和发展，推动文化繁荣兴盛，促进文化自信自强。“六个必须坚持”融贯于文化建设的理论建构与实践演进之中，走好中国特色社会主义文化发展道路，必须坚持人民至上、自信自立、守正创新、问题导向、系统观念、胸怀天下的方法自觉。因此我们要深刻把握“六个必须坚持”的世界观与方法论意蕴，以此作为领会习近平文化思想精髓要义的支点和指导新时代新征程文化建设的行动指南，这对于推进社会主义文化强国建设具有重要意义。

I. We Must Adhere to Putting the People First, Continuously Meeting the People’s New Expectations for Cultural and Spiritual Life

一、必须坚持人民至上，不断满足人民精神文化生活新期待

Putting the people first is the fundamental stance of Marxism and the concrete expression of the Marxist mass view of history. Marxism emphasizes that the masses of the people are the subjects of social history, the creators of society’s material and spiritual wealth, and the decisive force in social change. In the New Era, cultural construction adheres to the working principle of putting the people first, advocating “taking a people-centered approach, respecting the principal position of the people, safeguarding the people’s cultural rights and interests, combining the work of publicizing, educating, guiding and serving the masses, encouraging the people to participate in cultural innovation and creation and to participate in national cultural governance in accordance with the law, so that cultural development is for the people, relies on the people, and its fruits are shared by the people, promoting the unity of meeting the people’s cultural needs and enhancing the people’s spiritual strength.” This fully demonstrates the profound people-centered sentiment of Chinese Communists and profoundly reflects the concrete application in the field of cultural construction of the mass view of history that the masses of the people are the creators of history. To do a good job in publicity, ideology and cultural work, “we must solve the fundamental question of ‘for whom, relying on whom, and who am I’.” Xi Jinping’s cultural thought adheres to the fundamental stance of putting the people first, contains the rich connotations of meeting the people’s needs, respecting the people’s creativity, and serving the masses of the people, and scientifically answers the fundamental question of cultural construction: “for whom, relying on whom, and who am I.”

人民至上是马克思主义的基本立场，是马克思主义群众史观的现实表达。马克思主义强调人民群众是社会历史的主体，是社会物质财富和精神财富的创造者，是社会变革的决定力量。新时代文化建设坚持人民至上的工作原则，主张“以人民为中心，尊重人民主体地位，保障人民文化权益，把宣传、教育、引导和服务群众结合起来，鼓励人民参与文化创新创造、依法参与国家文化治理，做到文化发展为了人民、依靠人民、成果由人民共享，促进满足人民文化需求和增强人民精神力量相统一”，充分展现了中国共产党人深厚的人民情怀，深刻体现了人民群众是历史的创造者这一群众史观在文化建设领域的具体运用。做好宣传思想文化工作，“必须解决好‘为了谁、依靠谁、我是谁’这个根本问题”。习近平文化思想坚持人民至上的根本立场，蕴含了满足人民需要、尊重人民创造、服务人民群众的丰富内涵，科学回答了文化建设“为了谁、依靠谁、我是谁”这一根本问题。

First, “the question of ‘for whom’ is a fundamental question, a question of principle.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [n4], Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the need to do a good job in cultural construction, to provide the people with rich spiritual nourishment, stressing that the fundamental purpose of literature and art is to create for the people, proposing that “socialist literature and art, in essence, is the people’s literature and art”; emphasizing that philosophy and social sciences must clarify the question of “for whom to write books, for whom to establish theories,” requiring the vast number of philosophy and social science workers to establish the ideal of doing scholarship for the people, to establish virtue and make statements for the people; emphasizing that news and public opinion work must “adhere to the people’s character,” breathe with the people, and maintain the people’s sentiments; emphasizing that the Party’s theoretical innovation must promptly answer the people’s questions and must “fly into the homes of ordinary people,”

一是“为什么人的问题，是一个根本的问题，原则的问题。”党的十八大以来，习近平反复强调要抓好文化建设，为人民提供丰富的精神食粮，强调文艺的根本宗旨是为人民创作，提出“社会主义文艺，从本质上讲，就是人民的文艺”；强调哲学社会科学要搞清楚“为谁著书、为谁立说”的问题，要求广大哲学社会科学工作者树立为人民做学问的理想，为人民立德立言；强调新闻舆论工作要“坚持人民性”，与人民同呼吸，保持人民情怀；强调党的理论创新要及时回答人民之问，要“飞入寻常百姓家”，等等。习近平主张文化建设要树立“以人民为中心的工作导向”，坚持文化建设为了人民，文化建设成果由人民共享，要求完善公共文化服务体系，深入实施文化惠民工程，丰富群众性文化活动，提高人民群众的文化参与感、获得感和幸福感，切实满足人民群众精神文化生活需求，科学回答了文化建设“为了谁”的问题。

Second, the people are the fundamental force that determines the future and destiny of the Party and the state. To promote the flourishing and development of socialist culture and to build a socialist cultural power, it is necessary to firmly establish the viewpoint of relying on the masses of the people, uphold the principal position of the masses in cultural construction, and give full play to the pioneering spirit of the masses. Xi Jinping points out: “There are a hundred, a thousand methods for literary and artistic creation, but the most fundamental, the most crucial, and the most reliable method is to take root among the people and take root in life.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Forum on Literature and Art Work” (October 15, 2014), *Selected Readings of Xi Jinping’s Important Works*, Vol. 2, Foreign Languages Press, 2023, p. 348. Nourishment must be drawn from the people’s practice and their colorful lives; the wisdom and experience of the masses must be borrowed and applied; one must consciously take the people as teachers and sincerely learn from the people. This scientifically answers the question of “on whom to rely” in cultural construction.

二是人民是决定党和国家事业前途命运的根本力量。推动社会主义文化繁荣发展、建设社会主义文化强国，必须牢固树立依靠人民群众的观点，坚持人民群众在文化建设中的主体地位和发挥人民群众的首创精神。习近平指出：“文艺创作方法有一百条、一千条，但最根本、最关键、最牢靠的办法是扎根人民、扎根生活”，要从人民的实践和多彩的生活中汲取营养，借鉴和运用人民群众的智慧和经验，自觉拜人民为师、诚心向人民学习，科学回答了文化建设“依靠谁”的问题。

Third, serving the people, as one of the general requirements for propaganda, ideology, and cultural work in the New Era, is a vivid manifestation of the Party’s fundamental purpose in the field of cultural construction. Cultural construction in the New Era adheres to the direction of serving the people, requiring that literary and artistic work, work in philosophy and the social sciences, and work in news and public opinion reflect the people’s lives, pay attention to the people’s demands, and safeguard the people’s interests, rather than serving a minority or seeking benefits for a minority. In this regard, the propaganda, ideology, and cultural workforce must keep in mind their original aspiration and founding mission, find their own positioning, put themselves in the right place, assume their own responsibilities, take serving the people as the primary goal and main duty, consciously improve their ability and level of serving the people, and take whether the people support, approve, are happy with, or are satisfied as the standard for testing the effectiveness of cultural construction. This scientifically answers the question of “who I am” in cultural construction.

三是服务人民作为新时代宣传思想文化工作的总要求之一，是党的根本宗旨在文化建设领域的生动彰显。新时代文化建设坚持为人民服务的方向，要求文艺工作、哲学社会科学工作和新闻舆论工作等要反映人民生活、关注人民诉求、维护人民利益，而不是为少数人服务、为少数人谋利益。对此，宣传思想文化队伍要牢记自己的初心使命，找准自己的定位，摆正自己的位置，承担自己的职责，把为人民服务作为首要目标和主要职责，自觉提高服务人民的能力和水平，以人民是否拥护、是否赞成、是否高兴、是否满意作为检验文化建设成效的标准，科学回答了文化建设中“我是谁”的问题。

In summary, Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture adheres to the fundamental position of putting the people first, takes meeting the spiritual and cultural needs of the people as the starting point and落脚点 [2]2 The Chinese term 落脚点 (luòjiǎo diǎn) literally means “foothold” or “point of landing,” and here it is used figuratively to mean the ultimate goal or end point. of cultural construction, gives full play to the principal position of the people in cultural construction, takes safeguarding the people’s interests as the standard for testing and evaluating the achievements of cultural construction, regards serving the people as the bounden duty of the vast propaganda, ideology, and cultural workforce, scientifically answers the fundamental questions of “for whom,” “on whom to rely,” and “who I am” in cultural construction, finds the correct direction for the advance of cultural construction, finds the source of strength for cultural construction, finds the correct positioning of the duties of the propaganda, ideology, and cultural workforce, and points the direction for better shouldering the new cultural mission. Standing at a new historical starting point, socialist cultural construction must adhere to putting the people first, firmly take the people’s standpoint, take the people’s interests, the people’s will, and the people’s voice as the fundamental guidelines for cultural construction, and continuously push the people’s spiritual and cultural life to a new level.

总之，习近平文化思想坚持人民至上的根本立场，把满足人民群众的精神文化需求作为文化建设的出发点和落脚点，充分发挥人民在文化建设中的主体地位，以维护人民利益作为检验和评价文化建设成果的标准，将为人民服务作为广大宣传思想文化工作者的天职，科学回答了文化建设“为了谁”“依靠谁”“我是谁”的根本问题，找对了文化建设的前进方向、找到了文化建设的力量源泉、找准了宣传思想文化队伍的职责定位，为更好担负起新的文化使命指明了方向。站在新的历史起点上，社会主义文化建设必须坚持人民至上，站稳人民立场，把人民利益、人民意愿和人民心声作为文化建设的根本遵循，推进人民精神文化生活不断迈上新台阶。

II. We Must Adhere to Self-Confidence and Self-Reliance, and Take the Path of Socialist Cultural Development with Chinese Characteristics

二、必须坚持自信自立，走中国特色社会主义文化发展道路

Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture contains the spiritual characteristics and inherent requirements of self-confidence and self-reliance. Adhering to self-confidence and self-reliance in cultural construction is the organic unity of firming up cultural confidence and adhering to independence and self-reliance. “Cultural confidence comes from our cultural subjectivity,” [3]3 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development” (June 2, 2023), *People’s Daily*, June 3, 2023. which is the foundation of the confidence in firmly adhering to the independent and self-reliant development of culture. The so-called cultural subjectivity is the manifestation of national subjectivity and the people’s subjectivity in cultural construction. It contains a profound grasp and scientific application of the laws of cultural construction, as well as a conscious awareness and confident attitude toward the historical origins, development process, resource elements, spiritual characteristics, and prominent features of Chinese culture. It is manifested not only as cultural self-knowledge, but also as cultural confidence and self-strengthening, and also as cultural consciousness. Adhering to independence and self-reliance in cultural construction means independently and self-reliantly taking the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics. “Unique cultural traditions, unique historical destinies, and unique basic national conditions determine that we must inevitably take a development path suited to our own characteristics.” [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Special Session on the Study of the History of the Party” (February 20, 2021), *Qiushi*, 2021, No. 5.

习近平文化思想蕴含了自信自立的精神特质和内在要求。文化建设坚持自信自立是坚定文化自信与坚持独立自主的有机统一。“文化自信就来自我们的文化主体性”，是坚定文化独立自主发展的底气所在。所谓文化主体性就是民族主体性、人民主体性在文化建设中的彰显，内蕴着对文化建设规律的深刻把握和科学运用，以及对中华文化的历史渊源、发展进程、资源要素、精神特质、突出特征等的自觉意识和自信态度，既表现为文化自知，又表现为文化自信自强，还表现为文化自觉。文化建设坚持独立自主就是要独立自主走中国特色社会主义文化发展道路。“独特的文化传统，独特的历史命运，独特的基本国情，注定了我们必然要走适合自己特点的发展道路。”

The Opium War [5]5 The Opium War (1840-1842) was a military conflict between the Qing Dynasty and Britain, triggered by China’s efforts to suppress the opium trade. It resulted in China’s defeat and the signing of the unequal Treaty of Nanking, marking the beginning of a century of foreign encroachment and internal decline. forced open China’s door, and countless people with lofty ideals embarked on the path of national salvation and survival. Facing the question of the way out for Chinese culture, some intellectuals advocated abandoning China’s traditional culture, criticized the stance of taking Chinese culture as the standard, and asserted that “our one method is to completely accept Westernization,” [6]6 This refers to the “wholesale Westernization” (全盘西化) view advocated by some Chinese intellectuals, such as Hu Shi and Chen Xujing, during the May Fourth New Culture Movement. leading to the loss of the subjectivity of Chinese culture. “After the May Fourth Movement, [7]7 The May Fourth Movement (1919) was an anti-imperialist, anti-feudal political and cultural movement initiated by Chinese students and intellectuals, which is often seen as a watershed in modern Chinese history and the beginning of the New Democratic Revolution. China produced a completely new cultural force, which is the communist cultural ideology led by the Chinese Communists.” [8]8 Mao Zedong, “On New Democracy” (January 1940), *Selected Works of Mao Zedong*, Vol. 2, Foreign Languages Press, 1965, p. 372. Our Party advocated guiding cultural construction with Marxism, proposed the development of a national, scientific, and mass-oriented new democratic culture. Marxism activated the genes of Chinese civilization with the light of truth and rediscovered the subjectivity of Chinese culture.

鸦片战争叩开了中国的大门，无数仁人志士走上救亡图存之路，面对中国文化的出路问题，其中有部分知识分子主张抛弃中国的传统文化，批评中国文化本位的立场，断言“我们的一办法，是全盘接受西化”，导致中华文化的主体性丧失。“在‘五四’以后，中国产生了完全崭新的文化生力军，这就是中国共产党人所领导的共产主义的文化思想”，我们党主张以马克思主义指导文化建设，提出发展民族的、科学的、大众的新民主主义文化，马克思主义以真理之光激活了中华文明的基因，重新找回了中华文化的主体性。

After the founding of New China, our Party placed cultural development as an important component of national construction, clarified the historical task of developing culture and education, and established the guiding role of Marxism in cultural development. “Whether within the Party or in the ideological and literary-artistic circles, what is primary and dominant must be, and must strive to be, fragrant flowers, that is, Marxism.” It put forward the basic policy of “letting a hundred flowers bloom, letting a hundred schools of thought contend” and the basic principle of “making the past serve the present, and foreign things serve China.” At this point, the Communist Party of China gradually explored a socialist cultural development path suited to itself, the subjectivity of Chinese culture was continuously developed, and cultural confidence was rebuilt.

新中国成立后，我们党将文化建设作为国家建设的重要内容，明确了发展文化教育的历史任务，确立了马克思主义在文化建设中的指导地位，“无论在党内，还是在思想界、文艺界，主要的和占统治地位的，必须力争是香花，是马克思主义”，提出了“百花齐放，百家争鸣”的基本方针和“古为今用，洋为中用”的基本原则，至此，中国共产党逐渐探索出一条适合自己的社会主义文化发展道路，中华文化的主体性得以不断发展，文化自信心得以重建。

Since reform and opening up, and especially since the 16th National Congress of the CPC, our Party has consistently placed cultural development in an important strategic position within the overall work of the Party and the state, creatively put forward the strategic policy of building socialist cultural-ethical progress, and deeply realized that “adhering to the guidance of Marxism and the leadership of advanced socialist culture is the most distinctive feature of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and is also a fundamental issue concerning the overall situation of cultural reform and development.” It clarified the need to unswervingly follow the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics. The subjectivity of Chinese culture was gradually established in the practice of guiding China’s cultural development with Marxism, and cultural confidence was enhanced.

改革开放特别是党的十六大以来，我们党始终把文化建设放在党和国家全局工作的重要战略地位，创造性地提出了建设社会主义精神文明的战略方针，深刻意识到“坚持以马克思主义为指导、以社会主义先进文化为引领，是中国特色社会主义文化最鲜明的特征，也是事关文化改革发展全局的根本问题”，明确要坚定不移走中国特色社会主义文化发展道路，中华文化的主体性在以马克思主义指导我国文化建设的实践中得以逐渐确立，文化自信心得以提升。

Since entering the New Era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has consistently placed cultural development in an important position within overall work, put forward new ideas, new viewpoints, and new judgments such as “creative transformation and innovative development,” “the Two Integrations,” “the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization,” and “the modern civilization of the Chinese nation,” and continuously deepened the understanding of the laws of cultural development. The path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics has been continuously expanded in the practice of the Party’s leadership over cultural development—that is, from adhering to the guidance of Marxism in cultural development to adhering to the combination of Marxism with China’s excellent traditional culture to guide cultural development, consolidating the subjectivity of Chinese culture and strengthening the cultural confidence of the Chinese people.

进入新时代以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央持续将文化建设摆在全局工作的重要位置，提出“创造性转化和创新性发展”“两个结合”“中国式现代化的文化形态”“中华民族现代文明”等新思想新观点新论断，不断深化对文化建设的规律性认识，中国特色社会主义文化发展道路在党领导文化建设的实践中不断拓展，即由坚持以马克思主义指导文化建设拓展为坚持马克思主义与中华优秀传统文化相结合指导文化建设，巩固了中华文化的主体性，坚定了中国人民的文化自信。

In summary, adhering to confidence and self-reliance in cultural development means to strengthen cultural confidence and independently follow the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics. Cultural confidence comes from cultural subjectivity, and cultural subjectivity and cultural confidence are continuously consolidated and strengthened in the process of independently following the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics. On the new journey, adhering to confidence and self-reliance in cultural development means to strengthen faith in the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics, enhance identification with the subjectivity of Chinese culture, continuously generate cultural confidence and integrate it into the spiritual temperament and cultural character of the entire nation, and promote the great development and flourishing of socialist culture with a more active historical responsibility and creative spirit.

总而言之，文化建设坚持自信自立就是要坚定文化自信，独立自主走中国特色社会主义文化发展道路，其中文化自信来自于文化主体性，而文化主体性和文化自信又在独立自主走中国特色社会主义文化发展道路的过程中不断得以巩固和加强。新征程上，文化建设坚持自信自立，就是要坚定对中国特色社会主义文化发展道路的信念，加强对中华文化主体性的认同，不断生成文化自信并将其融入全民族的精神气质和文化品格之中，以更加积极的历史担当和创造精神推进社会主义文化大发展大繁荣。

III. Must Adhere to Upholding Fundamental Principles and Breaking New Ground, Building the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation Based on the “Two Integrations”

三、必须坚持守正创新，立足“两个结合”建设中华民族现代文明

Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground is an essential requirement of Marxist philosophy. Marxism holds that only by proceeding from objective reality, correctly understanding laws, respecting laws, and acting in accordance with laws can the initiative and creativity of humanity be fully unleashed. Adhering to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, as an important ideological method for our Party’s governance in the New Era, runs through all fields and the entire process of cultural development. It can be said that adhering to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground constitutes the inner core of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture and is an important methodology for promoting the continuous development and brilliant achievements of cultural development in the New Era.

守正创新是马克思主义哲学的本质要求。马克思主义认为，只有从客观实际出发，正确认识规律、尊重规律，按规律办事，才能充分发挥人的主动性和创造性。坚持守正创新作为我们党在新时代治国理政的重要思想方法，贯穿于文化建设的各领域全过程，可以说，坚持守正创新构成了习近平文化思想的内在核心，是推动新时代文化建设不断发展和取得辉煌成就的重要方法论。

Innovation is the driving force for national development and the soul of national progress. The *Book of Rites·The Great Learning* states: “If you can one day renovate yourself, do so from day to day; let there be daily renovation.” [9]9 A classical allusion from the *Book of Rites*, attributed to King Tang of the Shang dynasty, inscribed on his bathtub as a self-admonition to pursue daily self-renewal. The *Book of Changes·The Appended Remarks, Part II* says: “When things are exhausted, they change; when they change, they become unobstructed; when they become unobstructed, they endure.” [10]10 A classical allusion from the *Book of Changes* (Yijing), expressing the idea that change and adaptation lead to lasting success. The *Book of Songs·Greater Odes* once said: “Though Zhou was an old state, its mandate was renewed.” [11]11 A classical allusion from the *Book of Songs*, referring to the Zhou dynasty’s ability to renew its mandate and vitality despite its antiquity. This spirit of adapting to the times, pioneering, and innovating is the deepest gene of Chinese civilization, prompting the Chinese nation to always seek change and survival when encountering difficulties, gain new development opportunities, and ultimately create the great practice of Chinese civilization. “The innovativeness of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines the enterprising spirit of the Chinese nation to uphold fundamental principles without being conservative, to respect antiquity without restoring the past, and determines the fearless character of the Chinese nation in not fearing new challenges and being brave in accepting new things.” Upholding fundamental principles without being conservative, and respecting antiquity without restoring the past, are the principles and methodology of Chinese civilization’s innovation. Upholding fundamental principles means adhering to the correct path. “Philosophically, it is the essence and law of things. All correct things proven by practice, and the valuable experiences gained from countless successes and failures, are called the ‘correct path.’” Therefore, upholding fundamental principles is following objective laws, drawing on valuable experiences, and adhering to human justice. Respecting antiquity means revering and continuing China’s splendid civilization of over 5,000 years, inheriting and promoting China’s excellent traditional culture, not forgetting the origins and facing the future. Hence, upholding fundamental principles is the foundation of breaking new ground, and breaking new ground is the key to upholding fundamental principles. But upholding fundamental principles is different from being conservative, and respecting antiquity is not the same as restoring the past. Being conservative and restoring the past are clinging to old ideas, being complacent and stagnant, and not striving for progress—all of which are undesirable. Upholding fundamental principles without being conservative, and respecting antiquity without restoring the past, contain the rich dialectical thought of Chinese culture, embodying the dialectical relationship between change and constancy, inheritance and innovation in cultural development, and embodying the principle of moving forward while upholding fundamental principles and innovating while respecting antiquity. It is precisely by consistently upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground that the Chinese nation has created a brilliant and splendid Chinese civilization.

创新是国家发展的动力，是民族进步的灵魂。《礼记·大学》有言：“苟日新，日日新，又日新”；《周易·系辞下》里说：“穷则变，变则通，通则久”；《诗经·大雅》曾云：“周虽旧邦，其命维新”。这种应时而变、开拓创新的思想和精神，是中华文明最深沉的基因，促使中华民族在遭遇困阻时总能变革图存，获得新的发展机遇，最终创造出中华文明的伟大实践。“中华文明的创新性，从根本上决定了中华民族守正不守旧、尊古不复古的进取精神，决定了中华民族不惧新挑战、勇于接受新事物的无畏品格。”守正不守旧、尊古不复古是中华文明创新的原则和方法论。守正即恪守正道，“从哲学上讲，它是事物的本质和规律。一切被实践所证明了的正确东西，以及从无数次成功失败中得出的宝贵经验，都谓之为‘正道’”。因此，守正是对客观规律的遵循、宝贵经验的借鉴、人间道义的坚守。尊古则是对中华5000多年灿烂文明的礼敬和赓续、对中华优秀传统文化的传承与弘扬，是不忘本来、面向未来，故守正是创新之基础，创新是守正之关键。但守正不同于守旧、尊古不等于复古，守旧、复古是执迷旧念、故步自封、不思进取，这些都是不可取的。守正不守旧、尊古不复古包含了中华文化丰富的辩证法思想，体现了文化建设变与不变、传承与创新的辩证关系，体现了在守正中前行、在尊古中创新的原则。中华民族正是始终坚持守正创新，才创造出璀璨辉煌的中华文明。

Adhering to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground in cultural development in the New Era, in its essence, means building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation based on the “Two Integrations.” Unlike Western modern civilization, from the perspective of its development process, the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a modern civilization formed in the inheritance and innovation of China’s excellent traditional culture; from the perspective of its essential attributes, it is an advanced socialist civilization formed in the practice of Chinese-path modernization. Therefore, it inherently requires us to balance the relationship between the Chinese cultural lineage and socialism in the process of building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. The “Two Integrations,” as a profound grasp of the laws of China’s cultural development, both indicate that cultural development must adhere to the guiding position of Marxism and the socialist direction, and clarify that cultural development must adhere to the Chinese cultural standpoint, uphold the genes of Chinese civilization, forge the path foundation of cultural development, consolidate the subjectivity of Chinese culture, and provide the fundamental guidance for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. At the same time, the “Two Integrations” also open up space for innovation, allowing us to take the initiative in cultural development within a broader cultural space, making it possible to build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation: on the one hand, Marxism promotes the life renewal and modern transformation of Chinese civilization, developing the modern form of Chinese civilization; on the other hand, China’s excellent traditional culture enriches the cultural life of Marxism, endowing Marxism with the connotation of Chinese culture, giving it distinctive Chinese characteristics. From this perspective, “the process of the ‘Two Integrations’ is also the process of generating the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.” Therefore, on the new journey, adhering to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground in cultural development must first grasp the fundamental requirement of the “Two Integrations,” safeguard the soul of Marxism and the root of China’s excellent traditional culture, so as to better promote the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

新时代文化建设坚持守正创新，究其根本是要立足“两个结合”建设中华民族现代文明。与西方现代文明不同，从发展历程来看中华民族现代文明是在传承和创新中华优秀传统文化中形成的现代文明，从本质属性来说是在中国式现代化建设实践中形成的社会主义先进文明，因此，它内在地要求我们在建设中华民族现代文明的过程中要兼顾好中华文脉与社会主义之间的关系。“两个结合”作为对我国文化建设规律的深刻把握，既表明了文化建设要坚持马克思主义的指导地位，坚持社会主义方向，又明确了文化建设要坚守中华文化立场，秉承中华文明基因，铸牢文化建设的道路根基，巩固中华文化的主体性，为建设中华民族现代文明提供了根本遵循。同时，“两个结合”也打开了创新空间，让我们能够在更广阔的文化空间中掌握文化建设的主动，使建设中华民族现代文明成为可能：一方面，马克思主义推动了中华文明的生命更新和现代转型，发展出中华文明的现代形态；另一方面，中华优秀传统文化充实了马克思主义的文化生命，赋予马克思主义以中华文化的内涵，使其具有显著的中国特色。由此观之，“‘两个结合’的过程，也是中华民族现代文明生成的过程”。因此，新征程上，文化建设坚持守正创新首先要把握好“两个结合”的根本要求，守好马克思主义这个魂脉和中华优秀传统文化这个根脉，以更好地推进中华民族现代文明的建设。

Specifically, literary and artistic creation must firmly establish a Marxist view of literature and art, take the Chinese spirit as the soul of literary and artistic creation, and strive to produce more socialist advanced literature and art that disseminate contemporary Chinese values, embody the spirit of Chinese culture, and possess a distinct Chinese style; philosophy and social sciences must adhere to the guidance of Marxism, properly grasp the relationship between inheritance and national character, and build a philosophy and social science system with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese manner; news and舆论 work must take the Marxist view of journalism as the “guiding star,” actively excavate, elucidate, and promote traditional culture with contemporary value and significance, and so on. In cultural construction, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground also requires adhering to the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method to guide the transformation and development of fine traditional Chinese culture, properly handling the relationships between inheritance and innovation, tradition and modernity, with a focus on innovation in concepts, means, content, forms, carriers, mechanisms, and discourse, truly making the past serve the present, making foreign things serve China, making dialectical choices, and discarding the dross and selecting the essential, so as to fully stimulate the vitality of fine traditional Chinese culture and continuously drive the modern civilization of the Chinese nation to radiate vigorous vitality.

具体来说，文艺创作要牢固树立马克思主义文艺观，以中国精神作为文艺创作的灵魂，努力创作出更多传播当代中国价值观念、体现中华文化精神、具有鲜明中国风格的社会主义先进文艺；哲学社会科学要坚持以马克思主义为指导，把握好继承性和民族性之间的关系，建设具有中国特色、中国风格、中国气派的哲学社会科学；新闻舆论工作要将马克思主义新闻观作为“定盘星”，积极挖掘、阐发和弘扬具有时代价值和意义的传统文化，等等。文化建设坚持守正创新，还要坚持以马克思主义的立场、观点和方法指导中华优秀传统文化的转化与发展，妥善处理好传承与创新、传统与现代之间的关系，重点抓好理念创新、手段创新、内容创新、形式创新、载体创新、机制创新、话语创新等，真正做到古为今用、洋为中用、辩证取舍、推陈出新，以充分激发中华优秀传统文化的活力，不断推动中华民族现代文明焕发出蓬勃生机。

IV. We Must Adhere to a Problem-Oriented Approach, and Focus on Resolving Contradictions and Risks in Cultural Construction

四、必须坚持问题导向，着力化解文化建设中的矛盾与风险

Adhering to a problem-oriented approach means establishing a problem consciousness in practice, being adept at discovering, analyzing, and solving problems, and promptly responding to the urgent calls of the times and practice. “Problems are the slogans of the times, the most practical voice expressing their state of mind.” [12]12 Source: Karl Marx, “Comments on the Latest Prussian Censorship Instruction,” *Marx and Engels Collected Works*, Vol. 1, p. 203. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is grounded in cultural practice, closely follows the pulse of the times, focuses on preventing and resolving contradictions and risks in cultural construction, and contains a strong problem consciousness and a clear problem orientation.

坚持问题导向就是要在实践中树立问题意识，善于发现问题、分析问题和解决问题，及时回应时代和实践发出的迫切呼声，“问题就是时代的口号，是它表现自己精神状态的最实际的呼声”。习近平文化思想立足文化实践，紧扣时代脉搏，着力防范化解文化建设中的矛盾和风险，内蕴强烈的问题意识和鲜明的问题导向。

“Problems are the manifestations of contradictions in things. When we emphasize enhancing problem consciousness and adhering to a problem-oriented approach, we are acknowledging the universality and objectivity of contradictions, and we are being adept at taking understanding and resolving contradictions as the breakthrough point for opening up the work situation.” [13]13 Source: Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Celebration of the 95th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China,” July 1, 2016. Entering the New Era, faced with the people’s growing needs for a better life, how can cultural construction resolve the contradiction between meeting the people’s spiritual and cultural life needs and the unbalanced and inadequate development of culture? Specifically, how to solve problems such as the imbalance of regional and urban-rural cultural resources, the imbalance of cultural supply and demand, and the inadequate development within the cultural industry? In response, our Party has taken resolving the principal contradiction as the breakthrough point for cultural construction, made “prospering culture” an important mission of propaganda, ideology, and cultural work, and promoted the comprehensive flourishing of cultural undertakings and the rapid development of the cultural industry to meet the people’s spiritual and cultural life needs. In response to the imbalance in regional and urban-rural cultural development, our Party has proposed strategic plans such as “cultural poverty alleviation,” “rural cultural revitalization,” “promoting the integrated construction of urban and rural public cultural service systems,” and “promoting the coordinated development of urban and regional cultures”; in response to the imbalance between the supply and demand sides of culture, it has proposed tactical decisions such as “taking deepening supply-side structural reform in the cultural field as the main line,” “combining expanding domestic demand with deepening supply-side structural reform,” and “increasing the supply of high-quality cultural products and services”; in response to the problem of inadequate development within the cultural industry, it has proposed “implementing the digital strategy for the cultural industry,” emphasizing the promotion of the integrated application and innovation of science and technology in the cultural industry, and deepening the integrated development of culture with modern service industries such as finance, tourism, and education.

“问题是事物矛盾的表现形式，我们强调增强问题意识、坚持问题导向，就是承认矛盾的普遍性、客观性，就是要善于把认识和化解矛盾作为打开工作局面的突破口。”进入新时代，面对人民日益增长的美好生活需要，文化建设如何化解满足人民的精神文化生活需要与文化发展不平衡不充分之间的矛盾？具体来说，如何解决区域和城乡文化资源不平衡、文化供需不平衡、文化产业内部发展不充分等问题？对此，我们党将化解主要矛盾作为文化建设的突破口，将“兴文化”作为宣传思想文化工作的重要使命，推动文化事业全面繁荣和文化产业快速发展，以满足人民群众的精神文化生活需要。针对区域、城乡文化发展不平衡问题，我们党提出了“文化扶贫”“乡村文化振兴”“推进城乡公共文化服务体系一体建设”“促进城乡区域文化协调发展”等战略规划；针对文化供需两端不平衡问题，提出了“以深化文化领域供给侧结构性改革为主线”“把扩大内需与深化供给侧结构性改革结合起来”“增加优质文化产品和服务供给”等战术决策；针对文化产业内部发展不充分问题，提出了“实施文化产业数字化战略”，强调推动科学技术在文化产业领域集成应用和创新，深化文化与金融、旅游、教育等现代服务业的融合发展等具体策略。

Practice is the root of problems. Promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization is currently China’s greatest practice. “In the process of the deeper and broader advancement of Chinese-path modernization, how can this ancient civilization with rich cultural heritage pass on its civilizational genes and construct the cultural form and civilizational form of Chinese-path modernization?” This involves the relationship between Chinese-path modernization and cultural inheritance and development. In response, Xi Jinping has examined Chinese-path modernization from the perspective of human civilization, proposing the important proposition that Chinese-path modernization has created a new form of human civilization, and pointing out: “Chinese-path modernization endows Chinese civilization with modern power, while Chinese civilization endows Chinese-path modernization with profound heritage.” [14]14 Source: Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage,” June 2, 2023. He advocates “thoroughly implementing the project to explore the origins of Chinese civilization, deepening research into the history of Chinese civilization,” deepening the study of the characteristics and forms of Chinese civilization, actively promoting the protection and utilization of cultural relics and the preservation and inheritance of cultural heritage, and focusing on continuing the Chinese cultural lineage, so as to provide strong support for promoting Chinese-path modernization and building a new form of human civilization. Cultural construction adheres to a problem-oriented approach, centers on what we are doing, focuses on the practical problems in the cultural practice of Chinese-path modernization, deeply explores the laws of cultural construction in Chinese-path modernization, and profoundly answers both the question of the times—what cultural form the Chinese nation will use to advance the great process of national rejuvenation—and the question of the world—where human civilization should go amidst the changes unseen in a century.

实践是产生问题的根源，以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴是当前中国最大的实践，“在中国式现代化更加深广推进的过程中，我们这个有着丰厚文化积淀的文明古国如何传承好文明基因、构建中国式现代化的文化形态、文明形态？”这就涉及到中国式现代化与文化传承发展的关系问题，对此，习近平从人类文明的视角审视了中国式现代化，提出中国式现代化开创了人类文明新形态的重要命题，并指出：“中国式现代化赋予中华文明以现代力量，中华文明赋予中国式现代化以深厚底蕴”，主张“要深入实施中华文明探源工程，把中国文明历史研究引向深入”，深化研究中华文明特质和形态，积极推进文物保护利用和文化遗产保护传承等，着力赓续中华文脉，为推动中国式现代化、构建人类文明新形态提供强力支撑。文化建设坚持问题导向，坚持以我们正在做的事情为中心，聚焦中国式现代化文化实践中的现实问题，深入探索中国式现代化文化建设规律，既深刻回答了中华民族以何种文化形态推进民族复兴伟大进程的时代之问，又深刻回答了世界百年未有之大变局人类文明应该走向何处的世界之问。

Adhering to a problem-oriented approach also requires focusing on resolving risks and challenges in the ideological and cultural field. While achieving great successes, cultural construction in the New Era also faces many risks and challenges, prominently manifested as fierce struggles in the ideological domain. “Faced with the new situation where social ideologies and value orientations are becoming increasingly active, mainstream and non-mainstream coexist, and social trends of thought are surging and turbulent, how can we consolidate the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological domain, cultivate and practice the core socialist values, and consolidate the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups in the country?” [15]15 Source: Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology, and Cultural Work,” August 21, 2023. Ideological work is an important aspect of cultural construction, and ideological security is the core content of cultural security. To effectively prevent and resolve ideological risks, our Party has elevated upholding the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological domain to the level of a fundamental institution, emphasizing the need to firmly grasp the Party’s cultural leadership, especially the leadership over ideological work, and focus on strengthening the Party’s leadership over propaganda, ideology, and cultural work, clearly and unequivocally upholding the principle that the Party manages ideology. At the same time, our Party insists on using the core socialist values to lead cultural construction, advocating “taking cultivating and promoting the core socialist values as a fundamental project for consolidating the soul, gathering strength, strengthening the foundation, and consolidating the roots,” [16]16 Source: Xi Jinping, “Speech at the 13th National People’s Congress,” March 20, 2018. requiring the integration of the core socialist values into social development and daily life, so as to gather ideological consensus and pool action strength for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Moreover, our Party also attaches great importance to the issue of online ideological security, advocating the establishment of a correct view of cybersecurity, deeply carrying out online opinion struggles, strengthening positive online propaganda, building a good online ecosystem, and continuously consolidating and strengthening mainstream online ideology and public opinion, so as to “turn the internet, this biggest variable, into the biggest increment for the development of the cause.” [17]17 Source: Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Cybersecurity and Informatization,” April 19, 2016. On the new journey of the examination, [18]18 “New journey of the examination” (新的赶考路) is a metaphor drawn from Mao Zedong’s remark on the eve of the founding of the PRC that the Party’s assumption of national power was like “entering the capital to sit for an examination.” It is now used to refer to the ongoing challenges of governance under the leadership of the CPC. we must be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, crack the contradictions and difficulties in cultural construction, adhere to a problem-oriented approach, enhance problem consciousness, carry forward the fighting spirit, hone our fighting skills, improve our ability and level to resolve risks and challenges in the ideological and cultural field, promote the in-depth development of cultural construction in weak areas, and continuously forge new brilliance in socialist culture.

坚持问题导向，还需要着力化解思想文化领域中的风险挑战。新时代文化建设在取得巨大成就的同时亦面临不少风险挑战，突出表现为意识形态领域的激烈斗争，“面对社会思想观念和价值取向日趋活跃、主流和非主流同时并存、社会思潮纷纭激荡的新形势，如何巩固马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位，培育和践行社会主义核心价值观，巩固全党全国各族人民团结奋斗的共同思想基础”？意识形态工作是文化建设的重要方面，意识形态安全是文化安全的核心内容，为有效防范化解意识形态风险，我们党将坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位上升到根本制度的高度，强调要牢牢把握党的文化领导权尤其是意识形态工作领导权，着力加强党对宣传思想文化工作的领导，旗帜鲜明坚持党管意识形态。同时，我们党坚持以社会主义核心价值观引领文化建设，主张“把培育和弘扬社会主义核心价值观作为凝魂聚气、强基固本的基础工程”，要求将社会主义核心价值观融入社会发展和日常生活之中，以为实现中华民族伟大复兴凝聚思想共识和汇聚行动力量。不仅如此，我们党还高度重视网络意识形态安全问题，主张树立正确的网络安全观，深入开展网上舆论斗争，加强网上正面宣传，建设网络良好生态，不断巩固壮大网上主流思想舆论，以“使互联网这个最大变量变成事业发展的最大增量”。新的赶考路上，我们要以习近平文化思想为指导，破解文化建设中的矛盾与难题，坚持问题导向，增强问题意识，发扬斗争精神，练就斗争本领，提高化解思想文化领域矛盾风险挑战的能力和水平，推动文化建设向薄弱领域纵深发展，不断铸就社会主义文化新辉煌。

V. We Must Adhere to a Systems Approach, and Coordinate the Construction of a Grand Pattern for Propaganda, Ideology, and Cultural Work

五、必须坚持系统观念，统筹构建宣传思想文化工作大格局

Adhering to a systems approach is a correct grasp and scientific application of dialectical materialism and historical materialism. Marxism believes that human society is a large, complex system in motion and change, in which various subsystems and different elements are interconnected and interact. “The present society is no solid crystal, but an organism capable of change and constantly in the process of change.” [19]19 Source: Karl Marx, *Capital*, Vol. 1, Afterword to the Second German Edition. This provides us with a method of thinking for analyzing and solving problems from a connected, developmental, and comprehensive perspective, and for promoting the various undertakings of the Party and the state with forward-looking thinking, overall planning, and holistic advancement.

坚持系统观念是对辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义的正确把握和科学运用。马克思主义认为，人类社会是一个运动变化的复杂大系统，其中，各个子系统和不同要素之间相互联系、相互作用，“现在的社会不是坚实的结晶体，而是一个能够变化并且经常处于变化过程中的有机体”。这为我们以联系的、发展的、全面的观点分析和解决问题，坚持前瞻性思考、全局性谋划、整体性推进党和国家的各项事业提供了思想方法。

Culture, as a subsystem within the larger social system, is itself a complex systemic project in its construction. Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture emphasizes adherence to a systemic perspective, upholding the working principle of “balancing all considerations and advancing on all fronts,” [20]20 A formulation from the work style of the Communist Party of China, emphasizing comprehensive and coordinated action. coordinating all levels and elements of cultural construction, and promoting the steady development of cultural construction. This is concretely manifested in the following aspects: First, a forward-looking consideration of cultural construction and the national development strategy. Xi Jinping, employing strategic thinking to assess the general situation, bases himself on the practice of socialist modernization and takes a long-term view of national development to propose the strategy of building a culturally strong country. He posits that culture promotes national and social progress, demands that cultural construction be placed in a more prominent position, and emphasizes that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation requires the support of the strategy of building a culturally strong country, asserting that “without a high degree of cultural confidence, without a flourishing and thriving culture, there can be no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” [21]21 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China,” October 18, 2017. Second, the placement of cultural construction within the overall plan for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics as a holistic arrangement. Xi Jinping, employing dialectical thinking to examine problems, takes a perspective of universal interconnection and controls problems from the overall situation. He clearly points out that cultural construction occupies an important position in the overall plan for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, advocates handling the relationships between culture and parallel social subsystems such as the economy, politics, and ecology, and emphasizes that cultural construction must establish a correct overall perspective, stating that “work in propaganda and ideological work must take centering on the central task and serving the overall situation as its basic duty, bearing the overall situation in mind, grasping the general trend, and focusing on major events.” [22]22 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Propaganda and Ideological Work,” August 19, 2013. Third, the holistic advancement within the system of cultural construction itself. The holistic advancement within the system of cultural construction is the concrete process of applying a systemic perspective to implement cultural strategies and plans. Xi Jinping, employing systemic thinking to plan and advance work, proposes that “we must establish a broad concept of propaganda work, mobilize all fronts and all departments to work together, and more closely integrate propaganda and ideological work with administrative management, industry management, and social management in various fields.” [23]23 Ibid. Therefore, propaganda, ideological, and cultural work in the New Era requires continuously strengthening the coordinated advancement of various fields such as cybersecurity and informatization work, literary and artistic work, news and public opinion work, work in philosophy and social sciences, cultural inheritance and development, education in ideals and convictions, the Party’s innovative theoretical arming, and the cultivation and practice of core socialist values. It also requires the integration and optimization of content resources such as fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture, as well as the collaborative linkage and consolidation of strength among diverse action subjects.

文化作为社会大系统中的子系统，其建设亦是一个复杂的系统工程。习近平文化思想强调坚持系统观念，“坚持统筹兼顾、全面推进”的工作原则，统筹文化建设各层次和各要素，推动文化建设稳步发展。具体体现在：一是对文化建设与国家发展战略的前瞻性思考。习近平以战略思维观大势，立足社会主义现代化建设实践、着眼国家长远发展的高度提出文化强国战略，提出文化对国家和社会进步具有促进作用，要求将文化建设摆在更加突出的位置，强调实现中华民族伟大复兴需要文化强国战略的支撑，认为“没有高度的文化自信，没有文化的繁荣兴盛，就没有中华民族伟大复兴”。二是将文化建设置于中国特色社会主义事业总体布局的全局性谋划。习近平以辩证思维看问题，站在普遍联系的角度，从全局出发把控问题，明确指出文化建设在中国特色社会主义事业总体布局中处于重要地位，主张处理好文化与经济、政治、生态等社会平行子系统之间的关系，强调文化建设要树立正确的大局观，“宣传思想工作一定要把围绕中心、服务大局作为基本职责，胸怀大局、把握大势、着眼大事”。三是对文化建设系统内部的整体性推进。文化建设系统内部的整体性推进就是运用系统观念落实文化战略和规划的具体过程，习近平以系统思维谋划推进工作，提出“要树立大宣传的工作理念，动员各条战线各个部门一起来做，把宣传思想工作同各个领域的行政管理、行业管理、社会管理更加紧密地结合起来”。因此，新时代宣传思想文化工作需要不断强化网络安全和信息化工作、文艺工作、新闻舆论工作、哲学社会科学工作、文化传承发展、理想信念教育、党的创新理论武装、社会主义核心价值观的培育和践行等各个领域的协同推进，中华优秀传统文化、革命文化、社会主义先进文化等内容资源的整合优化，以及多元行动主体的协作联动与力量凝聚。

In short, cultural construction is a complex systemic project involving work at multiple levels, in multiple fields, and with multiple elements; it must be coordinated and advanced comprehensively, at multiple levels, and throughout the entire process. We must use Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture to guide cultural construction in the New Era, employ a systemic perspective for overall planning, holistic arrangement, and integrated advancement, and continuously improve strategic thinking, dialectical thinking, systemic thinking, and innovative thinking. This is to correctly handle the three major relationships: between cultural construction and national development, between cultural construction and the overall plan for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and within the system of cultural construction itself, thereby playing the “single game of chess” [24]24 A Chinese idiom meaning to coordinate all parts of a complex undertaking as a single, unified effort. of cultural construction in the New Era and the new journey. At the macro level, we must focus on the long-term development of the country, implement the strategy of building a culturally strong country, promote cultural construction steadily while seeking progress, place cultural construction in a prominent position within the overall work from the height of top-level design, promote the organic integration of cultural construction into all fields and the entire process of economic, political, ecological, and social development, promote the coordinated development of material civilization and cultural-ethical progress, and achieve the sustainable development of the Chinese nation in building a civilized China. At the micro level, we must focus on the concrete implementation of cultural construction, apply a systemic perspective to implement the important requirements of the “seven efforts” [25]25 The “seven efforts” (七个着力) refer to key requirements for cultural work in the New Era, including efforts to strengthen leadership, build core values, enhance cultural confidence, and promote cultural prosperity. for cultural construction in the New Era, promote the effective connection and systematic operation of cultural resources and the links of production, circulation, and consumption, gather the synergistic force of diverse cultural construction subjects including the state, society, market, and individuals, coordinate the construction of a broad pattern for propaganda, ideological, and cultural work, and systematically advance propaganda, ideological, and cultural work to achieve tangible results with more scientific strategies, stronger forces, and more effective measures.

总之，文化建设是一个复杂系统工程，涉及多个层面、多个领域、多个要素的工作，必须全方位、多层次、全过程协同推进。我们要以习近平文化思想指导新时代文化建设，以系统观念进行统筹规划、全局谋划、整体推进，不断提高战略思维、辩证思维、系统思维、创新思维等，以正确处理好文化建设与国家发展、文化建设与中国特色社会主义事业总体布局、文化建设系统内部三大关系，下好新时代新征程文化建设“一盘棋”。宏观层面要着眼国家的长远发展，贯彻落实文化强国战略，稳中求进地推动文化建设，从顶层设计的高度将文化建设摆在全局工作的突出位置，推动文化建设有机融入经济、政治、生态、社会发展的各领域和全过程，推动物质文明与精神文明的协调发展，在建设文明中国中实现中华民族的永续发展。微观层面要聚焦文化建设的具体实施，以系统观念落实好新时代文化建设的“七个着力”的重要要求，推动文化资源和文化生产、流通、消费等环节的有效衔接和系统运行，汇聚国家、社会、市场、个体等多元文化建设主体协同合力，统筹构建宣传思想文化工作大格局，以更加科学的战略、更加强大的力量、更加有力的举措系统推进宣传思想文化工作落地见效。

VI. We Must Maintain a Global Vision, and Promote the Progress of Human Civilization Through Exchange and Mutual Learning

六、必须坚持胸怀天下，在交流互鉴中推动人类文明进步

Maintaining a global vision means seeking human development and world progress with a global perspective and a broad mind. Maintaining a global vision, as one of the historical experiences of the Communist Party of China over its century of struggle, is profoundly embodied in the Party’s leadership of cultural construction in the New Era. Adhering to a global vision in cultural construction is a vivid interpretation of the Marxist theory of world history. Marxism holds that the historical process of the development of human society is a process in which countries, on the basis of the development of productive forces and universal intercourse, continuously move from closure, isolation, and dispersion towards openness, cooperation, and unity. “The more the original isolated state of the various nationalities is eliminated by the increasingly perfected mode of production, intercourse, and the division of labor between different nations arising naturally from this intercourse, the more history becomes world history.” [26]26 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, *The German Ideology* (1845-1846). Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture, with a historical perspective and a global vision, deeply discerns the development trends of human civilization, actively concerns itself with the future and destiny of human civilization amidst the changes unseen in a century, adheres to a global vision and upholds openness and inclusiveness, advocates strengthening international communication capacity building, and promotes exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, so as to advance Chinese culture towards the world and promote the development and progress of human civilization.

坚持胸怀天下就是要以全球视野和博大胸怀谋求人类发展和世界进步。坚持胸怀天下作为中国共产党百年奋斗的历史经验之一，深刻体现在新时代党领导文化建设之中。文化建设坚持胸怀天下是对马克思主义世界历史理论的生动诠释。马克思主义认为，人类社会发展的历史过程就是世界各国在生产力发展和普遍交往的基础上不断从封闭、孤立、分散走向开放、合作、统一的过程，“各民族的原始封闭状态由于日益完善的生产方式、交往以及因交往而自然形成的不同民族之间的分工消灭得越是彻底，历史也就越是成为世界历史”。习近平文化思想以历史眼光和世界视野深刻洞察人类文明发展态势，积极关注世界百年未有之大变局中人类文明的前途命运，坚持胸怀天下、秉持开放包容，主张加强国际传播建设，促进文明交流互鉴，以推动中华文化走向世界和人类文明发展进步。

On the one hand, promoting Chinese culture towards the world through strengthening international communication capacity building. With the significant improvement of its comprehensive national strength, China is increasingly moving closer to the center of the world stage, yet its cultural influence internationally remains relatively weak. How to establish China’s cultural image, demonstrate the profound charm of Chinese culture in the international community, and enhance the international influence of Chinese culture and national cultural soft power has become an important topic for China’s foreign exchanges. In response, Xi Jinping has made a series of strategic deployments on how to effectively carry out the international communication of Chinese culture under the new circumstances, proposing a concept of international communication of Chinese culture with the concrete connotations of “communication method — telling China’s story well, communication means — spreading China’s voice well, communication content — explaining Chinese characteristics, communication goal — establishing China’s image.” [27]27 A summary of Xi Jinping’s directives on international communication, emphasizing narrative, voice, content, and image. This has pushed the cultural construction thought of the Chinese Communists to a new realm. Specifically, our Party, with an open attitude and an inclusive mind, strengthens the construction of international communication capacity. It actively refines and showcases the spiritual symbols and cultural essence of Chinese civilization, accelerates the construction of Chinese discourse and narrative systems, and creates new concepts, categories, and expressions that are easy for the international community to understand and accept, so as to better publicize and explain to the world more excellent Chinese culture that embodies Chinese characteristics, contains the Chinese spirit, manifests Chinese wisdom, and has Chinese elements. At the same time, it continuously improves the work pattern of international communication, innovates methods of external publicity, enhances international discourse power, and promotes Chinese culture to better reach the world.

一方面，在加强国际传播建设中推动中华文化走向世界。随着综合国力的显著提高，我国日益走近世界舞台的中央，但中国在国际上的文化影响力却相对薄弱。如何树立中国文化形象，在国际社会展现中华文化深厚魅力，提高中华文化的国际影响力、国家文化软实力，成为我国对外交流的重要议题。对此，习近平就新形势下如何做好我国文化的国际传播工作作出了一系列战略部署，提出了以“传播方式——讲好中国故事、传播手段——传播好中国声音、传播内容——阐释中国特色、传播目标——树立中国形象”为具体内涵的中华文化国际传播观，从而把中国共产党人的文化建设思想推向了一个新境界。具体来说，我们党以开放的姿态、包容的胸怀加强国际传播能力建设，既积极提炼展示中华文明的精神标识和文化精髓，加快构建中国话语和叙事体系，打造易于为国际社会所理解和接受的新概念新范畴新表述，以更好地向世界宣传和阐释更多体现中国特色、蕴含中国精神、彰显中国智慧、具有中国元素的优秀中华文化，又不断完善国际传播工作格局，创新对外宣传方式，提高国际话语权，推动中华文化更好地走向世界。

On the other hand, in promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, we advance the development and progress of human civilization. In today’s world, contacts and interactions among human societies are increasingly frequent, yet at the same time we face severe global challenges. To meet common challenges and create a better future, the power of culture and civilization is needed. In response, Xi Jinping, standing at the height of building a community with a

另一方面，在促进文明交流互鉴中推动人类文明发展进步。当今世界，人类社会交往联系日益频繁，但同时也面临严峻的全球性挑战，应对共同挑战、创造美好未来，需要文化文明的力量。对此，习近平站在构建人类命运共同体的高度审视世界文明发展，坚持平等、互鉴、对话、包容的文明观，提出全球文明倡议，弘扬全人类共同价值，主张在文明交流互鉴中汇聚应对共同挑战的文化文明力量，以推动世界和平发展与人类文明进步。“我们真诚呼吁，世界各国弘扬和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值，促进各国人民相知相亲，尊重世界文明多样性，以文明交流超越文明隔阂、文明互鉴超越文明冲突、文明共存超越文明优越，共同应对各种全球性挑战。”世界各国文明虽存在差异但无高低、优劣之分，都为人类文明进步和世界和平发展作出了独特贡献，文明的多彩性、文明的平等性、文明的包容性为文明交流互鉴提供了前提条件，对此，我们要积极打造国际文化交流共享平台，激发民间对外文化交流活力，在多层次文明对话和多种形式的文化合作中推动文明交流互鉴。习近平文化思想关于文明交流互鉴的主张，深刻回答了各国文明如何应对世界百年未有之大变局思想文化激荡交融的时代之问，为促进人类文明进步提供了中国方案和中国智慧。做好新时代新征程文化建设，我们要继续坚持胸怀天下的文化思想，以世界眼光和天下情怀为中华文化和人类文明谋发展谋进步，以凝聚共建美好未来的文明力量。

In sum, as the concentrated embodiment of the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the “Six Musts” [28]28 The “Six Musts” (六个必须坚持) refers to the six principles that must be upheld in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era: putting the people first, self-confidence and self-reliance, upholding integrity and innovation, taking a problem-oriented approach, applying a systems perspective, and maintaining a global vision. run through every field and the entire process of the Party’s leadership over cultural construction in the New Era, and are manifested in every aspect of Xi Jinping’s cultural thought. They provide a powerful ideological weapon and a scientific guide to action for doing a good job of propaganda, ideological and cultural work on the new journey of the New Era and for shouldering the new cultural mission. Standing at a new historical starting point, we must continuously strengthen the study, research and elucidation of the worldview and methodology of the “Six Musts” contained in Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, and consciously implement and apply them in the practice of cultural construction, so as to provide a reliable guarantee for building a socialist cultural power and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

总而言之，作为习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的世界观和方法论的集中体现，“六个必须坚持”始终贯穿于新时代党领导文化建设的各领域全过程，体现在习近平文化思想的方方面面，为做好新时代新征程宣传思想文化工作、担负起新的文化使命提供了强大思想武器和科学行动指南。站在新的历史起点上，我们要持续加强对习近平文化思想蕴含的“六个必须坚持”的世界观和方法论的学习、研究和阐释，并自觉贯彻落实到文化建设实践中去，为建设社会主义文化强国、实现中华民族伟大复兴提供可靠保证。

(Authors: School of Marxism, Central China Normal University)

（作者：华中师范大学马克思主义学院）

Online editor: Youheng

网络编辑：有恒