A Scholarly Interpretation of the Marxist View of Literature and Art in the New Era

In 1848, Marx and Engels clearly stated in the *Communist Manifesto* that “the spiritual production changes with the material production.” [1]1 The “Double Hundred” policy (双百方针) refers to the principle of “letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend,” first proposed by Mao Zedong in 1956 to encourage diversity in the arts and sciences. In 1942, Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out succinctly that “works of literature and art, as ideological forms, are products of the reflection in the human brain of a given social life.” [2]2 The “Four Great Classical Novels” are *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, *Water Margin*, *Journey to the West*, and *Dream of the Red Chamber*, foundational works of Chinese literature. In 1983, Comrade Deng Xiaoping further emphasized that “the purpose of the ‘Double Hundred’ policy is to promote the flourishing of socialist culture.” [3]3 The “Four Histories” (四史) refers to the history of the Communist Party of China, the history of the People’s Republic of China, the history of reform and opening up, and the history of the development of socialism. Since the New Era, Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have integrated Marxist literary and artistic theory with China’s literary and artistic creation and production, and with the best of traditional Chinese culture, promoting the preservation and innovation of the Party’s literary and artistic theory. This has formed the literary and artistic chapter of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, providing the fundamental guidance for the high-quality development of the Party’s literary and artistic work and undertakings on the new journey of the New Era.

1848年，马克思恩格斯在《共产党宣言》中鲜明提出，“精神生产随着物质生产的改造而改造”[1]。1942年，毛泽东同志提纲挈领地指出，“作为观念形态的文艺作品，都是一定的社会生活在人类头脑中的反映的产物。”[2]1983年，邓小平同志进一步强调，“‘双百’方针的目的是促进社会主义文化的繁荣。”[3]新时代以来，以习近平同志为主要代表的中国共产党人将马克思主义文艺理论同中国文艺创作生产相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，推动党的文艺理论守正创新，形成习近平文化思想的文艺篇章，为新时代新征程党的文艺工作和文艺事业高质量发展提供根本遵循。

I. The Development and Flourishing of Literature and Art Is an Important Component of Chinese-Path Modernization

一、文艺发展繁荣是中国式现代化的重要组成部分

General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC: “China’s modernization is a modernization in which material civilization and cultural-ethical progress are coordinated.” [4] Advancing and expanding Chinese-path modernization requires not only “promoting both effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth of the economy” [5] but also “enriching the people’s spiritual world” [6] and advancing socialist literature and art with confidence and self-reliance. First, literature and art provide spiritual nourishment for Chinese-path modernization. Tang and Song poetry, Yuan opera, songs, television, literature, film, drama, and novels—different literary and artistic forms spanning thousands of years of history and bearing Chinese civilization—all bring spiritual satisfaction and aesthetic enjoyment to the Chinese people. Second, literature and art are an important mission in building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. “Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a magnificent feat for a country with a history of more than 5,000 years of civilization.” [7] Contemporary Chinese literature and art are the concentrated display of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation in the field of literature and art. “Continuing to promote cultural prosperity at a new starting point” [8] is also inseparable from promoting the flourishing of literature and art. Third, only through the flourishing of literature and art can the Chinese nation truly stand tall among the nations of the world in spirit. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “Our writers and artists should become the first to perceive, the first to act, and the first to advocate the spirit of the times, inspiring the people of all ethnic groups across the country to march vigorously toward the future through more literary and artistic works that have backbone, morality, and warmth.” [9]

习近平总书记在党的十九届五中全会上提出：“我国现代化是物质文明和精神文明相协调的现代化。”[4]推进和拓展中国式现代化不仅要“推动经济实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长”[5]，还要“丰富人民精神世界”[6]、推进社会主义文艺自信自强。首先，文艺为中国式现代化提供精神滋养。唐诗宋词元曲、歌曲电视文学、电影话剧小说，跨越千年历史、承载中华文明的不同文艺形式都给中国人民带来精神满足和美的享受。其次，文艺是建设中华民族现代文明的重要使命。“建设中华民族现代文明，是我们这样一个具有五千多年文明史国家的豪迈壮举”[7]，当代中国文艺就是中华民族现代文明在文学艺术领域的集中展示，“在新的起点上继续推动文化繁荣”[8]也必然离不开推动文艺繁荣。第三，文艺繁荣才能使中华民族从精神上真正屹立于世界民族之林。习近平总书记强调，“我国作家艺术家应该成为时代风气的先觉者、先行者、先倡者，通过更多有筋骨、有道德、有温度的文艺作品……鼓舞全国各族人民朝气蓬勃迈向未来。”[9]

II. The Comprehensive Leadership of the Party Is the Fundamental Political Guarantee for Socialist Literature and Art

二、党的全面领导是社会主义文艺的根本政治保证

The *Constitution of the Communist Party of China* states at the outset: “The Communist Party of China… represents the direction of China’s advanced culture.” [10] Comrade Deng Xiaoping emphasized, “From the central to the local level, the principal leading comrades of Party committees at all levels must pay attention to the situation, problems, and work of the theoretical and literary and art circles, as well as the entire ideological front.” [11] Adhering to the Party’s comprehensive leadership over literary and artistic work is both a manifestation of the Party’s advanced nature and an important link in the Party’s governance of the country. More importantly, it is the starting point and foothold for scientifically grasping the relationship between the Party’s cause and literary and artistic work, and for correctly handling important categories such as Party spirit and people-centeredness, and political stance and creative freedom. Contemporary Chinese literature and art are Marxist literature and art; they must adhere unwaveringly to Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain, and therefore require the leadership of the Communist Party of China. Contemporary Chinese literature and art are also socialist literature and art; they must adhere to the basic principles of scientific socialism and must not take the evil path of bourgeois liberalization that spreads decadent values such as money worship, hedonism, and extreme individualism, and therefore also require the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

《中国共产党章程》开宗明义：“中国共产党……代表中国先进文化的前进方向。”[10]邓小平同志强调，“从中央到地方，各级党委的主要负责人一定要重视理论界文艺界以及整个思想战线的情况、问题和工作。”[11]坚持党对文艺工作的全面领导，既是党的先进性的表现，又是党治国理政的重要环节。更重要的是，这是科学把握党的事业与文艺工作的关系，正确处理党性与人民性、政治立场与创作自由这些重要范畴的出发点和立足点。当代中国文艺是马克思主义文艺，必须坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位不动摇，因此需要中国共产党的领导。当代中国文艺也是社会主义文艺，必须坚持科学社会主义基本原则，不能走传播拜金主义、享乐主义、极端个人主义等腐朽价值观的资产阶级自由化邪路，因此也需要中国共产党的领导。

III. People-Centeredness Is the Basic Value Orientation of China’s Literary and Artistic Development

三、以人民为中心是中国文艺发展的基本价值取向

Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out unequivocally at the Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art: “Our problem is fundamentally a problem of serving the masses and a problem of how to serve them. If these two problems are not solved, or are solved inappropriately, it will make our literary and artistic workers discordant with their environment and tasks.” [12] For whom literature and art are created has always been the primary and fundamental question, as important as the Party spirit of philosophy is for materialists and Communists. Comrade Deng Xiaoping once criticized the problem of spiritual pollution, stating bluntly that a small number of writers and artists had lost their people’s standpoint, creating works of low taste solely for money and personal gain. Such people and such behavior are long-term and enormously harmful to China’s socialist cause and modernization cause. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “Originating from the people, serving the people, and belonging to the people are the fundamental stance of socialist literature and art, and also the driving force for their flourishing development.” [13] This is, on the one hand, because the people are the main body that creates history, providing rich real-life material for literary and artistic creation; on the other hand, because literature and art originate from life yet transcend it—only by going deep among the people, portraying the people, and eulogizing the people can literary and artistic works possess true artistic vitality and mass appeal.

毛泽东同志在延安文艺座谈会上旗帜鲜明地指出：“我们的问题基本上是一个为群众的问题和一个如何为群众的问题。不解决这两个问题，或者这两个问题解决得不适当，就会使得我们的文艺工作者和自己的环境、任务不协调”[12]。为什么人，始终是文艺的首要问题和根本问题，这同唯物主义对于共产党人而言属于哲学的党性一样重要。邓小平同志曾批评精神污染的问题，直言少数作家艺术家丧失人民立场，创作一些低级趣味的作品只为赚钱、满足私利，这种人、这类行为对我国社会主义事业和现代化事业都是危害长久和巨大的。习近平总书记强调，“源于人民、为了人民、属于人民，是社会主义文艺的根本立场，也是社会主义文艺繁荣发展的动力所在。”[13]这一方面是因为人民是创造历史的主体，为文艺创作提供着丰富的现实素材，另一方面是因为文艺源于生活又高于生活，只有深入人民、刻画人民、讴歌人民，文艺作品才有真正的艺术生命力和群众感召力。

IV. Excellent Literary and Artistic Works Are an Inevitable Requirement for Building a Culturally Strong Country

四、优秀文艺作品是建设文化强国的必然要求

The Qing dynasty historian Zhao Yi, when evaluating Yuan Haowen’s poetic and literary achievements, once said, “When the nation is unfortunate, the poet is fortunate; when the verse touches on vicissitudes, the craftsmanship is accomplished.” That is, profound feelings for family and country are transformed into the literary achievements of great poets; only when the content of a work depicts the true circumstances of social life can it be considered accomplished. Not all literary and artistic works can be called masterpieces; masterpieces must touch the soul. In recent years, film and television works such as *The Awakening Age* and *A Lifelong Journey* have been both commercially successful and critically acclaimed precisely because they reflect the vivid scenes of the Party’s century-long struggle and China’s century-long transformation, eulogizing the great founding spirit of the Party, family affection, entrepreneurial spirit, and the spirit of self-revolution—the true, the good, and the beautiful in the human world. Practice has proven that all literary and artistic masterpieces are necessarily a unity of profound thought, exquisite artistry, and superb production; they are the result of meticulous work that abandons impetuosity, rejects shoddy production, and resists utilitarianism. Only truly good works that reflect the times and integrate artistic excellence are genuinely popular masterpieces.

清代史学家赵翼在评价元好问的诗文成就时曾说，“国家不幸诗家幸，赋到沧桑句便工”，即深厚的家国情怀转化为伟大诗人的文学成就，作品内容只有写出社会生活的真实情景才算功夫到家。不是所有文艺作品都能称作精品，精品力作一定能触及人的灵魂。近年来，《觉醒年代》《人世间》等影视作品之所以既叫座更叫好，就是它们反映出党的百年奋斗和中国百年剧变的生动场景，歌颂了伟大建党精神、家庭亲情、创业精神和自我革命精神等人世间的真善美。实践证明，一切文艺精品，一定是思想精深、艺术精湛、制作精良的统一体，一定是摆脱浮躁、拒绝滥造、抵制功利的精心工作，也只有真正反映时代、艺术集成的好作品，才是真正受欢迎的名篇佳作。

V. The Spirit of the Chinese Nation Is an Inexhaustible Source of Ideas for the Selection of Themes and Materials in Literature and Art

五、中华民族精神是文艺选题取材的不竭思想源流

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “To realize the Chinese Dream, we must promote the Chinese spirit… This spirit is the soul that unites and strengthens the nation and the country.” [14] One major function of literature and art is to serve as models for words and deeds, teaching and guiding people toward goodness and upward striving. Whether it is the “Four Great Classical Novels” promoting loyalty to the country, fidelity in love, benevolence toward others, and unity in pursuing dreams, or the “Four Histories” literature [15] promoting the national spirit centered on patriotism and the spirit of the times centered on reform and innovation, all are soul-forging projects that practice the core socialist values. For literary and artistic works to inherit the Chinese spirit, on the one hand, they must preserve and innovate, promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of the best of traditional Chinese culture; on the other hand, they must tell China’s stories well to the outside world, draw on the essence of the “sum total of human literature and art” in dialogues between Chinese and foreign civilizations, and construct a grand pattern and atmosphere for Chinese literature and art that is inclusive and draws on the strengths of others.

习近平总书记指出：“实现中国梦必须弘扬中国精神……这种精神是凝心聚力的兴国之魂、强国之魂。”[14]文艺的一大功用就是言为士则行为世范、教化世人向上向善。无论是“四大名著”弘扬的对国忠诚、对爱忠贞、仁义待人、同心逐梦，还是“四史”文献宣扬以爱国主义为核心的民族精神、以改革创新为核心的时代精神，都是践行社会主义核心价值观的铸魂工程。文艺作品要传承中国精神，一方面要守正创新，推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展，另一方面要对外讲好中国故事，在中外文明对话中汲取“人类文艺总和”的精华，构造兼容并蓄、博采众长的中国文艺大格局大气象。

(Author bios: Liu Qirui, doctoral candidate at the School of Marxism, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law; Luan Yongyu, professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Marxism, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law.)

（作者简介：刘启瑞，中南财经政法大学马克思主义学院博士研究生；栾永玉，中南财经政法大学马克思主义学院教授，博士生导师。）

Notes:

注释：

[1]1 The “Double Hundred” policy (双百方针) refers to the principle of “letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend,” first proposed by Mao Zedong in 1956 to encourage diversity in the arts and sciences. *Collected Works of Marx and Engels*, Vol. 2, People’s Publishing House, 2009, p. 51.

[1]《马克思恩格斯文集》第2卷，人民出版社2009年版，第51页。

[2]2 The “Four Great Classical Novels” are *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, *Water Margin*, *Journey to the West*, and *Dream of the Red Chamber*, foundational works of Chinese literature. *Selected Works of Mao Zedong*, Vol. 3, People’s Publishing House, 1991, p. 860.

[2]《毛泽东选集》第3卷，人民出版社1991年版，第860页。

[3]3 The “Four Histories” (四史) refers to the history of the Communist Party of China, the history of the People’s Republic of China, the history of reform and opening up, and the history of the development of socialism. *Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping*, Vol. 3, People’s Publishing House, 1993, p. 47.

[3]《邓小平文选》第3卷，人民出版社1993年版，第47页。

[4] *Selected Works of Xi Jinping*, Vol. 2, People’s Publishing House, 2023, p. 368.

[4]《习近平著作选读》第2卷，人民出版社2023年版，第368页。

[5] *Selected Works of Xi Jinping*, Vol. 1, People’s Publishing House, 2023, p. 24.

[5]《习近平著作选读》第1卷，人民出版社2023年版，第24页。

[6] *Selected Works of Xi Jinping*, Vol. 1, People’s Publishing House, 2023, p. 20.

[6]《习近平著作选读》第1卷，人民出版社2023年版，第20页。

[7] Xi Jinping, “Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation and Promoting High-Quality Work on Ethnic Affairs in the New Era,” *Qiushi*, Issue 3, 2024.

[7]习近平：《铸牢中华民族共同体意识 推进新时代党的民族工作高质量发展》，《求是》2024年第3期。

[8] Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development,” *Qiushi*, Issue 17, 2023.

[8]习近平：《在文化传承发展座谈会上的讲话》，《求是》2023年第17期。

[9] Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Forum on Literature and Art Work,” *Qiushi*, Issue 20, 2024.

[9]习近平：《在文艺工作座谈会上的讲话》，《求是》2024年第20期。

[10] “Constitution of the Communist Party of China,” *Qiushi*, Issue 21, 2022.

[10]《中国共产党章程》，《求是》2022年第21期。

[11] *Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping*, Vol. 3, People’s Publishing House, 1993, p. 45.

[11]《邓小平文选》第3卷，人民出版社1993年版，第45页。

[12] *Selected Works of Mao Zedong*, Vol. 3, People’s Publishing House, 1991, p. 853.

[12]《毛泽东选集》第3卷，人民出版社1991年版，第853页。

[13] Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the 11th National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the 10th National Congress of the China Writers Association,” *People’s Daily*, December 15, 2021.

[13]习近平：《在中国文联十一大、中国作协十大开幕式上的讲话》，《人民日报》2021年12月15日。

[14] Xi Jinping, “Vigorously Promote the Great Spirit of Patriotism and Steadily Advance the Great Cause of Building a Strong Country and National Rejuvenation,” *Qiushi*, Issue 19, 2024.

[14]习近平：《大力弘扬伟大爱国主义精神，把强国建设、民族复兴伟业不断推向前进》，《求是》2024年第19期。

Online editor: Huihui

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