Spiritual Construction — Cultural Power — Philosophical Thinking

This is an era of rapid progress and drastic change, yet also an era of spiritual anxiety and a need for reflection. The complex and powerful "compression of time and space" inevitably radiates into every individual, making it difficult for many to cope with this complex and ever-changing world. There are those who strive tirelessly, those who forge ahead courageously, those who fight and advance, and those who taste the joy of success; at the same time, there are those who lie flat, those who struggle, those who engage in involution, and those who experience the pain of failure. To reflect on and contemplate this era of "drastic change," "compression of time and space," and "spiritual anxiety," the primary focus should be on the inner spiritual world of each individual, emphasizing the construction of the individual's spiritual world. In this context, cultural power and philosophical thinking become crucial. Culture directly targets and engages the individual's inner spiritual world, while philosophical thinking helps people resolve doubts and confusion. Bidding farewell to the past and welcoming the new year, we need to consider that reflecting the spirit of the times is the most urgent issue of this era.

这是一个突飞猛进、剧烈变局的时代，也是一个精神焦虑、需要反思的时代。复杂且强大的“时空压缩”必会辐射到每一个个体之中，使许多个体难以应对这个复杂多变的世界。不懈奋斗者有之，勇毅前行者有之，拼搏进取者有之，成功喜悦者有之；同时，躺平者有之，挣扎者有之，内卷者有之，失败痛苦者有之。反思、思考这个“剧烈变局”“时空压缩”“精神焦虑”的时代，首要应聚焦每一个个体的内在精神世界，注重个体精神世界的建设。在这种情境下，文化力量、哲学思维就显得至关重要了。文化直奔和紧扣个体的内在精神世界，哲学思维能助人解疑释惑。告别过往迎接新年，我们需要思考反映时代精神是这个时代最为紧要的问题。

The first issue to consider is the relationship between Chinese-path modernization and the individual's spiritual world. Since the founding of New China, especially since reform and opening up, the foothold of all the Party's theory and practice has been Chinese-path modernization, or, in other words, its underlying logic is Chinese-path modernization. The vast macro-world exerts a broad and profound influence on the micro-world of each individual, especially their spiritual world, primarily manifested in the fact that the inner spiritual world of each individual also needs modernization. There is a "law of construction from the outside inward." Generally speaking, the various constructions people focus on mostly follow the logic of "external first, internal later." Historically, China's response to Western modernization has followed the historical logic of "material goods" — "institutions" — "culture" and "external imitation — internal subjectivity." Material goods fall under the category of "construction of the external world" outside of people, with strong external imitation; the "good" within culture belongs to civilization, which enters the "subjectivity" construction of people's inner spiritual world. General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly pointed out, "The essence of modernization is the modernization of people." Essentially, this means that while Chinese-path modernization emphasizes the modernization of material goods, institutions, and national governance, it must also, in essence, pay greater attention to the modernization of the "people's" inner spiritual world. From a practical perspective, at the beginning of reform and opening up, China relatively focused on the accumulation of material wealth and the construction of the material world outside of people. As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, China began to relatively emphasize the construction of a cultural power, starting to delve into the depths of people's inner emotional world, psychological world, spiritual world, and soul world, focusing on establishing, consolidating, and elevating the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. Looking to the future, the construction of the material world for all humanity has already yielded abundant results. The greatest challenge today is the emergence of serious problems in people's inner emotional world, psychological world, spiritual world, and soul world that are difficult to heal in a short time. The greatest revelation this law gives us is that in the New Era, the most urgent task for the construction of the entire world, including all aspects of China's construction, is that the primary and foremost focus should and must be on the "inner" and "heart" construction of each individual, that is, the spirit of the inner spiritual world. This is the correct path for humanity to move toward a bright future. Philosophically speaking, one of the goal orientations of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is to dedicate itself to the construction of each person's inner emotional world, psychological world, spiritual world, and soul world, as well as their subjectivity. In doing so, it aims to resolve both the problem of individual "spiritual slackening" and the problem of individual "spiritual anxiety."

首先需要思考的是中国式现代化与个体精神世界的关系问题。新中国成立尤其是改革开放以来，党的全部理论和实践的立足点，是中国式现代化，或者说，其底层逻辑是中国式现代化。广阔的宏观世界会对每一个个体的微观世界尤其是精神世界产生广泛而深刻的影响，主要体现在每一个个体的内在精神世界也需要现代化。这里有一条“由外向内的建设规律”。一般而言，人们所注重的各种建设，大都是沿着“先外后内”的逻辑进行的。从历史看，中国对西方现代化的回应，是沿着“器物”—“制度”—“文化”“外在模仿—内在主体”的历史逻辑进行的，器物属于人之外的“外部世界建设”范畴，外在模仿性强，文化之中的“善”属于文明，这就走入了人的内心精神世界的“主体性”建设，习近平总书记明确指出，“现代化的本质是人的现代化”。实质上就是讲中国式现代化在注重物的现代化、制度现代化、国家治理现代化的同时，还要从本质上更加注重“人”的内心精神世界的现代化；从现实看，改革开放之初，我国相对注重物质财富的积累，相对注重人之外的物质世界建设，中国特色社会主义进入新时代，我国就相对注重文化强国建设，开始走进人本身的内在情感世界、心理世界、心灵世界、精神世界的深处，注重确立、巩固、高扬中华民族的文化主体性；从未来看，整个人类的物质世界建设已经取得丰硕成果，如今最大的难题，就是人本身内在的情感世界、心理世界、心灵世界、精神世界出现了一时难以疗治的严重问题。这一规律给我们最大的启示就是，新时代，当务之急，整个世界的建设包括中国各方面的建设，首当其冲的是应当且必须注重每个个体的“内”“心”建设，亦即内在精神世界的精神，这是人类走向光明前景的正途。从哲学上讲，习近平文化思想的目标旨向之一，就是致力于每个人的内在情感世界、心理世界、心灵世界和精神世界及其主体性建设，以此，既解决个体的“精神懈怠”问题，也解决个体的“精神焦虑”问题。

The second issue to consider is the relationship between Chinese-path modernization and the consolidation of the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, the creation of a new form of human civilization, and its impact on the individual's spiritual world. Modernization was initiated by the West, and subsequently gave rise to Eurocentrism, which further expanded to form the Western-centric theory. The Western-centric theory constructed a framework of "the East being subordinate to the West." The Western-centric theory has had a broad, lasting, and profound impact on the entire world. Its impact on the West is that since modern times, many Western philosophical and social sciences and their major theories have largely been constructed based on the Western-centric theory, or, in other words, their underlying logic is largely the Western-centric theory. The impact of Western modernization and the Western-centric theory on China is that since modern times, China has launched wave after wave of responses to the impact of Western modernization and the Western-centric theory. Initially, these responses were externally coerced, passive, defensive, and imitative. Since the birth of the Communist Party of China, it has changed this past passive and defensive response into an active, endogenous, and creative response. Its highest achievement has been the successful advancement and expansion of Chinese-path modernization. Chinese-path modernization emerged precisely to transcend the historical limitations of Western modernization and deconstruct the Western-centric theory. Its goal orientation is to break out of the framework of "the East being subordinate to the West," create a "new cultural life form," [1]1 "New cultural life form" (新的文化生命体) refers to a dynamic, organic entity of culture that emerges from the integration of Marxism with China's fine traditional culture, embodying a creative transformation and innovative development. produce the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization and a new form of human civilization, and establish and consolidate the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. Consequently, the "Sino-Western debate," especially the "Sino-Western ideological debate," is at its core a debate between the theory of Chinese-path modernization and the Western-centric theory, a "contest of subjectivity" on the issue of Sino-Western ideology, and a contest between the West's "dominating the world through hegemony" and China's "prevailing in the world through virtue." [2]2 "Prevailing in the world through virtue" (德行天下) is a classical Chinese ideal, contrasting with rule by force, suggesting that moral excellence and virtuous conduct enable one to gain universal recognition and influence. In fact, "all contests" are mostly related to the "contest of subjectivity." Here, if we focus on each individual, the issue that needs deep consideration is: how to both consolidate the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation and establish the subjectivity of each individual, or possess what Marx called an independent personality with autonomous individuality, because the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation must ultimately be grounded in the subjectivity of each individual. This is gradually realized in the historical process of building China into a cultural power in the New Era. Another related issue is: how to correctly handle the relationship between national prosperity and individual subjective development. In the New Era, the great cause of building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation is advancing actively and rapidly, and China's economic and social development has achieved historic accomplishments and undergone historic transformations. At the same time, each of us faces immense pressures of survival, development, spirit, and establishing subjectivity. This pressure is difficult to describe with the word "tired." Today, there is indeed a real contradiction between national prosperity and individual development, between national strength and individual insignificance. To resolve this contradiction, our Party and state are strengthening cultural construction, actively improving the quality of life of the people, enriching the people's spiritual world, and actively promoting common prosperity in the spiritual life of all the people. For each individual, it is particularly necessary to continuously enhance their inner drive and strengthen their spiritual power, so as to effectively resist pressures from all sides.

其次需要思考的是中国式现代化与巩固中华民族文化主体性、创造人类文明新形态的关系问题及其对个人精神世界的影响问题。现代化是由西方开启的，之后便产生了欧洲中心主义，其进一步拓展就形成了西方中心论。西方中心论建构起了“东方从属于西方”的框架。西方中心论对整个世界都产生广泛、持久和深刻的影响。对西方的影响，就是近代以来西方众多的哲学社会科学及其重大理论，大都是基于西方中心论建构起来的，或者说，其底层逻辑大都是西方中心论。西方现代化、西方中心论对中国的影响，就是近代以来，中国对西方现代化和西方中心论的冲击掀起了一波一波的回应。这种回应，起初是外逼的、被动的、防御的、模仿的。自中国共产党诞生以后，就一改过去那种被动防御性的回应为积极主动的、内生的、创造性的应对，其最高成果，就是成功推进和拓展了中国式现代化。中国式现代化就是为超越西方现代化的历史局限和解构西方中心论而出场的，其目标旨向，就是走出“东方从属于西方”的框架，造就“新的文化生命体”，创造中国式现代化的文化形态和人类文明新形态，确立并巩固中华民族的文化主体性。由此，“中西之争”尤其是“中西意识形态之争”，核心就是中国式现代化理论与西方中心论之争，就是中西意识形态问题上的“主体性之争”，是西方的“霸行天下”与中国的“德行天下”之争。其实，“一切之争”，大都与“主体性之争”有关。这里，如果聚焦到每一个个体，就需要深入思考的问题是：如何既巩固中华民族的文化主体性，也要确立每一个个体的主体性，或具有马克思所谓的具有自主个性的独立人格，因为中华民族的文化主体性最终要落脚到每个个体的主体性上来。这是在新时代我国文化强国建设的历史进程中逐步实现的。与此相关的另一个问题是：如何正确对待国家富强和个人主体发展的关系。新时代，强国建设、民族复兴伟业积极快速推进，我国经济社会发展取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，与此同时，我们每一个个体却面临着巨大的生存压力、发展压力、精神压力和确立主体性的压力。这种压力是难以用“累”来描述的。如今，国家富强与个人发展、国家强大与个体渺小之间确实存在着现实矛盾。为解决这种矛盾，我们的党和国家加强文化建设，积极提升人民生活品质，丰富人民精神世界，积极推进全体人民精神生活共同富裕；就每一个个体而言，就特别需要不断提升其内驱力，增强精神力量，以有效抗御来自方方面面的压力。

Another issue that requires reflection is the relationship between liberating people and restraining people. In other words, it is a matter of properly handling the relationship between "letting things be lively and keeping things under control." After reform and opening up, while China achieved tremendous successes, in some localities and certain fields there also emerged the phenomenon of "chaos once things are let go, and stagnation once things are controlled." This essentially concerns the level of modernization of national governance and social governance. In the New Era, in the historical process of advancing the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, we indeed need to activate the endogenous impetus and innovative vitality of the whole society in order to "liberate people"; at the same time, we also need to impose appropriate restraints on people, that is, "restrain people," so that the whole society maintains a benign operational order, thereby promoting social balance, harmony, and stability. Only in this way can we truly achieve "seeking progress while maintaining stability." To truly accomplish this, advancing the modernization of national governance and social governance is the key; raising the level of modernization of national governance and social governance is the key to organically unifying "liberating people" and "restraining people." The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics has clear institutional advantages, but there are still certain shortcomings in governance. Therefore, it is necessary to better transform institutional advantages into national governance effectiveness. Today, to activate the endogenous impetus and innovative vitality of the whole society, it is necessary to emancipate the mind (emancipate the spiritual world), liberate people, and liberate productive forces; and to achieve social balance, harmony, and stability, it is necessary to restrain people's undesirable desires and behaviors, actively promote social fairness and justice, enhance the people's well-being, enable all the people to share the fruits of reform and development, and especially, in accordance with the people's urgent concerns and needs in daily life, further advance reforms in the micro sphere that are tangible and perceptible to the people, so that the broad masses can truly "feel" the fruits of reform and development. Here, "achievements" are "what is perceived." "Being perceived" is related both to "objective existence" and to the "perception gap" in the spiritual world. Emphasizing philosophical thinking and cultural construction can enhance an individual's perceptual ability. The above discussion contains a law of reform and development, namely, adhering to the unity of impetus, balance, and governance. It has been 46 years since China's reform and opening up, and it is necessary to focus on making a better top-level design for further deepening reform comprehensively. The prerequisite for this is to further understand and grasp the essence of reform, the types of reform, and especially the laws of reform. Now is indeed the time to reveal the essence of reform, the types of reform, and especially the laws of reform.

再次需要思考的是解放人和约束人的关系问题。换言之，就是解决好“放得活和管得住的关系”问题。改革开放以后，我国在取得巨大成就的同时，一些地方和某些领域也出现了“一放就乱、一管就死”的现象。这在本质上涉及国家治理、社会治理的现代化水平问题。新时代，在推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业历史进程中，我们确实需要激活全社会的内生动力和创新活力以“解放人”；同时也需要对人进行适当约束亦即“约束人”，从而使整个社会保持良性的运行秩序，进而促进社会平衡和谐稳定，这样才能真正做到“稳中求进”；要真正做到这一点，推进国家治理现代化、社会治理现代化是关键，提升国家治理、社会治理的现代化水平，是把“解放人”和“约束人”有机统一起来的关键。中国特色社会主义制度具有明显制度优势，但在治理问题上还存在一定短板。所以，必须把制度优势更好地转化为国家治理效能。如今，要激活全社会的内生动力和创新活力，需要解放思想（解放精神世界）、解放人、解放生产力；而要使社会达到平衡和谐稳定，需要约束人的不良欲求与行为，积极促进社会公平正义，增进人民福祉，使全体人民共享改革发展成果，尤其需要根据人民群众的急难愁盼与民生所需，进一步推进微观领域人民群众可感可及的改革，使广大人民群众真正能“感受到”改革发展的成果。这里，“成就”就是“被感知”。“被感知”，既与“客观存在”有关，也与精神世界中的“感差”有关。注重哲学思维与文化建设，能提升个体的感知能力。上述论述蕴含一条改革与发展的规律，即坚持动力、平衡、治理相统一。我国改革开放已经46年了，需要注重对进一步全面深化改革做出更好的顶层设计。其前提，就是需要进一步理解和把握改革的本质、改革的类型，尤其是改革的规律。现在确实到了该揭示改革的本质、改革的类型，尤其是改革规律的时候了。

Finally, what needs to be considered is the relative distinction between culture and civilization. The concrete reality of China in the New Era has fully brought out the contemporary value of fine traditional Chinese culture. With the Second Integration [3]3 The Second Integration refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China's fine traditional culture, as distinct from the first integration with China's concrete reality. It was formally proposed by Xi Jinping in 2023., and especially the introduction of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, people have paid more attention to the study of cultural issues. One of the goal orientations of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is, based on moving from culture toward civilization, to construct the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization and create a new form of human civilization. Here, "culture" and "civilization" are relatively distinct. For a fairly long historical period, both domestically and internationally, the relative distinction between culture and civilization has not been clearly understood, and they are often used interchangeably. In China, civilization is often equated with culture, while in the West, culture is often equated with civilization. In fact, culture is the prerequisite of civilization; civilization originates from culture, yet at the same time transcends culture; civilization is the sublimation of culture. Culture relatively emphasizes "humanization" and "externalization," while civilization relatively emphasizes "cultivating people" and "internalization"; culture has a distinction between good and evil — there is cultural good and cultural evil — while civilization only differs by region and characteristic; culture focuses on "being," while civilization focuses on "virtue." Fostering virtue and nurturing talent means first paying attention to culture's "civilizing" effect on people, transforming natural persons into "knowledgeable persons," and then further paying attention to civilization's "cultivating" effect on people, transforming "knowledgeable persons" into "civilized persons." Having knowledge without virtue leads to refined egoism; having knowledge and virtue, with moral and intellectual progress, is true civilization. One of the goal orientations of building a culturally strong country is to cultivate cultured persons and shape civilized persons. This concerns the construction of each individual's inner world — that is, building each person into someone who possesses both endogenous impetus and innovative vitality, and who also abides by rules, maintains order, and possesses virtue. Unifying endogenous impetus and innovative vitality with abiding by rules and possessing virtue requires, at the level of cognition and consciousness, philosophical thinking.

最后需要思考的是文化和文明相对区别的问题。新时代的中国具体实际把中华优秀传统文化的时代价值充分彰显出来了，“第二个结合”，尤其是习近平文化思想的提出，人们更加注重研究文化问题。习近平文化思想的目标旨向之一，就是基于文化走向文明，建构中国式现代化的文化形态，创造人类文明新形态。这里的“文化”和“文明”是相对区分的。在相当长的历史时期内，国内外都没有明确把文化和文明的相对区别搞清楚，且常常混同一起使用。在中国，时常把文明等同文化，而在西方，往往把文化等同文明。其实，文化是文明的前提，文明源于文化，同时又超越文化，文明是对文化的升华。文化相对注重“人化”“外化”，文明则相对注重“化人”“内化”；文化具有善恶之分，有文化之善，也有文化之恶，文明只有地域和特色之别；文化侧重“在性”，文明则注重“德性”。立德树人，是要先注重文化对人的“教化”，使自然人成为“知识人”，然后是要进一步注重文明对人的“教养”，使“知识人”成为“文明人”。有知无德，会走向精致利己主义，有知有德、德智进步，才是真正的文明。文化强国建设的目标旨向之一，就是培育文化人和塑造文明人，这涉及每个个体内在建设世界的建设问题，即把每个人建设成为既具有内生动力和创新活力的人，也建设成为守规矩、守秩序且有德性的人。把内生动力、创新活力与守规矩、有德性统一起来，在认知和意识上，就需要哲学思维。

(The author is a first-level professor at the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance) and the leading expert of the Central Party School Expert Studio.)

（作者系中央党校（国家行政学院）一级教授、中央党校专家工作室领衔专家）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧