Overview of Theoretical and Academic Perspectives for 2024 – Marxist Philosophy

Scientifically elucidating Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, grasping the relationship between the “soul” and the “roots”

科学阐释习近平文化思想，把握“魂”和“根”关系问题

Xi Jinping’s cultural thought is rich in content and systematic in structure. It is the latest theoretical achievement of the Chinese Communist Party in the cultural sphere, a enrichment and development of Marxist cultural theory, and fully reflects a series of original new ideas, new viewpoints, and new judgments by General Secretary Xi Jinping on cultural construction. It constitutes the cultural chapter of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, realizing the innovative development of Marxist cultural theory and Chinese culture. Academic research on Xi Jinping’s cultural thought has continued unabated, and the publication of the *Study Outline for Xi Jinping’s Cultural Thought* has pushed related research to a new climax.

习近平文化思想内涵丰富、体系严整，是中国共产党在文化领域取得的最新理论成果，是马克思主义文化理论的丰富和发展，充分反映了习近平总书记关于文化建设的一系列原创性的新思想新观点新论断，构成习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的文化篇，实现了马克思主义文化理论与中华文化的创新发展。学界对习近平文化思想的研究热度持续不断，《习近平文化思想学习纲要》的出版，更将相关研究推上新高潮。

Some scholars emphasize that, from the perspective of solving the fundamental problems of cultural development and connecting important theses across all domains of cultural development, the cornerstone and fundamental core theory within Xi Jinping’s cultural thought is the theory of cultural subjectivity. Xi Jinping’s cultural thought, in its theoretical form, makes principles manifest and applicable, resolving the “ancient-modern, Chinese-Western debate”; in its practical form, it integrates substance and function, breaking free from the rut of “substance-function dichotomy”; overall, it upholds fundamental principles and breaks new ground, scientifically resolving the relationship between the “soul vein” and the “root vein,” creatively combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture, and using systematic thinking, innovative thinking, and bottom-line thinking to indicate the mission and direction of cultural construction in the New Era. Xi Jinping’s cultural thought provides both a “how to see” – profoundly elucidating the theoretical principles of socialist cultural construction with Chinese characteristics – and a “how to do” – clearly proposing the “golden key” for practical problems in propaganda, ideology, and cultural work in the New Era. For example: the “four persistent adherences” for news and public opinion work; the “six characteristics” to be embodied in constructing a philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics; the “eight unifications” for innovation and reform in ideological and political theory courses; the need to “adapt to events, advance with the times, and innovate with the situation” in doing ideological and political work in higher education; and the need to “speak with facts, speak with image, speak with emotion, speak with reason” in telling China’s stories well. Xi Jinping’s cultural thought also includes the “five theses” on ideological work, which are clear in theme and systematic in content: the thesis on the positioning of ideological work, the thesis on the situation, the thesis on tasks, the thesis on the subject, and the thesis on standpoint, focusing on answering what kind of socialist ideology with Chinese characteristics to uphold and develop in the New Era.

有学者强调，从解决文化发展根本问题、贯通文化发展各个领域重要论断角度看，习近平文化思想中基石性、根本性的核心理论是文化主体性理论。习近平文化思想，在理论形态上明体达用，破解“古今中西之争”，在实践形态上体用贯通，破解“体用二分”窠臼，总体上守正创新，科学解决“魂脉”和“根脉”关系问题，创造性地将马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合，并以系统思维、创新思维和底线思维等指明新时代文化建设的使命和方向。习近平文化思想既有“怎么看”——深刻阐明中国特色社会主义文化建设的学理，又有“怎么干”——针对实际问题明确提出新时代宣传思想文化工作的“金钥匙”。比如：“四个牢牢坚持”做好新闻舆论工作；中国特色哲学社会科学构建要体现“六性”；思想政治理论课改革创新要做到“八个相统一”；“要因事而化、因时而进、因势而新”做好高校思想政治工作；讲好中国故事要“讲事实、讲形象、讲情感、讲道理”等。习近平文化思想还包括主旨鲜明、系统完备的意识形态工作“五论”，即意识形态工作定位论、形势论、任务论、主体论及立场论，重点回答新时代坚持和发展什么样的中国特色社会主义意识形态。

Some scholars point out that the “integration” in the “Two Integrations” is universal; every leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times has been accompanied by the realization of “integration.” “Integration” is arduous; understanding national conditions, grasping the characteristics of the times, especially maintaining one’s own independence in a complex international environment, and scientifically understanding one’s own fine traditional culture, are all extremely difficult. “Integration” is creative; the “Second Integration” has made our historical understanding of Chinese civilization more scientific and comprehensive, and has made our understanding of Marxism and scientific socialism deeper and more systematic.

有学者指出，“两个结合”的“结合”具有普遍性，马克思主义中国化时代化的每一次飞跃都伴随着“结合”的实现；“结合”具有艰辛性，认识国情、把握时代特点特别是在复杂的国际环境中保持自身独立性、对本国优秀传统文化的科学认识，都极为困难；“结合”具有创造性，“第二个结合”使我们对中华文明的历史认识更加科学、全面，使我们对马克思主义、对科学社会主义的认识更加深刻更加系统。

Constructing a theoretical system for the Chinese national community, highlighting the characteristics of China’s independent knowledge system

构建中华民族共同体理论体系，彰显我国自主知识体系特质

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during the ninth collective study session of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee that “forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation requires constructing a scientific and complete theoretical system for the Chinese national community.” Taking this as a starting point, academia has conducted multifaceted research on constructing a theoretical system for the Chinese national community, gradually making it an important manifestation of China’s independent knowledge system.

习近平总书记在中共中央政治局第九次集体学习时强调“铸牢中华民族共同体意识，需要构建科学完备的中华民族共同体理论体系。”以此为始点，学界对构建中华民族共同体理论体系作了多方面研究，使其逐步成为我国自主知识体系的重要彰显。

Some scholars propose constructing the theoretical system for the Chinese national community from four aspects: “founding background, profound transformation, basic content, and distinctive characteristics.” The new era’s progress, the new historical juncture, the practice of ethnic work, and the methodological guidance of the “Two Integrations” constitute the founding background of the theoretical system for the Chinese national community. The innovation in conceptual propositions, research paradigms, and theoretical narratives highlights the profound transformation of the theoretical system for the Chinese national community. The “main line and guiding principle thesis,” the “two origins thesis,” the “common unity thesis,” the “historical orientation thesis,” the “value and significance thesis,” the “basic system thesis,” the “winning people’s hearts thesis,” and the “leadership force thesis” form the basic content of the theoretical system for the Chinese national community. Its isomorphism with the Sinicized and modernized Marxist ethnic theory, the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization, and the common modernization of all ethnic groups in the New Era constitute the distinctive characteristics of the theoretical system for the Chinese national community.

有学者提出从“创立背景、深刻变革、基本内容、鲜明特质”四个方面构建中华民族共同体理论体系。新的时代进程、新的历史方位、民族工作实践和“两个结合”的方法论指引构成中华民族共同体理论体系的创立背景；概念命题、研究范式、理论叙事的革新彰显中华民族共同体理论体系的深刻变革；“主线和纲论”“两个源自论”“共同一体论”“历史方位论”“价值意义论”“基本制度论”“争取人心论”“领导力量论”组成中华民族共同体理论体系的基本内容；与中国化时代化的马克思主义民族理论、中华文明的突出特性、新时代各民族共同现代化同构是中华民族共同体理论体系的鲜明特质。

Other scholars analyze from the perspective of the constituent elements of the theoretical system for the Chinese national community, arguing that it should include “the ontology theory of the Chinese national community, the theory of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, and the theory of constructing the Chinese national community.” These three respectively point to “facts,” “consciousness,” and “practice,” forming a dynamic cyclical system of “ontology – consciousness – practice.”

也有学者从中华民族共同体理论体系的构成要件角度进行分析，认为其应当包括“中华民族共同体本体理论、铸牢中华民族共同体意识理论和中华民族共同体建设理论”，三者分别指向“事实”“观念”“实践”，形成“本体—意识—实践”的能动循环体系。

Still other scholars further focus on the commonality theoretical structure of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, emphasizing that this sense of community is nurtured and generated from the complementarity of inter-ethnic interests, the commonality of memory and emotion, and the convergence of ethnic cultures. It is precisely the combined effect of these three structures that deeply integrates Chinese national identity and national identity in both vertical development and horizontal connection.

还有学者进一步聚焦筑牢中华民族共同体意识的共同性理论结构，强调中华民族共同体意识孕育生成于族际利益互补性、记忆情感共同性以及民族文化聚合性。正是这三重结构共同作用，使中华民族认同与国家认同在纵向发展与横向联结上被深度整合。

Completely interpreting “Marxist ecology,” constructing a three-in-one logical framework

完整诠释“马克思主义生态学”，搭建三位一体逻辑框架

Research on Marx and Engels’ ecological thought has always been a focus of Chinese academia. The practice of socialist modernization with Chinese characteristics, especially the construction of an ecological civilization, provides a realistic basis for constructing a Marxist ecology with Chinese characteristics. Some scholars’ research points out that “Chinese Marxist ecology” is an identifying concept with the nature of a root concept, from which three types of derived identifying concepts emerge: First, reflective derived concepts – conceptualized theoretical aggregations with a reflective meaning regarding the environmental pollution incidents that have successively occurred in Western countries since the 1930s and the mechanical view of nature between humans and nature in modern times during the process of ecological civilization construction, logically generating identifying concepts such as “respecting, conforming to, and protecting nature” and “a community of life on Earth.” Second, normative derived concepts – conceptualized theoretical aggregations with a normative meaning regarding the relationships between people, between people and society, between people and nature, and between society and nature during China’s ecological civilization construction process, based on reflection and reference, logically generating identifying concepts such as “socialist ecological civilization,” “beautiful China,” and “modernization of harmony between humanity and nature.” Third, constructive derived concepts – conceptualized theoretical aggregations with a constructive meaning regarding the institutional mechanisms of the economy, society, culture, and ecological civilization during China’s ecological civilization construction process, logically generating identifying concepts such as “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” and “coordinated management of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts.” These three types of derived identifying concepts, based on the concrete reality of China’s ecological civilization construction and the linguistic features of Chinese-style discourse, construct a three-in-one logical framework of “reflection – norm – construction,” relatively completely interpreting the rich connotations of the root concept of “Chinese Marxist ecology.”

对于马克思恩格斯生态思想的研究，始终是我国学界关注的重点。中国特色社会主义现代化建设尤其是生态文明建设实践，为构建具有中国特色的马克思主义生态学提供了现实基础。有学者研究指出，“中国马克思主义生态学”是具有根概念性质的标识性概念，并衍生出三类派生标识性概念：一是反思性派生概念，即在生态文明建设进程中对20世纪30年代以来西方国家相继发生的多起环境公害事件、近代以来人与自然之间的机械自然观等进行反思意义的概念化理论聚合，从而逻辑性地生成“尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然”“地球生命共同体”等标识性概念；二是规范性派生概念，即在镜鉴反思的基础上，对我国生态文明建设进程中人与人、人与社会、人与自然、社会与自然等关系进行规范意义的概念化理论聚合，从而逻辑性地生成“社会主义生态文明”“美丽中国”“人与自然和谐共生的现代化”等标识性概念；三是建构性派生概念，即在我国生态文明建设进程中，对经济、社会、文化、生态文明等体制机制展开建构意义的概念化理论聚合，从而逻辑性地生成“绿水青山就是金山银山”“统筹山水林田湖草沙系统治理”等标识性概念。三类派生标识性概念以中国生态文明建设的具体实际、中国式话语的语言面相，搭建起了“反思—规范—建构”三位一体的逻辑框架，较为完整地诠释了“中国马克思主义生态学”根概念的丰富意涵。

(Author Sun Shoutao is Vice Dean and Professor of the School of Marxism at Nankai University)

（作者孙寿涛为南开大学马克思主义学院副院长、教授）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧