Enhancing the Ideological Leading Power of Socialist Culture with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture contains a series of major innovative viewpoints and covers a range of strategic deployments, among which a very important element is promoting cultural prosperity and building a cultural power. General Secretary Xi Jinping, when presiding over the 17th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th Central Committee, emphasized "continuously developing a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era that possesses strong ideological leading power, spiritual cohesion, value appeal, and international influence," further deepening our understanding of the laws governing the construction of socialist culture. To promote cultural prosperity and development and build a cultural power in the New Era, we must make sustained and unremitting efforts to enhance the ideological leading power of culture.

习近平文化思想蕴含一系列重大创新观点、涵盖一系列战略部署，其中很重要的一个内容就是推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国。习近平总书记在主持二十届中央政治局第十七次集体学习时强调“不断发展具有强大思想引领力、精神凝聚力、价值感召力、国际影响力的新时代中国特色社会主义文化”，进一步深化了我们对社会主义文化建设规律的认识。新时代推进文化繁荣发展、建设文化强国，就要在增强文化的思想引领力上绵绵用力、久久为功。

Ideological Leading Power Constitutes the Core Competitiveness of Culture

思想引领力构成文化的核心竞争力

Thought is the soul of culture, and culture is the carrier of thought. Every kind of culture carries and reflects a specific system of ideas and concepts. This system of ideas and concepts determines the nature of the culture and also serves as the yardstick for distinguishing advanced culture from backward culture. Against the backdrop of current multicultural competition, ideological leading power constitutes the core competitiveness of culture.

思想是文化的灵魂，文化是思想的载体。任何一种文化都承载和反映着特定的思想观念体系，这种思想观念体系决定着文化的性质，也是区分文化先进与落后的标尺。在当前多元文化竞争的背景下，思想引领力构成文化的核心竞争力。

Thought itself is a form of culture, located at the innermost core of the cultural structure. In the sense of cultural studies, thought can be regarded as conceptual culture, which, together with material culture, institutional culture, and behavioral culture, constitutes the overall form of culture. Examining human cultural phenomena from the perspective of historical materialism, one finds that the material foundation of cultures in different social formations is the mode of production, while their core is the system of ideas and concepts reflecting that specific mode of production. In the history of human thought, no theory has reached the heights of Marxism, and no ideology has exerted such extensive and profound influence on the progress of human civilization as Marxism. Socialist culture takes Marxism as its core; this is the essence and the reason for its advanced nature.

思想本身是文化的一种形态，是处于文化结构最内核的部分。在文化学意义上，可以把思想看作是一种理念文化，它与物质文化、制度文化、行为文化等构成文化的整体形态。从唯物史观来考察人类的文化现象会发现，不同社会形态文化的物质基础是生产方式，而其内核则是反映特定生产方式的思想观念体系。在人类思想史上，没有一种理论能达到马克思主义的高度，也没有一种思想能像马克思主义那样对人类文明进步产生了如此广泛而深刻的影响。社会主义文化以马克思主义为内核，这是其具有先进性的本质所在和原因所在。

The development of human society is a process of continuously moving towards world history. In this process, the cultural development of different nations has also been stamped with the brand of "world history." Currently, the trend of exchange, interaction, and confrontation among cultures worldwide is becoming increasingly prominent, and the struggle for discourse power between different cultures is intensifying, the core of which is the struggle for the ideological high ground. To fully demonstrate the advanced nature of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, the most crucial step is to enhance the ideological leading power of culture. This requires us, based on China's national conditions and grasping the general trend of world development, to continuously advance the Party's theoretical innovation and scientifically answer the questions posed by China, the world, the people, and the times. In the historical process of opening up new horizons for 21st-century Marxism, we must promote the prosperity and development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, so that the socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era can not only nourish the spiritual world of contemporary Chinese people but also provide cultural support for constructing a new form of human civilization. This is the theoretical mission inherent in Marxism itself and should also be the epochal mission of cultural construction in the New Era.

人类社会的发展是一个不断走向世界历史的过程。在此过程中，不同民族的文化发展也打上“世界历史”的烙印。当前，世界范围内文化交流交融交锋的态势日益凸显，不同文化之间话语权的争夺日趋激烈，其核心是思想制高点的争夺。我们要充分彰显中国特色社会主义文化的先进性，最为关键的就是提升文化的思想引领力。这就要求我们在立足中国国情、把握世界发展大势的基础上不断推进党的理论创新，科学回答中国之问、世界之问、人民之问、时代之问。在开辟21世纪马克思主义发展新境界的历史进程中，推进中国特色社会主义文化的繁荣发展，使新时代中国特色社会主义文化不仅能够滋养当代中国人的精神世界，也能够对构建人类文明新形态提供文化支撑。这是马克思主义本身内具的理论使命，也应当是新时代文化建设的时代使命。

The Party's Century-Long Struggle History Demonstrates the Ideological Leading Power of Advanced Culture

党的百年奋斗史彰显先进文化的思想引领力

In the process of leading the Chinese people to create great historical achievements, the Communist Party of China has continuously advanced adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, developed a socialist culture that is national, scientific, and popular, and fully demonstrated the ideological leading power of advanced culture in opening up the path of cultural development for socialism with Chinese characteristics.

中国共产党在带领中国人民创造历史伟业的进程中不断推进马克思主义中国化时代化，发展民族的科学的大众的社会主义文化，在开辟中国特色社会主义文化发展道路中充分彰显了先进文化的思想引领力。

The Party's century-long struggle history is not only a history of the Party continuously advancing adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times but also a history of the Party leading the people in continuously achieving cultural renewal and cultural advancement. In the different historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform, our Party, taking theoretical innovation as the guide, continuously broke through the barriers of old ideas and concepts, achieved new ideological emancipation, and continuously opened up new realms for the development of Marxism, laying a solid ideological foundation for developing a national, scientific, and popular socialist culture. In the historical process of advancing adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, our Party, based on inheriting and continuing fine traditional Chinese culture, continuously developed revolutionary culture and advanced socialist culture, opening up the path of cultural development for socialism with Chinese characteristics.

党的百年奋斗史既是党不断推进马克思主义中国化时代化的历史，也是党领导人民不断实现文化更新、文化奋进的历史。在革命、建设、改革的不同历史时期，我们党以理论创新为先导，不断突破旧的思想观念藩篱，获得新的思想解放，不断开辟马克思主义发展的新境界，为发展民族的科学的大众的社会主义文化奠定了坚实的思想基础。在推进马克思主义中国化时代化的历史进程中，我们党在赓续传承中华优秀传统文化的基础上，不断发展革命文化、社会主义先进文化，开辟了中国特色社会主义文化发展道路。

Historically, the New Culture Movement [1]1 The “Two Integrations” refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture, a key theoretical formulation of Xi Jinping Thought. that arose before the founding of the Communist Party of China was a far-reaching ideological enlightenment movement. It greatly promoted the spread of Marxism-Leninism in China, prepared the ideological ground for the founding of the Communist Party of China, and also became an important spiritual resource for cultivating the great founding spirit of the Party [2]2 The “Second Integration” specifically refers to the integration of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, which Xi Jinping has described as “another ideological emancipation.” and nurturing revolutionary culture. After the founding of the Communist Party of China, it actively promoted cultural prosperity and development. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: "We will not only transform a China that is politically oppressed and

历史地看，中国共产党成立之前兴起的新文化运动是一场影响深远的思想启蒙运动，极大推动了马克思列宁主义在中国的传播，为中国共产党的成立做了思想上的准备，也成为培育伟大建党精神、孕育革命文化的重要精神资源。中国共产党成立后，积极推动文化繁荣发展。毛泽东同志指出：“我们不但要把一个政治上受压迫、经济上受剥削的中国，变为一个政治上自由和经济上繁荣的中国，而且要把一个被旧文化统治因而愚昧落后的中国，变为一个被新文化统治因而文明先进的中国。”新民主主义革命时期，中国共产党人在总结正反两方面经验教训的基础上提出了“马克思主义中国化”的重大命题。这一思想理论上的重大突破，为文化建设提供了正确的思想坐标。

From that time to the present, our Party has, in different historical periods, kept pace with the changes of the times and the development of practice, advancing with the times to put forward its own cultural program, cultural goals, and cultural policies. During the period of the New Democratic Revolution, it proposed "establishing a new culture for the Chinese nation"; during the period of socialist revolution and construction, it proposed "scientific and cultural modernization"; during the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, it proposed "building a socialist cultural-ethical progress." [1]1 The “Two Integrations” refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture, a key theoretical formulation of Xi Jinping Thought. Entering the New Era, our Party's understanding of the goals and tasks of cultural construction has continued to deepen. The 18th National Congress of the CPC proposed "solidly advancing the building of a socialist cultural power"; the 19th National Congress of the CPC proposed "strengthening cultural confidence and promoting the flourishing and prosperity of socialist culture"; the 20th National Congress of the CPC proposed "advancing cultural confidence and self-reliance, and forging new brilliance in socialist culture." [2]2 The “Second Integration” specifically refers to the integration of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, which Xi Jinping has described as “another ideological emancipation.” Our Party has always upheld the guiding role of Marxism in the ideological domain, striven to strengthen the ideological leadership of culture, and provided an inexhaustible source of spiritual motivation for uniting and rallying the strength of the entire people to jointly create historical achievements and inspire the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation to jointly build a beautiful homeland.

从那时到现在，我们党在不同历史时期结合时代变化和实践发展，与时俱进地提出自己的文化纲领、文化目标、文化政策。新民主主义革命时期提出“建立中华民族的新文化”，社会主义革命和建设时期提出“科学文化现代化”，改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期提出“建设社会主义精神文明”。进入新时代，我们党对文化建设目标任务的认识持续深化。党的十八大提出“扎实推进社会主义文化强国建设”，党的十九大提出“坚定文化自信，推动社会主义文化繁荣兴盛”，党的二十大提出“推进文化自信自强，铸就社会主义文化新辉煌”。我们党始终坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位，着力增强文化的思想引领力，为团结凝聚全体人民力量共创历史伟业、激励中华儿女共建美好家园提供了源源不断的精神动力。

Upholding the "Two Integrations" to Advance Theoretical Innovation and Cultural Flourishing

坚持“两个结合”推进理论创新和文化繁荣

Literature carries the Way, and culture transforms people. [3]3 This is a paraphrase of a well-known statement by Karl Marx: “Theory is capable of gripping the masses as soon as it demonstrates ad hominem, and it demonstrates ad hominem as soon as it becomes radical. To be radical is to grasp things by the root. But for man the root is man himself.” (Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Law, 1844) To shoulder the cultural mission of the New Era, promote cultural flourishing, and build a cultural power, it is necessary to adhere to the guidance of Marxism, deeply perceive the inherent laws of theoretical innovation and cultural flourishing, promote the continuous enrichment and development of the Party's innovative theories in upholding the "Two Integrations," strengthen cultural confidence, enhance cultural identity, and continuously strengthen the ideological leadership of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era.

文以载道，以文化人。担负新时代的文化使命，推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国，需要坚持以马克思主义为指导，深刻洞察理论创新和文化繁荣的内在规律，在坚持“两个结合”中推动党的创新理论不断丰富发展，坚定文化自信，增进文化认同，不断增强新时代中国特色社会主义文化的思想引领力。

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture systematically answers the major questions of what kind of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics to uphold and develop in the New Era and how to uphold and develop it, providing ideological guidance for our promotion of cultural construction in the New Era. At the same time, the Party Central Committee has made a series of strategic deployments for cultural construction in the New Era and continuously deepened the strategic layout. Theoretical breakthroughs and practical innovations continuously advance the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, and in this process, the ideological leadership of culture is fully demonstrated.

习近平文化思想系统回答了新时代坚持和发展什么样的中国特色社会主义文化、怎样坚持和发展中国特色社会主义文化的重大课题，为我们推动新时代文化建设提供了思想指引。同时，党中央对新时代文化建设作出一系列战略部署、持续深化战略布局。理论上的创新突破和实践上的创新探索，不断推进新时代中国特色社会主义文化建设，也在此过程中充分展现了文化的思想引领力。

Adhering to the “Two Integrations”[1]1 The “Two Integrations” refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture, a key theoretical formulation of Xi Jinping Thought. and continuously promoting the Party’s theoretical innovation are the prerequisites for strengthening the thought-leading power of culture. General Secretary Xi Jinping has profoundly grasped the intrinsic relationship between Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture, clearly proposing to “integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture,” emphasizing that the “Second Integration”[2]2 The “Second Integration” specifically refers to the integration of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, which Xi Jinping has described as “another ideological emancipation.” is another ideological emancipation, fully reflecting our Party’s profound grasp of the inherent laws governing theoretical innovation and cultural flourishing. Continuously advancing the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture is not only the necessary path to open up new realms for the development of Marxism in contemporary China and the 21st century, but also the necessary path to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. We deeply recognize that socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, rooted in the soil of China’s five-thousand-year culture, nurtured through the Party-led century-long struggle, and tempered in the great practice of the New Era, is itself a product of the “Two Integrations.” To develop socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, we must uphold the guiding position of Marxism, adhere to the Party’s cultural leadership, occupy the ideological high ground, continuously advance theoretical innovation and cultural flourishing through the “Two Integrations,” and strive to enhance the thought-leading power of culture.

坚持“两个结合”，不断推动党的理论创新，是增强文化的思想引领力的前提。习近平总书记深刻洞察马克思主义与中华优秀传统文化的内在关系，鲜明提出“把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合”，强调“第二个结合”是又一次的思想解放，充分体现了我们党对推动理论创新和文化繁荣内在规律的深刻把握。不断推进马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合，既是开辟当代中国马克思主义、21世纪马克思主义发展新境界的必由之路，也是推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展的必由之路。我们深刻认识到，新时代中国特色社会主义文化，植根于中华五千年文化土壤，孕育于党领导的百余年奋斗，淬炼于新时代伟大实践，本身是“两个结合”的产物。发展新时代中国特色社会主义文化，必须坚持马克思主义的指导地位，坚持党的文化领导权，占领思想制高点，不断在“两个结合”中推进理论创新和文化繁荣，着力提升文化的思想引领力。

Adhering to consolidating souls and forging spirits with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the key to strengthening the thought-leading power of culture. Our Party has always attached great importance to arming the entire Party and educating the people with the latest achievements of the Party’s innovative theories. This is also an inevitable choice for strengthening the thought-leading power of culture. To advance cultural construction in the New Era, we must deepen the theoretical arming of the Party’s innovative theories, adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, continuously transform the power of thought into the power of practice, and continuously enhance the whole society’s political identification, ideological identification, theoretical identification, and emotional identification with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想凝心铸魂，是增强文化的思想引领力的关键。我们党历来高度重视用党的创新理论的最新成果武装全党、教育人民。这也是增强文化的思想引领力的必然选择。推进新时代文化建设，要深化党的创新理论武装，坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，不断把思想伟力转化为实践伟力，不断增进全社会对习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的政治认同、思想认同、理论认同、情感认同。

Theory, as long as it is thorough, can convince people.[3]3 This is a paraphrase of a well-known statement by Karl Marx: “Theory is capable of gripping the masses as soon as it demonstrates ad hominem, and it demonstrates ad hominem as soon as it becomes radical. To be radical is to grasp things by the root. But for man the root is man himself.” (Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Law, 1844) The thought-leading power of culture, ultimately, is premised on the thoroughness of theory, and the power of thought also needs to achieve a subtle and silent effect through the carrier of culture. The construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era needs to adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping’s Cultural Thought, continuously realize the two-way interaction between ideological content and cultural carriers in the process of understanding the substance and applying it, and achieving the integration of substance and application,[4]4 “Understanding the substance and applying it, and achieving the integration of substance and application” (明体达用、体用贯通) is a classical Chinese philosophical concept, here used to describe the relationship between theoretical content (substance) and cultural forms (application). continuously strengthen the people’s spiritual strength, and consolidate the cultural foundation for building a strong country and achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

理论只要彻底就能说服人。文化的思想引领力说到底是以理论的彻底性为前提的，而思想的力量也需要通过文化的载体才能达到润物细无声的效果，新时代中国特色社会主义文化建设需要坚持以习近平文化思想为指导，在明体达用、体用贯通中不断实现思想内容和文化载体的双向互动，不断增强人民精神力量，筑牢强国建设、民族复兴的文化根基。

(The author is Dean of the School of Marxism at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and a researcher at the Shanghai Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era)

（作者系上海交通大学马克思主义学院院长、上海市习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心