Opening Up New Frontiers in Adapting Marxism to the Chinese Context and the Needs of the Times through the Two Integrations

Volume V of *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China* (hereinafter “Volume V”) profoundly elucidates the rich connotations and practical requirements of the Two Integrations, and presents in all dimensions the historic conclusion that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a major theoretical innovation achieved by adhering to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the finest traditional Chinese culture. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has opened up new frontiers in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times through the Two Integrations.

《习近平谈治国理政》第五卷（以下简称“第五卷”）深刻阐释“两个结合”的丰富内涵和实践要求，全方位呈现习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是坚持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取得的重大理论创新成果这一历史性结论。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，在“两个结合”中开辟了马克思主义中国化时代化新境界。

The Two Integrations Are the Fundamental Pathway for Advancing the Adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese Context and the Needs of the Times

“两个结合”是推进马克思主义中国化时代化的根本途径

Marxism scientifically reveals the general laws of the development of human society and is the scientific truth by which people understand and transform the world. However, Marxism does not end truth; rather, it opens up the path to truth. Engels once pointed out: “Marx’s whole world outlook is not a doctrine, but a method. It provides not ready-made dogmas, but starting points for further research and the method for this research.” Marxism must continuously develop with the evolution of the times and practice, and must enrich and develop itself by responding to new questions of the times and new demands of practice. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that Marxism is an open and developing theory; it can take root only when localized, and it can be full of vitality only when adapted to the needs of the times. In Volume V, General Secretary Xi Jinping states: “Only by integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the finest traditional Chinese culture, and by adhering to the application of dialectical materialism and historical materialism, can we correctly answer the major questions raised by the times and practice, and can we forever maintain the vigorous vitality and exuberant energy of Marxism.” This major thesis profoundly reveals the inherent laws of Marxism’s innovative development in China, scientifically answers the major proposition of how to uphold and develop Marxism, and provides the fundamental guidance for advancing the Party’s theoretical innovation. The fundamental pathway for advancing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times is to adhere to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the finest traditional Chinese culture. Only by achieving the Two Integrations can we continuously promote the Party’s theoretical innovation and continuously write new chapters in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

马克思主义科学揭示了人类社会发展的一般规律，是人们认识世界、改造世界的科学真理。但马克思主义并没有结束真理，而是开辟了通向真理的道路。恩格斯曾指出：“马克思的整个世界观不是教义，而是方法。它提供的不是现成的教条，而是进一步研究的出发点和供这种研究使用的方法。”马克思主义要随着时代和实践的发展而不断发展，要在应对时代新课题、实践新要求中丰富和发展自己。习近平总书记指出，马克思主义是不断发展的开放的理论，本土化才能落地生根，时代化才能充满生机。在第五卷中，习近平总书记指出：“只有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，坚持运用辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义，才能正确回答时代和实践提出的重大问题，才能始终保持马克思主义的蓬勃生机和旺盛活力。”这一重大论断深刻揭示了马克思主义在中国创新发展的内在规律，科学回答了如何坚持和发展马克思主义这一重大命题，为推进党的理论创新提供了根本遵循。推进马克思主义中国化时代化，根本途径就是坚持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。只有做到“两个结合”，才能不断推动党的理论创新，不断谱写马克思主义中国化时代化新境界。

Upholding and developing Marxism must be integrated with China’s specific realities. The “First Integration” primarily addresses the relationship between theory and practice, and between the subjective and the objective, focusing on overcoming dogmatism and subjectivism. When we adhere to the guidance of Marxism, we are to apply its scientific world outlook and methodology to solve China’s problems, not to recite and repeat its specific conclusions and phrases, and still less to treat Marxism as an immutable dogma. To uphold and develop Marxism in the New Era, we must proceed from the realities of the New Era in everything, focus on solving the practical problems of reform and opening up and socialist modernization in the New Era, continuously answer the questions posed by China, the world, the people, and the times, produce correct answers that conform to China’s realities and the requirements of the times, arrive at scientific understandings that accord with objective laws, form theoretical results that keep pace with the times, and better guide China’s practice.

坚持和发展马克思主义，必须同中国具体实际相结合。“第一个结合”主要解决的是理论与实践、主观与客观之间的关系问题，着重破除教条主义、主观主义。我们坚持以马克思主义为指导，是要运用其科学的世界观和方法论解决中国的问题，而不是要背诵和重复其具体结论和词句，更不能把马克思主义当成一成不变的教条。新时代坚持和发展马克思主义，就必须坚持一切从新时代的实际出发，着眼于解决新时代改革开放和社会主义现代化建设的实际问题，不断回答中国之问、世界之问、人民之问、时代之问，作出符合中国实际和时代要求的正确回答，得出符合客观规律的科学认识，形成与时俱进的理论成果，更好指导中国实践。

Upholding and developing Marxism must be integrated with the finest traditional Chinese culture. The “Second Integration” primarily addresses the issues of exchange, integration, and innovative fusion between two different cultures, focusing on overcoming cultural nihilism and historical nihilism. Only by taking root in the historical and cultural soil of one’s own country and nation can the tree of Marxist truth flourish and thrive. Whether in the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC included in Volume V or in his speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development, General Secretary Xi Jinping has systematically expounded the high degree of compatibility between Marxism and scientific socialism on the one hand, and the finest traditional Chinese culture on the other. To uphold and develop Marxism in the New Era, we must strengthen historical confidence and cultural confidence, adhere to the principle of making the past serve the present and weeding through the old to bring forth the new, integrate the essence of Marxist thought with the cream of the finest traditional Chinese culture, and link it with the common values that the people use daily without conscious awareness. We must continuously endow scientific theory with distinct Chinese characteristics, continuously consolidate the historical and popular foundations for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and let Marxism take deep root in China.

坚持和发展马克思主义，必须同中华优秀传统文化相结合。“第二个结合”主要解决的是两种不同文化之间的交流交融、融合创新的问题，着重破除文化虚无主义、历史虚无主义。只有植根本国、本民族历史文化沃土，马克思主义真理之树才能根深叶茂。无论是在第五卷收录的党的二十大报告中，还是在文化传承发展座谈会上的讲话，习近平总书记都集中阐述了马克思主义、科学社会主义与中华优秀传统文化具有高度的契合性。新时代坚持和发展马克思主义，就必须坚定历史自信、文化自信，坚持古为今用、推陈出新，把马克思主义思想精髓同中华优秀传统文化精华贯通起来、同人民群众日用而不觉的共同价值观念融通起来，不断赋予科学理论鲜明的中国特色，不断夯实马克思主义中国化时代化的历史基础和群众基础，让马克思主义在中国牢牢扎根。

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era Is a Model of Adhering to the Two Integrations

习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是坚持“两个结合”的典范

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have adhered to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the finest traditional Chinese culture, upheld Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development, profoundly summarized and fully applied the Party’s historical experience since its founding, proceeded from new realities, and founded Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This thought is a brilliant model of adhering to the Two Integrations. From the combination of theory and practice, it systematically answers the major questions of the times: what kind of socialism with Chinese characteristics to uphold and develop in the New Era and how to uphold and develop it; what kind of great modern socialist country to build and how to build it; and what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build and how to build it. It puts forward a series of original new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies for governance, deepens understanding of the laws of Communist Party governance, socialist construction, and the development of human society from a new perspective, and achieves a new leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为主要代表的中国共产党人，坚持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，坚持马克思列宁主义、毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观，深刻总结并充分运用党成立以来的历史经验，从新的实际出发，创立了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想。这一思想是坚持“两个结合”的光辉典范，从理论和实践的结合上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、怎样坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，建设什么样的社会主义现代化强国、怎样建设社会主义现代化强国，建设什么样的长期执政的马克思主义政党、怎样建设长期执政的马克思主义政党等重大时代课题，提出一系列原创性的治国理政新理念新思想新战略，以全新的视野深化对共产党执政规律、社会主义建设规律、人类社会发展规律的认识，实现了马克思主义中国化时代化新的飞跃。

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era consistently adheres to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities, opening up new frontiers in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. This thought insists on observing, grasping, and leading the times with the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method; coordinates the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the changes unseen in a century in the world; insists on using the “arrow” of Marxism to shoot at the “target” of China in the New Era; focuses on new problems encountered in practice, deep-seated issues in reform, development, and stability, problems of urgent concern to the people, major issues in international changes, and prominent problems facing Party building; continuously puts forward new concepts, new ideas, and new methods that truly solve problems; and continuously activates Marxism with new practice and new problems. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “The leap in theory is not reflected in the novelty of words and phrases, nor in the self-consistency of logic; ultimately, it must be reflected in answering practical questions and leading practical development.” Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era consistently adheres to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities, promptly and scientifically answers new questions of the times, advances theoretical innovation on the basis of practice, and achieves a new leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，始终坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，开辟了马克思主义中国化时代化新境界。这一思想坚持用马克思主义的立场、观点、方法观察时代、把握时代、引领时代，统筹中华民族伟大复兴的战略全局和世界百年未有之大变局，坚持用马克思主义之“矢”去射新时代中国之“的”，聚焦实践遇到的新问题、改革发展稳定存在的深层次问题、人民群众急难愁盼问题、国际变局中的重大问题、党的建设面临的突出问题，不断提出真正解决问题的新理念新思路新办法，不断以新的实践、新的问题激活马克思主义。习近平总书记指出：“理论的飞跃不是体现在词句的标新立异上，也不是体现在逻辑的自洽自证上，归根到底要体现在回答实践问题、引领实践发展上。”习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想始终坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合，及时科学解答时代新课题，推进实践基础上的理论创新，实现了马克思主义中国化时代化新的飞跃。

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has consistently adhered to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby opening up a new realm of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. Fine traditional Chinese culture is the root and soul of the Chinese nation; it contains important insights for solving the challenges facing contemporary humanity, can provide beneficial inspiration for people to understand and transform the world, can offer useful guidance for governance, and can also provide helpful enlightenment for moral construction. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is deeply rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture, takes Marxism as its guide, comprehensively excavates the treasure trove of China’s five-thousand-year civilization, uses Marxism to activate the vital and excellent elements within fine traditional Chinese culture and endow them with new contemporary connotations, injects the great spirit and rich wisdom of the Chinese nation into Marxism at a deeper level, and puts forward a series of principled theoretical achievements with a distinct foundation in fine traditional Chinese culture, creating an increasingly distinctive Marxism with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese manner. To give one example, it can fully illustrate that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a model for adhering to the Second Integration. [2]2 The Second Integration refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, as distinct from the First Integration of Marxism with China’s specific realities. Addressing the issue of world civilizational exchange, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the theory of “exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations,” which is an organic integration of the Marxist theory of civilizational exchange and the Chinese civilizational concept of “harmony in diversity.” [3]3 “Harmony in diversity” (和而不同) is a Confucian concept from the Analects, advocating unity without uniformity. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Chinese civilization has never replaced diverse cultures with a single culture; rather, it has gathered diverse cultures into a common culture, resolving conflicts and building consensus.” The theory of exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations is a creative transformation and innovative development of the Chinese civilizational concept of “each appreciating its own beauty, appreciating the beauty of others, sharing beauty in harmony, and achieving great unity under heaven.” [4]4 This phrase is a classical Chinese ideal of civilizational harmony, often cited in contemporary discourse on multicultural coexistence.

习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，始终坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合，开辟了马克思主义中国化时代化新境界。中华优秀传统文化是中华民族的根和魂，它蕴藏着解决当代人类面临的难题的重要启示，可以为人们认识和改造世界提供有益启迪，可以为治国理政提供有益启示，也可以为道德建设提供有益启发。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想深深植根于中华优秀传统文化，以马克思主义为指导，对中华五千多年文明宝库进行全面挖掘，用马克思主义激活中华优秀传统文化中富有生命力的优秀因子并赋予新的时代内涵，将中华民族的伟大精神和丰富智慧更深层次地注入马克思主义，提出了一系列具有鲜明中华优秀传统文化底蕴的原理性理论成果，创造了日益鲜明的具有中国特色、中国风格与中国气派的马克思主义。举一个例子，就可以充分说明习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是坚持“第二个结合”的典范。针对世界文明交往问题，习近平总书记提出了“文明交流互鉴”理论，这一理论是马克思主义文明交往理论与中华文明“和而不同”理念的有机结合。习近平总书记指出：“中华文明从来不用单一文化代替多元文化，而是由多元文化汇聚成共同文化，化解冲突，凝聚共识。”文明交流互鉴理论是对“各美其美，美人之美，美美与共，天下大同”的中华文明理念的创造性转化和创新性发展。

The Two Integrations are our Party’s profound summary of the historical experience of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and a deep grasp of the laws governing the development of Chinese civilization and the laws of the Party’s theoretical innovation. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has consistently adhered to the fundamental path of the Two Integrations, deepened the understanding of the laws of the Party’s theoretical innovation, and opened up a new realm of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. In studying, researching, and elucidating the fifth volume, an extremely important task is to deeply grasp the original contributions and principled achievements that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has made to upholding and developing Marxism.

“两个结合”是我们党对马克思主义中国化时代化历史经验的深刻总结，是对中华文明发展规律、党的理论创新规律的深刻把握。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想始终坚持“两个结合”的根本途径，深化了对党的理论创新的规律性认识，开辟了马克思主义中国化时代化新境界。学习研究阐释第五卷，一项极其重要的任务，就是深入把握习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为坚持和发展马克思主义作出的原创性贡献、呈现的原理性成果。

(The author is a professor at the School of Marxism, Central Party School (National Academy of Governance))

（作者系中共中央党校（国家行政学院）马克思主义学院教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心