The Endogenous Logic and Basic Experience of the CPC’s Establishment of Cultural Confidence since the Founding of New China — An Interview with Professor Zhang Ji of the School of Marxism, Hebei Normal University

Zhang Ji, male, born in 1956, native of Gaoqing County, Shandong Province. He is a second-level professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Marxism, Hebei Normal University, Director of the Hebei Provincial Research Base for Cultural Soft Power, and Chief Expert of the Hebei New-Type Think Tank Great Wall Cultural Security Research Center. He is a member of the National Philosophy and Social Science Discipline Planning Review Panel and a recipient of the State Council Special Government Allowance. His main research fields are Marxist cultural theory and the construction of cultural soft power. He has led the completion of multiple National Social Science Fund projects and key commissioned projects of the Social Science Planning Office of the Central Propaganda Department, published over 20 academic monographs, and published more than 100 academic papers in journals such as *Marxist Research*, *Contemporary World and Socialism*, *World Economics and Politics*, and *Modern International Relations*. More than ten of his research results have won provincial and ministerial first prizes and the “Five-One Project” Award [1]1 The “Five-One Project” Award is a Chinese national-level award for the production of spiritual and cultural products, established by the Central Propaganda Department..

张骥，男，1956年出生，山东高青人。河北师范大学马克思主义学院二级教授、博士生导师，河北省文化软实力研究基地主任，河北省新型智库长城文化安全研究中心首席专家。国家哲学社会科学学科规划评审组专家，国务院政府特殊津贴专家。主要研究领域为马克思主义文化理论与文化软实力建设。主持完成多项国家社科基金项目及中宣部社科规划办重点委托项目，出版学术专著20余部，在《马克思主义研究》《当代世界与社会主义》《世界经济与政治》《现代国际关系》等刊物发表学术论文100余篇。10多项研究成果获省部级一等奖、“五个一工程”奖。

Cultural confidence is the high degree of recognition and firm belief that a nation, a country, and a political party have in its own cultural ideals and cultural values. Since the founding of New China, the Communist Party of China, in the process of leading the people in exploring the path of socialist modernization, has gradually established and strengthened cultural confidence. The endogenous logic of the CPC’s establishment of cultural confidence embodies the unity of theoretical logic, historical logic, and practical logic. It not only manifests the inheritance and promotion of Marxist cultural thought and fine traditional Chinese culture but also highlights the Party’s firm belief in the innovation and development of modern culture.

文化自信是一个民族、一个国家、一个政党对自身文化理想、文化价值的高度认同和坚定信念。新中国成立以来，中国共产党在领导人民探索社会主义现代化建设道路的过程中，逐渐确立并增强了文化自信。中国共产党确立文化自信的内生逻辑体现了理论逻辑、历史逻辑和现实逻辑的统一，不仅表现了对马克思主义文化思想和中华优秀传统文化的传承和发扬，也彰显了党对现代文化创新和发展的坚定信念。

Since the founding of New China, the valuable experience of the CPC in establishing cultural confidence lies in promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, stimulating the cultural innovation and creativity of the entire nation, and serving as the spiritual force for comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party emphasized that “we must enhance cultural confidence, develop advanced socialist culture, promote revolutionary culture, and inherit fine traditional Chinese culture” [1]1 The “Five-One Project” Award is a Chinese national-level award for the production of spiritual and cultural products, established by the Central Propaganda Department.. How should we grasp the profound connotation of cultural confidence in the New Era? How should we understand the endogenous logic of the CPC’s establishment of cultural confidence since the founding of New China? How should we summarize the valuable experience of the CPC’s establishment of cultural confidence since the founding of New China? Focusing on these questions, we conducted an exclusive interview with Professor Zhang Ji of the School of Marxism, Hebei Normal University.

新中国成立以来，中国共产党确立文化自信的宝贵经验是推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展，激发全民族文化创新创造活力，以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业的精神力量。党的二十届三中全会强调，“必须增强文化自信，发展社会主义先进文化，弘扬革命文化，传承中华优秀传统文化”①。如何在新时代把握文化自信的深刻内涵？如何理解新中国成立以来中国共产党确立文化自信的内生逻辑？如何总结新中国成立以来中国共产党确立文化自信的宝贵经验？围绕这一系列问题，我们专访了河北师范大学马克思主义学院张骥教授。

I. The Connotation and Proposal of Cultural Confidence

一、文化自信的内涵与提出

▲ (Interviewer abbreviated as ▲, same below): Professor Zhang, hello! Thank you for accepting our exclusive interview. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has mentioned cultural confidence on multiple occasions, making a series of important statements on issues such as why to strengthen cultural confidence and how to strengthen cultural confidence, clarifying the foundational and supporting role of cultural confidence in the great cause of building a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Could you tell us how we should better understand the scientific connotation of cultural confidence today?

▲（采访者简称▲，下同）：张教授，您好！感谢您接受我们的专访。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记在多个场合提到文化自信，围绕为什么坚定文化自信、怎样坚定文化自信等问题作出一系列重要论述，明晰了文化自信在强国建设、民族复兴伟业中的基础性和支撑性作用。请问我们今天应如何更好地理解文化自信的科学内涵？

● (Interviewee abbreviated as ●, same below): From the perspective of scholarly connotation, cultural confidence manifests as a high degree of unity of a psychological state, a spiritual state, value identification, spiritual temperament, and cultural character. It is the concentrated expression of a nation’s, a country’s, and a political party’s confidence in its own cultural ideals and cultural values. The core content of cultural confidence includes: recognition of cultural value, consciousness of cultural inheritance, and confidence in cultural development. The basic connotation of cultural confidence can also be concretized as confidence in fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture, as well as confidence in building a socialist cultural power.

●（被采访者简称●，下同）：从学理内涵上来讲，文化自信体现为一种心理状态、精神状态、价值认同、精神气质和文化品格的高度统一。它是一个民族、一个国家、一个政党对自身文化理想、文化价值信心的集中体现。文化自信的核心内容包括：对文化价值的认可、对文化传承的自觉、对文化发展的信心。文化自信的基本内涵也可以具体化为对中华优秀传统文化、革命文化、社会主义先进文化的自信以及建设社会主义文化强国的自信。

Among the “Four Confidences” [2]2 The “Four Confidences” refers to confidence in the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, confidence in the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics, confidence in the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and confidence in the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics., cultural confidence is more fundamental, broader, and deeper. Confidence in the path, confidence in the theory, and confidence in the system all profoundly contain elements of cultural confidence. Cultural confidence is the solid foundation of confidence in the path, the deep root of confidence in the theory, and the deep basis of confidence in the system.

在“四个自信”中，文化自信是更基础、更广泛、更深厚的自信。道路自信、理论自信、制度自信都深刻蕴含着文化自信的元素。文化自信是道路自信的坚实基础，是理论自信的深厚根基，是制度自信的深层依据。

Culture, as a spiritual foundation, profoundly influences the depth of value identification. Culture is a spiritual symbol formed by a nation in the long historical process of practice, encompassing elements such as values, ways of thinking, moral norms, and aesthetic tastes. Culture permeates the bloodline of a nation, shaping the cultural subject’s cognition of the world and its own identity. Culture has durability and contains the vitality that supports national confidence. Chinese culture has continued for thousands of years without interruption, constructing a unique civilizational system and providing spiritual impetus for the reproduction, development, and growth of the Chinese nation. This continuity of culture means that China’s development paths, theoretical innovations, and institutional constructions at different historical stages can all trace their roots to historical and cultural origins, thereby possessing inherent coherence and stability. It can be said that culture is the source of cohesion and the basis of identification that strengthens national confidence.

文化作为精神根基，深刻影响着价值认同的深度。文化是一个民族在漫长历史实践进程中形成的精神标识，涵盖价值观、思维方式、道德规范、审美情趣等要素。文化浸润于民族的血脉之中，形塑着文化主体对世界的认知以及对自身的认同。文化具有持久性，内含支撑民族自信的生命力。中华文化历经数千年绵延不绝，构建起独特的文明体系，为中华民族的繁衍生息、发展壮大提供了精神动力。这种文化的连续性，使中国在不同历史阶段的发展道路、理论创新以及制度构建均能追溯到历史文化根源，从而具备内在的连贯性与稳定性。可以说，文化是凝聚力的源泉，是强化民族自信的认同基础。

Culture has a powerful role in uniting people’s hearts and building consensus. Shared cultural memories and value concepts can unite different groups, forming a sense of national community. This cohesion is the foundation on which confidence in the path, confidence in the theory, and confidence in the system can be widely accepted and practiced. Cultural confidence determines the stance and mindset of civilizational exchange and mutual learning. In the era of economic globalization, cultural confidence influences the attitude and manner in which a country engages in dialogue with other civilizations. Strengthening cultural confidence enables us to absorb and learn from the outstanding achievements of other civilizations with an open and inclusive mindset, while adhering to our own cultural stance. This posture is a manifestation of the confidence of a major country. In this sense, we can regard cultural confidence as the spiritual background, historical foundation, and value source of confidence in the path, confidence in the theory, and confidence in the system. Cultural confidence fundamentally answers the questions of “who we are, where we come from, and where we are going.”

文化具有凝聚人心、团结共识的强大作用。共同的文化记忆、价值理念能够将不同群体团结起来，形成民族共同体意识。这种凝聚力是道路自信、理论自信、制度自信能够被广泛接受和践行的基础。文化自信决定了文明交流互鉴的立场和心态。在经济全球化时代，文化自信影响着一个国家与其他文明对话的态度与方式。坚定文化自信使我们能够以开放包容的心态吸收借鉴其他文明的优秀成果，并坚守自身文化立场。这种姿态是大国自信的展现。在这个意义上，我们可以将文化自信看作道路自信、理论自信、制度自信的精神底色、历史根基和价值源泉。文化自信从根本上回答了“我们是谁、我们从哪里来、我们到哪里去”的问题。

In February 2014, during the 13th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping used the concept of “cultural confidence” for the first time. In May 2016, in his important speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly discussed the characteristics and role of cultural confidence, stating that “cultural confidence is a more fundamental, deeper, and more enduring force” [1]1 The “Five-One Project” Award is a Chinese national-level award for the production of spiritual and cultural products, established by the Central Propaganda Department.. In June 2016, during the 33rd collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping placed cultural confidence alongside confidence in the path, confidence in the theory, and confidence in the system. In July 2016, in his important speech at the celebration of the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping called on the entire Party to “strengthen confidence in the path, confidence in the theory, confidence in the system, and cultural confidence” [2]2 The “Four Confidences” refers to confidence in the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, confidence in the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics, confidence in the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and confidence in the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics., and emphasized that “cultural confidence is a more fundamental, broader, and deeper confidence” [3]3 The “Double Hundred” policy refers to the “Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of thought contend” policy for promoting progress in the arts and sciences, first proposed by Mao Zedong in 1956..

2014年2月，习近平总书记在主持十八届中央政治局第十三次集体学习时，首次使用“文化自信”的概念。2016年5月，习近平总书记在哲学社会科学工作座谈会上的重要讲话中，深刻论述了文化自信的特点、作用，认为“文化自信是更基本、更深沉、更持久的力量”①。2016年6月，习近平总书记在主持十八届中央政治局第三十三次集体学习时，将文化自信与道路自信、理论自信、制度自信并提。2016年7月，习近平总书记在庆祝中国共产党成立95周年大会上发表重要讲话，要求全党“坚定道路自信、理论自信、制度自信、文化自信”②，并强调“文化自信，是更基础、更广泛、更深厚的自信”③。

Over the 76 years since the founding of New China, the Communist Party of China, in the process of leading the people in exploring the path of socialist modernization, has gradually established and strengthened cultural confidence. Cultural confidence is not only the inheritance and promotion of traditional culture but also the firm belief in the innovation and development of modern culture. It is the concentrated embodiment of the unique cultural charm and spiritual strength formed by the Chinese nation in the long process of historical development, and it is an important driving force for the sustained development of the country and the continuous progress of society.

新中国成立76年来，中国共产党在领导人民探索社会主义现代化建设道路的过程中，逐渐确立并增强了文化自信。文化自信不仅是对传统文化的继承和发扬，也是对现代文化创新和发展的坚定信念，集中体现了中华民族在长期历史发展过程中形成的独特文化魅力和精神力量，是推动国家持续发展、社会持续进步的重要动力。

II. The Endogenous Logic of the CPC’s Establishment of Cultural Confidence since the Founding of New China

二、新中国成立以来中国共产党确立文化自信的内生逻辑

▲: Engels pointed out: “A nation that wants to stand at the pinnacle of science cannot do without theoretical thinking for a single moment.” [1]1 The “Five-One Project” Award is a Chinese national-level award for the production of spiritual and cultural products, established by the Central Propaganda Department. The establishment of cultural confidence cannot be separated from the guidance of scientific theory. Could you please discuss the theoretical logic of the CPC’s establishment of cultural confidence since the founding of New China?

▲：恩格斯指出：“一个民族要想站在科学的最高峰，就一刻也不能没有理论思维。”①文化自信的确立离不开科学理论的指导。请您谈一谈新中国成立以来中国共产党确立文化自信的理论逻辑。

●: Since the founding of New China, the CPC has gradually established cultural confidence on the basis of inheriting Marxist cultural thought and fine traditional Chinese culture, and has continuously innovated and developed socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in accordance with the development of the times.

●：新中国成立以来，中国共产党在继承马克思主义文化思想以及中华优秀传统文化的基础上逐步确立文化自信，并根据时代的发展不断创新发展中国特色社会主义文化。

First, Marxist cultural thought is the foundational theory for Chinese Communists to establish cultural confidence. Marx, Engels, and Lenin, in the process of building and developing proletarian culture and socialist culture, formed the characteristics and development path of Marxist culture. From classic works such as *Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right: Introduction*, *The German Ideology*, *The Poverty of Philosophy*, *The Communist Manifesto*, *A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy: Preface*, *Capital*, *What Is to Be Done?*, *On Proletarian Culture*, and *On Our Revolution*, we can discern the thread of their continuous exploration and gradual establishment of the cultural confidence and cultural subjectivity of Communists.

第一，马克思主义文化思想是中国共产党人确立文化自信的基础理论。马克思、恩格斯、列宁在建设和发展无产阶级文化和社会主义文化的进程中形成了马克思主义文化的特质和发展路径。从《〈黑格尔法哲学批判〉导言》《德意志意识形态》《哲学的贫困》《共产党宣言》《〈政治经济学批判〉序言》《资本论》《怎么办？》《关于无产阶级文化》《论我国革命》等经典著作中，我们可以发现他们不断探索并逐步树立共产党人文化自信和文化主体性的思想脉络。

The cultural thought of Marx and Engels can be summarized in three points. First, Marx and Engels advocated a dialectical view of the relationship between culture and the economy, emphasizing the mutual interpenetration and interaction between the two. In the preface to *A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy*, Marx pointed out: “The mode of production of material life conditions the general process of social, political and intellectual life. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their being, but, on the contrary, their social being that determines their consciousness.”② Engels also noted: “The development of politics, law, philosophy, religion, literature, art, etc. is based on economic development. But they all react upon one another and also upon the economic base.”③ Second, Marx and Engels believed that proletarian culture is a powerful weapon for exposing and criticizing the essence of capitalism, and a “weapon of criticism”④ guiding the proletarian revolution and securing its victory; culture can function as a material force, playing an irreplaceable role in concentrating the wisdom and strength of the proletariat, guiding its production practices, and consolidating its political power.⑤ Finally, Marx and Engels emphasized that human beings are the subject of culture, and that culture is “the accumulation and presentation of the creations produced by human beings’ active transformation of the external objective world.”⑥ In the process of educating people through culture, human beings achieve free and comprehensive development. This is the most distinctive feature of Marx and Engels’ view of culture. Rooted in human subjectivity, they stressed that realizing the free and comprehensive development of the individual is the ultimate value of culture. In the *Communist Manifesto*, they proposed that the “intellectual production” of communism entails “the most radical rupture with traditional property relations” and “the most radical rupture with traditional ideas,” in order to achieve “an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.”⑦

马克思恩格斯的文化思想可以概括为三点。首先，马克思恩格斯主张要辩证地看待文化和经济的关系，重视文化和经济之间存在的相互贯通和相互交汇的双向作用。马克思在《〈政治经济学批判〉序言》中指出：“物质生活的生产方式制约着整个社会生活、政治生活和精神生活的过程。不是人们的意识决定人们的存在，相反，是人们的社会存在决定人们的意识。”②恩格斯也指出：“政治、法、哲学、宗教、文学、艺术等等的发展是以经济发展为基础的。但是，它们又都相互作用并对经济基础发生作用。”③其次，马克思恩格斯认为，无产阶级文化是揭露和批判资本主义本质的有力武器，是指导无产阶级革命和夺取无产阶级革命胜利的“批判的武器”④；文化可以作为一种物质力量，在凝聚无产阶级智慧力量、指导无产阶级生产实践、巩固无产阶级政权等方面发挥无可替代的作用⑤。最后，马克思恩格斯强调人是文化的主体，文化是“人能动地改造外在客观世界而产生的创造物的积累和呈现”⑥。在以文化人的过程中，人获得了自由全面的发展。这是马克思恩格斯文化观最为鲜明的特色。马克思恩格斯立足人的主体性，强调实现人的自由全面发展是文化的价值旨归。在《共产党宣言》中，他们提出，进行共产主义的“精神生产”就是要“同传统的所有制关系实行最彻底的决裂”，“同传统的观念实行最彻底的决裂”，以实现“这样一个联合体，在那里，每个人的自由发展是一切人的自由发展的条件”⑦。

Lenin’s thought on proletarian cultural construction is mainly embodied in his ideas on the cultural leadership of the proletarian party and the strategy for proletarian cultural development. First, Lenin proposed that we must adhere to the guidance of Marxist thought as the fundamental principle for constructing proletarian culture. Second, Lenin emphasized that the proletariat must actively seize the scientific, technological, and artistic achievements controlled by the bourgeoisie. Because in a society where the bourgeoisie holds dominance, the proletariat often lacks the initiative in cultural and intellectual production; therefore, after successfully seizing political power, it must ensure it gains the leading role in cultural construction. Finally, Lenin believed that the creation of proletarian culture is not isolated, but “should be the logical development of all the knowledge created by humanity under the oppression of capitalist, landlord, and bureaucratic society.”① By critically inheriting and developing these achievements, the proletariat can better develop its own culture, making it a powerful force for promoting social progress.

列宁的无产阶级文化建设思想主要体现为无产阶级政党文化领导权思想及无产阶级文化发展战略。首先，列宁提出我们必须坚持以马克思主义思想为指导，这是构建无产阶级文化的根本原则。其次，列宁强调无产阶级必须积极夺取资产阶级所掌握的科学技术和艺术成就的成果。因为在资产阶级占统治地位的社会中，无产阶级往往缺乏文化和知识生产的主动权，所以当无产阶级成功夺取政权之后，它必须确保在文化建设方面取得主导权。最后，列宁认为无产阶级文化的创建并不是孤立的，“应当是人类在资本主义社会、地主社会和官僚社会压迫下创造出来的全部知识合乎规律的发展”①。通过批判地继承和发扬这些成果，无产阶级能够更好地发展自己的文化，使之成为推动社会进步的强大动力。

Lenin was well aware that securing the cultural leadership of the proletariat would take a longer period of time compared to the political and economic spheres. In response, he proposed three practical implementation plans. First, building proletarian culture must be based on achieving the cultural liberation of the proletariat. The primary task of proletarian cultural liberation begins with large-scale eradication of illiteracy; he also particularly emphasized the need to vigorously develop education and leverage the social role of intellectuals, especially teachers, in Russia. Second, building proletarian culture requires conducting ideological and political education among the proletariat,② shaping proletarian culture in terms of worldview, values, and class sentiment. Third, the proletariat and the broad masses of the people should become not only the creators of socialist cultural undertakings but also the beneficiaries of various cultural achievements.

列宁深知掌握无产阶级文化领导权的时间周期相对政治经济领域而言会较长。对此，列宁提出三点具有现实指导意义的实施方案。其一，建立无产阶级文化必须以实现无产阶级文化解放为基础。无产阶级文化解放的首要任务是从大规模扫除文盲开始，他还特别强调要大力发展教育事业，发挥俄国以教师为主体的知识分子的社会作用。其二，建立无产阶级文化必须对无产阶级进行思想政治教育②，从世界观、价值观、阶级感情等方面塑造无产阶级文化。其三，使无产阶级和广大人民群众不仅成为社会主义文化事业的创造者，同时也成为各种文化成果的受益者。

On the issue of cultural development, Lenin recognized the importance of adhering to confidence in the path and respecting the laws of cultural construction. In the early days after the October Revolution, the opportunists of the Second International denied the path of the October Revolution on the grounds that Russia lacked the material and cultural conditions necessary for building socialism. In response, Lenin refuted this, pointing out that while the material and cultural conditions for socialism are a foundational requirement, they are not the only condition. In Lenin’s view, it does not violate the basic laws of world historical development to first carry out political and social transformation, with the proletariat seizing state power, and then, under the leadership of that power, to undertake cultural transformation and construction. In his article *On Our Revolution*, Lenin asked rhetorically: “Since the establishment of socialism requires a certain level of culture... why can we not first use revolutionary means to achieve the prerequisites for reaching that level, and then, on the basis of the workers’ and peasants’ government and the Soviet system, catch up with other nations?”③ This undoubtedly reflects Lenin’s high degree of confidence in Russia’s unique path of cultural development.

在文化发展问题上，列宁意识到坚持道路自信、尊重文化建设规律的重要性。十月革命胜利初期，第二国际的机会主义者以俄国不具备建立社会主义所需的物质文化条件为由否定十月革命道路。对此，列宁进行反驳，指出社会主义物质文化条件虽然是建立社会主义的基础条件，但并非唯一条件。在列宁看来，先行展开政治变革和社会变革，由无产阶级掌握政权，然后在这个政权的领导下进行文化变革与文化建设并不违背世界历史发展的基本规律。列宁在《论我国革命》一文中反问道：“既然建立社会主义需要有一定的文化水平……我们为什么不能首先用革命手段取得达到这个一定水平的前提，然后在工农政权和苏维埃制度的基础上赶上别国人民呢？”③这无疑反映出列宁对俄国独特文化发展道路的高度自信。

Moreover, Lenin also raised the issue that socialist cultural construction should respect the laws of cultural construction. Although cultural construction is subordinate to the overall construction of socialism, it has its own unique laws and requirements; it is inherently a gradual, step-by-step deepening process that can neither be ignored nor evaded, nor can it be rushed or advanced prematurely. Lenin pointed out that “the completion of cultural tasks cannot be as swift as the completion of political and military tasks... in the cultural sphere, it is impossible to achieve victory in such a short time,”④ and that “in cultural matters, rashness and impetuosity are most harmful.”⑤

不仅如此，列宁还提出社会主义文化建设应尊重文化建设的规律问题。文化建设虽然从属于社会主义整体建设，但却有着独特的规律和要求，本身是一个循序渐进、渐次深入的过程，既不能无视和回避，也不能急躁和冒进。列宁指出，“文化任务的完成不可能像政治任务和军事任务那样迅速……在文化方面，要在这样短的时间内取得胜利是不可能的”④，而且“在文化问题上，急躁冒进是最有害的”⑤。

Second, the achievements of the Chinese Communist Party in cultural construction are the direct source of the cultural confidence of Chinese Communists. During the period of socialist revolution and construction, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their main representative, systematically summarized the experience of the Chinese revolution’s victory, concentrated on expounding the important role of Marxism in enabling the Chinese people to shift from passivity to initiative in spirit, integrated Marxism with China’s specific realities, made a holistic and systematic strategic layout for cultural construction, firmly established and upheld the fundamental guiding role of Marxism in cultural construction, inherited and promoted the revolutionary cultural tradition, used the “method of the ancient and the modern, the Chinese and the foreign” to transform and innovate fine traditional Chinese culture, promoted cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, built an advanced socialist culture, and opened up a path for socialist cultural development in contemporary China with a new spiritual outlook.

第二，中国共产党的文化建设成就是中国共产党人文化自信的直接来源。社会主义革命和建设时期，以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人系统总结中国革命胜利的经验，集中论述马克思主义使中国人民在精神上从被动转向主动的重要作用，将马克思主义同中国具体实际相结合，对文化建设进行整体性、系统性的战略布局，牢固确立和坚持马克思主义对文化建设的根本指导地位，继承弘扬革命文化传统，以“古今中外法”改造转化中华优秀传统文化，推动中外文化交流，建设社会主义先进文化，开辟当代中国具有崭新精神风貌的社会主义文化发展路径。

During the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Deng Xiaoping as their main representative, deeply summarized the experiences and lessons of cultural construction since the founding of New China, emphasized that strengthening socialist cultural-ethical progress is a major strategic task, not only continued to uphold the “Double Hundred” policy proposed by Mao Zedong, but also promoted the “Two For” direction of “serving the people and serving socialism,” made systematic decisions and deployments for cultural work in various fields under the new situation of reform and opening up, and deeply discussed the relationship between material progress and cultural-ethical progress. This led to an unprecedented expansion and growth of cultural undertakings at the time, providing an important ideological foundation for the entire Party and the entire people to adhere to cultural subjectivity and unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics amid the increasingly profound changes in the Party’s conditions, national conditions, and world conditions.

改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，以邓小平同志为主要代表的中国共产党人深刻总结新中国文化建设的经验教训，强调加强社会主义精神文明建设是一项重大战略任务，不仅继续坚持毛泽东提出的“双百”方针，而且推动提出了“为人民服务、为社会主义服务”的“二为”方向，对改革开放新形势下各领域文化工作作出系统决策部署，深入论述物质文明与精神文明建设的关系，使当时的文化事业空前发展壮大，为全党全国人民在日益深刻变革的党情、国情、世情下，坚守文化主体性，坚定不移走中国特色社会主义道路提供了重要思想基础。

Facing China and the world in the 21st century, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Jiang Zemin as their main representative, solemnly declared that the Chinese Communist Party always represents the direction of China’s advanced culture, making major developments and innovations in Marxist cultural theory and the cultural thought of the Chinese Communist Party. The Chinese Communists, with Comrade Hu Jintao as their main representative, expanded the ruling party’s perspective and layout for examining cultural value and cultural development methods, formed a people-oriented concept of cultural development, historically proposed the major cultural proposition of building a socialist core value system and values, emphasized continuously enhancing cultural soft power and increasing cultural vitality, and sounded the era’s clarion call for moving from a large cultural country to a cultural power.

面向21世纪的中国与世界，以江泽民同志为主要代表的中国共产党人庄严宣告，中国共产党始终代表中国先进文化的前进方向，对马克思主义文化理论和中国共产党文化思想作出重大发展创新。以胡锦涛同志为主要代表的中国共产党人拓展了执政党审视文化价值和文化发展方式的视野和布局，形成以人为本的文化发展理念，历史性地提出社会主义核心价值体系和价值观建设的重大文化命题，强调不断提升文化软实力和增强文化活力，奏响了从文化大国迈向文化强国的时代强音。

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has clarified the guiding ideology, principles and policies, goals and tasks, and strategic measures for cultural construction in the New Era, providing fundamental guidance for our cultural work in the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed “continuing to promote cultural prosperity and build a strong cultural nation at a new starting point”①, and emphasized the need to “jointly strive to create a new culture belonging to our era”②. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has not only achieved innovations and breakthroughs in cultural theoretical viewpoints but also made clear deployments and requirements in the layout of cultural work. It has elucidated the core issues of cultural construction while achieving an organic integration of theory and practice, clearly outlining the roadmap and task book for cultural construction in the New Era. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture provides a powerful and solid ideological weapon for the CPC to shoulder its new cultural mission.

习近平文化思想明确了新时代文化建设的指导思想、方针原则、目标任务、战略举措，为我们做好新时代文化工作提供了根本遵循。习近平总书记提出“在新的起点上继续推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国”①，强调要“共同努力创造属于我们这个时代的新文化”②。习近平文化思想不仅在文化理论观点上实现了创新和突破，而且在文化工作布局上作出了明确的部署和要求，既阐明了文化建设的核心问题，又实现了理论与实践的有机结合，清晰地勾勒出新时代文化建设的路线图和任务书。习近平文化思想为中国共产党肩负起新的文化使命，提供了强大而坚实的思想武器。

Third, fine traditional Chinese culture is the excellent cultural gene of the CPC’s cultural confidence. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The CPC is both a firm believer and practitioner of Marxism and a loyal inheritor and promoter of fine traditional Chinese culture.”③ Fine traditional Chinese culture has nourished the thought and spirit of Chinese Communists, and Chinese civilization has endowed the CPC’s cultural confidence with profound depth. It can be said that the CPC’s cultural confidence is deeply rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture. “‘The Two Integrations’ connect the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics with the more than 5,000-year history of Chinese civilization, providing solid historical legitimacy and cultural rationality for the Chinese path.”④ We must take the scientific methodology of “the Two Integrations” as guidance and fully excavate the excellent genes of Chinese culture.

第三，中华优秀传统文化是中国共产党文化自信的优秀文化基因。习近平总书记指出：“中国共产党既是马克思主义的坚定信仰者和践行者，又是中华优秀传统文化的忠实继承者和弘扬者。”③中华优秀传统文化滋养了中国共产党人的思想和精神，中华文明赋予中国共产党文化自信以深厚底蕴。可以说，中国共产党的文化自信，深深植根于中华优秀传统文化。“‘两个结合’把中国特色社会主义道路与五千多年中华文明史接续起来，为中国道路提供了坚实的历史合法性、文化合理性。”④我们要以“两个结合”的科学方法论为指导，充分挖掘中华文化的优秀基因。

▲: The founding of New China opened a new historical journey for our country to seek national self-strengthening and development and realize national rejuvenation. Please tell us about the historical logic of the CPC’s establishment of cultural confidence since the founding of New China.

▲：新中国的成立开启了我国谋求国家自强发展、实现民族复兴的历史新征程。请您谈一谈新中国成立以来中国共产党确立文化自信的历史逻辑。

●: After the founding of New China, the CPC led the people of all ethnic groups across the country through three historical periods: the period of socialist revolution and construction, the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, and the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In these periods, it put forward many policy propositions for cultural construction and explored many practical methods. The sublimation of the cultural spirit of Chinese Communists has undergone a process from cultural consciousness, cultural independence, to cultural autonomy, cultural self-strengthening, and cultural confidence. This process explores the evolutionary thread of the CPC’s cultural confidence from the perspective of historical development, enlightening us to develop and innovate Chinese culture in deepening “the Two Integrations”, and analyzes the historical experience of cultural confidence construction from the perspective of historical reflection.

●：新中国成立后，中国共产党带领全国各族人民在社会主义革命和建设时期、改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期、中国特色社会主义新时代三个历史时期，提出了很多文化建设的政策主张，探索了很多实践做法。中国共产党人文化精神的升华经历了从文化自觉、文化自立到文化自主、文化自强、文化自信的过程。这个过程是从历史发展视角探讨中国共产党文化自信的演进脉络，启示我们要在深化“两个结合”中发展创新中华文化，从历史反思视角分析文化自信建设的历史经验。

During the period of socialist revolution and construction, the Party’s exploration and development of socialist culture exhibited the characteristic of using the method of critique and reference to transform and promote cultural independence and confidence, and to establish the important position of cultural subjectivity.

社会主义革命和建设时期，党对社会主义文化的探索与发展呈现出以批判与借鉴的方法改造推动文化自立自信、确立文化主体性重要地位的特征。

From the day of its founding, the CPC has taken the construction of a national, scientific, and mass new culture of the Chinese nation as its mission with a high degree of cultural consciousness and cultural confidence. In its more than one hundred years of struggle, it has inherited and promoted the broad and profound fine traditional Chinese culture, created an inspiring revolutionary culture and a vibrant advanced socialist culture⑤. As early as 1940, Mao Zedong pointed out: “We must not only transform a China that is politically oppressed and economically

中国共产党从成立之日起，就以高度的文化自觉和文化自信把建设民族的科学的大众的中华民族新文化作为自己的使命，并在百余年奋斗历程中传承弘扬博大精深的中华优秀传统文化，创造了激昂向上的革命文化和生机勃勃的社会主义先进文化⑤。早在1940年，毛泽东就指出：“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。”⑥中国共产党人始终清醒地认识到，一个国家和民族要自立自强，文化自信是基础。高度的文化自信不仅决定着文化自身的繁荣发展，而且关系国运兴衰、民族沉浮。新中国成立后，以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人以高度的文化自觉和文化自信积极探索文化建设新路，创造了中国历史上崭新的、人民大众的社会主义文化。新生政权的巩固和中国共产党在全国范围内推广自身的文化理念、文化思想，为文化自信提供了生长土壤。

During this period, the main measures adopted by the Party were: first, through the implementation of land reform and a series of socio-economic reform measures, it laid a solid foundation for the mass identification with socialist culture and ideology, thereby providing cultural confidence with a fundamental institutional underpinning; second, by establishing a series of cultural propaganda and education institutions and perfecting institutional mechanisms, it consolidated socialist ideology and strengthened cultural confidence; third, by carrying out the study of Marxist theory, guiding the ideological remolding of intellectuals, and leading the critique of erroneous cultural thought, it enabled socialist ideology to gain widespread dissemination and identification within a short period, rallying the strength of the people of all ethnic groups across the country; fourth, it put forward the basic principle of cultural construction of “making the past serve the present and foreign things serve China,” and on this basis further proposed the policy of “letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend” in the flourishing of literature and art and the development of academic studies, which greatly stimulated the creative enthusiasm of literary and art workers, making the cultural and art circles present a vibrant scene, and producing a large number of excellent literary and artistic works that enriched the spiritual and cultural life of the people. However, cultural construction at this stage was not entirely smooth sailing, and some detours were taken.

这个时期党采取的主要措施有：第一，通过实施土地改革和一系列社会经济改革措施，为社会主义文化和意识形态的大众认同奠定了坚实的基础，使党的文化自信具备了根本性的制度依托；第二，通过建立一系列文化宣传教育机构和完善制度机制来巩固社会主义意识形态，加强文化自信；第三，通过开展马克思主义理论学习，指导知识分子思想改造，领导对错误文化思想的批判，使得社会主义意识形态在短时间内得到了广泛传播和认同，凝聚了全国各族人民的力量；第四，提出“古为今用、洋为中用”的文化建设基本原则，并在此基础上进一步提出了在繁荣文艺、发展学术方面实行“百花齐放、百家争鸣”的方针，极大地激发了广大文艺工作者的创作热情，使得文化艺术界呈现出一派生机勃勃的景象，创作出了一大批优秀的文艺作品，丰富了人民群众的精神文化生活。然而，这个阶段的文化建设并非一帆风顺，也走过一些弯路。

During the new period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, the Party’s exploration and development of socialist culture exhibited the characteristic of advancing in the direction of promoting cultural autonomy and confidence and clarifying cultural subjectivity through “construction-style” reform.

改革开放和社会主义现代化建设新时期，党对社会主义文化的探索与发展呈现出以“建设式”改革推动文化自主自信、明晰文化主体性的前进方向的特征。

Since reform and opening up, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Deng Xiaoping as their main representative, led the Chinese people in developing cultural undertakings. Deng Xiaoping proposed and actively promoted the strategic measure of cultural-ethical progress, aiming to promote the rapid development of material civilization and the comprehensive enhancement of cultural-ethical progress. In his congratulatory speech at the Fourth Congress of Chinese Literary and Art Workers, Deng Xiaoping pointed out: “While building a high level of material civilization, we must raise the scientific and cultural level of the entire nation, develop a noble and rich and varied cultural life, and build a high level of socialist cultural-ethical progress.”① Based on a comprehensive consideration of national development, Deng Xiaoping deeply recognized that social development depends on the dual-wheel drive of material civilization construction and cultural-ethical progress construction; without a high level of cultural-ethical progress, the goal of socialist modernization would be difficult to achieve.

改革开放以来，以邓小平同志为主要代表的中国共产党人带领中国人民着手发展文化事业。邓小平提出并积极推动了精神文明建设的战略举措，旨在推进物质文明的迅速发展与精神文明的全面提升。邓小平在中国文学艺术工作者第四次代表大会上发表祝词时指出：“我们要在建设高度物质文明的同时，提高全民族的科学文化水平，发展高尚的丰富多彩的文化生活，建设高度的社会主义精神文明。”①基于对国家发展的全面考量，邓小平深刻认识到，社会发展有赖于物质文明建设和精神文明建设的双轮驱动，没有高度的精神文明，社会主义现代化的目标则难以实现。

Facing the complex international situation of the drastic changes in Eastern Europe and the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Jiang Zemin as their main representative, deeply pondered the future of cultural undertakings, emphasizing that “the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics is an important force for rallying and inspiring the people of all ethnic groups across the country and an important indicator of comprehensive national strength,”② and demanded further strengthening of cultural autonomous construction and reform.

面对东欧剧变、苏联解体等复杂的国际形势，以江泽民同志为主要代表的中国共产党人深刻思考文化事业的未来，强调“有中国特色社会主义的文化，是凝聚和激励全国各族人民的重要力量，是综合国力的重要标志”②，要求进一步加强文化自主建设和改革。

Entering the 21st century, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Hu Jintao as their main representative, pushed the construction of cultural confidence to a new stage of development, adopting a series of measures to inherit and carry forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture and promote modern cultural innovation.

进入21世纪，以胡锦涛同志为主要代表的中国共产党人将文化自信建设推向了一个新的发展阶段，采取一系列举措，继承发扬中华优秀传统文化，推动现代文化创新。

As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a New Era, the Party promotes cultural confidence through “integrative” innovation, thereby pushing cultural subjectivity to develop in depth, “building a socialist cultural power around raising flags, gathering people’s hearts, cultivating new generations, revitalizing culture, and presenting a good image,”③ achieving a comprehensive integration of cultural confidence, cultural subjectivity construction, and the great cause of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

中国特色社会主义进入新时代，党以“结合式”创新推动文化自信，继而推动文化主体性向纵深发展，“围绕举旗帜、聚民心、育新人、兴文化、展形象建设社会主义文化强国”③，实现文化自信、文化主体性建设与中华民族伟大复兴事业的全面融合。

▲: Indeed, the establishment of cultural confidence by the CPC has undergone a long process of exploration. Cultural confidence is both precipitated in history and manifested in reality. Based on the New Era and the new journey, how should we understand the practical logic of the Party’s establishment of cultural confidence?

▲：的确，中国共产党文化自信的确立经历了长时间的探索过程。文化自信既沉淀于历史，又体现于现实。立足新时代新征程，如何理解党确立文化自信的现实逻辑？

●: In the great process of uniting and leading the people to actively advance Chinese-path modernization, our Party faces two overall situations: one is the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and the other is the changes unseen in a century in the world. Today, the international security situation is exceptionally severe, international political struggles are increasingly intensifying, and the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation also presents new characteristics: economic transformation is at a critical period, and social development stands at a brand-new starting point.

●：我们党在团结带领全国人民积极推进中国式现代化的伟大进程中，面临着两个大局，一个是中华民族伟大复兴的战略全局，一个是世界百年未有之大变局。如今，国际安全形势异常严峻，国际政治斗争日益加剧，而中华民族伟大复兴的战略全局也呈现出新的特点，经济转型正处于一个关键时期，社会发展站在了一个全新的起点上。

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, the Party has put forward strategic policies to promote fine traditional Chinese culture, strengthen innovative development of culture, enhance cultural soft power, and raise the international communication capacity and influence of Chinese culture. These policies have not only been fully elaborated in theory but also effectively implemented in practice, embodying the close integration of theory and practice. At the same time, these policies also emphasize the mutual corroboration of what ought to be and what is, that is, the mutual support and promotion between ideal goals and actual operations. Furthermore, these strategies also reflect the mutual alignment of top-level design and grassroots implementation, that is, the coordination and consistency between high-level strategic planning and concrete implementation at the grassroots level, ensuring the smooth realization of strategic objectives.

党的十八大以来，在习近平文化思想的指导下，党提出弘扬中华优秀传统文化、加强文化创新性发展、提升文化软实力、提升中华文化国际传播力和影响力的战略策略。这些策略不仅在理论上得到了充分阐述，而且在实践中也得到了有效实施，体现了理论与实践的紧密结合。同时，这些策略也强调了应然与实然的相互印证，即理想目标与实际操作之间的相互支持和促进。此外，这些战略还体现了顶层设计与基层执行的相互契合，即高层的战略规划与基层的具体实施之间的协调一致，确保了战略目标的顺利实现。

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has made many major original contributions to Marxist cultural theory, mainly including: making a new summary of the main objectives of socialist cultural construction with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, proposing the building of a culturally strong country, and emphasizing “working together to create a new culture that belongs to our era”; making a new interpretation of the spiritual driving force for socialist cultural construction with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, clearly proposing “firming up cultural confidence”; making new demands on the institutional guarantees for socialist cultural construction with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, clearly proposing “establishing the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain”; making new expansions on the important methods for socialist cultural construction with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, clearly proposing “the Second Integration”; and making new explorations on the global vision for socialist cultural construction with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, clearly proposing the “Global Civilization Initiative”.[9]9 The Global Civilization Initiative is a concept proposed by Xi Jinping, calling for respect for the diversity of civilizations and promoting dialogue and cooperation among different civilizations. Firming up cultural confidence is one of the core essences of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, and Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has greatly advanced the Chinese Communist Party’s construction of cultural confidence.

习近平文化思想对马克思主义文化理论作出了许多重大原创性贡献，主要有：对新时代中国特色社会主义文化建设的主要目标作出新概括，提出建设文化强国，强调“共同努力创造属于我们这个时代的新文化”；对新时代中国特色社会主义文化建设精神动力作出了新阐释，明确提出“坚定文化自信”；对新时代中国特色社会主义文化建设制度保障作出了新要求，明确提出“确立马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位的根本制度”；对新时代中国特色社会主义文化建设重要方法作出了新拓展，明确提出“第二个结合”；对新时代中国特色社会主义文化建设全球视野作出了新探索，明确提出“全球文明倡议”①。坚定文化自信是习近平文化思想的核心要义之一，习近平文化思想大大推进了中国共产党的文化自信建设。

III. Basic Experience of the Chinese Communist Party’s Establishment of Cultural Confidence since the Founding of the People’s Republic of China

三、新中国成立以来中国共产党确立文化自信的基本经验

▲: General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Firming up cultural confidence means insisting on taking our own path. The primary task of firming up cultural confidence is to base ourselves on the great historical and contemporary practice of the Chinese nation, use Chinese principles to summarize Chinese experience well, elevate Chinese experience into Chinese theory, neither blindly follow various dogmas nor copy foreign theories, and achieve spiritual independence and self-reliance.”[10]10 This quotation is from Xi Jinping’s speech at a symposium on cultural heritage and cultural development. In your view, what is the primary experience of the Chinese Communist Party’s establishment of cultural confidence since the founding of the People’s Republic of China?

▲：习近平总书记强调：“坚定文化自信，就是坚持走自己的路。坚定文化自信的首要任务，就是立足中华民族伟大历史实践和当代实践，用中国道理总结好中国经验，把中国经验提升为中国理论，既不盲从各种教条，也不照搬外国理论，实现精神上的独立自主。”②您认为新中国成立以来中国共产党确立文化自信的首要经验是什么？

●: The primary experience is upholding the Party’s overall leadership over socialist cultural construction. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Party has firmly grasped the leadership of culture and the leadership of ideological work, taking the Marxist stand, viewpoint, and method as the fundamental guideline, using the latest achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times to guide cultural construction, activating the vitality of cultural construction with the power of truth, and ensuring the correct direction of socialist cultural construction. Party leadership is embodied in the entire process, all fields, and all aspects of socialist cultural construction. Upholding Party leadership provides a fundamental guarantee for the construction of cultural confidence, and this is of utmost importance. First, the Party’s overall leadership over socialist cultural construction is reflected in giving full play to the Party’s political leadership, which solves the problem of the leading force in building a culturally strong country. The Chinese Communist Party not only carries out top-level design, long-term planning, and practical deployment for building a culturally strong country but also plays an irreplaceable role in promoting the flourishing development of socialist culture. Second, the Party’s overall leadership over socialist cultural construction is reflected in giving full play to the Party’s ideological guidance, which solves the problem of the theoretical compass in building a culturally strong country. By upholding Marxism’s guiding position and continuously advancing theoretical innovation, it provides a solid theoretical foundation for cultural confidence. Third, the Party’s overall leadership over socialist cultural construction is reflected in giving full play to the Party’s mass organizational capacity, which solves the problem of the subject foundation in building a culturally strong country. By extensively mobilizing and organizing the people, it makes them active participants and practitioners in the construction of cultural confidence. Finally, the Party’s overall leadership over socialist cultural construction is reflected in giving full play to the Party’s social appeal, which solves the problem of social mobilization in building a culturally strong country. Through extensive propaganda and education, it stimulates the cultural creative vitality of the whole society, forming a powerful social force to promote cultural confidence. The Party’s overall leadership over socialist cultural construction is the fundamental guarantee for the continuous pioneering and innovation of socialist culture in New China and is also an important guarantee for our unswerving adherence to the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics.

●：首要经验是坚持党对社会主义文化建设的全面领导。新中国成立以来，党牢牢把握文化领导权和意识形态工作领导权，以马克思主义的立场观点方法为根本遵循，以马克思主义中国化时代化的最新成果指引文化建设，用真理力量激活文化建设活力，确保社会主义文化建设的正确方向。党的领导体现在社会主义文化建设的全过程、各领域、各方面。坚持党的领导，为文化自信建设提供根本保障作用，这一点至关重要。首先，党对社会主义文化建设的全面领导体现在充分发挥党的政治领导力上，这解决了建设文化强国中的领导力量问题。中国共产党不仅为文化强国建设作好顶层设计、长远规划、实践部署，而且在推动社会主义文化繁荣发展方面发挥着不可替代的作用。其次，党对社会主义文化建设的全面领导体现在充分发挥党的思想引领力上，这解决了文化强国建设中的理论指南问题。通过坚持马克思主义的指导地位，不断推进理论创新，为文化自信提供坚实的理论基础。再次，党对社会主义文化建设的全面领导体现在充分发挥党的群众组织力上，这解决了文化强国建设中的主体基础问题。通过广泛动员和组织人民群众，使他们成为文化自信建设的积极参与者和实践者。最后，党对社会主义文化建设的全面领导体现在充分发挥党的社会号召力上，这解决了文化强国建设中的社会动员问题。通过广泛宣传和教育，激发全社会的文化创造活力，形成推动文化自信的强大社会力量。党对社会主义文化建设的全面领导是新中国社会主义文化不断开拓创新的根本保障，也是我们坚定不移走中国特色社会主义文化发展道路的重要保证。

▲: What do you think the Chinese Communist Party needs to pay special attention to in the process of exploring the path of Chinese cultural development?

▲：您认为中国共产党在探索中国文化发展道路的过程中有什么需要特别注意的地方？

●: The question of the path of cultural development inherently contains an inquiry into where culture should develop and also a contemplation of how culture should develop. At any historical stage, a country’s and a nation’s cultural confidence is closely linked to the clarity, depth, and thoroughness of its understanding of the path of cultural development. The key to developing socialist culture with Chinese characteristics and building a culturally strong socialist country lies in upholding Marxism’s guiding position and adhering to the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics.

●：文化发展道路问题，内含着对文化向何处发展的追问，也内含着对文化如何发展的沉思。在任何一个历史阶段，一个国家和民族的文化自信，都与其对文化发展道路认识的清晰性、深刻性、透彻性紧紧地联系在一起。发展中国特色社会主义文化，建设社会主义文化强国，关键在于坚持马克思主义的指导地位，坚持中国特色社会主义文化发展道路。

One important issue is how to resist the impact and infiltration of erroneous ideological trends. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, especially since reform and opening up, China’s economic strength has continuously grown, its international influence has steadily increased, and the independence of the Chinese nation’s spiritual world has been constantly enhanced. However, it also faces the impact and infiltration of erroneous ideological trends from different value systems and value positions. The impact and infiltration of erroneous ideological trends pose challenges to Chinese culture, visibly or invisibly eroding the cultural identity of the Chinese people. The Chinese Communist Party has always adhered to the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics, upheld the cultural confidence of the Chinese nation, resisted erroneous ideological trends, countered the challenges and erosion of cultural hegemony, and resolved the crisis of cultural identity.

其中一个重要问题是如何抵御错误思潮的冲击与渗透。新中国成立以来，特别是改革开放以来，我国经济实力不断强大，国际影响力不断提升，中华民族精神世界的独立性不断增强，但也面临着来自不同价值体系和价值立场的错误思潮的冲击与渗透。错误思潮的冲击与渗透对中华文化带来挑战，有形或无形地消解着中国人的文化身份认同。中国共产党始终坚持中国特色社会主义文化发展道路，坚持中华民族文化自信，抵御错误思潮，应对文化霸权的挑战侵蚀，化解文化身份的认同危机。

In summarizing the experience of the Chinese Communist Party in gradually establishing cultural confidence through exploring the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics, we must pay attention to the construction of cultural subjectivity, which is an important foundation of cultural confidence. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the construction of cultural subjectivity, emphasizing that “cultural confidence comes from our cultural subjectivity”[11]11 This quotation is from Xi Jinping’s remarks on cultural confidence. and that “with cultural subjectivity, there is a firm self in the cultural sense, and cultural confidence has a fundamental support.”[12]12 This quotation is from Xi Jinping’s remarks on cultural subjectivity. It is this self-identity and self-expression deeply rooted in the soil of the national spirit that forge our profound understanding and pride in our own culture. Cultural subjectivity reflects a country’s and a nation’s conscious awareness of its own culture and its proactive spirit of cultural creation. It is an important source of cultural confidence, providing ideological, spiritual, and practical support for cultural confidence.

在总结中国共产党通过探索中国特色社会主义文化发展道路逐步确立文化自信的经验时，我们必须重视作为文化自信的重要根基的文化主体性的建设。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记非常重视文化主体性建设，强调“文化自信就来自我们的文化主体性”①，“有了文化主体性，就有了文化意义上坚定的自我，文化自信就有了根本依托”②。正是这种深植于民族精神土壤中的自我认同和自我表达，铸就了我们对自身文化的深刻理解和自豪感。文化主体性反映了一个国家和民族对自身文化的自觉意识和进行文化创造的主动精神，是文化自信的重要源泉，为文化自信提供思想、精神和实践依托。

▲: In his speech at the work conference on the education campaign on “staying true to our original aspiration and founding mission” in May 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The people are our Party’s greatest confidence in governance, the solid foundation of our republic, and the fundamental basis for strengthening our Party and rejuvenating our country. Our Party comes from the people, is born for the people, and thrives because of the people. It must always be heart-to-heart with the people, share weal and woe with the people, and unite and struggle with the people.”[13]13 This quotation is from Xi Jinping’s speech at the “staying true to our original aspiration and founding mission” education campaign work conference in May 2019. Please discuss how the establishment of the Chinese Communist Party’s cultural confidence since the founding of the People’s Republic of China has embodied the important thought of “people-centered.”

▲：2019年5月，习近平总书记在“不忘初心、牢记使命”主题教育工作会议上的讲话中指出：“人民是我们党执政的最大底气，是我们共和国的坚实根基，是我们强党兴国的根本所在。我们党来自于人民，为人民而生，因人民而兴，必须始终与人民心心相印、与人民同甘共苦、与人民团结奋斗。”③请您谈谈新中国成立以来，中国共产党文化自信的确立是如何体现“以人民为中心”这一重要思想的？

●: Since the founding of New China, the CPC has consistently upheld the principal position of the masses in cultural construction. Socialist cultural construction focuses on serving the broad masses and relying on the broad masses; this is a clear answer to the fundamental question in the Party’s governance philosophy of “for whom and by whom.” Realizing the people’s aspiration for a better life has always been the value goal pursued by the Party in governance, and it also constitutes the value purport of strengthening cultural confidence. After the founding of New China, the Party placed the protection of the people’s fundamental interests in the most fundamental and important position, integrated the protection of the people’s fundamental interests with the socialist cultural cause, and took this as the purpose of building socialist cultural confidence. As socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, the Party has adhered to the people-centered development thought, emphasizing that in the historical process of advancing Chinese-path modernization, the masses not only constitute the main force of socialist modernization construction but are also the decisive factor in promoting cultural progress.

●：新中国成立以来，中国共产党始终坚持人民群众在文化建设中的主体地位。社会主义文化建设聚焦于服务广大人民群众并依靠广大人民群众，是对中国共产党治国理念中关于“为了谁，依靠谁”这一基本问题的明确回答。实现人民对美好生活的向往一直是党执政追求的价值目标，也构成了增强文化自信的价值旨归。新中国成立以后，党把维护人民的根本利益放在最根本最重要的地位，把维护人民的根本利益与社会主义文化事业相结合，并以此作为社会主义文化自信建设的宗旨。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，党坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，强调在推进中国式现代化的历史进程中，人民群众不仅构成社会主义现代化建设的主体力量，亦是推动文化进步的决定性因素。

▲: Please tell us more about the core concepts and scientific methods by which the CPC has established cultural confidence since the founding of New China.

▲：请您再谈谈新中国成立以来中国共产党确立文化自信的核心理念和科学方法。

●: Adhering to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground [14]14 The phrase “upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground” (守正创新) is a key concept in contemporary CPC discourse, combining adherence to core socialist principles with continuous innovation. The quotation “Problems are the slogans of the times” is from Marx’s writings, specifically his 1842 article “The Leading Article in No. 179 of the *Kölnische Zeitung*.” is the core concept by which the CPC has established cultural confidence since the founding of New China.

●：坚持守正创新是新中国成立以来中国共产党确立文化自信的核心理念。

Innovation and creation are the practical driving force of Chinese-path modernization development. Innovation is the source of life for the development of human civilization. From the perspective of the particularity of the development of Chinese civilization, innovation is an inevitable requirement of Chinese-path modernization development. In the process of Chinese-path modernization construction, the Party has led the people in carrying out all-round, all-field, and deep-level cultural innovation, further deepening the theoretical interpretation of Chinese-path modernization development and its laws, proposing iconic concepts, original categories, and scholarly propositions under the theoretical framework of cultural confidence and cultural subjectivity, and further deepening the scholarly exploration of the origin and development process of Chinese civilization; closely centering on promoting Chinese-path modernization to further comprehensively deepen reform, further upholding and improving the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, and providing a solid institutional guarantee for Chinese-path modernization construction; promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, stimulating the cultural innovation and creation vitality of the entire nation, and deeply cultivating the cultural foundation for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

创新创造是中国式现代化发展的实践动力。创新是人类文明发展的生命之源。从中华文明发展的特殊性角度来看，创新是中国式现代化发展的必然要求。在中国式现代化建设的进程中，中国共产党领导人民进行了全方位、全领域、深层次的文化创新，进一步深化对中国式现代化发展及其规律的理论阐释，提出文化自信和文化主体性理论框架下的标识性概念、原创性范畴、学理性命题，进一步深化对中华文明起源与发展历程的学理探索；紧紧围绕推进中国式现代化进一步全面深化改革，进一步坚持和完善中国特色社会主义制度，推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，为中国式现代化建设提供坚实制度保障；推动中华优秀传统文化的创造性转化、创新性发展，激发全民族文化创新创造的活力，厚植实现中华民族伟大复兴的文化底蕴。

Adhering to the “Two Integrations” is an important scientific method by which the CPC has established cultural confidence since the founding of New China.

坚持“两个结合”是新中国成立以来中国共产党确立文化自信的重要科学方法。

The “Two Integrations” are the mutual fit and achievement of the soul and root of Chinese-path modernization cultural construction in practical exploration and theoretical creation. The “First Integration” infuses the soul of Marxism into the theoretical foundation, solves the practical problems of Chinese-path modernization construction, and continuously deepens the Party’s understanding of the laws of modernization construction and the laws of human civilization development. The “Second Integration” deeply plants the root of fine traditional Chinese culture into the cultural foundation, expounds the theory of Chinese-path modernization construction guided by Marxism, and reveals the laws of modernization construction with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese manner. The “Two Integrations” consolidate the foundation of cultural confidence in the deep interconnection of soul and root.

“两个结合”是中国式现代化文化建设的魂脉、根脉在实践探索与理论创造中的相互契合与成就。“第一个结合”将马克思主义魂脉融注于理论根基，解决了中国式现代化建设的实际问题，不断深化党对现代化建设规律和人类文明发展规律的认识。“第二个结合”把中华优秀传统文化根脉厚植于文化根基，阐述以马克思主义为指导思想的中国式现代化建设理论，揭示具有中国特色、中国风格、中国气派的现代化建设规律。“两个结合”在魂脉和根脉的深度贯通中筑牢文化自信的根基。

The “Second Integration” is not only a profound theoretical summary of the Party’s successful practice of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics but also a profound grasp of the development laws of Chinese civilization. First, the proposal of the “Second Integration” originates from the inherent need for the modernization of fine traditional Chinese culture. Marxism plays a triple role in the modern transformation of fine traditional Chinese culture: pointing out the direction, providing methods, and clarifying ideas. Second, the “Second Integration” is a fundamental requirement for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, highlighting the role and function of fine traditional Chinese culture in providing a cultural cornerstone for the innovative development of Marxism in Chinese-path modernization construction.

“第二个结合”既是我们党对中国特色社会主义道路成功实践的深刻理论总结，也是对中华文明发展规律的深刻把握。首先，“第二个结合”的提出源于中华优秀传统文化现代化的内在需要。马克思主义对中华优秀传统文化的现代转化具有指方向、供方法、明思路三重作用。其次，“第二个结合”是马克思主义中国化的根本要求，凸显中华优秀传统文化在中国式现代化建设中为创新发展马克思主义提供文化基石的角色和作用。

To deeply understand the issue of organic articulation between cultural confidence construction and fine traditional Chinese culture, we must deeply explore the reasons why fine traditional Chinese culture can radiate unique charm, as well as what value genes it contains that can be excavated and interpreted. At the same time, we should also deeply consider which value contents can undergo creative transformation and innovative development, making them a powerful force for promoting social progress and national development.

要深入理解文化自信建设与中华优秀传统文化之间有机衔接的问题，我们必须深入探讨中华优秀传统文化能够焕发出独特魅力的原因，以及其中蕴含了哪些可供挖掘和阐释的价值基因。同时，我们还应该深入思考哪些价值内容可以进行创造性转化和创新性发展，使之成为推动社会进步和国家发展的强大动力。

▲: In Marx’s view, “Problems are the slogans of the times.” [14]14 The phrase “upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground” (守正创新) is a key concept in contemporary CPC discourse, combining adherence to core socialist principles with continuous innovation. The quotation “Problems are the slogans of the times” is from Marx’s writings, specifically his 1842 article “The Leading Article in No. 179 of the *Kölnische Zeitung*.” So, in your opinion, what problems and challenges have been encountered in the process of China’s cultural confidence construction, and what experience in response has been formed?

▲：在马克思看来，“问题就是时代的口号”①。那么，您认为在我国文化自信建设过程中遇到了哪些问题与挑战，形成了什么样的应对经验？

●: The main problem encountered in the process of China’s cultural confidence construction is how to resolve the contradiction of the coexistence of diverse cultures. The coexistence of Western culture, traditional culture, modern culture, mainstream culture, mass culture, online culture, and other diverse cultures is the cultural landscape of the New Era. In the development of seeking common ground while reserving differences, diverse cultures interact with each other, inevitably producing many contradictory problems. For example, in the process of transformation from traditional culture to modern culture, the erosion of modernity has, to a certain extent, caused the loss of traditional humanistic spirit; but at the same time, the development of modern society urgently and strongly calls for a high degree of humanistic spirit. For another example, the development of network information technology promotes the generation of virtual space, triggering cultural security issues with digital characteristics. In the practice of leading the people in socialist modernization construction, the CPC must both strengthen cultural confidence and pay attention to resolving the contradictions brought about by the coexistence of diverse cultures.

●：我国文化自信建设过程中遇到的主要问题是如何化解多元文化并存的矛盾。西方文化、传统文化、现代文化、主流文化、大众文化、网络文化等多元文化并存是新时代的文化景观。在求同存异的发展中，多元文化间互相作用，必然产生诸多矛盾问题。例如，在传统文化向现代文化转化的进程中，现代性的侵蚀使传统的人文精神在一定程度上失落了；但同时，现代社会的发展又急迫而强烈地吁求高度的人文精神。再如，网络信息技术的发展，助推虚拟空间的生成，引发具有数字化特征的文化安全问题。中国共产党在带领人民进行社会主义现代化建设的实践中，既要坚定文化自信，又要注意化解多元文化并存带来的矛盾。

In addition, in the current process of cultural confidence construction, we must remain vigilant and seriously confront some abnormal or irrational cultural psychological phenomena. First, the phenomenon of the coexistence of cultural arrogance and cultural inferiority, which poses a challenge to the construction of cultural confidence. Second, the prevalence of new cultural conservatism and the trend of historical nihilism, which interfere with the healthy development of cultural confidence. Third, the phenomenon of indifference to national cultural identity, which may have an adverse impact on the formation and inheritance of cultural confidence. These problems require our in-depth analysis and proper handling to ensure that cultural confidence construction can proceed in the correct direction.

此外，在当前的文化自信建设过程中，我们必须保持警惕，认真面对一些不正常或非理性的文化心理现象。一是文化自负与文化自卑心态并存的现象，它们对文化自信的建设构成了挑战。二是新文化保守主义与历史虚无主义思潮的盛行，它们对文化自信的健康发展产生干扰。三是民族文化认同淡漠的现象，这可能会对文化自信的形成和传承带来不利影响。这些问题需要我们深入分析和妥善处理，以确保文化自信建设能够沿着正确的方向前进。

▲: The problems you just discussed mainly occur domestically. Then, at the international level, what problems has our cultural confidence construction encountered, and what experience has been formed?

▲：刚才您谈到的问题主要发生在国内。那么，在国际层面我们的文化自信建设又遇到了哪些问题，形成了什么样的经验呢？

●: At the international level, we need to actively respond to economic globalization and the international competition in culture it brings. With the deepening development of economic globalization, cultural exchanges and integration around the world have greatly promoted the progress of human civilization, while also triggering fierce international competition among cultures. It can be said that culture has become an important field of power comparison and competition among countries. Many countries regard culture as a strategic resource, strive to draw strength from it, and actively deploy in the cultural field in order to gain the initiative in international competition. Issues such as cultural nationality, national cultural identity, striving for cultural discourse power in international competition, and avoiding the transformation of cultural confidence into complacency and arrogance all need to be seriously addressed and resolved in the current process of cultural construction. In response to these problems, the CPC has put forward positive theoretical propositions and strategies, namely, maintaining exchange and mutual learning with other civilizations of the world, and striving to expand the dissemination and influence of Chinese culture. The CPC advocates treating various cultures in the world with an attitude of equality, respect, and tolerance, and encourages an open mind to face and accept different cultures, thereby promoting mutual understanding and harmonious coexistence between different cultures.

●：在国际层面，我们需要积极应对经济全球化及其带来的文化国际竞争问题。随着经济全球化的深入发展，世界各地的文化交流与融合极大推动了人类文明的进步，同时也引发了文化间激烈的国际竞争。可以说，文化已经成为各国间力量对比和竞争的重要领域，许多国家都将文化作为战略资源，努力从中汲取力量，并在文化领域内进行积极布局，以期在国际竞争中赢得主动。文化民族性问题、国家的文化认同问题、在国际竞争中争取文化话语权问题，以及避免文化自信转化为自满和自负等问题，都需要在当前文化建设过程中给予认真对待和解决。针对这些问题，中国共产党提出了积极的理论主张和策略，即保持与世界其他文明的交流互鉴，努力扩大中华文化的传播力和影响力。中国共产党倡导以平等、尊重和包容的态度对待世界上的各种文化，鼓励以开放的心态去面对和接纳不同的文化，从而促进不同文化之间的相互理解与和谐共存。

▲: Finally, please discuss the experience the CPC has formed in establishing cultural confidence, focusing on the relationship between material civilization and cultural-ethical progress.

▲：最后，请您围绕物质文明与精神文明之间的关系，谈谈中国共产党确立文化自信形成了什么样的经验？

●: In this regard, the most important experience is to insist on the coordinated development of material civilization and cultural-ethical progress. The cultural system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a comprehensively developed modern cultural system, embodying the socialist concept of comprehensive development. Since the founding of New China, especially since reform and opening up, the CPC has always emphasized that material civilization and cultural-ethical progress are the two important pillars for building a culturally strong country; they must be coordinated and developed together, so as to strengthen cultural confidence and enhance the hard and soft power of a culturally strong country. On the one hand, we must consolidate and strengthen the material foundation of Chinese-path modernization, providing impetus for building a culturally strong country by promoting better adaptation between relations of production and productive forces, between the superstructure and the economic base, and between national governance and social development. On the other hand, we need to strengthen the spiritual force for building a culturally strong country, closely focus on the new cultural mission, construct a socialist ideology with strong cohesion and guiding force, and further enhance the influence of Chinese culture by promoting the flourishing development of the cultural industry and cultural undertakings.

●：这方面最重要的经验是坚持物质文明和精神文明协调发展。中国特色社会主义文化体系是一个全面发展的现代文化体系，蕴含着全面发展的社会主义理念。新中国成立以来，尤其是改革开放以来，中国共产党始终强调物质文明和精神文明是构建文化强国的两个重要支柱，它们要相互协调、共同发展，以加强文化自信，提升文化强国的硬实力与软实力。一方面，我们必须巩固和加强中国式现代化建设的物质基础，通过推动生产关系与生产力、上层建筑与经济基础、国家治理与社会发展之间更好适应，为文化强国建设提供动力。另一方面，我们需要增强文化强国建设的精神力量，紧紧围绕新的文化使命，构建具有强大凝聚力和引领力的社会主义意识形态，通过推动文化产业和文化事业的繁荣发展，进一步增强中华文化的影响力。

In summary, since the founding of New China, the CPC, in the process of leading the people in exploring the path of socialist modernization, has gradually established and strengthened cultural confidence. The course of the CPC’s establishment of cultural confidence is not only an inheritance and development of Marxist cultural thought and fine traditional Chinese culture, but also embodies the firm conviction of innovating and developing modern culture. The basic experience of the CPC’s establishment of cultural confidence is crucial for promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture in the New Era. Conscientiously summing up this valuable experience will surely stimulate the cultural innovation and creativity of the entire nation and create new cultural brilliance.

总之，新中国成立以来，中国共产党在领导人民探索社会主义现代化建设道路的过程中，逐渐确立并强化了文化自信。中国共产党确立文化自信的历程，不仅是对马克思主义文化思想和中华优秀传统文化的继承和发扬，也体现了创新发展现代文化的坚定信念。中国共产党确立文化自信的基本经验，对于新时代推动中华优秀传统文化的创造性转化、创新性发展至关重要。认真总结这些宝贵经验，必将激发全民族的文化创新创造活力，创造新的文化辉煌。