Inheritance and Transcendence: A Review of Studies on Huxiang Culture and Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong was the great trailblazer in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the core of the first generation of the Party Central Committee’s collective leadership. Mao Zedong Thought is the product of the integration of the universal principles of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution. Huxiang culture, as a distinctive branch of fine traditional Chinese culture, profoundly influenced the formation of Mao Zedong Thought. A deep understanding of how Huxiang culture was integrated with Mao Zedong Thought is an important element in grasping “upholding the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture,” i.e., the Second Integration.

毛泽东是马克思主义中国化的伟大开拓者，是中国共产党第一代中央领导集体的核心。毛泽东思想是马克思列宁主义普遍原理和中国革命具体实践相结合的产物。湖湘文化作为中华优秀传统文化中的一支奇葩，深刻地影响了毛泽东思想的形成。深入理解湖湘文化如何与毛泽东思想相结合，是认识和把握“坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中华优秀传统文化相结合”即“第二个结合”的重要内容。

Studies on Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong have produced a succession of results, providing the possibility for a comprehensive understanding of the integration of Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong Thought. However, most existing research consists of separate examinations of Huxiang culture studies and Mao Zedong studies, and still lacks systematic synthesis. By reviewing the research on Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong, three research threads emerge: first, the influence of Huxiang culture on the formation of Mao Zedong’s personality; second, the influence of Huxiang culture on Mao Zedong’s personal thought; and third, the influence of Huxiang culture on Mao Zedong Thought. The authors, in their humble attempt, seek to summarize and examine relevant issues on the basis of clarifying the research on Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong, with a view to advancing the study of Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong Thought, thereby providing theoretical reference for the Second Integration.

湖湘文化与毛泽东研究成果迭出，为全面理解湖湘文化和毛泽东思想的结合提供了可能。但是，目前相关研究大多是对湖湘文化研究和毛泽东研究的单独考察，还缺乏系统的梳理。通过回顾湖湘文化与毛泽东研究，呈现出三条研究脉络：一是湖湘文化与毛泽东个性的养成，二是湖湘文化与毛泽东个人思想，三是湖湘文化与毛泽东思想。笔者不揣浅陋，试图在厘清湖湘文化与毛泽东研究的基础上，对相关问题进行总结和考察，以期推进湖湘文化与毛泽东思想研究，从而为“第二个结合”提供学理上的参考。

I. Huxiang Culture and the Formation of Mao Zedong’s Personality

一、湖湘文化与毛泽东个性的养成

Mao Zedong was born in Shaoshan, Hunan, and spent his precious youth in Hunan. Huxiang culture left a deep imprint on him and laid the foundation for his life’s character. The most important stage for the formation of a person’s character is undoubtedly the youth period.

毛泽东出生于湖南韶山，在湖南度过了宝贵的青少年时期，湖湘文化在他身上打下了深深的烙印，奠定了他的人生底色。而一个人性格的养成，最重要的阶段莫过于青少年时期。

(A) The Influence of Huxiang Culture on Mao Zedong’s Personality Tendencies

（一）湖湘文化对毛泽东个性倾向性的影响

Personality tendencies determine a person’s attitude toward things and the direction of their behavior. Regarding the influence of Huxiang culture on Mao Zedong’s personality tendencies, the academic community has mainly focused on aspects such as ideals, beliefs, and the “three outlooks” [worldview, outlook on life, and values].

个性倾向性决定了人对事物的态度和行为方向。湖湘文化对毛泽东个性倾向性的影响，学界主要从理想、信念、“三观”等层面给予了关注。

In terms of ideals and beliefs, the focus is primarily on patriotism, concern for the people, and the spirit of struggle. Young Mao Zedong’s ideals and beliefs were deeply influenced by Huxiang culture. The “great foundation and great source,” “practical application to statecraft,” “patriotism and concern for the people,” and “emphasis on change and innovation” in Huxiang culture were the basis for the establishment of Mao Zedong’s Marxist faith. The characteristic of Huxiang culture in raising high the banner of patriotism and advocating national righteousness enlightened young Mao Zedong’s strong patriotic consciousness. The patriotic character of Huxiang culture and the scholarly ethos of Hunan scholars influenced the formation of Mao Zedong’s patriotic stance. The sense of mission to save the nation, with the world as one’s responsibility, among Huxiang scholars strengthened young Mao Zedong’s sense of responsibility to serve the country.

在理想和信念方面，主要聚焦于爱国主义、忧民意识、奋斗精神等。青年毛泽东的理想信念深受湖湘文化的影响，湖湘文化的“大本大源”“经世致用”“爱国忧民”“主变创新”是毛泽东马克思主义信仰确立的基础。湖湘文化高扬爱国主义旗帜、提倡民族大义的特点启迪了青年毛泽东强烈的爱国主义意识。湖湘文化及湘士学风的爱国品格影响了毛泽东爱国立场的形成。湖湘学人以天下为己任的救国使命感增强了青年毛泽东为国效力的责任心。

In terms of concern for the people, Huxiang culture’s emphasis on national integrity, strong patriotic fervor, and sense of social responsibility gave Mao Zedong a strong patriotic and people-oriented thought of taking the world as his responsibility. The nationalist tradition of Huxiang culture cultivated Mao Zedong’s patriotic nature, while the tradition of “the people as the foundation of the state” shaped his people-oriented nature. The fervent patriotic spirit of Huxiang culture, the loyal feelings of concern for the country and the people, the profound people-oriented thought, and the responsibility of taking the world as one’s duty nourished Mao Zedong’s personal growth. The sense of crisis in Huxiang culture endowed Mao Zedong with the patriotic quality of worrying about the country and the people.

在忧民意识方面，湖湘文化注重民族气节、具有强烈的爱国热情和社会责任感，使毛泽东具有了以天下为己任的强烈爱国忧民思想。湖湘文化的民族主义传统培养了毛泽东的爱国性，民为邦本传统造就了毛泽东的民本性。湖湘文化激昂的爱国主义精神、忧国忧民的忠贞情怀、深厚的民本主义思想和以天下为己任的责任担当滋养了毛泽东的人生成长。湖湘文化的忧患意识赋予了毛泽东忧国忧民的爱国品质。

At the level of the spirit of struggle, the characteristics of Huxiang culture—diligent self-discipline, tenacious struggle, and indomitable perseverance—cultivated Mao Zedong’s spirit of struggle. The spirit of unceasing self-improvement in Huxiang culture is clearly manifested in Mao Zedong’s personality. Huxiang culture nurtured Mao Zedong’s indomitable spirit of struggle. The Huxiang scholars’ daring to fight, daring to compete, daring to take on national affairs, and willingness to sacrifice strengthened Mao Zedong’s revolutionary fighting spirit. The “fierceness” emphasized in Huxiang culture shaped Mao Zedong’s fearless spirit.

在奋斗精神层面，湖湘文化刻苦自励、顽强奋斗、百折不挠的特点培养了毛泽东的斗争精神。湖湘文化自强不息的精神鲜明地彰显在毛泽东的个性之中。湖湘文化孕育了毛泽东百折不挠的奋斗精神。湖湘学人敢斗、敢拼，敢于为国任事与勇于献身，增强了毛泽东的革命斗志。湖湘文化讲究的“蛮”塑造了毛泽东的大无畏精神。

In terms of worldview, outlook on life, and values, Huxiang culture, which emphasized the unity of substance and function and practical application to statecraft, profoundly influenced young Mao Zedong’s worldview and outlook on life. Huxiang culture’s emphasis on exploring the great foundation and great source of the universe and human life influenced the formation of Mao Zedong’s worldview and outlook on life. Mao Zedong inherited the Huxiang cultural view of development through movement and change, forming a cosmology of “daily renewal through change” and “movement.”

在世界观、人生观、价值观方面，强调体用合一、经世致用的湖湘文化深刻影响了青年毛泽东的世界观、人生观。湖湘文化注重探求宇宙、人生大本大源对毛泽东世界观和人生观的形成产生了影响。毛泽东继承了湖湘文化运动变化的发展观，形成了“变化日新”和“动”的宇宙观。

Mao Zedong formed a unique view of knowledge and action and a view of practice, to which Huxiang culture made no small contribution. Influenced by Huxiang culture’s emphasis on “vigorous action,” Mao Zedong developed a mature view of knowledge and action. The group of Huxiang cultural talents, as representatives of Huxiang culture, contributed to Mao Zedong’s view of knowledge and action that valued vigorous action and practical application to statecraft. Under the influence of the Huxiang historical view of sages creating the world and the patriotic and democratic spirit of concern for the country and the people, Mao Zedong developed a view of knowledge and action oriented toward practical application to statecraft.

毛泽东形成了独特的知行观和实践观，湖湘文化功不可没。毛泽东受湖湘文化重视“力行”的影响形成了成熟的知行观。湖湘文化人才群作为湖湘文化的代表，促成了毛泽东重视力行、经世致用的知行观。毛泽东在湖湘圣贤创世的历史观和忧国忧民的爱国主义民主精神的影响下具有了经世致用的知行观。

In addition, Huxiang culture also influenced Mao Zedong’s view of culture and view of revolution. The qualities of tenacity, vigor, unity, courage, stubbornness, and obstinacy, rich in rebelliousness and destructiveness, contained in Huxiang culture made Hunan a region that “pioneered new trends,” thereby influencing Mao Zedong’s early view of culture. The ideal of reform and change in Huxiang culture influenced Mao Zedong’s view of revolution.

此外，湖湘文化对毛泽东的文化观、革命观也有影响。湖湘文化所蕴含的坚韧、奋发、团结、勇敢、倔强、固执，富有反抗性、破坏性等使湖南成为了“开风气之先”的地域，进而影响了毛泽东早年的文化观。湖湘文化改革求变的理想影响了毛泽东的革命观。

(B) The Influence of Huxiang Culture on Mao Zedong’s Personality Psychological Characteristics

（二）湖湘文化对毛泽东个性心理特征的影响

Personality psychological characteristics mainly include ability, temperament, and character. Existing research has explored the relationship between Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong’s personality psychological characteristics.

个性心理特征主要包括能力、气质和性格。已有研究围绕湖湘文化与毛泽东个性心理特征展开了探讨。

The sense of change in Huxiang culture led Mao Zedong to form a character that refused to admit defeat. The modern Huxiang culture represented by Wang Chuanshan [1]1 Wang Chuanshan (1619–1692), also known as Wang Fuzhi, was a late Ming and early Qing dynasty Confucian philosopher from Hunan whose thought is considered a major source of modern Huxiang culture. had a significant impact on Mao Zedong’s personality characteristics. The spirit of unceasing self-improvement and tenacious struggle contained in it nurtured Mao Zedong’s character of “movement” and “struggle.” Huxiang culture’s reverence for moral integrity and sense of change were the sources of Mao Zedong’s challenging personality. Mao Zedong possessed a rebellious character embedded in the folk culture of Hunan.

湖湘文化的变革意识使得毛泽东形成了不服输的性格。以王船山为代表的近代湖湘文化对毛泽东个性特征有着重大影响，所蕴含的气化日新、自强不息的奋斗精神，孕育了毛泽东“动”“斗争”性格。湖湘文化崇尚气节和变革意识是毛泽东挑战人格形成的源泉。毛泽东拥有蕴藏于湖湘民间的反叛性格。

The atmosphere in Huxiang culture that valued practical learning and advocated vigorous action influenced Mao Zedong’s pragmatic character. The tradition of Hunan scholars emphasizing both “principle” and “substance” in reading and historical research, especially the tradition of practical learning, influenced Mao Zedong’s pragmatic style. The spirit of practical learning in Huxiang culture, described as “saying substance and thickness,” had a significant impact on cultivating the working style of Mao Zedong’s early ideal personality: “not coveting vanity, abstaining from vanity and being pragmatic,” “diligent in small matters, meticulous and careful,” and “able to chew vegetable roots, capable of all things.” The Huxiang scholars’ emphasis on applying learning to practical purposes and “paying attention to the economics of statecraft” gave young Mao Zedong a pragmatic and truth-seeking scholarly style, always combining learning with the transformation of society.

湖湘文化崇尚实学、倡导力行的风气影响了毛泽东的务实性格。湖南士子既重“理”又重“实”的读书治史传统，特别是实学传统，影响了毛泽东的务实作风。湖湘文化中的“曰实曰厚”实学精神对培养毛泽东早年理想人格中“不慕虚荣、戒浮务实”“克勤小物、精细缜密”“咬得菜根，百事可做”的办事风格产生了重要影响。湖湘学人讲究学以致用，“留心经济之学”，使青年毛泽东拥有务实求真学风，始终将学习与改造社会二者结合起来。

The tenacious and stubborn character of Hunan people is also clearly reflected in Mao Zedong. The local culture of Shaoshan, especially the unyielding and tenacious character of Mao Zedong’s father, Mao Shunsheng, played a significant role in shaping Mao Zedong.

湖南人坚韧顽强的性格在毛泽东身上也有鲜明的体现。韶山的地方文化，特别是毛泽东父亲毛顺生坚忍不拔、顽强韧性的性格，对毛泽东有着极大的塑造作用。

Compared to character, there is less exploration from the perspective of ability and temperament regarding the influence of Huxiang culture on the formation of Mao Zedong’s personality. In terms of temperament, the thinking mode of Huxiang culture, which organically unifies philosophical thinking and poetic talent, created Mao Zedong’s unique temperament that unifies “tiger energy” and “monkey energy.” The tradition of fearing no sacrifice in Huxiang culture endowed Mao Zedong with a heroic spirit. In terms of ability, the life value pursuit in the Huxiang cultural tradition of “pacifying the world” and “achieving both merit and virtue” had an important impact on forging Mao Zedong’s life experience of “mastering worldly affairs is all knowledge” and his political talent of daring to be the first in the world.

相较于性格，从能力和气质的角度来探讨湖湘文化对毛泽东个性养成的影响探索较少。就气质而言，湖湘文化中哲理思维与诗人才情有机统一的思维模式，造就了毛泽东虎气与猴气相统一的独特的气质。湖湘文化不怕牺牲的传统赋予了毛泽东英雄气概。就能力而言，湖湘文化传统中强调“平治天下”“事功俱全”的人生价值追求，对于锻造毛泽东“练达世情皆学问”的生活阅历和敢为天下先的政治才干产生了重要影响。

(C) The Influence of Huxiang Culture on Mao Zedong’s Self-Awareness

（三）湖湘文化对毛泽东自我意识的影响

Self-awareness mainly refers to an individual’s perception and regulation of their own physical and mental state, encompassing self-knowledge, self-experience, and self-regulation. Existing research has mainly explored the relationship between Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong’s self-awareness from two aspects: sage consciousness and self-cultivation consciousness. In terms of sage consciousness, the concepts advocated by Huxiang culture—“taking sages as the aspiration, exploring the great foundation and great source,” “promoting practical learning, emphasizing practical application to statecraft,” and “revering the daily renewal of qi, unceasing self-improvement, and daring to be the first in the world”—had a significant impact on the sage personality ideal in Mao Zedong’s early ideal personality, the moral realm of “selflessness and no-self,” and the spirit of self-sacrifice like “cutting off one’s arm when bitten by a venomous snake.” Shaped by the Huxiang cultural view of sages, Mao Zedong formed a view that everyone can become a sage. In terms of self-cultivation consciousness, the Huxiang cultural spirit emphasizing the unity of substance and function and practical application to statecraft profoundly influenced young Mao Zedong’s self-cultivation consciousness of strengthening his physique. Influenced by Huxiang culture’s emphasis on practical experience and the body, Mao Zedong cultivated the self-cultivation skill of “civilizing the spirit, barbarizing the physique.”

自我意识主要是指个体对自己身心状况的察觉和调控，涵盖了自我认识、自我体验和自我调控等方面。既有研究主要从圣贤意识和修身意识两个方面，探讨了湖湘文化与毛泽东自我意识的关系。在圣贤意识上，湖湘文化所倡导的“以圣贤为祈向，探求大本大源”“提倡实学，讲求经世致用”“崇尚气化日新、自强不息、敢为天下先”，对毛泽东早年理想人格中的圣贤人格理想、“无私无我”的道德境界与“毒蛇鳌手，壮士断腕”的自我牺牲精神产生了重要的影响。在湖湘文化圣贤观的塑造下，毛泽东形成了人人可以成为圣贤的圣贤观。在修身意识上，强调体用合一、经世致用的湖湘文化精神深刻影响了青年毛泽东强健体魄的修身意识。毛泽东受湖湘文化重视实践体会及身体的影响练就了“文明其精神，野蛮其体魄”的修身功夫。

Existing research has relatively deeply explored the important role of Huxiang culture in shaping Mao Zedong’s personality, laying an important foundation for understanding how Mao Zedong became a great figure of his era. However, researchers lack clear definitions of terms such as character, individuality, personality, temperament, and talent, and the connotations and boundaries of related concepts are rather vague, resulting in considerable repetition in content.

既有研究比较深入地探讨了湖湘文化对毛泽东个性养成的重要作用，为认识毛泽东如何成为一代伟人奠定了重要基础。不过，研究者对性格、个性、人格、气质、才情等缺乏界定，相关概念的内涵、边界比较模糊，造成内容上多有重复的情况。

II. Huxiang Culture and Mao Zedong’s Personal Thought

二、湖湘文化与毛泽东个人思想

The formation of Mao Zedong’s personal thought was inseparable from the nourishment of Huxiang culture, mainly manifested in how it influenced Mao’s grasp of essence and laws, his understanding of revolution and construction, and his views on literature, art, and physical education.

毛泽东个人思想的形成离不开湖湘文化的滋养，主要表现在影响了毛泽东如何把握本质和规律、如何认识革命和建设、如何看待文艺和体育等。

(I) The Influence of Huxiang Culture on Mao Zedong’s Grasp of Essence and Laws

（一）湖湘文化对毛泽东把握本质和规律的影响

Philosophy makes one profound, history makes one wise; philosophy and history are foundational disciplines for grasping essence and laws. The influence of Huxiang culture on Mao Zedong’s grasp of essence and laws is primarily analyzed through the philosophical and historical thought Mao formed under the influence of Huxiang culture.

哲学使人深刻，历史使人明智，哲学和历史是把握本质和规律的基础性学问。湖湘文化对毛泽东把握本质和规律的影响，主要基于分析毛泽东在湖湘文化的影响下形成了什么样的哲学思想和历史思想。

The formation of Mao Zedong’s philosophical thought is deeply connected to Huxiang culture. In terms of philosophical content, dialectical thought enabled Mao to recognize the universality, motion, and struggle of contradictions, as well as the internal causes constituting the development of things; the “theory of knowledge and action,” i.e., the “emphasis on practice,” led Mao to accept ideas such as “action precedes knowledge,” learning from practice, learning serving reality, “action” determining “knowledge,” and “knowledge” guiding “action.” The “initiative” and “seeking change” within Huxiang culture had a tremendous impact on Mao’s early view of motion. In particular, under the direct influence of Yang Changji, Mao absorbed Wang Fuzhi’s view of motion and stillness, began to seek the driving forces of development from the movement of internal contradictions in things, and emphasized the aspect of struggle between the opposites of a contradiction. In terms of philosophical style, Mao’s poetic language was closely linked to his political philosophy. The affinity and nourishment of Huxiang’s local customs and people’s nature, the scholarly atmosphere of Yuelu Academy, Zeng Guofan’s thought of “practical statecraft,” and Tan Sitong’s thought of “benevolence” all exerted a tremendous influence on the formation of Mao’s poetic philosophy. [2]2 Yang Changji (1871–1920) was a Chinese educator and philosopher, and Mao Zedong’s teacher and father-in-law. Wang Fuzhi (1619–1692) was a late Ming and early Qing dynasty philosopher from Hunan. Yuelu Academy is a historic institution of higher learning in Changsha, Hunan. Zeng Guofan (1811–1872) was a prominent Confucian official and military leader of the late Qing dynasty. Tan Sitong (1865–1898) was a reformist thinker executed for his role in the Hundred Days’ Reform.

毛泽东哲学思想的形成与湖湘文化关系颇深。在哲学内容上，辩证法思想使毛泽东认识到矛盾的普遍性、运动性、斗争性，以及构成事物发展的内因；“知行观”即“重行说”，使毛泽东接受了“行先知后”、从实践中学习、学习为现实服务、“行”决定“知”、“知”指导“行”等。湖湘文化中“主动”、“求变”等对毛泽东早期运动观有着巨大影响，特别是毛泽东在杨昌济的直接影响下吸收了王夫之的动静观，并开始从事物内部矛盾的运动中去寻找事物发展的动因，强调矛盾对立双方斗争性的一面。在哲学风格上，毛泽东的诗语和政治哲学联系紧密，湖湘风土民性的亲和滋养、岳麓书院的湘士学风导源、曾国藩的经世致用思想、谭嗣同的仁学思想，都对毛泽东诗化哲学的形成产生了巨大影响。

Huxiang culture played an important role in the formation of Mao Zedong’s historical thought. In terms of historical content, the main characteristics of Huxiang culture influenced Mao’s historical thought: “practical statecraft” influenced Mao’s search for historical experience and methods to guide the Chinese revolution; “seeking truth from facts” influenced Mao’s application of historical experience to practice; “patriotism” influenced Mao’s respect for and refusal to sever Chinese history; “tenacity and perseverance” influenced Mao’s love for history; and “the people as the foundation of the state” led Mao to recognize the power of the people in history. In terms of historical methodology, the tradition of emphasizing history within Huxiang culture deeply influenced Mao’s enthusiasm for historical studies. Wang Chuanshan’s positive view of history, Zeng Guofan’s view of history as practical statecraft and benefiting the people, along with his emphasis on historical practice, Tan Sitong’s promotion of “ceaseless” history with his life, and Yang Changji’s advocacy of applying ancient history to contemporary use all had a significant impact on Mao’s historical thought. [3]3 Wang Chuanshan is another name for Wang Fuzhi.

湖湘文化在毛泽东史学思想形成的过程中发挥了重要作用。在史学内容上，湖湘文化的主要特质影响了毛泽东的史学思想，“经世致用”影响了毛泽东从历史中找寻经验方法来指导中国革命，“实事求是”影响了毛泽东将历史经验应用于实践之中，“爱国主义”影响了毛泽东尊重且不割断中国历史，“坚韧顽强”影响了毛泽东对于历史的热爱，“民为邦本”使毛泽东认识到人民在历史中的力量。在史学方法上，湖湘文化重史的传统深深影响了毛泽东对史学的热忱。王船山的积极历史观、曾国藩的经世济民史观与重历史实践、谭嗣同以生命推进“不息”的历史，杨昌济主张古史致于今用等，都对毛泽东的史学思想产生了重要影响。

(II) The Influence of Huxiang Culture on Mao Zedong’s Understanding of Revolution and Construction

（二）湖湘文化对毛泽东认识革命和建设的影响

Huxiang culture influenced Mao Zedong’s military, diplomatic, and legal thought, thereby playing a crucial role in how Mao understood revolution and construction, and how he participated in and led the cause of revolution and construction.

湖湘文化影响了毛泽东的军事、外交、法律等思想，从而对毛泽东如何认识革命和建设，参与以及领导革命和建设事业至关重要。

Mao Zedong’s military thought was deeply influenced by the military thought of Huxiang’s historical figures. Some scholars have conducted relatively comprehensive research on the relationship between Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong’s military thought, arguing that the martial spirit of Hunan people, the success of the Hunan Army, and the emergence of a group of Hunan talents had a tremendous impact on the formation of Mao’s military thought. [4]4 The Hunan Army was a regional military force organized by Zeng Guofan in the mid-19th century to suppress the Taiping Rebellion.

毛泽东的军事思想深受湖湘先贤军事思想的影响。有学者对湖湘文化与毛泽东军事思想的关系有比较全面的研究，认为湖南人的尚武精神、湘军的成功、湖南人才群体的涌现对毛泽东军事思想的形成有着巨大影响。

Huxiang culture was an important source for the formation of Mao Zedong’s diplomatic thought. Mao critically inherited the thought of “seeking truth from facts” from Huxiang culture, the dialectical relationship between the universality and particularity of contradictions, and the dialectical relationship between the struggle and identity of contradictions, and applied them extensively to his diplomatic thought. Specifically, the philosophical concept of exploring the “great foundation and great source” in Huxiang culture influenced Mao’s style as a grand diplomatic strategist; the characteristic of pursuing “fundamental ideals” influenced Mao’s idealistic diplomatic style; the cultural heritage of “independent character” influenced Mao’s diplomatic style of pursuing independence and self-reliance; the “fierce and resolute” folk customs influenced Mao’s diplomatic style of defying brute force; and the “simple and honest” folk nature influenced Mao’s diplomatic style of taking good faith as the foundation. In terms of international strategic thought, the “independent character” of Huxiang scholars influenced the central position of independence and self-reliance in Mao’s international strategic thought; the prominent political-ethical color of Huxiang culture influenced the value orientation of political ethics in Mao’s international strategic thought; and the fierce and resolute folk customs of Huxiang influenced the challenging nature of Mao’s international strategic thought.

湖湘文化是毛泽东外交思想得以成型的重要来源。毛泽东批判性地继承了湖湘文化中的实事求是思想、矛盾的普遍性和特殊性的辩证关系、矛盾的斗争性与同一性的辩证关系，并广泛应用到外交思想上。具体来讲，湖湘文化中探究“大本大源”的哲学观念影响了毛泽东外交大战略家的风格；追求“根本理想”的特点影响了毛泽东理想主义的外交风格；“独立根性”的文化底蕴影响了毛泽东追求独立自主的外交风格；“刚猛果决”的民风影响了毛泽东不畏强暴的外交风格；“风尚纯朴”的民性影响了毛泽东以诚信为本的外交风格。在国际战略思想上，湖湘士人的“独立根性”影响了毛泽东国际战略思想中独立自主的中心地位，湖湘文化突出的政治伦理色彩影响了毛泽东国际战略思想中政治伦理性的价值取向，湖湘刚猛果决的民风影响了毛泽东国际战略思想中的挑战性。

Mao Zedong’s legal thought was imbued with the heritage of Huxiang culture. Some scholars have analyzed the imprint of Huxiang culture on Mao’s legal thought, and they consistently argue that the thought of “the people as the foundation of the state” influenced Mao’s people-oriented legal thought, and that the thought of advocating practical learning helped Mao form a legal methodology of practical statecraft and a functionalist view of law as an instrument. The difference is that the former emphasizes that the philosophical thinking of exploring the “great foundation and great source” in Huxiang culture prompted Mao to form a Marxist view of law, and that the courage to be the first and the sense of concern for the country and the people drove Mao to propose and practice his view of law. The latter, however, suggests that the scholarly style of advocating “seeking truth from facts” in Huxiang culture influenced Mao’s insistence on combining knowledge and action and conducting field investigations in law, while the innovative spirit of daring to be the first stimulated the innovative consciousness and ability in Mao’s legal thought. Furthermore, regarding the relationship between the philosophical heritage of Huxiang culture and Mao’s legal philosophy, the pioneering spirit of Huxiang culture in reforming for survival and daring to be the first established the two foundational tones of patriotism and seeking change in Mao’s legal philosophy; the people-oriented legal values of “the people as the foundation of the state, the state secure when the foundation is stable” were an important ideological source for the mass line in Mao’s legal philosophy; and the practical and pragmatic scholarly style of integrating knowledge and action and applying learning to practical affairs provided a reference for the epistemology of “seeking truth from facts” in Mao’s legal philosophy.

毛泽东的法律思想浸染了湖湘文化的底蕴。有学者分析了毛泽东法律思想中的湖湘文化烙印，且一致认为“民为邦本”的重民思想影响了毛泽东的民本法律思想，提倡实学的思想帮助毛泽东形成了经世致用的法律方法论和工具主义的法律功能论。所不同的是，前者强调了湖湘文化探求大本大源的哲学思维促使毛泽东形成了马克思主义法律观，敢为人先的胆识和忧国忧民的意识推动毛泽东提出和践行了法律观。而后者则提出湖湘文化倡导实事求是的学风影响了毛泽东在法律上坚持知行结合、实地调查，敢为人先的创新精神则激发了毛泽东法律思想中的创新意识和创新能力。此外，在湖湘文化的哲学底蕴与毛泽东法哲学思想之间，湖湘文化变法图存、敢为人先的首创精神为毛泽东法哲学思想确定了爱国与思变两大底色；民为邦本、本固邦宁的重民法律价值观是毛泽东法哲学思想中群众路线的重要思想渊源；知行合一、经世致用的务实践履学风为毛泽东法哲学思想中实事求是的认识论提供了参考。

(III) The Influence of Huxiang Culture on Mao Zedong’s Views on Literature, Art, and Physical Education

（三）湖湘文化对毛泽东看待文艺和体育的影响

The formation of Mao Zedong’s thought on literature, art, and physical education was not achieved overnight but had deep cultural roots, among which Huxiang culture had a significant influence.

毛泽东的文艺和体育思想的形成不是一朝一夕，而是有深厚的文化根源，其中湖湘文化影响较大。

In terms of literature and art, the people-oriented thought in Huxiang culture gave rise to Mao’s thought on popularizing culture, namely the fundamental purpose of “literature and art serving the people”; the tradition of practical statecraft influenced Mao’s emphasis on the political utilitarian function of literature and art in his cultural thought, i.e., “literature and art serving politics”; the connotation of inclusiveness influenced Mao’s literary and artistic policy of “letting a hundred flowers bloom, letting a hundred schools of thought contend”; and the “independent character” and striving spirit of daring to be the first influenced Mao’s literary and artistic purpose of “making the past serve the present, making foreign things serve China.” Mao Zedong’s literary and artistic thought was nurtured by Huxiang culture. The thought of pursuing the “great foundation and great source” in Huxiang culture influenced Mao’s view of history centered on the people; the spirit of “practical rationality” led Mao to adhere to the values of revolutionary literature and art at the artistic level; and the romantic atmosphere influenced Mao’s aesthetic impulse of emphasizing the self and valuing emotion in literature and art. In his literary and artistic thought, Mao inherited the thought of “practical statecraft” from Huxiang culture, viewing literature and art as a means to transform society, emphasizing the social utilitarian function of literature and art, holding that literature and art should serve the transformation of the people and serve politics, and stressing the political educational function of literature and art. Qu Yuan’s romantic spirit not only had a profound impact on Mao Zedong’s literary and artistic thought but also inspired his combat career. [5]5 Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BCE) was a poet and minister of the ancient state of Chu, known for his patriotic verse and tragic suicide.

在文艺方面，湖湘文化中的民本思想催生了毛泽东大众化文化思想的形成，即“文艺为人民大众服务”的根本宗旨；经世致用的传统影响了毛泽东文化思想中强调文艺的政治功利性发挥，即“文艺为政治服务”；兼容并包的内涵影响了毛泽东“百花齐放、百家争鸣”的文艺方针；敢为天下先的“独立根性”的奋斗精神影响了毛泽东“古为今用、洋为中用”的文艺宗旨。毛泽东文艺思想受到了湖湘文化的熏陶，湖湘文化追求“大本大源”的思想影响了毛泽东的人民史观，“实用理性”精神使毛泽东在艺术层面上坚持革命文艺的价值观，浪漫主义氛围则熏染了毛泽东在文艺上表现出主我重情的审美冲动。毛泽东在文艺思想上继承了湖湘文化“经世致用”思想，把文艺看作改造社会的手段，注重文艺社会功利性的文艺观，文艺要为改造国民服务，为政治服务，强调文艺的政治教化功能。屈原的浪漫主义精神不仅对毛泽东文艺思想有深刻影响，还激励着他的战斗生涯。

Hunan culture nurtured Mao Zedong’s thought on physical education, leading him to place lifelong emphasis on physical exercise. Mao’s view that physical education carries moral and intellectual education inherited Wang Chuanshan’s concept of “form carrying spirit.” The characteristics of Hunan culture—practical application for governing the world and managing the state—influenced Mao’s thought on tempering the will to save the nation through physical education; the enterprising spirit of tenacity and indomitability influenced Mao’s thought on exercising the body and honing the will; the realistic spirit of unifying knowledge and action, and integrating theory and practice, influenced Mao’s thought on persevering with strength and emphasizing practice. The Hunan cultural view of knowledge and action as “practicing what one preaches” prompted Mao to persist in physical exercise throughout his life; the philosophical thought of “tracing back to fundamentals” gave rise to *A Study of Physical Education*; the tradition of “establishing virtue and cultivating the self” elevated Mao’s understanding of the function of physical education; and the spirit of “governing the world and benefiting the state” laid the foundation for Mao’s thought that “physical education serves politics.”

湖湘文化孕育了毛泽东的体育思想，使得毛泽东一生重视体育锻炼。毛泽东的体载德智看法继承了王船山的形载神游观点。湖湘文化经世致用、经邦济世的特点影响了毛泽东的炼志救国体育思想，坚韧执着、百折不挠的进取精神影响了毛泽东锻炼身体、磨炼意志的体育思想，知行统一、理践结合的求实精神影响了毛泽东顽强力行、重视实践的体育思想。湖湘文化“躬行践履”的知行观促使毛泽东终身坚持体育锻炼，“探本究原”的哲理思想催生了《体育之研究》，“立德、修身”的传统升华了毛泽东对体育功能的认识，“经世济国”精神奠定了毛泽东“体育为政治服务”的思想。

Existing research has relatively strongly indicated that Hunan culture played an important role in the formation of Mao Zedong’s personal thought, involving many aspects. However, related research remains rather scattered, and no systematic study has yet been conducted specifically from the perspective of all facets of personal thought.

已有研究较有力地表明湖湘文化在毛泽东个人思想的形成过程中扮演了重要角色，涉及诸多面向。不过，相关研究还比较零散，还没有专门从个人思想的方方面面展开系统的研究。

III. Hunan Culture and Mao Zedong Thought

三、湖湘文化与毛泽东思想

Mao Zedong Thought is a scientific guiding ideology formed by the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, by making a theoretical synthesis of a series of unique experiences in China’s long revolutionary practice based on the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism. It is the product of the integration of the universal principles of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution. Mao Zedong’s personal thought and Mao Zedong Thought are both consistent and divergent. Many scholars have focused their attention on the relationship between Hunan culture and the living soul of Mao Zedong Thought, the three magic weapons, [6]6 The “three magic weapons” (三大法宝) refers to the united front, armed struggle, and Party building, which Mao Zedong identified as the three key instruments for the CPC’s victory in the Chinese revolution. *On Practice* and *On Contradiction*, and other aspects.

毛泽东思想是以毛泽东同志为主要代表的中国共产党人，根据马克思列宁主义的基本原理，把中国长期革命实践中的一系列独创性经验作了理论概括，形成了适合中国情况的科学的指导思想，是马克思列宁主义普遍原理和中国革命具体实践相结合的产物。毛泽东个人思想与毛泽东思想既有一致也有出入，不少学者把目光聚焦到湖湘文化与毛泽东思想活的灵魂、三大法宝、实践论与矛盾论等方面。

(A) Hunan Culture and the Living Soul of Mao Zedong Thought

（一）湖湘文化与毛泽东思想活的灵魂

The living soul of Mao Zedong Thought mainly includes seeking truth from facts, the mass line, and maintaining independence and self-reliance, all of which are closely linked to Hunan culture.

毛泽东思想活的灵魂主要包括实事求是、群众路线、独立自主，这些都与湖湘文化有着紧密的联系。

Seeking truth from facts mainly refers to proceeding from reality, integrating theory with practice, and combining the universal principles of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution. Hunan culture advocates a scholarly style of pragmatism and practical application, which made Mao Zedong recognize the importance of seeking truth and being pragmatic, and he successfully integrated this into his own philosophical system, condensing it into the four characters “seeking truth from facts.” [7]7 “Seeking truth from facts” (实事求是) is a classical Chinese phrase originally from the *Book of Han* (汉书), later adopted by Mao as a core principle of the CPC’s ideological method. In terms of form, Wang Chuanshan’s pragmatic views, such as “the sincere person is one who has actual existence” and “forgetting oneself and unifying with principle,” as well as Zeng Guofan’s “investigating things means probing things to exhaust their principles,” [8]8 Wang Chuanshan (王船山, 1619–1692) was a Ming loyalist philosopher whose materialist and practical thought influenced Mao. Zeng Guofan (曾国藩, 1811–1872) was a Qing official and military leader who promoted Confucian self-cultivation and practical statecraft. prepared basic material for Mao Zedong’s thought of seeking truth from facts. The scholarly atmosphere at Hunan First Normal School, which strongly opposed empty talk, emphasized practical practice, and sought truth from facts, had a major influence on Mao Zedong’s proposal of “seeking truth from facts.” The school orientation, educational philosophy, and ideological atmosphere of Dongshan Academy [9]9 Hunan First Normal School (湖南第一师范学校) was Mao’s alma mater. Dongshan Academy (东山学堂) was a modern-style school in Xiangtan County where Mao studied in 1910–1911. exposed Mao Zedong at an early age to the pragmatic spirit and the scholarly style of seeking truth from facts in Hunan culture.

实事求是，主要指从实际出发，理论联系实际，把马克思列宁主义普遍原理同中国革命具体实践相结合。湖湘文化倡导务实求真、经世致用的学风，使毛泽东认识到求真务实的重要性，并将之成功地融入自己的哲学体系中，浓缩成四个字“实事求是”。就形式而言，王船山的“诚者实有者也”“忘乎己而一于理”，以及曾国藩的“格者即物而穷其理也”等务实观为毛泽东的实事求是思想准备了基本素材。湖南第一师范力戒空谈、务实实践以及实事求是的学风对毛泽东提出“实事求是”影响重大。东山学堂的办学定位、育人理念及思想氛围等使毛泽东较早受到湖湘文化务实精神和实事求是学风的影响。

Investigation and research are the path and method of seeking truth from facts. The Hunan scholarly style, which revered rational philosophy and emphasized practical application, made Mao Zedong attach great importance to investigation and research, laying an ideological foundation for the formation of his thought of seeking truth from facts. The tradition of “practical learning for governing the world” in Hunan culture influenced Mao Zedong’s pragmatic style and spirit, and influenced the formation of his thought of seeking truth from facts. The concept and scholarly style in Hunan culture that emphasized reality shaped the young Mao Zedong’s character of valuing practice and seeking truth from facts. After Mao accepted Marxism, he combined it with China’s actual conditions, ultimately proposing the proposition of “adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.”

调查研究是实事求是的路径与方法。崇尚理性哲学、强调经世致用的湘学士风使毛泽东高度重视调查研究，为毛泽东实事求是思想的形成奠定了思想基础。湖湘文化的“经世致用之实学”传统影响了毛泽东求实的风格和精神，影响了毛泽东实事求是思想的形成。湖湘文化注重实际的观念和学风，塑造了青年毛泽东重视实践、实事求是的品格，使毛泽东在接受了马克思主义之后将其与中国实际结合起来，最终提出了“马克思主义中国化”的命题。

Seeking truth from facts inherits and transcends Hunan culture. Influenced by the trend of practical learning in Hunan culture, which “probes things to exhaust their principles,” Mao Zedong particularly valued “useful learning” that “can be seen in facts.” After accepting Marxism, he inherited the traditional views that “things are objects” and “principles are truths,” and endowed them with new Marxist content. Thus, Mao Zedong Thought implies both inheritance and transcendence of Hunan culture. The tradition of practical application in Hunan culture influenced Mao Zedong’s emphasis on practice and in-depth investigation and research. However, after accepting Marxism, Mao discarded the idealist elements in Hunan practical learning, preserved its cultural characteristics of valuing practice and seeking truth and pragmatism, and combined them with Marxist epistemology to form the thought of “seeking truth from facts.”

实事求是继承并超越了湖湘文化。毛泽东在湖湘文化“即事穷理”的实学思潮的影响下特别重视“能见之于事实”的“有用之学”，在接受马克思主义以后，继承了“事即物”“是即理”的传统观点，又赋予了马克思主义的崭新内容，所以毛泽东思想暗含对湖湘文化的传承和超越。湖湘文化的经世致用传统影响了毛泽东重视实践，深入调查研究，但毛泽东在接受了马克思主义后，摈弃了湖湘经世之学中唯心主义的因素，保存了其中重视实践、求真务实的文化特征，并将其与马克思主义认识论结合起来，形成“实事求是”的思想。

The mass line mainly refers to: for the masses, relying on the masses, coming from the masses, and going to the masses. Hunan culture and the mass line are related in many aspects, including content and form. In terms of content, the people-oriented principle of Hunan culture combined with the Marxist view of the masses to form Mao Zedong’s view of the mass line. In particular, judgments such as “one’s own unique insight must be inferior to the collective discussion of the many” influenced the view of believing in and relying on the masses. The people-oriented thought of Hunan culture endowed Mao Zedong with a profound sentiment for the masses; the thought of practical application was the logical starting point of Mao’s mass line; Mao’s sense of responsibility toward the masses was in the same vein as the spirit of responsibility in Hunan culture; Mao’s methods of mass work were closely connected with the spirit of exploring the fundamental principles in Hunan culture; Mao’s thought of equality shared the same bloodline as the consciousness of equality in Hunan culture; and Mao’s style of hard struggle was inseparable from the thought of diligence and frugality in Hunan culture. In terms of form, the Hunan cultural concept of “the people as the foundation of the state” influenced Mao Zedong through multiple channels, especially through the personal instruction of Yang Changji, [10]10 Yang Changji (杨昌济, 1871–1920) was Mao’s ethics teacher at Hunan First Normal School and a key conduit of Neo-Confucian and Western philosophical ideas. making him aware of the immense power contained within the masses, leading him to care about the people and focus on the grassroots of society, and ultimately to propose the mass line. The “characteristics of sages and heroes” in Hunan culture led the young Mao Zedong to establish a life pursuit “oriented toward sages,” to value “the common people” and “save the petty men,” in order to explore the correct path for saving the country and the people, providing cultural nourishment for the subsequent formation and development of Mao Zedong’s thought on the mass line. Mao Zedong’s view of the masses inherited the reasonable core of the “people-oriented” thought in Hunan culture, valuing the power of the masses, while also using Marxist scientific theory to eliminate the historical and class limitations of traditional people-oriented thought. The “characteristics of sages and heroes” in Hunan culture influenced Mao Zedong’s search for laws and his exploration of the “great fundamental source” for saving the country and the people on the basis of practice. However, Mao discarded the “heroic view of history,” sublated the thought of “uniting the masses” within the “characteristics of sages and heroes” in Hunan culture, emphasized combining it with China’s national conditions, and formed the view of the mass line.

群众路线，主要指一切为了群众，一切依靠群众，从群众中来，到群众中去。湖湘文化与群众路线在内容和形式等诸多方面都有关联。在内容上，湖湘文化的民本主义与马克思主义的群众观相结合，形成了毛泽东的群众路线观，特别是“独得之见必不如众议之参同”等论断影响了相信群众、依靠群众的观点。湖湘文化的民本思想赋予了毛泽东厚重的群众情怀，经世致用思想是毛泽东群众路线的逻辑起点，毛泽东的群众责任感与湖湘文化的担当精神一脉相承，毛泽东的群众工作方法与湖湘文化的原道探索精神息息相通；毛泽东的平等思想与湖湘文化的平等意识血脉同源，毛泽东的艰苦奋斗作风与湖湘文化的勤俭思想密不可分。在形式上，湖湘文化“民为邦本”的重民思想通过多种途径，尤其通过杨昌济的言传身教影响了毛泽东，使他意识到人民群众所蕴藏的巨大力量，并关心民众、关注社会基层，进而提出了群众路线。湖湘文化“圣贤豪杰之特质”使青年毛泽东树立起“以圣贤为祈向”的人生追求，重视“生民”“救小人”，以探求救国救民的正确道路，为日后毛泽东群众路线思想的形成和发展提供了文化养料。毛泽东的群众观继承了湖湘文化中“民本”思想的合理内核，重视民众的力量，又借助马克思主义科学理论剔除了传统民本思想的历史、阶级局限性。湖湘文化“圣贤豪杰之特质”影响了毛泽东寻找规律，在实践的基础上探究救国救民的“大本大源”问题，但毛泽东摒弃了“英雄史观”，对湖湘文化中“圣贤豪杰之特质”中“合群”的思想进行了扬弃，注重与中国国情相结合，形成了群众路线观。

Maintaining independence and self-reliance is an inevitable conclusion of proceeding from China’s actual conditions and relying on the masses to carry out revolution and construction. The Hunanese view of “relying on oneself,” along with the emphasis in Hunan culture on “a just cause gains abundant support; a founder does not rely on support; not relying, one can then be relied upon,” influenced the formation of Mao Zedong’s thought of “maintaining independence.” The “relying on oneself” and “valuing the self” in Hunan culture fostered Mao Zedong’s independent thinking, cultivated a character of self-reliance, and formed an enterprising, unremitting self-improvement, and self-reliant fighting spirit. The strong sense of national crisis and the political participation consciousness of worrying about the country and the people in Hunan culture gave Mao Zedong a strong sense of patriotism. At the same time, he was determined to use Marxism to transform China and the world, drive imperialism out of China, restore the independence of the Chinese nation, combine internationalism with patriotism, and combine national struggle with class struggle, and combine self-reliance as the mainstay with seeking foreign aid as a supplement.

独立自主、自力更生，是从中国实际出发、依靠群众进行革命和建设的必然结论。湘人的“恃己”观，以及湖湘文化强调的“得道多助，创业者不恃助，不恃也，乃可恃也”，影响了毛泽东“独立自主”思想的形成。湖湘文化的“恃己”与“贵我”促成毛泽东独立思考，养成自立的品格，并形成积极进取、自强不息、自力更生的奋斗精神。湖湘文化强烈的民族忧患意识和忧国忧民的参政意识使毛泽东产生了强烈的爱国主义意识，同时决心用马克思主义来改造中国与世界，驱逐帝国主义出中国，恢复中华民族的独立，把国际主义与爱国主义、民族斗争与阶级斗争相结合，把自力更生为主与争取外援为辅相结合。

(B) Hunan Culture and *On Practice* and *On Contradiction*

（二）湖湘文化与实践论、矛盾论

*On Practice* and *On Contradiction* are Mao Zedong’s most important philosophical works. The relationship between Hunan culture and the formation of Mao Zedong Thought is importantly reflected in *On Practice* and *On Contradiction*.

《实践论》与《矛盾论》是毛泽东最重要的哲学著作。湖湘文化与毛泽东思想的形成，在实践论、矛盾论上有重要体现。

The theory of practice refers primarily to Mao Zedong’s philosophical understanding of the question of practice. It is both the theoretical product of the combination of the Marxist view of practice with China’s concrete practice and the concrete application and in-depth development of the Marxist view of practice in China. Mao Zedong inherited the Huxiang scholarly style that emphasizes reality and practice, stressing the need to put theory into practice, unwilling to engage in pure metaphysical speculation, and even more opposed to seeking a living from books. At the same time, Mao Zedong inherited the Hunan scholarly tradition’s view of knowing and doing, and in *On Practice* he offered a more profound elaboration of the relationship between knowing and doing, and between theory and practice. Mao Zedong’s theory of practice inherited the characteristics of social ontology from Wang Chuanshan’s [11]11 Wang Chuanshan (1619–1692), also known as Wang Fuzhi, was a late-Ming and early-Qing Confucian philosopher from Hunan whose work heavily influenced later Hunanese thinkers. philosophy of history, namely, the search for the “great foundation and great source,” and put forward the view that “the standpoint of practice is the primary and basic standpoint in the epistemology of dialectical materialism.” It also inherited the characteristics of practical rationalism from Wang Chuanshan’s philosophy of history and put forward the dialectical unity of knowing and doing. It further inherited the characteristics of social change from Wang Chuanshan’s philosophy of history and firmly believed in the people’s view of history that “the people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.”

实践论主要是指毛泽东对实践问题的哲学理解，既是马克思主义实践观同中国具体实践相结合的理论产物，也是马克思主义实践观在中国的具体运用和深入发展。毛泽东继承了重现实、重实践的湖湘学风，强调把理论付诸实践，不愿作纯粹的形上玄想，更反对向书本讨生活。同时，毛泽东继承了湖南学风的知行观，在《实践论》中对知与行、理论与实践的关系问题作了更为深刻的阐发。毛泽东的实践论继承了船山历史哲学的社会本体论特点，即探求“大本大源”，并提出了“实践的观点是辩证唯物主义论的认识论之第一的和基本的观点”，也继承了船山历史哲学的实践理性论特点，并提出了知与行的辩证统一关系，还继承了船山历史哲学的社会变易论特点，并深信“人民，只有人民，才是创造世界历史的真正动力”的人民史观。

The Huxiang culture’s view of knowing and doing also influenced the theory of practice. The Huxiang practical-learning trend represented by Wang Chuanshan was transmitted through Wei Yuan, Zeng Guofan, Tan Sitong, and Yang Changji to the young Mao Zedong, exerting a major influence on the formation of Mao Zedong’s view of practice. The thought of knowing and doing in Huxiang culture, through the guidance of Yang Changji, took deep root in the thought of the young Mao Zedong, enabling him to form a view of practice that uses principle to guide action.

湖湘文化的知行观也影响了实践论。以王船山为代表的湖湘实学思潮经魏源、曾国藩、谭嗣同至杨昌济而传予青年毛泽东，对毛泽东实践观的形成产生了重大影响。湖湘文化中的知行思想通过杨昌济的引导在青年毛泽东的思想中深深扎下了根，使青年毛泽东形成了以理驭行的实践观。

The theory of contradiction is an important body of thought concerning contradiction and development. Huxiang culture played a certain role in gestating and generating the theory of contradiction. The dialectical thinking of “dividing one into two” in Huxiang culture was inherited by Mao Zedong and formed the theory of contradiction. It was precisely by absorbing the dialectical thought in Huxiang culture and integrating it with Marxist philosophy that Mao Zedong created his own philosophy of contradiction, greatly enriching the theory of materialist dialectics.

矛盾论是关于矛盾和发展的重要思想。湖湘文化对矛盾论具有一定程度的孕育和生成作用。湖湘文化“一分为二”的辩证法思维被毛泽东继承而形成了矛盾论。毛泽东正是吸取了湖湘文化中的辩证法思想，融合马克思主义哲学而创建出自己的矛盾哲学，大大丰富了唯物辩证法理论。

(III) Huxiang Culture and the Three Magic Weapons [12]12 “Three Magic Weapons” (三大法宝) is a standard CCP term for the three key elements of the Chinese Communist Party’s revolutionary strategy: the united front, armed struggle, and Party building.

（三）湖湘文化与三大法宝

The Three Magic Weapons are Mao Zedong’s basic summary of the historical experience of the Chinese Communist Party’s revolutionary struggle, mainly comprising the united front, armed struggle, and Party building.

三大法宝是毛泽东对中国共产党革命斗争历史经验的基本总结，主要包括统一战线、武装斗争、党的建设。

Huxiang culture had a profound influence on the formation of the thought on the united front. On the one hand, the Hunanese view of “harmony and unity” influenced Mao Zedong’s thought of uniting with all who could be united; the Hunanese view of “relying on oneself” influenced Mao Zedong’s thought of upholding “independence and self-reliance” within the united front; the Hunanese consciousness of the people as the foundation influenced Mao Zedong’s thought of upholding the proletariat’s leadership and the worker-peasant alliance within the united front; and the Huxiang culture’s theory of the unity of opposites influenced Mao Zedong’s thought of both uniting and struggling. On the other hand, the formation and development of united front theory inherited the Huxiang culture’s patriotic tradition of “worrying about the world and daring to be the first”; the fundamental principles of united front theory glorified the Huxiang culture’s spiritual character of “indomitable perseverance and independence and self-reliance”; the fundamental stance of united front theory sublimated the Huxiang culture’s people-oriented thought of “the people as the foundation of the state and benevolence toward the people”; the formation and development of united front theory benefited from the Huxiang culture’s spiritual trait of “practical statecraft and seeking truth from facts”; and the essential connotation of united front theory contained the cultural essence of Huxiang culture, namely “harmony in diversity and inclusiveness.”

湖湘文化对统一战线思想的形成有着深刻影响。一方面，湘人的“和合”观影响了毛泽东团结一切可以团结者的思想，湘人的“恃己”观影响了毛泽东坚持统一战线中的“独立自主”思想，湘人的民本意识影响了毛泽东坚持统一战线中的无产阶级领导权和工农联盟的思想，湖湘文化中的对立统一说影响了毛泽东的又联合又斗争思想。另一方面，统一战线理论的形成和发展继承了湖湘文化“心忧天下、敢为人先”的爱国主义传统，统一战线理论的根本原则光大了湖湘文化“百折不挠、独立自主”的精神品格，统一战线理论的根本立场升华了湖湘文化“民为邦本、仁民爱民”的民本思想，统一战线理论的形成和发展得益于湖湘文化“经世致用、实事求是”的精神特质，统一战线理论的本质内涵蕴含了湖湘文化“和而不同、兼容并蓄”的文化精髓。

Party building is the central link of the Three Magic Weapons, and the role of Huxiang culture in it cannot be ignored. In political building, the Confucian tradition of inner self-examination in Huxiang culture and the group-style moral practice of “mutual support between teachers and friends” influenced Mao Zedong’s spirit of “self-criticism,” affected Mao Zedong’s thought on inner-Party life, and promoted the scientization and institutionalization of inner-Party life. In style building, Huxiang culture’s emphasis on closely linking scholarship with reality influenced the formation of Mao Zedong’s theory on the Party’s style of linking theory with practice; Huxiang culture inherited and developed the Confucian people-oriented thought, influencing the formation of Mao Zedong’s theory on the Party’s style of maintaining close ties with the masses; and the tradition in Huxiang culture of focusing on the method of inner self-examination to enhance self-cultivation was reasonably transformed by Mao Zedong into the method of criticism and self-criticism. In the anti-corruption struggle, Huxiang culture’s thought of inner self-examination and emulating sages and worthies influenced Mao Zedong’s emphasis on ideological education and transforming the subjective world; Huxiang culture’s thought of caring for the world and worrying about the country and the people influenced Mao Zedong’s wholehearted service to the people; Huxiang culture’s spirit of seeking truth from facts and perseverance prompted Mao Zedong to uphold the “Two Musts” [13]13 “Two Musts” (两个务必) refers to Mao Zedong’s injunction at the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the CPC in March 1949 that the Party must remain modest, prudent, and free from arrogance and rashness, and must remain hardworking and plain-living.; and Huxiang culture’s thought of nurturing the people, valuing the people, and taking the people as the mainstay helped Mao Zedong rely on the masses to combat corruption.

党的建设是三大法宝的中心环节，湖湘文化在其中的作用不可忽视。在政治建设上，湖湘文化的儒家内省传统和“师友夹持”的团体式道德践履熏染了毛泽东的“自我批评”精神，影响了毛泽东的党内生活思想，并推动了党内生活的科学化和制度化。在作风建设上，湖湘文化强调治学要紧密联系实际，影响了毛泽东关于党的理论联系实践的作风理论的形成；湖湘文化传承并发扬了儒家的民本思想，影响了毛泽东关于党的密切联系群众的作风理论的形成；湖湘文化中注重通过内省方法提升修养的传统被毛泽东合理地改造为批评与自我批评的方法。在反腐败斗争上，湖湘文化修身内省、效法圣贤思想影响了毛泽东注重思想教育、改造主观世界；湖湘文化心怀天下、忧国忧民思想影响了毛泽东全心全意为人民服务；湖湘文化实事求是、坚忍不拔精神促使毛泽东坚持“两个务必”；湖湘文化养民重民、以民为主思想助力毛泽东依靠人民群众反腐。

Armed struggle is the main characteristic and form of the Chinese revolution. The influence of Huxiang culture on armed struggle is mainly manifested in its nourishment of Mao Zedong’s military thought. Mao Zedong’s famous military judgments, such as “despise the enemy strategically and take the enemy seriously tactically” and “oppose counter-revolutionary war with revolutionary war,” are respectively connected or similar to Wang Chuanshan’s views on the “difficulty and ease” of war and Wei Yuan’s proposal of “using war to stop war.” Mao Zedong’s thought on people’s war was influenced by Wang Chuanshan, Wei Yuan, Zeng Guofan, Huang Xing, Cai E, and others regarding mobilizing and relying on the people in war. Mao Zedong’s thought on building a people’s army was influenced by Zeng Guofan and others who emphasized that “loving the people is the first essential in governing the army,” and his strategic and tactical thought was influenced by Wang Chuanshan and Zeng Guofan, leading to the summary of experiences such as active defense and offensive defense. Mao Zedong’s thought on national defense construction was influenced by Zuo Zongtang’s thought of giving equal importance to “coastal defense” and “frontier defense.”

武装斗争是中国革命的主要特点和形式。湖湘文化对武装斗争的影响主要表现在对毛泽东军事思想的滋养上。毛泽东的著名军事论断“战略上藐视敌人，战术上重视敌人”“用革命的战争反对反革命的战争”等，分别与王船山关于战争的“难与易”、魏源提出的“以战止战”有相通或相似之处。毛泽东的人民战争思想受到王船山、魏源、曾国藩、黄兴、蔡锷等关于在战争中发动和依靠民众的影响。毛泽东的人民军队建设思想受到曾国藩等强调“爱民为治兵第一要义”的影响，战略战术思想受到王船山和曾国藩等人的影响，总结出积极防御、攻势防御等经验。毛泽东的国防建设思想受到左宗棠“海防”与“塞防”并重思想的影响。

Existing research on Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong Thought is relatively in-depth and comprehensive, but there are also some weak points in individual discussions. For example, research on Huxiang culture and armed struggle is relatively scarce, and there is still no profound grasp of the role and function played by the “people” in this regard.

已有湖湘文化与毛泽东思想的研究比较深入和全面，但也有个别论述比较薄弱，比如湖湘文化与武装斗争研究较少，还没有深刻把握“人民”在其中扮演的角色和发挥的作用。

IV. Conclusion

四、结语

As a part of the excellent traditional Chinese culture, Huxiang culture not only nourished the formation of Mao Zedong’s character and moral qualities but also played an important role in the combination of the basic principles of Marxism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution. The formation of Mao Zedong Thought is inseparable from the contribution of Huxiang culture. Currently, research on Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong is in the ascendant, with a steady stream of results. Summarizing the shortcomings in existing research can point the direction for future studies.

作为中华优秀传统文化一部分的湖湘文化，不仅滋养了毛泽东性格和品德的养成，而且在马克思主义基本原理与中国革命具体实践相结合中发挥了重要作用。毛泽东思想的形成离不开湖湘文化的贡献。目前，湖湘文化与毛泽东研究方兴未艾、成果迭出，总结已有研究中存在的不足，可为未来研究指明方向。

The degree of organic integration between Huxiang culture and the study of Mao Zedong is insufficient. In some works, Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong and Mao Zedong Thought are discussed separately. As for what the relationship between them is and how to prove it, this is not fully developed. At the same time, some scholars, in order to explain the influence of Huxiang culture on Mao Zedong Thought, will consciously or unconsciously select relevant concepts from the theoretical repository of Mao Zedong Thought and then extract corresponding materials from the resource repository of Huxiang culture to prove them, inevitably giving the impression of “playing the film backwards.” [14]14 “Playing the film backwards” (倒放电影) is a Chinese academic idiom criticizing the anachronistic practice of reading later outcomes back into earlier sources as if they were inevitable. To fully explain the relationship between Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong, it should be understood by placing it in its historical context.

湖湘文化与毛泽东研究有机融合度不够。在部分论著中，湖湘文化与毛泽东、毛泽东思想是各自表述，至于二者是什么关系，如何证明，未能充分展开。同时，部分学者为了说明湖湘文化对毛泽东思想的影响，会有意无意从毛泽东思想理论库中筛选相关概念，再从湖湘文化的资源库中提取相关资料加以证明，不免有“倒放电影”之嫌。要充分说明湖湘文化与毛泽东的关系，应放置在历史语境中加以理解。

There is a lack of necessary dialogue among scholars, which has failed to effectively promote academic growth. In the study of Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong, scholars from many disciplinary fields have participated, interpreting their understanding and knowledge of Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong and Mao Zedong Thought from different perspectives, contributing to the flourishing of research on Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong. However, there is also the problem of talking to oneself. For example, some studies mention the influence of Huxiang culture’s “practical statecraft” on Mao Zedong, but when addressing this issue, they pay little attention to previous research and simply use it as is. Effective academic research should be “explaining what step previous research has reached and how my research is different,” or “what aspects others have focused on and what aspect I am focusing on.” Only in this way can research be continuously advanced.

学者之间缺少必要的对话，未能有效推进学术的生长。湖湘文化与毛泽东研究，诸多学科领域的学者参与其中，从不同的视角阐释了对湖湘文化与毛泽东、毛泽东思想间的理解和认识，为繁荣湖湘文化与毛泽东研究作出了贡献。但也存在自说自话的问题。比如，部分研究提到湖湘文化“经世致用”对毛泽东的影响，但在触及这一问题时，较少关注前人研究，而是拿来就用。有效的学术研究应该是“要说明前人研究到了哪一步，我的研究有什么不同”，或者是“别人关注到了哪些面向，我聚焦的又是什么面向”，如此才能推进研究不断向前发展。

Existing major research has fallen into the rut of a unidirectional examination of Huxiang culture’s influence on Mao Zedong and Mao Zedong Thought. Related studies primarily take Mao Zedong as the subject and Huxiang culture as the object, discussing how Huxiang culture influenced Mao Zedong and Mao Zedong Thought, but they still need to delve more deeply into how Mao Zedong and Mao Zedong Thought enriched and developed Huxiang culture. Among the early works on Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong, the book *Huxiang Culture and Mao Zedong* already discusses Mao Zedong as part of Huxiang culture. The author of that book points out that the development of modern Huxiang culture has two ideological threads: Wang Chuanshan—Tan Sitong—Yang Changji—Mao Zedong, and Wang Chuanshan—Zeng Guofan—Yang Changji—Mao Zedong, placing Mao Zedong within the system of Huxiang cultural development to examine the relationship between the two. In fact, only through a bidirectional examination can the relationship between Huxiang culture and Mao Zedong be deeply understood and grasped.

现有主要研究陷入了湖湘文化单向度的对毛泽东和毛泽东思想影响的窠臼之中。相关研究主要以毛泽东为主体，湖湘文化为客体，讨论湖湘文化如何影响了毛泽东、毛泽东思想，但还需要更深入地挖掘毛泽东、毛泽东思想如何丰富和发展了湖湘文化。在湖湘文化与毛泽东研究的早期著作中，《湖湘文化与毛泽东》一书，即是将毛泽东作为湖湘文化的一部分展开讨论。该书作者指出近代湖湘文化发展有两条思想线索，分别是王船山—谭嗣同—杨昌济—毛泽东，王船山—曾国藩—杨昌济—毛泽东，将毛泽东放置于湖湘文化发展的体系中加以考察二者间的关系。事实上，只有在双向度的考察中，才能深刻理解和把握湖湘文化和毛泽东之间的关系。