Using Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to Forge Souls and Educate People, Strengthening Students’ Cultural Confidence

In his important speech of March 18, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “To run ideological and political courses well is precisely to carry out education in Marxist theory, to use Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to forge souls and educate people, to guide students in strengthening their confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, to deeply cultivate patriotic sentiments, and to consciously integrate love for the country, ambition to strengthen the country, and action to serve the country into the struggle to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, build a modern socialist power, and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” In this exposition, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly emphasized the fundamental content of ideological and political education in the New Era, namely, carrying out education in Marxist theory, and especially using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to forge souls and educate people. At the same time, he made the “Four Confidences” the direct goal of ideological and political education. Among these, how to realize “cultural confidence” constitutes one of the important contents of ideological and political education. In October 2023, the National Conference on Propaganda and Ideological Work formally proposed and systematically elaborated Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Following the important speech of March 18, Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has further set a new mission for ideological and political education, namely, to conduct ideological and political education based on Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture provides the fundamental guidance for strengthening students’ cultural confidence.

习近平总书记在“3·18”重要讲话中指出：“办好思政课，就是要开展马克思主义理论教育，用新时代中国特色社会主义思想铸魂育人，引导学生增强中国特色社会主义道路自信、理论自信、制度自信、文化自信，厚植爱国主义情怀，把爱国情、强国志、报国行自觉融入坚持和发展中国特色社会主义、建设社会主义现代化强国、实现中华民族伟大复兴的奋斗之中。”在这段论述中，习近平总书记明确强调了新时代思想政治教育的根本内容，即开展马克思主义理论教育，特别是用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想铸魂育人。同时，把“四个自信”作为思想政治教育的直接目标。其中，如何实现“文化自信”构成了思想政治教育的重要内容之一。2023年10月，全国宣传思想工作会议正式提出并系统阐述了习近平文化思想。习近平文化思想继“3·18”重要讲话精神之后，进一步为思想政治教育提出了新的使命，即立足习近平文化思想开展思想政治教育。习近平文化思想为增强学生文化自信提供了根本遵循。

I. Using Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to Forge Souls and Educate People, Enlightening Students’ Theoretical Consciousness of the Cultural Subjectivity of the Chinese Nation

一、用习近平文化思想铸魂育人，启示学生对中华民族文化主体性的理论自觉

The formation of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture marks the theoretical consciousness of the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation in the New Era. The Chinese nation possesses a civilization of more than five thousand years that has never been interrupted; this irrefutable fact firmly manifests the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. If a nation lacks cultural subjectivity, its civilization cannot maintain its continuity. Although the Chinese nation encountered the invasion of Western colonialism in modern times, it was merely “civilization sullied by dust” and not “interrupted,” which once again proves that the Chinese nation possesses a strong cultural subjectivity. However, it was not until socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era that Xi Jinping Thought on Culture was formed, and only then did it systematically reflect for the first time on the theoretical connotation and fundamental characteristics of Chinese civilization since modern times, explicitly proposing the two extremely important concepts of “modern civilization of the Chinese nation” and “cultural subjectivity.” It is in this sense that the formation of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has realized the theoretical consciousness of the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation since modern times. Cultural subjectivity indicates that a nation is not only “in itself” situated within the form of civilization it has created, but can also “consciously” establish its cultural subjectivity within its own national thought and theory, forming a “cultural self.”

习近平文化思想的形成，标志着中华民族文化主体性在新时代的理论自觉。中华民族拥有五千多年从未中断的文明，这一确凿的事实坚实地彰显了中华民族的文化主体性。如果一个民族没有文化主体性，该民族的文明就无法保持其连续性。尽管中华民族在近代遭遇了西方殖民主义的入侵，但也仅仅是“文明蒙尘”而没有“中断”，这再一次证明了中华民族拥有坚强的文化主体性。然而，直到中国特色社会主义进入新时代，才形成了习近平文化思想，才第一次系统地反思了近代以来中华民族文明的理论内涵和根本特征，明确提出了“中华民族现代文明”和“文化主体性”两个极其重要的概念。正是在这个意义上，习近平文化思想的形成，实现了对近代以来中华民族文化主体性的理论自觉。文化主体性表明，一个民族不仅仅“自在地”置身于其自身所创造的文明形态之中，而且能够在自己民族的思想理论中“自觉地”确立其文化主体性，形成“文化自我”。

What is called “subjectivity” is manifested in any field, for example, economic subjectivity, political subjectivity, communicative subjectivity, etc., and refers to the ability of an individual or a community to independently make cognitive judgments and practical judgments by virtue of its own reason. The subject being a subject is the condition of the subject’s freedom; beings without subjectivity cannot be called “subjects,” for example, children cannot be called subjects and must have guardians. Freedom is being one’s own master; the subject can make its own cognition, understanding, and judgment, and is therefore a free being. In the cultural field, if a nation can uphold its own culture and not be penetrated by other cultures or ideologies to the point of losing itself, it indicates that the nation possesses “cultural subjectivity.” Cultural subjectivity needs to be manifested in the collision and exchange of cultures with other nations. In the process of mutual exchange and integration with other cultures, consciously recognizing, identifying with, and creating one’s own national culture is the concentrated expression of cultural subjectivity.

所谓“主体性”体现在任何领域中，例如，经济主体性、政治主体性、交往主体性等，是指一个个体或一个共同体，能够凭借自己的理性独立地进行认识判断和实践判断的能力。主体之为主体，是主体自由的条件，没有主体性的存在者不能称其为“主体”，比如儿童不能称其为主体，必须有监护人。自由就是自己是自己的主人，主体能够自己作出认识、理解和判断，因而才是自由者。在文化领域中，一个民族如果能够坚守自己的文化，不被其他文化或意识形态所渗透而失去自我，就表明该民族具有“文化主体性”。文化主体性需要在与其他民族文化交流碰撞中得到彰显。在与其他文化相互交流融合的过程中，自觉地认识、认同和创造自己民族的文化，是文化主体性的集中表现。

In the New Era, using Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to forge souls and educate people in ideological and political education must first help students form a theoretical consciousness of their own national cultural subjectivity, guide students to base themselves on the “cultural self” of their own nation, trace the ideological origins of their own national culture, gain insight into the spiritual essence of their own national culture, grasp the laws of development of their own national culture, deeply understand the continuity, innovativeness, unity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness of Chinese civilization, deeply comprehend the great significance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture for defending the cultural subjectivity of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation in the New Era, use Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to cultivate students’ cultural and civilizational outlook, and help students establish a self-awareness of actively defending the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation.

新时代思想政治教育用习近平文化思想铸魂育人，首先要帮助学生形成对自己民族文化主体性的理论自觉，引导学生立足于自己民族的“文化自我”，追溯自己民族文化的思想渊源，洞见自己民族文化的精神实质，把握自己民族文化的发展规律，深刻认识中华文明的连续性、创新性、统一性、包容性、和平性，深刻领悟习近平文化思想对于新时代捍卫中华民族现代文明文化主体性的重大意义，用习近平文化思想培育学生的文化观和文明观，帮助学生树立主动捍卫中华民族文化主体性的自我意识。

II. Using Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to Forge Souls and Educate People, Providing Support from an Independent Knowledge System for Strengthening Students’ Cultural Confidence

二、用习近平文化思想铸魂育人，为学生增强文化自信提供自主知识体系支撑

One of the direct goals of ideological and political education is to strengthen students’ cultural confidence. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that among the “Four Confidences,” cultural confidence is the most fundamental, deepest, and most enduring force in the development of a country and a nation. Cultural confidence is a person’s self-assurance based on a high degree of identification with their own national culture. The reason one nation differs from another is mainly due to differences in national culture. In this sense, national culture is also the foundation of a nation’s independence; precisely for this reason, cultural confidence becomes the deepest foundation of all confidence. Ideological and political education must use Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to forge souls and educate people, strengthen students’ confidence in their own national culture, and thereby actively engage in the great cause of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

思想政治教育的直接目标之一就是增强学生的文化自信。习近平总书记多次强调，在“四个自信”中，文化自信是一个国家、一个民族发展中最基本、最深沉、最持久的力量。文化自信就是一个人在对自己民族文化高度认同基础上的自我确信。一个民族之所以不同于其他民族，主要是由于民族文化的差异。在这个意义上，民族文化也是一个民族独立性的根基，正因如此，文化自信才成为一切自信的最深沉的根基。思想政治教育就是要用习近平文化思想铸魂育人，增强学生对自己民族文化的自信，进而积极投身于中华民族复兴的伟大事业。

Cultural confidence is the subjective form of cultural subjectivity, a person’s stable identification with their own national culture formed subjectively. However, cultural confidence is not empty confidence, still less blind confidence; this requires reaching a high degree of theoretical cognition of one’s own national culture. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture constructs the cultural foundation of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation in theoretical form, pointing out that contemporary Chinese culture is Marxist culture, and also the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, while also including the revolutionary culture formed since modern times and advanced socialist culture. In July 2021, in his important speech at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping for the first time explicitly put forward the important thesis of “persisting in integrating the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture,” and further elaborated the practical significance and basic connotation of the “Two Integrations” in the report of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee and the report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC. In June 2023, at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development, General Secretary Xi Jinping again discussed the “Two Integrations,” emphasizing that this is a regular understanding we have gained in exploring the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the greatest magic weapon for our success, and particularly elaborated on the “Second Integration,” calling it “another ideological emancipation, allowing us to fully utilize the precious resources of fine traditional Chinese culture in a broader cultural space, and explore theoretical and institutional innovation oriented toward the future.” Xi Jinping Thought on Culture systematically explains the theoretical connotation and essential characteristics of contemporary Chinese culture, is a model for creating an independent knowledge system of contemporary Chinese culture and the culture of the Chinese nation, and provides support from an independent knowledge system for strengthening students’ cultural confidence.

文化自信是文化主体性的主观形态，是一个人在主观上形成的对自己民族文化的稳定的认同。然而，文化自信不是空洞的自信，更不是盲目的自信，这就需要对自己民族文化达到高度的理论认知。习近平文化思想就是以理论的形式建构了中华民族现代文明的文化基础，指出当代中国文化是马克思主义文化，也是中华优秀传统文化的创造性转化和创新性发展，同时也包括近代以来形成的革命文化和社会主义先进文化。2021年7月，习近平总书记在庆祝中国共产党成立100周年大会上的重要讲话中,首次明确提出“坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合”的重要论断，并在党的十九届六中全会和党的二十大报告中进一步阐明“两个结合”的实践意义和基本内涵。2023年6月，习近平总书记在文化传承发展座谈会上再谈“两个结合”，强调这是我们在探索中国特色社会主义道路中得出的规律性的认识，是我们取得成功的最大法宝，特别阐述了“第二个结合”，称其是“又一次的思想解放，让我们能够在更广阔的文化空间中，充分运用中华优秀传统文化的宝贵资源，探索面向未来的理论和制度创新”。习近平文化思想系统阐释了当代中国文化的理论内涵和本质特征，是创造当代中国文化以及中华民族文化的自主知识体系的典范，为学生增强文化自信提供了自主知识体系的支撑。

In the New Era, using Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to forge souls and educate people in ideological and political education must deeply comprehend the scientific connotation of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, guide students to deepen their cognition of the ideological sources and essential characteristics of their own national culture, and on this basis, promote fine traditional Chinese culture, inherit revolutionary culture, strengthen students’ identification with their own national culture, and firm up cultural confidence. “For whom to cultivate people” depends on “whose theory to use to cultivate people.” Strengthening cultural confidence depends on what kind of cultural thought is used to strengthen cultural confidence. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is the crystallization of contemporary Chinese Marxism’s scientific understanding of Chinese culture. To cultivate students’ cultural confidence is to use Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, this independent knowledge system of contemporary Chinese culture, to arm their minds, firmly grasp the fundamental nature of socialist culture, and consciously resist unhealthy cultural trends such as Western cultural hegemonism and cultural colonialism; it is to cultivate students’ confidence in fine traditional Chinese culture and cultivate students’ confidence in the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

新时代思想政治教育用习近平文化思想铸魂育人，要深刻领悟习近平文化思想的科学内涵，引导学生深化对自己民族文化的思想来源、本质特征的认知，在此基础上，弘扬中华优秀传统文化，继承革命文化，增强学生对自己民族文化的认同，坚定文化自信。“为谁培养人”取决于“用谁的理论培养人”。增强文化自信，取决于用什么样的文化思想来增强文化自信。习近平文化思想是当代中国马克思主义对中国文化科学认识的结晶。培养学生的文化自信，就是要用习近平文化思想这一当代中国文化自主知识体系武装头脑，牢牢把握社会主义文化的根本性质，自觉抵御西方文化霸权主义、文化殖民主义等不良文化思潮；就是要培养学生对中华优秀传统文化的自信，培养学生对中国特色社会主义文化的自信。

III. Using Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to Forge Souls and Educate People, Guiding Students to Shoulder the New Mission of Building the Modern Civilization of the Chinese Nation

三、用习近平文化思想铸魂育人，引导学生担当建设中华民族现代文明的新使命

“Cultural subjectivity” is embodied not only in the consciousness of one’s own national cultural subjectivity, but also in the confidence in one’s own national culture, and even more so in the construction of one’s own national culture. General Secretary Xi Jinping has explicitly proposed the new cultural construction mission of “building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.” Whether it is “consciousness” or “confidence,” both are cognitive attitudes toward one’s own national culture. Only by actively and proactively constructing one’s own national culture in practice can one ultimately defend one’s own national cultural subjectivity.

“文化主体性”不仅体现在对自己民族文化主体性的自觉，也体现在对自己民族文化的自信，更体现在对自己民族文化的建设中。习近平总书记明确提出了“建设中华民族现代文明”这一新的文化建设使命。无论是“自觉”还是“自信”，都是对待自己民族文化的认识态度，只有积极主动地在实践中建设自己民族的文化，才能最终捍卫自己民族的文化主体性。

The world today is facing changes unseen in a century. The world’s question of where the world is going and humanity’s question of where humanity is going are major theoretical and practical issues facing humanity in the 21st century. Xi Jinping Thought on Culture explicitly proposes the new cultural construction mission of building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. Western capitalist civilization has encountered numerous difficulties and has even brought many risks to humanity, such as economic crises, ecological crises, imbalances in industrial chains, and widening gaps between rich and poor. The modern civilization of the Chinese nation is, first and foremost, a modern civilization created by the Chinese nation. It is a new form of civilization jointly created by the entire Chinese people of all ethnic groups under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, guided by Marxism. This form of civilization insists on transcending the “Western-centric view of civilization” and the “clash of civilizations theory,” insists on taking peace and development as the themes of the contemporary world, insists on exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, insists that there is no hierarchy of civilizations, and insists on promoting the common values of all humanity. These fundamental contents of the view of civilization constitute the basic theory of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture and provide a Chinese solution for the transformation of the form of human civilization.

当今世界面临百年未有之大变局，世界向何处去的世界之问、人类向何处去的人类之问，是摆在21世纪人类面前的重大理论问题和现实问题。习近平文化思想明确提出了建设中华民族现代文明的新的文化建设使命。西方资本主义文明形态遇到了诸多困境，甚至给人类带来了诸多风险，如经济危机、生态危机、产业链失衡、贫富差距拉大等。中华民族现代文明首先是中华民族创造出来的现代文明，是在马克思主义的指导下，由中国共产党领导全国各族人民共同创造出来的新的文明形态。这一文明形态坚持超越“西方文明中心论”和“文明冲突论”，坚持把和平与发展作为当今世界的主题，坚持各族文明交流互鉴，坚持文明没有高低贵贱之分，坚持弘扬全人类共同价值等，这些文明观的根本内容构成了习近平文化思想的基础理论，为人类文明形态的变革提供了中国方案。

For ideological and political education to use Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to forge souls and educate people, it must guide college students to establish a “grand view of history,”[4]4 “Grand view of history” (大历史观) refers to a macro-historical perspective that examines historical processes over long durations and broad spatial scales, emphasizing the overall direction and laws of historical development, as advocated in CPC discourse. insist on using the Marxist standpoint, viewpoint, and method to solve cultural construction issues in the New Era, insist on the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and consciously promote the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. At the same time, it must focus on the existential predicament of humanity and incorporate the exploration of a new form of human civilization into the important mission of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

思想政治教育用习近平文化思想铸魂育人，就要引导大学生树立“大历史观”，坚持用马克思主义的立场观点方法来解决新时代文化建设问题，坚持对中华优秀传统文化进行创造性转化和创新性发展，自觉推动中华民族现代文明的建设。同时，要着眼于人类生存困境，把探索人类文明新形态纳入中华民族伟大复兴的重要使命当中。

(Author’s brief biography: Wu Hongzheng, Dean, Professor, and Doctoral Supervisor of the School of Marxism, Jilin University)

（作者简介：吴宏政，吉林大学马克思主义学院院长、教授、博士生导师）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心