Deeply Grasping the Internal Logic of Building the Chinese Nation’s Shared Spiritual Homeland

Building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual homeland is both a contemporary proposition for forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation in the New Era, better pooling the wisdom and strength of all ethnic groups, and a deep-seated pursuit for realizing the building of a strong country and the rejuvenation of the nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the 2024 National Conference on Commending Model Units and Individuals for Ethnic Unity and Progress: “Focus on building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual homeland, providing strong spiritual and cultural support for advancing the construction of the Chinese national community.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new judgments on building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual homeland, which have become an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on strengthening and improving ethnic work. Thoroughly studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on strengthening and improving ethnic work requires us to deeply grasp the internal logic of building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual homeland, so that the hearts of people from all ethnic groups converge and their spirits depend on each other, forming a strong spiritual bond of unity and concerted endeavor, thereby providing strong spiritual and cultural support for advancing the construction of the Chinese national community.

构筑中华民族共有精神家园，既是新时代铸牢中华民族共同体意识、更好凝聚各民族智慧和力量的时代命题，也是实现强国建设、民族复兴的深层次追求。习近平总书记在2024年全国民族团结进步表彰大会上强调：“着力构筑中华民族共有精神家园，为推进中华民族共同体建设提供强大精神文化支撑。”党的十八大以来，习近平总书记就构筑中华民族共有精神家园提出一系列新思想新观点新论断，成为习近平总书记关于加强和改进民族工作的重要思想的重要组成部分。深入学习贯彻习近平总书记关于加强和改进民族工作的重要思想，要求我们必须深刻把握构筑中华民族共有精神家园的内在逻辑，使各民族人心归聚、精神相依，形成人心凝聚、团结奋进的强大精神纽带，为推进中华民族共同体建设提供强大精神文化支撑。

Upholding the Party’s overall leadership is the fundamental political guarantee for building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual homeland. Since its founding, the Communist Party of China has attached great importance to ethnic work, insisted on combining Marxist ethnic theory with the concrete realities of China’s ethnic issues and with the fine traditional Chinese culture, and creatively blazed a correct path of socialism with Chinese characteristics for solving ethnic issues. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, based on the overall strategic situation of the great rejuven

坚持党的全面领导是构筑中华民族共有精神家园的根本政治保证。中国共产党自成立之日起就高度重视民族工作，坚持把马克思主义民族理论同中国民族问题具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，创造性地走出了一条中国特色解决民族问题的正确道路。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记立足中华民族伟大复兴战略全局和世界百年未有之大变局，提出铸牢中华民族共同体意识重大原创性论断，既一脉相承又与时俱进地贯彻党的民族理论和民族政策，积累把握民族问题、做好民族工作的宝贵经验，形成了习近平总书记关于加强和改进民族工作的重要思想，为做好新时代党的民族工作提供根本遵循。坚持把习近平总书记关于加强和改进民族工作的重要思想作为“指南针”和“定盘星”，注重从政治上把握民族关系、看待民族问题、做好民族工作，把党的领导贯穿民族工作全过程，形成党委统一领导、政府依法管理、统战部门牵头协调、民族工作部门履职尽责、各部门通力合作、全社会共同参与的新时代党的民族工作格局，让保障机制更加完善有力，才能为构筑中华民族共有精神家园提供根本保证。提高政治站位，保持清醒头脑，树立底线思维，坚定信心、迎难而上，统筹谋划和推进新时代党的民族工作，从而为实现中华民族伟大复兴凝聚人心和力量。

Persisting in enhancing cultural identity is the root and vein of building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual home. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Culture is the soul of a nation, and cultural identity is the root and vein of national unity.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, speech at the Central Conference on Ethnic Work, September 2014. Chinese culture is the culmination of the cultures of all ethnic groups; it contains the values, spiritual allegiances, and spiritual driving forces of all Chinese ethnic groups, and is the root and vein of the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual home. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “To strengthen the great unity of the Chinese nation, the long-term and fundamental approach is to enhance cultural identity, build a shared spiritual home for all ethnic groups, and actively cultivate a sense of community for the Chinese nation.” [2]2 Xi Jinping, speech at the Central Conference on Ethnic Work, September 2014. Cultural identity is the deepest form of identity, the root of national unity and the soul of ethnic harmony; enhancing cultural identity is the foundation for building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual home and the emotional bond for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. Enhancing cultural identity can be explored from several aspects: correctly grasping the relationship between Chinese culture and the cultures of all ethnic groups, deeply recognizing that Chinese culture is the culmination of the excellent cultures of all ethnic groups, and that the excellent traditional cultures of all ethnic groups are components of Chinese culture; firmly establishing a correct view of Chinese national history, cherishing the cultural values representing the interests of the state and the Chinese nation that have been condensed through the common united struggle of all ethnic groups, and focusing on the construction of commonality and the shaping of a sense of identity in culture; deeply understanding and grasping the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization, jointly advancing the modernization of culture on the basis of inheriting fine traditional Chinese culture, guiding all ethnic groups to prioritize the interests of the Chinese nation, realizing the specific interests of each ethnic group while safeguarding the overall interests of the Chinese nation, and striving to achieve common prosperity and development for all ethnic groups.

坚持增进文化认同是构筑中华民族共有精神家园的根脉。习近平总书记强调：“文化是一个民族的魂魄，文化认同是民族团结的根脉。”中华文化是各民族文化的集大成，中华文化中蕴含中华各民族的价值观念、精神皈依和精神动力，是中华民族共有精神家园的根脉。习近平总书记指出，“加强中华民族大团结，长远和根本的是增强文化认同，建设各民族共有精神家园，积极培养中华民族共同体意识”。文化认同是最深层次的认同，是民族团结之根、民族和睦之魂；增进文化认同是构筑中华民族共有精神家园的基础、铸牢中华民族共同体意识的感情纽带。增进文化认同，可从几方面着力探索：正确把握中华文化和各民族文化的关系，深刻认识中华文化是各民族优秀文化的集大成，各民族优秀传统文化都是中华文化的组成部分；牢固树立正确的中华民族历史观，珍视珍惜各民族在共同团结奋斗中凝结而成的代表国家和中华民族利益的文化价值观，注重文化上的共同性建设、认同感塑造；深刻理解把握中华文明的突出特性，在继承中华优秀传统文化的基础上共同推进文化的现代化，引导各民族把中华民族利益放在首位，在维护中华民族整体利益的同时实现好各民族的具体利益，努力实现各民族共同繁荣发展。

Persisting in forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation is the main line for building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual home. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “Forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation is the main line of the Party’s ethnic work in the New Era, and also the main line of all work in ethnic regions,” [3]3 Xi Jinping, speech at the Central Conference on Ethnic Work, August 2021. and “Forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation is the ‘outline’ of the Party’s ethnic work in the New Era, and all work must focus on this.” [4]4 Xi Jinping, speech at the Central Conference on Ethnic Work, August 2021. National unity is the lifeline of all ethnic groups in our country; forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation is an inevitable requirement for safeguarding the fundamental interests of all ethnic groups, and is an inherent part of consolidating and developing socialist ethnic relations of equality, solidarity, mutual assistance, and harmony. Integrating the main line of forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation throughout the entire process of economic construction, political construction, cultural construction, social construction, ecological civilization construction, and Party building in ethnic regions, promoting extensive exchanges, comprehensive interactions, and deep integration among all ethnic groups, educating and guiding people of all ethnicities to firmly establish the community concept of sharing weal and woe, honor and disgrace, life and death, and destiny, [5]5 A four-character idiom phrase (休戚与共、荣辱与共、生死与共、命运与共) used as a slogan to express the indivisible unity of all ethnic groups. continuously enhancing identification with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics, enabling all ethnic groups to hold together tightly like pomegranate seeds, [6]6 A common metaphor used by Xi Jinping to describe ethnic unity, first used in a speech in 2014. and promoting the continuous development, growth, and unbreakability of the pluralistic and integrated Chinese national community.

坚持铸牢中华民族共同体意识是构筑中华民族共有精神家园的主线。习近平总书记强调，“铸牢中华民族共同体意识是新时代党的民族工作的主线，也是民族地区各项工作的主线”，“铸牢中华民族共同体意识是新时代党的民族工作的‘纲’，所有工作要向此聚焦”。民族团结是我国各族人民的生命线，铸牢中华民族共同体意识是维护各民族根本利益的必然要求，是巩固和发展平等团结互助和谐社会主义民族关系的题中应有之义。把铸牢中华民族共同体意识这条主线贯穿民族地区经济建设、政治建设、文化建设、社会建设、生态文明建设和党的建设全过程，促进各民族广泛交往、全面交流、深度交融，教育引导各族人民牢固树立休戚与共、荣辱与共、生死与共、命运与共的共同体理念，不断增强对伟大祖国、中华民族、中华文化、中国共产党、中国特色社会主义的认同，让各民族像石榴籽一样紧紧抱在一起，推动多元一体的中华民族共同体不断发展壮大、牢不可破。

Persisting in improving people’s wellbeing is the solid foundation for building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual home. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “We must correctly grasp the relationship between the material and the spiritual, and must endow all reform and development with the significance of manifesting the sense of community for the Chinese nation, the significance of safeguarding unity and opposing separatism, and the significance of improving people’s livelihoods and rallying popular support, so as to make the Chinese national community unbreakable,” [7]7 Xi Jinping, speech at the Central Conference on Ethnic Work, August 2021. and “We must promote all ethnic groups to jointly move towards socialist modernization.” [8]8 Xi Jinping, speech at the Central Conference on Ethnic Work, August 2021. Promoting all ethnic groups to jointly move towards socialist modernization is a strategic task for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and is the material foundation for building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual home. Without the common united struggle of all ethnic groups, it is difficult to achieve socialist modernization; without the common prosperity and development of all ethnic groups, it is not socialist modernization. In the process of comprehensively consolidating the material foundation of the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual home, it is necessary both to correctly grasp the relationship between the material and the spiritual from the cognitive dimension, and to solve major issues in economic and social development from the practical dimension. The rejuvenation of a nation requires a strong material force, and even more so a strong spiritual force. Only by adhering to a people-centered development philosophy, taking the people’s aspiration for a better life as the goal of struggle, and allowing the fruits of reform and development to benefit all ethnic groups more and more fairly, can we continuously enhance the sense of gain, happiness, and security of people of all ethnicities, and continuously enhance the commonality and unity of all ethnic groups on the journey towards common prosperity and socialist modernization. In the process of development, persist in taking improving people’s livelihoods and rallying popular support as the starting point and ultimate goal of economic and social development in ethnic regions, effectively promote high-quality development in ethnic regions, and promote all ethnic groups to jointly move towards socialist modernization.

坚持增进民生福祉是构筑中华民族共有精神家园的坚实基础。习近平总书记强调，“要正确把握物质和精神的关系，要赋予所有改革发展以彰显中华民族共同体意识的意义，以维护统一、反对分裂的意义，以改善民生、凝聚人心的意义，让中华民族共同体牢不可破”，“要推动各民族共同走向社会主义现代化”。推动各民族共同走向社会主义现代化是实现中华民族伟大复兴的战略任务，是构筑中华民族共有精神家园的物质基础。没有各民族共同团结奋斗就难以实现社会主义现代化，没有各民族共同繁荣发展就不是社会主义现代化。在全面夯实中华民族共有精神家园的物质基础过程中，既要从认识维度正确把握物质与精神的关系，又要从实践维度解决好经济社会发展中的重大问题。一个民族的复兴需要强大的物质力量，更需要强大的精神力量。只有坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，以各族人民对美好生活的向往为奋斗目标，让改革发展成果更多更公平惠及各族人民，才能不断增强各族人民的获得感、幸福感、安全感，才能在实现共同富裕、迈向社会主义现代化的征程中不断增进各民族的共同性和一体性。在发展过程中，坚持把改善民生、凝聚人心作为民族地区经济社会发展的出发点和落脚点，有力促进民族地区高质量发展，推动各民族共同走向社会主义现代化。

Adhering to a correct view of Chinese national history is the historical confidence for building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual homeland. General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed: “We must adhere to a correct view of Chinese national history and enhance the sense of identity with and pride in the Chinese nation.” [9]9 Xi Jinping, speech at the Central Conference on Ethnic Affairs, August 2021. This important statement provides us with a key guide for scientifically understanding “where the Chinese nation came from and where it is going,” and has great practical significance and far-reaching historical significance for building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual homeland. Adhering to a correct view of Chinese national history means accurately grasping General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important exposition that “all ethnic groups in our country have jointly opened up the vast territory of the motherland, jointly created the unified multi-ethnic state, jointly written the brilliant history of China, jointly created the splendid Chinese culture, and jointly cultivated the great national spirit,” as well as the historical development trajectory of the Chinese nation. It means recognizing the general trend of Chinese national development and guiding people of all ethnic groups to jointly build a solid ideological Great Wall safeguarding national unity and ethnic solidarity. Centering on establishing and highlighting the Chinese cultural symbols and images shared by the Chinese nation, it means subtly integrating Chinese cultural genes into the blood and soul. It means focusing on clarifying sources and correcting distortions, and clearly opposing and refuting erroneous historical views. It means adhering to the correct direction and proper orientation, continuously deepening research on basic issues such as Chinese national history and the Chinese national community, advancing the compilation of the *History of Interactions, Exchanges, and Integration among Chinese Ethnic Groups*, making good use of, telling well, and promoting the textbook *An Introduction to the Chinese National Community*, building platforms for publicity and education on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, and striving to enhance the sense of identity with and pride in the Chinese nation among all ethnic groups.

坚持正确的中华民族历史观是构筑中华民族共有精神家园的历史自信。习近平总书记强调：“必须坚持正确的中华民族历史观，增强对中华民族的认同感和自豪感。”这一重要论述为我们科学认识中华民族“从哪里来、向哪里去”提供了重要遵循，对构筑中华民族共有精神家园具有重大现实意义和深远历史意义。坚持正确的中华民族历史观，准确把握习近平总书记关于“我国各民族共同开拓了祖国的辽阔疆域，共同缔造了统一的多民族国家，共同书写了辉煌的中国历史，共同创造了灿烂的中华文化，共同培育了伟大的民族精神”的重要论述和中华民族历史发展脉络，认清中华民族发展大势，引导各族人民共同构建起维护国家统一和民族团结的坚固思想长城。围绕树立和突出中华民族共有共享的中华文化符号和形象，将中华文化基因潜移默化地融入血脉灵魂。注重正本清源，旗帜鲜明反对和批驳错误史观。坚持正确方向和正确导向，不断深化中华民族历史、中华民族共同体等基础性问题研究，推进《中华民族交往交流交融史》编纂工作，用好讲好推广好《中华民族共同体概论》教材，打造铸牢中华民族共同体意识宣传教育平台，着力增强各民族对中华民族的认同感和自豪感。

Adhering to the guidance of the core socialist values is the fundamental requirement for building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual homeland. When the people have faith, the state has strength, and the nation has hope. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “The core socialist values are the concentrated expression of the contemporary Chinese spirit and embody the common value pursuits of all the people.” [10]10 Xi Jinping, report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC, October 2017. The core socialist values—prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony; freedom, equality, justice, rule of law; patriotism, dedication, integrity, friendship—encompass the three levels of the state, society, and the individual. They are not only the value requirements of the New Era but also the inheritance and development of traditional Chinese values, providing us with value principles and behavioral norms. The core socialist values reflect the values commonly recognized by people of all ethnic groups across the country, achieving a high degree of unity between the value identification and spiritual pursuit of the state, society, and the individual. They determine the development direction of the shared spiritual homeland of all ethnic groups and are the foundation for building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual homeland. Adhering to the guidance of the core socialist values, arming the mind, guiding practice, and advancing work with the Party’s innovative theories, vigorously promoting the national spirit with patriotism at its core and the spirit of the times with reform and innovation at its core, comprehensively strengthening education in the national common language and script, and striving to tell the story of the Chinese nation well are conducive to fully pooling the strength of all ethnic groups and jointly striving for the great cause of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation.

坚持以社会主义核心价值观为引领是构筑中华民族共有精神家园的根本要求。人民有信仰，国家有力量，民族有希望。习近平总书记指出，“社会主义核心价值观是当代中国精神的集中体现，凝结着全体人民共同的价值追求”。富强、民主、文明、和谐，自由、平等、公正、法治，爱国、敬业、诚信、友善的社会主义核心价值观，包括国家、社会、个人三个层面，既是新时代的价值要求，也是对中国传统价值观的继承发展，为我们提供价值原则和行为规范。社会主义核心价值观反映全国各族人民共同认同的价值观，实现了国家、社会、个人价值认同与精神追求的高度统一，决定着各民族共有精神家园的发展方向，是构筑中华民族共有精神家园的基础。坚持以社会主义核心价值观为引领，用党的创新理论武装头脑、指导实践、推动工作，大力弘扬以爱国主义为核心的民族精神和以改革创新为核心的时代精神，全面加强国家通用语言文字教育，着力讲好中华民族故事，有利于充分凝聚各民族力量，为实现强国建设、民族复兴伟业共同奋斗。

Adhering to the promotion of extensive interactions, exchanges, and integration among all ethnic groups is an important pathway for building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual homeland. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “The history of China is a history of all ethnic groups blending and converging into a pluralistic and integrated Chinese nation, a history of all ethnic groups jointly creating, developing, and consolidating the unified great motherland.” [11]11 Xi Jinping, speech at the Central Conference on Ethnic Affairs, September 2014. Our country is a unified multi-ethnic state. Unfolding the long scroll of history, the concept of “great unity” [12]12 “Great unity” (大一统, *da yitong*) is a traditional Chinese political concept emphasizing territorial and cultural unification under a single central authority, historically associated with the Qin and Han dynasties. has run through the entire course of historical development and the entire process of governing the state since ancient times. The interactions, exchanges, and integration among all ethnic groups are the inevitable result of the development and progress of the Chinese nation, the inevitable trend of social development, the inevitable direction of the development of socialist ethnic relations in our country, and the brilliant achievements and valuable experience of our country’s ethnic work. Extensive interactions, exchanges, and integration among all ethnic groups are the key measure for building the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual homeland. In the process of living together, learning together, working together, and enjoying life together, all ethnic groups respect each other, tolerate each other, and help each other. The scope of interactions is continuously expanding, the methods of exchange are constantly enriching, and the degree of integration is deepening. This promotes the unity and solidarity of all ethnic groups in ideals, beliefs, emotions, and culture, forming a Chinese national community with a higher degree of identification and stronger cohesion. Deeply carrying out activities to create ethnic unity and progress, doing a good job of urban ethnic work, building an integrated social structure and community environment, establishing platforms and carriers to promote exchanges and communication among all ethnic groups, deeply implementing plans such as the youth exchange plan among all ethnic groups, the integrated development plan for people of all ethnic groups, and the tourism promotion plan for interactions, exchanges, and integration among all ethnic groups, carrying out tangible, perceptible, and effective publicity and education on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, and comprehensively advancing the construction of the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual homeland.

坚持促进各民族广泛交往交流交融是构筑中华民族共有精神家园的重要途径。习近平总书记指出，“一部中国史，就是一部各民族交融汇聚成多元一体中华民族的历史，就是各民族共同缔造、发展、巩固统一的伟大祖国的历史”。我国是统一的多民族国家，展开历史长卷，自古以来“大一统”理念就贯穿历史发展始终、贯穿治国安邦全程，各民族交往交流交融是中华民族发展进步的必然结果，是社会发展的必然趋势，是我国社会主义民族关系发展的必然方向，是我国民族工作的辉煌成就和宝贵经验。各民族广泛交往交流交融是构筑中华民族共有精神家园的关键之举。在共居、共学、共事、共乐的过程中，各民族相互尊重、相互包容、互相帮助，交往范围不断扩大，交流方式不断丰富，交融程度不断加深，促进了各民族在理想、信念、情感、文化上的团结统一，形成了认同度更高、凝聚力更强的中华民族共同体。深入开展民族团结进步创建活动，做好城市民族工作，构建互嵌式社会结构和社区环境，搭建促进各民族交流沟通的平台载体，深入实施各族青少年交流计划、各族群众互嵌式发展计划、旅游促进各民族交往交流交融计划等，有形有感有效开展铸牢中华民族共同体意识宣传教育，全面推进中华民族共有精神家园建设。

(Author: Li Junjie, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of North Minzu University)

（作者：李俊杰，系北方民族大学党委书记、校长）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧