Cultivating Young People of the Era with a "Chinese Heart" through Ideal and Belief Education

In 1935, the renowned educator Zhang Boling posed three questions at the opening ceremony of Nankai University: "Are you Chinese? Do you love China? Do you wish China well?" This was the "Chinese heart" at a time of national crisis. In the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, a "Chinese heart" means identifying oneself as Chinese, loving socialism, and being committed to realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

1935年，著名教育家张伯苓在南开大学开学典礼上问了三个问题：“你是中国人吗？你爱中国吗？你愿意中国好吗？”这是民族危亡之际的“中国心”。在中国特色社会主义新时代，“中国心”意味着认同自己是中国人、热爱社会主义、致力于实现中华民族伟大复兴。

General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: "Only by insisting on the unity of loving the country, loving the Party, and loving socialism can patriotism be vivid and real; this is the most important manifestation of the patriotic spirit in contemporary China." Cultivating young people of the era with a "Chinese heart" is highly unified with cultivating socialist builders and successors. This requires contemporary youth to establish the lofty ideal of communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and to strive to grow into a new generation capable of shouldering the great task of national rejuvenation.

习近平总书记指出：“只有坚持爱国和爱党爱社会主义相统一，爱国主义才是鲜活的、真实的，这是当代中国爱国主义精神最重要的体现。”培养有“中国心”的时代青年与培养社会主义建设者和接班人是高度统一的，这要求当代青年必须树立共产主义远大理想和中国特色社会主义共同理想，努力成长为堪当民族复兴大任的时代新人。

Learn from the past and observe the present; continue the red lineage through "education on the five histories." [1]1 "Education on the five histories" (五史教育) refers to systematic study of the history of the Communist Party of China, the history of New China, the history of reform and opening up, the history of socialist development, and the history of the development of the Chinese nation. A young person of the era with a "Chinese heart" first means identifying oneself as Chinese, and identifying with the Communist Party of China and socialism with Chinese characteristics. An important path to constructing national identity is to inherit historical memory and continue the red lineage. History is the best textbook; historical memory is of great significance for shaping young people's sense of belonging and inspiring their determination to contribute to the country. Cultivating young people of the era with a "Chinese heart" requires strengthening systematic education on the history of the Party, the history of New China, the history of reform and opening up, the history of socialist development, and the history of the development of the Chinese nation. [2]2 The three rhetorical questions "why the Communist Party of China 'can,' why Marxism 'works,' and why socialism with Chinese characteristics 'is good'" are a standard formulation in CPC propaganda. Use vivid and real historical facts to explain to contemporary youth: why the Communist Party of China "can," why Marxism "works," and why socialism with Chinese characteristics "is good." Contemporary youth "have not experienced the suffering of national survival or extinction, have not undergone the test of blood and fire, and have not participated in the struggle of hardship and difficulty"; they lack a real-life sense of red faith. They need correct guidance and long-term education to establish correct ideals and beliefs. The history of the Chinese revolution is the best nutrient. In carrying out "education on the five histories," it is necessary to discover new materials from it, tell the small stories of big figures and the big stories of small figures, tell the new content in old stories and the old traditions in new stories, lead young people to revisit this great history, and enhance their real-life sense of the original aspiration and founding mission, nature and purpose, and ideals and beliefs of the Communist Party of China in the unity of logic and history.

鉴古观今，以“五史教育”赓续红色血脉。有一颗“中国心”的时代青年首先意味着认同自己是中国人，认同中国共产党和中国特色社会主义。建构国家认同的重要路径是传承历史记忆、赓续红色血脉。历史是最好的教科书，历史记忆对于形塑青年的归属感、激发青年为国奉献的决心具有重要意义。培养有“中国心”的时代青年要加强党史、新中国史、改革开放史、社会主义发展史、中华民族发展史的系统教育，用生动真实的历史事实向当代青年诠释：中国共产党为什么“能”、马克思主义为什么“行”、中国特色社会主义为什么“好”。当代青年“没有体验过民族生死存亡的苦难，没有经历过血与火的考验，没有参加过艰难困苦的奋斗”，缺乏对红色信仰的现实体感，需要正确引导和长期教育，方能树立正确的理想信念。中国革命历史是最好的营养剂，开展“五史教育”要从中发掘新材料，讲好大人物的小故事和小人物的大故事、讲好旧故事中的新内容和新故事中的老传统，带领青年重温这部伟大历史，在逻辑与历史的统一中增强青年对中国共产党初心使命、性质宗旨、理想信念的真实体感。

View the world on an equal footing; build national pride with the "Four Confidences." [3]3 The "Four Confidences" (四个自信) are confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Having a "Chinese heart" means that young people love socialism, have strong confidence in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and possess ample national pride. National pride is a powerful spiritual driving force for young people to strengthen their ideals and beliefs and strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Today's Chinese youth have experienced the historical period of the vigorous development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, have witnessed the great transformations and great achievements of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, are witnesses to contemporary history, and are even more "the generation that views the world on an equal footing." Therefore, today's Chinese youth have the social foundation to firmly uphold the "Four Confidences," and can more firmly believe that the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the only way to achieve socialist modernization, the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a scientific theory at the forefront of the times, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the fundamental institutional guarantee for the development and progress of contemporary China, and the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics is an advanced culture that combines the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture. Strengthening education on the "Four Confidences" requires flexibly using the thinking mode of the "grand ideological and political courses," [4]4 "Grand ideological and political courses" (大思政课) refers to a broadened approach to political education that integrates it into all aspects of campus and social life. integrating the "Four Confidences" into the daily lives of young people and the entire process of youth education. Strengthening education on the "Four Confidences" also requires selecting appropriate educational content, promoting a youth-oriented interpretation of the discourse system of the "Four Confidences," making grand narratives more life-oriented and vivid, and explaining the "Four Confidences" deeply, thoroughly, and vividly.

平视世界，以“四个自信”筑牢民族自豪感。有一颗“中国心”意味着青年热爱社会主义、对中国特色社会主义事业和中华民族伟大复兴抱有强烈信心，有充分的民族自豪感。民族自豪感是青年坚定理想信念、为中华民族伟大复兴而奋斗的强大精神动力。如今的中国青年历经中国特色社会主义事业蓬勃发展的历史时期，见证了新时代中国特色社会主义的伟大变革与伟大成就，是当代历史的亲历者，更是“平视世界的一代”。因此，如今的中国青年具有坚定“四个自信”的社会基础，更能坚信中国特色社会主义道路是实现社会主义现代化的必由之路、中国特色社会主义理论体系是立于时代前沿的科学理论、中国特色社会主义制度是当代中国发展进步的根本制度保障、中国特色社会主义文化是马克思主义基本原理与中华优秀传统文化相结合的先进文化。加强“四个自信”教育要灵活运用“大思政课”的思维方式，将“四个自信”融入青年的日常生活中，融入青年教育的全过程。加强“四个自信”教育还要选取合适的教育内容，推动“四个自信”话语体系的青年化阐释，使宏大叙事更加生活化、形象化，将“四个自信”讲深讲透讲活。

Great achievements depend on ambition; integrate personal dreams and family dreams into the national dream and the national dream. [5]5 "Great achievements depend on ambition" (功崇惟志) is a classical Chinese phrase from the *Book of Documents* (《尚书》). Having a "Chinese heart" should achieve the perfect unity of the four dimensions of knowledge, emotion, intention, and action, and invest the identification with and love for the socialist motherland into the lofty cause of comprehensively building a modern socialist country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: "If young people aim high, they can stimulate their potential for progress, and the years of youth will not drift like a boat without a rudder." The Chinese Dream is the dream of the Chinese nation and also the dream of Chinese youth. Realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation concerns national prosperity and national rejuvenation, and equally concerns the longing of every Chinese youth for a better life. Only by integrating the realization of personal dreams and family dreams into the national dream and the national dream, and integrating the pursuit of a better life into the great cause of national rejuvenation, can Chinese youth strive to write a youthful chapter of taking on responsibility for Chinese-path modernization. Strengthening ideal and belief education requires proceeding from a political perspective, starting from ideology, and starting from the characteristics of youth, helping young people set aspirations early, set great aspirations, and fasten the "first button" of life. [6]6 "Fasten the first button of life" is a metaphor used by Xi Jinping for setting correct values early in youth. Youth are a direct projection of social structural change, a sensitive probe of social transformation, and the most vibrant and creative group in the whole society. To help young people set aspirations early and set great aspirations, it is necessary to help them shape correct thinking methods under the guidance of Marxist theory, better analyze various social trends and various career choices, and build a logical bridge between personal dreams, family dreams, and the national dream and the national dream in the process of guiding young people.

功崇惟志，把个人梦、家庭梦融入国家梦、民族梦。有一颗“中国心”应当实现知、情、意、行四个维度的完美统一，将对社会主义祖国的认同和热爱投入到全面建设社会主义现代化国家、实现中华民族伟大复兴的崇高事业中去。习近平总书记指出：“青年志存高远，就能激发奋进潜力，青春岁月就不会像无舵之舟漂泊不定。”中国梦是中华民族的梦，也是中国青年的梦。实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦，关乎国家富强、民族复兴，同样关乎每个中国青年对美好生活的向往。中国青年只有把实现个人梦、家庭梦融入国家梦、民族梦之中，把个人对美好生活的追求融入民族复兴的伟业之中，才能奋力书写为中国式现代化挺膺担当的青春篇章。加强理想信念教育要从政治上着眼、从思想上入手、从青年特点出发，帮助青年早立志、立大志，扣好人生的“第一粒扣子”。青年是社会结构变化的直接投射，是社会转型的灵敏探针，也是全社会最富有活力、最具有创造性的群体。帮助青年早立志、立大志，要在马克思主义理论的指引下帮助青年形塑正确的思维方法，更好辨析各种社会思潮、各类职业选择，在引导青年的过程中搭建起个人梦、家庭梦与国家梦、民族梦之间的逻辑桥梁。

Comrade Li Dazhao once cried out at a time of national crisis: "A country cannot be without youth for a single day, and youth cannot be without awakening for a single day; whether a youthful China can be created depends on whether youth awaken." [7]7 Li Dazhao (1889–1927) was a co-founder of the Communist Party of China. Against the backdrop of the interweaving and mutual agitation of changes unseen in a century in the world and the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, cultivating young people of the era with a "Chinese heart" through ideal and belief education is a fundamental task for advancing educational modernization and building a strong educational country, and is a "great matter of the nation" concerning the future and destiny of the Party and the country. [8]8 "Great matter of the nation" (国之大者) is a term used by Xi Jinping to denote issues of paramount importance to

李大钊同志曾在民族危难之际疾呼：“国家不可一日无青年，青年不可一日无觉醒，青春中华之克创造与否，当于青年之觉醒与否卜之。”在世界百年未有之大变局与中华民族伟大复兴战略全局相互交织、相互激荡的背景下，以理想信念教育培养有“中国心”的时代青年是推进教育现代化、建设教育强国的根本性任务，是事关党和国家前途命运的“国之大者”。

[Authors' affiliations: School of Marxism, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications; United Front Teaching and Research Department, Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance)]

【作者单位：北京邮电大学马克思主义学院；中央党校（国家行政学院）统战教研部】

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧