The Inheritance and Dissemination of Red Culture in Ethnic Literary Classics

Literary classics emerge through the continuous sedimentation and enrichment of aesthetic experience, poetic wisdom, and cultural connotation within a literary tradition; artistically they possess the paradigmatic and authoritative quality of being "the constant norm of heaven and earth, the universal principle through past and present." [1]1 A classical Chinese expression from the *Book of Han* (《汉书》), used here to denote the enduring and authoritative nature of literary classics. The character images in classical literature that transcend time and space form a literary spiritual genealogy and a dynamic social map with their immortal power, enlightening the people and nourishing morality.

文学经典在文学传统的美学经验、诗性智慧与文化内涵的不断沉淀和丰富中呈现，艺术上具有“天地之常经，古今之通谊”的典范性、权威性。经典文学中超越时空的人物形象以不朽的力量形成文学精神谱系和社会动态图谱，启蒙民众、滋养道德。

The ethnic literary classics created by writers and folk literature authors of various Chinese nationalities across the dynasties participate in the construction of a national cultural community through unceasing inheritance. Since the 20th century, ethnic literary classics have borne missions such as revolution and national construction. Red culture writing has become an important component of Chinese culture. The red culture in ethnic literary classics both continues the tradition of classical literature and integrates the spirit of the times, continuously innovating in the process of inheriting national culture.

历代中华各民族作家、民间文学作者创作的民族文学经典，在生生不息的传承中参与民族文化共同体的建构。20世纪以来的民族文学经典曾负载着革命与国家建设等使命，红色文化书写成为中华文化的重要组成部分，民族文学经典中的红色文化既接续传统文学经典，又融合时代精神，在传承民族文化过程中不断创新。

Red culture is the product of the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with China's concrete realities. It emerged in the context of the New Democratic Revolution, was sublimated in the socialist revolution, and has been renewed, perfected, and forged through the social processes since reform and opening up. In the process of resonating with the Chinese national identity of all ethnic groups, it has become a spiritual bond that consolidates the consciousness of the Chinese national community.

红色文化是马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合的产物，在新民主主义革命的语境中生发，在社会主义革命中升华，在改革开放以来的社会进程中更新、完善、熔铸而成，在与各族人民的中华民族认同相共情的过程中，成为凝聚中华民族共同体意识的精神纽带。

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC pointed out the need to "enhance the communication power and influence of Chinese civilization." [2]2 The 20th National Congress of the CPC was held in October 2022. Disseminating the image of Chinese culture through ethnic literary classics, promoting the contemporary inheritance and overseas dissemination of red culture in ethnic literary classics, and linking the national character and global character of red culture are of great significance for advancing the international acceptance and understanding of the image of the Chinese national community.

党的二十大报告指出，要“增强中华文明传播力影响力”。通过民族文学经典传播中国文化形象，推进民族文学经典中红色文化的当代传承与域外传播，贯通红色文化的民族性与世界性，对推动中华民族共同体形象的国际接受和认知意义重大。

The National Characteristics of Red Culture and Its Contemporary Inheritance

红色文化的民族化特征与当代传承

Promoting the spirit of patriotism and extolling national unity and progress were once the main themes of ethnic literary creation, representing a deep interaction between ethnic literary classics and red culture. The writing of red culture in ethnic literary classics manifests as the literary transformation of the struggle process by ethnic writers, and the collective identity thus formed has built a solid consciousness of community for the Chinese nation.

弘扬爱国主义精神、歌颂民族团结进步，一度成为民族文学创作的主旋律，这是民族文学经典与红色文化的深度互动。民族文学经典中的红色文化书写表现为民族作家对奋斗历程的文学性转化，由此形成的集体认同构筑了中华民族坚实的共同体意识。

"Patriotism" is a consistent theme running through ethnic literary classics. At moments of national crisis, the Chinese nation united as one to jointly resist foreign enemies. For example, Manchu writers made important contributions to promoting the emergence and development of modern revolutionary literature in the Northeast; Shu Qun, Ma Jia, Duanmu Hongliang, Jin Jianxiao, and others pioneered the literature of the War of Resistance. [3]3 Shu Qun (1913–1989), Ma Jia (1910–1978), Duanmu Hongliang (1912–1996), and Jin Jianxiao (1910–1936) were Manchu writers active in the 1930s and 1940s, known for their works on the War of Resistance against Japan. During the period of socialist revolution and construction, all ethnic groups united as one to build a new China, and the historical transformations undergone by each ethnic group have been continuously and vividly presented in ethnic literary classics. The combination of writer literature and folk literature with new realities has promoted ethnic literature to resonate with the pulse of the times. The establishment of a new type of united and fraternal ethnic relations, the successive emergence of new-era figures, and the exploration of new lifestyles intertwined with descriptions of natural scenery and customs form a colorful literary tapestry.

“爱国主义”是民族文学经典一以贯之的主题。在面临民族危亡的时刻，中华民族团结一心共同御敌。例如，满族作家为推动东北现代革命文学的萌生和发展作出了重要贡献，舒群、马加、端木蕻良、金剑啸等开创了抗战文学的先河。社会主义革命和建设时期，各民族团结一心建设新中国，各民族发生的历史变革在民族文学经典中有着持续生动的呈现。作家文学与民间文学和新的现实相结合，促进民族文学与时代脉搏同频共振，团结友爱新型民族关系的建立以及时代新人的相继出现，对新生活方式的探求与对自然风光、风俗习惯的描写在文学作品中交织，构成多姿多彩的文学画卷。

Red culture has witnessed the course of China's revolution and construction, providing strong support for the cohesion of people's hearts and national unity. From the period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization to the New Era, the Chinese nation's identification with the great cause of national rejuvenation has shaped a conceptual Chinese national community. The writing of red culture in ethnic literary classics is a vivid embodiment of the close integration of national character, contemporaneity, and people-centeredness, demonstrating the CPC's "political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal." [4]4 This phrase is a standard formulation in CPC discourse, often used to describe the Party's comprehensive capabilities.

红色文化见证了中国革命及建设的历程，为民心凝聚和民族团结提供了有力支持，从改革开放和社会主义现代化建设时期到新时代，中华民族对民族复兴伟业的认同形塑了一个观念意义上的中华民族共同体。民族文学经典中的红色文化书写是民族性、时代性、人民性紧密结合的生动体现，展示了中国共产党的“政治领导力、思想引领力、群众组织力、社会号召力”。

The national characteristics of red culture in ethnic literary classics are reflected in the manifestation of ethnic style through the nation's unique ways of life, cultural traditions, emotional patterns, language habits, and literary techniques. Special attention is paid to character images and the epic tradition of folk art, exploring the threads of revolutionary narrative, highlighting the rich forms of red cultural expression in the revolutionary writing of ethnic literature, and presenting the nationalized features of red culture. Ethnic literary classics artistically emphasize narrative quality, with ingenious conception and intricate plots, adept at combining convoluted stories with the inner activities of characters.

民族文学经典中红色文化的民族特征体现在从民族特有的生活方式、文化传统、情感模式、语言习惯、文学技巧等方面彰显民族风格，特别注重人物形象和民间艺术的史诗传统，发掘革命叙事的脉络，凸显民族文学革命书写中丰富的红色文化表现形式，呈现红色文化的民族化特征。民族文学经典在艺术上注重故事性，构思巧妙，情节曲折，善于将曲折的故事和人物的内心活动相结合。

The national characteristics of red culture in ethnic literary classics are also reflected in the artistic exploration of ethnic traditions, presenting the nation's own life course and cultural evolution in literature. The thoughts, emotions, cultural character, aesthetic customs, and linguistic expressions of the nation's people, along with their value orientations and aesthetic tastes, are integrated into the artistic form and emotional content of the works, blending a poetic and lyrical tone with the literary tradition of ethnic folk tales and new realities. In addition, a large number of ethnic folk proverbs, sayings, and folk songs, along with ingenious metaphors, present a unique ethnic linguistic style.

民族文学经典中的红色文化的民族特征还体现在对民族传统的艺术开掘，在文学中呈现本民族的生活历程和文化流变，本民族人民的思想情感和文化性格、审美习俗和语言表达、价值取向和审美情趣融汇于作品的艺术形式和情感内蕴中，使诗意盎然的抒情笔调与民族民间故事的文学传统和新的现实融为一体。此外，大量民族民间谚语、格言、民歌，巧妙的比喻，呈现出独有的民族语言风采。

Literature plays an irreplaceable role in inheriting red culture. Rereading the red narratives in ethnic literary classics, looking to the future while reviewing history, and understanding and shaping Chinese stories from a more open and pluralistic perspective can not only explore the new vitality of the national spirit and red culture and strengthen national identity, but also promote immersive experience through reading, continue the red cultural roots in ethnic literary classics, advance the reshaping of national historical memory and cultural tradition, and forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.

文学在传承红色文化方面具有不可替代的作用。重读民族文学经典中的红色叙事，在回顾历史的同时展望未来，以更加开放、多元的视角理解和塑造中国故事，不仅能探寻民族精神与红色文化的新活力、加强民族认同感，还可以通过阅读推动沉浸式体验，赓续民族文学经典中的红色文化根脉，推进国家历史记忆与文化传统的重塑，铸牢中华民族共同体意识。

The Global Character of Red Culture and Its Overseas Dissemination

红色文化的世界性与域外传播

In the historical process of the development of human civilization, the influence of Chinese culture on the development of world civilization is historically documented. Similarly, China's red culture carries the revolutionary beliefs, spirit, and heroic deeds of the Chinese people; it is a precious memory shared by the Chinese nation and an important component of the Chinese cultural system. In the interaction between ethnic classics and red culture, China's excellent traditional culture, as the inner ideological source of the Chinese nation, has built a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation, possessing global characteristics. Red culture, interacting and dialoguing with world culture, takes world red culture as a reference to construct and develop the subjectivity of Chinese red culture.

在人类文明发展的历史进程中，中华文化对世界文明发展的影响有史可鉴。同样，中国的红色文化承载着中华儿女的革命信念、精神与英雄事迹，是中华民族共有的珍贵记忆和中华文化体系的重要组成部分。在民族经典与红色文化的互动中，中华优秀传统文化作为中华民族的内在思想源泉构筑起中华民族共有的精神家园，具有世界性特征。与世界文化互动和对话的红色文化，以世界红色文化为参考，构建和发展中国红色文化的主体性。

In October 1945, the "Northeast Literary and Art Work Team," formed by teachers and students from the Yan'an Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, arrived in Shenyang. Manchu writer Shu Qun served as its head, and Yan Yiyan was a member. [5]5 The Yan'an Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts (鲁迅艺术学院) was a key cultural institution established by the CPC in 1938 in Yan'an, training many artists and writers. As a female writer, Yan Yiyan brought Yan'an yangge opera to the Northeast, playing a positive role in promoting the new yangge movement there. [6]6 Yangge (秧歌) is a form of Chinese folk dance and opera, which was adapted by the CPC in Yan'an as a tool for mass mobilization and propaganda. The film script *Sons and Daughters of China*, which she wrote in 1948, was made into a film and later won the "Freedom Struggle Award" at the 5th International Film Festival; this was the first film to win an international award after the founding of New China. [7]7 *Sons and Daughters of China* (《中华儿女》) is a 1949 Chinese film about resistance against Japanese occupation; the "5th International Film Festival" likely refers to the 1950 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. In July 1949, the China Youth Cultural Troupe sent by the CPC performed at the 2nd World Youth Festival in Budapest, Hungary, presenting the yangge operas *Niu Yonggui Is Wounded* and *Twelve Sickles*, the solo dance *Horse Herding Dance*, the duet *Hope*, the folk music ensemble *Letting the Donkey Loose*, the group dances *Big Yangge* and *Victory Waist Drum*, Guo Lanying's solo *Women's Freedom Song*, and Li Bo's solo *Turning Over and Expressing Feelings*. These were warmly received by foreign audiences, and some works won awards at the festival. [8]8 The 2nd World Youth Festival was held in Budapest in 1949, a major international cultural event for socialist and progressive youth organizations.

1945年10月，由延安鲁艺师生组建的“东北文艺工作队”到达沈阳，满族作家舒群担任团长，颜一烟为团员。作为女作家，颜一烟把延安秧歌剧带到东北，对推动东北新秧歌运动发挥了积极作用，她于1948年创作的电影文学剧本《中华儿女》，拍成电影之后，曾荣获“第五届国际电影节”自由斗争奖，这是新中国成立后第一部在国际上获奖的影片。1949年7月，中国共产党派出的中国青年文工团在匈牙利布达佩斯举办的第二届世界青年联欢节上演出了秧歌剧《牛永贵负伤》《十二把镰刀》，独舞《牧马舞》、双人舞《希望》、民乐合奏《放驴》、集体舞蹈《大秧歌》《胜利腰鼓》、郭兰英独唱《妇女自由歌》，李波独唱《翻身道情》等，受到国外观众的热烈欢迎，部分作品还获得联欢节的奖项。

Red culture, composed of rich revolutionary history, heroic figures, and outstanding spirit, continuously provides momentum and themes for ethnic literary creation. Different eras produce different heroes: revolutionary heroes, Party cadres, advanced intellectuals, and ordinary people from the different periods of revolution, construction, reform, and the New Era. The genealogy of heroic images in literary classics is the unity of national character and contemporaneity, highlighting the spiritual foundation of Chinese national culture. Heroes of different eras of the Chinese nation inherit common national genes, forming vivid and tangible models and inspiration. The writing of red culture in ethnic literary classics contains a spatiotemporal consciousness of the intersection of East and West, vividly demonstrating the earth-shaking changes and magnificent landscapes in ethnic regions during the process of socialist modernization, possessing an irreplaceable cultural character, ideological connotation, and artistic charm. Red culture entered China from the world, underwent a multi-layered process of interaction, and then went from China back into the world, showcasing the unique charm of Chinese culture.

以丰富的革命历史、英雄人物和卓越精神构成的红色文化，为民族文学创作持续提供动能、主题。不同时代造就不同的英雄，革命、建设、改革、新时代等不同时期出现的革命英雄、党员干部、先进知识分子和普通群众。文学经典中的英雄形象谱系是民族性与时代性的统一，彰显着中华民族文化的精神底色。中华民族不同时代的英雄传承着共同的民族基因，形成生动可感的示范与激励。民族文学经典中的红色文化书写包蕴着东西交汇的时空意识，生动展示了在社会主义现代化进程中民族地区翻天覆地的变化和壮丽图景，具有不可替代的文化品格、思想内涵和艺术魅力。红色文化从世界传入中国，经过多层次的互动过程，又从中国进入世界，展示出中华文化独特的魅力。

Telling China's story well is the best way to enhance the effectiveness of cultural dissemination. Ethnic literary classics with red cultural characteristics express universal human values, achieving the integration and connection of tradition and modernity, the national and the global. Through emotional entry points, they can generate empathy and resonance, enabling Chinese literature to integrate into world literature on a cross-cultural journey, thereby promoting the external dissemination of Chinese culture and the equal exchange of Chinese and foreign cultures, constructing and shaping the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation in exchanges and interactions with world civilizations.

讲好中国故事是提升文化传播效果的最佳方式。具有红色文化特质的民族文学经典，表达了人类的普遍价值，实现了传统与现代、民族与世界的交融汇通，可以通过情感的代入点产生共情与共鸣，在跨文化之旅中使中国文学融入世界文学，从而促进中国文化对外传播和中外文化平等交流，在与世界文明的交流交往中建构和形塑中华民族的文化主体性。

Through the dissemination of literary works, red culture is able to transcend time and space, becoming a bridge connecting past and present, individual and collective, thereby continuing to forge the sense of community of the Chinese nation in the context of the New Era.

通过文学作品的传播，红色文化得以跨越时空，成为连接过去与现在、个体与集体的桥梁，从而在新时代语境下继续铸就中华民族的共同体意识。

With the deepening extension of international Chinese-language education practice and disciplinary research, the inheritance and dissemination of international Chinese-language education in the New Era requires exploring cross-disciplinary and integrative research with other fields, in order to enhance the international academic discourse power of the Chinese language, strengthen the vitality of Chinese, deeply interpret Chinese civilization, promote the common values of all humanity contained within Chinese civilization, and facilitate mutual learning among Chinese and foreign civilizations. The overseas dissemination of red culture in ethnic literary classics relies on specialized fields or research directions established under the professional degree category of international Chinese-language education. Through the "Chinese +" teaching model, it showcases the spiritual symbols and cultural essence of Chinese civilization, which is conducive to enriching the disciplinary connotation of international Chinese-language education, expanding disciplinary boundaries, broadening the scope of research, and continuously perfecting the disciplinary theoretical system and academic discourse system.

随着国际中文教育实践和学科研究的深入延展，新时代国际中文教育的传承与传播需要探索与其他学科的交叉融合研究，以提升中文的国际学术话语权，增强中文活力，深入阐释中华文明，弘扬中华文明蕴含的全人类共同价值，促进中外文明互鉴。民族文学经典中的红色文化的域外传播依托国际中文教育专业学位类别下设的专业领域或研究方向，通过“中文+”的教学模式，展示好中华文明的精神标识和文化精髓，有利于丰富国际中文教育的学科内涵，拓展学科边界，扩大研究范围，不断完善学科理论体系和学术话语体系。

Red culture, as the inner life and spiritual pursuit of human beings, is a bridge connecting China and the world. Red culture shapes the quality of ethnic literary classics, enriching their production environment, operational direction, and mode of dissemination. By sorting out the historical genealogy of red culture narratives in ethnic literary classics, strengthening the inner driving force of the red cultural spirit, inheriting the red genes and continuing the red bloodline [9]9 "Red genes" and "red bloodline" are metaphorical terms in Chinese political discourse referring to the revolutionary heritage and ideological continuity of the Communist Party of China, often used to describe the transmission of revolutionary spirit across generations. with national consciousness and global perspective, it disseminates the ideas of Chinese red culture worldwide, playing a role in the harmonious and stable development of humanity.

红色文化作为人的内在生命和精神追求，是沟通中国与世界的桥梁。红色文化塑造着民族文学经典的品质，丰富其生产环境、运行方向和传播方式。梳理民族文学经典中红色文化叙事的历史谱系，增强红色文化精神的内在动力，传承红色基因、赓续红色血脉的民族性自觉与世界性观照，在世界范围传播中国红色文化的思想，为人类的和谐稳定发展发挥作用。

The writing of red culture in ethnic literary classics inherently, directly or indirectly, renews the connotation of literariness. Classics possess a practical character. The inheritance of red culture in ethnic literary classics enriches the concept of literariness through concrete practices in aspects such as literary language and character portrayal, and can also be regarded as a democratized, popularized literary practice. The canonization process of ethnic literature reflects the process of ethnic writers' understanding, acceptance, and enrichment of red culture. Fully recognizing the abundant red cultural genes contained in ethnic literature and promoting the contemporary inheritance of red culture in ethnic literary classics is a mission entrusted by the New Era.

民族文学经典中的红色文化书写内在地、直接或间接地更新了文学性的内涵，经典具有实践品格，民族文学经典中的红色文化传承从文学语言、人物形象等方面以具体实践丰富了文学性观念，也可视为一种民主化、大众化的文学实践。民族文学的经典化过程反映出民族作家对红色文化的理解、接受、丰富过程，充分认识民族文学中蕴含的丰厚红色文化基因，推进民族文学经典中红色文化的当代传承是新时代赋予的使命。

In the context of the New Era, rereading red classics of ethnic literature is an important way to present a true, multi-dimensional, and diverse China to the world. The red narratives in ethnic literary classics, mutually illuminating with their profound historical background and rich cultural connotations, enrich the narrative of the centennial struggle history of the Communist Party of China. They not only record major historical events such as revolutionary wars, reform and opening up, and socialist construction, but also reflect the vivid practices of social transformation in ethnic regions under the leadership of the Party, inspiring people to strive for common ideals and goals, demonstrating the inheritance and development of the national spirit, constructing a three-dimensional and multi-faceted value complex of red culture, and providing readers with rich cultural experiences and profound ideological insights.

在新时代背景下，重读民族文学红色经典，是向世界展示一个真实、立体、多元的中国的重要途径。民族文学经典中的红色叙事，以深刻的历史背景和丰富的文化内涵相互映照，丰富了中国共产党百年奋斗史的叙事。它们不仅记录了革命战争、改革开放、社会主义建设等重大历史事件，也反映了民族地区在党的领导下实现社会变革的生动实践，激励着人们为共同的理想和目标而奋斗，展现了民族精神的传承和发展，构筑起立体多维的红色文化价值合体，为读者提供了丰富的文化体验和深刻的思想启示。

By fully interpreting the red narratives in ethnic literary classics, through red culture research and the interpretation of Chinese revolutionary narratives, the construction of a disciplinary system for literary studies with Chinese characteristics can be promoted. Through the dissemination of ethnic literary classics, red culture is able to transcend time and space, becoming a bridge connecting past and present, individual and collective through open mutual transformation and generation, thereby continuing to forge a strong sense of community of the Chinese nation in the context of the New Era.

充分阐释民族文学经典中的红色叙事，通过红色文化研究、阐释中国革命叙事，可以推动中国特色文学研究学科体系的构建。通过民族文学经典的传播，红色文化得以跨越时空，在开放式的相互转换与生发中成为连接过去与现在、个体与集体的桥梁，从而在新时代语境下继续铸牢中华民族共同体意识。

(The author is Vice President of Guangxi Minzu University)

（作者系广西民族大学副校长）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧