Activating the Excellent Factors in Fine Traditional Chinese Culture

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that we must “strengthen historical confidence and cultural confidence, adhere to making the past serve the present and weeding through the old to bring forth the new, take Marxism as the guide to comprehensively excavate the treasure trove of the five-thousand-year Chinese civilization, and use Marxism to activate the vital and excellent factors in fine traditional Chinese culture and endow them with a new contemporary connotation.” This important exposition comprehensively elaborates the subject, object, purpose, and method of activating the excellent factors in fine traditional Chinese culture and endowing them with a new contemporary connotation; it is the fundamental guide for building a socialist cultural power. We must focus on making the past serve the present and weeding through the old to bring forth the new, based on the high compatibility between Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture, and in combination with the concrete realities of China in the New Era, bring forth the contemporary value of fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby enriching the people’s spiritual world and strengthening the people’s spiritual strength, and comprehensively advance the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation while holding high the banner of peaceful development, cooperation, and mutual benefit.

习近平总书记指出，我们必须“坚定历史自信、文化自信，坚持古为今用、推陈出新，以马克思主义为指导对中华五千多年文明宝库进行全面挖掘，用马克思主义激活中华优秀传统文化中富有生命力的优秀因子并赋予新的时代内涵”。这一重要论述，全面阐述了激活中华优秀传统文化中的优秀因子并赋予新的时代内涵的主体、对象、目的和方式，是建设社会主义文化强国的根本指引。我们要注重古为今用、推陈出新，基于马克思主义同中华优秀传统文化的高度契合性，并结合新时代中国具体实际把中华优秀传统文化的时代价值彰显出来，进而丰富人民精神世界、增强人民精神力量，在高举和平发展、合作共赢旗帜中全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业。

Which “excellent factors” need to be activated

有哪些“优秀因子”需要激活

Fine traditional Chinese culture is the crystallization of the wisdom of Chinese civilization. The ideas it contains, such as the world being for all, the people being the foundation of the state, governing with virtue, discarding the old and establishing the new, appointing people on their merit, the unity of heaven and humanity, unceasing self-renewal, embracing all things with virtue, valuing good faith and harmony, and being kind to neighbors, not only embody the worldview, view of the world, social view, and moral view accumulated by the Chinese people in their long-term production and life, but also summarize the “excellent factors” in fine traditional Chinese culture.

中华优秀传统文化是中华文明的智慧结晶，其中蕴含的天下为公、民为邦本、为政以德、革故鼎新、任人唯贤、天人合一、自强不息、厚德载物、讲信修睦、亲仁善邻等，不仅体现了中国人民在长期生产生活中积累的宇宙观、天下观、社会观、道德观，也总结了中华优秀传统文化中的“优秀因子”。

To identify these “excellent factors” that need to be activated, it is necessary to use the high-level abstraction of philosophy to generalize commonality and universality. Specifically, this can be approached from three levels. First, activate the worldview, view of the world, and social view in Chinese philosophy. The worldview in Chinese philosophy mainly includes the Confucian and Daoist worldviews, emphasizing systematic wholeness, openness and inclusiveness, and harmonious coexistence. The Confucian worldview’s emphasis on the idea of “the unity of heaven and humanity,” and the Daoist worldview’s view that the universe is a systematic whole and all things in the universe follow the laws of nature, are the essence of the Chinese philosophical worldview. The worldview of “the unity of heaven and humanity,” which emphasizes the close connection and mutual influence between humans and nature, humans and society, and among humans themselves, has contemporary value in inspiring people to respect nature, live in harmony with nature, and achieve harmonious development between humans and society. The view of the world in Chinese philosophy mainly includes ideas such as the world being for all and the world as one body, containing rich wisdom for world governance, and has become a consistent important concept in China’s foreign relations. The social view in Chinese philosophy mainly includes ideas such as the people being the foundation of the state, family-nation sentiment, harmonious coexistence, governing with both virtue and law, and unity and solidarity. For example, from Confucius’s “governing with virtue,” to Mencius’s “the people are more important than the ruler,” to Xunzi’s “the ruler is the boat, the people are the water,” all embody the governance thought of the people being the foundation of the state and governing with virtue. These social views have contemporary value and practical significance for activating the driving force of social development and promoting social harmony and stability. Second, activate the essence and marrow of ethics and morality. China’s moral view mainly includes Confucian ethics, Daoist ethics, Mohist ethics, and Buddhist ethics. Confucian ethics focuses on benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, respectfulness, frugality, and modesty, emphasizing filial piety, loyalty, and diligence; Daoist ethics emphasizes the Dao following nature, conforming to nature, and cultivating both internally and externally; Mohist ethics advocates universal love and honoring the worthy; Buddhist ethics advocates compassion, strict observance of precepts, and self-cultivation. In the New Era, these ethics and morals have important practical significance for constructing a healthy human relations order and social order. Third, activate the common values that the people use daily without being fully aware of them. For example, emphasizing moral cultivation, stressing law-abiding and discipline, promoting family ethics, advocating becoming prosperous through hard work, caring about fairness and justice, encouraging unity and fraternity, and advocating sincerity and faithfulness, all play an important positive role in being kind to others.

寻找到这些需要激活的“优秀因子”，需要运用哲学的高度抽象力概括出一般性和共性。具体说，可从三个层面入手。一是激活中国哲学中的宇宙观、天下观、社会观。中国哲学中的宇宙观主要包括儒家和道家的宇宙观，强调系统整体、开放包容、和谐共生。儒家宇宙观强调的“天人合一”思想，道家宇宙观关于宇宙是一个系统整体，宇宙万物都遵循自然法则的观点，是中国哲学宇宙观的精华。“天人合一”的宇宙观强调人与自然、人与社会、人与人之间密切联系和相互影响的思想，对启示人们尊重自然，与自然和谐相处，人与社会要达到和谐发展，具有时代价值。中国哲学中的天下观主要包括天下为公、天下一体等思想，蕴含丰富的天下治理智慧，成为中国对外交往一以贯之的重要理念。中国哲学中的社会观，主要包括民为邦本、家国情怀、和合共生、德法兼治、团结统一等思想。如从孔子的“为政以德”，到孟子的“民贵君轻”，再到荀子的“君舟民水”，都体现了民为邦本、以德治国的治理思想。这些社会观对激活社会发展动力、促进社会和谐稳定，具有时代价值和现实意义。二是激活伦理道德中的精华精髓。中国的道德观主要包括儒家伦理、道家伦理、墨家伦理和佛教伦理。儒家伦理注重仁义礼智信、温良恭俭让，强调孝道、忠诚、勤奋；道家伦理强调道法自然、顺应自然和内外兼修；墨家伦理倡导兼爱尚贤；佛教伦理主张慈悲为怀、严守戒律和修身养性。在新时代，这些伦理道德对建构良性的人伦秩序和社会秩序，都具有重要的现实意义。三是激活人民群众日用而不觉的共同价值观念。如注重道德修养，强调遵纪守法，弘扬家庭伦理，倡导勤劳致富，关切公平正义，鼓励团结友爱，主张诚信忠诚等，对与人为善具有重要积极作用。

How to activate the “excellent factors”

如何激活“优秀因子”

The essence of “activation” is to make fine traditional Chinese culture modern, create the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization, and endow Chinese civilization with modern power. Activating the “excellent factors” of fine traditional Chinese culture mainly requires solving the following four issues.

“激活”的实质，就是让中华优秀传统文化成为现代的，创造中国式现代化的文化形态，赋予中华文明以现代力量。激活中华优秀传统文化的“优秀因子”，主要需解决以下四个方面的问题。

Solving the cognitive issue of activation. The worldview, view of the world, social view, etc., in Chinese philosophy, the essence and marrow of ethics and morality, and the common values that the people use daily without being fully aware of them, all have a high degree of compatibility with Marxism; they are all “excellent factors” in fine traditional Chinese culture. We must activate the “excellent factors” with such a profound understanding.

解决激活的认知问题。中国哲学中的宇宙观、天下观、社会观等，伦理道德中的精华精髓，人民群众日用而不觉的共同价值观念等与马克思主义有着高度契合性，都是中华优秀传统文化中的“优秀因子”，我们要以这样的深刻认知去激活“优秀因子”。

Solving the subject issue of activation. We must be adept at using Marxism and the concrete realities of China in the New Era to activate the “excellent factors” in fine traditional Chinese culture. Marxism has inclusiveness and openness; it actively absorbs all excellent achievements of human civilization. Marxism has a nature that emphasizes “integration”; it opposes abstract universality and dogmatism, and emphasizes that practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. Marxism has a high degree of compatibility with fine traditional Chinese culture. Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture are unified in the goal pursuit of the New Era, namely, dedicating to building a strong country and national rejuvenation, enriching the people’s spiritual world and strengthening the people’s spiritual strength, promoting peaceful development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, and consolidating the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation. Activating the “excellent factors” in fine traditional Chinese culture cannot be separated from the light of Marxist truth and the internal needs of the concrete realities of China in the New Era. Specifically, in philosophical thought, strengthen the dialogue between Marxist philosophy and Chinese philosophy; in ways of thinking, use Marxism to interpret the methods of analyzing and solving problems in fine traditional Chinese culture, integrating materialist dialectics into the cosmic concept of “all things as one body, the unity of heaven and humanity,” the doctrine of the mean of “holding the two ends and using the middle, maintaining the middle to achieve harmony,” and the order of the self and others of “being kind to others and putting oneself in others’ place,” guiding people to deal with the contradictions and problems encountered in the process of Chinese-path modernization with a scientific attitude; in values, based on the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method, examine the unique value pursuits of the Chinese nation, build the common spiritual home of the Chinese nation, and transform the Chinese nation’s outlook on life of unceasing self-renewal and vigorous action, and its moral view of embracing all things with virtue, cultivating oneself and clarifying virtue, and benefiting the world, into the value belief of self-confidence, self-reliance, responsibility, and action in the process of Chinese-path modernization.

解决激活的主体问题。要善于用马克思主义与新时代中国具体实际来激活中华优秀传统文化中的“优秀因子”。马克思主义具有包容性、开放性，它积极吸收人类文明一切优秀成果；马克思主义具有注重“结合”的本性，它反对抽象的普遍性与教条主义，强调实践是检验真理的唯一标准；马克思主义同中华优秀传统文化具有高度契合性；马克思主义同中华优秀传统文化统一于新时代的目标追求，即致力于强国建设、民族复兴，丰富人民精神世界、增强人民精神力量，促进和平发展、合作共赢，巩固中华民族的文化主体性。激活中华优秀传统文化中的“优秀因子”，离不开马克思主义的真理之光和新时代中国具体实际的内在需要。具体来说，在哲学思想上，加强马克思主义哲学同中国哲学对话；在思维方式上，用马克思主义阐释中华优秀传统文化关于分析问题、解决问题的方法，将唯物辩证法融入“万物一体、天人合一”的宇宙观念、“执两用中、守中致和”的中庸之道、“与人为善、推己及人”的群己秩序等，引导人们以科学态度处理中国式现代化进程中遇到的矛盾和问题；在价值观念上，立足马克思主义立场观点方法审视中华民族独特的价值追求，构筑中华民族共有精神家园，将中华民族自强不息、刚健有为的处世观，厚德载物、修身明德、达济天下的道德观转化为中国式现代化进程中自信自立、担当作为的价值信仰。

Solving the method issue of activation. Activation is realized through the interaction, two-way empowerment, and mutual achievement between Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture. We must consciously adhere to the “Two Integrations” [1]1 The Two Integrations (两个结合) refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of fine traditional Chinese culture, a guiding principle for theoretical and practical innovation in the New Era. and promote the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. Fine traditional Chinese culture can provide suitable and fertile soil for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, making Marxism “Chinese” and endowing it with “Chinese characteristics.” In the process of integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with the concrete realities of China in the New Era, it can achieve the life renewal and modern transformation of fine traditional Chinese culture, bring forth the contemporary value of fine traditional Chinese culture, make the past serve the present and weed through the old to bring forth the new, enable fine traditional Chinese culture to radiate strong vitality, and make it “modern.”

解决激活方式问题。激活，是通过马克思主义同中华优秀传统文化的交互作用、双向赋能、相互成就之方式实现的，要自觉坚持“两个结合”，推动中华优秀传统文化创造性转化、创新性发展。中华优秀传统文化能为马克思主义中国化提供合适且肥沃的土壤，使马克思主义成为“中国的”，赋以“中国特色”，马克思主义基本原理在同新时代中国具体实际相结合的进程中，能实现对中华优秀传统文化的生命更新和现代转型，把中华优秀传统文化的时代价值彰显出来，古为今用、推陈出新，使中华优秀传统文化焕发出强大的生命力，使其成为“现代的”。

Solving the purpose issue of activation. Activating the “excellent factors” is to consolidate the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation and strengthen cultural confidence. To advance the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, we must step out of the Western modernization narrative of “the East being subordinate to the West,” resolve the “dispute between the ancient and the modern, China and the West,” continue to develop contemporary Chinese Marxism and Marxism for the 21st century, accelerate the construction of an independent knowledge system of China through the “Two Integrations,” thereby consolidating the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation and upholding the Party’s cultural leadership.

解决激活的目的问题。激活“优秀因子”是为了巩固中华民族的文化主体性，坚定文化自信。推进新时代中国特色社会主义文化建设，要走出“东方从属于西方”的西方现代化叙事，破解“古今中西之争”，继续发展当代中国马克思主义、21世纪马克思主义，经由“两个结合”加快建构中国自主的知识体系，从而巩固中华民族的文化主体性，坚持党的文化领导权。

Which “new contemporary connotations” to endow the “excellent factors” with

赋予“优秀因子”哪些“新的时代内涵”

It endows Chinese philosophy’s views on the cosmos, the world, and society with new connotations for the times. First, Chinese philosophy emphasizes a cosmic view of systematic wholeness, harmonious coexistence, and the unity of heaven and humanity [2]2 The unity of heaven and humanity (天人合一): A classical Chinese philosophical concept emphasizing the harmony and interconnection between the natural order (heaven) and human affairs.. In the relationship between humans and nature, it advocates harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, respecting, conforming to, and protecting nature, and unswervingly following a path of civilized development featuring production growth, affluent living, and a sound ecosystem, so as to achieve the sustainable development of the Chinese nation; in the relationship between humans and society, it promotes the coordinated development of humans and society, enabling the all-round development of the individual and the comprehensive development of society to mutually reinforce each other, allowing society’s comprehensive development to provide platforms and opportunities for the all-round development of the individual, and enabling the all-round development of the individual to inject strong impetus into society’s comprehensive development; in the relationship between one person and another, it realizes common development, equal development, and harmonious development among people, respects people’s status and value, and achieves common prosperity for all the people. Second, Chinese philosophy emphasizes a worldview of the world being shared by all and amity and good-neighborliness [3]3 The world being shared by all (天下为公): An ideal from the Confucian classic *Book of Rites*, envisioning a society where public spirit prevails over private interests.. To endow it with “new connotations for the times” means, domestically, realizing self-worth through “benefiting others” and realizing the social value of the individual through contributing to society; globally, it means adhering to the path of peaceful development and mutually beneficial cooperation, promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and creating a new form of human civilization. Third, Chinese philosophy emphasizes a social view of the people being the foundation of the state, embracing all things with virtue, and harmonious coexistence [4]4 The people being the foundation of the state (民为邦本): A classical political maxim from the *Book of Documents*, stressing that the people are the root of the state’s stability.. To innovate the contemporary expression of “excellent factors”: first, uphold the primacy of the people. The people being the foundation of the state and governing with virtue require that in the New Era we uphold the primacy of the people, take the people as the subject and rely on them, take the people as the end and work for them, take the people as the foundation and take root among them, stimulate the endogenous driving force and innovative vitality for advancing Chinese-path modernization, enable Chinese-path modernization to achieve balance, harmony, and stability, and make the realization of the people’s aspiration for a better life the starting point and ultimate goal of modernization. Second, foster virtue and nurture talent. Embracing all things with virtue and being trustworthy and fostering good-neighborliness require that in the New Era we be amicable and good-neighborly, be kind to others, practice virtue throughout the world, and uphold integrity. Third, adhere to harmonious coexistence. Harmonious coexistence requires that in the New Era people live in harmony with each other and unite to move forward.

赋予中国哲学宇宙观、天下观、社会观新的时代内涵。其一，中国哲学强调系统整体、和谐共生、天人合一的宇宙观。在人与自然关系上，倡导人与自然和谐共生，尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然，要坚定不移走生产发展、生活富裕、生态良好的文明发展道路，实现中华民族永续发展；在人与社会关系上，推进人与社会协调发展，使人的全面发展与社会全面发展相互成就，让社会全面发展为人的全面发展提供平台和机会，使人的全面发展为社会全面发展注入强大动力；在人和人的关系上，实现人和人之间共同发展、平等发展、和谐发展，尊重人的地位与价值，实现全体人民共同富裕。其二，中国哲学强调天下为公、亲仁善邻的天下观。赋予“新的时代内涵”，就国内而言，就是要在“利他”中实现自我价值，在为社会贡献中实现人的社会价值；就世界而言，就是要坚持走和平发展、合作共赢道路，推动构建人类命运共同体，创造人类文明新形态。其三，中国哲学强调民为邦本、厚德载物、和合共生的社会观。创新“优秀因子”的时代表达，一是坚持人民至上。民为邦本、为政以德，要求新时代坚持人民至上，把人民当作主体，依靠人民，把人民当作目的，为了人民，把人民当作根基，扎根人民，激发推进中国式现代化的内生动力和创新活力，使中国式现代化发展达到平衡和谐稳定，把实现人民对美好生活的向往作为现代化建设的出发点和落脚点。二是坚持立德树人。厚德载物、讲信修睦，要求新时代亲仁善邻、与人为善、德行天下、坚守诚信。三是坚持和谐共生。和合共生，要求新时代人与人和谐相处、团结共进。

It endows traditional Chinese moral views with new connotations for the times. Traditional Chinese moral views emphasize benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness; warmth, kindness, courtesy, thrift, and modesty; focus on self-cultivation; advocate cultivating both inner virtue and outer conduct, universal love, and honoring the worthy; and advocate strictly observing precepts. In the New Era, these traditional Chinese moral views are of great significance for constructing a benign ethical order and social order, and need to be endowed with new connotations for the times. Cultivate the “study of the mind-heart” [5]5 The “study of the mind-heart” (心学): A term borrowed from Neo-Confucian philosophy, here repurposed to refer to the inner cultivation and ideological training of Party members. of Chinese Communists, strengthen Party spirit cultivation, firm up ideals and convictions, and uphold comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. Be loyal to the Party, deeply understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments [6]6 The Two Establishments (两个确立): The establishment of Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and the establishment of the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era., resolutely achieve the Two Upholds [7]7 The Two Upholds (两个维护): Upholding Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and upholding the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee., and uphold the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee. Establish political virtue, emphasizing the clarification of great virtue and the establishment of political virtue through culture and civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes that “leading cadres must stress political virtue. Political virtue is the weather vane of the entire social moral construction. To establish political virtue, one must clarify great virtue, uphold public virtue, and strictly observe private virtue.” [8]8 A quotation from Xi Jinping’s speech at the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress in March 2018, emphasizing the importance of political virtue for leading cadres. Leading cadres should focus on “being kind to others” and “practicing virtue throughout the world.” Enrich the people’s spiritual world, strengthen the people’s spiritual strength, and construct a benign order in the spiritual world of the Chinese people in the New Era.

赋予中国传统道德观新的时代内涵。中国传统道德观强调仁义礼智信、温良恭俭让，注重修身，倡导内外兼修、兼爱尚贤，主张严守戒律。新时代，这些中国传统道德观对建构良性人伦秩序和社会秩序具有重要意义，需要赋予新的时代内涵。修炼好中国共产党人的“心学”，加强党性修养，坚定理想信念，坚持全面从严治党。对党忠诚，深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义、坚决做到“两个维护”，坚持党中央集中统一领导。树立政德，强调以文化、文明明大德、树政德。习近平总书记强调，“领导干部要讲政德。政德是整个社会道德建设的风向标。立政德，就要明大德、守公德、严私德”。领导干部要注重“与人为善”“德行天下”。丰富人民精神世界、增强人民精神力量，建构新时代中国人精神世界的良性秩序。

It endows common value concepts that the people use daily without conscious awareness with new connotations for the times. Emphasize family ethics, build civilized families, promote good family traditions, respect the elderly and love the young, and be amicable and good-neighborly; advocate becoming prosperous through hard work, respect labor, and institutionally guarantee the concept of the glory of labor; be dedicated and conscientious in work, treating one’s occupation as a career; uphold integrity, build a society of integrity, and emphasize mutual assistance and fraternal love; abide by laws and regulations, and accelerate the construction of a law-based society.

赋予人民群众日用而不觉的共同价值观念新的时代内涵。注重家庭伦理，建设文明家庭，弘扬良好家风，尊老爱幼，亲仁善邻；倡导勤劳致富，尊重劳动，把劳动光荣理念从制度上加以保障；工作恪尽职守，把职业当事业；坚守诚信，建设诚信社会，强调互助友爱；遵纪守法，加快法治社会建设。

It endows “excellent factors” with new connotations for the times in creating the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization and constructing China’s independent knowledge system. In “activating,” stimulate the innovative and creative vitality of Chinese culture and open up new spaces for cultural innovation and development; in “activating,” elevate the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation and construct China’s independent knowledge system; in “activating,” showcase the distinctive symbols and ethos of Chinese civilization and enhance the global influence of Chinese civilization in the New Era.

赋予“优秀因子”在创造中国式现代化的文化形态和建构中国自主的知识体系方面新的时代内涵。在“激活”中激发中华文化的创新创造活力，打开文化创新发展新空间；在“激活”中高扬中华民族的文化主体性，建构中国自主的知识体系；在“激活”中展示中华文明鲜明标识与气象，提升新时代中华文明的世界影响力。

(Author: Han Qingxiang, Researcher at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC [National Academy of Governance])

（作者：韩庆祥，系中央党校〔国家行政学院〕习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧