The Value Implications of Constructing the Discourse System for Ideological and Political Education in Universities, Middle Schools, and Primary Schools

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC [1]1 The 20th National Congress of the CPC was held in October 2022. pointed out: “Use the core socialist values to forge souls and educate people, improve the ideological and political work system, and advance the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools.” [2]2 This is a direct quotation from the report of the 20th National Congress. “The integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools,” as an important paradigm of ideological and political education, concerns the fulfillment of the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education. [3]3 “Fostering virtue through education” (立德树人) is a standard formulation in Chinese education policy, meaning to cultivate moral character and nurture talent. At present, “the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools” primarily takes “the integrated construction of ideological and political courses in universities, middle schools, and primary schools” as its starting point, centering on the fundamental question of “what kind of people to cultivate, how to cultivate them, and for whom to cultivate them,” and strives to build an integrated education system for universities, middle schools, and primary schools. This system needs to coordinate the resources and elements of ideological and political education across all school stages in universities, middle schools, and primary schools, forming a comprehensive ideological and political education pattern that interweaves vertically and horizontally.

党的二十大报告指出：“用社会主义核心价值观铸魂育人，完善思想政治工作体系，推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设。”“大中小学思想政治教育一体化”作为思想政治教育的重要范式，关系落实立德树人根本任务。当前，“大中小学思想政治教育一体化”主要以“大中小学思政课一体化”为抓手，围绕“培养什么人、怎样培养人、为谁培养人”这个根本问题，着力构建大中小学一体化育人体系。这一体系需要统筹大中小学各学段思想政治教育资源和要素，形成纵横交织的大思政育人格局。

In recent years, notable results have been achieved in exploring the practical pathways for the integrated construction of ideological and political courses in universities, middle schools, and primary schools, such as the construction of ideological and political course textbooks, the construction of practical teaching bases for ideological and political courses, and the construction of the teaching force for ideological and political courses. To promote the connection, coordination, and linkage of ideological and political courses across all school stages, the Ministry of Education and provincial-level authorities have successively established steering committees for the integrated construction of ideological and political courses in universities, middle schools, and primary schools, and universities have generally set up leading groups for the construction of ideological and political courses. The Ministry of Education, together with relevant departments, has also issued a series of institutional documents and planning schemes to guide the construction of ideological and political courses in the national education system. Although there are still some urgent problems to be solved in the process of advancing the integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools, the institutions and systems for integration have been basically established, and the quality and efficiency of integrated construction will continue to become prominent through systematic advancement. Against this background, paying attention to the construction of the discourse system for ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools has deep-level value connotations.

近年来，在探讨大中小学思政课一体化建设实践路径方面，成效较为明显，如思政课课程教材建设、思政课实践教学基地建设、思政课教师队伍建设等。为推动各学段思政课贯通、协同、联动，教育部以及各省级层面相继成立大中小学思政课一体化建设指导委员会，高校普遍成立思政课建设领导小组。教育部还会同有关部门出台一系列制度文件和规划方案，指导全国教育系统思政课建设。虽然在推进大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设过程中，还存在一些亟待解决的问题，但一体化的制度和体系已基本建立起来，一体化建设质量效益也将在系统推进中不断凸显。在此背景下，关注大中小学思想政治教育话语体系建设，具有深层次的价值内涵。

First, it is the need to construct China’s independent knowledge system. The primary issue in discourse construction is actually the issue of theoretical construction. Only by constructing China’s independent knowledge system for ideological and political education and forming our own theory of ideological and political education can we truly construct China’s ideological and political education discourse centered on these theories and a discourse system for ideological and political education with Chinese characteristics. At present, the practice of integrating ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools has taken the lead, while the construction of the knowledge system for this integration has not yet kept pace, and corresponding explicit theories of ideological and political education have not yet been formed. Currently, it is urgent to sublimate the integrated theory through integrated practice, which also implies a deep-level logical transformation from the study of practical matters to the study of theoretical principles in integration. From a disciplinary perspective, the discipline of ideological and political education in China has inherent autonomy; its knowledge mainly comes from the practical experience of our Party’s ideological and political education over more than a hundred years. The main purpose of constructing an independent knowledge system for the integration of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools is to generalize and sublimate our rich practical experience in ideological and political education into universal knowledge, transform it into a knowledge form, and form a logically rigorous system. In general, the discourse system for ideological and political education with Chinese characteristics is the result of discursive construction of China’s theory and practice of ideological and political education. To construct a discourse system for ideological and political education with Chinese characteristics, it is necessary to grasp the reality of contemporary Chinese ideological and political education, base it on China’s practice of ideological and political education, construct China’s independent knowledge system for ideological and political education, and form a high degree of theoretical and practical consciousness that promotes the construction of a discourse system for ideological and political education with Chinese characteristics.

一是构建中国自主知识体系的需要。话语建设的首要问题其实就是理论建设问题，只有构建起中国自主的思政教育知识体系，形成我们自己的思政教育理论，才能真正构建起以这些理论为核心的中国思政教育话语和中国特色思政教育话语体系。就目前来说，我们的大中小学思想政治教育一体化实践走在了前面，而大中小学思想政治教育一体化知识体系建设还未跟上，还未形成相应的显性思政教育理论。当前，亟须通过一体化实践升华一体化理论，其中也蕴含了一体化事理研究向学理研究的深层逻辑转换。从学科角度来看，思想政治教育学科在我国具有先天的自主性，其知识主要来自我们党百余年思想政治教育的实践经验。构建大中小学思想政治教育一体化自主知识体系，主要目的就是把我们丰富的思想政治教育实践经验概括升华为普遍性知识，转化为知识形态，形成逻辑严密的体系。总的来说，中国特色思想政治教育话语体系是对中国思想政治教育理论及其实践进行话语建构的结果。构建中国特色思想政治教育话语体系，必须把握当代中国思想政治教育实际，立足中国思想政治教育实践，构建起中国自主的思想政治教育知识体系，形成推动中国特色思想政治教育话语体系建设的高度理论自觉和实践自觉。

Second, it is the need to serve the Chinese discourse and Chinese narrative system. Constructing the Chinese discourse and Chinese narrative system is an important part of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. [4]4 Xi Jinping Thought on Culture (习近平文化思想) was formally proposed at a national conference on propaganda, ideology, and culture in October 2023. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC [5]5 The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was held in July 2024. clearly stated: “Accelerate the construction of the Chinese discourse and Chinese narrative system, and comprehensively enhance the effectiveness of international communication.” Strengthening the construction of international communication capacity, enhancing the country’s cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture, requires the Chinese discourse and Chinese narrative system to play a key role. The discourse system for ideological and political education with Chinese characteristics is a cultural expression based on China’s practice of ideological and political education. On the one hand, by constructing a discourse system for ideological and political education with Chinese characteristics, accurately and concisely summarizing and expressing China’s theory and practice of ideological and political education, we can better show the world the civilizational achievements of combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the fine traditional Chinese culture. On the other hand, it must be clearly recognized that ideological and political education has a distinct ideological attribute. The relationship between education and politics is a classic proposition of the Marxist view of education. In the process of constructing a discourse system for ideological and political education with Chinese characteristics, it is necessary to deeply grasp the political attribute, the people’s attribute, and the strategic attribute of education. On the international stage, the struggle for international discourse power between China and the West is actually a struggle between Chinese and Western ideologies. At present, the Western discourse system, based on Western values and the theory of Western civilizational centrality, is in a strong position. Under such an international public opinion pattern, the construction of our discourse system still faces severe challenges. Especially as the international situation becomes increasingly complex and volatile, we must strengthen the construction of the discourse system for ideological and political education, and occupy the commanding heights in grasping the leading power of social public opinion, safeguarding the security of the mainstream ideology, and breaking Western discourse hegemony.

二是服务中国话语和中国叙事体系的需要。构建中国话语和中国叙事体系，是习近平文化思想的重要内容。党的二十届三中全会明确指出：“加快构建中国话语和中国叙事体系，全面提升国际传播效能。”加强国际传播能力建设，提升国家文化软实力和中华文化影响力，需要中国话语和中国叙事体系发挥关键作用。中国特色思想政治教育话语体系，是基于我国思想政治教育实践的文化表达。一方面，通过构建中国特色思想政治教育话语体系，准确凝练地概括和表达我国思想政治教育理论和实践，才能更好地向世界展示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文明成果。另一方面，要清楚地认识到，思想政治教育具有鲜明的意识形态属性，教育与政治的关系是马克思主义教育观的经典命题，在构建中国特色思想政治教育话语体系过程中，必须深刻把握教育的政治属性、人民属性和战略属性。在国际舞台上，中西方之间国际话语权的争夺，其实是中西方意识形态的斗争。目前，建立在西方价值观和西方文明中心论基础上的西方话语体系处于强势地位，在这样的国际舆论格局下，我们的话语体系建设仍面临严峻挑战。尤其是国际形势日趋复杂多变，我们必须加强思政教育话语体系建设，在把握社会舆论主导权、捍卫主流意识形态安全、破除西方话语霸权上占据制高点。

Third, it is the need to exert a strong ideological and political guiding force. The integrated construction of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools is an innovative development of ideological and political education in the context of the New Era. Its discourse system also needs to be adjusted and developed with changes in factors such as the educational environment, content, and methods. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “The education powerhouse we want to build is a socialist education powerhouse with Chinese characteristics, which should possess a strong ideological and political guiding force, talent competitiveness, scientific and technological support, people’s livelihood security, social synergy, and international influence.” [6]6 This is a direct quotation from Xi Jinping’s speech at the 2024 National Conference on Education. Among these, the ideological and political guiding force ranks first among the “six major characteristics” of an education powerhouse, profoundly reflecting the leading role of ideological and political education in building an education powerhouse. Enhancing the ideological and political guiding force requires not only extensive practical exploration but also the construction of a corresponding discourse system. As the support for a strong ideological and political guiding force, the discourse system for ideological and political courses in universities, middle schools, and primary schools requires us to be able to use the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method to clearly explain key contents and issues such as the requirements for the integration of ideological and political education in universities, middle schools, and primary schools, the evaluation standards for education that run through all school stages, and the mechanisms for students’ acceptance of ideological and political education at each stage. At the same time, it is also necessary to integrate the latest achievements of the Party’s innovative theories into the discourse of ideological and political courses, and clearly explain the theoretical and practical issues of the development of ideological and political education itself. It should also be noted that the discourse of ideological and political education with Chinese characteristics is not self-talk, but rather, based on China’s remarkable development achievements that attract worldwide attention, it fully expresses the value concepts and world significance of China’s ideological and political education in an appropriate discourse manner, more fully and vividly demonstrating China’s ideological and political education and the ideological and spiritual power behind it, thereby better contributing Chinese wisdom to the development of human civilization. Therefore, we must consciously seek discourse resources from Marxist theory and the fine traditional Chinese culture, pay attention to both the innovation of discourse content and the innovation of discourse form, continuously improve our discourse level, and better tell the story of China’s ideological and political education to the world.

三是发挥强大思政引领力的需要。大中小学思想政治教育一体化建设是在新时代背景下对思想政治教育的创新发展，其话语体系也需要随着育人环境、内容和方法等因素的变化而调整和发展。习近平总书记强调：“我们要建成的教育强国，是中国特色社会主义教育强国，应当具有强大的思政引领力、人才竞争力、科技支撑力、民生保障力、社会协同力、国际影响力。”其中，思政引领力在教育强国“六大特质”中居于首位，深刻体现了思想政治教育在教育强国建设中的引领作用。增强思政引领力，既需要大量的实践探索，也需要建强相应的话语体系。大中小学思政话语体系作为强大思政引领力的支撑，需要我们能够运用马克思主义立场观点方法，把大中小学思政教育一体化要求、贯穿大中小学各学段的育人评价标准、各学段学生思政教育接受机理等重点内容和问题讲清楚。同时，也要能够将党的创新理论最新成果融入思政话语，讲清楚思政教育自身发展的理论和现实问题。还需要注意的是，中国特色思政教育话语并不是自说自话，而是立足我国举世瞩目的发展成就，以恰当的话语方式充分表达我国思政教育的价值理念和世界意义，更加充分、鲜明地展现我国思政教育及其背后的思想力量和精神力量，从而更好地为人类文明发展贡献中国智慧。因此，我们要自觉从马克思主义理论和中华优秀传统文化中寻找话语资源，既重视话语内容创新，也注重话语形式创新，不断提高我们的话语水平，更好地向世界讲好中国思政教育故事。

(The authors are, respectively, an associate professor at the School of Foreign Languages, Guizhou Normal University; and a vice president and professor at Guizhou Normal University.)

（作者系贵州师范大学外国语学院副教授；贵州师范大学副校长、教授）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧