Deeply Grasping the Major Innovations in Propaganda, Ideology, and Cultural Work

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture uses the depth of theory to define the height of strategy, uses firm cultural autonomy to consolidate the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese nation, and uses strong historical confidence to establish the new mission of Chinese culture in its ancient state. It is deeply imbued with rich ideological wisdom and displays distinct Chinese characteristics. It is a scientific system that grasps the fundamental principles and applies them in practice, integrating substance and function. On the new journey of the New Era, we must deeply study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, profoundly understand the rich Chinese flavor, deep Chinese sentiment, and majestic national spirit with which this thought is filled, adhere to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, continue the historical lineage, consciously shoulder the mission and tasks of propaganda, ideology, and cultural work, and constantly forge new brilliance in Chinese culture and write new chapters in national rejuvenation.

习近平文化思想以理论的深度标定了战略的高度，以坚定的文化自主巩固了中华民族的文化主体性，以强烈的历史自信确立了中华文化的旧邦新命，深蕴着丰富的思想智慧，展现出鲜明的中国特色，是明体达用、体用贯通的科学体系。新时代新征程，我们要深入学习贯彻习近平文化思想，深刻领会这一思想充盈的浓郁的中国味、深厚的中华情、浩然的民族魂，坚持守正创新，赓续历史文脉，自觉担负起宣传思想文化工作的使命任务，不断铸就中华文化新辉煌、谱写民族复兴新华章。

Creatively Proposing “Upholding the Party’s Cultural Leadership”

创造性提出“坚持党的文化领导权”

As the soul of a country and a nation, culture is the product of human material production activities and their spiritual expression. Its development requires the guidance and direction of an advanced class and political party. Especially in the great cause of socialism, only by upholding the cultural leadership of the proletarian political party can we consolidate the common ideological foundation of the people and ensure the steady and long-term progress of the socialist cause. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, applying the theory of political party leadership from historical materialism, has creatively put forward the important thesis of “upholding the Party’s cultural leadership.” This systematically and comprehensively clarifies the relationship between the political party and culture, profoundly answers the major questions of “who leads” and “who raises the banner” in the flourishing development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and makes clear that the Communist Party of China is the “leader” and “banner-raiser” for the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “We must firmly grasp the leadership, management, and discourse power over ideological work in our hands, and never let them slip away at any time; otherwise, we will make irreparable historical mistakes.” He has put forward the principles of “the Party managing propaganda,” “the Party managing ideology,” and “the Party managing media,” emphasized “firmly grasping the leadership of ideological work,” proposed “running newspapers, journals, radio and television stations, and news websites with the political stance of statesmen,” and stressed “strengthening the Party’s overall leadership over propaganda, ideology, and cultural work.” These important expositions further deepen the understanding of the Party’s leading role in culture and prominently highlight the paramount importance of the Party’s cultural leadership.

作为一个国家、一个民族的灵魂，文化是人的物质生产活动的产物和精神表达，它的发展需要先进阶级和政党的领航和导向。特别是在社会主义伟大事业中，只有坚持无产阶级政党的文化领导权，才能筑牢人民的共同思想基础，确保社会主义事业行稳致远。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记运用唯物史观的政党领航论，创造性提出“坚持党的文化领导权”的重要论断，系统全面理顺了政党与文化的关系，深刻回答了繁荣发展中国特色社会主义文化“谁领航”和“谁举旗”的重大问题，明确了中国共产党是新时代中国特色社会主义文化建设的“领航者”和“举旗者”。习近平总书记指出：“我们必须把意识形态工作的领导权、管理权、话语权牢牢掌握在手中，任何时候都不能旁落，否则就要犯无可挽回的历史性错误”，提出“党管宣传”“党管意识形态”和“党管媒体”的方针，强调“牢牢掌握意识形态工作领导权”，提出“坚持政治家办报、办刊、办台、办新闻网站”，强调“加强党对宣传思想工作的全面领导”。这些重要论述，进一步深化了政党对文化领导作用的认识，着重突出了党的文化领导权的至关重要性。

Creatively Proposing the “Two Integrations”

创造性提出“两个结合”

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, applying historical dialectics, has proposed upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, systematically and comprehensively clarifying the relationship between upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, and profoundly answering the major questions of “what to break” and “what to establish” in socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Upholding fundamental principles means upholding the fundamental system of Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain, upholding the fundamental requirement of the ‘Two Integrations,’ and upholding the Communist Party of China’s cultural leadership and the Chinese nation’s cultural subjectivity. Breaking new ground means creating new ideas, new discourses, new mechanisms, and new forms. Under the guidance of Marxism, we must truly make the past serve the present, make foreign things serve China, make dialectical choices, and weed through the old to bring forth the new, achieving an organic connection between tradition and modernity.” That is to say, the “Two Integrations” are an important magic weapon for the continuous victory of the great cause led by our Party, and they are also the only way for our Party to promote theoretical innovation and cultural prosperity. To develop and expand socialism with Chinese characteristics on the deep foundation of over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, combining the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture is the only way. This is the regular understanding we have gained in exploring the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and it is the greatest magic weapon for our success. Through the “Two Integrations,” our Party has created an organic and unified new cultural life entity, making Marxism Chinese, making the best of traditional Chinese culture modern, and making the new culture formed through “integration” the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization. Therefore, the “Two Integrations” have expanded the development path of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and expanded and consolidated the cultural foundation of this development path.

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记运用历史辩证法，提出坚持守正创新，系统全面理顺了守正与创新的关系，深刻回答了中国特色社会主义文化“破什么”和“立什么”的重大问题。习近平总书记指出：“守正，守的是马克思主义在意识形态领域指导地位的根本制度，守的是‘两个结合’的根本要求，守的是中国共产党的文化领导权和中华民族的文化主体性。创新，创的是新思路、新话语、新机制、新形式，要在马克思主义指导下真正做到古为今用、洋为中用、辩证取舍、推陈出新，实现传统与现代的有机衔接。”也就是说，“两个结合”是我们党领导的伟大事业不断取得胜利的重要法宝，也是我们党推动理论创新和文化繁荣的必由之路。在五千多年中华文明深厚基础上开拓和发展中国特色社会主义，把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际、同中华优秀传统文化相结合是必由之路。这是我们在探索中国特色社会主义道路中得出的规律性的认识，是我们取得成功的最大法宝。通过“两个结合”，我们党造就了一个有机统一的新的文化生命体，让马克思主义成为中国的，让中华优秀传统文化成为现代的，让经由“结合”而形成的新文化成为中国式现代化的文化形态。因此，“两个结合”拓展了中国特色社会主义文化发展道路，拓展和巩固了中国特色社会主义文化发展道路和文化根基。

Creatively Proposing “Firming Up Cultural Confidence”

创造性提出“坚定文化自信”

Culture is the product of human activity and the overall representation of human production, life, and spiritual life. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, applying the theory of spiritual motivation from historical materialism, has creatively proposed firming up cultural confidence, systematically and comprehensively clarifying the relationship between the material and the spiritual, and profoundly answering the major questions of “what to believe in” and “what to practice” in the flourishing development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. He emphasizes that firming up cultural confidence is a major issue concerning the rise and fall of national fortunes, cultural security, and the independence of the national spirit. Cultural confidence is a more fundamental, deeper, and more enduring force in the development of a country and a nation. Without a high degree of cultural confidence and without cultural prosperity and flourishing, there will be no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Theoretical consciousness and cultural confidence are the forces of a nation’s progress. We must use cultural confidence to lead and achieve spiritual independence and autonomy, thereby firming up historical confidence and enhancing historical initiative, and firmly grasping the destiny of China’s development and progress in our own hands. Without a high degree of cultural confidence and without cultural prosperity and flourishing, there will be no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on firming up cultural confidence adhere to historical dialectics, practical dialectics, and spiritual dialectics, establish a high degree of consciousness in consolidating cultural subjectivity through independence, self-confidence, and self-reliance, profoundly answer the questions of autonomy and cultural mission in the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and cause contemporary China’s cultural construction to radiate a more proactive spiritual force.

文化是人的活动的产物，是人的生产生活和精神生活的总体表征。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记运用唯物史观的精神动力论，创造性提出坚定文化自信，系统全面理顺了物质与精神的关系，深刻回答了繁荣发展中国特色社会主义文化“信什么”和“行什么”的重大问题，强调坚定文化自信是事关国运兴衰、事关文化安全、事关民族精神独立性的大问题，文化自信是一个国家、一个民族发展中更基本、更深沉、更持久的力量，没有高度的文化自信，没有文化的繁荣兴盛，就没有中华民族伟大复兴，理论自觉、文化自信，是一个民族进步的力量。要以文化自信引领和实现精神上的独立自主，从而坚定历史自信、增强历史主动，把中国发展进步的命运牢牢掌握在自己手中。没有高度的文化自信，没有文化的繁荣兴盛，就没有中华民族伟大复兴。习近平总书记关于坚定文化自信的重要论述，坚守了历史辩证法、实践辩证法、精神辩证法，确立了独立自主、自信自立巩固文化主体性的高度自觉，深刻回答了中国特色社会主义文化建设的自主性问题和文化使命问题，使当代中国的文化建设焕发出更为主动的精神力量。

Creatively Proposing a “People-Centered Work Orientation”

创造性提出“以人民为中心的工作导向”

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, applying the theory of the people as the main body from historical materialism, has creatively put forward the people-centered development thought, establishing that propaganda, ideology, and cultural work must adhere to a people-centered work orientation. People-centeredness is the essential attribute of Marxism. To adhere to people-centeredness in cultural construction, we must first adhere to the unity of Party spirit and people-centeredness. That is to establish a people-centered work orientation, combine serving the masses with educating and guiding the masses, combine meeting needs with improving literacy, increase reporting and publicity on the great struggles and fiery lives of the people, increase reporting and publicity on the advanced models and touching stories emerging from the people, enrich the people’s spiritual world, strengthen the people’s spiritual strength, and meet the people’s spiritual needs. We must not only adhere to a people-centered work orientation in propaganda, ideology, and cultural work, but also adhere to the fundamental direction of serving the people and serving socialism, combine serving the masses with educating and guiding the masses, always uphold that “the people’s standpoint is the fundamental political standpoint of the Communist Party of China,” emphasize that “the people are the living source of literary and artistic creation,” and point out that “the people’s life is the inexhaustible source of all literature and art.” These important expositions systematically and comprehensively clarify the relationship between subject and object, profoundly answer the fundamental questions of “for whom” and “relying on whom” in the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, make clear that the essential attribute of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics is people-centeredness, anchor literary and artistic work to adhere to a people-centered creative orientation, define the fundamental value goal of cultural construction as meeting the people’s needs, and fully demonstrate the Party’s nature, purpose, and cultural mission.

党的十八大以来，习近平总书记运用唯物史观的人民主体论，创造性提出以人民为中心的发展思想，确立了宣传思想文化工作要坚持以人民为中心的工作导向。人民性是马克思主义的本质属性，在文化建设中坚持人民性，首先就要坚持党性和人民性的统一，就是要树立以人民为中心的工作导向，把服务群众同教育引导群众结合起来，把满足需求同提高素养结合起来，多宣传报道人民群众的伟大奋斗和火热生活，多宣传报道人民群众中涌现出来的先进典型和感人事迹，丰富人民精神世界，增强人民精神力量，满足人民精神需求。我们不仅要在宣传思想文化工作中坚持以人民为中心的工作导向，还要坚持为人民服务、为社会主义服务这个根本方向，把服务群众同教育引导群众结合起来，始终坚持“人民立场是中国共产党的根本政治立场”，强调“人民是文艺创作的源头活水”，指出“人民生活是一切文学艺术取之不尽、用之不竭的创作源泉”。这些重要论述，系统全面理顺了主体与客体的关系，深刻回答了中国特色社会主义文化建设“为了谁”“依靠谁”的根本问题，明确中国特色社会主义文化的本质属性是人民性，锚定文艺工作要坚持以人民为中心的创作导向，标定文化建设的根本价值目标是满足人民的需要，充分彰显了党的性质宗旨和文化使命。

Creatively Proposing the “Global Civilization Initiative”

创造性提出“全球文明倡议”

Humanity today is situated in a spatiotemporal field where world history converges, and the future and destiny of all countries are intertwined as never before. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, following the tide of world history, has upheld the principle of “appreciating the beauty of others and sharing beauty among all,”[6]6 A classical allusion from the Chinese idiom “mei ren zhi mei, mei mei yu gong,” originally from the Analects, advocating appreciating the virtues of others and achieving harmony through shared beauty. creatively proposed the Global Civilization Initiative, and made China’s contribution to solving the common problems facing humanity. We should promote mutual respect and harmonious coexistence among different civilizations, making inter-civilizational exchanges and mutual learning a bridge to enhance friendship among peoples of all countries, a driving force for the progress of human society, and a bond to safeguard world peace. Historically, diverse civilizations have encountered and fulfilled each other, jointly driving the great development and prosperity of human society, and writing splendid chapters of “sharing beauty among all” and “exchanges and mutual learning.”[7]7 A four-character idiom meaning “sharing beauty among all,” and a phrase “exchanges and mutual learning,” both commonly used in Chinese political discourse to promote inter-civilizational harmony. Especially against the backdrop of sluggish global economic recovery and a further widening of the North-South development gap, the proposal of the Global Civilization Initiative aims to promote mutual understanding and affinity among peoples of all countries and to foster tolerance and mutual learning among various civilizations. It points out that “we should jointly advocate respect for the diversity of world civilizations, uphold the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness among civilizations, let cultural exchanges transcend estrangement, mutual learning transcend clashes, and coexistence transcend feelings of superiority,” and emphasizes “jointly advocating the promotion of the common values of all humanity,” striving to create a new situation of people-to-people and cultural exchanges, cultural integration, and mutual understanding among countries, so that the garden of world civilizations is vibrant and full of life. These important expositions systematically and comprehensively straighten out the relationship between China and the world, profoundly answer the major question of “where to go” in the prosperous development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, deeply embody the world vision and cultural mission of a century-old major Party, and manifest the open and inclusive breadth of mind of Chinese Communists.

当今人类正处于世界历史交汇的时空场域中，各国的前途命运正前所未有地交织在一起。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记顺应世界历史潮流，坚持美人之美、美美与共，创造性提出全球文明倡议，为解决人类面临的共同问题作出了中国贡献。我们应该推动不同文明相互尊重、和谐共处，让文明交流互鉴成为增进各国人民友谊的桥梁、推动人类社会进步的动力、维护世界和平的纽带。历史上，多元文明相互遇见、彼此成就，共同推动了人类社会大发展、大繁荣，书写了美美与共、交流互鉴的灿烂篇章。特别是在全球经济复苏乏力、南北发展鸿沟进一步拉大的背景下，提出全球文明倡议，旨在促进世界各国人民相知相亲、促进各种文明包容互鉴，指出“要共同倡导尊重世界文明多样性，坚持文明平等、互鉴、对话、包容，以文明交流超越文明隔阂、文明互鉴超越文明冲突、文明包容超越文明优越”，强调“共同倡导弘扬全人类共同价值”，努力开创世界各国人文交流、文化交融、民心相通新局面，让世界文明百花园姹紫嫣红、生机盎然。这些重要论述，系统全面理顺了中国与世界的关系，深刻回答了繁荣发展中国特色社会主义文化“向何处”的重大问题，深刻体现了百年大党的世界情怀和文化使命，彰显了中国共产党人开放包容的胸襟格局。

(The author is an assistant researcher at the School of Marxism, Beijing Normal University.)

（作者系北京师范大学马克思主义学院助理研究员）