Enhancing the Value Appeal of Socialist Culture in the New Era

Culture is the soul of a nation and a country; value appeal is the core yardstick for measuring cultural vitality and influence. The Proposal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC [1]1 The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was held in July 2024. The “15th Five-Year Plan” covers the years 2026–2030., made strategic arrangements for cultural development, explicitly requiring “stimulating the cultural innovation and creativity of the entire nation.” Its deeper aim is to promote cultural prosperity and development, strengthen value guidance, and enhance spiritual strength. A profound grasp of the theoretical logic, core tasks, and practical pathways for enhancing the value appeal of socialist culture in the New Era is of crucial importance for solidly advancing the building of a socialist cultural power and ensuring the steady and sustained progress of Chinese-path modernization.

文化是国家与民族的灵魂，价值感召力是衡量文化生命力和影响力的核心标尺。党的二十届四中全会通过的《中共中央关于制定国民经济和社会发展第十五个五年规划的建议》对文化建设作出战略部署，明确要求“激发全民族文化创新创造活力”，其深层指向是推进文化繁荣发展，强化价值引领，增强精神力量。深刻把握提升新时代社会主义文化价值感召力的理论逻辑、核心任务、实践路径，对于扎实推进社会主义文化强国建设，确保中国式现代化行稳致远，具有至关重要的作用。

Strengthening Cultural Confidence through the Two Integrations

在“两个结合”中增强文化自信

Enhancing value appeal fundamentally depends on the advanced nature and leading power of culture itself. This requires us to consolidate its theoretical foundation and demonstrate its civilizational height in the integration of theory and practice. The source of the value appeal of socialist culture in the New Era is rooted in the distinct cultural subjectivity established through the Two Integrations and is embodied in its creative contribution to a new form of human civilization.

提升价值感召力，根本在于文化自身的先进性、引领力。这要求我们必须在理论与实践的结合中，夯实其理论根基，展现其文明高度。新时代社会主义文化价值感召力的源泉，根植于其在“两个结合”中确立的坚实文化主体性，体现于对人类文明新形态的创造性贡献。

Value appeal originates from the distinct cultural subjectivity forged by the Two Integrations. The prerequisite for cultural appeal is the establishment of cultural subjectivity. The Two Integrations, especially the Second Integration, proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, represent another ideological emancipation [2]2 The “Second Integration” refers to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture. Xi Jinping described it as “another ideological emancipation” because it breaks the conventional view that tradition and modernity are opposed.. They break down the binary opposition between tradition and modernity, and between East and West, deepen the connotation of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and realize the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. “Integration” is not a “mosaic,” nor a simple “physical reaction,” but a profound “chemical reaction,” which, through integration, creates a “new cultural life form.” This enables socialist culture in the New Era to retain the scientific essence and truth of Marxism while being deeply rooted in the fertile soil of over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization; to adhere to the fundamental direction of socialism while being imbued with the unique spiritual temperament and value pursuits of the Chinese nation. This autonomous cultural creation, formed on the basis of historical lineage, grounded in great practice, and responding to the needs of the people, has completely shed the “apprentice mentality” and “dependent state” in cultural matters, thereby laying the most fundamental cornerstone of cultural confidence for value appeal.

价值感召力源于“两个结合”所铸就的鲜明文化主体性。文化感召力的前提是文化主体性的确立。习近平总书记提出的“两个结合”特别是“第二个结合”，是又一次的思想解放，打破了传统与现代、东方与西方的二元对立，深化了马克思主义中国化时代化的内涵，实现了中华优秀传统文化的创造性转化和创新性发展。“结合”不是“拼盘”，不是简单的“物理反应”，而是深刻的“化学反应”，经由“结合”造就了一个“新的文化生命体”。它使得新时代社会主义文化既保有马克思主义的科学底色与真理光辉，又深深植根于五千多年中华文明的沃土；既坚守社会主义的根本方向，又充盈着中华民族特有的精神气质与价值追求。这种基于历史脉络、立足伟大实践、回应人民需求而形成的自主文化创造，彻底摆脱了文化上的“学徒心态”与“依附状态”，从而奠定了价值感召力最根本的文化自信基石。

Value appeal is manifested in the grand historical responsibility of creating a new form of human civilization. Chinese-path modernization has created a new form of human civilization. This new form transcends the old path of modernization dominated by Western capital logic, characterized by materialistic expansion and severe polarization between rich and poor. As the spiritual expression and value bearer of this new form of civilization, socialist culture in the New Era derives its appeal not only from serving the comprehensive development of individuals but also from contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to addressing the common challenges facing humanity and exploring a more rational social system. It advocates the common values of all humanity—peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom—and proposes the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the Global Civilization Initiative [3]3 The Global Civilization Initiative, proposed by Xi Jinping in March 2023, calls for respect for the diversity of civilizations and for enhanced inter-civilization exchanges and dialogue., manifesting a civilizational vision of “embracing the world with a broad mind” and a value sentiment of “seeking one’s own success while also enabling others to succeed.” These value propositions, which transcend individual countries and regions and concern the overall well-being of humanity, endow socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a New Era with moral height and ideological depth, giving its value appeal the potential to cross civilizational barriers and evoke broad resonance. Enhancing value appeal is, in essence, enriching and developing a new form of human civilization and making new and greater contributions to the progress of human civilization.

价值感召力彰显于创造人类文明新形态的宏大历史担当。中国式现代化创造了人类文明新形态。这一新形态超越了西方以资本逻辑为主导、物质主义膨胀、贫富分化严重的现代化老路。新时代社会主义文化作为这一文明新形态的精神表达与价值承载，其感召力不仅在于服务人的全面发展，更在于为应对人类面临的共同挑战、探索更合理的社会制度贡献中国智慧和中国方案。它倡导和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值，提出构建人类命运共同体理念与全球文明倡议，彰显了“胸怀天下”的文明视野与“立己达人”的价值情怀。超越一国一域、关切人类整体福祉的价值主张，赋予了新时代中国特色社会主义文化以道义高度和思想深度，使其价值感召力具备了跨越文明隔阂、引发广泛共鸣的潜在力量。提升价值感召力，本质上是在丰富和发展人类文明新形态，为人类文明进步作出新的更大贡献。

Leading the Enhancement of Civilized Attainments with Core Values

以核心价值观引领文明素养提升

Value appeal does not exist abstractly; it requires concrete carriers and points of application. Its core task lies in internalizing it as core socialist values, which are a consensus of the entire people, and externalizing it as the civilized attainments of all the people.

价值感召力并非抽象存在，它需要具体载体和落脚点。其核心任务在于内化为全民共识的核心价值观，外化为全体人民的文明素养。

Core socialist values are the spiritual carrier of value appeal. Core values bear the spiritual pursuit of a nation and a country and are the most concentrated and core manifestation of cultural value appeal. The core socialist values—“prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony; freedom, equality, justice, rule of law; patriotism, dedication, integrity, friendship”—concentrate the spirit of contemporary China and crystallize the common value pursuits of all the people. The primary task of enhancing cultural value appeal is to deeply advance the cultivation and practice of core socialist values. This requires us not only to clearly explain their historical origins, theoretical basis, and contemporary significance in theory but also, in practice, to “integrate them into the rule of law, integrate them into social development, and integrate them into daily life,” making them behavioral norms that all people follow unconsciously in their daily lives. This will consolidate the common ideological and moral foundation for the unity and struggle of all the people, forming a powerful spiritual force that unites hearts and minds.

社会主义核心价值观是价值感召力的精神载体。核心价值观承载着一个民族、一个国家的精神追求，是文化价值感召力最集中、最核心的体现。“富强、民主、文明、和谐，自由、平等、公正、法治，爱国、敬业、诚信、友善”的社会主义核心价值观集中体现了当代中国精神，凝结着全体人民共同的价值追求。提升文化价值感召力，首要任务就是深入推进社会主义核心价值观的培育和践行。这要求我们不仅要在理论上讲清楚其历史渊源、理论依据和时代意义，更要在实践中将其“融入法治建设、融入社会发展、融入日常生活”，成为全体人民日用而不觉的行为准则，从而筑牢全体人民团结奋斗的共同思想道德基础，形成凝心聚力的强大精神力量。

The enhancement of the people’s civilized attainments is the fundamental destination for realizing value appeal. The fundamental role of culture is to “educate and cultivate people through culture.” The strength of value appeal ultimately depends on the improvement of the people’s ideological awareness, moral standards, civilized attainments, and the overall level of social civility. Enhancing the people’s civilized attainments is not only an inherent requirement for satisfying the people’s aspirations for a better spiritual and cultural life but also a foundational project for achieving high-quality development and advancing the modernization of national governance. A populace with high civilized attainments can better master and apply modern scientific and technological knowledge, abide by social ethics, professional ethics, and family virtues, and possess a rational, calm, and positive social mentality. This itself is a vivid manifestation of the superiority of socialism and the most convincing realistic presentation of cultural value. Therefore, to enhance cultural value appeal, we must adhere to a people-centered work orientation, effectively transform the achievements of cultural construction into a general improvement of the people’s civilized attainments, and cultivate new generations capable of shouldering the mission of national rejuvenation.

人民文明素养的提升是价值感召力实现的根本归宿。文化的根本作用在于“以文化人、以文育人”。价值感召力的强弱，最终要落实到人的思想觉悟、道德水准、文明素养和全社会文明程度的提升上。提升人民文明素养，不仅是满足人民对美好精神文化生活向往的内在要求，更是实现高质量发展、推进国家治理现代化的基础工程。一个具有高度文明素养的人民群体，能够更好地掌握和运用现代科技知识，恪守社会公德、职业道德、家庭美德，具备理性平和、积极向上的社会心态。这本身就是社会主义优越性的生动体现，也是文化价值最具说服力的现实呈现。因此，提升文化价值感召力，必须坚持以人民为中心的工作导向，将文化建设的成果切实转化为人民文明素养的普遍提高，培育担当民族复兴大任的时代新人。

Stimulating Innovation Vitality and Effective Dissemination

激发创新活力与有效传播

Facing new situations and new tasks, enhancing the value appeal of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for the New Era requires systematic practical exploration, with key efforts focused on stimulating endogenous momentum, removing institutional obstacles, and expanding the radius of dissemination.

面对新形势新任务，提升新时代中国特色社会主义文化价值感召力，需要系统性的实践探索，关键着力于激发内生动力、破除机制障碍和拓展传播半径。

Taking the stimulation of the cultural innovation and creativity of the entire nation as the fundamental driving force. Innovation and creativity are the lifeblood of culture and the enduring source of vitality for value appeal. We must respect the laws of cultural development, promote academic and artistic democracy, and encourage bold exploration and individualized creation. Guide the vast number of cultural and artistic workers to “go deep into life and take root among the people,” draw inspiration and refine themes from the great practices of the New Era, and create and produce more “profound in thought, exquisite in art, and superb in production” [4]4 This is a standard formulation from the CPC’s cultural policy documents, originally used in the 2014 “Forum on Literature and Art Work” speech by Xi Jinping.—works that disseminate contemporary Chinese values, embody the spirit of Chinese culture, and reflect the aesthetic pursuits of the Chinese people—pushing literary and artistic creation to new heights. Adapt to the trend of the digital era, promote deep integration of culture and technology, use new technologies such as artificial intelligence and the internet to empower cultural innovation, develop new cultural business formats, enrich cultural expression forms, and make the expression of cultural value more appealing and attractive.

以激发全民族文化创新创造活力为根本动力。创新创造是文化的生命所系，也是价值感召力历久弥新的活力源泉。要尊重文化发展规律，发扬学术民主、艺术民主，鼓励大胆探索和个性化创造。引导广大文化文艺工作者“深入生活、扎根人民”，从新时代伟大实践中汲取灵感、提炼主题，创作生产更多“思想精深、艺术精湛、制作精良”，传播当代中国价值观念、体现中华文化精神、反映中国人审美追求的精品力作，推动文艺创作迈向高峰。顺应数字时代潮流，推动文化与科技深度融合，运用人工智能、互联网等新技术赋能文化创新，发展新型文化业态，丰富文化表现形式，使文化价值的表达更富感召力和吸引力。

Taking the deepening of reform of the cultural system and mechanism as the institutional guarantee. Systems and mechanisms are key factors affecting cultural vitality and the efficiency of value dissemination. To enhance value appeal, we must seek impetus from reform. We must always adhere to Marxism’s guiding position in the ideological domain, consolidate and strengthen mainstream public opinion, and improve the responsibility system for ideological work. We must optimize cultural management and production and operation mechanisms, improve the modern cultural industry system and market system, properly handle the relationship between social and economic benefits, and always prioritize social benefits. Cultivate and form a large-scale team of outstanding cultural talents, reform the talent evaluation and incentive mechanism, and create a favorable environment where everyone can fully display their talents and be used to their fullest potential. Facing the “internet, this biggest variable,” improve the comprehensive network governance system, strengthen content construction and management, create a clean and upright cyberspace, and make the internet an effective platform for disseminating advanced culture, promoting core values, and enhancing the people’s attainments.

以深化文化体制机制改革为制度保障。体制机制是影响文化活力与价值传播效率的关键因素。提升价值感召力，必须向改革要动力。要始终坚持马克思主义在意识形态领域的指导地位，巩固壮大主流思想舆论，完善意识形态工作责任制。要优化文化管理和生产经营机制，健全现代文化产业体系和市场体系，处理好社会效益和经济效益的关系，始终把社会效益放在首位。培育形成规模宏大的优秀文化人才队伍，改革人才评价激励机制，营造人尽其才、才尽其用的良好环境。面对“互联网这一最大变量”，健全网络综合治理体系，加强内容建设与管理，营造风清气正的网络空间，使互联网成为传播先进文化、弘扬核心价值、提升人民素养的有效平台。

Taking the construction of a Chinese discourse and Chinese narrative system as the key to dissemination. Value appeal requires effective dissemination to realize its influence. In the context of globalization and the complex international public opinion environment, to enhance the influence of Chinese culture, it is necessary to focus on solving the problem of “having truth but being unable to articulate it, and having articulated it but being unable to spread it.” [5]5 A phrase commonly used in Chinese political discourse to describe the difficulty of effectively communicating China’s positions and narratives to international audiences. Efforts must be made to advance the construction of China’s independent discourse system and narrative framework, forming a series of new concepts, new categories, and new expressions that both embody Chinese values and possess the capacity for international dialogue. “Conveying the Way through writing, transmitting the voice through culture,” [6]6 A classical Chinese expression meaning to use cultural and literary forms to convey moral principles and values. to present to the world a true, multi-dimensional, and comprehensive China, to display the eternal charm and contemporary value of Chinese culture, and to continuously enhance the country’s cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture.

以构建中国话语和中国叙事体系为传播关键。价值感召力需要有效传播才能实现其影响力。在全球化语境和复杂的国际舆论环境中，提升中华文化影响力，必须着力解决“有理说不出、说了传不开”的难题。需着力推进中国自主的话语体系与叙事框架的构建，形成一系列既蕴含中国价值又具备国际对话能力的新概念、新范畴与新表述。“以文载道、以文传声”，向世界展现一个真实、立体、全面的中国，展现中华文化的永恒魅力和当代价值，不断提升国家文化软实力和中华文化影响力。

Enhancing the value appeal of socialist culture in the New Era is a great project concerning the nation’s future and the national spirit. It is deeply rooted in the new cultural landscape created by the Two Integrations, [7]7 The Two Integrations refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture. serves the new form of civilization created by Chinese-path modernization, and relies on the extensive practice of core socialist values and the general improvement of the people’s cultural-ethical standards. With a high degree of cultural consciousness and cultural confidence, we must continuously stimulate the vitality of cultural innovation and creation, deeply advance the reform of the cultural system and mechanisms, effectively build a modern communication system, constantly strengthen the cohesive, guiding, and appealing force of socialist culture, and advance the building of a socialist cultural power.

提升新时代社会主义文化价值感召力，是一项关乎国家未来与民族精神的伟大工程。它深植于“两个结合”开创的文化新局，服务于中国式现代化创造的文明新形态，依托于社会主义核心价值观的广泛践行和人民文明素养的普遍提升。以高度的文化自觉和文化自信，持续激发文化创新创造活力，纵深推进文化体制机制改革，有效构建现代传播体系，不断增强社会主义文化的凝聚力、引领力、感染力，推进社会主义文化强国建设。

(The author is a researcher at the Research Center for Chinese Traditional Culture, School of Marxism, Shandong University of Science and Technology, and a researcher at the Shandong Digital Economy Research Base of the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in Shandong Province.)

（作者系山东科技大学马克思主义学院中国传统文化研究中心研究员、山东省习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心山东数字经济研究基地研究员）