General Secretary Supreme Leader’s important speech at the forum on cultural inheritance and development highly summarized the five outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization, profoundly expounded the great significance of "two combinations", and clearly put forward the era tasks of continuing to promote cultural prosperity, building a cultural power and building a modern civilization of the Chinese nation at a new historical starting point, which is of great practical significance for us to continuously deepen our understanding of the regularity of cultural construction, always strengthen our cultural self-confidence and build a socialist modern country in an all-round way.
1. Deeply understand and grasp the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization.
China has a long history of culture and profound Chinese civilization. General Secretary of the Supreme Leader pointed out that there are many important elements in Chinese excellent traditional culture, which together shape the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization. A profound understanding and grasp of these outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization will help us to inherit the long and colorful Chinese civilization and build a modern Chinese civilization.
Chinese civilization has outstanding continuity. Chinese civilization is the only uninterrupted civilization in the world, which can be called a miracle in the history of human civilization. Chinese civilization has a long history. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, China’s ancient culture contended and flourished unprecedentedly, which laid the foundation and trend of China culture. The Qin dynasty achieved great unity, and the culture of the Han Dynasty, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui and Tang Dynasties, Song and Yuan Dynasties, Ming and Qing Dynasties continued and flourished. Since modern times, the cultural exchanges between China and the West have been deepening, which has not only enriched Chinese civilization, but also promoted the harmonious development of world civilization. Chinese civilization has outstanding continuity, which "fundamentally determines that the Chinese nation must follow its own path". Only when we know China from the long history and cultural continuity can we deeply understand ancient China, modern China and future China.
Chinese civilization has outstanding innovation. In the long history of more than 5,000 years, the Chinese nation has shown a strong spirit of innovation and creativity. From art to science and technology, from ideas to artifacts, from culture to system, they have created brilliant history and brilliant achievements. Ideologically, Laozi, Confucius, Zhuangzi and other world-famous thinkers have emerged. In science and technology, the four great inventions have profoundly influenced the process of human civilization; In the history of architecture, great projects such as Wan Li Great Wall, Dujiangyan and Forbidden City have been produced. In culture and art, he created great works such as the Book of Songs, Han Fu, Tang Poetry, Song Ci, Yuan Qu, Ming and Qing novels. The famous reforms of Shang Yang, Wang Anshi and the Reform Movement of 1898 in Chinese history all reflected the innovative consciousness of the Chinese nation. The outstanding innovation of Chinese civilization "fundamentally determines the enterprising spirit of the Chinese nation, respecting the past and not retro, and determines the fearless character of the Chinese nation that is not afraid of new challenges and is brave in accepting new things".
Chinese civilization has outstanding unity. The long and splendid Chinese civilization has become the spiritual bond that unites the Chinese nation. Both Mencius’s "Unity in One" and Dong Zhongshu’s "Unity in Spring and Autumn" regard unity as the most important and persistent content in China’s political tradition. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, the idea of great unification has gradually occupied the core position of Chinese culture and is rooted in people’s hearts. All ethnic groups in China believe that division will ruin the country and destroy lives, while reunification will share peace and live and work in peace. Driven by this kind of thought and belief, although China has suffered from wars and divisions repeatedly in history, it still takes the pursuit and realization of reunification as the normal state of development. All ethnic groups live together and watch each other, gradually forming a harmonious relationship. The outstanding unity of Chinese civilization fundamentally "determines the common belief that the territory is inseparable, the country cannot be chaotic, the nation cannot be separated and civilization cannot be broken, determines that national unity is always the core of China’s core interests, and determines that a strong and unified country is the fate of people of all ethnic groups".
Chinese civilization has outstanding inclusiveness. Chinese civilization is broad and profound, advocating mutual respect, tolerance and learning among different cultural forms, and never rejecting any foreign culture. It can be said that pluralism and tolerance are one of the core values of Chinese civilization. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism and Mohism contended and created a splendid pre-Qin culture. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Buddhism was introduced into China and soon became an integral part of Chinese culture. In history, the nomadic people in the north entered the mainland several times, and the cultures of all ethnic minorities were later integrated into the Chinese family. The ancient Silk Road has built a bridge for cultural exchanges between China and countries and regions along the route, and the achievements of civilization created by various countries have gradually become an element of Chinese culture. After Marxism was introduced into China, as a foreign culture, it was organically combined with Chinese excellent traditional culture, and Marxism was China-oriented. The outstanding inclusiveness of Chinese civilization "fundamentally determines the historical orientation of the Chinese nation’s exchanges and exchanges, determines the harmonious pattern of the coexistence of various religious beliefs in China, and determines the Chinese culture’s open mind to all world civilizations".
Chinese civilization has outstanding peace. The Chinese nation is a peace-loving nation, and China culture advocates harmony. Peace, harmony and harmony are the concepts that the Chinese nation has been pursuing and inheriting, and being kind to neighbors and being a family under the sun is the way that the Chinese nation has always pursued. All the dynasties in China took "peace and prosperity" as the highest goal of governing the country, and "harmony among all nations" as the way to deal with the relations between different ethnic groups and countries. There is no gene in the blood of the Chinese nation to invade others and claim hegemony. What Chinese civilization advocates is to cherish the world, establish oneself, uphold justice and uphold justice. The outstanding peace of Chinese civilization "fundamentally determines that China will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of international order".
2. Deeply understanding and grasping the "two combinations" is "the greatest magic weapon for our success"
General Secretary of the Supreme Leader profoundly pointed out: "It is the only way to open up and develop Socialism with Chinese characteristics on the profound foundation of Chinese civilization for more than 5,000 years, and to combine the basic principles of Marxism with the concrete reality of China and the excellent traditional Chinese culture. This is our regular understanding in exploring the road to Socialism with Chinese characteristics and the greatest magic weapon for our success. " A profound understanding and grasp of this important conclusion will help us to constantly cultivate and create Socialism with Chinese characteristics culture in the new era and promote the construction of modern civilization of the Chinese nation.
"Two combinations" make "Marxism become China’s". Marxism is an irrefutable truth with universal applicability. But as Engels said, "Marx’s whole world outlook is not a doctrine, but a method." Marxism must be combined with the specific reality and historical and cultural traditions of various countries in order to show its vigorous vitality and vitality. During the various historical periods of China’s revolution, construction and reform, the Communist Party of China (CPC) people persisted in combining the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete reality, continued to promote the modernization of Marxism in China, and created one miracle after another. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, with the great historical initiative, our party has continuously deepened its understanding of communist party’s laws of governance, socialist construction and the development of human society, and more consciously realized that upholding and developing Marxism in the new era must be further combined with Chinese excellent traditional culture.
In the process of promoting the "second combination", our party has activated the long-standing Chinese civilization with the power of Marxist truth, promoted the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese excellent traditional culture with scientific standpoints and methods, and made the Chinese civilization glow with vitality again. At the same time, China’s excellent traditional culture also enriches Marxism with cultural nourishment, endows China Marxism with "a certain national form" and "China characteristics", and endows it with distinctive China style, China style and era connotation. The "two combinations" have created a new cultural life, making Marxism not only China’s, but also the era’s, allowing us to master the initiative of thought and culture, better use the "arrow" of Marxism to shoot the "right" of contemporary China, timely answer the major theoretical and practical problems facing the new era, and better use Marxism to lead the prosperity and development of Socialism with Chinese characteristics culture and promote the construction of modern civilization of the Chinese nation.
"Two combinations" make "Chinese excellent traditional culture modern". Chinese civilization has lasted for more than 5,000 years. Today, in order to better adapt to the modernization drive, exchange and learn from other countries’ civilizations on the international stage, show its permanent charm in the world, and make Chinese excellent traditional culture not only ancient and China, but also modern and world-wide, it needs to be further combined with Marxism. Only through the "two combinations", especially the use of Marxist standpoints and methods, can we strengthen the excavation and interpretation of Chinese excellent traditional culture and carry forward the Chinese civilization that spans time and space, transcends national boundaries and is full of eternal charm, so that it can cross time and space, show its global value and highlight the world significance of Chinese excellent traditional culture.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, in the historical process of promoting "two combinations", Chinese excellent traditional culture has been endowed with brand-new connotation of the times through creative transformation and innovative development, adapting to contemporary culture and coordinating with modern society, showing distinctive contemporary value. In the new era, our Party has successfully promoted and expanded Chinese modernization, and provided China’s plan and China’s wisdom for human modernization, among which the rich ideas, humanistic spirit and moral norms contained in Chinese excellent traditional culture are condensed, making Chinese excellent traditional culture go to the world in a subtle way. At the same time, our party has also integrated the values of China’s excellent traditional culture into the diplomacy of big countries, promoted the building of a community of human destiny, and promoted China’s excellent traditional culture to become world-wide and modern, laying a solid foundation for us to build a new form of human civilization and a modern civilization of the Chinese nation.
"Two combinations" formed and sublimated Socialism with Chinese characteristics’s road, theory, system and culture. Our party has always insisted on combining the basic principles of Marxism with the concrete reality of China, which undoubtedly includes the reality of China culture in different periods. After the socialist transformation was basically completed, when Comrade Mao Zedong began to explore the road of "Chinese-style" socialist construction, he proposed "the second combination". At the beginning of reform and opening up, Comrade Deng Xiaoping clearly put forward: "Combine the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete reality of our country, take our own road and build socialism with China characteristics." Our party led the people to push forward the reform and opening-up, and formed Socialism with Chinese characteristics’s road, theory, system and culture.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Communist Party of China (CPC) people, with the Supreme Leader as the main representative, have insisted on combining the basic principles of Marxism with the concrete reality of China and the excellent traditional Chinese culture, put forward a series of original new ideas, new ideas and new strategies for governing the country, and wrote a new chapter in the modernization of Marxism in China. Socialism with Chinese characteristics Thought of the Supreme Leader in the New Era, rooted in China’s excellent traditional culture and based on the great practice of contemporary China, is contemporary China Marxism and 21st century Marxism. It is the essence of Chinese culture, which contains distinctive Chinese cultural characteristics and eternal Chinese cultural values, and provides spiritual motivation and fundamental follow-up for the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese excellent traditional culture and the construction of Chinese modern civilization.
The "two combinations" not only laid a solid foundation for the road, but also extended the cultural foundation of the road in Socialism with Chinese characteristics, giving Chinese modernization a profound cultural support. The "two combinations" allow us to make full use of the precious resources of Chinese excellent traditional culture in a broader cultural space and explore future-oriented theoretical and institutional innovations. It is a profound summary of our party’s historical experience in the modernization of Marxism in China and a profound grasp of the law of the development of Chinese civilization, indicating that our party’s understanding of China’s roads, theories and systems has reached a new height, indicating that our party’s historical self-confidence and cultural self-confidence have reached a new height, indicating that our party has promoted cultural innovation in inheriting Chinese excellent traditional culture.
3. Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation at a new historical starting point
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the General Secretary of the Supreme Leader has continuously deepened his understanding of the regularity of socialist cultural construction, and put forward a series of new ideas, new viewpoints and new conclusions. This is a scientific summary of the practical experience of the Party’s leadership cultural construction in the new era, an important part of the Supreme Leader’s Socialism with Chinese characteristics Thought in the new era, and provides a fundamental basis for continuing to promote cultural prosperity, build a cultural power and build a modern civilization of the Chinese nation at a new historical starting point.
Adhere to the "two combinations". In the process of two-way interaction and two-way empowerment, the "two combinations" promoted the modernization of Marxism in China and the internationalization of Chinese excellent traditional culture. Therefore, to build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, we must unswervingly adhere to the "two combinations." Under the guidance of the basic principles of Marxism, we should inherit and carry forward the reasonable core of Chinese excellent traditional culture that transcends time and space and has eternal value, and constantly enrich the connotation of Marxism with the values of Chinese excellent traditional culture. Constantly explore and expound the times value of Chinese excellent traditional culture, promote its adaptation to modern society, truly realize its creative transformation and innovative development, and consolidate the foundation of cultural self-confidence. Find out the combination and convergence point between the basic principles of Marxism and Chinese excellent traditional culture, build a solid foundation of cultural self-confidence, and let Chinese culture go to the world better and become an important force leading the trend of world civilization.
Follow the objective laws of cultural construction. The development of everything has its own laws. To build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, we should meet the needs of Chinese modernization and follow the objective laws of cultural construction. Socialism with Chinese characteristics Thought of the Supreme Leader in the New Era is a scientific guide for us to build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation and must be firmly adhered to. To build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, we should adhere to the Party’s overall leadership over cultural work, the guidance of the Party’s innovation theory in the new era, the cultural development of Socialism with Chinese characteristics and the people-centered work orientation on the basis of promoting Chinese modernization and in accordance with the laws of socialist cultural construction. Strengthen the education of ideals and beliefs, carry forward the great spirit of party building, cultivate and practice socialist core values, prosper and develop cultural undertakings and industries, build a strong sense of the Chinese nation’s community, and constantly enrich the people’s spiritual world.
Strengthen cultural self-confidence. Only when a nation is full of confidence in its cultural tradition, cultural concept and value system, as well as its innovative vitality, creative potential and development toughness, can it consciously adhere to its national cultural position, adhere to its national cultural tradition and continue its blood. To better shoulder the new cultural mission at the new historical starting point and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, we must always strengthen our cultural self-confidence. It is necessary to accurately grasp the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization and deeply understand that this is the endless source of strength for Chinese civilization and the fundamental reason why Chinese civilization has become the only uninterrupted civilization in the world; A deep understanding of the revolutionary culture and advanced socialist culture formed by the party leading the people in the long-term struggle is a valuable spiritual wealth and powerful spiritual motivation for the party and the people to continue to advance; We will put our firm cultural self-confidence into concrete practice and mission, promote the construction of a strong cultural country and civilization in the new era, and push Socialism with Chinese characteristics’s cultural undertakings to a new level.
Adhere to openness and tolerance. There are hundreds of rivers, and tolerance is great. Openness and tolerance provide a broad space for human civilization and symbiosis. To undertake a new cultural mission and build a modern civilization of the Chinese nation, we need to treat all human civilizations with an open and inclusive attitude. Respect the diversity of world civilizations, understand the value connotation of different civilizations with a broad mind, advocate the coexistence of civilizations and oppose cultural hegemony; Promote exchanges and mutual learning between different civilizations, transcend the barriers between civilizations with civilized exchanges, transcend the conflict of civilizations with mutual learning of civilizations, and make human civilization more colorful; With an open mind to all world civilizations, we should learn from all outstanding achievements of human civilization, promote the localization of foreign cultures, constantly cultivate and develop Socialism with Chinese characteristics culture in the new era, and constantly enhance the soft power and international influence of Chinese culture.
Adhere to integrity and innovation. Being upright and innovative is the natural gene of Chinese excellent traditional culture and the successful password of Chinese civilization. To be upright, it is necessary to adhere to the Marxist position and the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field, so that Chinese culture can prosper and develop in the right direction; At the same time, we should adhere to the standpoint of Chinese culture, its timeless philosophical thought, humanistic spirit and moral concept, and consistently inherit the blood of Chinese civilization. Innovation is based on the reality of contemporary China, combined with the conditions of today’s times, to handle the relationship between inheritance and development, to do a good job in the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional culture, and to give Chinese civilization a new era connotation. We should make overall plans for the "two overall situations", scientifically answer the questions of China, the world, the people and the times, innovate and develop Socialism with Chinese characteristics culture, and constantly create new glories of Chinese culture. (Author: Tang Zhouyan, a special researcher at the New Era Socialism with Chinese characteristics Thought Research Center, the supreme leader of Shandong Province, and a professor at Shandong Normal University)
Guangming Daily (July 14, 2023, 06 edition)
