At the National Propaganda, Ideological and Cultural Work Conference held in October 2023, the Party Central Committee formally proposed and systematically elaborated on Xi Jinping’s cultural thoughts. This major ideological connotation is very rich and has profound discussions, including the important content of “forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and building a spiritual home shared by the Chinese nation.” Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has laid a solid spiritual and cultural foundation for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, and has elevated the construction of a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation into a strategic task. He has put forward a series of new ideas, new views and new conclusions around building modern civilization of the Chinese nation, promoting the coordinated development of material and spiritual civilization, strengthening the construction of the theoretical system of the Chinese nation, cultivating and practicing the core socialist values, doing a good job in the protection and inheriting of historical and cultural heritages of all ethnic groups, and telling the stories of the Chinese nation well, forming General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourse on building a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation. Understanding and implementing this important statement is the inherent meaning of studying and implementing Xi Jinping’s cultural thoughts, and it is also an inevitable requirement for doing a good job in ethnic work in the new era.
KomiksFocus on the diversified and integrated pattern of Chinese civilization, focusing on building modern civilization of the Chinese nation. At the symposium on cultural heritage and development held in June 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that Chinese civilization has outstanding continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness and peace. These outstanding characteristics demonstrate the diversity and unity of the Chinese nation and Chinese civilization. The long-term unified tradition of Chinese civilization has formed a unity of diversity, unity and centralization. The pursuit of unity of “inward cohesion” is the premise and result of civilization continuity. At the same time, Chinese civilization never replaces multicultural culture with a single culture, but gathers multiple cultures into common culture, resolve conflicts and build consensus. The diverse and integrated pattern of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines the integration of cultures of all ethnic groups in the Chinese nation, and also determines the historical orientation of exchanges and integration of the Chinese nation, and also determines that a strong and unified country is bounded by the fate of the people of all ethnic groups. These outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization have given the Chinese nationThe most basic cultural imprint and spiritual gene of the community have become a unique spiritual symbol that distinguishes the Chinese nation from other nations. It is a spiritual bond that maintains all ethnic groups in the Chinese nation and a treasure for cultural innovation in all ethnic groups in the Chinese nation. At the symposium on cultural heritage and development, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the major proposition of “building modern civilization of the Chinese nation” and systematically elaborated on it. Building modern civilization of the Chinese nation is a heroic feat of a country with a diverse and integrated civilization history like ours, and it is also an inherent requirement for building a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation. We must deeply understand and grasp the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization and the diverse and integrated pattern of Chinese civilization, adapt to the general development trend of the Chinese nation moving from history to the future, from tradition to modernity, and from diversity to unity, and strive to build a modern civilization of the Chinese nation and create a new form of human civilization.
Firstly grasp that cultural identity is the deepest level of identity, and promote the coordinated development of material civilization and spiritual civilization
Promoting the coordinated development of material civilization and spiritual civilization is a Chinese characteristic of Chinese modernization and an important part of Xi Jinping’s cultural thoughts. Correctly grasping the relationship between matter and spirit, and emphasizing the correct handling of the relationship between material civilization and spiritual civilization from a dialectical, comprehensive and balanced perspective is the cultural stance that our party has always adhered to, and it is also a pair of relationships that need to be focused on in doing a good job in ethnic work in the new era. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the 2014 Central Ethnic Work Conference: “The promotion of ethnic work depends on two forces, one is material force and the other is spiritual force.” Over the past period, our use of material force has been stronger and our use of spiritual force is weaker. History and reality tell us that to solve the national problem, material problems must be solved, and spiritual problems must be solved. No matter which problem is solved, there will be more problems. Material and spiritual power each have their own functions and are largely irreplaceable to each other. One key opens the other, and the mental problems must be solved by strengthening the spiritual power. Therefore, solving the problem of national unity cannot be separated from the power of identity, and long-term and fundamentally rely on enhancing cultural identity. As General Secretary Xi Jinping repeatedly emphasized, “Cultural identity is the deepest level of identity, the root of national unity and the soul of national harmony.” In the process of comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and national rejuvenation, we must focus on realizing the coordinated reality of material civilization and spiritual civilization.In modernization, while attaching importance to the economic and social development of ethnic minorities and ethnic areas, we must give all reform and development to demonstrate the significance of the sense of community of the Chinese nation, to maintain unity and oppose separatism, and to improve people’s livelihood and unite people’s hearts.
Based on grasping the fundamental requirements of “two combinations”, strengthening the construction of the theoretical system of the Chinese nation community
Our party has always attached great importance to theoretical construction and theoretical research, and through theoretical maturity and firmness, it has continuously enhanced the dominance and discourse power in the ideological field. During the ninth collective study of the 20th Central Political Bureau, General Secretary Xi Jinping creatively proposed “combining Marxist national theory with China’s specific reality and with China’s excellent traditional culture”, which provided a fundamental guideline for the innovation of national theory in the new era. In particular, the “second combination” is based on the long history of the Chinese nation, combining Marxist national theory with the excellent traditional Chinese culture, following the historical and theoretical logic of the development of the Chinese nation, and scientifically revealing the principles, academics and philosophy of the formation and development of the Chinese nation, providing scientific methods for building a theoretical system for the construction of the Chinese nation community. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “To strengthen the construction of the theoretical system of the Chinese nation, we must optimize the discipline setting, strengthen discipline construction, accurately determine the research direction, deepen the research on major basic issues of the Chinese nation community, and accelerate the formation of China’s independent historical materials system, discourse system, and theoretical system of the Chinese nation community.” The construction of the theoretical system and knowledge system of the Chinese nation community involves multiple disciplines and multiple fields, and the vast number of philosophy and social science workers are important new forces. We must focus on stimulating the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity of the vast number of experts and scholars, strengthen the training of young experts and scholars, set a good direction for them, build a platform, create opportunities, encourage them to study hard and accumulate strength, and launch original theoretical achievements based on Chinese history, interpret Chinese practice, and answer Chinese questions.
Always grasp that patriotism is the core of the spirit of the Chinese nation, and deeply cultivate and practice the core socialist values.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the symposium on literary and artistic work: “Core values are the spiritual bonds on which a nation depends for maintenance, and the common ideological and moral foundation of a country. If there is no common core values, a nation and a country will have no place to live and have no backbone.” Why can the Chinese nation continue to develop for thousands of years? A very important reason is that we have a national spirit with patriotism as the core and have a consistent value pursuit. Socialist nuclearThe values of the heart determine the development direction of the Chinese nation’s shared spiritual home, and must be vigorously cultivated and practiced in the whole society and among all ethnic groups. We must strengthen the education of the Party’s theories, lines, principles and policies for people of all ethnic groups, strengthen publicity and education on the history of the Party, the history of New China, the history of reform and opening up, the history of socialist development, and the history of the development of the Chinese nation, and especially inherit and carry forward the great spirit of building the Party formed by the Party’s leadership in the struggle of various historical periods, and use common ideals and beliefs to unite the heart and forge the soul. To cultivate and practice the core socialist values, we must attach importance to strengthening ideological and political education in schools and integrate the spirit of patriotism into the entire process of education at all levels and types. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the 2014 National Ethnic Work Conference that adolescence is a critical period for the formation of values, outlook on life, outlook on the motherland and nation. Education is about to penetrate the blood and the soul. As soon as you are young, you must catch it from kindergarten. We must grasp the lesson of patriotism education, bury the seeds of loving China deep in the hearts of every child, and let the core socialist values take root in the hearts of the next generation of the motherland. All ethnic groups must cultivate the awareness of a member of the Chinese nation. Don’t let children only know which ethnic group they are. First of all, you must know that they are the Chinese nation. This is the relationship between the moon and the stars. General Secretary Xi Jinping particularly emphasized: “This matter must be done with great fanfare and persevere.”
Accurately grasp the historical connotation of exchanges and integration among various ethnic groups, and do a good job in protecting and inheriting the historical and cultural heritage of various ethnic groups
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the symposium on cultural heritage and development: “Chinese cultural identity transcends regional, blood lineage, religious beliefs, etc., and integrates the vast and turbulent and Tu races with great internal differences into a diverse and integrated Chinese nation.” The historical and cultural heritage of all ethnic groups in my country is a concrete manifestation of Chinese cultural identity, carries the genes and bloodlines of the Chinese nation, and contains the historical memory shared by the Chinese nation. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the protection and inheritance of historical and cultural heritage of various ethnic groups. He has personally investigated and inspected the Guangxi Ethnic Museum, Chifeng Museum, Heshun Ancient Town, Yungang Grottoes, Potala Palace, Bakhun Street, Cinema Chengde Summer Resort, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum, and Xinjiang CorpsThe Military Reclamation Museum and Jiaohe Ancient City have also put forward clear requirements for the protection and inheritance of ethnic intangible cultural heritages such as the Hezhe ethnic group, “Gesar”, special Miao embroidery, hand-woven techniques of Kaya Tibetan blankets, and “Manas”. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that Chinese civilization is rooted in a fertile land of harmonious but different multi-ethnic cultures. We must attach importance to the protection and inheritance of ethnic minority cultures, and repeatedly tell the people of all ethnic groups that all ethnic groups have contributed to the formation and development of Chinese culture. Among the Chinese projects included in the “Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”, ethnic minorities account for one-third. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the 2021 Central Ethnic Work Conference that promoting the inheritance, protection and innovation of cultures of all ethnic groups should be carried out on the basis of enhancing the recognition of Chinese culture and should not put the cart before the horse. We must deeply explore the historical connotation of exchanges and integration among all ethnic groups contained in historical and cultural heritage and the ideological connotation of national unity and progress, and establish and highlight the symbols of Chinese culture and the image of the Chinese nation shared by all ethnic groups.
Comprehensively grasp the importance and regularity of ethnic propaganda, and vigorously promote the sense of community of the Chinese nation. Ethnic work is a work that unites people’s hearts and gathers strength. Whether ethnic propaganda is done well is related to people’s hearts and the image of the party and the country. We must fully grasp the special importance and internal laws of publicity work in the ethnic field, firmly grasp the initiative and dominance of public opinion, innovate the dissemination methods of ethnic propaganda, enrich the dissemination content, and broaden the dissemination channels. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the “four vigorous publicity” at the ninth collective study of the 20th Central Political Bureau: vigorously publicize the history of the Chinese nation, vigorously publicize the theory of the Chinese nation, vigorously publicize the historic achievements made in the ethnic work of the new era, and vigorously publicize the beauty of the Chinese nation and the people of all countries in the world to work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Telling a good story of the Chinese nation is an image summary of publicity work in the ethnic field. Regarding how to talk about the Chinese nation’s community wellKomiks, General Secretary Xi Jinping clarified the “four clarifications”: clarifying the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system are reliable guarantees for the common development and progress of all ethnic groups in our country, explaining the Chinese nation is a community of shared future with strong recognition and cohesion, and explaining the obvious superiority of the correct path to solve ethnic issues with Chinese characteristics. While telling the story of the Chinese nation through multiple channels and forms, we must also target the refutation of various false public opinion, negative public opinion, and harmful remarks. Adhere to the combination of “invitation in” and “going out”, and actively promote exchanges and interactions between Chinese and foreign academic circles and civil groups.
A nation without spiritual strength is difficult to be self-reliant, and one without literature The undertakings supported by aggravate support are difficult to last for a long time. The proposal of Xi Jinping’s cultural thoughts not only provides fundamental guidance for building a spiritual home shared by the Chinese nation, but also provides strong ideological guarantees and strong spiritual strength for strengthening the construction of the Chinese nation and comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s cultural thoughts, we must firmly grasp the leadership of ideological work, strengthen and improve the Party’s overall leadership over ethnic work, and further clarify the roadmap and task book for building a spiritual home shared by the Chinese nation, work hard and work hard for a long time, and continuously promote the Chinese nation toward a community of shared future with higher recognition and stronger cohesion.
(Author’s unit: First Research Department of the Central Academy of Party History and Literature)