--The record of the work done for art and culture by the CPC with Xi Jinping as it’s core
The art and culture is the horn for the progress of an era, the best representative and the best leader of the atmosphere of an era.
Since the 18th CPC national congress, the CPC with Xi Jinping as it’s core has been placing the cultural construction as well as the art and culture on an important position of the party’s and the nation’s affair. The party has been summarizing the new practice and requirements of art and culture of thee era and solving major problems of socialist art and culture relating to the direction, foundation and strategy, so as to push forward the development of socialist art and culture to start a new chapter.
With repeated advice of the CPC, art and culture practitioners dedicate themselves to the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era to serve people and create outstanding works. This is the way to voice the sound of the era, the patriotism and the people to gather the profound spiritual strength for the great rejuvenation of Chinese nation.
Visionary plan--
The general secretary Xi Jinping points out the direction for China’s art and culture development with the height of the great rejuvenation of Chinese nation.
The CPC has been attaching great importance to art and culture by insisting to use advanced culture to lead direction, improve morale and to gather strength. In a new era, the position and effect of the working relating to art and culture are more and more prominent. Since the 18th CPC national congress, Xi Jinping has made a series of important statement relating to art, culture and performance with vision, right judgement, good command of rules, historical awareness and firm cultural confidence. He pushes forward the art and cultural Marxism theory to make it more suitable for China, era and people, improving the CPC’s understanding and practice of art and culture to a new height--
In 2014, Xi Jinping hosted a working symposium on art and culture, saying that “realizing the two centenary goals is a great, long-term and arduous work. A great cause requires great spirit. The effect of art and culture is irreplaceable and a significant role will be played by art and culture practitioners”.
In 2016, Xi Jinping attended the 10th congress of Chinese Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the opening ceremony of the 9th congress of China Writers Association. He said that “art of every era can only make loud voice when it’s closely connected with the country and nationalities”.
In 2019, he visited committee members from fields of art, literature, society and science. He pointed out that “practitioners shall keep up with time, see people as the center, use outstanding work to contribute to people and to to lead the fashion with morality.”
In 2020, Xi Jinping hosted the expert symposium in education, culture, sanitary and sports. He stressed that “the socialism with Chinese characteristics is a great cause with development and progress in all aspects. Without it, there would be no prosperous socialist culture, nor socialist modernization.”
Prosperous culture heralds a thriving nation while strong culture indicates a great ethnic group. Xi Jinping wrote in the 19th CPC national report that “without high-degree of cultural confidence, there won’t be prosperous culture, let alone the great rejuvenation of Chinese nation.” Having firm cultural confidence and inspiring the national spirit with art and culture are historical responsibilities of practitioners.
With guidance from the general secretary bear in mind, art and culture practitioners embark on a new journey with confidence and high spirit.
Top-down scientific decision--
Considering the new condition of art and cultural development in a new era, Xi Jinping has given advice to promote and lead Chinese art and culture to reach a new peak.
Since the 18th CPC national congress, Xi Jinping has made a series of statement regarding significant issues of art and culture development. He has made practical plans, supported major projects and promoted important events, so as to create sound condition, offer strong support and constructed a new structure for cultural prosperity and development.
In art and culture creation, Xi Jinping points out to see the creation of outstanding works as the central process and to see the quality improvement as the life line of art and literature. There’s a thousand way to create art and literature, among which the most basic, significant and reliable one is to root in people and their ordinary lives as well as to insist people-centered direction in the creation.
In terms of the promotion of Chinese spirit, Xi Jinping said that practitioners should see patriotism as the main stream of art and culture creation to lead people to have correct views on history, nationality, country and culture, so as to enhance the encourage the confidence of Chinese.
The social and economic benefits should be coordinate with each other. He side that art and culture shouldn’t be lost in the market economy, nor be slaves of the market.
In terms of promoting the outstanding traditional Chinese culture, Xi Jinping said that practitioners should stand firm on the stance of Chinese culture and stick to the innovative transformation and development, so as to inject vitality to cultural relics in the museum, cultural heritage on the land and words wrote in ancient records.
In terms of cultural exchanges in the international society, he said that more essence of the Chinese culture should be presented in the creation to reflect the aesthetic pursuit of Chinese; to promote Chinese value in the contemporary era and to be in line with the progressing tendency of the world, so as to enable Chinese art and culture to gain it’s position in the world with it’s unique feature and style.
A new journey of Chinese art and culture in a new era is in the light of shining ideas.
In the profound reform, Xi Jinping has been making plans, solving problems and overcoming difficulties. He promotes a policy system for art and culture development in a new era by establishing key policies one after another--
“Opinions of the CPC Central Committee on the Prosperity and Development of Socialist Literature and art” is a clear map for socialist art and literature.
There are also other policies, including “Opinions on Carrying out the Project of Inheriting and Developing Excellent Traditional Chinese Culture”, “Policies on Supporting the Inheritance and Development of Chinese Opera” and “Opinions on Improving the Reform of State-owned Art Troupes”. Important plans are made to inherit and develop the outstanding traditional Chinese culture to meet the goals of building a socialist country with strong culture, enhancing national cultural soft power and realizing the China dream of the great rejuvenation. The art and culture practitioners are encouraged due to these supporting policies with much benefit.
“Opinions on the Reform of the National Literature and Art Appraisal and Award System”, “Guidance on Promoting State-owned Cultural Enterprises to put Social Benefits in the First Place and Realize the Unification of Social Benefits and Economic Benefits”, “Suggestions on Strengthening the Work of Literary Criticism in the New Era” and so on. The new policy curbs the negative tendency and promote the positive one. The developing direction is more clear. A righteous business environment is on the way.
Under Xi Jinping’s guidance, art and culture practitioners dedicate themselves into the practice of the great struggle, great project, great cause and great dream. They respond to the need of people and answer the project of this era, contributing profound and advanced spiritual and cultural force to the rejuvenation of the country by high-quality development of art and culture.
The relating government should hold high the spiritual banner, have a spiritual support and build a spiritual home. A series of major art and cultural events have been hold at the important time of the CPC and China in recent years, including the evening gala “victory and peace” to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the concert “perpetuate faith” to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, the gala “our 40 years” to mark the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up, the gala “go! Chinese sons and daughters” to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China, the performance “the great journey” to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC... The positive energy of the patriotism, the spirit of the nationality and the merit of hero to mark the significant points one after another of national rejuvenation.
In the evening of the June 28, 2021, colorful fireworks were set off to the above the “bird nest” to compose the number “100”, accompanied by thundering clapping and cheers... Chinese art and performance sent congratulation to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. The performance “great journey” interprets the determination of culture and art practitioners to have the same faith with people and the party. Heads of the government, including Xi Jinping sang “there’s no new China without the CPC...”
The sun light in the winter shines on the Museum of the Communist Party of China. In the square in the front of the museum, there are grand sculptures named “banner”, “belief”, “the great cause”, “conquering difficulties” and “pursuing dream”.
Xi Jinping instructed that“Museum construction must follow the spirit of the CPC; reflect the history and the spirit of the CPC in the past 100 years and represent the CPC’s hard and great journey.” Art practitioners all over the country need to work together to complete the major theme sculpture.
Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the protection, inheritance and development of the outstanding traditional Chinese culture and has made important instructions during his inspections. In Qufu of Shandong province, he said the history, culture and morality should be altered to be more suitable in the contemporary era. Different parts of culture should be treated differently and the beneficial part should be inherited. In Gansu, Xi Jinping went to Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes to learn more about the cultural inheritance and the protection of cultural relics. In Xi’an museum, the first thing he cared about is the protection of the Xiaoyanta Pagoda (Little Wild Goose Pagoda). In the Yonganfang of Xiguan historical and cultural sector of Liwan district in Guangzhou city, Xi Jinping went to the Yue Opera Art Museum to encourage amateur opera performers to inherit and promote Yue opera. In the Zhuxi Park of Fujian province, he said that there’s no Chinese characteristics without 5000 years of Chinese civilization.... His quests to the tradition and connection to the faith show the general secretary’s historical awareness and cultural confidence to safeguard the cultural origin of Chinese nation.
Xi Jinping cares about the inheritance and development project of the outstanding traditional Chinese culture and supports it. The book to introduce the old Chinese sayings used by Xi Jinping is translated into more than 30 languages. There’s also a series of books to introduce 100 of Chinese classical books to people. There’s also a series of TV shows, including “Chinese Poetry Competition”, “China in Classics”, “Chinese Archeology Assembly” and “Nostalgia in Mind” are popular at home and abroad. Intangible cultural heritage like paper cutting and shu embroidery are used in poverty alleviation. New year painting and village theatrical performance show the vitality. Cultural innovation objects and Han Chinese clothing in traditional style are in trend... The outstanding traditional Chinese culture is more and more integrated into the social life and the daily life of people.
Care and advice--
Xi Jinping aims for the long-term development of art and culture by guiding practitioners to integrate their dream into the causes of the party and people, so as to gather strength for the rejuvenation of Chinese nation.
Communication from the bottom of the heart between Xi Jinping and artists indicates his sincere care for art and culture. His guidance and care represent his love for practitioners.
By being a friend with Lu Yao, Xi Jinping gets to know more about literature. Xi also wrote “Remembering Jia Dashan” to recall their friendship with Jia Dashan who was a friend and a teacher.
Liu Qing, according to Xi Jinping, “has a good understanding of the rural life in middle region of Shaanxi province, which is why the characters in his article seem so alive.” This is an evidence to encourage art and culture practitioners to learn more from the practice and colorful life of people.
Niu Ben is a famous performer who joined the CPC in his 80s. He received a letter from Xi Jinping who encouraged him to “continue to be an example in profession and in life and to lead more practitioners to be those with beliefs, dreams and responsibilities.”
Xi Jinping wrote to 8 senior professors of Central Academy of Fine Arts to encourage them to “contribute to aesthetical education; nurture talents with morality; find inspiration in contemporary life; pay attention to the features of aesthetic education and promote the spirit of Chinese aesthetic education, so as to enable juveniles in Chinese to grow with physical and mental health.”
Xi Jinping wrote back to teachers and students of National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts to encourage them to “find the essence of art through the mutual improvement of teachers and students and adhere to the original aspiration when devoting to art in servicing people.”
Xi Jinping awarded the 94-year-old performer Lan Tianye the “July 1st medal” and told his earnestly that “Mr. Lan, I have seen many of your works. It’s remarkable that you are still working at such age.”
Under the blue sky, people’s purple Mongolian style dancing robes are flapping in the wind, accompanied by lasting sound of horse head string instruments. In the widespread grassland of Inner Mongolia, ulaan mochirs (revolutionary cultural groups) are singing songs for local residents. The team members have been serving people and finding inspirations from ordinary life for more than 60 years.
In the November of 2017, Xi Jinping wrote back to the team members of the ulaan mochir in Sonid Right Banner. The content of the letter is “the ulaan mochir has been thriving for a long time, indicating that people need art and art requires people”. The letter encourages team members to offer the best performance to herdmen and to always be the “revolutionary art light cavalry” on the grassland. The letter also motivate nationwide practitioners to consider the vast land of China and to relate their work to ordinary life and people, so as to offer more and better spiritual fortune to people.
Art and culture practitioners bear the guidance and expectation of the general secretary in mind and always keep thinking for the benefit of their nation. They use strong passion, meticulous writing skill, beautiful melody and vivid image to reflect color life and the change of the era. In a new era, art and culture should meet people’s need of the era, promote cultural confidence and strengthen the spirit of Chinese nation.
Recording era--spreading pandemic. China Photographers Association organized a team to go to Wuhan, then launched a major photographic project named “taking picture of angel” to preserve the special memory of the country and the nationality. The epic war movie “The Battle at Lake Changjin” promotes the great spirit of the war to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea. It has won the champion of the box office of Chinese film history and the champion of annual box office in the world. Many new songs centered around “China dream” are being widely spread, including “a new world”, “glorious Chinese nation”, “China in the light”and so on. Art and cultural classics compose the spiritual standard of this era.
Focus on reality. Report literature of “National Policy in Rural Area” and “Eighteen Stories in Shibadong Village” record the stories of China’s poverty alleviation. Audience were attracted to a trilogy named “My People, My Country”, “The Climbers”, “Chinese Doctors”, “Minning Town”, “Like a Flowing River”, “Feather fly” and other outstanding TV series. Many excellent Chinese books reflect the great changes of Chinese society from all aspects, including “A Lifelong Journey”, “The Story of Yunzhong Village” and “In Mountains”. Art and culture practitioners strive to hear the life of ordinary people to wrote amazing Chinese story with feeling from the bottom of their hearts.
Prizing heroes. Dance drama “The Eternal Wave” represents heroes sacrificed themselves for the liberation of the CPC and China, which was well-received by audience. Hebei Clapper Opera “Li Baoguo” tells the moving story of a hero who spends 35 years for poverty alleviation and scientific and technological innovation. Nationality drama “The Daughter of the CPC” shows the revolutionary spirit.
Serving people. Groups of outstanding art and culture practitioners devoted themselves to volunteer work of “Go to the People” and “Bring Joy to the Basic Level of Society”. They have gone to more than 400 cities, districts and counties to train more than 200 thousand main art and culture practitioners in the glassroot level. The number of screen in movie theaters has increased by more than 40 thousand in 5 years and more of them are continuously being set up in rural areas to offer better service. Public cultural service are being constantly innovated. In 2020, more than 2000 online exhibition have been established, attracting more than 5 billion people.
Going out to the world. Art and culture practitioners follow the important guidance of Xi Jinping to look beyond the border and to communicate confidently with the world. The large-scale dance drama “Dunhuang Dream” was performed in German, Italy, Singapore and so on. Amazing dance and music have been present to international audience to enable them to have personal experience of the Chinese culture. Kun opera “Four Dreams of Linchuan” has been presented in a tour performance to Europe. “Love on the Silk Road”, a Chinese acrobatic performance, has been shown in foreign countries to let friends from other countries to know more about colorful Chinese culture. Movies like “The Wandering Earth” and “Vanguard” have been shown in more than 150 countries and regions in 5 continents with good box office. More than 10 thousand Chinese internet literature have been introduced abroad. Examples goes on and on. Chinese art and literature are gaining love and attention from more and more people in the international society.
We need to hold high the torch of the spirit of Chinese nationality and blow the horn of progress of this era.
Following Xi Jinping thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, art and culture practitioners need to remember their original aspiration and take responsibilities. They need to use prosperous art and culture and heart-lifting outstanding work to fulfill their significant tasks given by the CPC and to live up to the expectation of this era!