1.Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture Provides Profound Historical and Cultural Nourishment for Chinese-style Modernization
Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture embodies the deepest spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation, representing its unique spiritual identity. It provides abundant nourishment that sustains the ongoing growth and development of the Chinese nation. The high-quality genes and robust vitality embedded in Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture have fortified the Chinese nation on its journey of progress and have served as a formidable spiritual foundation for the formation and advancement of Chinese-style modernization.
Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture has nurtured the spiritual character of the Chinese nation, bolstering China's resolute confidence to build a modernized socialist society comprehensively. Without spiritual standing, neither an individual nor a nation can thrive. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, "Only by having a firm and unwavering spiritual stance can a nation stand tall and lead the way in the torrents of history." Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture stands as a vital force that continuously propels the nation forward and ensures its sustained development. For instance, from the cosmological perspective, it advocates for the interconnectedness of all things, a harmony between heaven and humanity, emphasizing a holistic understanding of the relationship between humans and the universe. In terms of social views, it emphasizes benevolence and mutual kindness, focusing on the principles of compassion and harmony to promote the intrinsic balance between groups and individuals, order and freedom. In its moral outlook, it advocates virtuous conduct and a sense of responsibility for the world, focusing on promoting the well-being of society at large through self-cultivation and ethical behavior. In terms of one's conduct in society, it underscores relentless self-improvement and proactive endeavors, fostering a positive attitude and kindness to others toward realizing individual value. These value systems collectively shape the Chinese nation's culture of collective self-esteem, self-love, self-confidence, and self-strengthening, serving as a shared cultural symbol and spiritual identity for the Chinese people whether they are living in China or overseas, forming the fundamental bedrock of promoting cultural confidence.
Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture constitutes a remarkable advantage for the Chinese nation and infuses robust energy into our efforts to stand firm amidst global cultural interactions and to comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Its inherent attributes of self-improvement and iterative renewal encompass a unique quality that aligns with the contemporary humanistic spirit. As the saying goes, "Although the Zhou Dynasty is an ancient state, its destiny is to be renewed." In the history of over five thousand years of civilization, Chinese culture has undergone repeated disruptions from internal and external forces. Each time, it has relied on its own strong capacity for cultural self-reflection, inclusiveness, and innovation to achieve a phoenix-like rebirth from the ashes. The Communist Party of China is a faithful inheritor, promoter, and builder of Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture. In the monumental practice of leading the people through revolutions, construction, and reforms, the Party has shouldered the historical responsibility of preserving and developing Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture. It continuously promotes the integration of the essence of Marxist thought with the quintessence of Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture, fosters the mutual convergence of commonly held values among the people, and propels the deep fusion of ancient Chinese civilization with Chinese-style modernization. These efforts elevate the nation's cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture, providing a powerful spiritual impetus for the construction of a strong nation and national rejuvenation.
Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture holds significant insights for addressing the challenges facing contemporary humanity, revealing a rational core that transcends time and space and carries eternal value. The Chinese nation is ancient and great, having accumulated unique wisdom in its over five-thousand-year history of continuous civilization, solving problems related to human-to-object, human-to-nature, human-to-self, and human-to-society relationships. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, "Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture is the cultural root of the Chinese nation, and its embedded ideologies, humanistic spirit, and moral standards are not only the core of our Chinese thoughts and spirit but also of significant value in addressing human problems." For example, in terms of the relationship between humans and material wealth, it advocates responsible wealth accumulation, trustworthy interactions, and moderation in giving and taking. This has a positive role to play in balancing the market with ethics, countering the shortsighted pursuit of quick profits and the dehumanizing and alienating tendencies of Western modern societies. Similarly, in the relationship between humans and nature, it promotes an ecological utilization view in harmony with the rhythm of nature, an ecological ethical view that treats all beings with compassion, and an ecological life view that returns to nature. These offer insights for resolving ecological problems arising from the blind pursuit of economic growth in Western modernization, including resource depletion and environmental pollution.
2. Chinese-Style Modernization is Deeply Rooted in Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture
Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture imbues Chinese-style modernization with distinctive Chinese characteristics. In turn, this modernization propels the integration of Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture into contemporary civilization, fostering a dynamic vitality that constantly provides rejuvenating energy.
The vast population of China is a fundamental reality that Chinese-style modernization has to confront. A large population signifies limited per capita resources, while vast territory implies formidable governance challenges. These unique historical conditions and resource distribution have gradually nurtured a diverse and unified political culture and governance philosophy in this great nation. Concepts like "the unity of all under heaven" and the spirit of "patriotism encompassing both family and the country", seeking harmony within diversity, the consciousness of shared concerns for the world before the pursuit of individual happiness, and the people-oriented compassion of governance have laid a profound foundation for by providing substantial governance wisdom to the CPC to unite and lead over 1.4 billion people towards modernization, and they also offer rich reference resources for the world to understand China and its path of modernization.
The pursuit of common prosperity for all, echoing China's traditional people-centered ideology and the concept of equity and balance, embodies the fairness and justice ideals of Chinese-style modernization. Traditional China not only aspired to national strength and wealth but also upheld the notion of equitable distribution, emphasizing mutual support and balance. The ideas of "not fearing scarcity but fearing inequality" and "correcting excess and deficiency" were prevalent. Moreover, the ideals of "respecting the old as you respect your own, nurturing the young as you nurture your own," and the notion of "the world as a commonwealth" represent a lofty ideal. These ideals lay a solid cultural foundation for achieving shared prosperity among all people. Chinese-style modernization, as a socialist form of modernization, aims for collective prosperity where "not one should be left behind, not one should be left out," rather than a polarization of wealth. Our Party combines the principles of equitable distribution from China's tradition with the socialist concepts of equality, persistently focusing on realizing the people's aspiration for a better life, addressing regional disparities, urban-rural gaps, and income inequality, and advancing common prosperity. This ensures that the Chinese people experience a fuller, more secure, and sustainable sense of well-being, happiness, and safety.
The harmonious coexistence of material civilization and spiritual civilization resonates with China's traditional values of integrity and benevolence, and reflects the dual aspirations of material prosperity and spiritual abundance in Chinese-style modernization. Throughout history, the Chinese nation has emphasized the harmonious development of material and spiritual civilization. On one hand, it sought to satisfy the material needs of the people, and on the other, it emphasized the importance of enriching the inner self and advocating rites and music for moral cultivation. This duality seeks to create an abundant material life while aspiring to a high moral and ethical standard, ultimately striving for an ideal world of harmony. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Chinese-style modernization is the coordination of material civilization and spiritual civilization. The fundamental requirement of socialist modernization is the affluence of the material and the richness of the spirit." Chinese-style modernization incorporates a profound humanistic spirit into the process of socialist development, it continuously strengthens the material foundation for the well-being of the people while vigorously developing advanced socialist culture, promoting revolutionary culture, inheriting Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture, enriching both the material and spiritual lives of the people, and facilitating comprehensive and unrestricted human development.
The harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature, connected with the traditional Chinese concept of unity between heaven and humanity, embodies the values of respecting, conforming to, and preserving nature in Chinese-style modernization. The traditional Chinese belief in unity between heaven and humanity advocates treating all things in nature with a compassionate heart, viewing the relationship between humans and the natural world as one of coexistence that maintains the balance of the entire ecological system. This reverence and emulation of nature translate into a conscientious responsibility to use nature reasonably while also safeguarding it. Marxism recognizes that humans rely on the natural world for their existence and engage in production, life, and development through interaction with nature. Chinese-style modernization inherits the essence of traditional Chinese ecological thinking and Marxist theories on the relationship between humans and nature, firmly establishes the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and steadfastly follows the path of civilized development characterized by productive growth, abundant living, and ecological well-being. This approach paves the way for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.
The pursuit of peaceful development, reminiscent of China's traditional notions of benevolence, good neighborliness, and harmony among nations, embodies the peaceful and benevolent nature of Chinese-style modernization. Throughout history, the Chinese nation has adhered to the spirit of "not oppressing the weak, not bullying the fewer, not exploiting the poor, not despising the humble," advocating harmony through diversity and espousing the harmony of nations and the unity of mankind. This ethos has cultivated China's culture of peace and its commitment to non-hegemony. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "China's path of peaceful development is not a mere expedient or diplomatic rhetoric, but rather a conclusion drawn from objective judgment based on history, reality, and the future." Chinese-style modernization inherits the idea of a unified world and hoists the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit. It actively advances the Global Development Initiatives, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, working to build a community of shared future for mankind, seeking its own development while contributing to global peace and development, and in achieving development, seeking to better protect world peace and development.
3. Upholding and Promoting Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture, Striving to Advance Chinese-Style Modernization
The pursuit of Chinese-style modernization involves the inheritance and promotion of the ideological concepts, humanistic spirit, and moral standards inherent in Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture. This showcases a new vision distinct from Western models of modernization, offering a fresh alternative to humanity's pursuit of modernity. As we embark on a new journey, we must vigorously uphold and promote Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture, actively aligning it with contemporary society and harmonizing it with the process of modernization, all the while striving to construct a modern Chinese civilization and advancing and broadening Chinese-style modernization.
By tapping into the essence of Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture, we harness the spiritual strength needed for the comprehensive construction of a socialist modernized nation. The wisdom of observing the past to inform the present remains pertinent: as we look at ancient traditions, we find enduring values. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "Many ideas, principles, and moral standards from Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture possess everlasting value, whether in the past or present." We must combine the fundamental principles of Marxism with China's unique reality and integrate them with Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture. We should deeply implement the project of inheriting and developing Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture, vigorously promote the exploration of the origins of Chinese civilization, continually enrich the treasure trove of Chinese culture, and earnestly build a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation. Through enhanced research into historical and cultural heritage, we should unearth the spiritual essence and contemporary significance within, using Marxist thought to invigorate the dynamic elements of Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture and inject it with new meaning specific to the new era. We must further explore and expound upon Chinese civilization and the Chinese spirit, distilling and showcasing the unique spiritual markers of the Chinese nation, firmly bolstering our cultural confidence in the pursuit of building a strong nation and national rejuvenation.
In promoting the era-specific connotations of Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture, we unleash the innovative vigor needed for the new journey ahead. Nourishing Chinese-style modernization with the essence of Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture hinges upon embracing the old while ushering in the new. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "We should inherit and promote the elements of traditional culture that can guide social relations and encourage positive values, granting them new meanings in line with the conditions of our time." By upholding tradition while fostering innovation, we propel the creative transformation and innovative development of China's outstanding traditional culture. We deeply embed the great spirit and abundant wisdom of the Chinese nation into Marxism, enhancing its role in nurturing and cultivating socialist core values. We need to proactively adapt to new technological changes, innovate mechanisms to activate historical and cultural resources, make animate ancient wisdom and classical literature, and further enrich people's spiritual lives through diversifying cultural content supply. Centered on meeting the ever-growing needs of the people for a better life, we need to expand the application of Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture, striving to let the masses feel and appreciate its timeless charm in everyday life and practical activities, encouraging the nurturing of body and mind through Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture, allowing it to guide our practice and inspire creativity.
In promoting the exchange and mutual learning of Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture with other cultures, we reveal the cultural significance of Chinese-style modernization and its global implications. China's exceptional traditional culture serves as a fundamental element in maintaining our national identity, a crucial bridge between China and the world, and a repository of ideas for building a community with a shared future for humanity. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "Chinese culture is both historical and contemporary, both national and global." We should promote the essence of China's outstanding traditional culture, encourage cultural products that embody Chinese values, spirit, and wisdom to reach beyond our borders, showcase the common values shared by all of humanity embedded in Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture, and shape a more credible, endearing, and respectable image of China. We need to innovate our discourse and utilize new media technologies, advance the globalization, regionalization, and diversification of Chinese civilization and stories, and enhance the effectiveness and appeal of China's cultural outreach. We need to build new platforms for international cooperation, deepen cultural exchanges with other nations, and enable the world to understand China, the Chinese people, the Communist Party of China, the Chinese nation, and the path of Chinese-style modernization.