Theoretical Feature: Conscientiously study and implement the socialist thought with Chinese characteristics in the new era
The second combination "shows that our party's understanding of China's road, theory, and system has reached a new height, that our party's historical initiative and cultural self-confidence have reached a new height, and that our party's consciousness of promoting cultural innovation in inheriting China's excellent traditional culture has reached a new height.
The report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China pointed out: "The Chinese Communists profoundly realize that only by integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and with China's excellent traditional culture, and persistently applying dialectical materialism and historical materialism, can they correctly answer the major questions raised by the times and practice, and can they always maintain the vigor and vigor of Marxism." The "two combinations" are a scientific summary of the law of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. **At the symposium on cultural inheritance and development, the general secretary made a new interpretation of the "two combinations", especially put forward important innovative conclusions on the ideological connotation and great significance of the "second combination".
From historical responsibility to cultural initiative
"Two Combinations" is a summary, refinement, and profound revelation of the fundamental laws of the century-old historical process of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism. In October 1938, when he put forward the topic of Sinicization of Marxism, he said: "Marxism can only be realized by combining it with the specific characteristics of our country and through a certain national form. To solve the practical problems of China's social development, we must take "the specific characteristics of our country" as the premise and express them in China's "certain national form", which is the embodiment of the historical responsibility of the Communist Party of China to promote the sinicization of Marxism, and is also the embodiment of the era, historical and cultural characteristics of the Sinicized Marxism and the profound mass foundation. In May 1943, in a reply to the decision of the Presidium of the Executive Committee of the Comintern to propose the dissolution of the Comintern, the Chinese Communist Party proposed: "The Chinese Communists are the inheritors of the best traditions of all culture, ideology, and morality of our nation, and regard all these fine traditions as things that are linked to their own flesh and blood, and will continue to carry them forward. The reply stressed that the Communist Party of China "should further integrate Marxism-Leninism, a revolutionary science, with the practice of the Chinese revolution, Chinese history, and Chinese culture." More than 80 years have passed since the letter was written, but the ideas contained in it are still of great value. The above important views have an important impact on the regular exploration of the "two combinations", especially for the leap from historical responsibility to cultural initiative in the exploration of the "second combination".
History is the process of the formation and accumulation of the excellent national culture, and the excellent national culture is the crystallization of historical tempering. The excellent traditional Chinese culture has been accumulated in the long historical evolution, and it is also the quintessence of the history and culture of the Chinese nation from generation to generation. In the course of the history of the Chinese nation, grasp the connotation of the excellent traditional Chinese culture, so that the ideological wisdom and theoretical elements of the excellent traditional culture bred in the history of Chinese civilization will be elevated to the ideological characteristics and theoretical forms of Marxism in the Chinese era, based on the long-standing historical continuity and the creative transformation and innovative development of the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and realize the leap from historical responsibility to cultural initiative in the "two combinations", which will surely sublimate the leading, influential, charisma and affinity of Marxism in the Chinese era.
In the process of combining the basic tenets of Marxism with the excellent traditional Chinese culture, it is necessary not only to clearly explain the ideological connotation and ideological context of the excellent traditional Chinese culture with historical thinking, but also to clearly explain the contemporary value and the implication of the times of the excellent traditional Chinese culture in the historical continuity of the culture. From the combination of historical responsibility and cultural initiative, we should use the language that the broad masses of the people have heard and seen, deeply explain the national temperament, unique creation, value concept and distinctive characteristics in the historical inheritance of the Chinese nation, and fully stimulate the cultural consciousness, cultural self-confidence and cultural self-improvement of the excellent traditional Chinese culture in the process of creative transformation and innovative development.
The leap from historical consciousness to theoretical innovation
Only in the process of creative transformation and innovative development can the vitality of the times of the excellent traditional Chinese culture be activated, and the ideological charm of the excellent traditional Chinese culture can be sublimated. The "transformation" and "development" of the excellent traditional Chinese culture is the inevitable logical process of the leap from historical consciousness to theoretical innovation in the "second combination". **The general secretary pointed out: "It is necessary to focus on the major issues facing the development of our country and the world, and strive to put forward concepts, propositions and plans that can reflect China's position, Chinese wisdom and Chinese values." The Chinese civilization continues the spiritual bloodline of our country and nation, which needs to be passed on from generation to generation, and it also needs to keep pace with the times and bring forth the new. The "second combination" profoundly expounds the true meaning of historical consciousness and theoretical innovation in the "combination."
There are many important elements of the excellent traditional Chinese culture, the general secretary pointed out in his important speech at the symposium on cultural inheritance and development: "the social ideal of the world is for the public and the world is the same, the people are the state-based, the governance ideology of virtue and morality, the great unification tradition of Kyushu coherence and pluralism, the feelings of the family and the country that are responsible for the prosperity and prosperity of the country, the spiritual pursuit of virtue and virtue, and the economic ethics of enriching the people and benefiting the people, taking into account justice and benefit, and the harmony of nature and man."
1. The ecological concept of nurturing all things, the philosophical idea of seeking truth from facts, the unity of knowledge and action, the thinking method of dual-use and harmony, and the way of communication of trust, harmony, kindness and good-neighborliness, etc., have jointly shaped the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization. These ten elements are not only a profound creative transformation of China's excellent traditional culture, but also a deep and creative transformation of China's excellent traditional culture, removing its dross and extracting its essence, making the "excellent" elements in the traditional culture stand out and highlighting the distinctive characteristics of China's excellent traditional culture; It is also a profound and innovative development of the excellent traditional Chinese culture, based on reality and following the times, giving the excellent traditional Chinese culture the connotation of the new era and highlighting the century brilliance of the Chinese civilization, thus making the historical consciousness of the Sinicization of Marxism and the modernization of the times comprehensively improved in the theoretical innovation of the "second combination".
Creative transformation and innovative development are also the internal requirements and inevitable processes for establishing the subjectivity of Chinese culture and consolidating the ideological foundation of the "second combination". **The general secretary pointed out: "The Communist Party of China has always attached importance to culture, and in the new era, we have increased cultural self-confidence on the basis of self-confidence in the road, theory and system. Cultural self-confidence comes from our cultural subjectivity. This subjectivity was established by the Communist Party of China under the leadership of the Chinese people on the land of China, by integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and with China's excellent traditional culture, and at the same time, "it was established on the basis of creative transformation and innovative development of China's excellent traditional culture, inheritance of revolutionary culture, and development of advanced socialist culture, and on the basis of drawing on and absorbing all the outstanding achievements of human civilization." Cultural subjectivity is the fundamental support of cultural self-confidence, which can enhance the strong cultural power of the Communist Party of China to lead the times, consolidate the solid cultural foundation of national identity, and highlight the distinctive cultural characteristics of Chinese civilization in exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations in the world.
Ideological discovery and inner endowment are connected
**The general secretary's innovative exploration of the "second combination", in addition to the above two "jumping" academic and rational interpretations, also has two systematic interpretations, that is, the connection between ideological exploration and internal endowment, and the interpretation of the fit between "root" and "soul".
In the "second combination", the reason why the basic tenets of Marxism can be combined with the excellent traditional Chinese culture is, on the one hand, that Marxism, as a "scientific theory", has the essential characteristics of "creatively revealing the law of the development of human society"; On the other hand, it is also because the excellent traditional Chinese culture itself has the unique essential characteristics of Chinese civilization and has a unique ideological endowment. **The general secretary's academic interpretation of the historical evolution, cultural endowment, and ideological context of Chinese civilization is mainly reflected in the innovative interpretation of the five outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization.
The Chinese civilization has outstanding continuity. The Chinese civilization is the only great civilization in the world that has continued to develop in the form of a state. This outstanding characteristic and cultural endowment, in the "second combination", crystallized into a deep sense of family and country and a deep sense of history, sublimated into the foundation of the Chinese nation's efforts to maintain great unification, and became the spiritual support for the Chinese nation's continuous rejuvenation through countless difficulties and dangers.
The Chinese civilization is characterized by outstanding innovation. The Chinese civilization is a civilization that is reforming the old and making the new, and the glow is renewed, and the still water is deep and the waves are magnificently intertwined. This outstanding characteristic and cultural endowment, in the "second combination", fundamentally determines the Chinese nation's enterprising spirit of uprightness and respect for the past and not retro, and also fundamentally determines the Chinese nation's fearless character of not being afraid of new challenges and having the courage to accept new things.
The Chinese civilization has outstanding unity. The long-term tradition of great unification of Chinese civilization has formed the unity of pluralism, unity, unity and concentration. This outstanding characteristic and cultural endowment, in the "second combination," has consolidated the fundamental belief that national reunification will always be China's core interests and that a unified country is the destiny of the people of all ethnic groups.
Chinese civilization is outstandingly inclusive. Chinese civilization is a unity formed by the convergence of diverse cultures, which embraces cultural diversity, promotes the integration of cultures among various ethnic groups, and condenses the cultural consensus of the Chinese nation. This outstanding characteristic and cultural endowment, in the "second combination", fundamentally determines the historical orientation of the Chinese nation's exchanges, exchanges and blending, determines the harmonious pattern of Chinese civilization in pluralism and integration, and determines the Chinese culture's openness to the eclectic world civilization.
The Chinese civilization is characterized by outstanding peace. Peace, harmony and harmony are the concepts that have been inherited by Chinese civilization for more than 5,000 years, advocating the construction of a world of unity with moral order, emphasizing peaceful development, harmonious coexistence and harmonious exchanges. In the "second combination," this outstanding characteristic and cultural endowment has forged the idea that China will not impose its own values and political system on others, and that China will persist in cooperation, not engage in confrontation, and never engage in a small circle of "the same party and the same party."
An innovative understanding of the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization and the endowment of Chinese culture is the ideological basis for grasping the possibility and inherent inevitability of the "second combination".
The "root vein" and the "soul vein" are compatible
The true meaning of the successful "integration" of the basic tenets of Marxism with the excellent traditional Chinese culture lies not only in the outstanding characteristics and cultural endowments of the Chinese civilization, but also in the "combination" of the basic tenets of Marxism with the excellent traditional Chinese culture, which is a high degree of compatibility between the "soul vein" and the "root vein". The essential stipulation of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism lies in the fact that we must never abandon the "soul vein" of Marxism and the "root vein" of China's excellent traditional culture; Sticking to this "soul" and "root" is the foundation and premise of theoretical innovation, and theoretical innovation is also aimed at better adhering to this "soul" and "root".
The "combination" of the second combination is premised on the "mutual compatibility" between Marxist theory and the fine traditional Chinese culture. The intrinsic "fit" of ideas is an important prerequisite for being able to combine with each other. Marxist theory and Chinese excellent traditional culture are different, but there is a "high degree of compatibility" with each other. In terms of ideological concepts, the "high degree of compatibility" mentioned by the general secretary is mainly reflected in the fact that the social pursuit of the world is for the public and stresses faith and harmony is in line with the ideals and beliefs of communism and socialism, the governance ideology of the people is the foundation of the state and the government is integrated with the political concept of the supremacy of the people, and the responsibility of reform and self-improvement is consistent with the revolutionary spirit of the communists. In the exploration of the "second combination", the general secretary pointed out: "The Communist Party of China is not only a firm believer and practitioner of Marxism, but also a faithful inheritor and promoter of China's excellent traditional culture. ”
The "integration" of the second "integration" is the result of the "mutual achievement" between the basic tenets of Marxism and the fine traditional Chinese culture. ** The "mutual achievement" proposed by the general secretary is prominently in the fact that "a new cultural life form with organic unity has been created": on the one hand, Marxism has activated the genes of Chinese civilization with the light of truth, led China into the modern world, and promoted the life renewal and modern transformation of Chinese civilization; On the other hand, the excellent traditional Chinese culture has also enriched the cultural life of Marxism, promoted Marxism to continuously achieve a new leap in the Chinese era, and showed an increasingly distinctive Chinese style and style, and the Marxism of the Chinese era has become the essence of Chinese culture and Chinese spirit. The "mutual achievement" in the "second combination" lies in injecting the great spirit and rich wisdom of the Chinese nation into Marxism at a deeper level, and effectively integrating the essence of Marxist ideology with the essence of China's excellent traditional culture.
The "combination" of the "second combination" is in the close connection of the "two combinations" and takes the exploration of China's social development path, especially the "road foundation" of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, as the direction. The "two combinations" are the true meaning of "Chinese characteristics" in the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The road of socialism with Chinese characteristics has been taken out under the guidance of Marxism, and it has also emerged from the history of Chinese civilization for more than 5,000 years. The "second combination" shows the broader and far-reaching historical depth of the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics and expands the cultural foundation of the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the historical process of comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernization, Chinese-style modernization has endowed Chinese civilization with modern strength, and Chinese civilization has endowed Chinese-style modernization with profound foundations.
The "second combination" has opened up a broad space for theoretical and practical innovation, and it is fundamentally required to emancipate the mind once again. The "second combination" is our party's profound summary of the historical experience of the Sinicization of Marxism and the modernization of the times; The "second combination" is another emancipation of the mind, which enables us to grasp the ideological and cultural initiative, and to make full use of the precious resources of China's excellent traditional culture in a broader ideological and cultural space to explore future-oriented theoretical and institutional innovations. The "second combination" also shows that our party's understanding of China's road, theory, and system has reached a new height, that our party's historical initiative and cultural self-confidence have reached a new height, and that our party's consciousness of promoting cultural innovation in inheriting China's excellent traditional culture has reached a new height.
The author is a Boya Chair Professor at the School of Marxism, Peking University
China Education Daily, 2024-01-11, page 5
Author: Gu Hailiang.