The Dual Integration Is the Essential Path and the Most Significant Key

The Dual Integration Is the Essential Path and the Most Significant Key

Theory Study Group, Institute of Party History and Literature, Central Committee of the Communist Party of China

General Secretary Xi Jinping, in his major speech at the Cultural Heritage and Development Symposium, emphasized: “Establishing and advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics, grounded in the deep-seated foundation of over five thousand years of Chinese civilization, and integrating the fundamental tenets of Marxism with China’s unique context and its best traditional culture (hereinafter referred to as the dual integration), is an essential path. This is a systematic insight gained from our journey in exploring the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and it stands as the most significant key to our achievements.” The speech insightfully discusses the importance of the dual integration, delving into its profound implications and practical requirements. It offers theoretical guidance and an action plan for us at this new historical starting point, as we strive to pioneer a new realm of the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times, and to robustly advance the modern civilization of the Chinese nation and the development of a great socialist culture in China.

The Party’s Journey in Exploring and Implementing the Dual Integration

Our Party’s history is marked by a continuous adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times and by relentless theoretical innovation and creation. The Party’s ability to lead the people in overcoming challenges and completing monumental tasks, unachievable by other political forces in China, fundamentally stems from consistently marrying the fundamental tenets of Marxism with the particularities of China and the best of its traditional culture and continuously adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times.

Throughout the new-democratic revolution, the socialist revolution and the socialist development period, our Party blended the fundamental tenets of Marxism-Leninism with the distinct practices of the Chinese revolution. This strategy led to the successful revolutionary approach of surrounding the cities from the countryside and taking political power by armed force. It culminated in the triumph of the new-democratic revolution, the completion of the socialist revolution, and the effective implementation of socialist development, thereby establishing, enriching, and developing Mao Zedong Thought. This represented the first historic leap in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. It is precisely because of steadfastly integrating the fundamental tenets of Marxism with China’s specific situation that the Party developed many unique theories and put forward a series of important ideas about China’s revolution and development, guiding the people to achieve great accomplishments in the new-democratic revolution, as well as in the socialist revolution and development. Mao Zedong, in his exploration of the path for China’s revolution and development, focused on interpreting and practicing Marxism in a national context, adeptly drawing insights from exceptional cultural heritage. He noted, “We should sum up our history from Confucius to Sun Yat-sen and take over this valuable legacy.” He advocated adapting the old for new purposes, emphasizing the need to “fully and critically use China’s cultural heritage, reject its feudal dross and assimilate its democratic essence,  and transform these legacies into something of our own.” He profoundly explored the contemporary value of the best of traditional Chinese culture, giving new meanings to classical idioms like “seeking truth from facts” and “shooting the arrow at the target” to elucidate Marxist methods of thinking and working that start from practical realities, exemplifying skilled application of the best of traditional Chinese culture. Our Party adheres to the fundamental principles of Marxist state and political theories, grounded in China’s specific conditions, drawing from Chinese civilization’s people-centric ideas, the concept of shared governance, the administrative traditions of republicanism and consultation, and the political acumen of inclusiveness and seeking commonality while preserving differences, establishing the system of people’s congresses and the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. Our Party aligns with the overarching trend of internal unity and diverse unity within the Chinese nation, inheriting the Chinese cultural tradition of unity under heaven, implementing the the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and creatively evolving Marxist nationality theory.

As General Secretary Xi Jinping remarked during his October 2022 visit to the Yan’an revolutionary memorial sites, the Yan’an revolutionary sites are an endless source of learning, showcasing our Party’s illustrious journey in leading the Chinese revolution and exploring how to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times during the Yan’an period. The image shows visitors at Baota Mountain in Yan’an, Shaanxi, (Image courtesy of Zhang Bowen, Xinhua News Agency reporter.)

In the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, our Party, guided by the new practical and contemporary features, upheld and expanded Marxism. We triumphantly established, defended, and advanced socialism with Chinese characteristics, developing a theoretical framework unique to China. This marks a significant leap in the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. The Party, aiming to expedite socialist modernization, led its endeavors through theoretical innovations, integrating Marxism’s fundamental tenets with China’s specific conditions and continuously exploring the right path for China’s socialist development. This leadership yielded remarkable accomplishments in reform, opening up, and socialist modernization. Throughout this historical journey, the Party greatly valued the constructive influence of the best of traditional Chinese culture. Deng Xiaoping highlighted that the socialist nation we strive to build should excel in both material and cultural-ethical progress, asserting that true socialism with Chinese characteristics thrives on the excellence of both. He stressed the need to inherit and enhance the nation’s and Party’s exemplary cultural traditions, combat remnants of feudalism, and resist the degradation brought by corrupt capitalist ideologies. He redefined the age-old aspiration for a “moderately prosperous society,” setting forth a three-step strategy for socialist modernization. His “three favorables”[1]  exemplifies the spirit and practical approach inherent in the best of traditional Chinese culture, where scholarship is expected to contribute positively to national affairs. In facing the trials of deepening reforms, expanding openness, and fostering a socialist market economy, our Party drew upon its profound cultural depths and abundant resources. It strenuously bolstered education in ideals and convictions, vigorously forwarded the establishment of the core socialist values, concentrated on developing advanced socialist culture, and explicitly set the strategic goal of developing a great socialist culture in China. These efforts have significantly stimulated the cultural boom and prosperity of socialism, ensuring the smooth advancement of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, socialism with Chinese characteristics has embarked on a New Era. Led by Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communists have steadfastly integrated the fundamental tenets of Marxism with China’s specific conditions and the best of traditional Chinese culture. This dual integration has catalyzed historic achievements and transformations in the Party and country’s cause, culminating in the development of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and representing a new advancement in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. The Party, acknowledging China’s evolving historical context and new realities, has continuously achieved breakthroughs in theory and practice. It has led the people to significant accomplishments in socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. In the practice of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has given significant importance to preserving and evolving the best of traditional Chinese culture, deepening the understanding of integrating Marxism with two elements, particularly the integration of Marxism with traditional Chinese culture. The General Secretary has emphasized that, “The fundamental tenets of Marxism must be closely intertwined with China’s unique realities and that there should be a scientific approach to national and global cultural traditions. This involves leveraging all excellent theoretical and cultural achievements created by humanity.” General Secretary Xi has stressed that, “We should value the cream of our 5,000-year civilization, and explore its depths. We should carry forward the best of traditional Chinese culture from a Marxist standpoint and with a Marxist viewpoint and methodology, and stick to the socialist path with Chinese characteristics.” In the centenary celebration of the Communist Party of China, he equated the integration of Marxism with the first element to its integration with the second element, explicitly advocating the profound concept of dual integration. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, embodying this dual integration, has become a shining example of this approach. For instance, adhering to Marxism’s perspectives of maintaining the Party’s close bond and standing with the people, and thoroughly investigating the governance philosophies of ancient China, which esteemed the people as the nation’s bedrock, aiming at their security, prosperity, and wellbeing, the Party articulated a development philosophy centered around the people. Adhering to Marxist theories on the human-nature relationship and assimilating the ecological insights of Chinese civilization that advocate unity between heaven and humans and the co-nurturing of all life, the Party introduced an ecological concept focused on the harmony between humans and nature. This is a part of Xi Jinping’s thinking on eco-civilization. By embracing the Marxist perspective on world history and carrying forward the magnanimous spirit of traditional Chinese culture, which espouses benevolence to all under heaven and harmony among nations, the Party advocated for the creation of a human community with a shared future and the joint pursuit of the Belt and Road Initiative. These innovative and contemporary ideas, thoughts, and strategies have significantly enhanced and celebrated the rich heritage of traditional Chinese culture.

From its inception, the Communist Party of China has not only been a proactive leader and practitioner of China’s advanced culture but also a devoted inheritor and promoter of the best of its traditional culture. Throughout its journey of blending Marxism’s fundamental tenets with China’s specific realities, the Party has consistently nurtured and evolved the best of China’s traditional culture. The Party’s innovative theories reflect Marxism’s fundamental tenets, enriched by the profound thoughts of the Chinese nation and the practical experiences of Chinese Communists. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s notion of dual integration is a scientific summation of the Party’s extensive experience in fostering and developing the best of China’s traditional culture. It signifies both an expansion and a deepening of integrating the fundamental tenets of Marxism with China’s actual conditions, marking a major theoretical innovation.

Deeply Comprehending the Rich Content and Practical

Implications of the Dual Integration

General Secretary Xi Jinping highlights why our socialism is unique and vibrant. The essence lies in its Chinese characteristics, which are fundamentally rooted in the dual integration. In his address at the cultural heritage and development symposium, the General Secretary thoroughly expounded on the profound connotations and core essence of in the dual integration across five dimensions, revealing its critical significance and practical demands.

The foundation of integration is mutual compatibility. General Secretary Xi Jinping observes: “Though Marxism and the best of traditional Chinese culture originate from different sources, they share a profound compatibility.” The time-honored and deep-rooted traditional Chinese culture, embodying the wisdom of Chinese civilization, resonates significantly with the values of scientific socialism. Concepts such as the common good reigning over all under Heaven, the people serving as the foundation of the state, governance by virtue, innovation and reform, merit-based appointments, harmony between humanity and nature, relentless self-improvement, profound virtue and responsibility, fostering trust and peace, and neighborly kindness, mirror the cosmological, societal, and ethical perspectives that the Chinese people have long developed through their experiences in production and daily life. The enthusiastic reception and rooting of scientific socialism’s principles in China amidst diverse ideological currents is no coincidence but a harmonious integration with the enduring historical culture and the ingrained values of the Chinese populace. “Only through mutual compatibility can organic integration occur.” This integration is not a mere continuation of our historical cultural archetype, nor a straightforward application of the templates envisioned by classical Marxist writers, nor a replica of other nations’ socialist practices, nor an imitation of foreign modernization. It represents the tight weaving of scientific socialism’s fundamental principles with our nation’s specific circumstances, historical and cultural traditions, and the needs of the times. It involves merging communist faith and socialist convictions with the millennia-old aspirations of the Chinese nation, allowing the tree of Marxist truth to robustly root in the rich cultural soil of Chinese history and bear fruitful outcomes.

In November 2013, during his visit to Qufu in Shandong Province, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation necessitates the development and prosperity of Chinese culture. The images captures the Wanren Palace Wall of the Confucius Temple in Qufu. (Image courtesy of Guo Xulei, Xinhua News Agency reporter.)

The outcome of the “integration” is mutual enhancement. “Integration” is not simply a mixture or a straightforward physical reaction, but a profound chemical reaction. It is about mutual enrichment and enhancement, not losing one’s identity but promoting and complementing each other to become better and greater. General Secretary Xi Jinping explained that, “‘Integration’ creates an organically unified new cultural entity, transforming Marxism into something intrinsically Chinese and the best of traditional Chinese culture into something modern. The new culture arising from this ‘integration’ represents the cultural form of Chinese modernization.” Marxism has significantly transformed China, and conversely, China has greatly enriched Marxism. In promoting  the dual integration, the Party has reinvigorated the magnificent civilization that the Chinese nation has cultivated over thousands of years with the power of Marxist truth, rejuvenating the ancient Chinese civilization with new vitality and dynamism. Moreover, the best of traditional Chinese culture has provided substantial cultural enrichment to Marxism, endowing it with distinctive Chinese characteristics, style, and ethos. Through this “integration,” Marxism has been more closely intertwined with the Chinese nation’s brilliant civilization, deeply rooted in China’s soil and in the hearts of its people. This “integration” also marks the transition of the best of traditional Chinese culture from its traditional form to a modern one, unleashing immense cultural energy and showcasing its inherent charm and contemporary elegance. In today’s China, the development of a socialist culture for our nation – a culture that is sound and people-oriented, that embraces modernization, the world, and the future, entails cultivating and establishing a socialist culture unique to China in the New Era, consolidating efforts and forging the foundational spirit for Chinese modernization.

The “integration” has also solidified the foundations of our path. The socialist path with Chinese characteristics is not only carved out under the guidance of Marxism but also emerges from the over 5,000-year legacy and development of Chinese civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping observed: “China’s adoption of this path is deeply intertwined with Chinese culture. The inherent genetic code of the socialist path with Chinese characteristics is embedded here, in the gene of the best of traditional Chinese culture.” Only by understanding the expansive narrative of Chinese civilization over five millennia can we fully grasp the historical inevitability, cultural depth, and unique strengths of the Chinese path. “General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed: “Without the 5,000-year-old Chinese civilization, where would the distinctiveness of Chinese characteristics come from? Without these Chinese characteristics, how could the socialist path with Chinese characteristics be as successful as it is today?” To walk this path, it’s crucial to advance both the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times and to push forward the dual integration. The General Secretary pointed out that, “‘Integration’ has given the socialist path with Chinese characteristics a more profound historical depth and expanded its cultural foundations. Chinese Modernization enriches Chinese civilization with modern strength, and in turn, Chinese civilization imbues this modernization with a deep heritage.” Through such “integration,” Chinese modernization draws extensively from the ancient civilization’s rich ideational and cultural resources, while the age-old Chinese civilization gains new life through its integration into the process of Chinese modernization. This form of modernization perpetuates the ancient civilization rather than obliterating it; it emerges from the soil of China, not as a replica of other nations’ modernization processes; it is a result of civilizational renewal, not a break. Chinese modernization represents the broad pathway toward building a powerful nation and rejuvenating the nation. In revitalizing the glory of Chinese civilization, it simultaneously contributes to the emergence of a new form of civilization.

The “integration” opens avenues for innovation. The inherent innovativeness of Chinese civilization fundamentally fosters the Chinese nation’s spirit of preserving the essence while being open to progress, and honoring tradition without being trapped in the past. It shapes the nation’s fearless character in embracing new challenges and accepting new things. The “integration” itself is an innovation and also creates vast opportunities for theoretical and practical innovation. It also stimulates intellectual wisdom, bringing to light the principles of moral, academic, and philosophical reasoning. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, the “integration” “has enabled us to take the initiative in thought and culture and significantly influenced our path, theories, and system.” Socialism with Chinese characteristics is an integrated whole where the path, theories, system, and culture are closely intertwined, unified in the great practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which represents the most distinctive feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The strength of culture is deeply infused into the path, theories, and system. History and practice repeatedly demonstrate that it is through the “integration” that our Party has successfully unified the development of the correct path, scientific theories, effective system, and advanced culture, ensuring that the Chinese path, theories, system, and culture not only embody the fundamental tenets of scientific socialism but also manifest distinct features of our country, our nation and our times. The General Secretary stressed that, “The ‘second integration’ represents a further liberation of the mind, enabling us to make full use of the precious resources of the best of traditional Chinese culture within a broader cultural context, and to explore forward-looking theoretical and institutional innovations.” This “integration” is a process of reform and innovation, as well as a journey toward forging a future. The “second integration” has effectively ignited the innovative and creative energies of the best of traditional Chinese culture, providing our Party with robust theoretical assurance, a powerful intellectual foundation, and rich moral nourishment. This has led to an array of newer theoretical, institutional, and various other innovations.

The “integration” strengthens cultural subjectivity. The resilience of the Chinese nation through millennia of trials owes significantly to its steadfast cultural confidence and awareness. This confidence and awareness are embedded in the deep cultural veins of the nation, enduring and continually renewing. Cultural confidence and awareness originate from cultural subjectivity. With this subjectivity, there is a firm sense of cultural self, creativity, and a fundamental basis for cultural confidence and consciousness. Only then can the Chinese nation achieve complete intellectual independence and stand proudly among the world’s nations. Losing one’s cultural subjectivity equates to losing the intellectual homeland and the inherent vibrancy of culture. The establishment of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a potent embodiment of this cultural subjectivity. Emerging from the expansive history of Chinese civilization spanning over 5,000 years, this thought integrates the best of traditional Chinese culture into the overall strategy for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It ensures that the Chinese nation, in its openness and inclusivity, always employs foreign successes for our own use on the basis of our own systems. It allows the best of traditional Chinese culture to shine in a new light and exhibit its timeless charm in the New Era. Building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation fundamentally requires adhering to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, reinforcing cultural confidence, and fulfilling the new cultural responsibilities of our times. The world today faces profound changes of a kind unseen in a century, and various ideas and cultures are intensely interacting, merging, and conflicting. It’s crucial to steadfastly uphold the dominant role of Chinese culture, firmly oppose cultural nihilism, and take a clear-cut stand in resisting trends of “rejecting Chinese elements,” “minimizing the importance of theories,” “neglecting values,” “removing from mainstream prominence,” and “eliminating historical perspective” in order to continually fortify the shared cultural home of the Chinese nation.

 The “integration” profoundly reveals the core pathway and intrinsic mechanism for the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. Importantly, the second integration has initiated a new landscape in our Party’s theoretical innovation. It a deep summary of our Party’s historical experience in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times, and a profound grasp of the laws governing the evolution of Chinese civilization. It signifies that our Party’s comprehension of the Chinese path, theories, and system has ascended to new heights, reflecting a newfound confidence in our history and culture, and demonstrating an unprecedented level of consciousness in advancing cultural innovation while preserving the best of traditional Chinese culture.

Strengthen Our Resolve and Awareness

in Advancing the Dual Integration

General Secretary Xi Jinping noted: ‘In the New Era, continuing to push for cultural prosperity, developing a great culture in China, and forging a modern civilization for the Chinese nation at this new juncture constitutes our renewed cultural mission.” On this new journey in the New Era, we must diligently learn and understand the guiding principles from the General Secretary’s key speech, and deeply grasp the crucial significance of the dual integration. We must strengthen the consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in terms of the big picture, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the Party Central Committee. We must increase the confidence in China’s path, theories, system, and culture. We must uphold the position of General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core of the CPC Central Committee and of the Party as a whole, and uphold the CPC Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership. Focusing on the “three new heights” marked by the second integration, we must navigate the essential route of in the dual integration and effectively utilize this utmost tool, vigorously advancing the modern civilization for the Chinese nation and developing a great socialist culture in China.

Continually scripting new chapters in the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times is imperative. Contemporary China is undergoing the most extensive and unique practical innovation in human history. The enormity of tasks in reform, development, and stability, the plethora of contradictions, risks, and challenges, and the magnitude of tests in governance are unprecedented. The world is witnessing profound transformations like never before in a century, presenting numerous pressing theoretical and practical questions. The responsibility of adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times has not lessened but intensified. On this new journey in the New Era, we must profoundly comprehend and internalize Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must firmly embrace its worldview, methodology, and the embedded stance, viewpoint and method, prioritizing the people, upholding self-reliance, implementing fundamental principles and breaking new ground, staying problem-oriented, using systematic thinking, and maintaining a global vision. We must relentlessly advance the dual integration, using the “arrow” of Marxism to hit the “target” of the New Era in China, ensuring Marxism resonates with more Chinese characteristics, style, and ethos. This effort is key to pioneering new realms in the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times, providing a fundamental framework for robustly advancing the building of a modern civilization for the Chinese nation and a great modern socialist country.

It is crucial to firmly bolster historical and cultural confidence. In today’s global landscape, if any political party, nation, or ethnic group has ample reason for confidence, it would be the Communist Party of China, the People’s Republic of China, and the Chinese nation. Our unwavering confidence in our path, theories, and system is intrinsically based on the cultural confidence that stems from the legacy of Chinese civilization. The second integration embodies the historical confidence and proactivity of Chinese Communists in the New Era, highlighting their commitment to and confidence in Chinese culture. This integration is the newest manifestation of the Chinese nation’s wisdom and the latest in theoretical summarization, allowing the over 5,000-year-old Chinese civilization to dazzle anew in the New Era. As we embark on this new journey in the New Era, it is crucial to deepen the second integration further, using the fundamental tenets of Marxism to rejuvenate the best of traditional Chinese culture. We aim to extract the intellectual and moral essence of this culture, explore and expound on its contemporary relevance based on realities, and exhibit the Chinese nation’s unique cultural identity. Our goal is to build Chinese spirit, values, and strength, embracing our origins, integrating external influences, and looking ahead to the future. This approach will continually foster historical and cultural confidence throughout our endeavors in upholding and evolving socialism with Chinese characteristics, thereby solidifying the historical and cultural foundation for advancing the modern civilization of the Chinese nation and the development a great socialist culture in China.

In June 2022, during his visit to the Sansu Temple in Meishan, Sichuan, General Secretary Xi Jinping remarked that just as a single drop of water can reflect the sun, so too can the Sansu Temple encapsulate the depth of Chinese culture. Pictured is the Sansu Temple . (Image courtesy of Shen Bohan, Xinhua News Agency reporter.)

It is imperative to be dedicated to advancing the creative transformation and innovative development of the best of traditional Chinese culture. Remembering the past is essential for shaping the future, and effective inheritance is key to innovation. Fine traditional culture is the bedrock of a country or a nation’s continuity and progress. Discarding tradition is equivalent to cutting off one’s cultural lifeline. Therefore, it is vital to pass on and elevate the best of traditional Chinese culture in harmony with the conditions of the New Era, ensuring its vibrant life and creative dynamism. On the New Era’s new journey, we must steadfastly uphold the fundamental tenets of Marxism, maintain its pivotal role in ideological spheres as a fundamental institution, resolutely follow the socialist path of cultural development with Chinese characteristics, and diligently undertake the creative transformation and innovative development of the best of traditional Chinese culture. Creative transformation means adapting those aspects of traditional culture that are still relevant today to meet the demands and characteristics of the current era. This process involves renovating their outdated forms and infusing them with new, modern meanings and ways of expression to rejuvenate their vitality. Innovative development entails enriching, expanding, and refining the content of the best of traditional Chinese culture in line with the latest progress and developments of the times, thereby increasing its impact and appeal. It’s crucial to intertwine the core principles of Marxist thought with the essence of the best of traditional Chinese culture and with the common value concepts that are a natural part of people’s daily lives. In doing so, we aim to preserve and evolve the best of traditional Chinese culture, encourage the assimilation of foreign cultures into our own, and constantly nurture and develop a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for the New Era. This effort is vital for amassing the strong cultural force needed to robustly advance the development of a modern civilization for the Chinese nation and the development of a great socialist culture in China.

[1] The “three favorables” are criteria for judging right or wrong and success or failure in all of our work by whether it is favorable to developing the productive forces in a socialist society, to increasing the overall national strength of the socialist state, and to raising the living standards of the people.

(Originally appeared in Qiushi Journal, Chinese edition, No. 19, 2023)