On May 24, 2021, Guo Jianning, professor at Tsinghua University's School of Marxism, wrote in the CCP's People's Daily that the "Sinicization of Marxism" launched by Chairman Zedong must continue under the leadership of Xi Jinping. "To promote the Sinicization of Marxism, it is necessary to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China's excellent traditional culture," Guo wrote. He went on to describe Marxism as "a powerful weapon that guides China's revolution, construction, and reform."
Below is the Prof. Guo's article:[1]
(Source: CGTN, May 3, 2018)
'Marxism Is The Soul Of The Ideals And Beliefs Of The Chinese Communists'
"General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: 'At the most critical moment in modern China, the Chinese Communists found Marxism-Leninism. They insisted on combining Marxism-Leninism with China's reality. They used the power of Marxist truth to reactivate the great Chinese civilization created over thousands of years. The great Chinese civilization burst out with strong spiritual power once again.' General Secretary Xi Jinping's important statement revealed the internal connection between Marxism and Chinese civilization. It pointed to the deep logic of why history and people chose Marxism.
"Marxism is the soul of the ideals and beliefs of the Chinese Communists. The excellent traditional Chinese culture is the spiritual lifeline of the Chinese nation. Many ideas in the excellent Chinese traditional culture are integrated with Marxism. For example, there are similarities between the 'action' and 'practice' of Confucianism and the Marxist concept of practice; the theory of Chinese philosophy that opposites and the extremes of things must be opposed and the Marxist materialist dialectics; and the traditional Chinese ideal of 'universal society' and the greatness of socialism and communism.
"These similarities provided an important ideological and cultural foundation for the spread and development of Marxism in China and for Chinese people to accept and choose Marxism. The integration and combination of Marxism and the excellent traditional Chinese culture promoted the spread of Marxism in China. The combination continuously promoted Marxism with Chinese characteristics in China. It made Marxism and its latest achievements a powerful ideological weapon that guides China's revolution, construction, and reform.
"General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: 'The history of our party is a history of continuously advancing Marxism with Chinese characteristics, a history of continuously advancing theoretical innovation and theoretical creation.'
"In October 1938, Comrade Mao Zedong, in the political report delivered at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Central Committee, put forward the proposition of 'Marxism Sinicization.' He pointed out that 'to talk about Marxism without the characteristics of China is just an abstract and empty Marxism,' and emphasized the combination of Marxism and Chinese practice. Promoting the Sinicization of Marxism must be based on Chinese social practice and Chinese cultural traditions.
"The major issues for advancing the Sinicization of Marxism are multifaceted. First is how to stick to the standpoint of Chinese culture. Second is how to develop and advance from the continuation of the national cultural bloodline. Third is how to simultaneously stimulate the vitality of Chinese culture. Fourth is how to provide ample spiritual power for realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
"Culture is an important force for the survival and development of a nation. The Chinese nation has encountered countless hardships in thousands of years of historical development. It has survived. One of the most important reasons is that it has cultivated and developed a unique, broad, and profound Chinese culture. It has provided strong spiritual support, enabling the strength to survive and overcome difficulties throughout history.
"The excellent Chinese traditional culture is the root and soul of the Chinese nation. It is the outstanding advantage of the Chinese nation, and the foundation for us to gain a firm foothold in the ups and downs of world culture.
'The Goal Is To Build A Powerful Country Of Socialist Culture'
"The Chinese Communists are loyal believers and firm practitioners of Marxism. They are not only active leaders and practitioners of advanced Chinese culture, but also loyal inheritors and advocates of Chinese traditional culture. To promote the Sinicization of Marxism, it is necessary to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China's excellent traditional culture. It is also necessary to integrate the upholding and development of Marxism with the promotion of China's excellent traditional culture.
"General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: 'We must pay special attention to digging out the essence of the five thousand years of Chinese civilization. We must combine promotion of excellent traditional culture with Marxist positions, viewpoints, and methods. We must unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.'
"Ever since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, elevated cultural construction to a new historical height. It listed cultural confidence, confidence in the development path, theoretical confidence, and institutional confidence as the 'four confidences' of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
"It established the guiding position in the ideological field as a fundamental element of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. It incorporated adherence to the core value system of socialism as basic strategy to develop socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. It promoted creative transformation of excellent Chinese traditional culture, and innovative development. It emphasized importance of inheriting revolutionary culture, developing advanced socialist culture, and continuously forging new glory of Chinese culture. The goal is to build a powerful country of socialist culture.
"In this process, Marxism has more Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese manner by fully absorbing the characteristics and essence of excellent traditional Chinese culture. Excellent traditional Chinese culture has new characteristics, spirit, and connotation with the times because of the truth power of Marxism."
[1] Opinion.people.com.cn/n1/2021/0524/c1003-32111077.html, May 24, 2021.
