Beijing, 27 May 2022 (TDI): The President of China, Xi Jinping on Friday afternoon, presided over the 39th group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
The session was to promote a national research project on tracing the origins of Chinese civilization. The Chinese civilization is comprehensive and profound. It has a long history that can be traced back to antiquity.
During the session, President Xi enunciated that the Chinese civilization is the cultural identity of the Chinese nation, the cultural bond holding all Chinese around the globe together.
Likewise, it is the foundation of contemporary Chinese culture, as well as a treasure trove inspiring cultural innovation. Historically, the Chinese nation has endured hardships and traveled extensively, along with venturing a course of development distinct from other civilizations.
President Xi urged that China should acquire an in-depth knowledge of Chinese civilization’s evolution over more than 5,000 years. Moreover, efforts should be made to extend research into its history.
Consequently, all members of the Chinese Communist Party and society will be able to develop a better understanding of the history, adhere to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, build up cultural confidence, and collaborate to build a socialist modern country in all respects as well as realize the revitalization of the Chinese nation.
The Chinese President stressed that the Party has consistently regarded the history of the Chinese nation from the perspective of historical materialism. In the same vein, it has inherited and brought forward exquisite traditional Chinese culture.
The research outcomes of the primary projects, like the project to trace the origins of Chinese civilization, through the persistent efforts of several generations of scholars have proved that the history of China includes millions of years of humanity, more than 5,000 years of civilization & 10,000 years of culture.
The project regarding the origins of Chinese civilization has made considerable achievements, though there is still a long way to go, however, it must be continued and furthered.
Xi Jinping underscored that the task to trace the origins of Chinese civilization has provided an unmistakable knowledge about the formation and origins of the Chinese civilization, the process of the formation and development of its pluralistic and integrated pattern, the history of its development, and its characteristics as well as why it was formed in such a way.
Similarly, the results though are still preliminary and phased, but there are still many historical secrets to be unraveled and many key issues, that require consensus through evidence and further study.
Along these lines, the latest technologies pertaining to the subjects like biology, geoscience, chemistry, molecular biology, and physics have been utilized to analyze the ancient and historical remains, providing the origin-tracing of Chinese civilization with a scientific base, and broadening the knowledge about the country’s 5,000-plus-year history.
Doing so is a complex, time-consuming, and systematic project, President xi enunciated. Nevertheless, archaeological exploration and literature research must be integrated with methods and tools of natural sciences.
Aside from that, aspects including cultural & material conditions as well as forms of social relations must be thoroughly researched, to gradually revive the development path of a civilization ever since its birth to prosperity.
Across-the-board sound arrangements and material should be reinforced to facilitate experts of history, archaeology, humanity studies, and natural sciences in making collaborative efforts to make breakthroughs.
Joint endeavors in this context made by various disciplines, on different levels, from different angles, with different approaches will boost the range and coverage of such studies.
Resultantly, mysteries will be unraveled regarding the origins and formation of Chinese civilization, its internal mechanisms, the path of its development, and the evolution paths of all regional civilizations.
Moreover, President Xi highlighted that the project has defined the civilization and its answer to creating a more civilized world, making innovative contributions to the research on tracing the roots of the world civilization.
In this regard, an exemplary job must be done to promote, publicize, and transform the research results of China’s theory related to ancient civilizations as well as the project to trace the heritage of Chinese civilization.
For this, research, display, interpretation, and dissemination of uncovered cultural relics and sites must be supported to promote the appeal and influence of Chinese civilization.
In addition, President Xi highlighted that the Chinese people have created a glorious civilization, over the past more than 5,000 years, and made substantial contributions to the advancement of human civilization.
He urged to connect the study of the origins of Chinese civilization with other major issues like the contours and forms of Chinese civilization along with the interpretation of the origins of Chinese civilization.
He stated that China will explain & explore the development of the sense of community among the Chinese people as well as the unity amongst the Chinese people of all ethnic groups despite diversity.
Xi emphasized that the fine traditional culture of China symbolizes the essence and wisdom of Chinese civilization, serves as the basis for China to gain a foothold amidst global cultural interaction, and is the essence and soul of the Chinese nation.
He informed the participants that China has integrated the fundamental principles of Marxism with the actual conditions of China and the country’s fine traditional culture.
Along these lines, the country is constantly adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the prevalent needs of the times along with promoting the creative modification and expansion of the fine traditional Chinese culture.
In this context, on the basis of past experience, China should continue to innovate, adapt traditional culture to socialist society, and display the distinctive character of the Chinese nation to support the Chinese spirit, Chinese strength, and Chinese values.
The Director and Researcher of the Academic Division of History under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Wang Wei also gave a lecture on the subject. The members of the Political Bureau conducted a discussion, after the lecture.
