Cultural self-confidence comes from our cultural subjectivity.

　　Since modern times, there have been many arguments about how to treat Chinese and western cultures. More than 100 years ago, some people doubted or even denied their traditional culture when they saw that the western countries were gaining strength and expanding everywhere. They thought that everything in the west was good and they were inferior to others everywhere. Some people hope to learn from the strengths of the West and keep their own traditions, and put forward "learning from the West is the body, learning from the West is the use" or "learning from the West is the body, learning from the Middle School is the use".

　　Differences between different cultures do exist, and we need a rational understanding of these differences. It should be noted that we can’t just look at the cultural differences from the stage of development. This difference is mainly manifested in that some cultures develop first and some cultures develop later. We should also see that there are also differences in types between different cultures. Different countries and nations in the world have different geographical environments, different historical processes, and different institutional mechanisms and customs, so it is not easy to form the same kind of culture. These different cultures have different characteristics and styles, but they are all part of a hundred gardens of human civilization. The General Secretary of the Supreme Leader pointed out: "Human beings are only different in color and language, and civilizations are only different in color, but there is no distinction between high and low." This provides a fundamental basis for us to understand the differences between civilizations.

　　Because some western countries take the lead in opening the modernization process, some people think that western civilization is a model for the development of civilization. However, some late-developing countries copied the development model of western civilization, and as a result, they did not embark on the road of modernization. On the contrary, they fell into political turmoil and social unrest. In modern China, many people with lofty ideals explored the road of saving the nation and trying to imitate the West in terms of system and concept, but they all ended in failure. From a cultural point of view, it is difficult to blossom fragrant flowers and bear sweet fruits if two different types of cultures are grafted together stiffly. The heavy responsibility of history falls on the Communist Party of China (CPC). the Communist Party of China (CPC) people find Marxism, resolutely oppose historical nihilism and cultural nihilism, and combine the basic principles of Marxism with China’s concrete reality and Chinese excellent traditional culture, which not only makes Marxism have distinctive China characteristics, China style and China style, but also promotes Chinese excellent traditional culture from tradition to modernity.

　　After the end of World War II, great changes have taken place in some developing countries, which not only got rid of colonial or semi-colonial status politically and achieved independence, but also made great progress economically. This change in economic, political and social situation has prompted developing countries to think about their own cultural traditions, inspire cultural self-esteem and self-confidence, and more consciously protect their own cultural traditions and build modern culture. As far as China is concerned, since the founding of New China, especially since the reform and opening-up, it has taken us decades to complete the industrialization process that western developed countries have gone through for hundreds of years, creating a miracle of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, and successfully opening up the road to Socialism with Chinese characteristics. General Secretary of the Supreme Leader pointed out: "With the reform and opening up, with the establishment of the correct Socialism with Chinese characteristics Thought and the socialist road, and with the fact that this road is correct in practice, cultural self-confidence will follow." In the new era, we see that Socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Chinese Dream are deeply rooted in people’s hearts, the core values of socialism are widely promoted, the excellent traditional Chinese culture is loved by more people, and people’s cultural self-confidence is constantly revealed.

　　If the differences in the development level of science and technology and productive forces can be caught up and even eliminated through conceptual changes and social changes, then the differences in cultural types cannot be solved by "catching up", and it is impossible and unnecessary to solve them. A country and a nation must have cultural subjectivity if they want to walk out of their own modernization road. Cultural subjectivity is the premise of cultural self-confidence, and cultural self-confidence is an important embodiment of cultural subjectivity. General Secretary of the Supreme Leader pointed out: "Cultural self-confidence comes from our cultural subjectivity." During thousands of years of historical inheritance, Chinese civilization has always maintained the continuity of civilization records and formed the unity of pluralism, unity and concentration. After long-term exchanges and exchanges between various ethnic groups, you have me and I have you, showing the commonality, integration and centripetal subjectivity of social and cultural life. The Chinese nation is taking a road of civilized development different from other countries and nations. Chinese excellent traditional culture nourishes the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. The Communist Party of China (CPC) promoted the "two combinations", which further consolidated the cultural subjectivity. With cultural subjectivity, the Chinese nation and the people of China will have a solid cultural foundation of national identity, and they will be able to stand firm in the fierce world cultural agitation and go their own way independently.

　　Of course, this does not mean that there is no need for communication between different types of cultures. In fact, since ancient times, different types of cultures have been communicating. General Secretary of the Supreme Leader pointed out: "History tells us that only through exchanges and mutual learning can a civilization be full of vitality. As long as we uphold the spirit of tolerance, there is nothing ‘ Clash of civilizations ’ Civilization and harmony can be achieved. " Chinese said: "If you are good, you will also enjoy the goodness of others." If you can, you can also enjoy the ability of others. " "Each is beautiful, the beautiful people are beautiful, and the United States and the United States share the same goal." These reflect a mind of mutual appreciation, coexistence and common prosperity. Civilizations of different countries and nations are rooted in the soil of their own nations and have their own characteristics, strengths and advantages. Different civilizations should adhere to mutual exchanges, learning from each other and learning from each other, instead of being separated from each other, mutually exclusive and replacing each other, so that the world’s civilized gardens can be colorful and full of vitality.

　　Learning alone without friends is ignorant. In the long historical process, Chinese civilization embraces the whole world, harmonizes all nations, learns from others and is eclectic with its broad mind. We firmly adhere to the cultural subjectivity, and with a broad mind, draw on the outstanding achievements of civilizations created by different countries and nationalities, conduct cultural exchanges and cooperation with other countries in the world, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation with greater confidence.

　　(The author is a professor of philosophy at Peking University)