Xi Focus-Profile: Xi Jinping, man of culture

"Where do they come from?" he asked.

"They originated from the cradle of the Yangtze River and Yellow River civilizations, and were born out of the innovative creations of the ancient local people," the docent replied.

At the end of 2023, when Xi delivered his New Year message from his office in central Beijing, a photograph of him observing the Sanxingdui artifacts with great attention was displayed on his bookshelf.

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, formally put forward in October 2023, encompasses several key aspects, including strengthening the Party's leadership over public communication and culture and promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of China's fine traditional culture.

Theorists state that the establishment of the thought shows that the Party's historical and cultural confidence have reached new heights.

"If there were no 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, where would the 'Chinese characteristics' come from? And if it were not for these Chinese characteristics, how could we have today's successful path of socialism with Chinese characteristics?" Xi once said.

Theorists say that Xi pioneers a new way of governing the country by leveraging culture.

Xi firmly believes in Marxist historical materialism, which views the masses as the creators of history. He elevates the ancient belief of "Min Wei Bang Ben" -- meaning "the people are the foundation of the country; with a solid foundation, the country is at peace" -- to the Party principle of "putting people first."

After leading China to eliminate absolute poverty, Xi strives for the next goal: common prosperity.

"Common prosperity is a fundamental goal of Marxism and has also been a basic pursuit of the Chinese people since ancient times," Xi told Party officials, quoting ancient philosophers. Confucius said, "The trouble lies not in scarcity but in uneven distribution; not in poverty but insecurity," and Mencius called on people to "care for the elderly and the children of others as they care for their own."

"Our goal is both inspiring and simple. Ultimately, it is about delivering a better life for the people," Xi said.

He blends the Party's governing philosophy of "the country belongs to the people, and the people are the foundation of the country" with the traditional idea that "the rise or fall of a political power depends on whether it accommodates the people's will."

On his first day in office as the Party's top official, Xi cited a Chinese proverb to call for "ironclad self-discipline" and launched the most extensive anti-corruption campaign in CPC history. Xi often shares stories about ancient figures known for their integrity with Party officials, demanding that they practice self-discipline. He uses a Chinese proverb to warn the entire Party, "Many worms will disintegrate wood, and a big enough crack will lead to the collapse of a wall."