Xi Jinping's Cultural Footprint | Fujian Zhu Xi Yuan: Zhu Zi Culture is "Living" Zhu Zi Culture | Zhu Xi

Fuzhou, July 14th (Xinhua News Agency) Question: Zhu Xi Garden in Fujian: Zhu Xi culture is "coming to life"

Xinhua News Agency reporters Jiang Shiqiang and Xu Xueyi

"If it weren't for China's 5000 year civilization, where would there be any Chinese characteristics? If it weren't for Chinese characteristics, how could there be such a successful path of socialism with Chinese characteristics today?"

On March 22, 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping, who was on an inspection tour in Wuyishan City, Fujian Province, came to Zhu Xiyuan to learn about Zhu Xi's life and the study of science.

Zhu Xi was a thinker, philosopher, and educator during the Southern Song Dynasty, and was revered as "Zhu Xi" by later generations.

Nanping, where Mount Wuyi is located, is the place where Zhu Xi's Neo Confucianism germinated, developed and integrated.

Remember the instructions to draw a new picture

In midsummer, under the hidden screen peak of Mount Wuyi Mountain and beside the Jiuqu River, the ancient and elegant Zhuxi Garden welcomes many tourists.

Zhu Xi Garden, also known as Wuyi Jingshe, was built in the tenth year of the Chunxi reign of the Southern Song Dynasty. It was an important place for the Zhu Xi School to conduct academic research and educational activities.

From the self portrait of Zhu Xi to the inheritance and development of Neo Confucianism, Zhang Jianguang, a librarian at the Fujian Provincial Museum of Culture and History, gave an explanation to the General Secretary one by one.

"When I went to Shandong for an inspection, I went to see the Confucius Temple in the Confucius Mansion, and when I went to Wuyi Mountain, I also came to see Zhu Xi." After learning from the past, General Secretary Xi Jinping sighed with emotion: "We must pay special attention to digging out the essence of the five thousand years of Chinese civilization, combining the promotion of excellent traditional culture with Marxist standpoints and methods, and unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics."

More than three months later, at the celebration of the 100 anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly proposed, "Insist on combining the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific reality and with the excellent traditional Chinese culture".

On June 2 this year, at the Cultural Inheritance and Development Symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "To open up and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics on the basis of more than 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, and to integrate the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific reality and Chinese excellence. Combining traditional culture is the only way."

"General Secretary's important discourse demonstrates the high importance and full confidence in the excellent traditional culture of China." Zhang Jianguang said that in history, Zhu Xi culture was the official philosophy of governing the country, the life creed of cultivating oneself and helping the world for scholars, and the treasure trove of living for the common people. As the cadres and masses in the hometown of Zhu Xi, we are taking the "two combinations" as the guidance, combining the essence of Zhu Xi culture with the spirit of the times, and changing the phenomenon of "using it without being aware of it, being aware of it without being correct, and being correct without being able to do so".

"How clear is the canal? For there is a source of flowing water." This is a line from Zhu Xi's "Observing Books and Feeling. The long river of civilization flows endlessly, and the source of excellent traditional Chinese culture injects abundant vitality into socialism with Chinese characteristics, continuously enhancing the morale, backbone, and confidence of the Chinese people.

But in the past, many tourists came to Mount Wuyi and climbed the Tianyou Peak directly. They didn't know that the path they followed on their way to Zhuxi Park was a unique cave. "More and more people are coming here in admiration, and we are further improving the exhibition hall of Zhuxi Garden. It is expected to be completely renovated by October this year."

Tongwenlou, Tianxin Lake, and Zhuzi Academy... Walking into Wuyi University, one can see everywhere the efforts made by the university to uphold the educational philosophy of "spreading Zhuzi's Neo Confucianism and creating Wuyi literature". Zhang Pinduan, the chief expert of Zhu Zixue Research Center of Wuyi University, said that Zhu Xi had "written Qin for fifty years" in Mount Wuyi. For many years, the college has continuously sorted and excavated Zhuzi literature, promoted research on Zhuzi culture across the Taiwan Strait, and explored the dissemination and influence of Zhuzi studies overseas, achieving a series of achievements. Now they are further using the Marxist materialist view of history to promote the modern transformation research of Zhu Xi culture.

In March this year, the Mount Wuyi Research Base of the Chinese Zhuzi Society was inaugurated in Wufu Town."The 'two combinations' have pointed out the direction for our future research and academic exchanges on the Zhu culture."

Crossing a thousand years to acquire new knowledge

"The general secretary walked all the way to the innermost house and saw Zhu Zi's famous saying on the wall, 'The country is based on the people, and the country is also for the people', and he stopped and stared for a long time." Zhang Jianguang was deeply impressed by this scene during General Secretary Zhu Xiyuan's inspection tour.

Zhang Jianguang said that in theory, Zhu Xi expounded the people-oriented ideas such as "putting the people first", "loving the people like a son", and "gaining trust from the people"; In practice, Zhu Xi took "treating the people as if they were injured" as his motto, worked hard for the people, and made outstanding achievements in disaster resistance and education.

Under the personal promotion of General Secretary Xi Jinping and under the guidance of Xi Jinping's thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, Chinese culture has increasingly demonstrated its profound wisdom and eternal value through time and space.

Not long ago, the final of the Nanping Zhu Zi Culture Speech Recitation Competition, with the theme of "millennium cultural heritage, vitality, and elegance", was held. Ding Wenxin, a member of the Zhuzi Culture Office in Nanping City and Vice Chairman of the Municipal Women's Federation, said that this event has been ongoing for nearly two months, and the city has widely launched and selected at all levels. "The goal is to further promote Zhuzi culture and create a good atmosphere where everyone understands and talks about Zhuzi.".

Xu Li from the Nanping Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference gave a speech titled "People First, Walking with the People".

Entering Mafu Village, Jukou Town, Jianyang District, Nanping City, the tomb of Zhu Xi's mother, Lady Zhu, is nestled in a verdant landscape, with a cold spring house under reconstruction next to it. Zheng Shunlian, member of the Standing Committee of the Jianyang District Committee and Minister of Propaganda, told reporters that Hanquan Jingshe was the first academy founded by Zhu Xi. Zhu Xi stayed here to observe filial piety for his mother and focus on his studies. "In a few months, the Cold Spring Temple will be rebuilt, and everyone can come here to deeply experience Zhu Xi's filial piety culture and academic spirit."

Liu Xiaoyan, a girl born in 1998 in Nanping, has a deep understanding of the story of Zhu Xi and Cai Yuanding, who were both teachers and friends, hanging a lamp and looking at each other. Zhu Xi and Cai Yuanding respectively built lamp stands on Yungu Mountain and Xishan Mountain. In the evening, they hung lanterns to look at each other. The bright lights indicated that their studies were normal, while the dim lights indicated that they encountered difficulties. They agreed to exchange ideas the next day. "This spirit of perseverance and mutual learning is worth learning from as young people," said Liu Xiaoyan.

Revitalizing Inheritance and Exhibiting a New Appearance

Approaching the Digital Culture IP Comprehensive Hall in Jianyang District, the reporter immediately saw "cartoon Zhu Zi". Chen Xiaoyang, born in 1999, said that he was extremely proud to see the "cartoon Zhu Zi" he participated in designing appearing in many places in Nanping City. "Utilizing the creativity of young people to make everyone better understand and like Zhu Xi, this is the work we need to do, which is very meaningful."

During Zhu Xiyuan's inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that it is necessary to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese excellent traditional culture, and activate the vitality of Chinese excellent traditional culture with the spirit of the times.

At the symposium on cultural inheritance and development, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that it is necessary to strengthen cultural self-confidence, assume the mission, work hard, and work together to create a new culture that belongs to our era and build a modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

Wufu Town in Mount Wuyi is the place where Zhu Xi studied for more than 40 years. Visiting Xingxian Ancient Street in Wufu Town, one can encounter Zhu Xi everywhere. Entering the "Taiwan Shaved ice" store, the reporter saw a couplet on both sides of the decorative wooden door in the store, which was signed by Zhu Xi: "Loyalty and filial piety are far from home, and poetry and calligraphy are good at life". The shop owner is Lin Xiaorong, a Taiwanese girl born in 1985. She said, "I used to attend the Zhu Xi Culture Training Camp and really enjoyed the feeling of the ancient street being both ancient and modern."

Going inside, in the private Wufu Folk Culture Museum, Jiang Shengming, the representative inheritor of the Mount Wuyi municipal intangible cultural heritage of the Longyu Opera, knows all about the collected rubbings of Zhu Zi's calligraphy, ancient books of Zhu Zi's works, and wedding items of Zhu Zi. He said that the Zhu Xi family ritual is a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage. Recently, the museum's sedan chair was exhibited in Sanfang and Qixiang of Fuzhou, hoping that more people will understand the Zhu Xi culture.

"More and more people are coming to Wufu Town to 'seek the fragrance of Wufu and pilgrimage to Zhuzi', striving to learn about Zhuzi culture. As a result, Wufu Town has enjoyed more benefits of cultural and tourism integration," said Liu Feng, the Party Secretary of Wufu Town.

Zhu Xi, Vice President of the Nanping Zhuzi Culture Research Association, told reporters that he often receives invitations to schools, government agencies, and communities to promote Zhuzi culture. "I feel that everyone's interest in Zhuzi is becoming increasingly strong.".

At present, Nanping has made plans for the protection and inheritance of excellent traditional culture, the ecological protection area of Zhuzi culture, and the tourism of Zhuzi culture around Mount Wuyi National Park. It has built and built a number of important relics and public places of Zhuzi culture, such as Ziyang Building, Kaoting Academy, and Zhuzi Culture Square. It has also continued to build key cultural brands, such as "Kaoting Forum", "Zhu Xi's Road" camp, and "Great Confucian Zhu Xi -- Entering the large-scale symphony recitation of Zhuzi".

"Nanping should strive to create a benchmark for the inheritance and development of excellent traditional culture." Yuan Chaohong, Secretary of the Nanping Municipal Party Committee, said that we should use the five prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization to reflect on the excellent traditional culture of northern Fujian, strengthen the research and interpretation of Zhuzi culture, tea culture, Minyue culture, Jianzhan Jianben culture, and Songci legal culture, and do a good job in activating, objectifying, and educating articles, injecting strong cultural power into promoting high-quality development.

On July 9th, the "2023 Sinology Youth Scholars Training Camp" with the theme of "Harmonious Coexistence between Man and Nature - South Parallel" opened at Zhuwen Temple in Wufu Town, attracting more than 20 foreign students from 16 countries including the United States, Italy, France, Japan, and South Korea to participate.

"The Zhu culture has a wide influence both domestically and internationally," said Chen Wenping, the full-time vice chairman of the Nanping Federation of Literary and Art Circles. "The flower of human civilization is colorful. We look forward to young scholars from various countries deepening their understanding of contemporary China and promoting exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations through this training camp."