Drawing upon historical research and contemporary observation, Karl Marx elucidated the inner logic of civilizational evolution and emphasized the pursuit of a futureoriented “real and general civilization.” To deeply comprehend Marx’s incisive discourse on civilization, we should apply his profound theoretical insights to the practice of Chinese modernization. This involves integrating Marx’s view of civilization with China’s specific realities and fine traditional culture. Upholding the cultural mission in a new era, we should construct the contemporary form of the Chinese Marxist view of civilization and advance the progress of civilization through harmonious development, exchanges, and mutual learning. Composing a splendid chapter of the civilizational history across time and space, fostering new exchanges among civilizations and international cooperation, and perfecting the modern order of civilization development are intrinsic to creating new forms of human civilizations and represent a civilized path toward building a community with a shared future for humanity.

A review of the more than 100 years of integration and interaction between Marxist philosophy and Chinese philosophy shows that huitong between them can be roughly summarized into five forms: homogeneous huitong, complementary huitong, interpretive huitong, carrier huitong, and practical huitong. Homogeneous huitong refers to huitong of Marxist philosophy and Chinese philosophy regarding content that features “homogeneity.” Complementary huitong refers to Marxist philosophy and Chinese philosophy achieving huitong by mutually compensating for each other’s shortcomings. Interpretive huitong refers to realizing huitong of compatible ideological elements between Marxist philosophy and Chinese philosophy through interpretation. Carrier huitong refers to huitong achieved through the introduction, dissemination, and acceptance of carriers (subjects) of Marxist philosophy and Chinese philosophy. Practical huitong refers to huitong achieved through the guidance and summary of revolutionary practice by Marxist philosophy and Chinese philosophy. The five forms of huitong each have their own connotations, characteristics, and values, indicating that huitong of Marxist philosophy and Chinese philosophy is manifested in diversity in form, profundity in content, concern in thought, and innovation in theory.

The basic way of Marxist philosophy to develop in contemporary China is its thorough adaption to the Chinese context, especially deep integration of the fine traditional Chinese philosophy. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to have the coherence point that makes this integration possible, and then the two core propositions of “man being objective activity” in Marxist philosophy and human ability of “assisting the transforming and nourishing powers of Heaven and Earth” in traditional Chinese philosophy are of a high degree of similarity, which reveals that there is such a coherence point among them. By analyzing the similarities and differences between these two propositions, it is possible to investigate the possibility of their integration and mutual absorption so as to develop a Chinese Marxist answer to the fundamental question in modern philosophy: “What is the human being?”. The Chinese Marxist answer to this fundamental question can thereby initially construct a Chinese Marxist ontological framework of shi (human affairs). Although what is presented at this point of coherence is only an outline framework, it contains the virtue of sheng-sheng (creating and recreating), which possesses with infinite possibilities to further develop and enrich itself

Confucianism, particularly its tianxia (all-under-Heaven) worldview, offers rich conceptual resources and holds significant implications for the contemporary construction of a human community with a shared future. The concept of species-being within this worldview highlights the moral commonality and equality of humanity as a community. Its public spirit articulates the ideal of “tianxia is for the public good” signifying that humanity shares extensive common interests; therefore, fairness, justice, and equality should be core values in global governance and international relations, with win-win cooperation as the guiding principle for national development. The ideal of great harmony (datong) embodies the traditional Chinese vision for a better future society, offering crucial insights for realizing the human community with a shared future. Finally, the transcendent dimension of the worldview fosters a profound sense of mission, encapsulated by the maxim “the fate of tianxia rests upon the shoulders of every common person,” which articulates a universalist spirit of responsibility.

Despite their distinct origins, Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture share deep compatibility. The compatibility between the two can be examined from six dimensions of triple levels. There exists progressively deepening triple-level compatibility between Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture, moving from the exterior to the interior. Each level manifests primarily in two dimensions, making six dimensions in total. The first level of compatibility lies in theory, reflected in the alignment between the open and inclusive nature of fine traditional Chinese culture and the openness of Marxism, as well as between the former’s innovative nature and the latter’s progressiveness. This fundamental compatibility lays the necessary groundwork for their integration. The second level of compatibility lies in spiritual temperament, chiefly expressed in the shared dialectical thinking and the analogous practical spirit, fostering a spiritual affinity between the two. The third level of compatibility concerns the alignment of values, primarily manifested in the perspectives on the people and the views on social ideals, which provide a profound rationale for the integration of fine traditional Chinese culture and Marxism. A thorough examination of their multidimensional compatibility aids in harmonizing the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, advancing their integration and mutual enrichment, and opening new chapters in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times

Exploring the civilizational logic and narrative path of the community for the Chinese nation from the perspective of historical materialism is both an urgent need to deepen research on Marxist ethnic theory and a practical requirement to advance the building of the community for the Chinese nation. The community for the Chinese nation and Chinese civilization interconnect and mutually reinforce each other. Chinese civilization provides abundant nourishment and a profound cultural foundation for the formation, maintenance, development, and consolidation of the community for the Chinese nation, while the community for the Chinese nation endows Chinese civilization with enduring strength. In advancing “two integrations,” the Communist Party of China has brought new vitality to the building of the community for the Chinese nation, opening up a new chapter in this initiative. The modern Chinese civilization in the new era has broadened the global perspective on building the community for the Chinese nation. Based on the laws of civilizational evolution, the community for the Chinese nation has demonstrated a unique civilizational paradigm distinct from the Western one through civilizational guidance, holistic inheritance and innovation, historical leaps, and the shaping of modernity. In the context of world history, the community for the Chinese nation is not only tasked with the exchange, inheritance, and mutual learning of civilizations but also bears the responsibility of building a modern Chinese civilization and leading the development of a new form of human advancement.

As a component of fine traditional Chinese culture, the traditional tianxia (allunder-Heaven) worldview, centered on the “family–state–tianxia” structure, embodies both an external form characterized by a “center-periphery” model and an internal logic of a “partwhole” relationship. In the context of building a modern Chinese civilization, this traditional worldview is continuously being endowed with new connotations. A community for the Chinese nation and a human community with a shared future have reshaped the “family– state–tianxia” system through internal and external paths, respectively, revealing the inherent logic of the tianxia worldview’s creative transformation. This transformation holds significant practical importance for building a modern Chinese civilization, advancing the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and contributing to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.