About the book
Chen Xianda, an Honorary Professor at Renmin University of China and one of the country’s most distinguished Marxist philosophers, has been a towering figure in the field for decades. As the former President of the Chinese Historical Materialism Society and recipient of the prestigious Wu Zhang Humanities and Social Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award, his intellectual authority is undisputed. In Historical Materialism and Contemporary China, a key volume in the “Marxist Theory and Contemporary China” series, he presents a powerful argument for the enduring relevance of historical materialism. The book offers a brilliant refutation of both Confucian restorationism and the wholesale rejection of China’s own past, demonstrating instead that Marxism’s success in China stemmed from its profound ability to absorb the best of the nation’s cultural heritage. In turn, this encounter breathed new life into millennia old Chinese traditions.
Structured into three core sections, the work is a masterclass in theoretical and practical wisdom. The first section establishes the essence and function of historical materialism, clarifying its relationship with dialectical materialism and tackling the complex interplay between economic determinism and human agency. The second section focuses on the “Chinese Road,” analyzing the dialectics of a century of change, the lessons of socialist practice, and the meaning of the Chinese path and Chinese solution. The final section delves into culture and conviction, exploring the integration of Marxism with traditional Chinese culture, the historical cycle of dynasties and China’s socialist path, and the critical contemporary issue of cultural confidence.
More than a mere theoretical study, this book is an indispensable tool for understanding the philosophical logic that underpins China’s modern governance and cultural renaissance. It speaks directly to scholars of Sinology, students of political philosophy, and policymakers, as well as any keen observer of global affairs trying to decipher the worldview driving contemporary China. Rigorous yet accessible, Historical Materialism and Contemporary China is a timely and vital contribution to one of the defining dialogues of our era: how ancient civilizations can absorb and transform modern ideologies to forge a unique path of development.
About the author
Chen Xianda (1930–2024) was one of the most distinguished Marxist philosophers and educators in contemporary China. A professor and Honorary First‑Grade Professor at Renmin University of China, he served as President of the Chinese Society of Historical Materialism and was a member of the third Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council. Honored as one of the “Top Ten Most Beautiful Teachers in China” and a recipient of the Fifth Wu Yuzhang Award for Lifetime Achievement in Humanities and Social Sciences — widely regarded as the highest recognition in China’s humanities and social sciences alongside the National Natural Science Award— Chen was celebrated by the award committee as one who “has spoken for philosophy and borne witness to his era”. Often called a “walking Marxist canon” due to his encyclopedic mastery of Marxist classics, he spent nearly seventy years teaching and writing, producing over 200 academic papers, numerous influential textbooks, and the fourteen‑volume Collected Works of Chen Xianda.
Chen dedicated his career to demonstrating the enduring relevance of historical materialism in contemporary China. In his major work Historical Materialism and Contemporary China (published by China Renmin University Press), he examines the dialectical relationship between China’s ancient cultural traditions and the Marxism that has guided its modern transformation. Rejecting both Confucian restorationism and the wholesale rejection of tradition, Chen argues that Marxism took root in China precisely because it was able to absorb the best of the country’s cultural heritage — and that, in turn, this encounter breathed new life into millennia‑old Chinese traditions. The book engages with core theoretical questions, such as the relationship between economic determinism and human agency, the lessons of socialist practice in China, and the critical contemporary issue of cultural confidence. For anyone seeking to understand the philosophical logic underpinning China’s modern governance and cultural renaissance, Chen Xianda remains an indispensable and inspiring voice.
About the translator
