Research Outline for China’s Cultural Soft Power

136 Pages·2017·1.422 MB·English

by  Guozuo Zhang (auth.)

Research Series on the Chinese Dream
and China’s Development Path
Guozuo Zhang
Research
Outline for
China’s Cultural
Soft Power
Research Series on the Chinese Dream
’
and China s Development Path
Project Director
Xie Shouguang, President, Social Sciences Academic Press
Series editors
Li Yang, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China
Li Peilin, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China
Academic Advisors
CaiFang,GaoPeiyong,LiLin,LiQiang,MaHuaide,PanJiahua,PeiChanghong,
Qi Ye, Wang Lei, Wang Ming, Zhang Yuyan, Zheng Yongnian, Zhou Hong
Drawing on a large body of empirical studies done over the last two decades, the
Research Series on the Chinese Dream and China’s Development Path seeks to
provideitsreaderswithin-depthanalysesofthepastandpresent,andforecastsfor
thefuturecourseofChina’sdevelopment.ThankstotheadoptionofSocialismwith
Chinese characteristics, and the implementation of comprehensive reform and
opening, China has made tremendous achievements in areas such as political
reform,economicdevelopment,andsocialconstruction,andismakinggreatstrides
towardstherealizationoftheChinesedreamofnationalrejuvenation.Inadditionto
presenting a detailed account of many of these achievements, the authors also
discusswhatlessonsothercountriescanlearnfromChina’sexperience.Thisseries
willbeaninvaluablecompaniontoeveryresearcherwhoistryingtogainadeeper
understanding of the development model, path and experience unique to China.
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/13571
Guozuo Zhang
’
Research Outline for China s
Cultural Soft Power
123
Guozuo Zhang
ChinaCenter for Cultural Soft PowerResearch
Changsha,Hunan
China
Translated byXiaoyan Li
ISSN 2363-6866 ISSN 2363-6874 (electronic)
Research Series onthe ChineseDream andChina’s Development Path
ISBN978-981-10-3396-4 ISBN978-981-10-3398-8 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-3398-8
JointlypublishedwithSocialSciencesAcademicPress
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Series Preface
SinceChina’sreformandopeningbeganin1978,thecountryhascomealongway
on the path of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, under the leadership of the
Communist Party of China. Over 30 years of reform efforts and sustained spec-
tacular economic growth have turned China into the world’s second largest econ-
omy, and wrought many profound changes in the Chinese society. These
historicallysignificantdevelopmentshavebeengarneringincreasingattentionfrom
scholars, governments and the general public alike around the world since the
1990s,whenthenewestwaveofChinastudiesbegantogathersteam.Someofthe
hottesttopicshaveincludedtheso-called“Chinamiracle”,“Chinesephenomenon”,
“Chinese experience”, “Chinese path” and the “Chinese model”. Homegrown
researchershavesoonfollowedsuit.Alreadyhugelyproductive,thisvibrantfieldis
putting out a large number of books each year, with Social Sciences Academic
Press alone having published hundreds of titles on a wide range of subjects.
Because most of these books have been written and published in Chinese,
however,readershiphasbeenlimitedoutsideChina—evenamongmanywhostudy
China—forwhomEnglishisstillthelinguafranca.Thislanguagebarrier hasbeen
animpediment toeffortsby academia,business communities andpolicy-makers in
othercountriestoformathoroughunderstandingofcontemporaryChina,ofwhatis
distinct about China’s past and present may mean not only for her future but also
forthefutureoftheworld.Theneedtoremovesuchanimpedimentisbothrealand
urgent, and the Research Series on the Chinese Dream and China’s Development
Path is my answer to the call.
This series features some of the most notable achievements from the last
20 years by scholars in China in a variety of research topics related to reform and
opening. They include both theoretical explorations and empirical studies, and
cover economy, society, politics, law, culture and ecology, the six areas in which
reform and opening policies have had the deepest impact and farthest-reaching
consequences for the country. Authors for the series have also tried to articulate
their visions of the “Chinese Dream” and how the country can realize it in these
fields and beyond.
v
vi SeriesPreface
AlloftheeditorsandauthorsfortheResearchSeriesontheChineseDreamand
China’s Development Path are both longtime students of reform and opening
andrecognizedauthoritiesintheirrespectiveacademicfields.Theircredentialsand
expertise lend credibility to these books, each of which having been subject to a
rigorouspeer review processfor inclusion inthe series. As part of theReform and
DevelopmentProgramundertheStateAdministrationofPress,Publication,Radio,
Film and Television of the People’s Republic of China, the series is published by
Springer, a Germany-based academic publisher of international repute, and dis-
tributedoverseas.IamconfidentthatitwillhelpfillalacunainstudiesofChinain
the era of reform and opening.
Xie Shouguang
Preface
Since the concept of soft power was introduced to China over two decades ago,
momentous changes have occurred in the world: the collapse of the Soviet Union,
theendoftheColdWar,tonamebutafew.Aftertheirinitialexcitement,itdawned
on the US-led Western countries that they could hardly expect to rely on hard
power alone to practice their hegemony, just as it had failed to save the Soviet
Unionfromitscollapse.Thatwaswhenattentionwastransferredtotheroleplayed
by soft power. Since then, the term has frequently appeared in the political and
cultural fields in China and around the world. The development was rather slow
andsporadicinChina,however,asthefirstdecadeonlywitnessedsometranslation
work. The focus of the second decade had been shifted towards the Chinese
interpretation and application of the theories of soft power. In recent years, how
Chinese soft power is related to Joseph S. Nye, Jr.’s in the Chinese academia has
been explored, without examining the profound differences between the two.
Fortunately, China’s academia and the political field are now beginning to con-
centrateontheChinesecharacteristics inthesoftpowerresearch.Withweakbasic
theoryanddisagreementovertheconcept,categoriesandlogicofsoftpowerinthe
academiccirclehomeandabroad,China’sinitialeffortsintheresearcharefarfrom
being totally satisfactory in many aspects. Too often Joseph Nye’s views on soft
power are just slavishly followed; sometimes overgeneralizations are made as if it
canbeappliedasapanaceaforeverything.Often,however,theconceptisnotbroad
enough as it is interpreted only as the right to speak only, as traditional culture, or
onlyasthenationalimage.Theintroductionofasystematicoutlinefortheresearch
of soft power has become an impending issue under such circumstances so that
therewouldbearesearchplatformwiththesameconceptandcategoriesandforthe
same purpose.
ThatiswhyIbegantowritethebookResearchOutlineforChina’sCulturalSoft
Power, and I felt that it is necessary to first tell my readers the following.
1. The concept of “China’s cultural soft power” is introduced as a whole, that is,
my book does not intend to talk about the cultural soft power of any countries
other than that of China’s. Of course, the broad differences between China and
vii
viii Preface
other countries could only be explained by a comparison between the two, and
Joseph Nye’s concept of soft power as the source invites comparison.
2. To design the research outline for China’s cultural soft power, we should first
clarify the four interrelated basic concepts—“culture,” “soft power,” “cultural
soft power,” and “China’s cultural soft power”—their categories, logical links,
and theoretical as well as practical implications. Evidently, the distinct ideo-
logical attributes of cultural soft power and its close relationship to national
interests decide that the research must defend China’s interests and the core
values of China under the guidance of Chinese Marxism.
3. Theaimofmybookistoestablishageneralframeworkforanalysisandalogic
system for the theoretical study of China’s cultural soft power. In emphasizing
cultural soft power of China, we do not intend to be a narrow-minded nation-
alist.Instead,webelievethatonlybythecollisionofideas,ortheintertwining,
borrowing, accepting or rejecting of the cultures of various other nations can
humancivilizationmakeadvances.Ontheotherhand,weshouldalsobeaware
thatitisimpossibleforacountry’ssoftpoweraspartofsuperstructurenottobe
constrained by its economic base, political system, or national interests, and
have characteristics different from other peoples or nations. Hence, it would be
inevitable for the book to borrow from the others for its own use.
4. The book is developed in inheriting from and criticizing others, as any other
theoretical innovationstend tobe. My book begins with theintroduction ofthe
source oftheconceptofsoft power from thetheoretical and thehistorical level
—Joseph Nye and his soft power: the main idea and the contents of his soft
power, his aim to maintain hegemony and power politics of the United States,
and the rise in status of soft power in the Internet age and the information age.
On theother hand,anobjectiveanalysis ofthelimitationsofJoseph Nye’ssoft
power is performed in addition to his contributions. How other American
scholars interpret and respond to Nye’s soft power and a summary of the soft
powerresearchofthemajorpowersintheworldarealsointroduced.Theabove
theories of Nye’s will serve as salutary lessons for my book.
5. The path of development of China’s soft power is summarized in this book,
especially Chinese scholars’ development of the concept of cultural soft power
in light of Joseph Nye’s contributions and limitations. Then, Xi Jinping’s
theories of “striving to promote China’s cultural soft power” are elaborated on,
especially his viewpoints on providing a secure foundation for China’s soft
power, on disseminating modern Chinese values, on demonstrating the special
charm of Chinese culture to the world, on projecting China’s image, and on
winning more say for China in the international community. The systematic
framework of this book is set on this basis, and suggestions are offered for the
conduction of research into China’s cultural soft power.
6. The book is composed of the following parts. The preface part reveals the
reasons,goals,conceptanalysis,logicalpath,researchemphasisandthegeneral
outline of the book. The introduction part is mainly about the source of the
conceptofsoftpower,themainideasofJosephNye’sworks,hiscontributions,
and the research conducted by the major powers of the world, with the focus
Preface ix
being the historical development, major advances and invaluable contributions
made by the Chinese scholars. Part three, divided into eight chapters, is the
theoreticalframeworkofbuildingChina’sCulturalsoftpower.Relatedconcepts
are also defined, such as the connotation of culture, of soft power, and of
culturalsoftpower.Inaddition,itismadeclearthatChina’sculturalsoftpower
is radically different from Joseph Nye’s in terms of its principle of people-
orientation, its categories, major areas and central problems. Xi Jinping’s line
for increasing China’s cultural soft power is specified, and the key links of
raising the cultural soft power is emphasized. The internal logic of soft power
research and the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese Dream are
demonstrated.
7. Beinganoutline,itshouldfirstbewithpreciseconcepts,aclear-cuttheme,strict
logic, informative materials, and persuasive presentation. Persuasiveness, in
turn, comes from valid argument and irrefutable evidence. After borrowing the
theoryfromaforeignsource,oneneedstomakeinnovationsbasedonitinorder
to create something of one’s own, learning from its strengths and avoiding its
disadvantages. What matters is not the length of the book, but its accuracy,
systematicity, persuasiveness and authoritativeness. Through the efforts, I hope
to fill the research gap and to provide a theory for the research of China’s
culturalsoftpower.Inshort,myoutlineisexpectedtobewithclarity,pithiness,
correctpoliticalorientation,strictlogic,detaileddocumentationandcompelling
argument.
8. By no means is my book conclusive. There will be no end to practice, and the
development of China’s cultural soft power will never end, either. This means
that further and more in-depth research into China’s cultural soft power is
needed. The most meaningful thing of publishing my book, I believe, is to
establish arelatively systematic theoretic framework for the cultural soft power
research and to provide the scholars in the related field with some reference.
Criticism is warmly welcomed.
Beijing, China Guozuo Zhang