"Literature and art are the projects that shape the soul, and literary and artistic workers are the engineers of the soul."

In the re-publication of President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the symposium on literary and artistic work on October 15, 2014, in the 2023 issue of the Seeking Truth magazine, President Xi clearly pointed out that "literature and art provide value guidance, spiritual leadership, and aesthetic inspiration. The ideological level, professional competence, and moral standards of artists themselves are fundamental," requiring literary and art workers "not only to pursue excellence in literary and artistic creation but also to strive for excellence in ideological and moral cultivation, and should actively practice the core socialist values, striving to set an example with their words and actions."

"A lofty aspiration leads to concise language, a grand aspiration leads to powerful expression, and a far-reaching aspiration leads to enduring purpose." Emphasizing taste and valuing artistic ethics has always been President Xi Jinping's earnest expectation for the broad community of literary and artistic workers. On a certain date, President Xi wrote a letter to Niu Ben, a film and television performer who had recently joined the Party at the age of 83, praising his "unwavering pursuit of progress over the years, his determination to follow the Party for life, and the touching perseverance of this commitment"; and encouraging him to "continue to set an example in artistic and personal conduct, to inspire more literary and artistic workers to be people of faith, sentiment, and responsibility, and to contribute to the flourishing development of socialist literature and art."

In recent years, the General Secretary has also written back to a group of veteran professors from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, encouraging them to "persist in moral education and cultivate people, root themselves in the life of the times, follow the characteristics of aesthetic education, promote the spirit of Chinese aesthetic education, and ensure that the younger generation of the country grows up both physically and mentally healthy"; written back to the teachers and students of the China National Academy of Chinese Theatrical Arts, calling on them to "seek the true essence of art in teaching and learning, and temper their artistic dedication in serving the people"; awarded the "July 1 Medal" to the performing artist Lan Tianye, who is over 90 years old, expressing admiration for his continued work at such an age; and during the anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, presented the medal to Tian Hua, a recipient of the national honorary title "People's Artist"… The deep care and earnest instructions have inspired the majority of literary and art workers to remain true to their original aspirations, promote positive values, and continuously achieve the value of life in the pursuit of both moral integrity and artistic excellence.

In December, at the opening ceremony of the 10th National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the 9th National Congress of the China Writers Association, the General Secretary called on the majority of literary and art workers to "win respect with profound cultural cultivation, noble personality charm, and works that are both literary and beautiful, and to become practitioners of advanced culture and leaders of social trends, achieving self and realizing value in establishing morality and speaking for the nation and the people." In December, at the opening ceremony of the 11th National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the 10th National Congress of the China Writers Association, the General Secretary further emphasized that literary and art workers should "unify their personal moral cultivation and social image with the social effects of their works, adhere to artistic ideals, pursue excellence in both virtue and art, and strive to contribute works of noble character and literary beauty to preserve justice for history, promote virtue for the world, and leave a good name for themselves."

"Good professional literacy." All artistic creations are a reflection of the creator's talent, endowments, and inner cultivation. The General Secretary emphasizes that literary and art workers should consciously uphold artistic ideals, continuously enhance their learning, cultivation, and self-cultivation, strengthen the accumulation of thoughts, knowledge reserves, cultural cultivation, and artistic training, striving to achieve "encompassing the universe within form, and expressing myriad things through the brush." They should hold a respectful heart towards art and a sincere heart towards their profession, putting in real effort, practicing real skills, and seeking a true reputation.

"Noble personality cultivation" is inseparable from cultivating virtue and refining one's craft. The General Secretary emphasized that literature and art should shape the human heart, and creators must first shape themselves. They should regard upholding virtue and artistry as a lifelong pursuit, integrating personal conduct, actions, and artistic creation. They should strive for genuine knowledge, good moral character, and high taste, achieving excellence in both virtue and art. They should emphasize taste and style, consciously resist erroneous tendencies that confuse right from wrong and distort truth, consciously reject vulgar, crass, and pandering low tastes, and consciously oppose decadent ideas of materialism, hedonism, and extreme individualism. They should live with integrity and act with purity.

"Responsibility of Shouldering the Moral Obligation" in Society. The General Secretary emphasized that through literary and artistic works, we should convey the true, the good, and the beautiful, and transmit values that are upward and virtuous, guiding people to enhance their moral judgment and sense of moral honor, and to yearn for and pursue a life of practicing morality, respecting morality, and abiding by morality. Literary and artistic workers should embody the spirit of "Facing a thousand critics with a cold gaze, willingly bowing down as a humble servant," praising the true, the good, and the beautiful, and criticizing the false, the evil, and the ugly. They should boldly write and sing about positive energy, with confidence and openness; they should boldly express anger and criticism against evil deeds, with righteousness and unyielding spirit. We should promote professional ethics and artistic integrity, establish a good social image in the literary and artistic community, and foster an industry atmosphere of self-respect, mutual learning, mutual appreciation, and a clear and bright environment.

"Handle the relationship between righteousness and profit well." The General Secretary emphasized, "Literature and art should not be slaves to the market, and should not be tainted with the stench of money." He called on literary and art workers to correctly grasp the relationship between artistic individuality and social morality, always placing social benefits first, and seriously considering the social impact of their works. The General Secretary particularly stressed that literary and art workers should cherish their social image, remain composed and steady in the face of the market economy, not swayed by immediate gains or impatient for momentary praise, not becoming slaves to the market, daring to say "no" to the ostentatious competition for wealth, to vulgar and sensational publicity, and to base actions driven by profit at the expense of righteousness.

The new era needs masters of literature and art, and is fully capable of nurturing such masters! The new era needs peaks of literature and art, and is fully capable of forging such peaks! On the new journey of building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation, the vast number of literary and artistic workers, with eyes that embrace the waters of a thousand rivers and hearts that rise with a million soldiers, carrying forward the legacy of a hundred generations and meeting the changes of the present, hold their pens tightly with heart, emotion, and effort, dip them deeply in ink, and write with all their might. They are bound to realize the great creation of art within the great creation of the Party and the people, forging a new splendor for Chinese culture!