Beijing, China, Oct. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In an instruction by Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission at the meeting, Xi stressed building stronger cultural confidence, following the approach of openness and inclusiveness, and upholding fundamental principles while breaking new ground to provide a strong ideological guarantee, spiritual strength, and favorable cultural conditions for building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
On July 1, 2021, when the Party celebrated its centenary, Xi proposed "two integrations," emphasizing the need to "integrate the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and fine traditional culture." The "second integration" - one with fine traditional culture - represents a profound "chemical reaction" and the emancipation of the mind, Xinhua reported.
In this edition of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, the Global Times explores how "chemical reaction" has taken place in recent years and turned China's fine traditional cooler and more international, thereby rallying a stronger Chinese spirit, Chinese values, and Chinese strength.
When Apple CEO Tim Cook visited an exhibition in Shanghai on Monday, he was greeted by a unique "Tim Cook Labubu."
Labubu, a curious culture creation from China, is capturing the imagination of the global youth with its small, sharp-eared figure, jagged teeth, and an ambiguous expression.
Young fans camped overnight in New York, forming long queues in Seoul and stayed for nights as the pre-sales began in Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities. All they wanted was a Labubu doll.
Li Tian, 23, told the Global Times that she owns dozens of Labubu dolls. "They are so cool. Having them makes me cool," she said, reflecting the doll's role in shaping modern youth culture.
Similarly, the global appeal of Chinese culture was evident when American YouTuber IShowSpeed, with nearly 40 million followers, livestreamed his tours of Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai in March and April.
His broadcasts showcased China's friendly locals, spotless streets, and high-speed Wi-Fi on subways, captivating his audience. Chinese fans took selfies with him at the Great Wall, while local artists and vloggers joined him to present Chinese culture and hospitality with confidence.
"These are not isolated cases," Shao Sheng, associate professor at the Faculty of Humanities at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance), told the Global Times.
"They represent vivid microcosms of the systematic advancement of cultural development in the new era, driven by the directional guidance and methodological support of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture."
Cool power
The term "cool" has become a global shorthand for the growing fascination with China's cultural allure. This perception stems from the country's rapidly advancing hard power - seen in its cutting-edge infrastructure, technology, and urban development - and its soft power, exemplified by high-quality cultural products like video games, augmented reality (AR), music, stage performances, and internationally acclaimed science-fiction films. These elements combine to project a compelling image of China as a modern, innovative, and culturally rich nation.
A prime example is the video game Black Myth: Wukong, which has taken the world by storm with its stunning visuals and deep roots in Chinese mythology. The game incorporates 3D scans of national heritage sites, such as the Jincheng Yuhuang Temple in Shanxi Province, allowing players to explore meticulously recreated ancient architecture, painted sculptures, and cultural relics.
Liu Zhanyuan, an architecture graduate from Tsinghua University, was so inspired by the game's depiction of his hometown's heritage that he became a vlogger on platforms including Xiaohongshu to showcase Shanxi's ancient temples to over 30,000 followers.
"I was impressed by the temples in the game," Liu told the Global Times. "They are so cool when I visited these places with my friends. I want more people to know the beauty of Shanxi and how cool our China is."
The highly detailed recreations of ancient architectures, painted sculptures, sutra pillars, and stone carved railings - such as the Twenty-Eight Mansions at the Jincheng Yuhuang Temple, and the painted sculptures at the Gaoping Tiefo Temple - in the game allow players to appreciate the beauty of these cultural relics. This has further inspired numerous content creators like Liu to promote the splendors of Chinese culture across various platforms, from YouTube to TikTok.
The astonishing image of the "furious, hair-standing-on-end" Kang Jinlong in the game originates from one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions in traditional Chinese astrology sculptures housed in the Jincheng Yuhuang Temple Painted Sculpture and Mural Museum.
This cultural momentum extends beyond gaming. The painted sculpture and mural museum in Yuhuang Temple in Jincheng, Shanxi, is leveraging the popularity of Black Myth: Wukong to promote cultural preservation. "We hope that through the game's promotion, more people will contribute ideas and efforts for the protection and revitalization of cultural relics," said museum's director Yin Zhenxing.
Similarly, the "Cosmic Alignment" exhibition at the Jincheng Urban Experience Center, curated by the UCCA Lab, draws on Jincheng's heritage to explore the evolution of Chinese cosmology through a modern lens, guiding visitors through an immersive journey of "harmony between humanity and nature."
The exhibition is not merely a visual translation of the cosmological views embedded in Jincheng's ancient architecture. Inspired by the octagram pattern on a jade plaque and the ancient Luoshu diagram, its spatial design adopts an "eight directions" layout. This guides visitors along a cyclical path that seamlessly connects the end to the beginning, retracing the exploratory journey of "observing the celestial phenomena above and examining the earth below."
New heights of cultural confidence
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture encompasses several key aspects, including strengthening the Party's leadership over public communication and culture, and promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of China's fine traditional culture, according to Xinhua.
Theorists state that the establishment of the thought shows that the Party's historical and cultural confidence have reached new heights, Xinhua reported.
This confidence is evident in the meticulous craftsmanship behind cultural products like Black Myth: Wukong, which took over six years to develop, and Ne Zha 2, an animated blockbuster that involved 4,000 people and nearly 2,000 visual effects, shot over five and a half years. These projects underscore the ambition and persistence fostered by cultural confidence.
Moreover, this confidence is fueling a broader cultural renaissance. By integrating traditional elements with modern innovation, China is creating products that resonate globally while staying rooted in its heritage.
This balance of tradition and modernity not only strengthens national pride, but also positions Chinese culture as a dynamic force on the world stage, capable of inspiring and engaging diverse audiences.
Bruno Heynderickx, ballet director of the Hessian State Ballet in Germany, has been impressed by the quality of Chinese dance since participating in the China Contemporary Dance Biennial in Shanghai in 2019 and 2025.
"I see distinctive expressions from the East and a new physical vocabulary, which I find exciting," he told the Global Times.
After Shanghai, he toured Qinhuangdao in North China's Hebei Province for the second Move to Move International Dance Festival and there he worked as the Chair of the Jury of Next Pulse competition, which aims to discover young promising dance talents.
While Europe has a long history of modern dance, in Asia it remains an emerging art form.
Having worked with Chinese dancers like Wang Yabin and Wu Mengke since 1995, he admires the philosophical depth in their movements, describing them as "like water, with softness and sometimes hardness, like a wave that takes everything." He encourages young dancers to explore contemporary forms while respecting tradition.
This openness to global collaboration and innovation is fostering a new generation of Chinese artists who are confident in their cultural identity yet eager to engage with the world.
Empathy, shared understanding, and co-creation
The global rise of Chinese culture is also evident in the viral success of the song "Da Zhan Hong Tu" by rapper Lan Lao, which has sparked a worldwide dance challenge on platforms like Tiktok. Meaning "Great Ambition," the song blends a Cantonese opera sample with a modern trap beat, weaving in cultural references like Phoenix Dancong tea (a type of Oolong tea) and jade pendants. This fusion of tradition and modernity has resonated with global audiences, transforming Chinese rap and dance into symbols of "cool" culture.
Shao explains that this phenomenon reflects a shift toward "empathy, shared understanding, and co-creation" in Chinese cultural dissemination across the world.
Since the entry into the new era, and particularly after Xi Jinping Thought on Culture was put forward in 2023, China has prioritized building a framework for international cultural exchange that is approachable, impactful, and participatory. This framework starts with empathy, is based on shared understanding, and follows the path of co-creation.
"Empathy" focuses on touching hearts through universal emotions, as seen in Chinese films and animations that explore themes like family and personal growth. "Shared understanding" seeks common ground across cultures, while "co-creation" invites global audiences to actively participate in cultural production, whether through co-produced films, collaborative games, or adaptations of Chinese web novels.
This shift marks a significant evolution in how Chinese culture is shared with the world. By moving beyond mere showcasing to fostering two-way interaction, China is transforming international audiences into co-creators, deepening the global impact of its cultural products.
As Shao noted, "This is not merely an optimization of dissemination strategy but a demonstration of cultural confidence, injecting new vitality into global cultural diversity."
Xi Jinping Thought on Culture serves as a guiding light for China's cultural modernization, offering a model for nations seeking to balance tradition with innovation, according to Shao. By fostering cultural confidence, embracing openness, and promoting empathy-driven collaboration, China is not only revitalizing its own cultural heritage but also contributing to the progress of human civilization.
From Labubu dolls to blockbuster games and viral dance challenges, Chinese culture is captivating the world with its unique blend of tradition and modernity, proving that "cool" is not just a trend but a reflection of a confident, inclusive, and creative nation.
Source: Global Times:
Company: Global Times
Contact Person: Anna Li
Email: editor@globaltimes.com.cn
Website: https://globaltimes.cn
City: Beijing
Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
