China Turns “Cultivating People Through Culture, Prosperity Through Arts” Into a National Policy Mantra

The roots of the idea stretch back decades, but it has crystallised into a recognizable mantra in the past two years. In March 2023, during a review of a Jiangsu delegation, President Xi Jinping raised the question of “Humanities Economics” (人文经济学) and declared that “where culture is developed, the economy also leads the way.” That remark set the tone for a series of more explicit references to the phrase in the months that followed.

In February 2024, Xi’s inspection tour of Tianjin brought the slogan into sharper focus. He articulated a four‑part formula — “using culture to cultivate people, to benefit the people, to enrich cities, and to prosper industries” — as essential for showcasing urban cultural characteristics, inheriting city‑wide traditions and nurturing a modern civilizational spirit. The language was unmistakably a blueprint for how culture should be woven into the fabric of governance.

Since then, the slogan has become a staple of public messaging. A scan of Weibo posts from the first half of 2025 shows the phrase attached to a wide array of initiatives:

• Cultural industries as engines of growth. Posts about the “smokeless factory” (无烟工厂) highlight animation and cultural exports as high‑value economic assets, underscoring the belief that creative content can translate directly into trade revenue.

• Technology and innovation. The same slogan appears alongside discussions of nuclear power, advanced manufacturing and digital innovation, suggesting that cultural thinking is being positioned as a catalyst for scientific progress.

• Public‑health and safety campaigns. Officials have paired the phrase with drives against illegal drug‑laced diet pills and other health‑related warnings, indicating a desire to embed cultural values into everyday social concerns.

• Regional development. References to Zhejiang’s “Eight Cultural Projects” and the rapid urbanisation of the Xiong’an New Area illustrate how local governments are using the slogan to brand their own development models.

The timeline of 2025 offers a snapshot of how the concept is being operationalised. In January, Guangzhou hosted a series of cultural events described as “entering the hearts of the people,” a clear nod to the “以文化人” component that stresses cultural enrichment for the masses. By March, the “Humanities Economics” framework re‑emerged in policy papers, reinforcing the “以文兴业” side of the equation that ties cultural production to market expansion. August proved especially dense with activity: a televised four‑episode special titled The Power of Culture – The Origin and Practice of Xi Jinping’s Cultural Thought in Zhejiang aired from August 6, drawing strong public response and detailing how Zhejiang’s two‑decade “Eight Cultural Projects” have turned cultural strength into new economic potential. Meanwhile, city‑level announcements in the same month stressed the construction of “people‑centred” modern cities, the digitisation of cultural assets and the integration of intangible heritage into contemporary markets.

Across these examples, three overarching themes emerge. First, integration: culture is being deliberately linked to sectors as varied as high‑tech manufacturing, urban planning and public‑policy. Second, modernisation: the slogan is framed as a cornerstone of China’s drive toward a “modern civilisation,” a vision that pairs economic sophistication with a spiritually uplifted citizenry. Third, people‑centred development: officials repeatedly stress that cultural initiatives must benefit the public, improve quality of life and reinforce a shared national identity.

The strategic logic behind “以文化人以文兴业” is clear. By nurturing a culturally educated populace, the state hopes to create a workforce that is more creative, adaptable and ethically attuned — qualities that are touted as essential for a knowledge‑based economy. Simultaneously, the promotion of cultural and creative industries is expected to diversify revenue streams, boost soft power abroad and provide a fresh avenue for brand building in a global market saturated with homogeneous products.

For society at large, the slogan promises moral uplift and social cohesion. Campaigns that weave cultural narratives into health‑promotion or anti‑crime messages aim to shape public behaviour through shared values. Urban projects that embed museums, heritage sites and digital cultural platforms into daily life are presented as ways to enrich citizens’ well‑being and foster a sense of belonging.

Politically, the phrase dovetails with China’s broader soft‑power strategy. By exporting cultural content — from animation to micro‑films on archaeological themes — the government seeks to project a confident, sophisticated image on the world stage, complementing its economic and diplomatic ambitions. Domestically, the emphasis on culture as a unifying force is intended to reinforce national identity across a vast, multi‑ethnic population, while also providing a stable ideological foundation for governance.

In short, “以文化人以文兴业” has evolved from a philosophical ideal into a concrete policy instrument that threads cultural development through the nation’s economic, social and political agendas. Its prevalence on Weibo, the lack of overt criticism in the public sphere and its frequent echo in official speeches all point to a top‑down narrative that positions culture not merely as a decorative element of Chinese life, but as a driving force behind the country’s next phase of modernization. As the 2025 cultural calendar unfolds, the phrase will likely continue to shape everything from factory floors to city squares, underscoring the Chinese leadership’s conviction that the future of the nation is as much a story of art and heritage as it is of steel and silicon.