Speech at the Forum on Literature and Art
Culture is an important force behind the existence and development of a nation. Every leap forward for human society and civilization has been accompanied by historic cultural progress. With a history stretching back more than 5,000 years, the Chinese nation is long considered one of the great powers of pre-modern times. Over the course of several millennia, the going has not always been smooth for our nation; we have encountered countless hardships and difficulties, but we have always pulled through and emerged stronger. One important reason for this is that countless generations of Chinese people have nurtured and developed a unique and profound culture, which has provided our nation with a powerful source of inspiration to overcome adversity and keep making progress.