On March 6, 2026, the 151st Lecture of the Forum for Distinguished Scholars in Marxist Theory was held in Conference Room 201 of the School of Marxism at South China University of Technology. Professor HAN Xiping, a member of the Discipline Appraisal Group of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, former Deputy Party Secretary of Jilin University, and Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Marxism, Jilin University, was invited to deliver an academic report titled “Advancing the Holistic Construction of an Autonomous Knowledge System for the Discipline of Marxist Theory.” The session was moderated by Professor XIE Lixia, Dean of the School of Marxism at South China University of Technology, and attended by over 100 faculty members and students from the school.

During the report, Professor Han systematically elaborated on four core dimensions with clarity and logical progression: holistic research on Marxism, the holistic construction of the Marxist Theory discipline, the holistic construction of an autonomous knowledge system for this discipline, and corresponding practical measures. He explicitly emphasized that Marxism itself is like a single solid block of steel—an organic whole that is consistent in lineage and progresses from the abstract to the concrete.

Marking the tenth anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s important speech at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences, Professor Han stressed that upholding the guiding role of Marxism is the essential characteristic of contemporary Chinese philosophy and social sciences. Furthermore, advancing the holistic construction of an autonomous knowledge system constitutes the core task for the high-quality development of the Marxist Theory discipline.

Professor Han provided an in-depth analysis of current bottlenecks in disciplinary development and proposed corresponding measures: taking the “Two Integrations” as the fundamental direction to break free from the constraints of Western discourse; clarifying core concepts and dismantling barriers between sub-disciplines to strengthen systematic integration within the discipline; conducting interdisciplinary research grounded in major real-world issues to actively respond to significant questions of our time.

The report, closely aligned with disciplinary frontiers and the demands of the era, delivered an insightful presentation combining strong problem-awareness with theoretical depth for the faculty and students in attendance.

Dean XIE Lixia, on behalf of the school’s faculty and students, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Professor Han for his wonderful report. She noted that the rich and vivid content, along with the strategic insights proposed, not only reflect critical pathways for disciplinary development but also provide essential references for faculty and students in selecting thesis topics and applying for research projects.

Text: HU Xi

Photos: LU Yingying

First Review: LUO Dong

Second Review: ZHANG Dongli

Third Review: XIE Lixia