BEIJING — President Xi Jinping urged Chinese artists and writers to strengthen their confidence in Chinese culture and create excellent works to inspire the nation.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the 10th Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and the ninth Congress of the Chinese Writers Association (CWA) on Nov 30, 2016.

Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli — members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee — attended the ceremony along with about 3,300 people from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and overseas.

“To create outstanding works with vivid national characteristics and unique personal style, one must have a profound understanding of Chinese culture and a high level of cultural confidence,” Xi said.

“Promoting socialist core values should be fundamental to artists and writers, who should firmly resort to Chinese people’s thoughts, emotions and aesthetics to create works catering to the times, featuring notable Chinese elements,” Xi said.

Such works should encourage every Chinese person’s “sense of national pride and honor,” he added.

Describing the people as “the creators of history and sculptors of time,” the President called for artists and writers to serve the people and reflect people’s lives.

“All artists and writers with ambitions and pursuits should step outside their own space and embrace the diversity of the world, letting their hearts beat in rhythm with the people’s,” Xi said.

Artists and writers were told to evaluate materials from life and to use art to heighten people’s sense of ideology, culture, aesthetics and morality.

Xi urged them to be bold in innovation and promote culture with exquisite artistry.

Writers and artists should produce excellent works, always innovating in a bid to make “immortal works” for all humanity.

“The Chinese people contribute to humanity with not only new development mode and path, but also the results of their artistry,” said Xi.

President Xi Jinping (C, front) and other senior leaders Li Keqiang (3rd R, front), Zhang Dejiang (3rd L, front), Yu Zhengsheng (2nd R, front), Liu Yunshan (2nd L, front), Wang Qishan (1st R, front) and Zhang Gaoli (1st L, front) attend the opening ceremony of the 10th Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and the ninth Congress of the Chinese Writers Association (CWA) in Beijing, capital of China, Nov 30, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

The President also called on writers and artists to adhere to their artistic pursuit, and lead social morale through highbrow works.

Xi said writers and artists should promote positive and noble values, and ensure such values are reflected in their works.

Writers and artists should aim for excellence both artistically and morally, becoming practitioners of high-end culture and vanguards of modern life, he added.

Xi said that literary and artistic work should be people-focused, and artists and writers should serve the people and socialism, adding that inspiring works were needed for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Noting that literary and artistic work is important for the Party and the people, Xi said artists and writers have worked at various stages of revolution, reform and development.

The opening ceremony of the 10th Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and the ninth Congress of the Chinese Writers Association (CWA) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Nov 30, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

Xi urged Party organizations to attach high attention to literary and artistic work and to guide the CFLAC and the CWA in deepening reform, adding that Party organizations should lead such work based on the characteristics of literature and art, and protect artists and writers’ enthusiasm.

“This is the tree of life. We should sing and hop between the branches and leaves like little birds, and also fly and take a view from high above like eagles,” the President said. “Vivid stories are not in short supply in China, but the key is to tell them well; deeds of an epic scale are abundant, we just need the ambition to make epic works.”