Evolution of the “Zhejiang Spirit” During the Forty Years of Reform and Opening-up

The "Zhejiang spirit" refers to a theoretical summary of the group consciousness, mental state, value orientation and ideological realm, which is, as a motivating power, owned and recognized by all Zhejiang people, and carries Zhejiang peculiarities. President Xi Jinping, during his term of office in Zhejiang, launched a number of seminars and activities to seek "a Zhejiang spirit that moves with the times." Forty years of reform and opening-up, the "Zhejiang spirit" has experienced an evolution that can be summarized as three improvements: from spontaneous formation to deliberate cultivation, from something limited to eastern Zhejiang to an integrating force that spans the entire Zhejiang Province, and from a mere existence to a role that functions adequately. The "Zhejiang spirit" is extracted from the humanistic spirits shaped in all corners of Zhejiang province. It is "an instrumental ensemble played across the entire province," and represents a certain judgment and interpretation. The "Zhejiang spirit" not only describes and summarizes the past and present, but will also guide and motivate the future, and support people in their enterprising and industrious practices to move with the times.