Abstract: Chinese traditional culture gene is thought and culture, which is presented in the inherent depths of the students' soul, and is the most basic elements of college students' socialist core values education. This article explains the basic connotation and characteristics of cultural genes, explores through activating cultural genes to inherit and innovate Chinese traditional culture, stimulate the vitality and the era value of traditional culture, and extract the essence of thinking. Cultural genes play an important role in activating students' socialism core values education, thus encouraging further innovative ways and means to continuously push forward the students' socialist core values education.