◆ The Chinese nation has advocated innovation since ancient times and has continued to create material, spiritual and political civilization with the spirit of innovation, demonstrating impressive achievements in civilization.
◆ The innovation of Chinese civilization is proactive change and innovation, dialectical innovation of integrity, and open integration innovation. It upholds the enterprising spirit of being upright but not conservative, respecting the past and not retrograding, and has strong vitality.
◆ On the new journey, China is developing and progressing together with more civilizations through exchanges and mutual learning, constantly achieving new transcendences in theory and practice, and constantly enriching and developing new forms of human civilization.
On June 2, 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the symposium on cultural inheritance and development: "Chinese civilization has outstanding innovation." "The innovative nature of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines whether the Chinese nation will be conservative or old-fashioned, and whether it will respect the past. The retro enterprising spirit determines the Chinese nation’s fearless character of not being afraid of new challenges and having the courage to accept new things.”
Chinese culture has a long history and Chinese civilization is extensive and profound.
The Chinese nation has a million-year human history, a 10,000-year cultural history, and a civilization history of more than 5,000 years. It is the only great civilization in the world that has been continuously developed in the form of a country to this day.
In the long river of time, Chinese civilization has shown eternal vitality. The still waters are deep and the waves are intertwined, and it is endless.
This is due to the fact that the Chinese nation has always been supported by innovation and constantly innovates and introduces new things.
In-depth study of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important judgment is of great significance for us to better strengthen our cultural confidence, continuously enhance the influence and appeal of Chinese civilization, effectively promote the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.
Innovation is embodied in the wisdom of the Chinese nation
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that innovation is the soul of a nation’s progress, an inexhaustible driving force for a country’s prosperity, and the deepest national endowment of the Chinese nation.
The Chinese nation has advocated innovation since ancient times, and has continuously created material, spiritual and political civilizations with the spirit of innovation. During a long historical period, it has stood as the most prosperous and powerful civilization in the world, demonstrating spectacular civilizational achievements. .
Judging from the achievements of material civilization, the Chinese nation has always focused on accumulating material civilization through innovation.
As early as the Neolithic Age, Chinese ancestors began to cultivate millet and broomcorn millet, and researched and made pottery for storing and cooking food.
During the Warring States Period, the large percussion instrument Zeng Hou Yi Chime was known as a "rare treasure".
During the Liangzhu Culture period, the world was amazed by the superb jade carving technology.
During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, Chinese ancestors learned from the bronze casting method and invented the Fan casting method to cast ironware, which laid the foundation for the popularization and application of ironware.
The steel-frying and steel-filling technologies born in the Han Dynasty have been in the world's leading position for a long time.
The papermaking technology of the Han Dynasty, the woodblock printing technology of the Tang Dynasty, the clay movable type technology of the Song Dynasty, the wood movable type technology of the Yuan Dynasty, and the metal movable type technology of the Ming Dynasty have greatly promoted the spread of knowledge.
The "Zhou Bi Suan Jing" of the Han Dynasty shows that the Chinese had mastered the basic principles of the Pythagorean Theorem in the Western Zhou Dynasty. The "Nine Chapters of Arithmetic" mentioned the rules of fractions, negative numbers and addition and subtraction for the first time. Zu Chongzhi, a mathematician of the Yuan Dynasty, accurately calculated pi. The seventh decimal place... During the development of civilization for more than 5,000 years, the Chinese people have always worked hard, innovated and created, and achieved fruitful results in astronomy, arithmetic, medicine, agriculture, silk weaving and other fields, and contributed to the world. Countless scientific and technological innovations have had a profound impact and made huge contributions to the progress of world civilization.
From the perspective of spiritual civilization, the Chinese nation has always focused on improving spiritual civilization through innovation.
In Chinese history, every dynasty has attached great importance to spiritual construction, constantly condensed outstanding cultural achievements, and formed a unique traditional Chinese philosophical and ideological system.
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, hundreds of schools of thought contended, and various schools of thought clashed, producing Confucian culture, Mohist culture, Taoist culture, and Legalist culture.
Among them, Confucianism, with "benevolence, justice, propriety, wisdom and trust" as its core, has been continuously developed and spread, and provided important ideological resources for the European Enlightenment Movement.
During the Han Dynasty, Confucian scholars represented by Dong Zhongshu incorporated the Yin-Yang and Five Elements theories on the basis of Confucianism.
During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, Confucianism merged with Taoism to produce metaphysics.
In the Song Dynasty, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism merged. Confucian masters such as Zhou Dunyi and Zhang Zai elaborated on principles. Neo-Confucianism and psychology became special forms of the development of Confucian philosophy.
From the Yuan Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty, Neo-Confucianism represented by Neo-Confucianism and Xinxue served as the mainstream academic thought, influencing the lives of generations of Chinese people.
In the development process of more than three thousand years of traditional Chinese philosophy, various schools of thought such as Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Mohism, Ming Dynasty, Dharma, Yin and Yang, Agriculture, Za, and Military have merged with each other, subtly affecting the behavior of Chinese people and forming There are many values that are used daily without conscious awareness.
For example, the right and wrong criterion of "filial piety, loyalty, trust, propriety, justice and shame"; the political wisdom of "the people are the foundation of the country and the foundation of the country and the peace of the country"; the spiritual pursuit of "constant self-improvement and virtuous conduct"; the family philosophy of "every man is responsible for the rise and fall of the world". national sentiments; the thinking method of "holding dual uses, guarding the middle and achieving harmony"; the way of communication of "honesty and harmony, being kind and kind to neighbors"...these achievements of spiritual civilization have always shone brightly in the history of world spiritual civilization. It shows the cultural literacy of ancient Chinese ancestors and plays a positive role in the construction of spiritual civilization today.
From the perspective of institutional civilization, the Chinese nation has always focused on developing institutional civilization through innovation.
At the national system level, the Xia Dynasty, as the first country recorded in Chinese history books, established the transfer method of power according to the hereditary system.
After the Western Zhou Dynasty destroyed the Shang Dynasty, the enfeoffment system was implemented and the exploration of the relationship between the central and local governments began.
The Qin Dynasty established a centralized, unified multi-ethnic state and laid the basic framework for the development of subsequent national systems.
In terms of the national administrative system, the Qin Dynasty established the system of three ministers and nine ministers, the Sui and Tang Dynasties evolved into the system of three provinces and six ministries, and the Ming Dynasty abolished the prime minister system. These continuous explorations of national governance embody the governance wisdom of our ancient ancestors.
In terms of personnel selection and employment, the ancient system of personnel selection and employment, including the hereditary system, the military merit system, the inspection and examination system, the nine-rank Zhongzheng system, and the imperial examination system, have gradually been improved, and there has been widespread mobility among classes, and the opportunities for the people to participate in national governance have increased.
In addition, the supervisory system that matches the administrative system, the civil service system, and the grade system that are closely related to the selection and employment of people are at least more than a thousand years earlier than in the West. Some legal system books have transcended national boundaries and have become a source of learning for many countries. template.
China's political civilization continues to undergo transformation and exploration in the course of social development. It is closely related to the material civilization and spiritual civilization of ancient China and has unique Chinese characteristics among world political civilizations.
Innovation has its own unique inherent qualities
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that reforming the past, renewing the past, and advancing with the times are the eternal spiritual qualities of Chinese civilization.
In the history of the development of world civilizations, the ancient Egyptian, ancient Babylonian, and ancient Indian civilizations failed to survive. Only the Chinese civilization continues to flourish. This is inseparable from the innovative spirit of the Chinese nation.
The innovative spirit of the Chinese nation is the most distinctive endowment of the Chinese nation. It is an expression of the inherent quality and spiritual charm of the Chinese nation and has unique inherent characteristics.
The innovation of Chinese civilization is proactive change and innovation.
The innovative nature of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines the fearless character of the Chinese nation that is not afraid of new challenges and has the courage to accept new things.
The Chinese nation has never been conservative or rigid in its traditions. Since ancient times, the Chinese nation has dared to take the initiative and been good at seeking change.
During the Shang and Tang Dynasties, the Chinese ancestors put forward the concept of "new every day, new every day, and new every day"; "Kang Gao" said: "to be a new people", encouraging people to abandon the old and pursue the new; the "Book of Songs" pointed out: "Although the Zhou Dynasty is old, "The country, its destiny is to be renewed"; the "Book of Changes" points out: "The way to benefit is to keep pace with the times." These innovative and new ideas reflect that the innovative ideas that change with the times and advance with the times have long been rooted in China. The spiritual world of our ancestors.
In the five thousand years of civilization of the Chinese nation, the Chinese ancestors have always maintained the spirit of initiative and innovation, and have taken the initiative to make changes time and time again, creating a splendid Chinese civilization.
For example, in terms of the development trajectory of ancient Chinese farming civilization, from the use of stone tools to the invention of iron tools, from the replacement of stone plows, iron plows, and curved shaft plows to the construction of Dujiangyan and Karez, these agricultural tools and water conservancy projects have witnessed The progress of agricultural technology and the improvement of productivity are ultimately due to the proactive and innovative spirit of the Chinese ancestors.
For another example, the Chinese ancestors used their imagination to create oracle bone inscriptions based on pictures and then used their imagination to create oracle bone inscriptions. Later, through the evolution of bronze inscriptions, Warring States inscriptions, small seal script, Han Li, and regular script, Chinese characters finally became a way to record history, inherit culture, and spread civilization. important carrier.
The innovation of Chinese civilization is dialectical innovation.
The innovative nature of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines the enterprising spirit of the Chinese nation to be upright rather than conservative, and to respect the past rather than retrospect.
In ancient Chinese spiritual culture, innovation is innovation in inheritance, and inheritance in innovation.
The "Za Gua Zhuan" in the "Book of Changes" points out: "Gege means to get rid of the old; Ding means to get the new." "Huainanzi" states: "Everyone uses his knowledge to remove the harm and benefit. If the rules cannot be followed and the instruments cannot be followed, then the laws of the former kings may be changed.”
Hengkuan of the Han Dynasty wrote in "Salt and Iron Theory": "Confucius said: 'Ma Mian, etiquette, is also pure and frugal today, and I follow the crowd.' Therefore, the sage and the virtuous do not deviate from the past, follow the customs without being biased." These are all. It shows the important ideas of the Chinese ancestors who introduced the old and brought forth the new.
The enterprising spirit of being upright but not old-fashioned, respecting the past but not retrograding embodies the dialectical unity of inheritance and innovation, change and immutability, principle and creativity.
In the inheritance and development of Chinese civilization, the Chinese nation has formed the characteristics of mutual interaction between inheritance and innovation, which always ensures that Chinese civilization has strong vitality to create new situations.
For example, judging from the evolution of the administrative division system in ancient China, after the Qin Dynasty established a unified multi-ethnic country, it implemented the system of counties and counties to strengthen centralization of power.
With the influence of war, population migration and other factors, counties and counties changed. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, states were established on the basis of counties and counties, and a three-level management system of states, counties and counties was implemented.
During the Yuan Dynasty, due to changes in territorial area and the need to further strengthen centralization of power, a provincial system was implemented, with Luzhou (prefecture) and counties under the province, which was extended to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
On the basis of learning from the experience of previous dynasties, the administrative division system of each dynasty in China has implemented a territorial system that is consistent with the actual situation, which reflects the distinctive characteristics of my country's ancient governance system of seeking innovation through reference and seeking development through inheritance.
The innovation of Chinese civilization is open integrated innovation.
The Chinese nation is a unified multi-ethnic country with a vast territory, diverse regional cultures, and colorful ethnic characteristics.
Different ethnic groups and regions have contributed unique cultural elements to the development of Chinese civilization. Various ethnic groups have influenced, promoted and blended with each other, forming a pluralistic and integrated pattern of Chinese civilization, maintaining a diverse and rich appearance, and demonstrating the spirit of "integrating assimilation and reducing differences" Toughness properties.
Historically, Emperor Xiaowen's reforms in the Northern Wei Dynasty accelerated ethnic integration; Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty went to Tibet and actively carried out cultural exchanges with ethnic minorities; during the Yuan Dynasty, a large number of ethnic groups from the border moved into the Central Plains and Jiangnan areas, intermarried with each other, and promoted the spread of culture...China Through the integration and exchange of nations, Central Plains culture, Qilu culture, Jingchu culture, Wuyue culture, Bashu culture, etc. were born.
These are all examples of cultural integration and innovation.
At the same time, Chinese civilization is also good at communicating and learning from other civilizations in the world, forming an innovative and open cultural pattern.
More than 2,100 years ago, Zhang Qian sent an envoy to the Western Regions, opening up cultural exchanges and trade between China and Central and West Asia. At the beginning of the 15th century, Zheng He made seven voyages to the West to strengthen political, economic, and cultural friendly relations with Asian countries.
In the face of foreign civilizations, the Chinese nation has adopted the attitude of learning from each other's strengths and adding new content to Chinese civilization.
At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, Buddhist culture was introduced into China.
Chinese civilization combines Confucianism and various philosophical thoughts, processes and transforms them to form Buddhist culture with Chinese characteristics.
The "I-Confucian Association" from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties to the Republic of China, as well as the subsequent "spread of Western learning eastward" and the New Culture Movement, are all links that cannot be ignored in the history of exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese civilizations.
Especially after Marxism was introduced into China, the Chinese Communists have continuously promoted the sinicization of Marxism and integrated the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific reality and with China's excellent traditional culture, providing a foundation for the Chinese nation's continued survival and development. An inexhaustible source of ideas.
Vigorously promote the innovative nature of Chinese civilization
Chinese civilization continues the spiritual blood of our country and nation. It needs to be passed on and guarded from generation to generation, but it also needs to advance with the times and bring forth the new.
Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. We must shoulder new cultural missions, strengthen the excavation and elucidation of China’s excellent traditional culture, make the most basic cultural genes of the Chinese nation adapt to contemporary culture, coordinate with modern society, and vigorously promote The outstanding innovation of Chinese civilization has injected strong spiritual power into the comprehensive construction of a modern socialist country and the comprehensive promotion of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Continue to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional culture.
China’s excellent traditional culture is the spiritual lifeblood of the Chinese nation.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must strive to draw nutrition and wisdom from the excellent traditional culture formed and accumulated by the Chinese nation from generation to generation, continue cultural genes, extract the essence of thought, and display spiritual charm."
At a new historical starting point, we must continue to explore the connotation of China's excellent traditional culture, give it new era connotation carriers and communication channels, and promote China's excellent traditional culture to burst out with vitality in the new era.
In accordance with the new characteristics and new developments of the new era, we should supplement and expand the connotation and form of China’s excellent traditional culture, and promote China’s excellent traditional culture to adapt to contemporary society and the process of socialist modernization with Chinese characteristics.
Deepen exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, be inclusive in exchanges between countries, promote the localization of foreign cultures, and continuously cultivate and create a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the new era.
Persist in integrating the basic principles of Marxism with the excellent traditional Chinese culture.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "After Marxism was introduced into China, the proposition of scientific socialism was warmly welcomed by the Chinese people, and eventually took root in the land of China and blossomed. This is by no means accidental, but has been inherited with our country for thousands of years. culture and the values that the broad masses of people use on a daily basis without realizing it.”
Marxism is highly consistent with China’s excellent traditional culture. The Communist Party of China is a firm believer and practitioner of Marxism and a loyal inheritor and promoter of China’s excellent traditional culture.
Marxism has activated the genes of Chinese civilization with the light of truth, and China's excellent traditional culture has enriched the cultural life of Marxism.
To carry forward the outstanding innovation of Chinese civilization, we should persist in integrating the basic principles of Marxism with the excellent traditional Chinese culture, constantly open up a new realm of adapting Marxism to the times, and promote the realization of contemporary Chinese Marxism and the new Marxism of the 21st century. Development, let the new culture formed through "combination" become a Chinese-style modern cultural form.
Continuously enrich and develop new forms of human civilization.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We adhere to and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, promote the coordinated development of material civilization, political civilization, spiritual civilization, social civilization, and ecological civilization, create a new path for Chinese-style modernization, and create a new form of human civilization."
The new form of human civilization is based on the reality of the Chinese modernization path. It is a great creation of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people and a unique new form in the world.
Compared with ancient Chinese civilization, the new form of human civilization is an inherent transcendence of ancient Chinese civilization, bringing traditional Chinese civilization into a modern state.
In the new era and new journey, China is developing and progressing together with more civilizations through exchanges and mutual learning, and constantly achieving new transcendences in theory and practice. We must continue to enrich and develop new forms of human civilization and contribute more to the development process of human civilization. With much wisdom, we can create a new form of human civilization that not only develops itself but also benefits the world.
Article丨Wei Yao Author affiliation: Party History and Literature Research Institute of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
Published in "Lookout" Issue 9, 2024