Chinese civilization has grown and grown amidst ups and downs, and has continued to expand amidst hardships and hardships. It has become a model of "continuous civilization" in world history and has made significant contributions to the progress of human civilization. Sorting out the historical development of Chinese civilization is conducive to enhancing historical credibility, broadening the dimension of civilization, and strengthening the globalization of Chinese civilization.
Once you know where you have come from, you will know where you are going. China has one million years of human history, 10,000 years of cultural history, and more than 5,000 years of civilization history. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the 39th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee that we need to have a deep understanding of the development history of Chinese civilization over more than 5,000 years and conduct in-depth research on the history of Chinese civilization. Only by clarifying "who am I" and "where do I come from" can we understand the depth and weight of the word "China", understand the development context, historical approach and starting point of Chinese civilization, and understand the long and profound history of Chinese civilization. Combined with the horizontal national integration and integration, the study can provide scientific support for building a strong sense of Chinese civilization community.
Ancient civilization: building a unique Chinese civilization with independent existence
For thousands of years, only the Chinese civilization has gone through many tribulations without interruption. The Chinese nation has thrived in the vast land of China, and has continued to engrave the wisdom of its ancestors into history. Fierce production and life practices accumulate into civilization. There is evidence that Chinese culture started 10,000 years ago, settlements appeared 6,000 years ago, civilization formally formed more than 5,000 years ago, and civilization entered the consolidation stage 3,000 years ago. Numerous historical materials and historical relics have proven that between 5,500 and 4,000 years ago, cities were built all over the land of China. Walls were built to guard the borders, cities were built to protect the emperor, and forts were built to protect the people, forming various types of settlements and cities. . Every page of history written in the classics can be revitalized into the glorious history of the city's residents; every cultural relic collected in the museum carries the vivid memories of the city's residents. As General Secretary Xi Jinping said: "Thousands of years ago, the ancestors of the Chinese nation upheld the spirit of 'Although the Zhou Dynasty was an old state, its destiny was restored', and started the great practice of creating Chinese civilization." The ancestors created by edifying nature Culture, Shennong's legends such as Taste of Herbs, Youchao's teaching humans to build houses, Suiren's drilling wood to make fire, etc., extol the beginning of China's ancient farming civilization.
Chinese civilization has long continued in the practice of "isomorphism of family and country" and "integration of family and country", and the pragmatic concept of people-centeredness has continued to sprout in the ancient farming civilization. The super creative ability of Chinese civilization continues to consolidate the pluralistic and integrated pattern of Chinese civilization, and constantly strengthens civilized order, civilized consciousness, and cultural heritage. It is this cohesion of civilization and national cohesion that promotes the Chinese nation to overcome difficulties, move forward courageously, and become capable after decline. Xingxing, constantly accumulating the majestic power to stand among the nations of the world, and gradually forming a unique style of China's excellent traditional culture. Numerous independently existing civilizations have long proven that it is barbaric to use the civilization of one region to format the civilization of another nation, and it is absurd to use one civilization to judge the value of another.
Modern civilization: fighting in the dust
Our ancestors not only created the Silk Road scene where "messengers looked at each other on the road, and business travelers continued on the road", but also created the prosperous Tang Dynasty where "the All Nations Clothing Association Chang'an " Weather . Even by the early 19th century, Chinese civilization still led the world in many fields. The GDP data estimated by Madison show that in 1820, the GDP proportions of 30 European countries, China and India were 22.9%, 33.0% and 16.1% respectively. It was a historical norm that China's GDP accounted for a higher proportion of the world's GDP than the combined GDP of 30 European countries. However, after modern times, due to the invasion of Western powers and the corruption of feudal rule, China gradually became a semi-colonial semi-feudal society. The mountains and rivers were broken, and all life was in ruins. The Chinese nation suffered unprecedented suffering. The country was humiliated, the people suffered, and the civilization was covered in dust.
The dust of Chinese civilization is reflected in three aspects: First, it is belittled by Western centrists as an inferior civilization and regarded as a cyclic civilization without progress. Hegel said: "Chinese history has no history in essence. It is just a repetition of the destruction of monarchs. No progress can be produced from it." Second, wantonly destroying living beings and treating Chinese civilization as something that can Something that can be trampled on at will. On July 27, 1900, Kaiser Wilhelm II delivered a speech in Bremerhaven to the German invading troops who went to China to suppress the Boxer Uprising: "I sent you to conquer in order to retaliate against injustice. Only When the flag of Germany and other great powers triumphantly flutters over China, flying high above the Great Wall, and forcing the Chinese to accept peace, I will have peace. "Third, in the name of free trade. Continuously eroding the fine traditions of Chinese civilization. In his article "The History of the Opium Trade" written in 1858, Marx quoted a passage written by the Englishman Montgomery Martin: "Isn't it, the 'slave trade' is benevolent compared to the ' opium trade'. We The bodies of the Africans are not destroyed, for our immediate interest requires the preservation of their lives; we are not corrupting their characters, corrupting their minds, and destroying their souls; but the opium dealers corrupt, corrupt, and destroy the unfortunate sinner. After the existence of their spirits, they also killed their bodies. "However, Chinese civilization has a tenacious vitality and a fighting spirit that is unwilling to surrender. Countless sages ran and shouted, calling for the rejuvenation of a new civilization.
Civilization over the past century: Marxism activates Chinese civilization
How to wash away the thick dust that has been cast on modern civilization? Rely on Marxism and the leadership of the Communist Party of China. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “At the most critical moment in modern China, the Chinese Communists found Marxism-Leninism and insisted on integrating Marxism-Leninism with China’s reality. They used the power of Marxist truth to activate the creation of the Chinese nation after thousands of years. The great civilization of China has once again burst out with powerful spiritual power. "The Chinese Communists combined Marxism with China's excellent traditional culture and activated the inherent vitality of Chinese civilization. How did the power of Marxist truth activate Chinese civilization? There are three paths.
The first path is that Marxism takes root in the hearts of the Chinese people and controls the masses because of its compatibility with Chinese civilization. “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 is related to the excellent history and culture inherited by our country for thousands of years and the daily life of the broad masses of the people. "How similar is the ideal of communism to the world for the common good and a harmonious society?" How do the elimination of classes and exploitation have anything in common with the peace between princes and generals? "Workers of the world unite" was translated into China as "Hey, come on, civilians everywhere can live in peace without struggling!" Such a familiar saying. The second path is that Marxism uses dialectical thinking to view the development of Chinese civilization and finds a path for the Chinese nation to move from poverty and weakness to national rejuvenation. The barbaric aggression of imperialism and the profound suffering of the Chinese people aroused Marx's great concern for Chinese civilization. During the Second Opium War, Marx wrote more than a dozen communications about China, revealing to the world the truth about Western powers' invasion of China and upholding justice for the Chinese people. Marx and Engels highly affirmed the contribution of Chinese civilization to the progress of human civilization, scientifically foresaw the emergence of "Chinese socialism", and even gave the new China in their minds a bright name - "Republic of China". The third path is that the truth, scientific nature, revolutionary nature and people’s nature of Marxism have given birth to the great party-building spirit of our party. Marxism is a theory of truth with rich scientific connotation and a realistic theory rich in lofty ideals. It is this theoretical character that has given birth to our party's spiritual style of "adhering to the truth and adhering to ideals."Marxism is a scientific system that closely integrates patriotism and internationalism, and is a theory that can truly benefit the people. It is this theoretical characteristic that gave birth to our party’s spiritual requirement of “fulfilling its original intention and fulfilling its mission.” Marxism is a revolutionary theory with powerful power to explain and transform the world, and a theory with a great spirit of struggle. It is this theoretical temperament that has given birth to our party’s spiritual character of “unafraid of sacrifice and heroic struggle.” Marxism is a theory with sincere feelings for the people and a theory that firmly defends the interests of the people. It is this theoretical nature that has nurtured our party's spiritual character of "being loyal to the party and living up to the people."
New Era and New Civilization: Created a New Form of Human Civilization
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his important speech at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China: "We adhere to and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, promote material civilization, political civilization The coordinated development of , spiritual civilization, social civilization, and ecological civilization has created a new path for Chinese-style modernization and a new form of human civilization. "This form of civilization is a new form based on socialism, and it is oriented toward communist civilization. new form.
This new form of civilization is a civilization in which the people, as the main creators of history and civilization, exert their initiative, enthusiasm and creativity. The new form of human civilization has fundamentally reversed the "objective alien power that has dominated history so far", making the people the historical subject, the master of the country, and the core of the country, changing the situation of "the emperor is the country and the country, and the country and the country are the emperor." The old civilization is a new civilization in which "the people are the country, and the country is the people." This new form of civilization is a civilization that continues to creatively transform and innovatively develop China’s excellent traditional culture. If there is no Chinese civilization, where would there be any and with Chinese characteristics? If the Chinese Communist Party had not created a new form of human civilization, the world would still have been wandering in the short-sightedness and darkness of Western civilization for a long time. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has not only focused on exploring the contemporary values of China’s excellent traditional culture of benevolence, valuing people first, adhering to integrity, advocating justice, advocating peace and cooperation, and pursuing great harmony, but also focused on using China’s excellent traditional culture to Traditional culture serves as the source of cultivating socialist core values. This new form of civilization is a civilization that has the world in mind, seeks progress for mankind, and seeks harmony for the world. Chinese civilization has always emphasized the civilizational concept of pursuing the great road, the world is for the common good, harmonious among all nations, keeping neighbors as partners, and war-mongering is inevitable. General Secretary Xi Jinping categorically declared to the world: "The idea that strong countries can only pursue hegemony does not apply to China. "China does not have the genes to implement this kind of action." Toynbee said: "The Chinese nation is the most prepared among all nations to avoid the road of human suicide. It has cultivated a unique way of thinking over the past 2000 years." The new form of Chinese civilization not only declares the end of the "clash of civilizations theory", but also enables mankind to walk out of the wasteland of individualism and ruins of egoism brought about by capitalist civilization.
(Author: Xin Xiangyang, Party Secretary and Researcher of the Institute of Marxism, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Source: "China Social Sciences Journal")
