关于文明的本质的思考

On the Essence of Civilization

文明具有多重含义,它既可以是人类发展过程中所积累的物质与精神成果的总和,也可以是不同文明的载体;既可以表现为一种价值观,是衡量一个民族、一个国家或一个区域先进或落后的标准,也可以展现出一定程度的霸权意义,即先进文明对于落后和野蛮具有合法的征服权。然而,文明的本质应当是各种关系的和谐共存,这是中国文化的核心、普遍原理和根本价值观。当下的世界和平,是一种依靠外在力量维持的和平,而非不同国家、不同文明发自内心、源自文化基因的和平。在世界范围内发扬基于内心真诚的和平文化,迫切需要中国"和"文化的再启蒙。因此,基于中国传统文化,以"和谐"的价值观为核心,以"和平发展,合作共赢"的理念为国际交往准则,以不同文明的平等包容、相互借鉴和学习为基础,逐步打破民族国家的限制,建立民主正义的国际秩序,形成全球经济与政治、文化与文明、命运与生命共同体,从而实现"为万世开太平"的人类永久和平愿景,将是中华文明对于人类文明史的伟大贡献。

The Civilization includes a variety of meanings. It can be the accumulation of material and spiritual achievements of human history as well as the carrier of different cultures. While the civilization can be taken as a value that measures the development of a nation, a state or an area, it also demonstrates a certain extent of hegemony, in which the conquering of the savage by the civilized is legitimized. However, the essence of civilization should be a harmonious existence of all beings, which identifies with the core value and the general principle of Chinese culture. Based not on the inner longings for peace or a cultural gene of peace, the current world peace is achieved superficially by a balance of powers. Building up a “peace culture” that is essentially based on the heartfelt pursuit of peace desperately requires the enlightenment of traditional Chinese culture of “harmony and peace”. Therefore, it would be a great contribution of the Chinese civilization to the world if we promote the principle of “ peaceful development and win-win cooperation” in international engagement, gradually breaking the negative limitations of nation-states, establishing an international order of democracy and justice, and eventually “creating peace and security for all ages”.