“天下”内涵及与近现代中华民族的关系

The Connotation of“Tianxia”and Its Relationship with the Modern Chinese Nation

“天下”的“五方之民”以“中国”为中心,以中华文化的核心价值观为准则,向“天下”四方进行“教化”,最终于清朝实现了从文化、政治、民族、地域等维度的“大一统”国家的形成。“五方之民”是共存、共在的关系,即“华夷一体”,身份以文化为标准可以互换(“夷变夏”“夏变夷”),同时“华夷之辨”“攻伐”成为“大一统”实践的辅助手段。西方的现代“nation”是一个建构性浓厚的概念,与公民、国家的现代属性存在密切的联系,因此将“nation”翻译成“人民共同体”,将“中华民族”理解为“中华人民”,可使“中华民族”概念既与历史渊源相联系,又能覆盖近现代国民或公民属性。

The“People from Five Directions”(五方之民)of the“Tianxia”(天下)took“Central Kingdom”as the center,took the core values of Chinese culture as the criterion,educated the“Tianxia”to all directions,and finally achieved the formation of a unified country from the cultural,political,national,regional and other dimensions in the Qing Dynasty.The“People of Five Directions”was in a relationship of coexistence,namely“the integration of Yi and Hua”(华夷一体).Identity can be exchanged according to culture,that is Yi changed into Hua and Hua changed into Yi.At the same time,the“Discrimination between Hua and Yi”and“unifying war”had become the auxiliary means of the“unification”practice.The modern“nation”in the West is a highly constructive concept,which is closely related to the modern attributes of citizens and countries.Therefore,translating“nation”into“People’s Community”and understanding“the Chinese Nation”as“the Chinese People”can make the concept of“the Chinese Nation”not only connect with the historical origin,but also cover the attributes of modern nationality or citizens.