中道立国——“中国”的思想内涵与近代转型

The State of Golden Mean——Ideological Connotation and Modern Transformation of"Middle Kingdom"

“中国”概念主要有地理、民族、文化、国体等含义,其中文化含义最为突出和普遍,几千年的“中国”就是一个文化或者文明共同体。黄帝时代“中国”观念萌芽,是最早中国。尧舜明确以“中道”立国,之后王者寻求“土中”建国立都。周人确定在伊洛地区营建成周,以为天地之中,将政治行为神圣化、宗教化。“华夏”为“中国”别名,指礼仪宏大,服饰华美,具有地理、民族含义,更具有文化、文明含义。中国之称为“中国”,主要包括诗书礼乐、衣食住行等方面,具有物质文明和精神文明总体内涵。作为文化中国,其核心价值观就是中道。中道是中国文明一脉相承、绵延至今的内在精神因素之一。近代以来,中国知识分子反思和矫正传统中国观,对“中国”概念加以现代转化和重构。今天,“中国”概念的当代重构需要传承“中道”传统。“中道”是“中国”思想内涵的核心,也是“中国”概念当代重构的要义。

The connotation of"the Middle Kingdom"ranges from geographic,ethnic,culture,to state system,which the cultural connotation is the most common and prominent one."The Middle Kingdom"has always been a cultural or civilized community for thousands of years.It was in the Yellow Emperor period(about 2717 B.C.-2599 B.C.)when"the Middle Kingdom"conception started,which is the earliest beginning of China.In the Period of Yao emperor and Shun emperor(about 2317 B.C-2178 B.C.),"the State of Golden Mean"was adopted in their governance,and the following emperors founded their capitals in"the center of the earth".Founded their capital in the Yiluo region(Luoyang,Henan province),People of the Zhou dynasty(about 1640 B.C.-771 B.C.)believed that their kingdom was between the heavens and the earth,sanctifying and religiousizing their political activities.As the alias of"the Middle Kingdom","Huaxia"means the grand ceremony and magnificent costumes with geographical,national,cultural and civilized implications.Why China is called"the Middle Kingdom"mainly lies in the material and ideological connotations including poetry,calligraphy,ritual,music,daily necessities of clothing,food,housing and transportation.As the core values of Cultural China,"the Golden Mean"is one of the inherited spiritual elements of Chinese civilization today.Since the modern times,Chinese intellectuals have reflected on the traditional view of China,transforming and reconstructing the concept of"Middle Kingdom"into modern version.The contemporary reconstruction still requires the inheritance of the"Golden Mean"tradition.The"Golden Mean"is the essence of the ideological connotation of"China"and the key to its reconstructing.