兼容并包是决定中国历史走向的关键性因素——战国秦汉之际中国历史走势的启示

Inclusiveness:A Key Factor in Determining the Dvelopment of Chinese History--Inspiration from the Trend of Chinese History During the Warring States Period and Qin Han Dynasties

春秋战国是中国历史发展的一个十字路口。后来的历史走向证明,结束诸侯长期征战的出路在于统一局面的出现,并给中国带来向前发展的巨大历史机遇。在战国向秦汉统一局面的转折中,承担了重大使命并发挥重要作用的正是“战国七雄”中的秦、楚两国。与“七雄”中其他五国相比较,秦、楚的共同特点是地处边僻,并大量吸纳戎狄、蛮夷成份,这使他们的“华夏”身份较模糊和边缘化,但唯其如此,赋予他们开创“新传统”的可能性与力量。战国秦汉之际中国历史走势充分印证了“和实生物、同则不继”,即对“西戎”“蛮夷”等新的相对于“华夏”的异质性因素的吸纳与兼容并包。这一进程不但拓展了“华夏”内涵与地域,也成为决定中国历史走势的关键性因素。

The Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period were a crossroad in Chinese history.What happened afterwards shows that unification was the only way to drag China out of the chaos brought about by endless wars.the unification also provided an opportunity for China to move forward.Of all the seven powerful states that vied with each other for domination,it was Qin and Chu that finally achieved the unification.Why?Because compared with other five states,Qin and Chu had one thing in common:a geographic remoteness from the central plains area and a geographic vicinity to minority races like Rongdi and Manyi,which enabled them to absorb a lot of the“barbarian”cultural elements into their own culture.Such cultural heterogeneity may have in a sense blurred or marginalized their“Huaxia”(Chinese)identity,but it also allowed them to have the possibility and power to create“something new”.just as an old Chinese saying goes,“harmonious coexistence between different things give vitality to all beings,while sameness can never last”.the absorption and inclusion of“barbarian”elements into the Qin and Chu culture not only enabled them to achieve the unification of China in the Qin and Han Dynasties respectively,and expand the implication and territorial scope of“Huaxia”(China),but also made inclusiveness a key factor that determines the trend of Chinese history.