The Inner Mechanism of the Continuous Development of Chinese Civilization and the Spiritual Charm of "Eternal and Present" | Chinese Civilization | Eternal and Present

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, "The continuity of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines that the Chinese nation will inevitably follow its own path. If we do not understand China from its long-standing historical continuity, it is impossible to understand ancient China, it is impossible to understand modern China, and it is impossible to understand future China." Chinese civilization is the only type of civilization that has never stopped flowing. It can be described as a model of continuous civilization in the world, with strong integration, internalization, continuity and cohesion.

Feng Youlan's Inscription on the Monument of the National Southwest Associated University said, "The establishment of the world powers is new but not ancient; Greece and Rome are ancient but not modern. However, our country is old and old, and the so-called 'Zhou is an old state, its life is revamed." In his philosophy of history, Hegel examined and compared the civilization system and its development in the Ganges River Basin and the Indus River Basin, the Euphrates River and Tigris River Basin, the Nile River Basin, and the Yellow River and Yangtze River Basin. He pointed out that "if we compare them from the countries mentioned above, The Chinese Empire, which only the Yellow River and the Yangtze River flow through, is the only lasting country in the world." In Hegel's view, China is really the oldest country and at the same time the newest empire. "Ancient and new" is the essential feature of Chinese civilization. British historian Toynbee believes that in the past 6000 years of human history, there have been 23 civilization forms, but in the world, only China's civilization form is a civilization that has continued to develop for a long time without interruption. Chinese civilization has formed a unique, complete and great communication and inheritance system, and its "continuity has not been interrupted even when other elements of Chinese civilization are most seriously broken". Chinese history and Chinese civilization have a long span, which not only shows that the ideal of a unified country is constantly turned into reality, but also because of the unity of culture, a civilization system has been constructed.

There have been several examples of civilization in ancient times, and many achievements of agricultural civilization, nomadic civilization and early marine civilization have been created. However, whether it is the Mesopotamian civilization, the Egyptian civilization, the Indus civilization, or the ancient Greek civilization or the ancient Roman civilization, they have not been able to avoid the fate of decline. Only the Chinese civilization continues to move forward while constantly meeting the challenges. In the process of the development of Chinese history, no matter whether there is a change of dynasties or foreign aggression and civil strife, Chinese civilization can be passed on from generation to generation, and it has continuously continued the genes and blood of Chinese civilization for more than 5000 years, inheriting the core values and basic spirit of Chinese civilization, and opening up a new situation and creating new brilliance in the process of innovation. So, what is the internal mechanism of the continuous development of Chinese civilization and the spiritual charm of "ancient times and present"? This is a major theoretical and practical issue that we must strive to explore and explore in depth in the sacred cause of inheriting and promoting Chinese civilization and building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. From the perspective of the more grand and most basic spiritual genes, the value consensus of carrying forward the past and opening up the future, the development pattern of pluralism, the concept of governing the people as the root of the country, the moral pursuit of righteousness, the mission of innovation, the spiritual temperament of continuous self-improvement, the broad mind of virtue, and the ethical quality of harmony, Arch and support the spiritual building of the continuous development of Chinese civilization and provide it with "inexhaustible kinetic energy.

First, the value of the consensus. Chinese civilization not only adheres to its roots but also keeps pace with the times. It regards "continuing to learn from the past" and "continuing to learn from the past" and "opening peace for all generations" as its basic value pursuit and national spirit. It has formed the consciousness of "being cautious in the end and chasing far away", "being cautious in the end and finally starting", "going down the road of heaven and keeping the destiny forever" and "the old state of Zhou Dynasty, the national matrix of" the reform of his life "highlights the ethical values of" the temple of the seventh generation, which can observe morality; the chief of ten thousand, which can observe politics "and" the only thing in the end, the time is new "and" the difficulty is cautious, but the only ". In the deep heart of the Chinese nation, it has been internalized into an intergenerational ethical personality such as respect for tradition and innovation for the future, and fostered common feelings and values, common ideals and spirits. Whether the Shang Dynasty replaced the Xia Dynasty or the Zhou Dynasty defeated the Shang Dynasty, the victors did not wipe out the previous civilization, but transformed and developed it on the basis of trying to preserve the basic themes and development models of the previous civilization. Confucianism, represented by Confucius, not only described Yao and Shun, but also comprehensively and systematically sorted out all kinds of previous documents, but also put forward a series of value propositions and countermeasures against the social situation of "disintegration of etiquette and music" at that time, and established a benevolence ideological system with far-reaching influence on later generations. After that, thinkers of all dynasties have stressed that civilization should not only inherit the past, but also open up the future, highlighting the great significance of not forgetting the original intention and forging ahead. The reason why Chinese civilization has lasted for thousands of years is due to the national matrix of the old state and the new life and the value pursuit of carrying forward the past and opening up the future. It is this value consensus of inheriting the past and opening up the future that makes Chinese civilization the only splendid civilization in human history that has lasted for more than 5000 years without interruption and full of infinite vitality.

Second, the development pattern of pluralism. Chinese civilization is not only a local origin, but also a multi-source concurrent, mutual integration into one, forming a pluralistic and integrated development pattern. The highly developed prehistoric culture exists not only in the Central Plains, but also in western Liaoning, the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, the lower reaches of the Yellow River, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Mr. Su Bingqi summed it up as "full of stars". After continuous integration, it has initially formed a Chinese cultural circle with distinctive regional characteristics. From its origin to the Qin and Han dynasties, Chinese civilization has experienced the process of civilization development from the "pluralistic parallelism" of various cultures in different regions, to the "pluralistic integration" of surrounding cultures converging to the Central Plains, and then to the "pluralistic unification" formed by a multi-ethnic country after the reunification of the Qin and Han dynasties. The origin of Chinese civilization is diverse, and diverse factors have been accompanied by the development of Chinese civilization. The evolution of Chinese civilization is actually a process of mutual integration of diverse civilizations. In the depths of the hearts of the Chinese people, the unity has forged the common belief and collective personality that the land is inseparable, the country is inseparable, the nation is inseparable, and the civilization is inseparable, and it has continuously promoted the development of Chinese civilization.

Third, the concept of governance in which the people are the root of the country. Since ancient times, China has had people-oriented thoughts and political wisdom such as "the people are the foundation of the country", "the emperor is the boat and the people are the water", and "those who win the hearts of the people win the world. "Shangshu · Song of the Five Sons" put forward the idea of governing the country that "the people are the foundation of the country, and the foundation is solid", requiring the rulers to love the people and not despise the people, because the people constitute the foundation of the country, and only when the foundation of the people is solid, the country Will be peaceful and peaceful. "Shangshu · Da Yumo" believes that "morality is only good governance, and governance is to support the people", and regards "righteousness", "utilization" and "health" as the three basic values of harmony and stability in the world. Virtue is upright, wealth is used for profit, and wealth is rich. Only when the world is used, can we achieve the great cause of prosperity and wealth, so that the people of Li people will continue to grow, and civilization will continue to be created and developed. Chinese civilization advocates that the people are the foundation of the country, and has formed and developed the people-oriented doctrine of "the people are the most important, the state is the second, and the monarch is the light. Mencius emphatically pointed out: "If there is a way in the world, if there is a way in the world, if there is a way in the world, if there is a way in the world, if there is a way in the people, if there is a heart in the world, if there is a way in the heart, if there is a way in the heart, if there is a desire to gather with it, then there is no evil." If the rulers want to get the world and govern the world well, they must respect the dominant position of the people and take winning the hearts and minds of the people as the foundation of their morality.

Fourth, the moral pursuit of benevolence and righteousness. Zhou Dunyi's "Tongshu" believes that "the way of a sage is just benevolence, righteousness and righteousness". Confucius' benevolence established the essence of benevolence as "love", put forward that "the husband and benevolence, if he wants to stand up to others, he wants to reach others", advocated "for benevolence by himself", "benevolence as one's own responsibility", and strive to realize the ideal of "the world returning to benevolence. In the Analects of Confucius, the word "benevolence" appeared 109 times, reflecting the importance Confucius and his disciples attached to benevolence. Mencius benevolence and righteousness also said that "benevolence" is defined as "people's heart" and "people's safe house", and "righteousness" is defined as "people's road" and "people's right way". It is believed that benevolence and righteousness are the reason why people are different from animals. "Jixi". The Book of changes puts forward that "the way of establishing people is benevolence and righteousness", and thinks that people can stand between heaven and earth with the way of benevolence and righteousness. Closely related to the advocacy of benevolence and righteousness, Chinese civilization highly values the doctrine of righteousness and the mean. Tang Yao and Yu Shun began to "name the country 'Zhong'" during the period of Tang Yao and Yu Shun, raising "the virtue of being in the middle since ancient times" to the height of national morality, highlighting the national significance of practicing and adhering to the "middle way. Yao's grant to Shun, Shun's grant to Yu, its aim is to "allow to hold in the middle". In Chinese civilization, "the middle" is regarded as "the right way of the world", and "the mediocre" is "the theorem of the world". It is the order of heaven and earth to stress moderation and righteousness in everything. Heaven's way of doing things is "just in the middle, and tycoons are righteous". It is also the law of human survival. Humanity is upright in the middle way, and "extremely wise and moderate". Therefore, Shangcheng became the basic spiritual and moral value pursuit of Chinese civilization.

Fifth, the mission of innovation. Thousands of years ago, the ancestors of the Chinese nation upheld the spirit of "Zhou is an old state, its life is renewed" and started the great practice of creating Chinese civilization. Innovation is the replacement of new things and old things, and it is the result of the change and development of new things on the basis of old things. Reform is to get rid of the shortcomings of the old things, to clear the way for system renewal, to provide the premise; innovation is to establish new ideas, new systems, new systems conducive to the growth of new things, and then to achieve historical change and transformation. The book of changes uses "poverty leads to change, change leads to communication, and generality leads to a long time", "heaven and earth revolution comes at four times, Tang Wu revolution, according to the sky and people" and "life is easy" to illustrate that innovation is the law of the movement and change of all things in the universe, which embodies the enterprising attitude of the ancient Chinese people who are never rigid and never stagnant, and the spiritual pursuit of seeking innovation in change and progress. During the Warring States Period, Shang Yang advocated that "if you can strengthen the country, you can do wrong; if you can benefit the people, you can not follow their rituals". "Book of Rites · University" recorded Tang's pan inscription: "Gou Rixin, day by day new, day by day new", "Shangshu · Kanggao" said "be a new citizen". The ancients also put forward the innovative views such as "Zhou is an old state, its life is renewed", "those who are not new must retreat", "take the body as the body, and take the new day as the way. In the continuous process of Chinese civilization, "innovation and innovation" has always been the spiritual core of the Chinese nation, and has become the eternal spiritual temperament of Chinese civilization. The Chinese nation is also realizing its own leap in innovation and innovation, and will create more achievements in reform and innovation.

Sixth, the spirit of self-improvement. "Heaven is healthy, and a gentleman is constantly striving for self-improvement". Unlike Western civilization, which pursues external conquest and possession, and always fills its inner desire with external objects, Chinese civilization does not even hesitate to launch Crusades, modern maritime hegemony, two modern world wars and many aggressive wars after the war, nor does Indian Buddhism regard everything in the world as a false existence and isolate itself from the world, pursuing an empty Brahma world, but is based on the real world, the pursuit of a vigorous and promising civilization that is constantly developing and improving, and continuous self-improvement is the spiritual temperament inherent in Chinese civilization. Relying on the spiritual quality of continuous self-improvement, Chinese civilization has constantly overcome difficulties and overcome hurdles in the process of understanding and transforming nature, society and life, creating one great miracle after another that shines through the annals of history, and writing a brilliant epic of material civilization, institutional civilization and spiritual civilization in Chinese history.

Seventh, the broad mind of virtue. "The terrain is Kun, and a gentleman carries things with virtue." Chinese civilization not only has the pursuit of spiritual value of self-improvement and self-discipline, but also has the cultivation and cultivation of spiritual value of treating others and the world with virtue. Once formed, Chinese civilization is open and inclusive, capable of absorbing heterogeneous civilizations in openness, digesting heterogeneous civilizations in tolerance, and renewing itself in pluralistic fusion. Chinese civilization has developed, evolved and achieved its greatness through exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations. With its profound foundation and unyielding resilience, Chinese civilization has realized the creative transformation of civilization and radiated new vitality. The key to the fact that Chinese civilization has always maintained its strong vigor and vitality in the course of thousands of years of development is that in the face of the spread of foreign cultures in China, it is not to adopt an absolute boycott attitude, but to be inclusive and actively absorb the excellent parts of foreign cultures. so as to constantly create new theoretical forms of Chinese civilization.

Eighth, the ethical quality of peace. The Chinese civilization, with a history of more than 5000 years, has always advocated peace. The pursuit of peace, harmony and harmony is deeply rooted in the spiritual world of the Chinese nation and deeply melted in the blood of the Chinese people. As the head of the group of classics, the thought and culture constructed by the Book of changes is essentially a harmonious culture that pursues the harmony of yin and yang, health and beauty, as well as the harmony of man and me, self and group, and heaven and man. Not only does the Book of changes advocate the harmony between heaven and man, the harmony between man and self, and the harmony between the group and self, but also classics such as Shangshu, the Book of songs, the Spring and Autumn, the Book of Rites and the four Books of Confucianism take the values and ethical principles of harmony as the core. it profoundly explains and discusses the rich connotation and ethical significance of peace, harmony, harmony and beauty, and has a very important impact on Chinese ethical civilization. "Shang Shu Yao Dian" put forward: "Keming Junde, in order to pro-nine ethnic groups. The nine ethnic groups are harmonious, ordinary people. The people are clear, harmony." From family harmony to social harmony, from one family in the four seas to world peace, it highlights the values of Chinese civilization such as "harmony is the most precious", "harmony without difference", "good neighborliness and friendship" and "great harmony in the world", shaping the characteristics of peaceful development of Chinese civilization.

The contents of the above eight aspects, as the basic value and spiritual temperament of arching and supporting the Chinese civilization, are not only the source of the Chinese civilization from ancient times to the present, but also the value blood and spiritual endowment of inheriting and creating new Chinese civilization.

The internal mechanism of the continuous development of Chinese civilization and the spiritual charm of "everlasting from ancient times to the present" are an important source of cultural and spiritual self-confidence of the Chinese nation, and help us to strengthen the cultural self-confidence of socialism with Chinese characteristics. while combining the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific reality, we should combine the basic principles of Marxism with the excellent traditional Chinese culture, to explore the path, mechanism and major theoretical and practical problems of combining the basic principles of Marxism with the excellent traditional Chinese culture, so as to provide rich resources of Chinese civilization for creating the modern form of Chinese civilization and promoting the modernization of Marxism in China.