The Unity of the Integration of Chinese Civilization
The third prominent feature among them is that "Chinese civilization has outstanding unity", which fundamentally determines the integration of various ethnic cultures of the Chinese nation, the firm cohesion even in the face of major setbacks, the common belief that the land is inseparable, the country is not chaotic, the nation is inseparable, and civilization is inseparable, and that national unity will always be the core of China's core interests. It determines that a strong and unified country is the fate of all ethnic groups. This important discourse has both historical depth and practical reflection. The prominent unity of Chinese civilization is rooted in a long historical tradition, forging a common ideal and belief, inspiring us to unite and create new and greater glory at a new starting point.
Inclusive and inclusive cultural pattern that achieves diversity and unity
The formation of the Chinese nation is a historical process, which has gone through three stages from origin to formation and development: Yan Huang, Hua Xia, and China. The term "Yan Huang" here refers to the era represented by the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor tribe, which is the stage of the origin of Chinese civilization; "Huaxia" refers to the early development stage of Chinese civilization, represented by the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties; "Zhonghua" refers to the stage of the formation, development, and growth of the Chinese nation, which is the mature stage of Chinese civilization during the Qin and Han dynasties and beyond. In the long historical accumulation, Chinese civilization has formed a unity of diversity, unity, and concentration.
The origin of Chinese civilization is diverse and coexisting. Due to geographical distribution and other factors, different cultural regions have had exchanges and collisions for a long time. Starting from at least 3000 BC, a development trend centered around the Central Plains gradually emerged. In this process, various cultures exchanged and influenced each other, forming a close communication network. The Central Plains culture absorbed cultural factors from various parties and carried out a series of social restructuring and integration, resulting in the Erlitou culture belonging to the Xia culture category. The Erlitou culture fully absorbed the cultural factors of the surrounding areas, and the "convergence" of Erlitou culture proved that the early Chinese cultural pattern of diversity and unity had already been formed in the Xia Dynasty. The formation of this pattern is the ultimate result of the intersection of civilizations and cultural exchange and interaction among major regions, and also indicates that the inclusiveness of multiculturalism can forge the brilliance of the integrated pattern. At the same time, it can also be seen that the Erlitou culture, as the earliest "core area" in East Asia, has some important ritual systems that have been "restructured" and then spread to all directions, reflecting the interaction between the "center" and "periphery". The development of Chinese civilization after the Qin and Han dynasties was the same. Political regimes established by different ethnic groups competed in the Central Plains, and political, economic, and cultural exchanges were closely intertwined, further laying the foundation for a diverse and integrated pattern, demonstrating the outstanding unity of Chinese civilization.
The Chinese nation has an endogenous motivation to pursue unity and unity. The ancestors of all ethnic groups jointly developed the splendid rivers and mountains of the motherland and jointly created a splendid Chinese culture. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "A history of China is a history of the integration of various ethnic groups. The history of the Chinese nation is the history of the great motherland that all ethnic groups jointly created, developed, and consolidated. The reason why all ethnic groups are united and integrated and the reason why diversity is integrated comes from the cultural eclecticism, economic interdependence and emotional closeness of all ethnic groups, as well as the endogenous driving force of the Chinese nation in pursuit of unity and unity."
The Confucian concept of "great unity" is a spiritual force that consolidates national unity and ethnic unity
The Chinese nation has created a colorful ancient civilization and formed rich ideas about national systems and governance. Among them, "Great Unification" is a main thread that runs through the historical and political landscape and ideological culture of China, and the excellent traditional Chinese culture represented by Confucianism actively advocates for "Great Unification". Confucius, with his ancestral teachings of Yao and Shun and a charter of literature and martial arts, aimed to restore the way of the previous kings and hope to change the chaotic situation of feudal separatism. In Confucius's view, the foundation for the implementation of the principle of "the path of the great Tao is for the benefit of the world" is unity.
The idea of "great unity" is an important theoretical foundation for achieving national unity. The concept of "Great Unification" originated from the ruling ideology of the Zhou Dynasty, which stated that "under the rule of Pu Tian, there is no royal land; by leading the land, there is no royal subject", and the reality of the decline of the Zhou royal family in the Spring and Autumn period, "the conquest of rites and music came from feudal lords", and even "accompanying officials to govern the country", with the aim of restoring the authority of the Zhou king. With the changes of the times, the ideological connotation of "great unity" continues to enrich. Qin Shi Huang "fought tirelessly for six generations", destroyed the six states, and established the Qin Dynasty, opening up the process of China's unified multi-ethnic country development. The concept of "great unity" gradually gave rise to new connotations of "cultural unity", "political unity", "regional unity", and "national unity". From then on, regardless of which ethnic group took control of the Central Plains, it was their responsibility to unify the world, and they all regarded the orthodoxy of Chinese culture as their own, seeking the legitimacy and rationality of their rule. Throughout history, Chinese people have always been determined to pursue unity, tend towards unity, and achieve unity.
The Confucian concept of "great unity" advocates the sentiment of "family, country, and the world", which is an important cornerstone for consolidating national unity and ethnic unity. Confucianism advocates self-cultivation, family harmony, governance, and peace of the world, elevating family ethics to social ethics, emphasizing the unity of family and country, and the homogeneity of family and country. Feudal literati fully inherited this tradition, such as Fan Zhongyan's proposal to "worry about the world first, and enjoy the world later", placing national and national interests above personal interests; Gu Yanwu proposed that "those who protect the world, the lowliness and responsibility of a single person are nothing," fully demonstrating his high sense of responsibility for paying attention to the fate of the country and the nation. The Great Unification has always had a profound and positive impact on the unity and stability of the country, forming a common value system and unique cohesion, inspiring the Chinese nation to tirelessly strive for national unity and national unity.
National unity occupies the mainstream of the historical development of the Chinese nation
The Chinese nation has a long history of over 5000 years, and long-term unity and stability are important guarantees for the continuous development of Chinese civilization. During the reign of the Five Emperors, a relatively powerful tribal alliance was formed. Although the ruling area was limited, they all regarded "submission to the four seas" as an important concept of governance. The Book of Documents records that during the reign of Yao, "the light was covered by the four tables" and "all nations were in harmony", while during the reign of Shun, "the four sins led to the world's salty clothing", fully reflecting the unity of Chinese civilization. Although the state form of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties was different from the centralized power of later generations, it effectively strengthened its rule and maintained the unity of political power through measures such as "family under heaven", internal and external service system, and feudal system.
In 221 BC, Emperor Qin Shi Huang established the centralized Qin Dynasty, and for over 2000 years thereafter, unification remained the mainstream of Chinese history. In terms of time, feudal dynasties went through several periods of political separatism, including the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, and Southern Song Dynasty. They lasted for more than 500 years, accounting for only about a quarter of the more than 2000 year history of dynasties. From an institutional perspective, Emperor Qin Shi Huang implemented the system of prefectures and counties, which laid the foundation for a unified system in Chinese history, with cars following the same track, books following the same text, and actions following the same ethics. The Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, as well as the late Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Liao, and Jin Dynasties, were periods of political fragmentation, representing the exchange and conflict between nomadic and agricultural cultures. Based on this, two major ethnic integrations emerged, giving rise to a unified political pattern of Sui, Tang, Yuan, Ming, and Qing.
The unified feudal dynasty created a brilliant Chinese civilization. The Qin Dynasty ended the situation of feudal lords fighting fiercely and the people struggling since the Spring and Autumn period; The Han Dynasty saw the emergence of the rule of literature and scenery, the flourishing period of Han and Wu, the revival of Zhaoxuan, and the revival of Guangwu; During the Tang Dynasty, there emerged the reigns of Zhenguan, Kaiyuan, and Dazhong, which were later known as the "prosperous Tang"; In the Ming Dynasty, there were the reigns of Hongwu, Yongle, and Renxuan; The prosperous Kangxi and Qianlong periods of the Qing Dynasty pushed the political culture of the feudal dynasty to its peak. These prosperous times were both economic and cultural. The feudal economy developed vigorously, people's living standards continued to improve, and ethnic relations were strengthened. History has continuously proven that unity is the mainstream of Chinese civilization, and unity leads to national strength, cultural prosperity, and people's security.
Maintaining national unity is the unremitting pursuit of the Chinese nation
The connotation of "national unity" is rich, including multiple aspects such as "the indivisibility of national territory, the indivisibility of the country, the indivisibility of the nation, and the indivisibility of civilization". For thousands of years, maintaining national unity and promoting ethnic unity have always been the unremitting pursuit of the Chinese nation.
Throughout dynasties, border governance has been highly valued. Emperor Qin Shi Huang connected the Great Wall of various countries during the Warring States period as an important defense barrier to resist the invasion of northern nomadic tribes such as the Xiongnu; The Han Dynasty strengthened border stability through friendly relations with the Xiongnu, sent people to settle fields, and strengthened border control. At the same time, it resolutely engaged in military struggles against the invading forces in the border, maintaining political stability. The Tang Dynasty was an important period for the further development of a unified multi-ethnic country in China. At that time, there were multiple ethnic minority regimes, and there were both military struggles and friendly economic and cultural exchanges between the Tang Dynasty and these regimes. Emperor Taizong of Tang proposed that "since ancient times, China has been valued and the barbarians have been despised. I love them all as one, so their descent is based on me as my parents." With advanced culture and enlightened policies, they have influenced the political power of ethnic minorities, achieving national unity and border stability.
Starting from the Ming and Qing dynasties, rulers had to face the invasion of foreign forces, and resisting foreign aggression became an important aspect of defending territorial integrity and maintaining national unity. During the Ming Dynasty, a large number of Japanese pirates invaded the southeastern coast, and the Chinese people engaged in arduous struggles against the Japanese invaders, giving rise to a group of national heroes such as Qi Jiguang, Tan Lun, and Yu Dayou. After the Opium War, due to the invasion of Western powers and the corruption of feudal rule, China gradually became a semi colonial and semi feudal society. The country was humiliated, the people suffered, and civilization was covered in dust. The Chinese nation suffered unprecedented disasters.
In order to save the nation from danger, the Chinese people rose up in rebellion, and people with lofty ideals ran and shouted, engaging in a heroic struggle. The Chinese nation has transformed from a "free national entity" to a "conscious national entity", and "the Chinese nation" has become a universally recognized term among people of all ethnic groups. In the more than 70 years of development in New China, the awareness of the Chinese nation's community has been continuously strengthened, and the concept of a community of shared weal and woe, honor and disgrace, life and death, and destiny has been established.
Maintaining national unity and ethnic unity is a fine tradition of the Chinese nation. Today, we are closer, more confident, and capable than ever before in history to achieve the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. On the new journey of building a strong country and national rejuvenation, only by uniting can we unite and push forward the wheels of history.
