The Rich Connotation of the Unity of Chinese Civilization

Unity is one of the prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The unity of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines that the cultures of all ethnic groups in the Chinese nation are integrated into one, and that even when encountering major setbacks, they are firmly cohesive. It determines the common conviction that the territory cannot be divided, the country cannot be thrown into chaos, the nation cannot be scattered, and civilization cannot be severed. It determines that national unity will always be the core of China’s core interests, and that a strong and unified country is the fate of all ethnic groups.” The unity of Chinese civilization originates from the shared experience of the ancestors of all ethnic groups who, through arduous toil and clearing thorns, built a beautiful homeland. It is a great unity built on broad territory and numerous ethnic groups, encompassing aspects of territory, politics, ethnicity, and culture, and possesses rich theoretical connotations.

统一性是中华文明的突出特性之一。习近平总书记指出：“中华文明的统一性，从根本上决定了中华民族各民族文化融为一体、即使遭遇重大挫折也牢固凝聚，决定了国土不可分、国家不可乱、民族不可散、文明不可断的共同信念，决定了国家统一永远是中国核心利益的核心，决定了一个坚强统一的国家是各族人民的命运所系。”中华文明的统一性，源自各族先民胼手胝足、披荆斩棘，建设美丽家园的共同经历，是广土巨族基础上的大一统，囊括疆域、政治、民族、文化等方方面面，具有丰富的理论内涵。

The sense of belonging that “the territory cannot be divided.” “The domain of the state extends a thousand li, where the people dwell; it begins at the four seas and reaches the distant borders.” [1]1 A line from the “Odes of Shang” section of the Book of Songs, describing the vast territory of the Shang dynasty. The vast and fertile land of China is the broad space where the Chinese people have lived and multiplied, and also the deep hinterland for the sustained development of Chinese civilization. As early as the pre-Qin period, the theory of the Nine Provinces of Yu the Great [2]2 An ancient geographical division attributed to the legendary sage-king Yu: Ji, Yan, Qing, Xu, Yang, Jing, Yu, Liang, and Yong. emerged, fostering the germination of a concept of shared territory. Qin Shi Huang unified the six states, establishing for the first time a centralized state with vast territory, which formed the main body of successive Central Plains dynasties’ territories and laid the geographical foundation for China’s unity. Thereafter, although dynasties changed and borders expanded or contracted, the political entity established by the Chinese nation has always existed, and the scope of unified territory has continuously extended. The fact that China possessed such vast territory over two thousand years ago and has maintained its unity stably owes itself to the deep-rooted concept of unity among the Chinese nation. Throughout Chinese history, no matter which ethnic group entered the Central Plains or which regime held sway in a region, they all regarded unifying the whole country under heaven as their mission. In the minds of the Chinese people, a unified world and peace across the four seas represent an era of prosperity, while frequent wars and fragmentation are signs of decline. People all regard loving the motherland and maintaining unity as supreme glory, and forgetting their ancestors and creating division as a great shame. Lu You of the Southern Song Dynasty lamented that he “could not see the nine regions united” [3]3 Lu You (1125–1210), a patriotic poet of the Southern Song dynasty. The line “but I cannot bear to see the nine regions united” comes from his poem “Showing to My Son.” in his grief, and Tan Sitong of the Qing Dynasty cried out “where is the divine land in the distant horizon?” [4]4 Tan Sitong (1865–1898), a reformist thinker of the late Qing dynasty. The line is from his poem “Feeling Grieved when the Sea of Tribulations.” — both expressed the deep and heavy feelings of unity among patriots. These historical facts fully prove: national unity is the core of China’s core interests and is the fate of all ethnic groups.

“国土不可分”的归属感。“邦畿千里，维民所止，肇域彼四海。”辽阔富饶的中华大地是中华儿女繁衍生息的广阔天地，也是中华文明持续发展的纵深腹地。早在先秦时期，就产生了禹贡九州的学说，促进了共同地域观念的萌芽。秦始皇统一六国，首次建立疆域辽阔的中央集权国家，构成了历代中原王朝疆域的主体，奠定了中国统一的地理基础。此后，尽管朝代有更迭，版图有盈缩，但中华民族建立的政权实体始终存在，统一的疆域范围也不断延展。中国能在2000多年前就拥有广袤的国土，并且稳定地延续下来，得益于中华民族根深蒂固的统一观念。纵览中国历史，无论哪个民族入主中原，无论哪个政权割据一方，都以统一天下为己任。在中国人心目中，天下一统、四海升平代表盛世气象，而战乱频仍、四分五裂则为衰世之相。人们莫不以热爱祖国、维护统一为无上荣光，以数典忘祖、制造分裂为奇耻大辱。南宋陆游“但悲不见九州同”的遗恨，清代谭嗣同“天涯何处是神州”的恸哭，都表达了爱国者深沉厚重的统一情结。这些历史事实充分证明：国家统一是中国核心利益的核心，是各族人民的命运所系。

The cohesive force that “the country cannot be thrown into chaos.” “Unity brings order; division brings chaos. Unity brings peace; division brings danger.” In line with the concept of unification under heaven, ancient Chinese thinkers very early recognized the importance of unified laws and decrees, gradually forming the political idea of great unity. Confucius, when writing the Spring and Autumn Annals, began with the words “The king’s first month.” [5]5 This refers to the opening words of the Spring and Autumn Annals, traditionally attributed to Confucius, indicating that the first month of the year is the king’s month, symbolizing political unification. The Gongyang Commentary explains: “Why mention ‘the king’s first month’? It is for the great unity.” Although pre-Qin thinkers held diverse views, most recognized the institutional design of power emanating from a single source. The Mohist school advocated identification with the superior; Mencius spoke of “settling unity”; and Xunzi went further, proposing on the basis of “unifying all under heaven” the ideas of “unifying institutions,” “uniform customs,” and “exalting unity to achieve order.” After Qin Shi Huang destroyed the six states, he vigorously implemented the system of commanderies and counties, making laws consistent throughout the realm and the entire country respond as the arm does to the will. Coupled with standardizing the written script, the width of carriage axles, weights and measures, and ethical norms, the Qin dynasty demonstrated a majestic style of uniform customs across the six directions and shared practices throughout the nine provinces. During the Western Han dynasty, the idea of great unity was further elevated to the status of “the eternal norm of heaven and earth and the universal principle of past and present,” and its profound influence has continued to this day. As a common value pursuit of the Chinese nation, the concept of great unity constitutes the core content of China’s political culture and has facilitated the governance practice of the central government consolidating its authority. It is a fundamental thread running through the political development of successive Chinese dynasties and an important bond maintaining the consciousness of the Chinese national community.

“国家不可乱”的凝聚力。“一则治，异则乱。一则安，异则危。”与海内一统的观念相契合，中国古代思想家很早就认识到法令统一的重要性，并逐渐形成了大一统的政治理念。孔子作《春秋》，开宗明义即称“王正月”。《公羊传》解释道：“何言乎王正月？大一统也。”先秦诸子虽言人人殊，但大都认可政出于一的制度设计。墨家主张尚同；孟子则言“定于一”；荀子更在“一天下”的基础上，进一步提出“一制度”“风俗以一”“隆一而治”。秦始皇灭六国后，力行郡县制，使上下律法一致，举国如臂使指。再加上书同文、车同轨、量同衡、行同伦，更使秦代展示出六合同风、九州共贯的雄风。西汉时期，大一统思想又被推举到“天地之常经，古今之通谊”的高度，其深远影响一直延续至今。作为中华民族共同的价值追求，大一统理念构成了中国政治文化的核心内容，促成了中央政府巩固权威的治理实践。它是贯穿中国历代政治发展的一条基本脉络，也是维系中华民族共同体意识的一条重要纽带。

The centripetal force that “the nation cannot be scattered.” China has been a unified multi-ethnic country since ancient times. “The history of China is the history of all ethnic groups blending and converging into a pluralistic and integrated Chinese nation, and the history of all ethnic groups jointly creating, developing, and consolidating the great unified motherland.” Originating from economic exchanges to meet each other’s needs, cultural mutual learning to compensate for deficiencies, and emotional communication, the people of all ethnic groups are interdependent, learn from each other, and draw close to one another. Together they forged the splendid and long history of a great Eastern power, together cultivated the sense of belonging and mutual support among the Chinese people, and together accumulated the endogenous driving force for the united struggle of the Chinese nation. From Fu Jian of the Former Qin dynasty [6]6 Fu Jian (337–385), ruler of the Former Qin state during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, who attempted to unify northern China. saying, “Mixing the six directions into one family, treating all living beings as children,” to Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing dynasty emphasizing “one unified world, the Hua and the Yi as one family”; from the Liangzhou Assembly of the Mongol Yuan period [7]7 A historic meeting in 1247 at Liangzhou (present-day Wuwei, Gansu) between the Mongol prince Godan and the Tibetan Buddhist monk Sakya Pandita, which facilitated the integration of Tibet into the Mongol Yuan realm. to the Torgut tribe’s long journey eastward back to China during the Qianlong reign [8]8 The Torgut tribe, a Mongol group that had migrated to the Volga River region, returned en masse to the Qing empire in 1771 under the leadership of Ubashi Khan, after a harrowing journey. — all these show the historical picture of different ethnic groups merging with each other and verify the cultural pattern of pluralistic integration of the Chinese nation. Over thousands of years of contact, exchange, and integration, all ethnic groups have been clinging together like pomegranate seeds, forging a Chinese national community that helps each other and shares a common destiny.

“民族不可散”的向心力。中国自古以来就是一个统一的多民族国家。“一部中国史，就是一部各民族交融汇聚成多元一体中华民族的历史，就是各民族共同缔造、发展、巩固统一的伟大祖国的历史。”源于经济上的互通有无、文化上的取长补短、情感上的沟通交流，各族人民相互依存、相互借鉴、相互亲近，共同铸就了东方大国辉煌灿烂的悠久历史，共同培育了中华儿女同舟共济的归聚意识，共同积淀了中华民族团结奋斗的内生动力。从前秦苻坚所言的“混六合以一家，同有形于赤子”到清朝雍正强调的“天下一统，华夷一家”，从蒙元时期的凉州会盟到乾隆年间土尔扈特部的万里东归，都展示出不同民族相互融合的历史图景，验证了中华民族多元一体的文化格局。在几千年的交往交流交融中，各民族像石榴籽一样紧紧抱在一起，缔造了守望相助、命运与共的中华民族共同体。

The sense of identity that “civilization cannot be severed.” Culture is the soul of a country and a nation. Shared culture radiates the pulse of the national soul and attracts all members of that nation with immense appeal. Therefore, cultural identity is the deepest identity. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: “The fundamental reason why we are born as Chinese is that we have a unique spiritual world as Chinese people and values that are unconsciously used in daily life by the common people.” Over thousands of years of history, the Chinese nation produced sages and philosophers such as Laozi, Confucius, and Mencius, and left behind literary treasures such as Tang poetry, Song ci, and Yuan qu. The Chinese people have not only created cultural heritage such as calligraphy and seal carving, block printing, and traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture and moxibustion, but have also nurtured spiritual qualities such as upholding benevolence, valuing the people, keeping faith, upholding justice, advocating harmony, and seeking common ground. It can be said that the long-standing, profound, and extensive Chinese civilization is the unique symbol of the Chinese nation, the deep foundation of contemporary Chinese culture, the spiritual bond that maintains Chinese people around the world, and a cultural treasure that strengthens the sense of identity of the Chinese nation. In times of national unity, cultural identity can play a key role in consolidating and supporting unity; in times of national division, cultural identity can evoke an inexhaustible impetus for longing for and moving toward unity. It is precisely because of the dual guarantee of cultural identity and political unity that China has become the only ancient civilization in the world that can maintain continuous history, unique culture, and stable territory.

“文明不可断”的认同感。文化是一个国家、一个民族的灵魂。共同的文化闪现着民族灵魂的脉动，并以巨大的感召力吸引着该民族的各类成员。因此，文化认同是最深层的认同。习近平总书记深刻指出：“我们生而为中国人，最根本的是我们有中国人的独特精神世界，有百姓日用而不觉的价值观。”在几千年历史长河中，中华民族诞生了老子、孔子、孟子等先贤圣哲，留下了唐诗、宋词、元曲等文学瑰宝。中国人不仅创造了书法篆刻、雕版印刷、中医针灸等文化遗产，还涵养出讲仁爱、重民本、守诚信、崇正义、尚和合、求大同的精神特质。可以说，源远流长、博大精深的中华文明是中华民族的独特标识，是当代中国文化的深厚根基，是维系全世界华人的精神纽带，也是增强中华民族认同感的文化宝藏。在国家统一时期，文化认同能够发挥巩固统一、支撑统一的关键作用；在国家分裂时期，文化认同更能唤起向往统一、趋于统一的不竭动力。正是因为文化认同与政治一统的双重保障，中国才得以成为世界上唯一能保持连续历史、独特文化、稳定疆域的文明古国。

In summary, the prominent unity of Chinese civilization is manifested as the firm will to defend territorial integrity, the grand ambition to achieve shared practices across the nine provinces, the conscious awareness of maintaining ethnic unity, and the high confidence in identifying with Chinese culture. This unity is both a distinctive trait that distinguishes Chinese civilization from other world civilizations and the cultural foundation for the Chinese nation to stand proudly among the world’s nations. This unity determines that the Chinese people will inevitably unswervingly pursue and realize unity, and that the Chinese nation, despite enduring storms, remains firmly cohesive and, despite experiencing vicissitudes, remains strongly unified. On the new journey forward, only by profoundly grasping the prominent unity of Chinese civilization and deeply understanding the unique advantages of the Chinese path can we continuously strengthen the sense of belonging and identity among all ethnic groups, constantly consolidate the cohesion and centripetal force of the Chinese nation, and gather the mighty force to comprehensively advance the building of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.

总之，中华文明突出的统一性表现为捍卫领土完整的坚强意志、实现九州共贯的宏大抱负、维护民族团结的自觉意识与认同华夏文化的高度自信。这种统一性既是中华文明区别于世界其他文明的鲜明特质，也是中华民族自立于世界民族之林的文化根基。这种统一性决定了中国人民必然矢志不渝追求统一、实现统一，决定了中华民族虽历经风雨却牢固凝聚，虽饱经沧桑却坚强统一。新征程上，只有深刻把握中华文明突出的统一性，深入理解中国道路的独特优势，才能不断增强各族群众的归属感、认同感，不断巩固中华民族的凝聚力、向心力，凝聚起以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业的磅礴力量。

(The author, Yang Yue, is a specially invited researcher of the Hunan Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and a lecturer at the School of Marxism, Hunan Normal University)

（作者：杨悦，系湖南省中国特色社会主义理论体系研究中心特约研究员、湖南师范大学马克思主义学院讲师）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧