Attitudes and Principles for Promoting Intercivilizational Exchanges and Mutual Learning

The recent publication of the *Study Outline of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture* (hereinafter referred to as the *Outline*)[n] provides more systematic and comprehensive theoretical guidance for our in-depth study and understanding of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. The *Outline* clearly states that, since the 18th National Congress of the CPC,[1]1 The 18th National Congress of the CPC, held in November 2012, marked the beginning of Xi Jinping's leadership and the official launch of the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. in the face of the new situation of exchanges,交融 and confrontation among various ideologies and cultures worldwide, the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has profoundly grasped the laws of the development of human civilization and deeply perceived the historic changes in the relationship between China and the world. It has both upheld the stance and cultural subjectivity of Chinese culture amid the world's cultural currents and promoted the implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative[2]2 The Study Outline of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture: an official Party study document for learning Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, published to guide cadres and the public. and the advancement of intercivilizational exchanges and mutual learning, thereby contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to the development of human society and the progress of human civilization. This profound exposition reveals the great significance of intercivilizational exchanges and mutual learning and has become a thought weapon for us to tackle the current complex international situation and global challenges.

近日，《习近平文化思想学习纲要》（以下简称《纲要》）的出版，为我们深入学习和领会习近平文化思想提供了更加系统、全面的理论指引。《纲要》明确指出，党的十八大以来，面对世界范围内各种思想文化交流交融交锋的新形势，以习近平同志为核心的党中央深刻把握人类文明发展规律，深刻洞察中国和世界关系的历史性变化，既在世界文化激荡中坚守中华文化立场和文化主体性，又推动落实全球文明倡议、促进人类文明交流互鉴，为人类社会发展和人类文明进步贡献中国智慧、中国方案。这一深刻论述，揭示了文明交流互鉴的重大意义，成为我们应对当前复杂国际形势和全球性挑战的思想武器。

On March 27, 2014, in his speech at the headquarters of UNESCO, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly stated: "Civilizations are colorful. Human civilizations gain value from exchanges and mutual learning because of their diversity." "Civilizations are equal. Human civilizations gain the precondition for exchanges and mutual learning because of their equality." "Civilizations are inclusive. Human civilizations gain the impetus for exchanges and mutual learning because of their inclusiveness." He emphasized that these three are the correct attitudes and principles that must be upheld in promoting intercivilizational exchanges and mutual learning. These three major characteristics profoundly reveal the essential properties of civilizations and clarify the correct attitudes and principles for intercivilizational interaction. Colorfulness demonstrates the dialectical unity of "diversity" and "identity" among civilizations, emphasizing the mutual dependence and complementarity among different civilizations — manifesting commonality in diversity, highlighting value in difference, and constructing a harmonious and beautiful picture of civilization. Equality discards all notions of civilizational hierarchy, advocates for the essential equality among civilizations, eliminates superiority and discrimination, promotes respect and dialogue, and underscores the equal dignity of the civilizations of all countries and nations. Inclusiveness evokes an open and receptive cultural attitude, advocates facing differences with an inclusive posture, promotes mutual understanding and mutual learning, and calls on all countries in the world to abandon prejudice and work together. These three elements complement each other, intertwine to form a powerful driving force for global civilizational exchange and development, profoundly reveal the inherent laws of civilizational interaction and engagement, and highlight the far-reaching significance of intercivilizational exchanges and mutual learning.

2014年3月27日，习近平总书记在联合国教科文组织总部的演讲中深刻提出：“文明是多彩的，人类文明因多样才有交流互鉴的价值”“文明是平等的，人类文明因平等才有交流互鉴的前提”“文明是包容的，人类文明因包容才有交流互鉴的动力”，强调这三者是推动文明交流互鉴需要秉持的正确态度和原则。这三大特征，深刻揭示了文明的本质特性，明确了文明交往的正确态度和原则。多彩，展示了文明“多样性”与“同一性”的辩证统一，强调不同文明间的相互依存与补充，在多样中显现共性，在差异中彰显价值，构建出一幅和谐美满的文明图景；平等，摒弃了一切文明等级观念，倡导文明间的本质平等，消除优越与歧视，推动尊重与对话，彰显各国、各民族文明的同等尊严；包容，唤起文化心态的开放与接纳，提倡以包容的姿态面对差异，推动相互理解与互鉴，号召世界各国摒弃偏见，携手共进。这三者相辅相成，交织成推动全球文明交流与发展的强大动力，深刻揭示了文明交往与互动的内在规律，凸显了文明交流互鉴的深远意义。

Civilizations are colorful. Human civilizations gain value from exchanges and mutual learning because of their diversity. The diversity of human civilization originates from differences in the natural environment across the world. These differences have given rise to distinct modes of production, social systems, values, and development paths, which are the inevitable result of historical development. The development of civilizations is not predetermined, nor uniform, nor unilinear, nor achieved overnight; rather, it advances constantly in the dialectical interplay between diversity and identity. The progress of human civilization lies not in the domination of any single civilization, but in the flourishing and competition of diverse civilizations, their mutual exchange, mutual influence, integration, and innovation. For example, over the long course of history, the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins in Asia, the Indus and Ganges river basins, the Euphrates and Tigris river basins, and Southeast Asia nurtured many ancient civilizations that shone upon and complemented each other, making important contributions to the progress of human civilization. Although these civilizations each have their own characteristics and distinct styles, in their intermingling and collision they have unleashed enormous momentum for the advancement of all human civilization. Bronze smelting technology originated in the Mesopotamia region, whereas Chinese civilization, building on this foundation, innovated and created the splendid Shang and Zhou bronze culture, which became a brilliant pearl of world civilization. Arab civilization, on the basis of Chinese papermaking and Indian numerals, absorbed and integrated Chinese algebra, Egyptian astronomy, ancient Greek geometry, theories on the properties of matter, and medicine, promoting a revolutionary advance in science and technology, which in turn nourished the development of other civilizations. Thus it can be seen that the diversity of civilizations opens up boundless space for exchange and mutual learning, and the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations, in turn, inject a constant source of impetus into the innovative development of human civilization, propelling all human civilization towards an even more colorful and glorious future.

文明是多彩的，人类文明因多样才有交流互鉴的价值。人类文明的多样性，源于世界各地自然环境的差异。这些差异，造就了不同的生产方式、社会制度、价值观念及发展道路，是历史发展的必然结果。文明的发展并非预定的、均衡的，也不是单向度的、一蹴而就的，而是在多样性与同一性的辩证互动中不断前行。人类文明的进步，不在于某一文明的独大，而在于多样文明的百花齐放、竞相繁荣，彼此交流、相互影响、融合创新。例如，在漫长的历史长河中，亚洲的黄河和长江流域、印度河和恒河流域、幼发拉底河和底格里斯河流域以及东南亚等地区孕育了众多古老文明，彼此交相辉映、相得益彰，为人类文明进步作出了重要贡献。这些文明，虽各具特色，风格迥异，然而在交融与碰撞中，迸发出推动全人类文明进步的巨大动能。青铜冶炼技术发源于两河流域，而中华文明则在此基础上推陈出新，开创了辉煌灿烂的商周青铜文化，成为世界文明的璀璨明珠。阿拉伯文明则在中国造纸术和印度计数法的基础上，吸收并融合了中国代数学、埃及天文学、古希腊几何学、物质性质理论及医学，推动了科技的革命性进步，进而反哺其他文明的发展。由此可见，文明的多样性为交流与互鉴开辟了无尽的空间，而文明的交流与互鉴，又为人类文明的创新发展注入了源源不断的动力，推动着全人类文明向着更加多彩、更加辉煌的未来迈进。

Civilizations are equal. Human civilizations gain the precondition for exchanges and mutual learning because of their equality. Every civilization is rooted in its unique soil of survival, embodies the wisdom and spiritual pursuit of a country and a nation, and is a treasure in the treasury of human civilization, worthy of our deep respect and care. They have expanded the connotation and extension of human civilization from different dimensions, embodied the value and contribution of different cultures, and promoted the continuous elevation of the human spirit. It is precisely because of this equality that the foundation for civilizational exchange and mutual learning is constituted. Only by discarding arrogance and prejudice, harboring a mind of equality and humility, and being open-minded can we truly promote understanding and respect between civilizations, build deep friendship, advance exchange and mutual learning, and create a win-win situation. For instance, the ancient Silk Road was not only a passage for trade between East and West, but also a stage for equal civilizational exchange. On this road stretching thousands of miles, cultural envoys such as Zhang Qian, Xuanzang, Marco Polo, and Ibn Battuta, bearing reverence and respect for the civilizations of other countries, traversed mountains and rivers, spared no hardship, traveled to distant lands in search of truth, and wrote immortal chapters of cultural exchange. Among them, Xuanzang, in order to explore the true essence of the Yogacara school of Mahayana Buddhism, set out alone from Chang'an, crossed thousands of miles of mountains and rivers to seek the Dharma in India, and with his outstanding wisdom and extraordinary perseverance won warm welcome and respect from various kingdoms in India. Xuanzang not only introduced into China India's precious cultural achievements such as Buddhist law, calendars, medicine, logic, and art, but also translated Chinese classics such as the *Daodejing* into Sanskrit and widely disseminated Chinese culture in the Western Regions. He retranslated into Sanskrit the *Dasheng Qixin Lun* (The Awakening of Faith in Mahayana), which had been lost in India but well preserved in China, and passed it back to India, composing a magnificent epic of mutual inspiration between Chinese and Indian civilizations. This became a model of equal civilizational exchange between ancient China and India, still shining brightly after thousands of years.

文明是平等的，人类文明因平等才有交流互鉴的前提。每一种文明，皆植根于其独特的生存土壤，凝聚着一个国家、一个民族的智慧与精神追求，都是人类文明宝库中的瑰宝，值得我们深深尊重与珍惜。它们从不同维度拓展了人类文明的内涵与外延，体现了不同文化的价值与贡献，推动了人类精神的不断升华。正是因为这种平等性，才构成了文明交流与互鉴的基础，唯有摒弃傲慢与偏见，怀平等谦逊之心，虚怀若谷，才能真正促进文明之间的理解与尊重，构建起深厚的友谊，推动交流互鉴，开创互利共赢的局面。例如，古代丝绸之路，既是东西方贸易的通道，更是文明平等交流的舞台。在这条绵延万里的路上，张骞、玄奘、马可·波罗、伊本·白图泰等文化使者，怀着对他国文明的敬仰与尊重，跋山涉水、不辞辛劳，远赴他乡，求索真理，书写了不朽的文化交流篇章。其中，玄奘为探求大乘佛教瑜伽行派的真谛，孤身一人从长安出发，跨越万里山川，赴印度求法，并凭借卓越的智慧与非凡的毅力，在印度赢得了各国的热烈欢迎与尊敬。玄奘不仅将印度的佛法、历法、医学、逻辑学、艺术等宝贵文化成果引入中国，还将《道德经》等中华经典译成梵文，广泛传播中华文化于西域。他将失传于印度、却在中国保存完好的《大乘起信论》，重新译为梵文，回传印度，谱写了一段中印文明互启的壮丽史诗，成为古代中印文明平等交流的典范，历经千年依然熠熠生辉。

Civilizations are inclusive. Human civilizations gain the impetus for exchanges and mutual learning because of their inclusiveness. Exchange and mutual learning between civilizations must proceed on the basis of inclusiveness. Self-closure of a civilization inevitably leads to decline; only through openness and receptiveness can a civilization renew itself and radiate vitality. Chinese civilization has endured five thousand years of wind and rain, remaining vibrant and magnificent, standing at the apex of world civilizations. The fundamental reason lies in the fact that, while firmly inheriting its own cultural traditions, it has always maintained a mind open to all rivers, to inclusiveness and synthesis, and to drawing extensively on the strengths of others. It is under the guidance of this cultural spirit that Chinese civilization has continuously absorbed the cultural essence of the world and moved toward brilliance. For instance, the splendor of Dunhuang culture is precisely the fusion of the cultural essences of various peoples of the world, and is a model of the continuous integration and mastery of Chinese civilization over millennia. Dunhuang, as a hub on the ancient Silk Road, was historically an important window for interaction among civilizations such as those of China, India, Persia, and Greece; it was also a frontline platform for exchange between the Han people and the many ethnic groups of the Eurasian steppes and oases, such as the Yuezhi, Sogdians, Turks, Tibetans, Tanguts, Uighurs, and Mongols; and it was a vast stage for the intersection of many religious cultures, including Buddhism, Brahmanism, Catholicism, Manichaeism, Nestorianism, Judaism, Islam, Daoism, Confucianism, and Han folk beliefs. In this intermingling of diverse cultures, Dunhuang, rooted in Central Plains culture and Hexi culture, extensively absorbed foreign civilizations, gave birth to a new and unique culture, and became a paradigm of the inclusiveness and synthesis of Chinese civilization and the pluralistic inclusiveness of human civilization. Today, as countries around the world are increasingly interconnected culturally, the broad spirit of inclusiveness of the Chinese nation still provides valuable wisdom and inspiration for contemporary civilizational exchange.

文明是包容的，人类文明因包容才有交流互鉴的动力。文明之间的交流与互鉴，必须在包容的基础上展开。文明的自我封闭必然导致衰退，只有在开放与接纳中，文明才能实现自我更新，焕发活力。中华文明能够历经五千年风雨，依然生生不息、气象万千，屹立于世界文明之巅，其根本原因就在于坚定传承自身文化传统的同时，始终保持广纳百川、兼容并蓄、博采众长的胸怀。正是在这种文化精神的引领下，中华文明不断吸收世界各地的文化精华，走向辉煌。例如，敦煌文化的灿烂，正是世界各族文化精粹的融合，也是中华文明几千年源远流长不断融会贯通的典范。敦煌，作为古代丝绸之路上的枢纽，历史上既是中国、印度、波斯、希腊等文明体系交往的重要窗口，也是汉族与月氏、粟特、突厥、吐蕃、党项、回鹘、蒙古等欧亚草原与绿洲多民族交流的前沿平台，还是佛教、婆罗门教、天主教、摩尼教、景教、犹太教、伊斯兰教、道教、儒教以及汉地民间信仰等多种宗教文化交汇的广袤舞台。在这多元文化的交融中，敦煌以中原文化、河西文化为根基，广泛吸纳域外文明，孕育出独特的新文化，成为中华文明兼容并蓄、人类文明多元包容的典范。今天，世界各国在文化上的联系日益紧密，中华民族博大的包容精神，依然为当今文明交流提供着宝贵的智慧与启示。

Faced with the intricate international situation and grave global challenges, we must more firmly practice the correct attitudes and principles for intercivilizational exchanges and mutual learning. Only by adhering to the diversity, equality, and inclusiveness of civilizations can we promote deep dialogue and cooperation among different civilizations and resolve the many difficulties confronting world development today. Global problems such as environmental crises, economic inequality, and social unrest cannot be tackled independently by the power of any single civilization. Only by pooling the wisdom and strength of all civilizations can we create a more prosperous and peaceful future for all humanity. In this great historical process, we must insist on respecting the diversity of civilizations, extensively promote equal dialogue, and advance inclusive development. Only in this way can we find common ground in a complex and volatile world, enhance understanding and trust, resolve contradictions and differences, and push human society towards a more harmonious and better tomorrow. This is not only the historical responsibility of the Chinese nation but also the lofty ideal and goal pursued by people all over the world.

面对错综复杂的国际形势与严峻的全球性挑战，我们必须更加坚定地践行文明交流互鉴的正确态度和原则。唯有坚持文明的多样性、平等性和包容性，才能推动不同文明之间的深度对话与合作，破解当今世界发展的诸多难题。人类面临的环境危机、经济不平等、社会动荡等全球性问题，任何单一文明的力量都无法独立应对。唯有汇聚各文明的智慧和力量，才能为全人类创造一个更加繁荣、和平的未来。在这一伟大历史进程中，我们必须坚持尊重文明多样性，广泛推动平等对话，促进包容性发展。只有如此，才能在纷繁复杂的世界中找到共识，增进理解与信任，化解矛盾与分歧，推动人类社会迈向更加和谐美好的明天。这不仅是中华民族肩负的历史责任，更是全世界人民共同追求的崇高理想目标。

Internet editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧