The Role of Religion in the Common Spiritual Homeland of the Chinese Nation Is Not Prominent

The common spiritual homeland of the Chinese nation refers to the shared spiritual pursuit and belonging of all ethnic groups. In other words, it is a spiritual-cultural system that has been historically formed and developed in China, a unified multi-ethnic country, and that functions as spiritual support; it is a cultural space that serves as the spiritual sustenance and belonging for all members; it is a socio-cultural form in which every self-identified Chinese person, consciously or unconsciously, “has their heart tied to it, their emotions tied to it, and their life tied to it” deep within. At the 2021 Central Conference on Ethnic Affairs, General Secretary Xi Jinping listed “must build the common spiritual homeland of the Chinese nation” as one of the “Twelve Musts” and emphasized: “We must build the common spiritual homeland of the Chinese nation, so that the hearts of all ethnic groups gather together and their spirits depend on each other, forming a powerful spiritual bond that unites hearts and forges ahead in solidarity.”

中华民族共有精神家园则是指为各民族共有的心灵追求和精神归宿。换言之，是指中国这个统一多民族国家历史形成并发展着的、具有精神支撑功能的精神文化系统，是成为全体成员精神生活依托和归宿的一个文化空间，是每个自我认同的中国人都在内心深处自觉不自觉地“心系之，情系之，命系之”的社会文化形态 。习近平总书记在2021年中央民族工作会议上将必须构筑中华民族共有精神家园列为“十二个必须”之一，并强调：“必须构筑中华民族共有精神家园，使各民族人心归聚、精神相依，形成人心凝聚、团结奋进的强大精神纽带。”

The common spiritual homeland of the Chinese nation can be divided into three levels: the conceptual level, the cultural level, and the life level.

中华民族共有精神家园可分为理念层面、文化层面、生活层面等三个层面。

First, the spiritual homeland at the conceptual level. The spiritual homeland at the conceptual level refers to the ideal society in the mind. The Greek philosopher Plato wrote *The Republic*, discussing the construction and governance of an orderly, perfect, and just state—that is, an ideal state—in his mind. Thomas More, the founder of utopian socialism, fabricated a “Utopia” in his famous work *Utopia*, entrusting it with his expectations for an ideal society. Specifically regarding the common spiritual homeland of the Chinese nation, it points to the ideal society of a world in common. The *Book of Rites* states: “When the Great Way prevails, the world is shared by all. The worthy and the able are chosen, trust is fostered, and harmony is cultivated. Therefore people do not only treat their own parents as parents, nor only treat their own children as children. The elderly are cared for until the end of their lives, the able-bodied are put to use, the young are nurtured, and the widowed, orphaned, childless, disabled, and sick are all supported. Men have their roles, and women have their homes. Goods are not discarded on the ground, but neither are they hoarded for oneself. Strength is not begrudged from being exerted, but it is not exerted for oneself. Thus scheming ceases, and theft and disorder do not arise. Outer doors are left open—this is called the Great Unity.” These concepts have profoundly influenced the Chinese people. Even in modern times, Kang Youwei wrote *The Book of Great Unity*, and Sun Yat-sen regarded “the world is shared by all” as his lifelong ideal. Even in the 21st century, “the elderly are cared for until the end of their lives, the able-bodied are put to use, the young are nurtured, and the widowed, orphaned, childless, disabled, and sick are all supported” remains an important pursuit of the Chinese people.

一是理念层面的精神家园。理念层面的精神家园意指心中的理想社会。希腊哲人柏拉图写有《理想国》，论述了心目中秩序井然至善至美的正义国家也即理想国家的构建、治理。空想社会主义的创始人托马斯·莫尔在他的名著《乌托邦》中虚构了一个“乌托邦”，寄托了他对理想社会的期望。具体到中华民族共有精神家园，则指向天下大同的理想社会。《礼记》则有言：“大道之行也，天下为公，选贤与能，讲信修睦。故人不独亲其亲，不独子其子，使老有所终，壮有所用，幼有所长，矜、寡、孤、独、废疾者皆有所养，男有分，女有归。货恶其弃于地也，不必藏于己；力恶其不出于身也，不必为己。是故谋闭而不兴，盗窃乱贼而不作，故外户而不闭，是谓大同。”这些观念深刻地影响了中国人。直到近现代，康有为撰《大同书》，孙中山则视“天下为公”为自己终身理想。就是到了21世纪，“老有所终，壮有所用，幼有所长，矜、寡、孤、独、废疾者皆有所养”仍然是中国人的重要追求。

Second, the spiritual homeland at the cultural level. The spiritual homeland at the cultural level points to the cherished traditional culture. Hegel said in his *Lectures on the History of Philosophy*: “When we mention the name of Greece, a sense of home naturally arises in the hearts of educated Europeans, especially us Germans. Europeans obtained their religion, the afterlife, and the transcendent life from outside Greece, from the East, especially from Syria. Yet the present life, the worldly life, science and art—everything that satisfies our spiritual life and gives it value and brilliance—we know comes directly or indirectly from Greece, indirectly via Rome.” Specifically regarding the common spiritual homeland of the Chinese nation, it points to the unbroken history and splendid, profound culture. For the Chinese people, the unbroken history and splendid, profound culture constitute a lasting attraction. Besides Confucian culture, the qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, architecture, sculpture, music, and architecture all enjoy high international reputations. The square characters that have been used for at least three thousand years can still be mastered and appreciated by modern people. Chinese people, who believe that “one who is filled with poetry and learning shines from within,” experience life and perceive nature through poetry and lyrics. Poems such as “Guan guan cry the ospreys, on the islet in the river. A graceful and virtuous lady, a fine match for the gentleman” and “When I left, willows were swaying. Now I return, snowflakes are flying” remain important images for the Chinese people. The success of programs like *Chinese Poetry Competition* and *Everlasting Classics* fully demonstrates how modern Chinese people cherish poetry as part of traditional culture and regard the world depicted in poetry as their spiritual homeland.

二是文化层面的精神家园。文化层面的精神家园指向所珍视的传统文化。黑格尔在《哲学史讲演录》中说：“一提到希腊这个名字，在有教养的欧洲人心中，尤其在我们德国人心中，自然会引起一种家园之感。欧洲人远从希腊之外，从东方，特别是从叙里亚获得他们的宗教，来世，与超世间的生活。然而今生，现世，科学与艺术，凡是满足我们精神生活，使精神生活有价值、有光辉的东西，我们知道都是从希腊直接或间接传来的，——间接地绕道通过罗马。” 具体到中华民族共有精神家园，则指向绵延不绝的历史和灿烂厚重的文化。对于中国人而言，绵延不绝的历史、灿烂厚重的文化构成了长久的吸引。除了儒家文化外，琴、棋、书、画、建筑、雕塑、音乐、建筑等都在国际上享有盛誉。至少使用了三千多年的方块字至今还能被现代人掌握、体会。相信“腹有诗书气自华”的中国人更是在诗歌词曲体会人生、感悟自然。“关关雎鸠，在河之洲。窈窕淑女，君子好逑”、“昔我往矣，杨柳依依。今我来思，雨雪霏霏”等诗词仍然是中国人的重要意象。《中国诗词大会》《经典咏流传》等节目的成功充分说明了现代中国人对于作为传统文化的诗词的珍视，并将诗词所描绘的世界视为自己的精神家园。

Third, the spiritual homeland at the life level. The spiritual homeland at the life level points to the desired way of living and living environment. Since entering industrial society, faced with the increasing separation between humans and nature and the alienation of interpersonal relationships, many Westerners have begun to try to return to nature, pursuing a home that can bring peace to the heart. Heidegger famously proposed “poetic dwelling.” Specifically regarding the common spiritual homeland of the Chinese nation, it points to the unity of heaven and humanity and a life that reveres nature. Since ancient times, China has had the idea of the unity of heaven and humanity and the reverence for nature, and pastoral poetry is an important genre in poetry. The imagery in these poems has played an exceptionally important role in shaping the spiritual homeland of the Chinese people. Tao Yuanming, as the originator of pastoral poetry, wrote in *The Peach Blossom Spring*: “There were no other trees, the fragrant grass was fresh and beautiful, and fallen petals lay in profusion”; in *Drinking Wine*: “Picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence, leisurely I see the southern mountains”; and in *Returning to the Fields and Gardens*: “Elms and willows shade the back eaves, peach and plum trees line the front hall. Hazy are the distant villages, lingering smoke from the hamlets. Dogs bark in the deep lanes, cocks crow atop the mulberry trees. The courtyard is free of dust and clutter, the empty rooms have ample leisure. Long trapped in a cage, I have now returned to nature.” These are all well known to the Chinese intellectual class. An important reason why Li Ziqi can move Chinese people and reach the world is that she displays, in an aesthetic way, the spiritual homeland and ideal state of life in the hearts of many Chinese people.

三是生活层面的精神家园。生活层面的精神意指向往的居住方式和居住环境。自进入工业社会以来，面对人与自然的日益隔绝、人与人之间关系的异化，不少西方人开始试图回归自然，追求可以使得内心得到平静的家园。海德格尔就提出著名的“诗意地栖息”。具体到中华民族共有精神家园，则天人合一和崇尚自然的生活。中国自古就有天人合一、崇尚自然的思想，田园诗还是诗歌中的重要流派。这些诗歌中的意象对中国人的精神家园的塑造起到了异常重要的作用。陶渊明作为田园诗的首创者，《桃花源记》中的“中无杂树，芳草鲜美，落英缤纷”、《饮酒》中的“采菊东篱下，悠然见南山”、《归田园居》中的“榆柳荫后檐，桃李罗堂前。暧暧远人村，依依墟里烟。狗吠深巷中，鸡鸣桑树颠。户庭无尘杂，虚室有余闲。久在樊笼里，复得返自然”都为中国知识阶层所熟知。李子柒能够打动国人、走向世界的很重要原因就是因为她以一种唯美的方式展示了许多中国人心目中的精神家园和理想生活状态。

Looking at the common spiritual homeland of the Chinese nation from the above three aspects, whether it is the Daoist “unity of heaven and humanity” or the Buddhist “compassion for all beings,” these concepts may have played some role in the formation of the common spiritual homeland of the Chinese nation and can be beneficial to building it. However, compared with the West, the role of religion in the process of building the common spiritual homeland of the Chinese nation is not prominent.

从上述三个方面的中华民族共同精神家园来看，无论是道教的“天人合一”还是佛教的“悲天悯人”等观念，或许对中华民族共有精神家园的形成起到过一定作用，可以对构筑中华民族共有精神家园有所裨益。但相对于西方，宗教在中华民族共有精神家园的构筑过程中作用并不突出。

(Author’s bio: Wang Qichang, Associate Professor at Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics)

（作者简介：王奇昌，内蒙古财经大学副教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心