The Epochal Implications
刘晓勇：习近平生态文明思想返本开新的时代意蕴
Fifth, the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” closely integrates environmental protection with economic development, achieving a dialectical unity between protecting productive forces and developing productive forces, and completing the modern transformation of the ancient Chinese view of “prosperity for ten thousand generations” [1]1 “Prosperity for ten thousand generations” (万世其昌) is a traditional Chinese idiom expressing the wish for a family or dynasty to flourish eternally, here applied to the sustainable use of natural resources.. In their long-term production practice, the ancients recognized that only when natural resources circulate continuously can social wealth flourish without decline. Guanzi stated, “Though mountains and marshes are vast, if grasses and trees are not prohibited; though the soil and land are fertile, if mulberry and hemp are not counted; though forage grass is abundant, if the six domestic animals are taxed—this is the door to closing off goods” [2]2 Guanzi (管子) refers to Guan Zhong (c. 720–645 BCE), a statesman and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period, and the text attributed to his school, which discusses statecraft and economic policy.. Mencius mentioned, “If a homestead of five mu is planted with mulberry trees, those of fifty years can wear silk; if chickens, pigs, and dogs are raised without missing their seasons, those of seventy years can eat meat; if a field of one hundred mu is not deprived of its seasons, a family of several mouths can avoid hunger” [3]3 Mencius (孟子, c. 372–289 BCE) was a Confucian philosopher whose teachings emphasize benevolent governance and sustainable resource use.. Both Guanzi and Mencius emphasized the impact of ecological development methods on the economy and society, expressing their social ideal of promoting the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature to achieve “prosperity for ten thousand generations.” However, traditional Chinese ecological thought was, after all, a summary of individual survival experience under the small-scale peasant economy; it could not possibly take into account the ecological well-being of the masses, let alone consider the sustainable development of humanity.
Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization has achieved an organic integration of the ecological environment and economic development. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out that protecting the ecological environment means protecting productive forces, and improving the ecological environment means developing productive forces. “Lucid waters and lush mountains” and “invaluable assets” are by no means in opposition; only by protecting the ecological environment well can the organic unity of economic, social, and ecological benefits be realized. If we repeat the mistake of “pollute first, treat later” or “pollute while treating,” we will ultimately lose both “lucid waters and lush mountains” and “invaluable assets.” From the perspective of achieving a win-win situation between ecological protection and economic development, Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization has transcended the ancient Chinese view of “prosperity for ten thousand generations,” laying a theoretical foundation for Chinese-path modernization characterized by the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.
(The author is a researcher at the Shaanxi Provincial Research Center for the Theoretical System of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Dean of the School of Marxism at Baoji University of Arts and Sciences.)
Online editor: Huihui
原文
中华优秀传统生态文化是中华民族世代传承发展的生态理论成果。习近平生态文明思想以“两个结合”推动中华优秀传统生态文化创造性转化和创新性发展，彰显了返本开新的时代意蕴，体现了辩证唯物主义的时代境界。
第一，“人与自然是生命共同体”理念将唯物论与辩证法紧密结合，实现了客观规律性和主体能动性的辩证统一，完成了对中国古代“天人合一”理念的现代转型。“天人合一”是古代朴素自然观的核心理念，是围绕人与自然关系所作的本体论概括，先贤们依此演绎出万物共生、融通物我的至高境界。尽管古人阐述“天人合一”的侧重点不尽相同，但在承认自然本原、尊重客观规律、追求人与自然和谐共生的理想境界上异曲同工，与西方主客二分的思维方式有别。
习近平生态文明思想继承了马克思主义生态思想，赋予“生命共同体”理念以科学主义和人本主义双重内涵。一方面，“生命共同体”强调自然优先存在，人得益于与自然界进行物质能量交换而存在和发展；另一方面，“生命共同体”高扬人的主体创造性，人在通过实践改造自然创造世界的同时，又提高和丰富了社会实践能力。这种人依自然而生、自然向人敞开的动态过程，使人同自然具有一体共存、协同进化的关系，从根本上克服了“天人合一”对人与自然关系的抽象理解，为社会主义生态文明奠定了坚实的本体论基础。
第二，“山水林田湖是一个生命共同体”理念将现代科学与传统智慧相结合，实现了生态世界观和方法论的辩证统一，完成了对中国古代“余气相培”生态还原论的现代转型。中国古人基于农业生产经验，认识到废物循环利用的好处。从《氾胜之书》到《齐民要术》再到《天工开物》，形成了系统的生态循环农业理念。清人杨屾在《知本提纲》中把这种循环农业概括为“余气相培”。古人在“余气相培”理论基础上建立了生态农业系统。然而，传统农业“余气相培”理论毕竟是小农经济的产物，带有明显的还原论特征，无法应对中国式现代化进程中出现的生态问题。
习近平生态文明思想坚持用系统观念和辩证方法谋划生态全局。首先，“命脉”概念形象说明了山水林田湖草沙构成“生命共同体”。其次，反对生态还原论，反对用机械的方法对待“生命共同体”。“如果种树的只管种树、治水的只管治水、护田的单纯护田，很容易顾此失彼，最终造成生态的系统性破坏。”最后，从系统工程角度寻求生态治理之道。习近平生态文明思想强调坚持山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和系统治理。在现代科学基础上加强生态环境系统治理，为中国传统生态智慧开辟了现代生态文明的新空间。
第三，“良好生态环境是最普惠的民生福祉”理念将生态文明与民生善治紧密结合，实现了生态道德与生态实践的辩证统一，完成了对中国古代“民胞物与”伦理关怀的现代转型。中国古代生态思想主张生命无高低贵贱之分，要求以仁爱之心包容万物，实现“与天地合其德”。老子“衣养万物而不为主”与庄子“泛爱万物”的主张，都要求人要肩负善待自然的责任。张载的“民胞物与”理想境界将万物视作同胞，主张以博爱对待一切生命，体现了以人为本的生态价值取向。中国传统生态思想通过培养高尚道德情操实现人与自然和谐相处，这种追求缺乏对解决环境问题和生存问题的现实关怀。
习近平生态文明思想站在唯物史观的高度，揭示了将生态道德与民生善治割裂开来的错误，将解决生态问题与解决民生问题紧密结合，强调改善民生福祉与培育生态道德之间要相辅相成。一方面，在全社会培养生命共同体意识，让人们树立对自然负责的道德情怀，通过生态道德建设扭转现代社会漠视自然的局面。另一方面，坚持以人民为中心的发展理念，以生态民生的宽广视野揭示人与自然关系日趋紧张的原因，力求通过化解社会矛盾的方式解决人与自然和谐问题。习近平生态文明思想生动体现了以人民为中心的发展理念。生态环境是关系党的使命宗旨的重大政治问题，也是关系民生的重大社会问题，要更加重视“雾霾能不能少一点、河湖能不能清一点、垃圾焚烧能不能不有损健康”这些人民群众“急难愁盼”问题。我们要把培育生态道德牢牢奠基在强化生态惠民基础上，使保护生态环境和增进民生福祉相得益彰。
第四，“构建从山顶到海洋的保护治理大格局”理念将完善制度与强化执行紧密结合，实现了严格生态制度和系统生态治理的辩证统一，完成了对中国古代虞衡制度的现代转型。中国古人很早就把保护自然观念上升为管理山泽的虞衡制度。《周礼》记载，周代管理山林川泽等自然资源的机构有山虞、林衡、川衡、泽虞等。山虞的职责是“仲冬，斩阳木；仲夏，斩阴木。凡服耜；斩季材，以时入之，令万民时斩材，有期日”。《秦律》有不准随意进山伐林木、焚草灰、捉幼兽的记载，《唐律》对破坏自然行为的处罚更加严厉。然而，虞衡的严刑峻法却换不来制度的有效执行。虞衡制度从根本上维护的是地主阶级的资源私有权，在严格限制农民享有资源权益的同时，却纵容王公贵族的林苑“直到南山不属人”。
习近平生态文明思想提出生态环境保护必须依靠制度和法治，强调“只有实行最严格的制度、最严密的法治，才能为生态文明建设提供可靠保障”。我们要将完善制度配套与强化执行力紧密结合，高度重视生态保护的实际效果。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央不仅构建起生态文明体制的“四梁八柱”，而且通过“史上最严”的生态执法，推动生态保护发生历史性、转折性、全局性变化。习近平生态文明思想以制度和治理的辩证统一，赋予虞衡制度以新的时代内涵。
第五，“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念将环境保护和经济发展紧密结合，实现了保护生产力与发展生产力的辩证统一，完成了对中国古代“万世其昌”观点的现代转型。古人在长期生产实践中认识到，自然资源只有循环不断，社会财富才能长盛不衰。管子提出“山泽虽广，草木毋禁；壤地虽肥，桑麻毋数；荐草虽多，六畜有征。闭货之门也”。孟子提到，“五亩之宅，树之以桑，五十者可以衣帛矣；鸡豚狗彘之畜，无失其时，七十者可以食肉矣；百亩之田，勿夺其时，数口之家可以无饥矣”。管子、孟子二人都强调生态发展方式对经济社会的影响，表达了他们意图促成人与自然和谐共生实现“万世其昌”的社会理想。然而，中国传统生态思想毕竟是小农经济下个体生存的经验总结，不可能顾及人民群众的生态福祉，更不可能考虑到人类的可持续发展。
习近平生态文明思想实现了生态环境与经济发展的有机结合。习近平总书记指出，保护生态环境就是保护生产力，改善生态环境就是发展生产力。“绿水青山”与“金山银山”之间绝不是对立的关系，只有保护好生态环境，才能实现经济、社会和生态效益有机统一。如果重蹈“先污染后治理”或“边污染边治理”的覆辙，最终会使“绿水青山”和“金山银山”双双落空。习近平生态文明思想站在生态保护与经济发展共赢角度，完成了对中国古代“万世其昌”观点的超越，为人与自然和谐共生的中国式现代化奠定了理论基础。
（作者系陕西省中国特色社会主义理论体系研究中心研究员、宝鸡文理学院马克思主义学院院长）
网络编辑：慧慧
Notes
- “Prosperity for ten thousand generations” (万世其昌) is a traditional Chinese idiom expressing the wish for a family or dynasty to flourish eternally, here applied to the sustainable use of natural resources. ↩
- Guanzi (管子) refers to Guan Zhong (c. 720–645 BCE), a statesman and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period, and the text attributed to his school, which discusses statecraft and economic policy. ↩
- Mencius (孟子, c. 372–289 BCE) was a Confucian philosopher whose teachings emphasize benevolent governance and sustainable resource use. ↩