The Concept that “Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains Are Invaluable Assets”: A “Revolution in Terminology” in the Human Outlook on Development

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “Handling the relationship between development and protection is a worldwide challenge and an eternal subject facing the development of human society.” This year marks the 20th anniversary of the proposal of the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” The concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” scientifically expounds the relationship between economic development and ecological environmental protection, profoundly reveals the principle that protecting the ecological environment means protecting productive forces and improving the ecological environment means developing productive forces, and points out a new path for achieving synergistic coexistence between development and protection. It represents a coordination and reconstruction of the imbalance in the relationship between development and protection—the intensification of ecological crises alongside the growth of human productive forces since industrial civilization—and resolves the “binary paradox” of development and protection.

习近平总书记指出：“处理好发展和保护的关系，是一个世界性难题，也是人类社会发展面临的永恒课题。”今年是“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念提出20周年。“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念，科学阐述了经济发展和生态环境保护的关系，深刻揭示了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的道理，指明了实现发展和保护协同共生的新路径，是对工业文明以来人类生产力增长与生态危机加剧这一发展与保护关系失衡的协调和重构，破解了发展和保护的“二元悖论”。

“Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” is an original and iconic concept of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and a crystallization and model of the Two Integrations [1]1 The Two Integrations (两个结合) refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture. It is a core methodological principle of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.. Exploring the formation and development process of this important concept and the principles, theories, and philosophies it contains, and scientifically understanding its inheritance and development of the Marxist view of ecology and the Marxist view of development, as well as of fine traditional Chinese ecological culture, and its transcendence and innovation over Western traditional development paradigms, helps us to more deeply understand and scientifically grasp that the concept “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” is a scientific concept rooted in China’s soil, conforming to China’s actual conditions, and possessing a Chinese style. It helps, with the “revolution in terminology” formed by original and iconic concepts as the core, to consciously take Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization as the fundamental guide and construct an independent Chinese knowledge system of ecological civilization. It helps, with Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions, to reconstruct the global sustainable development discourse system and practice system, and to promote the joint building of a clean, beautiful, and sustainable world.

“绿水青山就是金山银山”是习近平生态文明思想的原创性、标识性概念，是“两个结合”的结晶和典范。探求这一重要理念的形成发展历程和蕴含的道理学理哲理，科学理解其对马克思主义生态观和马克思主义发展观、中华优秀传统生态文化的继承和发展，对西方传统发展范式的超越和革新，有助于我们更加深刻理解和科学把握“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念是植根中国大地、符合中国实际、具有中国气派的科学理念；有助于以原创性、标识性概念形成的“术语的革命”为内核，自觉以习近平生态文明思想为根本遵循，建构中国自主的生态文明知识体系；有助于以中国智慧、中国方案重构全球可持续发展话语体系、实践体系，推动共建清洁、美丽、可持续的世界。

The gestation, formation, and development of the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”

“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念的孕育、形成和发展

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “I have always attached great importance to ecological and environmental work. During my work in Zhengding, Xiamen, Ningde, Fujian, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and other places, I treated this work as a major task.” The gestation, formation, and development of the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” has undergone a development process of summarizing local experience, proposing conceptual categories, and elevating philosophical principles.

习近平总书记指出：“我对生态环境工作历来看得很重。在正定、厦门、宁德、福建、浙江、上海等地工作期间，都把这项工作作为一项重大工作来抓。”“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念的孕育、形成和发展，经历了地方经验总结、概念范畴提出、哲学理念升华的发展历程。

The gestation and development of the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” “Lucid waters and lush mountains” represent ecological wealth and environmental protection; “invaluable assets” represent material wealth and economic development. As early as April 1997, during an investigation in Changkou Village, Sanming, Fujian, Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out: “Clear waters and green mountains are priceless treasures; mountainous areas must paint a good ‘landscape painting’ and do a good job on the articles of mountains, waters, and fields.” [2]2 New quality productive forces (新质生产力) is a term introduced by Xi Jinping in 2023 to describe productivity driven by technological revolution, innovation, and green development, distinct from traditional labor- and resource-intensive forms. After working in Zhejiang, Comrade Xi Jinping, in the article “Environmental Protection Depends on Conscious Self-Action,” pointed out that “only wanting invaluable assets, regardless of lucid waters and lush mountains” is in fact “eating the rice of ancestors and cutting off the road for descendants.” [3]3 “The unity of Heaven and humanity” (天人合一), “participating in the work of Heaven and Earth” (与天地参), and “Tao follows nature” (道法自然) are classical Chinese philosophical concepts from Confucian and Daoist traditions, emphasizing harmony between the cosmos, nature, and human action. In July 2004, at the Zhejiang Province “Thousand Village Demonstration, Ten Thousand Village Renovation” work site meeting, Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out that the “Thousand Village Demonstration, Ten Thousand Village Renovation” project, as an “ecological project,” is an effective carrier for promoting the construction of an ecological province, protecting both “lucid waters and lush mountains” and bringing “invaluable assets.” [4]4 This phrase is from the Daoist philosopher Zhuangzi (c. 4th century BCE), expressing the idea of the unity of all existence. All these indicate that Comrade Xi Jinping, as early as during his local work, had proposed conceptual categories such as “lucid waters and lush mountains” and “invaluable assets,” containing rich philosophical thinking and practical wisdom. From the perspective of terminology, the imagery of mountains and waters has always reflected the ancient Chinese sages’ aesthetic appreciation and cognition of nature, such as in the poetic lines “Green mountains never tire of being gazed upon, flowing waters have endless charm,” “Beyond the traveler’s road are green mountains, before the moving boat are lucid waters,” and “White clouds and yellow cranes come and go freely, lucid waters and lush mountains know no past or present.” These express the ancient Chinese people’s love, reverence, and praise for nature. The concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” is deeply rooted in the cultural context of the Chinese nation and is a spiritual treasure grown from the soil of Chinese culture, embodying Eastern wisdom.

“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念的孕育发展。“绿水青山”代表生态财富、环境保护，“金山银山”代表物质财富、经济发展。早在1997年4月，习近平同志在福建三明常口村调研时就指出：“青山绿水是无价之宝，山区要画好‘山水画’，做好山水田文章。”到浙江工作后，习近平同志在《环境保护要靠自觉自为》一文中指出，“只要金山银山，不管绿水青山”，实则是“吃了祖宗饭，断了子孙路”。2004年7月，习近平同志在浙江省“千村示范、万村整治”工作现场会上指出，“千村示范、万村整治”作为一项“生态工程”，是推动生态省建设的有效载体，既保护了“绿水青山”，又带来了“金山银山”。这些都表明，习近平同志早在地方工作期间，就提出了“绿水青山”“金山银山”等概念范畴，蕴含着丰富的哲学思考和实践智慧。从术语的表达上看，山水意象一直体现了中华先贤对自然的审美和认知，如“青山看不厌，流水趣何长”“客路青山外，行舟绿水前”“白云黄鹤自来去，绿水青山无古今”等诗句，表达了中国古人对自然的热爱、敬畏与赞美。“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念，深深扎根于中华民族文化语境之中，是在中华文化土壤中生长出来的凝聚着东方智慧的精神财富。

The formal proposal of the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” On August 15, 2005, during an investigation and research visit to Yucun Village, Anji, Zhejiang, Comrade Xi Jinping, with a forward-looking strategic vision, first proposed that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” Comrade Xi Jinping affirmed the practice of Yucun Village at that time of shutting down mines that polluted the environment and beginning to develop ecotourism, pointing out: “In the past, we said we must have both lucid waters and lush mountains and invaluable assets; in fact, lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” On August 24, 2005, Comrade Xi Jinping published the article “Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains Are Also Invaluable Assets” in *Zhejiang Daily*, profoundly expounding the dialectical and unified relationship between “lucid waters and lush mountains” and “invaluable assets,” pointing out from a strategic height the development path of green transformation, and emphasizing: “If these ecological environmental advantages can be transformed into the advantages of ecological economy, such as ecological agriculture, ecological industry, and ecological tourism, then lucid waters and lush mountains will become invaluable assets.” In March 2006, Comrade Xi Jinping further pointed out in “Viewing Ecological Environment from the Perspective of ‘Two Mountains’”: “What we pursue is harmony between humans and nature, harmony between economy and society. Put simply, it means ‘two mountains’: we must have both invaluable assets and lucid waters and lush mountains.” He also proposed a “three-stage” theory on the understanding of the relationship between lucid waters and lush mountains and invaluable assets, from the perspectives of the transformation of economic growth models, the continuous progress of development concepts, and the constant adjustment of the relationship between humans and nature. The formal proposal of the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” fully reflects Comrade Xi Jinping’s profound thinking on the relationship between protection and development, and between humans and nature, his far-sightedness on issues concerning the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, and his lofty spiritual realm of adhering to truth. It possesses distinct contemporaneity and practicality.

“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念的正式提出。2005年8月15日，习近平同志到浙江安吉余村考察调研，以充满前瞻性的战略眼光，首次提出“绿水青山就是金山银山”。习近平同志对当时余村关停污染环境的矿山，开始搞生态旅游的做法表示肯定，指出“我们过去讲既要绿水青山，又要金山银山，实际上绿水青山就是金山银山”。2005年8月24日，习近平同志在《浙江日报》发表《绿水青山也是金山银山》一文，深刻阐述了“绿水青山”和“金山银山”的辩证统一关系，从战略高度指明了绿色变革的发展路径，强调“如果能够把这些生态环境优势转化为生态农业、生态工业、生态旅游等生态经济的优势，那么绿水青山也就变成了金山银山”。2006年3月，习近平同志在《从“两座山”看生态环境》中进一步指出，“我们追求人与自然的和谐、经济与社会的和谐，通俗地讲，就是要‘两座山’：既要金山银山，又要绿水青山”，并从经济增长方式转变、发展观念不断进步、人与自然关系不断调整的角度，提出对绿水青山和金山银山关系认识的“三个阶段”论。“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念的正式提出，充分体现了习近平同志对保护与发展、人与自然关系的深邃思考，对事关中华民族永续发展问题的高瞻远瞩和坚持真理的崇高精神境界，具有鲜明的时代性和实践性。

The enrichment and improvement of the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, ecological civilization construction has been incorporated into the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan [5]5 “Way” (道) and “concrete manifestations” (器) are paired concepts from classical Chinese philosophy, where dao refers to the underlying principle or pattern of reality, and qi to its tangible, practical embodiments.. The concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” has been continuously enriched and improved in both theoretical connotation and practical application. The 19th National Congress of the CPC, for the first time, wrote “must establish and practice the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” into the congress report and made it a main content of one of the basic strategies for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. [6]6 The “tragedy of the commons” is a concept from ecologist Garrett Hardin (1968), describing how shared resources are depleted when individuals act in their own self-interest without regulation. At the same time, the 19th National Congress of the CPC, through the *Amendment to the Constitution of the Communist Party of China*, wrote “enhance the awareness that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” into the Party Constitution, marking that this important concept had officially become the Party’s guiding ideology and action guide, fully demonstrating our Party’s clear attitude and firm determination to build an ecological civilization. In May 2018, the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection was held, formally establishing Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the conference, systematically elaborating the “six principles” that must be adhered to in promoting ecological civilization construction in the New Era. “Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” as one of these principles, received more in-depth elucidation. In November 2021, at a major historical juncture of marching towards the second centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects, our Party wrote “must adhere to the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” into the *Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century*, which is of great and far-reaching significance. [7]7 This phrase (山水林田湖草沙) is a standard formulation in Chinese ecological policy, listing seven types of natural landscape to emphasize integrated ecosystem management. Our Party continuously deepens its understanding of the guiding status and major significance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, while also focusing on continuously deepening the “revolution in terminology,” including the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” Using original and iconic concepts as the foundation, it consolidates the disciplinary system, academic system, and discourse system edifice of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization.

“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念的丰富完善。党的十八大以来，生态文明建设被纳入“五位一体”总体布局，“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念在理论内涵和实践应用上不断丰富和完善。党的十九大首次将“必须树立和践行绿水青山就是金山银山的理念”写入大会报告，并将其作为新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义基本方略之一的主要内容。同时，党的十九大通过的《中国共产党章程（修正案）》，把“增强绿水青山就是金山银山的意识”写入党章，标志着这一重要理念正式成为党的指导思想和行动指南，充分彰显了我们党建设生态文明的鲜明态度和坚定决心。2018年5月，全国生态环境保护大会召开，正式确立习近平生态文明思想。习近平总书记在大会上发表重要讲话，系统阐释了新时代推进生态文明建设必须坚持的“六项原则”，“绿水青山就是金山银山”作为其中之一，得到了更为深入的阐发。2021年11月，在向着全面建成社会主义现代化强国的第二个百年奋斗目标迈进的重大历史关头，我们党将“必须坚持绿水青山就是金山银山的理念”写入《中共中央关于党的百年奋斗重大成就和历史经验的决议》，意义重大而深远。我们党不断深化对习近平生态文明思想的指导地位和重大意义的认识，同时注重持续深化包括“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念在内的“术语的革命”，以原创性、标识性概念为基底，筑牢习近平生态文明思想的学科体系、学术体系、话语体系大厦。

The concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” is an inheritance and development of the Marxist view of ecology and the Marxist view of development, and of fine traditional Chinese ecological culture, and a transcendence and innovation over Western traditional development paradigms.

“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念是对马克思主义生态观和马克思主义发展观、中华优秀传统生态文化的继承发展、对西方传统发展范式的超越革新

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “In 2002, when I was serving as Governor of Fujian Province, I proposed that Fujian should be built into China’s first ecological province. After working in Zhejiang, in 2005 I further proposed that ‘lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.’ Today this has become a consensus among the Chinese people.” The fundamental reason why the concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” has become a consensus among the entire nation lies in the fact that this important concept, with the distinctive character of the Two Integrations [1]1 The Two Integrations (两个结合) refers to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture. It is a core methodological principle of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era., inherits and develops the Marxist ecological view and the Marxist conception of development, is deeply rooted in the profound ecological cultural genes of the Chinese nation, and demonstrates its value for the times by keeping pace with the times. At the same time, the concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” with its basic connotation of the dialectical unity of humanity and nature, ecology and economy, development and protection, achieves a historic transcendence of the Western traditional development paradigm.

习近平总书记指出：“2002年我在福建担任省长时就提出福建要建成中国第一个生态省。到浙江工作后，2005年我又提出‘绿水青山就是金山银山’，如今这已成为中国人民的共识。”“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念之所以成为全国人民的共识，根本就在于这一重要理念以“两个结合”的鲜明特质继承发展了马克思主义生态观、马克思主义发展观，深深根植于中华民族深厚的生态文化基因之中，与时俱进地彰显出时代价值。同时，“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念以人与自然、生态与经济、发展和保护辩证统一的基本内涵实现了对西方传统发展范式的历史性超越。

The concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” enriches and develops the Marxist ecological view and the Marxist conception of development. The Marxist ecological view emphasizes that nature is prior to humanity, that humans originate from nature, that nature is the inorganic body of humanity, and at the same time points out that the real natural world is the natural world of humanity, and that humans form an interactive whole with nature through the intermediary of “labor.” There is no doubt that the concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” manifests the dialectical unity of humanity and nature, protection and development. Marx believed that there is an irreparable rift in the material exchange between humanity and nature inherent in capitalism, and criticized the irreconcilability of the human-nature relationship and capitalism’s plunder of nature.

“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念丰富发展了马克思主义生态观、马克思主义发展观。马克思主义生态观强调自然优先于人类、人来源于自然、自然是人的无机的身体，同时指出现实的自然界是人类的自然界，人通过“劳动”的中介同自然构成相互作用的整体。毫无疑问，“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念彰显了人与自然、保护与发展的辩证统一。马克思认为，资本主义内在的人与自然物质变换存在无法弥补的裂缝，批判了人与自然关系的不可调和性以及资本主义对自然的掠夺。

General Secretary Xi Jinping, with the extraordinary wisdom of a Marxist theorist, strategist, and thinker, both very clearly recognizes that industrial civilization “while creating enormous material wealth, has also accelerated the plundering of natural resources, broken the original cycles and balance of the Earth’s ecosystem, and caused tension in the relationship between humanity and nature,” and has put forward scientific theses such as “lucid waters and lush mountains are not only natural wealth and ecological wealth, but also social wealth and economic wealth. Protecting the ecological environment means protecting natural value and increasing natural capital” and “new quality productive forces are themselves green productive forces.” [2]2 New quality productive forces (新质生产力) is a term introduced by Xi Jinping in 2023 to describe productivity driven by technological revolution, innovation, and green development, distinct from traditional labor- and resource-intensive forms. This is the first time in the history of human thought on productive forces, and it achieves the creative development in the 21st century of the Marxist theory of natural value, the labor theory of value, and the theory of productive forces.

习近平总书记以马克思主义理论家、战略家、思想家的非凡智慧，既十分清醒地认识到工业文明“在创造巨大物质财富的同时也加速了对自然资源的攫取，打破了地球生态系统原有的循环和平衡，造成人与自然关系紧张”，又提出了“绿水青山既是自然财富、生态财富，又是社会财富、经济财富。保护生态环境就是保护自然价值和增值自然资本”“新质生产力本身就是绿色生产力”等科学论断，这在人类生产力思想史上还是第一次，实现了马克思主义自然价值论、劳动价值论、生产力理论在21世纪的创造性发展。

The concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” realizes the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional Chinese ecological culture. The mainstream of the over 5,000-year Chinese civilization and the concepts it contains, such as “the unity of Heaven and humanity,” “participating in the work of Heaven and Earth,” and “Tao follows nature,” [3]3 “The unity of Heaven and humanity” (天人合一), “participating in the work of Heaven and Earth” (与天地参), and “Tao follows nature” (道法自然) are classical Chinese philosophical concepts from Confucian and Daoist traditions, emphasizing harmony between the cosmos, nature, and human action. all embody the Chinese nation’s unique worldview, view of nature, and distinctive methods for dealing with the relationships between Heaven and Earth and between Heaven and humanity. It can be said that Chinese civilization has always emphasized and advocated that “Heaven and Earth were born together with me, and the ten thousand things are one with me,” [4]4 This phrase is from the Daoist philosopher Zhuangzi (c. 4th century BCE), expressing the idea of the unity of all existence. regarding Heaven, Earth, and humanity as an indivisible whole, possessing a tradition of holistic and systematic thinking.

“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念实现了中华优秀传统生态文化的创造性转化、创新性发展。5000多年中华文明的主流及其所蕴含的“天人合一”“与天地参”“道法自然”等理念，无不体现出中华民族特有的宇宙观、自然观以及处理天地、天人关系的独特方法。可以说，中华文明向来强调和主张“天地与我并生，而万物与我为一”，将天地人看作一个不可分割的整体，具有整体性、系统性的思维传统。

The concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” inherits excellent traditional Chinese ecological culture and carries out its creative transformation and innovative development. It both acknowledges the intrinsic value of nature and does not negate humanity’s right to rationally utilize nature. It builds a bridge between ideal and reality, between environmental protection and economic development, achieving the unity of the “Way” (dao) and its “concrete manifestations” (qi), [5]5 “Way” (道) and “concrete manifestations” (器) are paired concepts from classical Chinese philosophy, where dao refers to the underlying principle or pattern of reality, and qi to its tangible, practical embodiments. demonstrating the vitality of excellent traditional Chinese ecological culture and showing its creativity in keeping pace with the times.

“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念传承中华优秀传统生态文化，并对其进行创造性转化、创新性发展，既承认自然的内在价值，又不否定人类合理利用自然的权利，在理想与现实之间、环境保护与经济发展之间架起了桥梁，实现了“道”与“器”的统一，展现了中华优秀传统生态文化的生命力，显示出与时俱进的创造力。

The concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” achieves a transcendence of the Western traditional development paradigm. The history of human civilization is essentially also a history of the relationship between humanity and nature. The Western ecological discourse system is built on the philosophical foundation of the dichotomy between subject and object. For example, Descartes’ “I think, therefore I am” established a strict distinction between subject (humanity) and object (nature); Francis Bacon advocated that scientific knowledge should serve humanity’s conquest of nature, etc., making anthropocentrism, the supremacy of reason, and the mechanistic view of nature the value basis of Western industrial civilization. In modern and contemporary times, mainstream Western economics has always taken “economic growth” as its core objective, treating the ecological environment as an external condition of productive forces rather than an intrinsic element. From Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” to the Solow growth model, natural capital has never been included in the core consideration of the production function. This theoretical deficiency led to a certain extent to the spread of the “tragedy of the commons” in the 20th century. [6]6 The “tragedy of the commons” is a concept from ecologist Garrett Hardin (1968), describing how shared resources are depleted when individuals act in their own self-interest without regulation. Although neoclassical economics attempts to correct market failure through “externality theory,” it has never truly resolved the contradiction between economic growth and ecological protection.

“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念实现了对西方传统发展范式的超越。人类文明发展史，本质上也是一部人与自然关系史。西方生态话语体系建立在主客二分的哲学基础之上。如笛卡尔的“我思故我在”确立了主体（人）与客体（自然）的严格区分，弗朗西斯·培根主张科学知识应服务于人类对自然的征服等，使人类中心主义、理性至上和机械自然观成为西方工业文明的价值基础。近现代以来，西方主流经济学始终以“经济增长”为核心目标，将生态环境视为生产力的外部条件而非内在要素。从亚当·斯密的“看不见的手”到索洛增长模型，都未将自然资本纳入生产函数的核心考量，这种理论缺陷一定程度上导致了20世纪“公地悲剧”的蔓延。尽管新古典经济学试图通过“外部性理论”修正市场失灵，但始终未能真正解决经济增长与生态保护的矛盾。

The concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” transcends the objectifying thinking of mechanism, endowing nature with subjective value. In terms of value reconstruction, it emphasizes that natural value is an important component of value, forming a theory of ecological value transformation based on ecological priority. In terms of growth concepts and methods, it corrects the “ecological blindness” of Western growth theory, emphasizes the synergy between economic growth and environmental protection, and forms a growth theory based on ecological endogenous dynamics. It abandons the “theory of market omnipotence,” constructs a system of coordinated governance among government, market, and society, adheres to the integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, [7]7 This phrase (山水林田湖草沙) is a standard formulation in Chinese ecological policy, listing seven types of natural landscape to emphasize integrated ecosystem management. achieves systemic change through institutional innovation, and creates a completely new paradigm for expressing the relationship between humanity and nature, and between protection and development.

“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念超越机械论的客体化思维，赋予自然主体性价值，在价值重构上强调自然价值是价值的重要组成部分，形成了生态优先基础上的生态价值转化理论；在增长理念和方式上，矫正西方增长理论的“生态盲视”，注重经济增长和环境保护的协同性，形成了基于生态内生动力的增长论；摒弃“市场万能论”，构建政府、市场、社会协同治理体系，坚持山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和系统治理，通过制度创新实现系统性变革，开创了人与自然、保护与发展关系表达的全新范式。

Guided by the concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” build a modernization in which humanity and nature coexist in harmony, and create a new form of human civilization.

以“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念为指引，建设人与自然和谐共生的现代化，开创人类文明新形态

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “Human development activities must respect nature, follow its ways, and protect it; otherwise, nature will retaliate. This is a law that no one can defy.” Modernization is the general trend of world development today and a common pursuit of human society. The historic achievements of Chinese-path modernization show that the concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” provides theoretical guidance and practical direction for building a modernization in which humanity and nature coexist in harmony.

习近平总书记指出：“人类发展活动必须尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然，否则就会遭到大自然的报复，这个规律谁也无法抗拒。”现代化是当今世界发展的总趋势，是人类社会的共同追求。中国式现代化建设的历史性成就表明，“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念为建设人与自然和谐共生的现代化提供了理论遵循和实践指南。

Adhere to the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: “Humanity and nature should coexist in harmony. When humanity protects nature in a friendly way, nature’s rewards are generous; when humanity plunders nature brutally, nature’s punishments are also merciless.” From the “worship of nature” in primitive society, to the “limited transformation” of agricultural civilization, the “conquest of nature” of industrial civilization, and then to the “harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature” of ecological civilization, human cognition of natural ecology has undergone a spiraling process of ascent. In the historical process of human modernization, many countries and regions have experienced stages of pursuing economic growth at the expense of the ecological environment. Britain, as the world’s first country to undergo the Industrial Revolution, suffered serious environmental pollution problems lasting over a hundred years due to its massive demand for resources such as coal. As late as the 1950s, the world-shocking “Great Smog of London” occurred. [8]8 The Great Smog of London was a severe air pollution event in December 1952, caused by coal burning and weather conditions, leading to thousands of deaths and prompting the UK’s Clean Air Act of 1956. During the same period, Japan experienced a serious environmental pollution incident known as the “Minamata disease incident.” [9]9 Minamata disease was a neurological syndrome caused by methylmercury poisoning from industrial wastewater discharged by the Chisso Corporation into Minamata Bay, Japan, first officially recognized in 1956. In our country, for a period of time, some regions, in order to pursue short-term economic growth, blindly developed highly polluting and energy-intensive industries, causing serious damage to the ecological environment. These lessons all warn us that the ecological environment is the foundation of human survival and development; once damaged, it will cause irreparable losses to human survival and development. The concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” fundamentally achieves a major shift from “conquering nature” to “harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature,” emphasizing always respecting nature, following its ways, and protecting it, and planning development from the height of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

坚持人与自然和谐共生。习近平总书记指出：“人与自然应和谐共生。当人类友好保护自然时，自然的回报是慷慨的；当人类粗暴掠夺自然时，自然的惩罚也是无情的。”从原始社会的“自然崇拜”到农业文明的“有限改造”、工业文明的“征服自然”，再到生态文明的“人与自然和谐共生”，人类对自然生态的认知经历了螺旋式上升过程。在人类现代化发展的历史进程中，许多国家和地区都曾经历过以牺牲生态环境为代价追求经济增长的阶段。英国作为世界上最早进行工业革命的国家，因对煤炭等资源的大量需求导致了持续百余年的严重环境污染问题。直到20世纪50年代，还发生了震惊世界的“伦敦烟雾事件”。同一时期，日本发生了被称为“水俣病事件”的严重环境污染事件。在我国，一个时期以来，一些地区为了追求短期的经济增长，盲目发展高污染高能耗产业，对生态环境造成了严重破坏。这些教训都警示我们，生态环境是人类生存和发展的根基，一旦遭到破坏，将对人类的生存和发展造成不可挽回的损失。“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念从根本上实现了从“征服自然”向“人与自然和谐共生”的重大转变，强调始终尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然，站在人与自然和谐共生的高度谋划发展。

Correctly handle the relationship between development and protection. Western economics’ “Environmental Kuznets Curve” theory holds that environmental pollution first rises with per capita income, then, after reaching a certain tipping point, declines, leading to environmental improvement and recovery, forming an inverted U-shaped curve. In practice, this theory is misleading, as if the environment will naturally improve once the inflection point is reached. The concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” fundamentally breaks the mistaken perception that development and protection are separate, overcomes at the ontological level the “binary opposition” between ecology and economy inherent in traditional development concepts, and shatters the path dependence on “pollute first, treat later” characteristic of Western modernization. The natural values embedded in this important concept transform the ecological environment from a “development cost” into “development capital,” achieving a major breakthrough in the theory of natural system value; the green productivity view turns ecological factors from an external constraint into an internal driving force, incorporating ecology as a factor of production into the system of social reproduction, representing a creative development of the theory of human productive forces; by establishing the value choice of “ecological priority” within the unity of opposites of development and protection, it reorders development priorities, constituting a brand-new development economics.

正确处理好发展和保护的关系。西方经济学“环境库兹涅茨曲线”理论认为，环境污染会随着人均收入的增加由低趋高，到达某个临界点后又会由高趋低，环境得到改善和恢复，形成倒U形曲线。从实践上看，这种理论具有误导性，似乎只要等到拐点，环境自然就会改善。“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念从根本上打破了发展和保护割裂的错误认知，从本体论层面突破了传统发展观念中生态与经济“二元对立”的思维局限，打破了西方现代化进程中“先污染后治理”的路径依赖。这一重要理念所蕴含的自然价值观将生态环境从“发展成本”转化为“发展资本”，实现了自然系统价值论的重大突破；绿色生产力观将生态因素从外部约束转化为内部动力，把生态作为一种生产要素纳入社会再生产体系，是人类生产力理论的创造性发展；在发展与保护的对立统一中确立“生态优先”的价值抉择，重新排序了发展优先级，构成全新的发展经济学。

Take the path of green development modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Chinese-path modernization must take a new path of harmony between humanity and nature. This is being responsible to ourselves and to the world.” The Western path of modernization is filled with destructiveness, plunder, and cost-shifting, behind which lie brutal exploitation and global structural inequality. The Western extensive development model of high consumption, high emissions, and high pollution is the inevitable product of “anthropocentrism” driven by the logic of capital, achieving its own modernization by plundering nature and shifting costs, leading to global ecological crisis and developmental imbalance. The modernization of developed countries has long been trapped in the binary opposition between economic growth and environmental protection. Whether it is the pessimistic prophecy of the “limits to growth” by the Club of Rome or the path dependence on “pollute first, treat later” of traditional development models, neither has escaped the mechanical limitations of static models. The concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” not only resolves the opposition between economic growth and environmental protection but also, through the equitable distribution of ecological dividends and the construction of a new order of global ecological governance, provides a new option for human civilization that coordinates development and protection and unifies efficiency and equity. It is a systematic rejection of the ills of industrial civilization. The practice of this concept is not only a transformation of the development model but also an upgrade of the form of civilization, guiding humanity toward the path of green development modernization.

走绿色发展的现代化之路。习近平总书记指出：“中国式现代化必须走人与自然和谐共生的新路。这是对我们自己负责，也是对世界负责。”西方现代化之路充满破坏性、掠夺性和转嫁性，背后隐藏着残酷的剥削和全球范围的结构性不平等。西方高消耗、高排放、高污染的粗放发展方式，是资本逻辑主导下“人类中心主义”的必然产物，通过掠夺自然和转嫁成本实现自身现代化，导致全球生态危机与发展失衡。发达国家的现代化长期陷于经济增长与环境保护二元对立的困境，无论是罗马俱乐部“增长的极限”的悲观预言，还是传统发展模式“先污染后治理”的路径依赖，都未能跳出静态模型的机械性局限。“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念不仅解决了经济增长与环境保护的对立，而且通过公平分配生态红利、构建全球生态治理新秩序，为人类文明提供了发展与保护协同、效率与公平统一的新选项，是对工业文明弊端的系统性摒弃。这一理念的实践，不仅是发展方式的转变，更是文明形态的升级，将引领人类走向绿色发展的现代化之路。

Lead the transformation of the global ecological and environmental governance system. Currently, global climate change, the reduction of biological species, and other issues continue to threaten the material foundation on which humanity depends for survival and development, and the limitations of the traditional Western ecological governance paradigm are becoming more prominent. The concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” through the internalization of ecological value, the coordination of growth paradigms, and the systematization of governance models, constructs a new development philosophy and new development economics of “harmony between humanity and nature,” providing conceptual guidance and a feasible path for global sustainable development. In the New Era, China, through initiatives such as jointly building a green Belt and Road and jointly building a community of life on Earth, has profoundly influenced the global environmental governance and sustainable development agenda, demonstrating China’s institutional confidence and international responsibility as a leader in global green transformation and a responsible major country. We must take the “terminological revolution” of the concept of “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” as the core, construct an independent Chinese knowledge system of ecological civilization, comprehensively promote the international dissemination of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, construct and lead the global green development discourse system, and scientifically answer the questions of the times and the world concerning building a beautiful China and a beautiful world.

引领全球生态环境治理体系变革。当前，全球气候变化、生物物种减少等问题仍然威胁着人类赖以生存和发展的物质基础，传统西方生态治理范式的局限性更加凸显。“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念通过生态价值内生化、增长范式协同化、治理模式系统化，构建了一种“人与自然和谐共生”的新发展哲学、新发展经济学，为全球可持续发展提供了理念遵循和可行路径。新时代中国通过共建绿色“一带一路”、共建地球生命共同体等倡议主张，深刻影响了全球环境治理和可持续发展议程，彰显了中国作为全球绿色转型引领者与负责任大国的制度自信和国际担当。我们要以“绿水青山就是金山银山”理念的“术语革命”为内核，建构中国自主的生态文明知识体系，全面推进习近平生态文明思想的国际传播，建构和引领全球绿色发展话语体系，科学回答建设美丽中国、美丽世界的时代之问、世界之问。

(The author is a researcher at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

（作者为中国社会科学院习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员）

(This article was commissioned by the People’s Forum magazine and edited by the Theory Department of People’s Daily)

（本文由人民论坛杂志社组稿、人民日报社理论部编辑）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心