Deeply Grasping the Rich Connotations of “Promoting Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations”

Recently, at the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization+” meeting, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, “We must continue to promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, writing a splendid chapter of peaceful coexistence, harmony, and concord among countries with different histories, cultures, social systems, and stages of development.” Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping, based on the general trend of human civilization development,

近日，在“上海合作组织+”会议上，习近平总书记强调，“我们要继续促进文明交流互鉴，书写不同历史文化、不同社会制度、不同发展阶段国家和平和睦和谐相处的璀璨篇章”。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记立足人类文明发展大势，提出“促进文明交流互鉴”的重大命题，强调“树立平等、互鉴、对话、包容的文明观”，作出“文明因多样而交流，因交流而互鉴，因互鉴而发展”等一系列重要论述，对人类文明发展规律进行深刻总结，为人类文明发展指明了方向。深刻把握“促进文明交流互鉴”的丰富内涵，对于解决人类文明面临的共同挑战、促进人类文明进步具有重要意义。

I

一

The beauty of a harmonious stew lies in the blending of diverse ingredients. [1] Throughout the long course of human history, mankind has created and developed a variety of splendid civilizations. The diversity of civilizations, like the biodiversity of nature, is a basic feature of the world and, moreover, a natural imprint engraved in the process of human development. It both highlights the myriad differences among civilizations and embodies the unique charm formed through the blending and communication of civilizations, representing a dialectical unity of identity and difference. Because the birth and development of human civilization are influenced by multiple factors, different civilizations have formed distinct development paths and forms. Only by respecting the diversity of civilizations as a prerequisite and conducting dialogue among civilizations with the principle of equality can mutual learning among civilizations be promoted.

和羹之美，在于合异。人类在漫长的历史长河中，创造和发展了多姿多彩的文明。文明多样性同自然界的生物多样性一样，是世界的基本特征，更是镌刻在人类发展进程中的天然印记。它既彰显不同文明间的千差万别，也体现文明交融沟通而成的独特魅力，是同一性与差异性辩证关系的统一。由于人类文明的诞生与发展受多种因素影响，不同文明形成了各具特色的发展路径与形态。只有以尊重文明多样性为前提，秉持平等理念开展文明对话，才能促进文明间的相互借鉴。

Civilization is the result of humanity’s active transformation of the world under given conditions; it is a manifestation of human power and possesses a fundamental equality in its essence. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “Civilizations are equal, and it is because of equality that human civilizations have the prerequisite for exchange and mutual learning. All human civilizations are equal in value; each has its strengths and also its shortcomings. There is no perfect civilization in the world, nor is there a civilization that is utterly worthless; there is no hierarchy of high and low, good and bad among civilizations.” [2] To understand the true essence of various civilizations, one must adopt an attitude of equality and humility. Based on the objective and historical existence of civilizational diversity, we should deepen our understanding of the uniqueness of different civilizations, fully respect the institutional creations and path choices of different civilizations, uphold equality in development rights, adhere to mutual respect and equal treatment, and allow various civilizations to coexist harmoniously, achieving “each appreciating its own beauty, appreciating the beauty of others, and sharing beauty in harmony.” [3]

文明是人类在现实条件下能动地改造世界的结果，是人类力量的体现，具有根本意义上的平等性。习近平总书记指出，“文明是平等的，人类文明因平等才有交流互鉴的前提。各种人类文明在价值上是平等的，都各有千秋，也各有不足。世界上不存在十全十美的文明，也不存在一无是处的文明，文明没有高低、优劣之分”。要了解各种文明的真谛，必须秉持平等、谦虚的态度。应以文明多样性的客观存在和历史存在为基础，深化对不同文明独特性的认知，充分尊重不同文明的制度创造和道路选择，坚持发展权利平等，坚持相互尊重、平等相待，让各种文明和谐共存，实现“各美其美、美人之美、美美与共”。

II

二

The sea is vast because it admits all rivers; greatness lies in inclusiveness. [4] General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “Civilizations are inclusive, and it is because of inclusiveness that human civilizations have the impetus for exchange and mutual learning.” [5] Inclusiveness, as an inherent trait of civilization, manifests as an open and receptive attitude of different civilizations toward diversity and difference, and even more as a spiritual quality of actively embracing the external world. Every civilization is unique; all achievements of civilization deserve respect, and all achievements of civilization must be cherished. Only by adhering to inclusiveness and mutual learning can we better understand the deep laws of the flourishing development of human civilization. This requires exchanges and enhanced understanding among different civilizations, discovering and absorbing the developmental achievements of other civilizations in civilizational dialogue, and achieving the interweaving of excellent elements among different civilizations, thereby continuously stimulating the vitality of civilizations.

海纳百川，有容乃大。习近平总书记指出，“文明是包容的，人类文明因包容才有交流互鉴的动力”。包容性作为文明的内在特质，表现为不同文明对多样性、差异性保持开放接纳的姿态，更体现为一种主动拥抱外部世界的精神特质。每一种文明都是独特的；一切文明成果都值得尊重，一切文明成果都要珍惜。只有坚持包容互鉴，才能更好地理解人类文明繁荣发展的深层规律。这就要求不同文明之间开展交流、增进理解，在文明对话中发现并吸纳其他文明发展成果，实现不同文明之间优秀因子的互嵌，从而不断激发文明活力。

Exchange and mutual learning are the essential requirements for the development of civilization. To promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, we must seek common ground while reserving differences, learn from each other’s strengths to compensate for weaknesses, and strive for harmonious coexistence and win-win cooperation. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We all live on the same planet. This planet has over 200 countries and regions, more than 2,500 ethnic groups, and over 7 billion people. It is impossible to have uniformity. This difference should not become an obstacle to exchange, let alone a reason for confrontation.” [6] In the long river of human civilization development, various civilizations have precipitated unique spiritual traits and value cores, which constitute their distinctive markers distinguishing them from other civilizations. All living organisms need metabolism, and the same is true for civilizations; if they remain self-enclosed for a long time, they will inevitably decline. If a civilization wishes to maintain vigorous vitality, it must continuously enrich its own connotation through contact with other civilizations. Adhering to openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning, and actively absorbing the ideological nutrients from other civilizations that meet the needs of one’s own development can inject sustained momentum into one’s own development, preserving vitality and vigor through eclecticism. Thus, different civilizations not only uphold their own subjectivity but also achieve enrichment and development by learning from each other’s strengths and choosing the good to follow, making their own civilizations thrive while creating conditions for the development of other civilizations, allowing the garden of world civilizations to bloom with a hundred flowers in competition.

交流互鉴是文明发展的本质要求。推进文明交流互鉴，就要求同存异、取长补短，谋求和谐共处、合作共赢。习近平总书记指出：“我们共同居住在同一个星球上，这个星球有200多个国家和地区、2500多个民族、70多亿人口，搞清一色是不可能的。这种差异不应该成为交流的障碍，更不能成为对抗的理由。”在人类文明发展长河中，各种文明沉淀出独有的精神特质与价值内核，构成了其区别于其他文明的独特标识。一切生命有机体都需要新陈代谢，文明也是一样，如果长期自我封闭，必将走向衰落。一种文明若想保持旺盛的生命力，必须在与其他文明的接触中不断丰富自身内涵。坚持开放包容、互学互鉴，主动吸纳其他文明中契合自身发展需求的思想养分，能够为自身发展注入持续动能，在兼容并蓄中永葆生机活力。由此，不同文明既坚持自身的主体性，又在取长补短、择善而从中实现丰富发展，既使本国文明生机盎然，也为他国文明发展创造条件，让世界文明百花园群芳竞艳。

III

三

The world is a unity of particularity and universality; universality resides in particularity and is expressed through it. The same is true of human civilization. Emphasizing the diversity and difference of civilizations does not deny that different civilizations share many commonalities in their value pursuits. Although different civilizations differ in history, culture, systems, and levels of development, they always possess the commonality of “the same human heart and the same human reason,” [7] sharing common value pursuits. World civilizations are beautiful because of diversity, enriched through exchange, and colorful through blending.

世界是特殊性与普遍性的统一，普遍性寓于特殊性之中，并通过特殊性表现出来。人类文明也是一样，强调文明的多样性、差异性，并非否定不同文明在价值追求上有诸多共通性。虽然不同文明的历史、文化、制度、发展水平等不尽相同，但总是具有“人同此心、心同此理”的共通性，拥有共同价值追求。世界文明因多样而美丽，因交流而丰富，因交融而多彩。

General Secretary Xi Jinping has advocated on multiple occasions for promoting the common values of all mankind—peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom. At the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization+” meeting, he called for “creating a ‘Shanghai Cooperation Organization model’ for promoting the common values of all mankind.” [8] In his important speech at the reception commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, he pointed out, “Justice, light, and progress will inevitably defeat evil, darkness, and reaction. At all times, we must promote the common values of all mankind, firmly defend international fairness and justice, and let the world be filled with righteousness and clarity.” [9] The “common values of all mankind,” while acknowledging the diversity and difference of civilizations, condense the greatest common divisor of human civilization in value pursuits, representing a constructive worldview oriented toward practice. In the era of economic globalization, we must follow the historical trend, create an international environment of peace and development, build a fair and just world order, uphold the common pursuit of democracy and freedom, respect the exploration of different peoples in the paths of value realization, concretely and realistically embody the common values of all mankind in the practice of safeguarding the interests of our own people, work together to solve the challenges facing human society, and promote the development of human civilization.

习近平总书记在多个场合倡导弘扬和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值，在“上海合作组织+”会议上呼吁“我们要为弘扬全人类共同价值作出‘上合示范’”，在纪念中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年招待会上的重要讲话中指出，“正义、光明、进步必将战胜邪恶、黑暗、反动。任何时候，我们都要弘扬全人类共同价值，坚定捍卫国际公平正义，让世界正气充盈、乾坤朗朗”。“全人类共同价值”是在承认文明多样性和差异性的同时，凝聚了人类文明在价值追求上的最大公约数，是一种指向实践的建构性世界观。经济全球化时代，要顺应历史大势，营造和平发展的国际环境，构建公平正义的世界秩序，坚持民主自由的共同追求，尊重不同国家人民对价值实现路径的探索，把全人类共同价值具体地、现实地体现到维护本国人民利益的实践中去，携手解决人类社会面临的难题，促进人类文明发展。

IV

四

The progress of civilization is not achieved once and for all but is a continuous process of inheritance, innovation, and development. Throughout history, various civilizations have encountered each other and contributed to each other’s achievements, jointly promoting the great development and prosperity of human society, writing splendid chapters of shared beauty, exchange, and mutual learning. Today, the world faces challenges such as climate change, energy crises, and intensified conflicts, requiring all civilizations to cooperate closely, continuously strengthen exchanges in economic, political, cultural, educational, sports, and artistic fields, actively establish mechanisms for civilizational dialogue, promote exchanges, mutual learning, integration, and innovation among civilizations, and drive human civilization toward a more open, inclusive, harmonious, and sustainable direction.

文明的进步并非一劳永逸，而是不断接续传承、创新发展的。历史上，各种文明相互遇见、彼此成就，共同推动了人类社会大发展、大繁荣，书写了美美与共、交流互鉴的灿烂篇章。当今世界面临气候变化、能源危机、冲突加剧等挑战，需要各个文明体通力合作，不断加强经济、政治、文化、教育、体育、艺术等领域交流，积极建立文明对话机制，促进文明交流互鉴、融合创新，推动人类文明向着更加开放、包容、和谐、可持续的方向发展。

All countries should adhere to dialogue and cooperation, while promoting the progress of their own civilizations, jointly addressing the challenges of human civilization development. On the one hand, we must carry forward fine traditions, actively utilize and revitalize humanity’s cultural heritage, and strengthen the historical foundation of civilizational progress. On the other hand, we must continuously absorb the spiritual nutrients of the times, use innovation to add momentum to civilizational development, create civilizational achievements that transcend time and space and are full of charm, and realize the sharing of civilizations. The Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative… [10] The Chinese concepts, Chinese initiatives, and Chinese solutions proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping to answer the questions of the world and the times

各国应坚持对话合作，在推动自身文明发展进步的同时，共同应对人类文明发展难题。一方面，要传承优良传统，对人类文化遗产进行活化利用，厚植文明进步的历史根基。另一方面，要不断汲取时代精神养分，用创新增添文明发展动力，创造出跨越时空、富有魅力的文明成果，实现文明共享。全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议、全球文明倡议、全球治理倡议……习近平总书记为解答世界之问、时代之问提出的中国理念、中国倡议、中国方案，为动荡不安的世界注入稳定性和确定性，为全球和平发展、人类文明进步提供新的动力，贡献中国智慧。应进一步加强人文交流，推进国家间合作，助力全球文明对话，让文明交流互鉴成为增进各国人民友谊的桥梁、推动人类社会进步的动力、维护世界和平的纽带。

(Author: Zhou Qi, Lecturer at the School of Languages and Communication Studies, Beijing Jiaotong University)

（作者：周 琦，系北京交通大学语言与传播学院讲师）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧