Deeply Understand the Dialectical Relationship between Chinese Culture and the Cultures of All Ethnic Groups, Establish and Highlight the Chinese Cultural Symbols Shared by All Ethnic Groups

In March 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping conducted inspections in Guizhou and Yunnan provinces. During the inspections, General Secretary Xi Jinping repeatedly emphasized the important value of ethnic cultures, pointing out that the cultures of minority ethnic groups are an indispensable component of Chinese culture, and that the excellent traditional Chinese culture must be protected and passed on. This is a model for applying the fundamental principles of Marxism to analyze the relationship between Chinese culture and the cultures of all ethnic groups, providing a dialectical method of thinking for correctly understanding, researching, and handling the relationship between Chinese culture and the cultures of all ethnic groups, and providing a fundamental guideline for doing a good job in protecting and passing on cultural heritage in the New Era.

2025年3月，习近平总书记到贵州和云南两省考察。考察期间，习近平总书记反复强调民族文化的重要价值，指出少数民族文化是中华文化不可或缺的组成部分，要保护传承好中华优秀传统文化。这是运用马克思主义基本原理分析中华文化与各民族文化之间关系的典范，为正确认识、研究和处理中华文化与各民族文化的关系提供了辩证思维方法，为做好新时代文化遗产保护传承工作提供了根本遵循。

The relationship between Chinese culture and the cultures of all ethnic groups is one of whole and part.

中华文化与各民族文化之间是整体与部分的关系

The relationship between Chinese culture and the cultures of all ethnic groups is precisely the dialectical relationship between whole and part. Whether it is “culture” in “Chinese culture” or “culture” in “the cultures of all ethnic groups,” its referent is different from “culture” in “cultural undertakings,” “public culture,” or “cultural departments.” The latter is a narrow usage, with a relatively clear and easily grasped connotation. The former is a broad usage.

中华文化和各民族文化之间的关系就是整体与部分的辩证关系。无论是“中华文化”中的“文化”还是“各民族文化”中的“文化”，其所指与“文化事业”“公共文化”或“文化部门”中的“文化”均不同。后者为狭义用法，内涵较为明确和易于把握。前者则为广义用法。

According to statistics, in the 80 years from 1871, when the British scholar Edward Burnett Tylor proposed the concept of “culture,” to 1951, over 160 definitions of culture were put forward in academia, which fully shows how complex and subtle the meaning of culture is. The reason for this lies in the systematic nature, complexity, and multidimensionality of culture. Each culture is a complex system embedded in all aspects and fields of its bearers. The composition of this system can be understood from multiple dimensions, such as the “three-part method” dividing material culture, institutional culture, and spiritual culture; the “two-part method” of surface-level lifestyles and implicit values; the semiotic “three-part method” of signifier, signified, and code; as well as the “regional method” classified by geographical composition and the “ethnic method” classified by ethnic composition, and so on.

据统计，自1871年英国学者爱德华·泰勒提出“文化”概念至1951年的80年间，学术界提出的文化定义达160多个，足见文化的含义多么复杂微妙。究其原因，这是文化的系统性、复杂性及其构成的多维性使然。每一种文化都是内嵌于文化承载者各方面、各领域的复杂系统。该系统的构成可从多个维度去理解，如有物质文化、制度文化、精神文化划分的“三分法”，有表象的生活方式和内隐的价值观念的“两分法”，有能指、所指、编码的符号解析“三分法”，还有按地域构成分类的“地域法”和按族群构成分类的“族群法”，等等。

Chinese culture has a long history, is extensive and profound, and has continued without interruption. Culture represents the behavioral norms and value systems formed through historical accumulation, recognized, shared, and followed by specific groups. The Chinese nation is a national community formed over thousands of years through the interactions, exchanges, and integration of all ethnic groups on the Chinese land. Chinese culture must inevitably be a cultural system formed by the convergence, fusion, and cohesion of the cultures of all ethnic groups.

中华文化源远流长、博大精深、延续不断。文化所代表的是历史积淀而成的、被特定群体所认同、共享与遵循的行为规范和价值体系。中华民族是数千年来中华大地各民族交往交流交融形成的民族共同体，中华文化必然是由各民族文化汇聚、融合、凝聚形成的文化体系。

The fundamental principles of Marxism hold that the whole and the part are in a dialectical relationship of mutual interdependence. The whole is composed of parts; without parts, there is no whole. Conversely, the whole defines the parts; without the whole, there is no part. Therefore, the cultures of all ethnic groups cannot exist independently of Chinese culture. If the cultures of all ethnic groups are separated from Chinese culture, they lose their due value and significance, and moreover cannot continue or develop. As a whole, Chinese culture is constituted by the cultures of all ethnic groups and cannot exist independently of them either. Chinese culture possesses the characteristic of “diversity” but even more so the nature of “unity.” [1]1 “Diversity” (多元) and “unity” (一体) are key terms in the official discourse on the structure of the Chinese nation, often summarized as “plurality within unity” (多元一体). Only by placing the cultures of all ethnic groups within the whole or system of Chinese culture can we comprehensively and correctly cognize and understand the cultures of all ethnic groups. Only by deeply and correctly cognizing the cultures of all ethnic groups can we truly cognize and understand Chinese culture.

马克思主义基本原理认为，整体与部分是互为依存条件的辩证关系。整体由部分构成，没有部分就没有整体；反之，整体规定着部分，没有整体就没有部分。因此，各民族文化不能脱离中华文化而独立存在，如果各民族文化脱离了中华文化就失去了其应有的价值和意义，更无法延续和发展；作为整体性的中华文化，是由各民族文化构成的，也不能脱离各民族文化而独立存在。中华文化具有“多元”的特征，更具有“一体”的性质。只有把各民族文化置于中华文化的整体或系统之中，才能全面、正确地认知与理解各民族文化；只有深入、正确地认知各民族文化，才能真正认知与理解中华文化。

The modalities of the relationship between Chinese culture and the cultures of all ethnic groups

中华文化与各民族文化的关系样态

The relationship between Chinese culture as the whole and the cultures of all ethnic groups as the parts manifests in diverse states.

作为整体的中华文化与作为部分的各民族文化之间的关系存在着多样的状态。

First, as the whole, Chinese culture possesses functions and meanings that the cultures of all ethnic groups do not have. For example, a car is assembled from parts. If a single part is missing, the car may not run smoothly, safely, or comfortably, or may even be unable to run. Each part has its own function, but no single part possesses the function or meaning of the car as a whole. One of the academic bases for forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation and advancing the building of the Chinese national community is the holistic function and meaning that Chinese culture possesses, which the cultures of all ethnic groups individually do not.

其一，作为整体的中华文化具有各民族文化所没有的功能与意义。比如，汽车是由零部件组装而成的，缺少一个零部件汽车就有可能行驶得不够顺畅、安全、舒适，甚至无法行驶，各个零部件都有其自身的功能，但各个零部件却不具有汽车整体的功能和意义。铸牢中华民族共同体意识、推进中华民族共同体建设的学理依据之一，就是中华文化所具有各民族文化所不具备的整体性功能和意义。

Second, the function and meaning of Chinese culture as the whole are greater than the sum of the functions and meanings of the cultures of all ethnic groups as the parts. The cultures of all ethnic groups constitute Chinese culture, and Chinese culture encompasses the cultures of all ethnic groups, but the relationship between the two is far from as simple as “1+1=2.” The optimization principle of systems theory shows that when the constituent parts and elements of a system are optimally combined and closely coordinated, the resulting efficiency and creativity often exceed the maximum sum of the constituent parts or elements. Whether it is the resilience of Chinese culture in continuing unbroken for several millennia, the attraction of “ten thousand states coming to pay tribute,” [2]2 “Ten thousand states coming to pay tribute” (万邦来朝) is a classical Chinese phrase evoking the historical image of a powerful central dynasty receiving delegations from subordinate or foreign states. the integrative power to absorb and converge the excellent cultures of all ethnic groups, or the cohesive power to unite all ethnic groups in jointly resisting external enemies and pursuing common development, these far exceed what a simple addition of the cultures of all ethnic groups could achieve. This sufficiently proves that the function and meaning of Chinese culture surpass the maximum sum of the functions and meanings of the cultures of all ethnic groups.

其二，作为整体的中华文化的功能和意义大于作为部分的各民族文化相加之和。各民族文化构成了中华文化，中华文化包含了各民族文化，但二者的关系远不是“1+1=2”那么简单。系统论的优化原理表明，系统构成部分之间和构成要素之间进行优化组合与密切协作，所产生的效率和创造力往往超越构成部分之和或构成要素之和的最大限度。中华文化无论是绵延数千年不曾中断的韧性、“万邦来朝”的吸引力，还是吸纳汇聚各民族优秀文化的融合力，抑或是团结各民族共御外敌和共同发展的凝聚力，远非各民族文化简单相加所能达到的，足以证明中华文化的功能和意义超越各民族文化相加之和的最大限度。

Third, dialectical materialism and systems theory tell us that if the structure of the parts or elements constituting the whole is irrational or conflicting, it may create a state of mutual depletion among the parts or elements, causing the function of the whole to weaken or even become smaller than the sum of the functions of the individual parts or elements. Therefore, to forge a sense of community for the Chinese nation, it is necessary to comprehensively advance the construction of a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation, promote the creative transformation and innovative development of the cultures of all ethnic groups, and, on the premise of enhancing commonality, respect and accommodate differences, ultimately achieving a state where the function of Chinese culture as the whole is greater than the sum of the functions of the cultures of all ethnic groups as the parts.

其三，唯物辩证法和系统论告诉我们，如果作为整体构成的部分或要素之间的结构不合理或相互冲突，就有可能形成部分之间、要素之间的相互消耗状态，致使整体的功能弱化甚至小于各部分或各要素功能相加之和。因此，铸牢中华民族共同体意识，要通过全面推进中华民族共有精神家园建设、推动各民族文化创造性转化和创新性发展等举措， 在增进共同性的前提下尊重和包容差异性，最终达致作为整体的中华文化的功能大于作为部分的各民族文化功能相加之和。

The exchange and integration of the cultures of all ethnic groups give rise to Chinese cultural symbols shared by all ethnic groups.

各民族文化交流交融孕育形成各民族共享的中华文化符号

Traditional Chinese culture contains the simple dialectical method of thinking that all things are universally interconnected and in constant change, forming a dynamic and inclusive view of culture. In ancient texts, “culture” (文化, wenhua) is composed of two morphemes, “wen” (文) and “hua” (化). The earliest use of these two morphemes in the same context is found in the *Zhou Yi* (Book of Changes), in the *Tuan Commentary* on the *Bi* Hexagram: “Observing the patterns of humanity, so as to transform and complete the world.” [3]3 The *Zhou Yi* (周易), also known as the *I Ching* or *Book of Changes*, is an ancient Chinese divination text and one of the foundational classics of Chinese philosophy. The *Tuan Commentary* (彖传) is one of the traditional commentaries on it.

中华传统文化蕴含着万物普遍联系并处于不断变化之中的朴素辩证法思想方法，形成了动态和包容的文化观。在古代文献中，“文化”由“文”和“化”两个语素构成，而最早将两个语素置于同一语境中使用的是《周易·贲卦·彖传》的这句话：“观乎人文，以化成天下。”

Among them, “wen” is a nominal morpheme. The *Zhou Yi*, *Xici II*, states: “Things intermingle, therefore they are called patterns.” The *Shuowen Jiezi* (Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters) says: “Wen (文) means crisscrossing lines, depicting intersecting patterns.” From this, meanings such as symbols, writing, and classics are derived. The *Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals*, Duke Zhao, First Year, says: “In the patterns, insects on vessels form the character for ‘vessel’ (盅).” Fuxi created the Eight Trigrams and written contracts; the *Preface to the Book of Documents* says “From this, writings and records arose.” From this, meanings such as ornamentation, aesthetics, and cultivation are further derived. The *Analects*, *Yong Ye*, states: “When substance outweighs refinement, one is rustic; when refinement outweighs substance, one is pedantic. Only when refinement and substance are balanced can one be a gentleman.” This is further abstracted to refer to ritual and musical institutions. The *Analects*, *Zi Han*, records: “The Master was in danger in Kuang. He said: ‘Since King Wen has passed away, is not culture (wen) invested here in me? If Heaven had intended to destroy this culture, I, a later-born, would not have been able to participate in it. If Heaven does not intend to destroy this culture, what can the people of Kuang do to me?’” Zhu Xi commented on this: “The manifestation of the Way is called wen; this refers to ritual and musical institutions.” This meaning is already close to the broad sense of “culture.”

其中，“文”为名词性语素。《周易·系辞下》曰：“物相杂，故曰文。”《说文解字》云：“文，错画也，象交文。”由此，引申出符号、文字以及典籍等含义。《左传·昭公元年》曰：“干文，皿虫为盅。”伏羲创造出八卦和书契，《尚书·序》说“由是文籍生焉”。由此再引申出装饰、审美、修养等含义。《论语·雍也》有云：“质胜文则野，文胜质则史，文质彬彬，然后君子。”这进一步抽象为礼乐制度。《论语·子罕》言：“子畏于匡，曰：‘文王既没，文不在兹乎！天之将丧斯文也，后死者不得与于斯文也。天之未丧斯文也，匡人其如予何？”朱熹注之曰：“道之显者谓之文，盖礼乐制度之谓。”这一意指已接近广义的“文化”的含义。

The other morpheme, “hua,” is a verbal morpheme. The *Zhou Yi*, *Xici II*, states: “Male and female mix their essences, and the myriad things are transformed and generated.” The *Book of Rites*, *Record of Music*, states: “Harmonious, therefore the hundred things are transformed.” Its meaning is to cause generation, evolution, or transformation, basically the same as the morpheme “hua” in modern Chinese words like “change” (变化, bianhua) or “transform” (转化, zhuanhua).

另一个语素“化”为动词性语素。《周易·系辞下》曰：“男女构精，万物化生。”《礼记·乐记》曰：“和，故百物皆化。”其含义为使之生成、演变、转变等，与现代汉语中的“变化”“转化”等语词中的语素“化”基本相同。

The basic meaning formed by combining the two morphemes “wen” and “hua” into a single word can be understood as “transforming through patterns,” which is what anthropology calls “enculturation.”

“文”和“化”两个语素合成一个语词所形成的基本含义可以理解为“以文化之”，也就是人类学所说的“濡化”。

In summary, it can be seen that the ancient Chinese defined culture from a process-oriented method of thinking, and regarded the boundaries of culture as constantly flowing and expanding, rather than fixed and unchanging.

综上可见，我国古人是从过程论的思维方法界定文化，并把文化的边界视为不断流变和拓展的，而不是固定不变的。

The cultural practice of the Chinese nation has the characteristic of being inclusive and absorbing everything. In the long process of interaction, communication, and integration, the Central Plains, border areas, and various ethnic groups learned from and borrowed from each other. Many cultural phenomena transcended the boundaries of a single ethnic group and became cultures shared by multiple ethnic groups, thereby becoming Chinese cultural symbols shared by all ethnic groups. For example, the Wa ethnic group’s Qing opera, a national-level intangible cultural heritage, vividly demonstrates the process of cross-regional and cross-ethnic cultural dissemination and sharing. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Hubei people developed the local opera genre Qing opera (also known as “Hubei high-pitched opera”) based on the ancient Qingyang tune, which spread in places such as Xiangyang, Jingzhou, and Huanggang. Soldiers stationed on the frontier and merchants traveling from Hubei to western Yunnan brought Qing opera to the Tengchong area of Yunnan. The local people greatly loved it and studied it earnestly, integrating it with the traditional culture of the Wa ethnic group, developing it into Wa Qing opera. Many of the surviving repertoires of Wa Qing opera are drawn from Han folk tales. Another example is the transformation of the huqin from a musical instrument of the northern and northwestern regions into the main accompanying instrument of Peking opera, the “national quintessence of China.” This vividly presents the process of musical cultural integration and evolution among various regions and ethnic groups into Chinese cultural symbols, and so on.

中华民族的文化实践具有海纳百川、兼收并蓄的特征。在长期的交往交流交融过程中，中原与边疆以及各族群之间相互学习借鉴，许多文化事象超越单一民族边界而成为多民族共享的文化，进而成为各民族共享的中华文化符号。比如，国家级非物质文化遗产佤族清戏就生动地呈现了文化的跨地域、跨民族传播与共享的过程。明末清初，湖北人以古老的青阳腔为基础发展出地方剧种清戏（又称“湖北高腔”），在襄阳、荆州、黄冈等地流传。从湖北到滇西戍边的军人和经商人士把清戏带到云南腾冲一带，当地的人民非常喜爱并认真学习，与佤族传统文化相融合，发展成佤族清戏。佤族清戏流传下来的众多剧目，都取材于汉族民间故事。再如，胡琴从北方和西北地区的乐器到“中国国粹”京剧的主要伴奏乐器的变化，呈现了各地各民族音乐文化交融演变成中华文化符号的生动过程，如此等等。

Correctly grasping the relationship between Chinese culture as a whole and the cultures of all ethnic groups as parts has methodological significance. To correctly grasp the relationship between Chinese culture and the cultures of all ethnic groups, it is necessary to deeply understand that the excellent traditional cultures of all ethnic groups are components of Chinese culture. Chinese culture is the trunk, and the cultures of all ethnic groups are the branches and leaves. Only when the roots are deep and the trunk is strong can the branches and leaves be lush.

正确把握作为整体的中华文化与作为部分的各民族文化的关系具有方法论意义。正确把握中华文化和各民族文化的关系，就要深刻认识到，各民族优秀传统文化都是中华文化的组成部分，中华文化是主干，各民族文化是枝叶，根深干壮才能枝繁叶茂。

Online editor: Jing Mu

网络编辑：静穆