The Ideological Characteristics of the Peaceful Nature of Chinese Civilization and Its Contemporary Presentation

The prominent peaceful nature of Chinese civilization is rooted in traditional Chinese philosophy and culture and is manifested in all aspects of Chinese culture. Chinese philosophy regards the universe as a harmonious unity; this is the ontological basis of the peaceful nature of Chinese civilization. The “harmony” (he) revered by Chinese philosophy and culture is one entity with many facets, encompassing the individual, society, nature, and the entire world (tianxia), with the ultimate ideal being the attainment of great peace (taiping). Thus, all aspects of Chinese culture can be unified under the concepts of peace and harmony. Chinese philosophy advocates “harmony without uniformity” (he er bu tong), the fundamental reason being that “harmony generates new things” (he shi sheng wu); “harmony” possesses vitality. The peaceful nature of Chinese civilization is not only the internal driving force for its continuous vitality but also determines that in the process of building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, it must take the path of peaceful development and must continue and develop the excellent traditional Chinese culture.

中华文明突出的和平性根植于中国传统哲学与文化当中，并体现在中华文化的方方面面。中国哲学认为宇宙是和谐的统一体，这是中华文明和平性的本体论依据。中国哲学与中华文化崇尚的“和”是一体多面的，涵盖了个人、社会、自然以及天下，最终的理想是致太平，可见中华文化的各个方面都可以在和平、和谐思想观念之下统一起来。中国哲学主张“和而不同”，根本原因在于“和实生物”，“和”是有生命力的。中华文明所具有的和平性不但是中华文明生生不已的内在动因，同时也决定了在建设中华民族现代文明的过程中必然走和平发展道路，必然要赓续中华优秀传统文化。

Chinese civilization is the only great civilization in the world that has continued unbroken and developed to this day in the form of a state. It is a profound, extensive, and unique civilizational system. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Without the five thousand years of Chinese civilization, where would Chinese characteristics come from? Without Chinese characteristics, how could we have the successful path of socialism with Chinese characteristics today? Only by standing on the magnificent history of more than five thousand years of Chinese civilization can we truly understand the historical inevitability, cultural connotation, and unique advantages of the Chinese path.” (Xi Jinping, 2023, p. 6) The profound civilizational history of more than five thousand years of Chinese civilization is the foundation for our construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the confidence for our cultural confidence, and the solid basis for building the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.

中华文明是世界上唯一绵延不断且以国家形态发展至今的伟大文明，中华文明是一个博大精深且独具特色的文明体系。习近平总书记指出：“如果没有中华五千年文明，哪里有什么中国特色？如果不是中国特色，哪有我们今天这么成功的中国特色社会主义道路？只有立足波澜壮阔的中华五千多年文明史，才能真正理解中国道路的历史必然、文化内涵与独特优势。”（习近平，2023年，第6页）中华文明5000多年深厚的文明史，是我们建设中国特色社会主义的根基，是我们文化自信的底气，更是我们建设中华民族现代文明的坚实基础。

In his important speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development, General Secretary Xi Jinping, from a strategic height, distilled from the more

习近平总书记在文化传承发展座谈会上的重要讲话，高屋建瓴地从中华文明5000多年的文明史中提炼出中华文明具有的“五个突出特性”，即中华文明具有突出的连续性、创新性、统一性、包容性、和平性。中华文明具有的“五个突出特性”，使得它在数千年的历史长河中虽然历经波折，但一直百折不挠、自强不息，形成了波澜壮阔的文明画卷。“五个突出特性”蕴含在中国历史和中华文明的方方面面，是研究中华文明的重要内容。

The “five prominent features” of Chinese civilization form a unified whole of mutual interconnection and mutual achievement. On one hand, continuity is the foundation and the prerequisite for the other several prominent features, while the peaceful nature forms an organic relationship with the inclusive nature. The inclusive nature of Chinese civilization, which is comprehensive and all-embracing, determines that Chinese civilization is peaceful rather than aggressive. But from another perspective, the peaceful nature creates conditions for the further development of the other four prominent features. Peace, harmony, and concord are value concepts that have been transmitted throughout the 5,000-plus years of Chinese civilization, embodied in its continuous development, mutual exchange and learning, and ongoing innovation.

中华文明所具有的“五个突出特性”是相互联系、相互成就的统一体。一方面，连续性是基础，是其他几个突出特性的前提，而和平性则与包容性形成有机的关系，中华文明兼容并包、有容乃大的包容性决定了中华文明是和平的而不是侵略的。但从另外一个方面来看，和平性又为其他四个突出特性的进一步发展创造了条件，和平、和谐、和睦是中华文明5000多年来一直传承的价值理念，体现在中华文明的连续发展、交流互鉴与不断创新之中。

In traditional Chinese thought, from the harmony of the individual body and mind, the harmony of interpersonal relations, and the harmony between humanity and nature, to the harmony of social order, the consistent thread is the concept of harmony. Ideas such as “pacifying all under Heaven” (The Book of Rites, “The Great Learning”) and “securing lasting peace for all generations” (Collected Works of Zhang Zai, p. 320) are concentrated expressions of the esteem for peace and harmony in fine traditional Chinese culture. Viewed from the historical development of Chinese civilization, the prominent peaceful nature of Chinese civilization has always run through every stage of Chinese history and is manifested in various fields such as traditional Chinese philosophy, politics, economics, literature, and art. It has become an important factor shaping the thinking habits, life attitudes, and value orientations of the Chinese nation, and is also a humanistic spirit universally recognized within Chinese culture. It can be said that the millennia-long uninterrupted continuous development of Chinese civilization is also the unfolding process of its peaceful nature.

在中国传统思想中，从个体的身心和谐、人与人关系的和谐、人与自然的和谐，到社会秩序的和谐，一以贯之的是和谐理念，“平天下”（《礼记·大学》）、“为万世开太平”（《张载集》，第320页）等思想是中华优秀传统文化崇尚和平、和谐的集中体现。从中华文明的历史发展来看，中华文明突出的和平性始终贯穿于中国历史的各个阶段，并且体现在中国传统哲学、政治、经济、文学、艺术等各个领域，成为塑造中华民族的思维习惯、生活态度、价值取向的重要因素，也是中华文化被普遍认同的人文精神。可以说，中华文明数千年不间断的连续发展历程也是中华文明和平性的展开过程。

I. The Ontological Basis of the Peaceful Nature of Chinese Civilization

一、中华文明和平性的本体论依据

The esteem for peace and harmony in Chinese civilization is built on the profound foundation of Chinese philosophy. Chinese philosophy holds that the universe and nature themselves are harmonious; this is the ontological basis of the peaceful nature of Chinese civilization. Laozi said: “The Way gives birth to the One; the One gives birth to the Two; the Two give birth to the Three; the Three give birth to the myriad things. The myriad things carry yin and embrace yang, and through the blending of qi they achieve harmony.” (Laozi, Chapter 42) The “Three” is the qi of the union of yin and yang. In Laozi’s view, all things in the universe achieve a state of harmony through the interaction of the two qi of yin and yang. The “Appended Remarks” to the Book of Changes (Xici, Part I) further states: “One yin and one yang constitute the Way.” The universe is a harmonious whole of yin-yang transformation. This is a fundamental concept of Chinese philosophy. Conversely, if the harmony of yin and yang is broken, it will inevitably lead to natural disasters. For example, Boyangfu at the end of the Western Zhou dynasty, when explaining the occurrence of earthquakes, said: “The qi of heaven and earth do not lose their order; if they exceed their order, the people disrupt it. Yang is suppressed and cannot emerge; yin is obstructed and cannot ascend; hence there are earthquakes. Now the three rivers are indeed quaking; this is because yang has lost its place and is suppressed by yin.” (Discourses of the States, “Discourses of Zhou,” Part I) Boyangfu believed that the universe and nature consist of the harmonious operation of yin and yang, but if this harmony is destroyed, disasters such as earthquakes will occur, and these natural disasters will in turn bring adverse effects to society.

中华文明崇尚和平、和谐的特性建立在中国哲学深厚的基础之上，中国哲学认为宇宙自然本身就是和谐的，这是中华文明和平性的本体论依据。老子说：“道生一，一生二，二生三，三生万物。万物负阴而抱阳，冲气以为和。”（《老子》第四十二章）“三”就是阴阳和合之气。在老子看来，宇宙万物皆在阴阳二气的相互作用下达到了和谐的状态。《周易·系辞上》又说：“一阴一阳之谓道。”宇宙就是阴阳变化的一个和谐的整体。这是中国哲学的基本观念。反之，如果打破了阴阳的和谐，势必会引起自然灾害，如西周末年的伯阳父在解释地震的发生时就说：“夫天地之气，不失其序；若过其序，民乱之也。阳伏而不能出，阴迫而不能烝，于是有地震。今三川实震，是阳失其所而镇阴也。”（《国语·周语上》）伯阳父认为，宇宙自然就是阴阳的和谐运转，但如果这个和谐被破坏了，就会产生如地震这样的灾害，同时这些自然灾害会给社会带来不利的影响。

The “Commentary on the Hexagram Qian” in the Book of Changes states: “Preserving the great harmony, this is beneficial and steadfast.” “Great harmony” (Taihe) refers to the balanced qi of the four seasons. Gao Heng explains: “Taihe does not mean that all four seasons are like spring, but rather that the qi of spring warmth, summer heat, autumn coolness, and winter cold are all extremely well-regulated, not exceeding the laws of nature, with no extreme heat, no severe cold, no violent winds, no excessive rain, no prolonged drought, no early frost—in short, no unusual natural disasters. If Heaven can preserve the scene of great harmony, it can then universally benefit the myriad things; this is the correct Way of Heaven. Hence it is said: ‘Preserving the great harmony, this is beneficial and steadfast.’” (Gao Heng, p. 55) This means that maintaining the state of great harmony brings peace and auspiciousness to all things under Heaven.

《周易·乾·彖传》说：“保合大和，乃利贞。”“大和”即“太和”，指的是四时冲和之气。高亨解释说：“太和非谓四时皆春，乃谓春暖、夏热、秋凉、冬寒，四时之气皆极调谐，不越自然规律，无酷热，无严寒，无烈风，无淫雨，无久旱，无早霜，总之，无特殊之自然灾害。天能保合太和之景象，乃能普利万物，乃为天之正道，故曰：‘保合大和，乃利贞。’”（高亨，第55页）这也就是说，保持太和的状态就能给天下万物带来和平吉祥。

The Northern Song dynasty philosopher Zhang Zai, building on traditional philosophy, established a philosophical system with “the Great Void” (taixu) or “qi” as the cosmic substance. “Great harmony” (taihe) refers to the organic unity in which the Great Void coexists with the myriad things and they are interconnected and interact through the mutual stimulation of yin and yang qi. “Great harmony” is the general term for the existence and movement patterns of qi, and also the general term for the universe. (See Hou Wailu et al., eds., p. 103) Zhang Zai said: “What is called the Way of great harmony contains within it the natures of sinking and floating, rising and falling, motion and stillness, mutual stimulation; from these arise the beginnings of intermingling, mutual contending, victory and defeat, contraction and expansion. … Without the ‘wild horses’ and intermingling, it cannot be called great harmony.” (Collected Works of Zhang Zai, p. 7) Zhang Zai takes qi as the substance of all things in the universe; the “qi of great harmony” contains within it the natures of mutual stimulation such as sinking, floating, rising, falling, motion, and stillness. “Wild horses” and “intermingling” both refer to the movement and interaction of qi. From Zhang Zai’s description, it can be seen that because of the nature of mutual stimulation in the qi of great harmony, it can undergo infinite changes, thereby generating the entire world. The process of the changing and flowing of the qi of great harmony is the “Way.” Zhang Zai said: “Through the transformation of qi, there is the name of the Way.” (Ibid., p. 9) The “Way of great harmony” reveals the structure and characteristics of the Way of Heaven and also has ontological significance within traditional Chinese philosophy. Therefore, the esteem for peace and harmony in Chinese culture has a sufficient philosophical basis.

北宋时期的哲学家张载在传统哲学的基础之上，建立了以“太虚”或“气”为宇宙本体的哲学体系，而“太和”指的就是太虚与万物共存，并通过阴阳二气的感应相互联系、相互作用的有机统一体，“太和”是气的存在及运动形态的总称，也是宇宙的总称。（参见侯外庐等主编，第103页）张载说：“太和所谓道，中涵浮沈、升降、动静、相感之性，是生缊、相荡、胜负、屈伸之始。……不如野马、缊，不足谓之太和。”（《张载集》，第7页）张载以气作为宇宙万物的本体，“太和之气”中包含沉浮升降动静等相感之性。“野马”“缊”都是指气的运动、交感。通过张载的描述可知，因太和之气的相感之性，故能发生无穷的变化，从而化生出整个世界。太和之气变化流行的过程也就是“道”，张载说：“由气化，有道之名。”（同上，第9页）“太和之道”是对天道的结构与特征的揭示，在中国传统哲学当中也具有本体论的意义。因此，中华文化崇尚和平、和谐，是有充分的哲学依据的。

Furthermore, Zhang Zai also held that qi, as the cosmic substance, inherently contains opposition. He said: “One thing with two bodies—this is qi. Because of the One, there is the numinous (self-annotation: because the two are present, it is unfathomable); because of the Two, there is transformation (self-annotation: because they operate within the One).” (Ibid., p. 10) Because there is the One, there is unfathomable subtle functioning; because there is the Two, transformation is inexhaustible. Therefore, Zhang Zai also said: “Where there is a phenomenon, there is an opposite; the opposite necessarily acts in reverse; where there is reversal, there is enmity; where there is enmity, it must be resolved through harmony.” (Ibid.) Zhang Zai believed that all things in Heaven and Earth have their opposites, and the opposites necessarily act in opposite directions, leading to a stalemate between the two opposing sides, making them hostile parties. But ultimately, the two opposing sides will return to harmony.

另外，张载还认为，作为宇宙本体的气内在地涵有对立，所谓“一物两体，气也。一故神（自注：两在故不测），两故化（自注：推行于一）”（同上，第10页）。因为有一，故有不测之妙用；因为有二，故变化无穷。因此张载又说：“有象斯有对，对必反其为；有反斯有仇，仇必和而解。”（同上）张载认为，天地万物都有其对立面，对立面之间必反向而为，导致对立的双方势均力敌，成为敌对的两方，但最终对立的双方都将归于和谐。

Feng Youlan believed that “enmity must be resolved through harmony” embodies Zhang Zai’s dialectical thought. If we examine this through the lens of the *Zhouyi, Commentary on the Appended Phrases, Part I*’s idea that “the alternation of yin and yang is called the Way,” Zhang Zai’s view is that in one phase yin is dominant, and in another phase yang is dominant; it does not mean there is only yin or only yang. The dominant side cannot completely eliminate its opposite, which is what Zhang Zai meant by “enmity must be resolved through harmony.” (See Feng Youlan, pp. 134-135) Zhang Dainian also held that the outcome of the struggle between opposites in a contradiction is complex, “but harmony and resolution remain a relatively good possibility.” (See Zhang Dainian, 1997, p. 55)

冯友兰认为，“仇必和而解”体现的是张载的辩证法思想。如果用《周易·系辞上》“一阴一阳之谓道”的思想来看，张载的看法是在一个阶段内，阴占优势，在另一个阶段内，阳占优势，并不是说只有一个阴，只有一个阳。占优势者并不能完全消灭它的对立面，这就是张载所说的“仇必和而解”。（参见冯友兰，第134-135页）张岱年也认为，矛盾的对立面的斗争结果情况比较复杂，“但和解不失为一种较好的可能”。（参见张岱年，1997年，第55页）

The author believes that although Zhang Zai’s “enmity must be resolved through harmony” contains dialectical elements, from the perspective of Zhang Zai’s overall thought, “enmity must be resolved through harmony” is still another expression of the philosophy of “Supreme Harmony.” [1]1 “Supreme Harmony” (Taihe) is a central concept in Zhang Zai’s philosophy, referring to the original, undifferentiated state of qi (vital energy) from which all things emerge and to which they return, characterized by inherent harmony. This is because the movement of the yin and yang qi of the cosmos ultimately reaches a state of “Supreme Harmony,” which is also the final tendency of the opposing sides. “Enmity must be resolved through harmony” is not only an embodiment of Zhang Zai’s philosophy of “Supreme Harmony,” but also a mode of thinking characteristic of Chinese culture. Like the Chinese philosophical concepts of the Mean and Central Correctness, it determines at a fundamental philosophical level the Chinese cultural spirit of esteeming harmony.

笔者认为，张载的“仇必和而解”虽然含有辩证法因素，但从张载整体思想来看，“仇必和而解”还是“太和”哲学的另一种表述。因为宇宙阴阳二气的运动最终会达到“太和”的状态，这同时也是对立的双方的最终趋向。“仇必和而解”既是张载“太和”哲学的体现，同时也是一种具有中华文化特点的思维方式，这与中国哲学的中庸、中正一样，在根本的哲学层面上决定了中华文化的尚和精神。

II. The Ideological Foundation of the Peaceful Nature of Chinese Civilization

二、中华文明和平性的思想基础

The prominent peaceful nature of Chinese civilization not only takes the Chinese philosophical concepts of “Supreme Harmony” and “enmity must be resolved through harmony” as its philosophical basis, but also takes the Chinese philosophical concept of the unity of Heaven and humanity as its ideological foundation. The concept of the unity of Heaven and humanity, as the mainstream of Chinese philosophy, determines that Chinese civilization must treat society and nature in a peaceful manner.

中华文明突出的和平性除了以中国哲学中的“太和”“仇必和而解”为其哲学依据，还以中国哲学的天人合一为其思想基础。作为中国哲学主流的天人合一思想决定了中华文明必然以和平的方式对待社会与自然。

The relationship between Heaven and humanity is a core issue in traditional Chinese philosophy. In the theoretical reflections of Chinese philosophy on “investigating the relationship between Heaven and humanity,” the unity between Heaven and humanity is a mainstream understanding, and this is also an important feature of Chinese culture. Among these, the meanings of “Heaven” and “humanity” are both quite complex. “Heaven” has connotations of nature, principle, and morality, and even some mysterious elements; “humanity” can refer to both the individual and society. The ways of “unity” are even more diverse: there is a unity that follows Heaven and observes the seasons, advocating for the consistency of natural laws and human affairs; a mysterious unity that developed from primitive religious rituals to the interaction between Heaven and humanity; and a unity of human morality with the Mandate of Heaven and the Principle of Heaven.

天人关系是传统中国哲学的核心议题。在中国哲学“究天人之际”的理论思考中，天人之间的合一是一种主流认识，这也是中华文化的重要特征。其中，“天”“人”的含义都比较复杂，“天”既有自然之义，又有义理和道德的含义，甚至有某种神秘因素；“人”既可以指个人，又可以指社会。而“合一”的方式，更是多种多样，有顺天守时、主张自然规律与人事法则一致的“合一”，有从原始宗教礼仪一直发展至天人感应的神秘的“合一”，也有人的道德与天命、天理的“合一”。

First, the unity of Heaven and humanity through following Heaven and observing the seasons. If we examine the historical development of Chinese civilization, the Chinese philosophical concept of the unity of Heaven and humanity originates from the traditional agricultural civilization’s understanding of natural rhythms. Traditional Chinese civilization is an agricultural civilization; analyzing the characteristics of Chinese civilization cannot be separated from the material production practices of Chinese civilization. To study the Chinese philosophical concept of the unity of Heaven and humanity, we must also start with the early agricultural civilization’s understanding and comprehension of natural rhythms. In an agricultural civilization, people’s daily life, social life, and even political activities should conform to natural laws and be consistent with changes in natural rhythms. This simple natural concept, rooted in agricultural culture, gradually formed the idea of following Heaven and observing the seasons in the course of historical development, and on this basis, the concept of the unity of Heaven and humanity developed.

第一，顺天守时的天人合一。如果从中华文明的历史发展来看，中国哲学的天人合一根源于传统农业文明对于自然节律的认识。传统的中华文明是一种农业文明，分析研究中华文明的特点，不能脱离中华文明的物质生产实践。研究中国哲学的天人合一思想，也需要从早期农业文明对自然节律的认识和理解入手。在农业文明中，人的日常生活、社会生活甚至政治活动都应该顺应自然规律，与自然节律的变化相一致。这种根源于农业文化的朴实的自然观念，在历史的发展过程中逐渐形成了顺天守时的思想，在此基础上发展出天人一体的观念。

The *Xia Xiaozheng*, preserved in the current edition of the *Dadai Liji*, arranges natural celestial phenomena, phenology, and human activities together, relatively typically reflecting the ancient people’s idea of following Heaven and observing the seasons. The fundamental characteristic of this idea is its emphasis that human activities should be consistent with natural rhythms. Although the *Xia Xiaozheng* is said to be the ritual of the Xia dynasty, the content it reflects should be even more ancient, representing the idea of the unity of human affairs and the seasons that gradually formed over the long historical development of early civilization. This should be the early concept of the unity of Heaven and humanity.

保存在今本《大戴礼记》中的《夏小正》，将自然的天象、物候和人事活动安排在一起，比较典型地反映了先民顺天守时的思想，这种思想的根本特征在于强调人事活动应该与自然节律一致。《夏小正》虽然据说是夏礼，但它反映的内容应当更加古老，是早期文明在长期的历史发展过程中逐渐形成的人事与天时合一的思想。这应当是早期的天人合一思想。

The *Shangshu, Canon of Yao* records that Emperor Yao “then commanded Xi and He to revere the august Heaven, to calculate and delineate the movements of the sun, moon, and stars, and to respectfully bestow the seasons upon the people.” This also closely links celestial phenomena, calendrical calculations, phenology, and human affairs, viewing the natural world and human society as a whole. However, unlike the *Xia Xiaozheng*, the *Canon of Yao* states that Emperor Yao commanded Xi and He to manage Heaven and Earth, and then ordered their four sons to respectively oversee the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, to observe celestial phenomena, and to “respectfully bestow the seasons upon the people” according to the four seasons. In this way, the primitive concept of following Heaven and observing the seasons gradually developed into government decrees consistent with the rhythms of the seasons. It can be seen from the *Zuo Zhuan* and the *Guoyu* that by the Spring and Autumn period, the idea that political measures should correspond to the seasons was already a common understanding. The *Zuo Zhuan, Duke Xi, Fifth Year* records: “In the fifth year, spring, the first month, on the day xinhai, the first day of the month, the winter solstice. The Duke, having performed the ceremony of ‘viewing the new moon,’ ascended the observation tower to gaze, and recorded it. This was in accordance with ritual. On all the equinoxes, solstices, and the beginnings of the four seasons, he invariably recorded the clouds and vapors, in order to make preparations.” This means that every year around the turn of autumn and winter, the Son of Heaven would promulgate the calendar for the following year to the feudal lords. The calendar’s main focus was recording the day of the first day of each month and whether there was an intercalary month; this was called “promulgating the new moon.” On the first day of each month, the feudal lords would offer a special sheep in the ancestral temple, called “announcing the new moon.” After announcing the new moon, they would still hear and manage the month’s government affairs in the Grand Temple, called “viewing the new moon,” also known as “hearing the new moon.” The *Zuo Zhuan* records that the ruler, on the days of the equinoxes, solstices, and the four beginnings of the seasons, would invariably ascend a platform to observe celestial phenomena, divine their auspiciousness or inauspiciousness, and record them. If there were calamities or misfortunes, he would prepare for them early. (See Yang Bojun, pp. 302-303) The ancients placed great importance on the corresponding relationship between seasonal changes and political activities. If the ruler’s decrees, sacrifices, and other actions did not change according to the seasonal changes, it was considered a violation of ritual. “The intercalary month is used to regulate the seasons; the seasons are used to conduct affairs; affairs are used to enrich the people’s livelihood; the way of nurturing the people lies in this. If the intercalary month and the new moon are not announced, it is to abandon the seasonal government; how can one govern the people?” (*Zuo Zhuan, Duke Wen, Sixth Year*) Thus it can be seen that administering government according to the seasons is “the way of nurturing the people,” and the ruler’s annual arrangement of government affairs must conform to the natural seasons. For example, the *Guoyu, Discourses of Zhou, Part II* says: “The teaching of the former kings said: ‘When the rain is over, clear the roads; when the waters dry up, build bridges; when the plants shed their leaves, prepare for storage; when frost falls, prepare winter clothes; when the clear wind arrives, repair city walls.’” Activities such as building roads, bridges, and palaces were all to be carried out in autumn and winter, partly because autumn and winter were the slack seasons for farming, and also because the ancients believed that in autumn and winter, the earth was closed and suitable for construction. These are all clear examples of government affairs corresponding to the solar terms.

在《尚书·尧典》当中又记载了帝尧“乃命羲、和，钦若昊天，历象日月星辰，敬授人时”。这也是把天象、历数、物候和人事紧密联系在一起，把自然界和人类社会看成一个整体。但与《夏小正》不同的是，《尧典》所说的是帝尧命令羲、和掌管天地，又命他们的四个儿子分别掌管春夏秋冬四时，由他们观测天象，根据四时来“敬授人时”。这样，原始的顺天守时的观念，逐渐发展成为与自然节律相一致的政令。从《左传》《国语》可以看出，至春秋时期，政治举措要与时令相符，已经是当时的一种普遍认识。《左传·僖公五年》记载：“五年春王正月辛亥朔，日南至。公既视朔，遂登观台以望，而书，礼也。凡分、至、启、闭，必书云物，为备故也。”这是说，每年秋冬之际，天子将第二年的历法颁于诸侯，历法所记的重点是每月初一为何日及有无闰月，谓之“班朔”。诸侯于每月朔日，以特羊告于庙，谓之“告朔”。告朔之后，仍在太庙听治一月之政事，谓之“视朔”，亦谓之“听朔”。《左传》所记，是说国君于二分、二至及四立之日，必登台以望天象，占其吉凶而书之。如有灾凶，早为之备。（参见杨伯峻，第302-303页）古人极其重视季节的变化和政治活动之间的相应关系。如果国君的政令、祭祀等行为不按照天时的变化而改变，则是非礼。“闰以正时，时以作事，事以厚生，生民之道于是乎在矣。不告闰朔，弃时政也，何以为民？”（《左传·文公六年》）由此可见，按时行政是“生民之道”，国君一年的政事安排要与自然天时相符合。如《国语·周语中》说：“先王之教曰：‘雨毕而除道，水涸而成梁，草木节解而备藏，陨霜而冬裘具，清风至而修城郭。’”修筑道路、桥梁、宫室等活动都要在秋冬季节进行，一方面是因为秋冬季为农闲时节，同时也由于古人认为，秋冬季大地封闭，适于修筑。这都是政事与节气相符合的明显的例子。

By the late Warring States period, the *Lüshi Chunqiu, Twelve Records* and the *Liji, Monthly Ordinances* further systematized the four-season teachings centered on the king. According to Wang Meng’ou’s explanation: “What is called ‘month’ encompasses the seasons; what is called ‘ordinances’ refers to the government affairs listed. Therefore, combining ‘month’ and ‘ordinances’ precisely constitutes a governing program of ‘receiving Heaven’s mandate to govern the people.’” (Wang Meng’ou, p. 251) The *Monthly Ordinances* was an administrative monthly calendar formulated for the impending unified centralized state. It takes the twelve months of the year as its outline, incorporating the five directions, five elements, celestial phenomena, emperors and spirits, five colors, music, sacrifices, phenology, human affairs, and other content. But its core is the king residing in the Bright Hall to issue government decrees, requiring the king’s governance to conform to the seasons and nature; otherwise, calamities would result.

至战国晚期形成的《吕氏春秋·十二纪》以及《礼记·月令》把以王为中心的四时教令更加系统化。按王梦鸥的解释：“所谓‘月’，乃包举天时；所谓‘令’，即其所列举之政事。故合‘月’‘令’而言，恰为‘承天以治人’之一施政纲领。”（王梦鸥，第251页）《月令》是为即将出现的统一的中央集权政权制定行政月历。它以一年十二个月为纲，把五方、五行、天象、帝神、五色、音律、祭祀、物候、人事等内容都安排进去，但其中心是王居明堂以行政令，要求王的政治与天时、自然相符合，否则就会带来灾异。

The *Guanzi*, a work from the mid-to-late Warring States period like the *Monthly Ordinances*, contains chapters such as “Four Seasons,” “Five Elements,” “Young Official,” and “Light and Heavy, Part II,” which also follow the framework of the four seasons and five elements, incorporating seasons, phenology, and government affairs, with the king as the center of the narrative. The *Guanzi, “Five Elements”* chapter says: “Take Heaven as father, Earth as mother, to open up the myriad things, to unify all under Heaven.” The *Guanzi, “Four Seasons”* chapter also says: “The sage king relies on the seasons to entrust his governance.” It requires the king to unify the Way of Heaven, the Way of Earth, and the Way of Humanity, thereby realizing the ideal of kingly governance.

《管子》与《月令》同属战国中后期作品，当中的《四时》《五行》《幼官》《轻重己》等篇，也是按照四时、五行的框架，把天时、物候、政事包括进去，以君王为中心展开叙述。《管子·五行》篇说：“以天为父，以地为母，以开乎万物，以总一统。”《管子·四时》篇又说：“圣王务时而寄政焉。”要求君王把天道、地道、人道统一起来，这样就可以实现王道政治的理想。

From the above discussion, it can be seen that from the idea of following Heaven and observing the seasons and adhering to natural rhythms formed in early agricultural civilization, to the ideas of the *Monthly Ordinances* and others formed in the late Warring States period, people’s daily life, social and political arrangements, and natural rhythms were completely aligned, forming a complete schema. This is a typical concept of the unity of Heaven and humanity.

由以上论述可以看出，从早期农业文明形成的顺天守时、遵守自然节律的思想，到战国后期形成的《月令》等思想，将人的日常生活、社会政治安排和自然的节律完全对应起来，形成了一个完整的图式。这是一种典型的天人合一思想。

Second, the unity of heaven and humanity in the sense of stimulus-response. “Stimulus-response” is also a form of “unity,” of which the thought of Dong Zhongshu is the most representative. Dong Zhongshu believed that heaven has will, emotion, and purpose, and that heaven manifests its will to humans in the form of calamities and portents as warnings. In Dong Zhongshu’s view, the basis of the stimulus-response between heaven and humanity is that heaven and humanity correspond to each other, i.e., heaven and humans are of the same kind; the various parts of the human body symbolize the various domains of nature, for example: “Humans have three hundred and sixty joints, matching the number of heaven; the shape of the body and bones matches the thickness of the earth. Above, there are ears and eyes that are keen, the image of the sun and moon; the body has cavities and channels, the image of rivers and valleys; the heart has sorrow, joy, grief, and pleasure, the category of spirit and qi. Observe the human body—how greatly it resembles things, and how it is akin to heaven!” (Chunqiu Fanlu · The Human Body Matches the Number of Heaven) Dong Zhongshu even believed that the four seasons of nature correspond to human emotions of sorrow, joy, grief, and pleasure, for instance: “Spring is the qi of joy, therefore it gives birth; autumn is the qi of anger, therefore it kills; summer is the qi of pleasure, therefore it nourishes; winter is the qi of sorrow, therefore it stores; these four, heaven and humanity both possess them” (Chunqiu Fanlu · The Meaning of Yin and Yang). Through such analogies, it is achieved that “heaven and humanity are one” (ibid.).

第二，天人感应意义上的天人合一。“感应”也是“合一”的一种形式，其中以董仲舒的思想最有代表性。董仲舒认为，天是有意志、情感和目的的，天以灾异遣告的形式向人展示它的意志。在董仲舒看来，天人感应的基础是天人相副，即天和人是同类的，人体的各个部分象征着自然的各领域，如“人有三百六十节，偶天之数也；形体骨肉，偶地之厚也。上有耳目聪明，日月之象也；体有空窍理脉，川谷之象也；心有哀乐喜怒，神气之类也。观人之体一，何高物之甚，而类于天也”（《春秋繁露·人副天数》）。董仲舒甚至还认为，自然的四季和人的喜怒哀乐之情也是一致的，比如“春，喜气也，故生；秋，怒气也，故杀；夏，乐气也，故养；冬，哀气也，故藏；四者，天人同有之”（《春秋繁露·阴阳义》）。经过这样的比附，就达到了“天人一也”（同上）。

Third, the “unity” of human moral virtue with heaven and earth. Within Confucian thought, the unity of heaven and humanity also refers to the unity of human moral virtue with heaven and earth, as in the *Doctrine of the Mean* which says “what heaven mandates is called nature,” Mencius who says “exhaust one’s mind, know one’s nature, and know heaven” (see *Mencius · Jinxin I*), and the *Zhouyi · Qian · Wenyan* which says the great person “unites his virtue with heaven and earth, unites his brightness with the sun and moon, unites his order with the four seasons, and unites his good and ill fortune with ghosts and spirits; acting before heaven, heaven does not oppose him; acting after heaven, he follows heaven’s timing.” All of this refers to the unity of human nature and the Way of heaven. In the Confucian view, humans, through moral practice and self-transformation, can attain a realm of unity with heaven; this is the main content of the Confucian philosophical idea of the unity of heaven and humanity. Later, the Neo-Confucians advocated “the mind and principle are one,” pushing the Confucian unity of heaven and humanity toward an even more refined and metaphysical theoretical form.

第三，人的德性与天地的“合一”。在儒家思想当中，天人合一还指人的德性与天地合一，如《中庸》说“天命之谓性”，孟子说“尽心知性知天”（参见《孟子·尽心上》），《周易·乾·文言》说大人“与天地合其德，与日月合其明，与四时合其序，与鬼神合其凶吉，先天而天弗违，后天而奉天时”。这都是指人性与天道的合一。在儒家看来，人通过道德实践而实现自我的转化，就可达到与天同一的境界，这是儒家哲学天人合一思想的主要内容。后来理学家主张“心与理一”，更是将儒家的天人合一推向了更加精致、更加形上化的理论形态。

Zhang Zai criticized Buddhism for regarding the real world as illusory, whereas Confucianism “through clarity reaches sincerity, through sincerity reaches clarity, therefore heaven and humanity are united; through learning one can become a sage, attaining heaven without ever abandoning humanity” (see *Collected Works of Zhang Zai*, p. 65). Here the proposition “unity of heaven and humanity” is explicitly raised. Zhang Zai interpreted and developed the traditional Confucian idea that “sincerity is clarity, clarity is sincerity” (*Doctrine of the Mean*), realizing the unity of heaven and humanity through the interplay of sincerity and clarity, devoting himself to learning in order to become a sage or worthy. The Cheng brothers advocated “making heaven and humanity one,” saying: “One must unite the Way of inner and outer, make heaven and humanity one, and equalize above and below” (*Collected Works of the Cheng Brothers*, p. 59). Cheng Hao also said: “Heaven and humanity are one; there is no further distinction” (ibid., p. 20). Zhu Xi also advocated: “Heaven and humanity are fundamentally one principle. If one understands this meaning, then how can heaven be great and humanity small!” (Li Jingde, ed., p. 387) Zhu Xi believed that human nature and the Way of heaven are originally one body, with no distinction; heavenly principle as the cosmic noumenon is also the source of human nature and morality, and humans, through the self-realization of morality, can also achieve unity with heavenly principle. This is the basic content of the Neo-Confucian idea of the unity of heaven and humanity.

张载批判佛教以现实世界为幻妄的思想，而儒学“则因明致诚，因诚致明，故天人合一，致学而可以成圣，得天而未始遗人”。（参见《张载集》，第65页）这里明确提出“天人合一”的主张。张载解释发挥了传统儒学“诚则明矣，明则诚矣”（《中庸》）的思想，在诚明互动的工夫中实现天人合一，致力于为学而成圣成贤。二程主张“一天人”，他们说：“须是合内外之道，一天人，齐上下”（《二程集》，第59页），程颢又说：“天人一也，更不分别。”（同上，第20页）朱熹也主张“天人本只一理。若理会得此意，则天何尝大，人何尝小也！”（黎靖德编，第387页）朱熹认为，人性与天道本为一体，更无分别，天理作为宇宙本体也是人性和道德的本源，人通过道德的自我实现，也能达到同天理的统一。这是理学天人合一思想的基本内容。

The unity of heaven and humanity is the highest realm of Neo-Confucianism. Neo-Confucianism holds that the unity of heaven and humanity is a high degree of harmony and unity between humans and nature, and that the unity of heaven and humanity means recognizing that “the ten thousand things are one body.” For instance, Cheng Hao said: “The humane person is undifferentiatedly one with all things” (*Collected Works of the Cheng Brothers*, p. 16). Wang Yangming also explicitly advocated “the ten thousand things as one body”; he even believed that the innate knowing of humans is precisely the innate knowing of grass, trees, tiles, and stones; if grass, trees, tiles, and stones lacked human innate knowing, they could not be grass, trees, tiles, and stones. Even heaven and earth, without human innate knowing, could not be heaven and earth. This is because: “Heaven, earth, and the ten thousand things are originally one body; the most subtle point of their manifestation is the single spark of spiritual brightness in the human mind. Wind, rain, dew, thunder, sun, moon, stars, constellations, birds, beasts, grass, trees, mountains, rivers, soil, and stones are originally one body with humans. Therefore, the five grains, birds, and beasts can all nourish humans; medicines and minerals can all cure diseases—only because they share the same qi can they interpenetrate” (see Deng Aimin, p. 230). The ten thousand things of heaven and earth are connected by a single qi, linked to one another; “the sage’s mind takes heaven, earth, and the ten thousand things as one body” (ibid., p. 113). This, like Zhang Zai’s idea of “people are my siblings and things are my companions,” uses concrete description to express the highest realm of the Neo-Confucian unity of heaven and humanity.

天人合一是理学的最高境界。理学认为，天人合一是人与自然的高度和谐统一，天人合一也就是认识到了“万物一体”。如程颢就说：“仁者，浑然与物同体。”（《二程集》，第16页）王阳明也明确主张“万物一体”，他甚至认为，人的良知，就是草、木、瓦、石的良知，若草、木、瓦、石无人的良知，就不可以为草、木、瓦、石。甚至天地若无人的良知，亦不可为天地。这是因为：“天、地、万物与人原是一体，其发窍之最精处，是人心一点灵明，风雨露雷、日月星辰、禽兽草木、山川土石，与人原只一体。故五谷、禽兽之类皆可以养人，药石之类皆可以疗疾，只为同此一气，故能相通耳。”（见邓艾民，第230页）天地万物一气贯通，彼此相连，“圣人之心，以天地万物为一体”（同上，第113页），这与张载说的“民胞物与”的思想一样，是用具体的描述表达了理学天人合一的最高境界。

Of course, within traditional Chinese philosophy, there are also views that advocate the separation of heaven and humanity, such as Xunzi’s “distinguishing between the functions of heaven and humanity” (*Xunzi · Discourse on Heaven*), Wang Chong of the Han dynasty who vehemently opposed Dong Zhongshu’s idea of heaven and humanity interacting, Liu Zongyuan of the Tang dynasty who advocated “heaven and humanity do not interfere with each other” (see *Collected Works of Liu Zongyuan*, p. 817), and Liu Yuxi who proposed “heaven and humanity mutually overcome each other” (*Collected Works of Liu Yuxi*, p. 68). These ideas all advocate the separation of heaven and humanity and oppose the unity of heaven and humanity, but on the whole, these views do not constitute the mainstream of ancient Chinese thought. The mainstream of traditional Chinese philosophy still holds that heaven and humanity are united. Zhang Dainian believed: “What the ancients called ‘unity’ can be said to be synonymous with what modern language calls ‘identity.’ Unity does not deny difference. Unity refers to the relationship in which two opposing sides are closely connected and inseparable from each other” (Zhang Dainian, 1985, p. 1). That is to say, humans and nature are in a relationship of dialectical unity, closely connected and inseparable.

当然，在中国传统哲学当中，也有主张天人相分的看法，如荀子说的“明于天人之分”（《荀子·天论》），汉代的王充激烈地反对董仲舒的天人相与思想，唐代柳宗元主张“天人不相预”（参见《柳宗元集》，第817页），刘禹锡提出“天与人交相胜”（《刘禹锡集》，第68页），这些思想都主张天人相分，反对天人合一，但整体上来看，这些看法并不占中国古代思想的主流。中国传统哲学思想的主流还是认为天、人是合一的。张岱年认为：“古代所谓‘合一’，与现代语言中所谓‘统一’可以说是同义语。合一并不否认区别。合一是指对立的两方彼此又有密切相联不可分离的关系。”（张岱年，1985年，第1页）也就是说，人与自然是密切联系、不可分离的对立统一关系。

Traditional Chinese thought holds that humans are part of nature, that nature has universal laws, and that humans must obey these laws. At the same time, nature is not an independently existing object but is immanent within humans; therefore, moral laws and natural laws are consistent. The highest realm pursued by Chinese culture is the realm of heaven and earth in which heaven and humanity are one body.

中国传统思想认为，人是自然的一部分，自然有普遍规律，人要服从这个规律。同时，自然也不是独立存在的客体，而是内在于人的存在，因此道德规律和自然规律是一致的。中华文化所追求的最高境界就是天人一体的天地境界。

From the different forms of the idea of the unity of heaven and humanity in Chinese philosophy, it can be seen that the idea of the unity of heaven and humanity is rooted in Chinese civilization. No matter which form of the idea of the unity of heaven and humanity, it all advocates that human society should be consistent with nature, and that while humans exert their initiative and activity, they must also recognize the unity of humans and nature, the consistency of human nature and the Way of heaven. Especially the ideas of “people are my siblings and things are my companions” and “the ten thousand things as one body” proposed after the Song and Ming dynasties regard human society as a whole, and humans and nature as a harmonious and unified whole. Therefore, the Chinese philosophical idea of the unity of heaven and humanity laid the philosophical foundation and thinking structure for the peaceful nature of Chinese civilization, and also determined the characteristic of the peaceful nature of Chinese civilization. Guided by such a philosophy, Chinese civilization advocates that the ten thousand things are interconnected, and that in dealing with others one should “do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself” (*Analects · Yan Yuan*), extend oneself to others, and not use one’s own neighborhood as a drain for one’s troubles; these contents all constitute important characteristics of Chinese civilization.

从中国哲学中天人合一思想的不同形态可以看出，天人合一思想根植于中华文明，无论哪一种形式的天人合一思想，都主张人类社会应当与自然一致，人在发挥积极主动性的同时，也要认识到人与自然的统一性，人性与天道的一致性。尤其是宋明以后提出的民胞物与、万物一体的思想，更是将人类社会看作是一个整体，人与自然是一个和谐统一的整体。因此，中国哲学的天人合一思想奠定了中华文明和平性的哲学基础与思维结构，也决定了中华文明的和平性的特征。在这样的哲学指引之下，中华文明主张万物彼此相连，对待他人要“己所不欲，勿施于人”（《论语·颜渊》），推己及人，不能以邻为壑，这些内容都构成了中华文明的重要特征。

III. The Ideological Characteristics of the Peaceful Nature of Chinese Civilization

三、中华文明和平性的思想特点

The prominent peaceful nature of Chinese civilization takes the cosmology of Chinese philosophy as its philosophical basis and is founded on the idea of the unity of heaven and humanity in Chinese philosophy. Therefore, it can be said that the peaceful nature of Chinese civilization is established on the deep foundation of Chinese philosophy. On this general foundation, the peaceful nature of Chinese civilization also exhibits several distinct characteristics.

中华文明所具有的突出的和平性，是以中国哲学的宇宙论作为哲学依据，以中国哲学中的天人合一思想为基础的，因此可以说，中华文明的和平性是建立在中国哲学深厚的基础之上的。在这个总的基础之上，中华文明的和平性还具有几个明显的特征。

First, the “harmony” revered in Chinese philosophy and Chinese culture is one body with many facets.

第一，中国哲学与中华文化中崇尚的“和”是一体多面的。

Traditional Chinese thought holds that humans are not atomistic independent individuals, but are connected through ritual (*li*) to the family, society, and the state. Laozi said: “Cultivate it in your person, and your virtue will be genuine. Cultivate it in your family, and your virtue will be abundant. Cultivate it in your village, and your virtue will be lasting. Cultivate it in your state, and your virtue will be full. Cultivate it under heaven, and your virtue will be universal” (*Laozi*, Chapter 54). This uses the Way to string together the person, family, state, and all under heaven. The *Book of Rites · Great Learning*’s cultivating the person, regulating the family, governing the state, and bringing peace to all under heaven also runs through from the inner to the outer in a single thread.

中国传统思想认为，人不是原子式的独立个体，而是通过礼与家庭、社会以及国家联系在一起。老子说：“修之于身，其德乃真。修之于家，其德乃余。修之于乡，其德乃长。修之于国，其德乃丰。修之于天下，其德乃普。”（《老子》第五十四章）这是用道将身、家、国、天下贯穿起来。《礼记·大学》的修身、齐家、治国、平天下，也是由内到外一线贯通的。

Like traditional Chinese philosophy, the peaceful nature of Chinese civilization encompasses the individual, society, nature, and the entire world (tianxia), all of which can be connected through the concept of “harmony” (he). The harmony of the individual’s body and mind is the “way of centrality and harmony” (zhonghe) spoken of in the *Doctrine of the Mean*; social harmony is the way of loyalty and reciprocity (zhongshu) proposed by Confucius, namely, “Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself”; harmony between humans and nature means that human affairs must follow the laws of nature—a common view among various ancient Chinese schools. The traditional Chinese culture’s shaping and pursuit of the gentlemanly personality (junzi renge) characterized by centrality, rectitude, peace, and gentleness; its emphasis on interpersonal relationships based on trust and harmony; and its advocacy of the idea of conforming to nature and achieving harmonious coexistence between humans and nature—all of these ultimately point toward pacifying and governing the world (pingzhi tianxia) and realizing the Great Harmony (datong) of the world. This is an important feature of Chinese culture. Chinese culture as a whole attaches great importance to social reality, with a particular emphasis on social peace and stability. “Securing peace for all generations” (wei wan shi kai taiping) is the common ideal and aspiration of traditional scholar-officials, epitomizing the highest pursuit of the peace ideal in Chinese culture.

与中国传统哲学一样，中华文明的和平性也涵盖了个人、社会、自然以及天下，这几个方面都可以用“和”贯通起来。个人的身心和谐就是《中庸》所说的“中和”之道，社会的和谐就是孔子提出的“己所不欲，勿施于人”的忠恕之道，人与自然的和谐就是人事要遵循自然的法则，这是中国古代各家较为常见的主张。而中国传统文化中对于中正平和的君子人格的塑造与追求，对于讲信修睦的人际关系的重视，对于顺应自然、人与自然和谐相处理念的提倡，最终都要指向平治天下，实现天下的大同。这是中华文化的一个重要特征。中华文化在整体上重视社会现实，尤其突出强调社会的和平稳定，“为万世开太平”是传统士人共同的理想抱负，集中体现了中华文化对于和平理想的最高的追求。

Thus it can be seen that the thought of peace in fine traditional Chinese culture has a rich connotation. The Confucian philosophy of “inner sagehood and outer kingliness” (neisheng waiwang) and the ideal of “cultivating oneself, regulating the family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world” (xiu qi zhi ping) form a unified whole linking the internal and external. This not only shows that the thought of peace and harmony in traditional Chinese thought has multiple meanings, but also indicates that all aspects of Chinese culture can be unified under the concept of peace and harmony.

由此可见，中华优秀传统文化中的和平思想具有丰富的内涵。儒家哲学的“内圣外王”之道、修齐治平之理想，是内外一体贯通的。这不仅说明中国传统思想中的和平、和谐思想具有多重含义，同时也表明中华文化的各个方面都可以在和平、和谐思想观念之下统一起来。

Second, “harmony” in Chinese civilization presupposes order and contradiction.

第二，中华文明当中的“和”是以秩序、矛盾为前提的。

The Chinese cultural emphasis on harmony does not mean denying contradictions or erasing differences in order; rather, it seeks a higher level of harmony on the basis of acknowledging contradictions and order.

中华文化的尚和思想并不是不承认矛盾、抹煞秩序差异，而是在承认矛盾、秩序的基础之上，去追求更高层面的和谐。

The *Zuo Commentary* (Zuozhuan) records that during the Spring and Autumn period, Yan Ying of the state of Qi proposed the difference between “harmony” (he) and “sameness” (tong). Yanzi, starting from food and music and extending to social politics, vividly and meticulously revealed the distinction between “harmony” and “sameness,” advocating for “harmony” and rejecting “sameness.” In his view, food and music must be composed of different elements—“blending the five flavors, harmonizing the five notes”—only then is the broth delicious and the music pleasing to the ear. Extending this to governing the state, it requires achieving “to calm the heart and perfect the governance,” thereby realizing social harmony and stability. This is “harmony.” Conversely, if the elements are uniform, this is “adding water to water”; whether in food or music, it is inedible and unlistenable. Applied to governing the state, if one cannot listen to differing opinions, this is merely “sameness” and not “harmony.” (See *Zuo Commentary*, Duke Zhao, 20th Year.) Thus it is evident that “harmony” is the genuine harmony formed by synthesizing different elements and different opinions.

《左传》记载春秋时期齐国晏婴提出“和”与“同”的差异。晏子从饮食、音乐一直谈到社会政治，生动形象且又细致明确地揭示出“和”与“同”的区别，主张尚“和”去“同”。在他看来，饮食、音乐要由不同的因素构成，“济五味，和五声”，这样的羹才是美味可口的，音乐才是悦耳动听的。由此引申到治理国家方面，则要求做到“以平其心，成其政也”，实现社会的和谐稳定。这是“和”。反之，如果元素单一，这就是“以水济水”，无论是饮食还是音乐，都是不可食、不可听的。放到治理国家方面，如果不能听取不同意见，这只是“同”而不是“和”。（参见《左传·昭公二十年》）可见“和”就是在综合不同元素、不同意见之上形成的真正的和谐。

The Confucian exposition of ritual (li) and music (yue) also illustrates this point well. The *Record of Music* (Yueji) in the *Book of Rites* says: “Music is the harmony of heaven and earth; ritual is the order of heaven and earth.” “Music brings about unity (tong); ritual brings about distinction (yi).” These statements all indicate that ritual differentiates and music unifies; ritual and music complement each other, and together they point toward an organic unity of order and harmony. The saying of Youzi in the *Analects* (Xue’er), “In the practice of ritual, harmony is the most valuable,” also conveys this meaning. Earlier commentaries hold that this refers to the relationship between ritual and music. Huang Kan’s *Collected Explanations of the Analects* (Lunyu Yishu) says: “It clarifies that when the ruler implements transformation, ritual and music must be mutually dependent; use music to harmonize the people’s hearts, and use ritual to regulate the people’s conduct. … Harmony is music. Changing ‘music’ to ‘harmony’ shows the function of music.” (See Huang Huaixin, p. 74.) This means that music primarily aims at harmony, but if harmony alone is the goal “without ritual to regulate it,” that will not do. If ritual is understood in a broad sense, including music, then “division,” “distinction,” and “difference” should be the thought of ritual, while “harmony” is the thought of music. One can use the category pair of “substance and function” (ti-yong) to explain this: “division” is the substance, “harmony” is the function; ritual is the substance, music is the function. As Zhu Xi’s *Collected Commentaries on the Analects* (Lunyu Jizhu) says: “Although the substance of ritual is strict, it all arises from the principle of nature; therefore, in its function, it must be unhurried and unforced, and only then can it be valuable.” (Zhu Xi, p. 51.) Chen Hao, annotating the *Book of Rites* (Ruxing), says: “The substance of ritual is strict, but its function values harmony.” (Chen Hao, p. 664.) Substance and function are major categories of Neo-Confucianism (lixue), and they can be used to provide a very apt explanation of the relationship between ritual and music. Therefore, the thought of ritual and music does not consist solely of “harmony”; it also includes the thought of ritual’s differentiation. Only when these two aspects are combined does one obtain the true meaning of ritual and music. Harmony based on order is what Confucianism affirms as “harmony is the most valuable.”

儒家对于礼乐的阐述也很好地表明了这一点。《礼记·乐记》说：“乐者，天地之和也；礼者，天地之序也。”“乐者为同，礼者为异。”这些说法都表明，礼别异，乐统同，礼乐相互配合，礼乐指向的是秩序与和谐的有机统一体。《论语·学而》记载有子说的“礼之用，和为贵”也是这个意思。前人的注疏认为这里讲的是礼乐关系，皇侃《论语义疏》说：“明人君行化，必礼乐相须，用乐和民心，以礼检民迹。……和，即乐也。变乐言和，见乐功也。”（见黄怀信，第74页）这就是说，乐以和为主，但如果仅以和为目标，“不以礼节之”，那也是不行的。假若把礼作广义的理解，即包括乐在内，那么，“分”“别”“异”应是礼的思想，“和”则是乐的思想。可以套用“体用”这对范畴进行解释，“分”为体，“和”为用；礼为体，乐为用。如朱熹《论语集注》说：“礼之为体虽严，而皆出于自然之理，故其为用，必从容而不迫，乃可为贵。”（朱熹，第51页）陈澔注解《礼记·儒行》说：“礼之体严，而用贵于和。”（陈澔，第664页）体用是理学的主要范畴，据之可以对礼乐关系进行非常贴切的解释。所以，礼乐的思想并不是只有“和”，而是包含了礼的别异思想，这两个方面结合起来，才是礼乐的真正含义，在秩序基础之上的和谐，才是儒家所肯定的“和为贵”。

Confucius said, “The gentleman harmonizes but does not seek sameness; the petty person seeks sameness but does not harmonize” (*Analects*, Zilu). This synthesizes and further refines the thought on “harmony and sameness” that had developed since the Spring and Autumn period. The harmony valued by Confucianism is a diversity-based harmony formed on the premise of fully respecting differences and order. The *Doctrine of the Mean* says: “All things are nurtured together without harming one another; the ways (dao) proceed in parallel without contradicting one another.” This is the genuine harmony understood by Chinese philosophy.

孔子说“君子和而不同，小人同而不和”（《论语·子路》），就是综合了春秋以来关于“和-同”的思想而进一步的提炼。儒家重视的和，是在充分尊重差异、秩序的前提之下而形成的多样性的和谐。《中庸》说：“万物并育而不相害，道并行而不相悖”，这才是中国哲学所理解的真正的和谐。

Third, “harmony” in Chinese civilization possesses vitality.

第三，中华文明中的“和”是有生命力的。

Because “harmony” in traditional Chinese thought presupposes order and difference, it inherently contains internal tension, and the thought of “harmony” points toward a kind of vitality.

中国传统思想中的“和”是以秩序和差异为前提的，因此在“和”的思想当中就蕴含着内在的张力，“和”的思想指向了一种生命力。

According to the *Discourses of the States* (Guoyu, “Zheng Yu”), in the late Western Zhou period, the Grand Historian Shi Bo of Zhou explicitly stated: “Harmony generates things; sameness leaves no continuation.” “Sameness” means the uniformity of things. If one “adds sameness to sameness,” it is merely monotonous repetition—like a single tone, a single color, a single flavor—which, lacking change and internal vitality, cannot generate new things and therefore cannot endure or develop sustainably. “Harmony,” by contrast, is the coordination and cooperation of various different things. For example, Shi Bo held that all things are generated by “the mixing of earth with metal, wood, water, and fire,” so that they interact and combine to produce new things. “This is the utmost of harmony.”

据《国语·郑语》记载，西周末年周太史史伯就明确地说：“和实生物，同则不继。”“同”就是事物的单一性，若“以同裨同”，只是单一的重复，如同一个声调、同一种颜色、同一个口味等，因为单一没有变化而没有内在的生机，不能产生新的事物，因而也就不能长久，不可能持续发展。而“和”则不同，“和”是各种不同事物的协调与配合，如史伯认为万物是由“土与金木水火杂”而生的，这样就会相互作用、配合而产生出新的事物，“夫如是，和之至也”。

Chinese philosophy is a philosophy that values generation and life (shengsheng). The *Appended Remarks* (Xici) of the *Book of Changes* (Yijing) says: “The great virtue of heaven and earth is generation,” and also: “Generation and regeneration is what is meant by change (yi).” The universe as understood by Chinese philosophy is an eternal process of continuous creation, full of vitality. Zhou Dunyi, in his *Explanation of the Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate* (Taiji Tushuo), says: “The Supreme Ultimate moves and generates yang; when movement reaches its extreme, it becomes still, and stillness generates yin. When stillness reaches its extreme, it moves again. Movement and stillness, each is the root of the other.” (Zhou Dunyi Ji, p. 4.) He also says: “The two qi (yin and yang) interact and transform, generating and transforming the myriad things. The myriad things generate and regenerate, and their transformations are inexhaustible.” (Ibid., p. 5.) The Cheng brothers (Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi) say: “‘Generation and regeneration is what is meant by change’—this is the way by which heaven operates. Heaven simply takes generation as its way.” (Er Cheng Ji, p. 29.) All these statements indicate that the universe is an eternal process of continuous creation under the action of the two qi, yin and yang. As Zhang Dainian held: “The universe is a great stream of ceaseless generation and regeneration; this is what is meant by change (yi), and change is a fundamental fact of the universe.” (Zhang Dainian, 2017, p. 151.) He also says: “The universe is a process of daily renewal without end.” (Ibid.) This is a basic understanding of Chinese philosophy and an important characteristic of Chinese philosophy.

中国哲学是重视生生的哲学。《周易·系辞》说：“天地之大德曰生”，又说：“生生之谓易”，中国哲学理解的宇宙是一个不断创生的、有生机的永恒过程。周敦颐在《太极图说》中说：“太极动而生阳，动极而静，静而生阴。静极复动。一动一静，互为其根”（《周敦颐集》，第4页），又说：“二气交感，化生万物。万物生生，而变化无穷焉。”（同上，第5页）二程说：“‘生生之谓易’，是天之所以为道也。天只是以生为道”（《二程集》，第29页）。这都是说，宇宙是在阴阳二气的作用之下不断创生的一个永恒的过程。如张岱年就认为：“宇宙乃是一个生生不已的大流，此即所谓易，易是宇宙中一根本事实。”（张岱年，2017年，第151页）又说：“宇宙乃是一日新无疆的历程。”（同上）这是中国哲学的一个基本认识，也是中国哲学的重要特点。

Traditional Chinese philosophy not only holds that the cosmos is in constant flux and endless generation, but also that the cosmos is a harmonious unity, and that harmonious unity is the fundamental reason why this flux and generation can occur. Therefore, traditional Chinese philosophy maintains that “harmony” is the fundamental cause of “generation”; the reason the cosmos can create and endlessly generate is precisely because of “harmony.” Shi Bo’s statement that “harmony generates things” [29] also articulates this basic principle. When discussing the generation of all things, Laozi says, “All things carry yin and embrace yang, and through the blending of vital forces they achieve harmony” (Laozi, Chapter 42). The Huainanzi, in the chapter “Treatise on the Patterns of Heaven,” explains: “The Way begins in the One, but the One alone does not generate; therefore it divides into yin and yang, and the union and harmony of yin and yang generates all things.” This makes it even clearer that the “blending of vital forces” refers to a state of balanced harmony achieved through the mutual agitation of the two vital forces of yin and yang, and that all things are generated in this state. The Zhuangzi, in the chapter “Master Fang of the Fields,” also says: “Extreme yin is solemn and severe; extreme yang is blazing and bright. Solemn severity comes from heaven; blazing brightness issues from earth. The two intermingle and achieve harmony, and things are born.” Xunzi says: “All things obtain their harmony and are born” (Xunzi, “Treatise on Heaven”). The Book of Rites says: “When yin and yang are in harmony, all things are realized” (Book of Rites, “The Suburban Sacrifice”). The “Record of Music” in the Book of Rites, when discussing the order of rites and music, says: “Music is the harmony of heaven and earth; rites are the order of heaven and earth. Through harmony, all things are transformed; through order, all things are distinguished.” Rites and music embody the order and harmony of heaven and earth. The “transformation” in “all things are transformed” is glossed by Zheng Xuan as “meaning generation” (see Ruan Yuan’s collated edition, p. 1530). When heaven and earth are in harmony, they can transform and generate all things. The harmony of heaven and earth is: “The vital energy of earth rises upward, the vital energy of heaven descends downward; yin and yang rub against each other, heaven and earth shake each other, stirred by thunder and lightning, invigorated by wind and rain, moved by the four seasons, warmed by the sun and moon, and all transformations arise. Thus, music is the harmony of heaven and earth” (Book of Rites, “Record of Music”). Furthermore, the “Inner Training” chapter of the Guanzi says: “In general, the birth of a person: heaven issues their essence, earth issues their form, and these combine to make a person. Harmony generates; without harmony, there is no generation. Examine the Way of harmony: its essence is not seen, its signs are not manifest.” Wang Chong also says: “In governing people, take people as the foundation. When the hundred surnames are at peace, yin and yang are in harmony; when yin and yang are in harmony, all things are nurtured; when all things are nurtured, auspicious signs appear” (Lunheng, “Proclaiming the Han”). From these discussions, it can be seen that traditional Chinese philosophy holds that the harmony of heaven, earth, yin, and yang is the fundamental motive force for the generation of all things, and also the fundamental reason why the cosmos can be full of vitality.

中国传统哲学不但认为宇宙是大化流行、生生不已的，而且也认为，宇宙是一个和谐的统一体，和谐统一是大化流行得以发生的根本原因。因此，中国传统哲学认为，“和”是“生”的根本原因，宇宙之所以能够创生、生生不已，就是因为“和”。史伯说的“和实生物”讲的也是这个基本的原理。老子在讨论万物生成的时候说“万物负阴而抱阳，冲气以为和”（《老子》第四十二章），《淮南子·天文训》解释说：“道曰规始于一，一而不生，故分而为阴阳，阴阳合和而万物生。”这就更加明确地说明，“冲气”就是阴阳二气相互激荡而成的一种匀适和谐的状态，万物都是在这种状态中产生的。《庄子·田子方》也说：“至阴肃肃，至阳赫赫，肃肃出乎天，赫赫发乎地，两者交通成和而物生焉。”荀子说：“万物各得其和以生。”（《荀子·天论》）《礼记》说：“阴阳和而万物得。”（《礼记·郊特牲》）《礼记·乐记》在讲到礼乐秩序的时候说：“乐者，天地之和也；礼者，天地之序也。和，故百物皆化；序，故群物皆别。”礼乐体现了天地的秩序与和谐。“百物皆化”之“化”，郑注：“犹生也。”（见阮元校刻，第1530页）天地和谐，故能化生万物。天地之和就是“地气上齐，天气下降，阴阳相摩，天地相荡，鼓之以雷霆，奋之以风雨，动之以四时，暖之以日月，而百化兴焉。如此，则乐者天地之和也”。（《礼记·乐记》）此外，《管子·内业》篇中说：“凡人之生也，天出其精，地出其形，合此以为人。和乃生，不和不生。察和之道，其精不见，其征不丑。”王充也说：“夫治人以人为主，百姓安而阴阳和，阴阳和则万物育，万物育则奇瑞出。”（《论衡·宣汉》）从这些论说中可以看出，中国传统哲学认为，天地阴阳的和谐是万物创生的根本动因，也是宇宙能够充满生机的根本原因。

IV. The Contemporary Presentation of the Peaceful Nature of Chinese Civilization

四、中华文明和平性的当代呈现

From the above aspects, it can be seen that the prominent peaceful nature of Chinese civilization is built upon a profound and broad foundation of Chinese philosophy and is manifested in all aspects of Chinese civilization. The splendid civilization of China over more than 5,000 years has nurtured concepts advocating peace, amity, and harmony. These values and principles fundamentally determine the peaceful nature of Chinese civilization. An important reason why Chinese civilization has been able to continue for thousands of years, endlessly generating, flourishing with luxuriant branches and abundant fruit, lies in its prominent peaceful nature.

由以上几个方面可知，中华文明具有的突出的和平性，建立在深厚博大的中国哲学基础之上，体现在中华文明的方方面面。中华5000多年光辉灿烂的文明中孕育出了崇尚和平、和睦、和谐的理念，这些价值理念从根本上决定了中华文明的和平性。中华文明之所以能够延续数千年而生生不已、枝繁叶茂、果实累累，其重要原因在于突出的和平性。

General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “The Chinese nation has always loved peace. The pursuit of peace, amity, and harmony is deeply rooted in the spiritual world of the Chinese nation” (Xi Jinping, 2018, p. 156). Peacefulness has been embedded in Chinese civilization, forming a cultural gene of Chinese civilization. This fundamentally determines that contemporary China will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. The prominent peaceful nature of Chinese civilization has laid a solid historical foundation for promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and also provides a continuous source of cultural nourishment for the implementation of the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.

习近平总书记指出：“中华民族历来爱好和平，和平、和睦、和谐的追求深深植根于中华民族的精神世界之中。”（习近平，2018年，第156页）和平性已经嵌入中华文明，形成中华文明的文化基因，这就从根本上决定了当代中国始终是世界和平的建设者、全球发展的贡献者、国际秩序的维护者。中华文明突出的和平性为推动构建人类命运共同体奠定了坚实历史根基，也为人类命运共同体理念的落实提供了源源不断的文化滋养。

The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind is the highest embodiment of the prominent peaceful nature of Chinese civilization in the contemporary era. It is a strategic concept proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping from the height of deeply contemplating “what kind of world to build and how to build it,” issues concerning the future and destiny of human development. It provides a Chinese solution for achieving common development, sustained prosperity, and lasting peace for human society, and reflects China’s commitment as a major country to making greater contributions to world peace and development. Building a community with a shared future for mankind is connected to the ancient Chinese concepts of “harmonizing all nations” and “the world as one family.” At the same time, it integrates the spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence consistently advocated by China since the founding of the People’s Republic and the vision of building a harmonious world. It embodies China’s global vision, world-mindedness, and sense of responsibility as a major country, unifying its own development with world development, and has significant theoretical and practical significance.

构建人类命运共同体理念是中华文明突出的和平性在当代的最高体现，是习近平总书记站在深入思考“建设一个什么样的世界、如何建设这个世界”等关乎人类发展前途命运的高度而提出的战略构想，为人类社会实现共同发展、持续繁荣、长治久安提供了中国方案，体现了中国致力于为世界和平与发展作出更大贡献的大国担当。构建人类命运共同体和中国古代协和万邦、天下一家的理念是相通的，同时又融合了新中国成立以来我国一贯主张的和平共处五项原则的精神、构建和谐世界的愿景，体现了中国将自身发展与世界发展相统一的全球视野、世界胸怀和大国担当，具有重大理论意义和现实意义。

From the perspective of human history, especially modern history, socialism with Chinese characteristics follows a path of peaceful development. Deng Xiaoping once emphasized: “What we are building is socialism with Chinese characteristics, a socialism that constantly develops the productive forces and advocates peace. Only by constantly developing the productive forces can the country gradually become prosperous and strong, and the people’s lives gradually improve. Only by striving for a peaceful environment can development proceed relatively smoothly” (Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping, Vol. 3, p. 328). Peace and development are characteristics of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

从人类历史的发展，尤其是从近代历史来看，中国特色社会主义走的是和平发展的道路。邓小平曾经强调：“我们搞的是有中国特色的社会主义，是不断发展社会生产力的社会主义，是主张和平的社会主义。只有不断发展社会生产力，国家才能一步步富强起来，人民生活才能一步步改善。只有争取到和平的环境，才能比较顺利地发展。”（《邓小平文选》第3卷，第328页）和平与发展是中国特色社会主义的特征。

After more than forty years of reform and opening up, the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics has achieved remarkable accomplishments, and comprehensive national strength has been greatly enhanced. However, some people, following the so-called “clash of civilizations” theory or the logic that a strong country is bound to seek hegemony, have questioned China’s development path. Therefore, studying the prominent peaceful nature of Chinese civilization and emphasizing China’s adherence to the concept and path of peaceful development has very important theoretical and practical significance.

经过四十多年的改革开放，中国特色社会主义建设取得了举世瞩目的成就，综合国力极大提升，但有一些人按照所谓的“文明冲突论”，或者国强必霸的逻辑，对中国的发展道路提出了质疑。因此，研究中华文明突出的和平性，强调中国坚持和平发展的理念和道路，具有非常重要的理论意义和现实意义。

General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “Since ancient times, the Chinese nation has actively engaged in foreign exchanges and trade, rather than external aggression and expansion; it has persistently adhered to patriotism in defending the homeland, rather than colonialism in expanding territory. China’s modern history is a tragic and humiliating history full of disasters, a great struggle history of the Chinese nation resisting foreign aggression and achieving national independence. The Chinese people, who have endured hardships, cherish peace and will never impose the tragic experiences they once suffered on other nations. The Chinese people are willing to live in harmony and develop harmoniously with the people of all countries, jointly seeking peace, safeguarding peace, and sharing peace” (Xi Jinping, 2018, pp. 152-153). General Secretary Xi Jinping also points out: “China has developed from a poor and weak country

习近平总书记指出：“自古以来，中华民族就积极开展对外交往通商，而不是对外侵略扩张；执着于保家卫国的爱国主义，而不是开疆拓土的殖民主义。中国近代史，是一部充满灾难的悲惨屈辱史，是一部中华民族抵抗外来侵略、实现民族独立的伟大斗争史。历经苦难的中国人民珍惜和平，绝不会将自己曾经遭受过的悲惨经历强加给其他民族。中国人民愿意同世界各国人民和睦相处、和谐发展，共谋和平、共护和平、共享和平。”（习近平，2018年，第152-153页）习近平总书记还指出：“中国从一个积贫积弱的国家发展成为世界第二大经济体，靠的不是对外军事扩张和殖民掠夺，而是人民勤劳、维护和平。中国将始终不渝走和平发展道路。”（同上，第423页）正因为我们经历过战争和苦难，所以才异常珍惜和平。中国多次公开声明，将坚定不移走和平发展道路，同时也将推动各国共同坚持和平发展，坚持通过以对话协商等和平方式解决分歧和争端。党的二十大报告向全世界庄严宣告：中国式现代化是走和平发展道路的现代化。我国不走一些国家通过战争、殖民、掠夺等方式实现现代化的老路，那种损人利己、充满血腥罪恶的老路给广大发展中国家人民带来深重灾难。我们坚定站在历史正确的一边、站在人类文明进步的一边，高举和平、发展、合作、共赢旗帜，在坚定维护世界和平与发展中谋求自身发展，又以自身发展更好维护世界和平与发展。“中国维护世界和平的决心不会改变”，“中国促进共同发展的决心不会改变”，“中国打造伙伴关系的决心不会改变”，“中国支持多边主义的决心不会改变”。（《习近平著作选读》第1卷，第569-571页）这四个“不会改变”是中国向世界的庄严承诺，它为构建人类命运共同体、更好凝聚人类文明共识提供了有力保障。

We must build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation on the foundation of more than 5,000 years of Chinese civilization; the modern civilization of the Chinese nation continues and carries forward fine traditional Chinese culture. Historically, the Chinese nation has loved peace since ancient times, esteeming harmony, and "securing peace for all generations" is the highest ideal of the Chinese people. Chinese culture contains abundant precious ideas of "valuing harmony above all else" and "harmony in diversity." China's contemporary development and achievements have been obtained through the hard work of the Chinese people, not through colonial plunder or military aggression. Since modern times, China has experienced more than a hundred years of turmoil and war, bringing great disasters to the Chinese people. Therefore, the Chinese people deeply understand the preciousness of peace and will never abandon their determination and desire to safeguard peace. "Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself"; China will never impose the tragic fate it once suffered on other countries and nations.

我们要在中华文明5000多年的基础之上建设中华民族现代文明，中华民族现代文明赓续的是中华优秀传统文化。从历史上来看，中华民族自古以来就爱好和平，崇尚和谐，“为万世开太平”是中国人的最高理想。中华文化中蕴含着丰富的“以和为贵”“和而不同”的宝贵思想。中国当代的发展和取得的成就是中国人民努力奋斗得来的，而不是通过殖民掠夺、武力侵犯得来的。中国近代以来遭遇了一百多年的动荡和战争，给中国人民带来巨大灾难，因此，中国人民深知和平的宝贵，绝不会放弃维护和平的决心和愿望。“己所不欲，勿施于人”，中国绝不会把自己曾经遭受过的悲惨命运强加给其他国家和民族。

From the perspective of actual development, China needs peace. We believe that peace and development remain the trend of the times. Since the 1980s, China's rapid economic, social, and cultural development has relied precisely on the peaceful environment both at home and abroad. At present, China still needs a harmonious and stable domestic environment and a peaceful and tranquil international environment; any turmoil and war do not conform to the fundamental interests of the Chinese people. Therefore, China is a staunch defender of world peace.

从现实发展来看，中国需要和平。我们认为，和平与发展依然是时代的潮流，中国自二十世纪八十年代以来经济社会文化的飞速发展，靠的就是国内外的和平环境。目前中国依然需要和谐稳定的国内环境与和平安宁的国际环境，任何动荡和战争都不符合中国人民的根本利益。因此，中国是世界和平的坚定维护者。

The history of China's reform and opening up has already proven that "peaceful development is a strategic choice China has made based on its own national conditions, social system, and cultural traditions; it conforms to the trend of the times, aligns with China's fundamental interests, serves the interests of neighboring countries, and serves the interests of all countries in the world. We have no reason to change it." (Xi Jinping, 2018, p. 153) [29] Therefore

中国改革开放的历史已经证明，“和平发展是中国基于自身国情、社会制度、文化传统作出的战略抉择，顺应时代潮流，符合中国根本利益，符合周边国家利益，符合世界各国利益，我们没有理由去改变它。”（习近平，2018年，第153页）因此，习近平总书记多次明确地表示，“中国坚持走和平发展道路，坚持独立自主的和平外交政策，不是权宜之计，而是我们的战略选择和郑重承诺。”（同上，第277页）这是基于中国5000多年的文明史以及对当代世界形势的判断而向世界作出的庄严承诺。习近平总书记曾指出：“走和平发展道路，是中华民族优秀文化传统的传承和发展，也是中国人民从近代以后苦难遭遇中得出的必然结论。”（同上，第1页）中华文明所具有的突出的和平性，决定了中华文化的性质，也决定了中国道路的方向。自新中国成立以来，我们在与全世界交往的过程中，始终贯彻了独立自主的和平外交政策。从和平共处五项原则的提出，到推动建设和谐世界，到习近平总书记提出的构建人类命运共同体，一层层递进，一层层提升，一以贯之的是中华民族崇尚和平、和睦、和谐的思想，是追求天下为公、河清海晏的理想，这是中国古代哲学中以和为贵、和而不同，民胞物与、四海一家，为天下谋大同、为万世开太平思想的现代体现，是中华文明突出的和平性的生动呈现。

(Author: Researcher at the Institute of Philosophy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Director of the Chinese Philosophy Research Office)

（作者：中国社会科学院哲学研究所研究员、中国哲学研究室主任）

Online editor: Youheng

网络编辑：有恒