FILE PHOTO: Chinese civilization features inclusiveness. 

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Inclusiveness has long been the guiding intellectual principle behind the development of the Chinese nation. At this new historical starting point, we must continuously build a shared intellectual home for the Chinese nation and lay a solid intellectual and cultural foundation for consolidating the sense of community for the Chinese nation. It is essential to deeply understand and appreciate the historical characteristics, development principles, and contemporary values of Chinese civilization’s remarkable inclusiveness, thereby contributing to the construction of a modern Chinese civilization.

In the first stage of the inclusive development of Chinese civilization (from the emergence of civilization to the Qin (221-207 BCE) and Han (206 BCE-220 CE) Dynasties), the foundation of inclusiveness centered around the Huaxia culture was established. Even in the early days of civilization, the numerous human relics scattered across the Chinese landscape, like stars in the sky, already revealed signs of interactions and connection. It can be said that the extensive spread and mutual absorption and integration of agricultural and handicraft production techniques, along with the accompanying cultural and artistic developments, already hinted at the dawn of the inclusiveness within Chinese civilization.

As cultural interactions and networks centered around the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow and Yangtze rivers deepened and expanded, the political and cultural centers of Chinese civilization gradually took shape. After the political integration and ethnic cohesion of the Xia (c. 21st century–16th century BCE), Shang (c. 16th century–11th century BCE), and Western Zhou (c. 11th century BCE–771 BCE) dynasties, the sense of Huaxia identity among the various political forces in the Central Plains continued to grow. Through constant conquests, the Warring States Period (475-221 BCE) saw the merging of the seven major powers, which progressively broke down feudal barriers through the implementation of the prefecture-county system. This culminated in the establishment of the Qin Dynasty, which achieved administrative homogenization with uniform measures and writing, thus ensuring uniformity and integration. The Han Dynasty then extended and expanded the core scope of the Huaxia civilization, while also enhancing political and cultural influence over its periphery. Through these historical processes, the political concept of the Great Unity of the Huaxia had formed.

The formation of the core Huaxia identity also led to the first peak of the inclusive development of Chinese civilization, which mainly manifested in the following aspects. First, the expansion of the prefecture-county system into the surrounding areas of the Central Plains integrated and assimilated more of the peripheral populations into the Huaxia. Second, under the influence of Huaxia’s political civilization and advanced productivity, more groups in the surrounding areas entered the stage of civilization development and established extensive political networks based on vassalage. Third, populations from the Huaxia periphery migrated to the border fortresses, with some even coming under the prefecture-county jurisdiction. Fourth, the Western Regions became a hub for exchanges between the East and the West, facilitating the influx of various plants, animals, crafts, as well as art forms including music, dance, and acrobatics into the hinterland of the Central Plains. 

In the second stage of the inclusive development of Chinese civilization (from the Three Kingdoms Period (220-265) to the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties), the transition from the harmonious coexistence of the Han and Hu ethnic groups to an open and inclusive “one family within four seas” framework was achieved. The historical experience of Han-Hu integration during the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589) created the ideological and social conditions for the openness and inclusiveness of Chinese civilization during the Sui and Tang dynasties. The Sui Dynasty was short-lived, but it restored the unified and centralized rule of the Huaxia-centered dynasty, reaffirming the core cohesion of the Huaxia and the developmental continuity of Chinese civilization. The prosperous, harmonious, and open atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty attracted wide-ranging attention from the outside world, with numerous foreign cultures entering the country, turning it into a global cultural center. 

In the third stage of the inclusive development of Chinese civilization (from the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960) to the Song (960-1279)and Jin (1115-1234) dynasties), the political pattern of a unified Huaxia-centered regime was no longer maintained, and a new situation emerged in which the Huaxia regime was no longer the sole or even primary political center. However, the new trend prioritizing cultural over ethnic relations that had emerged since the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589) was reflected in the political arena, and the new concept of the Great Unity based on cultural rather than ethnic standards began to brew.

In the fourth stage of inclusiveness in Chinese civilization (the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644), and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties), the boundaries of the country and ethnic groups, as well as the subjectivity of Chinese civilization, were established and consolidated. During the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, the Great Unity of China and the overall integrity of the Chinese nation continued to develop and solidify. As Western influences arrived, the inclusiveness of Chinese civilization presented two aspects: internally, the political unity and the subjectivity of Chinese civilization were closely integrated; externally, there was a clear distinction between the internal and the external. While exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and Western civilizations took place, conflicts also emerged, leading to a widespread consensus on maintaining the subjectivity of Chinese civilization. This also provided intellectual support for safeguarding the territorial sovereignty of the country and the awakening of the Chinese nation in modern times.

In summary, the historical development of the inclusiveness of Chinese civilization is closely related to the historical process of interactions, exchanges, and integration among the Chinese nation. The prominent inclusiveness of Chinese civilization determines the historical orientation of this process, with each stage manifesting distinct features that, while varying, adhere to long-term patterns and drive developmental trends, even influencing the nature of subsequent trends. Conversely, the historical evolution of the inclusiveness of Chinese civilization also reflects a combination of long-term regularity and developmental stages, with a clear progressive relationship between different stages. This interplay establishes a historical foundation for the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture.

Fan Enshi is deputy director of the Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Edited by ZHAO YUAN