Philosophical implications of the civilization imagery in Chinese culture and its inspirations for civilizational exchange

"Imagery thinking," or "imaginary thinking," is a crucial dimension for understanding the spirit of Chinese culture. In Chinese classics, the "civilization" imagery embodies profound philosophical wisdom, reflecting the essential characteristics of Chinese cultural thought. The exploration of modern civilization led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) has revitalized the imagery of "civilization," whose philosophical implications offer significant inspirations for civilizational exchange in the contemporary era.

I.Philosophical Thinking in the "Civilization" Imagery of Traditional Chinese Culture

Expressing through imagery, or "subtle ideas" and "imagination," allows the "imagery" to reflect not only the inner thoughts, but also create a concrete yet simultaneously abstract way of expression. This form of thinking, integral to Chinese culture, transcends the dualism of mind and matter in Western conceptual thinking and profoundly influences Chinese language, literature, and philosophical expression. Imagery thinking runs through various aspects of Chinese culture, forming interconnected yet independent chains of meaning centered around a core idea.

In Chinese, "civilization" comprises two characters: "wen" and "ming". "Wen" ("文"), loosely translated as "culture", originally referred to decoration and patterns. Confucius once wrote, "I follow Zhou for its rich and splendid cultural decorations." He also wrote, "When substance surpasses refinement, it becomes coarse; when refinement surpasses substance, it becomes superficial," indicating an appreciation of both inner quality and outer beauty. From antiquity to the pre-Qin era, "wen" was primarily used in the political and aesthetic sense, symbolizing an institutional beauty, as one classic line goes: "what regulates the order of the universe is called 'wen' (culture)." During the Wei and Jin dynasties, "wen" evolved to represent artistic beauty, gaining aesthetic significance independent of political aesthetics. Whereas "ming"("明"), loosely translated as "brightness", carries the written form with the "sun" ("日") on the left and "moon" ("月") on the right. It originally referred to the light shining through a window, hence the window-shaped "日" on the left has nothing to do with sunlight. Li Bai's poem "I descry bright moonlight in front of my bed" captures the tranquil, serene light of the moon. Laozi's Daoist culture inherited this wisdom of subdued brightness, embodying a dialectical philosophy.

The philosophy of the "Ten Wings", developed in the pre-Qin period and completed during the Qin and Han dynasties, leverages Confucian and Daoist wisdom to interpret the classics of the "Book of Changes", in which "The Symbolism of the Li Hexagram" states, "The great man continues the light to illuminate the four directions," guiding all things with brightness towards the right path. It went on dividing "ming" into four layers: recurrent brightness (continuous illumination), great brightness (light from the high heavens), a bright mind (a heart of public spirit), and enduring brightness (the intention of light constantly shining in all directions). The term "civilization" ('wen ming') appears six times in the book of "Ten Wings":

1."The Commentary on the Text of the Qian Hexagram":

"Seeing the dragon in the field, civilization flourishes under heaven."

2."The Commentary on the Tuan of the Tong Ren Hexagram":

"Civilization is coupled with strength, central and correct in response, this is the righteousness of the noble man."

3."The Commentary on the Tuan of the Da You Hexagram":

"Virtue is firm and strong yet civilized, responding to heaven and acting in accordance with the times, thus leading to great success."

4."The Commentary on the Tuan of the Bi Hexagram":

"Civilization embodies restraint and humanity. Observing celestial patterns helps understand temporal changes; observing human culture helps transform the world."

5."The Commentary on the Tuan of the Ming Yi Hexagram":

"Civilization is internal and gentleness external, enduring great difficulties, as King Wen did. It is beneficial to persevere through hardship, concealing its brightness. Despite internal challenges, one can still maintain their determination, as Ji Zi did."

6."The Commentary on the Tuan of the Ge Hexagram":

"Civilization brings joy, great success is achieved through righteousness, and by adapting to changes, regrets vanish. When heaven and earth undergo transformation, the seasons become orderly. The revolutions of Tang and Wu were in accordance with heaven and met the needs of the people. The significance of the timing of change is profound indeed."

These instances highlight the integration of resilience, continuous renewal, and the moral guidance of civilization, affirming both human progress and dialectical thinking. The unity of human and natural order fosters political clarity and cultural prosperity, reflecting the rational spirit and philosophical wisdom of traditional Chinese culture.

In summary, the concept of "civilization" in classical Chinese philosophy encompasses four essential meanings that reflect the fundamental characteristics of Chinese civilization: Firstly, regarding the origin of existence, Chinese culture believes that brightness stems from the constancy of natural laws, with the seasons following their course and life flourishing in benevolence. Human civilization, or put simply, man-made brightness, needs to be in harmony with natural brightness and its laws of development. Secondly, in terms of value orientation, Chinese culture posits that the human is rooted in the transformative power of heaven and earth. Thus, people must cultivate virtue, enlighten others, discover the inner light, and contribute to universal civilization. Thirdly, concerning spiritual realms, the light of "Li" fire transcends the individual physical existence, aiming for eternal spiritual illumination and a higher mission, embodying the principle that humanity is able to elevate the Dao (also knowns as "Tao") of nature. Lastly, in the wisdom of dialectical thinking, civilization embodies restraint and humility, with brightness that does not dazzle, harmonizing the sun and moon, as well as yin and yang. This wisdom teaches that true brightness allows all things to fulfill their purpose and become their better selves.

II.Revival of the "Civilization" Imagery in the Exploration of Modern Chinese Civilization

In modern times, the notion of Chinese "civilization" became obscured. Lu Xun's imagery of "dead fire" expressed both despair and hope for national rejuvenation. The journey of modern Chinese philosophy involved admiration for and reflection on Western "civilization" alongside a critique and alienation from its own civilization, that was the historical period, as General Secretary Xi Jinping described in his July 1 speech, when the country endured intense humiliation, the people were subjected to great pain, and the Chinese civilization was plunged into darkness.

In his later years, Confucius lamented, "The phoenix does not come, and the River Chart does not appear; I am finished." Zhu Xi, in his "Collected Annotations on the Four Books," cites Zhang Zai, who explains, "The arrival of the phoenix and the appearance of the River Chart are omens of civilization. The absence of these signs, as seen in the times of Fuxi, Shun, and King Wen, indicates that Confucius’s aspirations for cultural prosperity would not be realized." In ancient China, the phoenix, the "River Chart," and the "Luo Book" symbolized universal "civilization." Guo Moruo’s poem "The Phoenix Nirvana" uses the iconic Chinese totem of phoenix to symbolize self-destruction and rebirth, illustrating the rejuvenation and revolutionary transformation of the ancient civilization. This metaphor epitomizes the May Fourth Movement’s determination to reject tradition, yet within this self-destruction lies immense national pride. This blend of tragic grandeur and profound joy ultimately resulted in a comprehensive renewal of worldview, philosophy, and social outlook of the Chinese. As lyric of "The Phoenix Reborn Song" reads: "We are reborn, we are reborn," the vibrant rhythm pulsates like fire, flickers like light, and spreads like stars, embodying the spirit of a revolutionary new China, filled with the seeds of a new civilization and the sparks of revolution. Guo Moruo's "Phoenix Nirvana" and "Ode to Youth" symbolize the passionate youth of the May Fourth era, summing up the New Culture Movement of the preceding period. They serve as the literary precursors of the May Fourth spirit, evolving into a revolutionary passion well aligned with the Communist Party of China's revolutionary ideals and social reform practices. As such, the imagery of Chinese "civilization" went from "darkness” to “brightness."

What is "brightness" ("ming")? Marxist views on civilization offer an intriguing metaphor. Marx believed that a society's nature is determined by its "universal light," ("eine allgemeine Beleuchtung"), i.e. the dominant mode of production and the relations of production. It can be argued that this "universal light," or the light of humanity, is fundamental to the modern "civilization" imagery of the Chinese nation. In terms of worldview transformation, Chinese classical philosophy holds that the sincerity and clarity of the human mind originate from the "nature bestowed by Heaven" (as stated in "The Doctrine of the Mean"). Human culture stems from celestial patterns, and human order aligns with natural order. Marxism helped shift the traditional Chinese concept of “all under Heaven” ("tian xia") towards modern notions of "the world" and "universal principles." Philosophically, "civilization" contains both the substantive and normative aspects. Western modern civilization, as a substantive civilization, contains many "uncivilized" elements, such as colonial exploitation, unequal trade, war, wealth disparity, and environmental destruction, as well as implicit aspects like the dominance of rationality, technological determinism, and individualism. Ironically, this "civilization" has led to an "uncivilized" process of human development and an "uncivilized" state at the individual level, where "people have not attained a true state of human perfection but are deeply entrenched in barbarism." Marxist theory of civilization transcends the narrow, hypocritical "uncivilized" aspects of capitalism as it aims for the happiness and freedom of all people. "Civilizational Confidence" is a new concept introduced by General Secretary Xi Jinping during the keynote speech at the 2019 Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations. From a dialectical perspective, the "second combination" (combining Marxist principles with China’s fine traditional culture) signifies a dialectical negation within the modernization process, leading to creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional culture. The elevation from "cultural confidence" to "civilizational confidence" opened new theoretical realms for the Marxist notion of "civilized party."

Once again, a confident and dynamic, yet humble China stands tall in the East, with the imagery of "civilization" gaining a new birth in the modern exploration of Chinese civilization.

III.Inspirations from the Philosophical Connotations of the “Civilization” Imagery for Civilizational Exchange

As a "civilized party", the CPC, along with the Chinese people, must adopt a confident and wise approach to understanding global civilizational development and leading the way for human civilization. The philosophical wisdom of the “civilization” imagery offers significant insights for civilizational exchange.

--Universal Civilization and Enlightenment

In the early 20th century, Liang Qichao, after witnessing the ruins of World War I in Europe, advocated for creating a new civilization by integrating Chinese traditional culture with Western achievements. Zhang Dainian proposed that in the 21st century, Chinese culture, with its unique socialist civilization, would significantly innovate and forge a new form of Chinese civilization, contributing to a new world civilization. Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of promoting universal values of humanity, namely, peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom. These values, distinct from the "universal values" defined by the West, embody a holistic, shared, and generative character, illuminating the path for the new era.

--Moral Responsibility and Idealism

Contrary to the alienation caused by Western modernization, Marxism views civilization as a product of human practice. The CPC-led Chinese modernization drive adheres to the people-centered standpoint, incorporating political, economic, social, cultural, and ecological elements. These elements represent the achievements of human transformation of the objective world in various fields, thus forming the basic pillars of human civilization.

--Dialectical Wisdom and Restraint

General Secretary Xi proposed the critical task of "building a modern Chinese civilization." He emphasized the distinctive characteristics of Chinese civilization: continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness. Inclusiveness, as he noted, embodies a dialectical wisdom of understanding oneself and others, merging confidence with humility. The essence of this characteristic is respect for all civilizations, people, and things, fostering an inherent peaceful and magnanimous temperament of the Chinese civilization. Civilizational exchange aims to respect differences, learn from each other and achieve shared development instead of dominance. From a civilizational perspective, the world is fundamentally composed not just of nations but of great civilizations and their interactions. Chinese civilization has never isolated itself from the world nor imposed itself on others. As Confucius stated, "If people from afar are not satisfied, then cultivate virtue to attract them", highlighting the importance of fostering neighborly relations and harmonious international relations through solid, profound, rich, and substantial cultural foundations. This is also an approach that promotes the common development of human society.

--The Ideal of Integrating Substance with Refinement

In December 2023, President Xi sent a congratulatory letter to the first Liangzhu Forum. He called on all parties to advance the dialogue with partner countries of the Belt and Road Initiative and implement the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), emphasizing enhanced cultural exchanges and promoting a civilization concept characterized by equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness. This approach aims to foster harmonious coexistence and shared development among civilizations, thereby encouraging closer ties among peoples worldwide. Civilization manifests itself in various cultural forms, including language and art. The Xi Jinping Thought on Culture emphasizes the integration of "form and function" (substance and refinement) through cultural exchanges and activities. The imagery of Chinese civilization embodies the ideal of inner quality and external beauty, stressing harmony between cultural substance and form. This concept underscores the importance of drawing new ideas from tradition, cultivating cultural virtues to attract others, and innovating the forms of civilizational exchange. Consequently, it offers significant inspirations for the practice of civilizational dialogue.

(Author Hu Xiaoyi is Lecturer at the Department of Philosophy, Zhejiang Party School [Zhejiang Administrative College])