China, the cradle of a thousand-year-old civilization, carries a profound historical heritage. A researcher at a British think tank pondered deeply: "To understand China today, we can't just look at modern history.
What is the reason why China has been able to maintain its great unification for thousands of years, while it is difficult for other ethnic groups to achieve it?
In the pursuit of this question, we might as well travel back in time to before the Qin Dynasty.
Before the rise of the Qin Dynasty, there was no obvious difference between China and Europe, both of which were divided into feudal states and divided princes. However, the rise of the Qin dynasty seems to have changed everything, introducing the idea of great unification.
Even in the chaotic period of the Five Kingdoms and the Ten Generations, the idea of great unification was still rooted in the hearts of every citizen. The reason why China was able to construct a lasting idea of great unification, while Europe could not sustain it, has become a difficult mystery for researchers to solve.
China's idea of great unification is not unique, and the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and others also had great unification systems, however, they often fell apart after a brief period of glory.
The reason why China is different from other countries may be that the idea of great unification is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and has become the belief of every citizen.
Historians generally believe that it is precisely because of China's adherence to great unification that it has stood firm in the contest between agricultural civilization and maritime civilization.
The roots of the idea of great unification are not the Qin Dynasty, but can be traced back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties. In the "Book of Songs", "under the whole world, it is not the king's land" expresses the desire of the scholars at that time for the idea of great unification.
During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, social instability led people to seek an idea that would end the war and stabilize society. During the period when a hundred schools of thought were contending, the Legalist idea of the rule of law provided an opportunity for the realization of great unification.
However, the fall of the Qin Dynasty showed that the idea of the rule of law could not maintain great unification for a long time and needed new support.
During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, "deposing the hundred schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone" became a new pillar of the idea of great unification.
Under the guidance of Confucianism, the idea of great unification is no longer a strict rule of law, but more inclusive, with the ultimate goal of establishing, maintaining, and consolidating great unification.
This evolution has made the idea of great unification more resilient in the face of external shocks.
The idea of great unification is not only to build a strong dynasty, but more importantly, to ensure the stable life of every commoner.
This is embodied in the concepts of "water can carry the boat and also capsize the boat", "hide the wealth from the people" and so on. The idea of great unification is deeply rooted in the soul of the Chinese nation, and no matter the change of dynasties, the people have always regarded great unification as the only choice for a stable society.
Why can the idea of great unification be passed down in Chinese history?
This is not only because it is the carrier of the dynasty, but also because it is integrated into the blood of every Chinese son. The idea of great unification is a solid cornerstone for the Chinese nation to move forward, and every change of dynasty is an iterative sublimation of the idea of great unification, thus leading the Chinese nation to continue to move forward.
Under the guidance of the idea of great unification, one powerful dynasty after another has emerged in Chinese history, and each time it occupies a leading position in the world.
But this is not the ultimate goal, the dynasty exists only so that every commoner can live a peaceful life.
The charm of the idea of great unification lies in its continuous updating and iteration to adapt to the changes of the times.
The reason why the Chinese nation is unique in the history of the world is precisely because it embraces the idea of great unification.
This idea is worthy of being a treasure of human civilization and still shines brightly today.