Original title: How to understand cultural subjectivity?
Institute of Ancient History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Leibo.
**The general secretary clearly put forward the major thesis of "cultural subjectivity" at the symposium on cultural inheritance and development, so with cultural subjectivity, there is also a strong self in the cultural sense, and there is firmness and consciousness to undertake a new cultural mission. Relying on cultural subjectivity, we Chinese can be full of vigor, independently follow our own path, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation with deeper confidence.
Hello everyone, I am Lei Bo of the Institute of Ancient History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Why do we attach so much importance to cultural subjectivity today? In modern times, Chinese society has experienced a painful process of confrontation and even tearing with its own cultural traditions, which inevitably leads to confusion and loss while reflecting and reconstructing. In recent years, with the continuous enhancement of China's comprehensive national strength, the awareness of the subjectivity of Chinese culture has also been significantly enhanced, the "national tide" and "national style" have risen, and the elements of traditional Chinese culture have been loved by more and more people. We can feel that there seems to be a spiritual bond and vein that runs from ancient times to the present day, leading to the depths of each of our inner worlds. So what is this power that makes us moved, uplifted, and proud?
In my opinion, the core of this spiritual vein, which is also the key element of our Chinese cultural subjectivity, is a set of the simplest but most profound "questions".
What is a "person"? How can you become a lively, full-bodied, loving and self-loving person?
Confucius told us that "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" is a minimum basis of ethics and morality, on which we should establish ourselves and make progress together with others, so that the virtues of benevolence, courage, and wisdom can grow. Mencius tells us that life is not only the pursuit of food and clothing, but also a flame of "conscience" in the heart. Lao Tzu tells us that the dimension of life is very rich and profound, and that we can not only "live", but also explore what "Tao" is, and the understanding of "Tao" can in turn guide us to "live" better. Zhuangzi tells us that there are many "last resorts" in life, but it is precisely in this "last resort" that we yearn for a grand and open life realm, the so-called "Dapeng rises with the wind one day and soars up to 90,000 miles". Who said that there can be no "getaway" in the "world"?
The life of an individual is so short, compared with the infinite time and space, is there any meaning to the humble and insignificant self?
This can be said to be the ultimate problem, and if you don't treat it correctly, it's easy to fall into confusion and nothingness. As for the world's major civilizations, they basically need to resort to religious beliefs as spiritual support. But we Chinese sages have given a different way of thinking. What we pursue is not eternity, but the depth and quality of life, and a real and accessible beautiful life.
But "good" is not simply synonymous with prosperity and wealth. Confucius said: "Eat lightly, drink water, bend the humerus and pillow it, and happiness is also in it." Unrighteous wealth and nobility are like floating clouds to me. The philosopher Zhang Zai of the Northern Song Dynasty proposed: "Establish a heart for heaven and earth, establish a life for the people, continue to learn for the saints, and open peace for all generations." Please note that these four sentences are not addressed to the emperor and prime minister, but to each and every one of us. It is in our seemingly ordinary life and work that there is the value of "establishing a heart for heaven and earth, and a life for the people"; Every Chinese character we know, every Tang and Song poem we recite, is "learning for the sake of the saints"; We care about society, the country and the world, we think about the future destiny of mankind, and we are willing to pay long-term and continuous exploration for it, which is to "open peace for all generations".
How can such a simple "love" be extended to the whole society and become a universal idea, morality and political culture?
Mencius believed that the emotion of compassion and compassion in each of us is the core, and only then can there be a "heart of forbearance", and then there can be a "government of forbearance". However, good motives alone are not enough, and a complete system of social and national governance needs to be established.
Politicians and reformers in Chinese history have made many important attempts and explorations in this regard. This can be said to be the goal that Chinese civilization has been stumbling through the mud for 5,000 years. It is very difficult and difficult, because the opposite of this lofty ideal is the selfishness and greed in human nature, the estrangement and suspicion between people and between ethnic groups, and the habitual habits that have been formed in human society for a long time. Therefore, every social change is a profound struggle, intertwined with blood and fire, soaked in sweat and tears.
Therefore, the great struggle of the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China for more than 100 years is not only a historical process of rejuvenating a strong country, but also an arduous exploration to promote the transformation of tradition into modern civilization, and a systematic response to the three problems we mentioned earlier. While promoting Chinese-style modernization, we should consolidate cultural subjectivity and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation.
Chinese modernization is the modernization of the continuation of ancient civilizations, not the modernization of eliminating ancient civilizations; It is the modernization that grows out of the land of China, not the modernization of other countries; It is the result of the renewal of civilization, not the product of civilization rupture. ”
In the face of the great changes in the world unseen in a century, and in the face of the common challenges and predicaments of all mankind, how can our Chinese civilization play the role of a mainstay with a classical and brand-new attitude and courage? How can each of us make ourselves a "capital person" in such a torrent of times? It can be said that such an awareness of problems, as well as the continuous exploration of millennia around these problems, is the foundation of our Chinese civilization through the ages, the spiritual cornerstone of our self-confidence in the road, theory, system and culture today, and the spiritual core of the construction of our cultural subjectivity.
*: China Social Science Net.