三
III文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/8598.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/8598.html
各种人类文明在价值上是平等的，都各有千秋，也各有不足。世界上不存在十全十美的文明，也不存在一无是处的文明，文明没有高低、优劣之分。文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/8598.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/8598.html
All civilizations are of equal value, and all have merits and flaws. There is no such thing as a perfect civilization or a civilization without a single virtue, and no one civilization should be judged superior or inferior to another.文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/8598.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/8598.html
在新航路开辟之前，各种文明原本处于基本平等的状态中，而西方的殖民扩张打破了这种平等，最终树立起西方的霸权。在这个过程中，一些边远的文明（如印第安文明、西非古文明）被消灭，人类古老文明的核心区，比如西亚、北非、印度和中国，则一一落入西方的手中。文明间的平等关系由此不复存在，诸多文明面临着生死危机。文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/8598.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/8598.html
Before the opening of new sea routes, there existed a state of basic equality between different civilizations. This state was shattered, however, by Western colonial expansion and eventual hegemony. During this process, some remote civilizations were decimated, such as the American Indian and ancient West African civilizations, and core regions of ancient civilizations such as West Asia, North Africa, India, and China also fell one by one into the hands of Western invaders. Equality between civilizations no longer existed, and many civilizations faced a crisis of life and death.文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/8598.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/8598.html
汤因比认为，挑战与应战是文明生存的机制，决定着文明的消失与延续。我们且不论这种理论正确与否，我们看到的事实是：恰恰在西方霸权登峰造极、众多文明存亡危殆时，一个全球性的运动形成了，这个运动叫“现代化”。文明复兴的过程正是从这里开始的，复兴的工具恰恰是现代化。通过现代化，非西方国家学习西方而追赶西方。到21世纪开始时，非西方国家的现代化已取得巨大成就，一个新的历史转折点正在到来。
According to Arnold Toynbee, challenge and response constitute a mechanism for the existence of civilization that determines whether a civilization will disappear or continue. Whether this theory is correct or not, the fact is that at the moment of Western hegemony reaching its peak, at a time when many civilizations were facing a crisis of life and death, there formed a global movement, and that movement was named modernization. This marked the beginning of cultural rejuvenation, the means of which was modernization. Through modernization, non-Western countries learned from the West how to catch up. By the beginning of the 21st century, non-Western countries had already achieved tremendous progress toward modernization, ushering in a new historical turning point.
现代化是从西欧开始的，现代民族国家是这个过程的起点。现代化是一个全方位的过程，涉及社会的方方面面。我们在历史教科书上看到的那些事件，比如文艺复兴、宗教改革、新航路开辟、科学和技术革命、资产阶级革命等，都属于西方的现代化。今天，西方已经普遍完成了现代化，但文明的多样性却没有消失，相反，它变得更加丰富多彩了，即使在西方国家范围内，情况也是这样。
Modernization began in Western Europe, and the emergence of modern nation-states marked the starting point of this process, which involved all aspects of society. Many important events from the history textbook, such as the Renaissance, the Reformation, the opening of new sea routes, the scientific and technological revolution, and the bourgeoisie revolution, are all part of Western modernization. Today, while the process of modernization has generally been completed in Western countries, cultural diversity has not disappeared. On the contrary, it has become even more vibrant, even within those Western countries.
首先，现代化的道路是不同的。英国用渐进的方式进行改革，法国采用革命的暴力，德国因自上而下的变革自成一统，美国作为殖民地，则需要先独立、再发展。在经济方面，工业革命后，英国采用“自由放任”的模式，法国基本如此却有所偏离；德国用国家的力量推动经济快速增长，表现得极其“异类”；美国虽按英国的模式走“自由放任”的路，可是在20世纪，它在所有发达资本主义国家中第一个实行大规模的国家干预。
First, there are different pathways to modernization. Britain took a gradual approach toward reform, France took the road of violent revolution, Germany carried out reforms from the top down, and the US, as a British colony, had to first gain independence before focusing on development. On the economic front, after the Industrial Revolution, Britain adopted the laissez-faire approach, and France basically followed suit while making some alterations, while Germany took the extraordinary route of promoting rapid economic growth with state power. Although the US followed Britain’s laissez-faire model, in the 20th century, it became the first developed capitalist country to carry out large-scale state intervention.
其次，各国的政治制度和社会制度是不同的。政治上，英国实行君主立宪制，美国采纳共和制，议会制与总统制的区别非常显眼，从而使英、美之间的差距更加拉大；就选举方式看，英国人采用“领先者获胜”，美国人发明“选举人制度”；至于“三权分立”，在发达资本主义国家中，真正把“三权分立”作为制度设计的只有美国，因此美国的模式并不是样板。在社会制度方面，欧洲国家实行福利制度，美国却弃之如敝屣，把它看作是懒惰的“温床”。
Second, different countries have different political and social systems. Politically, Britain practices constitutional monarchy, while the US adheres to the republican system. There are clear distinctions between the parliamentary and presidential systems, further widening the political gap between the two countries. Looking at electoral methods, Britain has adopted the “first past the post” system, while the US invented the Electoral College system. As for the “three branches of government,” the US is the only developed capitalist country to have truly incorporated this into its institutional design, so the US system is hardly the typical model. In terms of social systems, European countries practice a welfare model, something that the US has refused to adopt, perceiving it as a hotbed for laziness.
再次，西方国家在它们发展的过程中也不是一成不变的。比如，英国从“自由放任”到福利社会，法国从革命道路转向改革，美国改变种族歧视政策，至少在法律上承认了种族平等。这些都说明，即使在同一个国家内，也会有不同的形态，文明的多样性是一种常态。
Third, Western countries are not immutable throughout the development process. As examples of this, Britain shifted from a laissez-faire society to a welfare-based one, France cycled through revolution to reach reform, and the US abolished racial discrimination policies, acknowledging racial equality at least in legal terms. These changes prove that there are differing forms of modernization even within one country, and that cultural diversity is a normal state.
西方国家尚且如此，那么当现代化的浪潮冲向非西方地区时，现代化的多样性就更加明显了。我们看到，在世界现代化的过程中，每一个国家都有它自己的特点；我们看到，不同国家有不同的现代化模式，比如拉美模式、东亚模式、苏联模式，当然还有中国方案；我们看到，甘地发动非暴力不合作运动，卡斯特罗领导古巴革命，纳赛尔提倡阿拉伯社会主义，曼德拉反抗南非种族隔离制度……所有这些人都在他自己国家的现代化过程中发挥过独特作用，为他的国家的现代化注入了鲜明特色。可是所有这些成功又都是不可复制的。当西方国家企图以武力手段改变阿拉伯国家的政治制度、建立所谓的“民主大中东”时，“阿拉伯之春”变成了“阿拉伯之冬”，不仅让中东血流成河，还把灾难引向欧洲自己。
If this is the case even in Western countries, then when the wave of modernization sweeps through non-Western regions, it surely exhibits even greater diversity. It is apparent that during the global process of modernization, every country displays its own characteristics, and it is also clear that different countries have different models of modernization, for example, the Latin American model, the East Asian model, the Soviet model, and of course, the Chinese model. Mahatma Gandhi who launched the campaign of nonviolent resistance, Fidel Castro who led the Cuban revolution, Gamal Abdel Nasser who advocated Arab socialism, and Nelson Mandela who fought against apartheid in South Africa – all played a unique role in the modernization process of their countries and endowed that process with unique features. And yet, these successes cannot be replicated. When Western countries tried to forcibly change the political systems of Arab countries under the pretense of building a democratic Middle East, the Arab Spring became the Arab Winter, not only drenching the Middle East in blood but also bringing disaster to Europe itself.
但普世主义的西方理论只承认单一性，不承认文明发展的多样性。福山说：历史终结了，人类历史走到了尽头。这个逻辑在黑格尔那里就有了，不同的是，在黑格尔那里，普鲁士是尽头；在福山这里，美国是尽头。然而连美国自己也还没有走到历史的尽头，人类又如何走到了尽头？
Nevertheless, the Western theory of universal values insists upon uniformity, and does not acknowledge the diversity of cultural development. Francis Fukuyama declared that human history had come to an end. This idea can be traced back to Hegel, although the difference is that the latter believed Prussia to be the end, whereas Fukuyama believed the US to be the end. However, if even the US has not reached the end of its own history, how can humanity come to an end?
文明的多样性是不是意味着必定冲突、而冲突又意味着你死我活？为什么不能如中国古代哲人所领悟的那样：“一生二，二生三，三生万物”；或者如中国谚语所指出的那样：“和气生财”、“和为贵”？在中国人看来，“海纳百川，有容乃大”，现代世界容得下多种多样的现代文明，现代化将塑造一个更丰富多彩的世界。经过100多年的现代化努力，许多古老的文明获得了新生，它们恢复了信心，找到了自我，曾经被西方霸权扭曲的文明之间的不平等关系，现在被重新扭转。亨廷顿说这是“文明的冲突”，毋宁说这是“文明的回归”。“回归”意味着文明的多样性再次呈现，文明间的关系重新平等；“回归”也意味着人们更多地思考古老文明的现代意义，用传统的智慧去解决现代问题，比如，人与自然的关系，道德与利益的关系，个体与群体的关系，自由与约束的关系，等等。在这个纷繁变化的世界，只有依靠所有文明——西方文明和非西方文明——的共同努力、携手共进，才能解决人类的共同问题。
Does cultural diversity inevitably lead to conflict, and does conflict in turn lead to a life-and-death contest? Why can we not learn from the words of ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi when he said that “One produced Two; Two produced Three; Three produced All things,” or from the Chinese adages, “amiability brings wealth” and “peace is most precious?” In the eyes of the Chinese people, “the ocean is vast because it embraces all rivers.” The modern world can accommodate a diversity of modern civilizations, and modernization will mold a richer and more varied world. After a century of effort to modernize, many old civilizations have gained new life, recovered their confidence, and rediscovered their identities. The inequality between civilizations caused by Western hegemony is now being reversed. This process, which Samuel Huntington referred to as “clash of civilizations,” should actually be considered a “revival of civilizations.” Revival means a reappearance of cultural diversity and a rebalancing of equality between different civilizations; it also means that people think more deeply about the relevance of ancient civilizations in modern times by turning to traditional wisdom to resolve contemporary issues, such as the relationships between humans and nature, morality and gain, individual and collective, and freedom and constraint. In this complex and changing world, the only way to resolve humanity’s common problems is to rely on the concerted efforts of all civilizations, both Western and non-Western ones.
四
IV
在伸张文明多样性、构建人类命运共同体的过程中，中国应发挥什么作用？我们应如何对待自己、对待其他国家和其他文明？
In upholding cultural diversity and building a global community with a shared future, what kind of role should China play? How should we treat ourselves, other countries, and other civilizations?
中华民族有5000多年的文明传统，历史上有过辉煌，也有过苦难。近代以来的曲折没有泯灭民族的灵魂，经过几代人近200年的前赴后继和艰苦努力，它摆脱了落后挨打的局面，正在经历伟大的民族复兴。经过近几十年现代化的奋斗，古老文明焕发出青春的活力，中国在世界民族之林中再次站了起来，发挥着它应有的作用。
The Chinese nation has a civilization that dates back more than 5,000 years, and witnesses both glory and misery in its history. The soul of the Chinese nation was not destroyed in the complications suffered in modern times. Through the ceaseless and terrible struggle of multiple generations spanning nearly 200 years, China was able to escape from its state of backwardness and vulnerability, and is now experiencing a great national renewal. Thanks to a modernization drive that has been ongoing for several decades, this ancient civilization is gleaming with fresh vitality, and China has once again stood up tall among the global community of nations to play its due role.
看当今世界，无论其多么纷杂，只有一个潮流：和平、发展、合作、共赢。顺潮流者昌，逆潮流者亡，历史一再证明了这一点，这是我们的基本立场。基于这一立场，我国已经并将始终投身于构建人类命运共同体的宏伟事业，与世界各国携手共进。
No matter how complex today’s world appears to be, there is only one trend, and it is of peace, development, and mutually beneficial cooperation. Those who embrace this trend will prosper, while those who reject it will perish. This is our basic standpoint, proved many times by history. Based on this standpoint, China has devoted itself to the grand cause of building a global community with a shared future, and will continue to do so by joining hands with the rest of the world for our common advancement.
坚持和平发展，合作共赢。国家和，则世界安；国家斗，则世界乱。和平与发展是世界各国人民的共同心声，冷战思维、零和博弈愈发陈旧落伍，妄自尊大或独善其身只能四处碰壁。只有坚持和平发展、携手合作，才能真正实现共赢、多赢。从公元前的伯罗奔尼撒战争到两次世界大战，再到延续40余年的冷战，教训惨痛而深刻。中华民族爱好和平，自古以来就懂得“国虽大，好战必亡”的道理。在来之不易的和平环境中，我们珍惜发展的机遇，也愿意以中国的发展促进世界的和平。我们要秉持和平、主权、普惠、共治原则，与其他国家、其他民族一起化解纷争和矛盾、消弭战乱和冲突，共同捍卫世界和平。
We will continue to uphold peaceful development and mutually beneficial cooperation. Harmony between countries leads to world peace, while confrontation can only end in chaos. Peace and development are the common aspirations of people the world over, Cold War and zero-sum mentalities are becoming increasingly passé, and arrogance or “going it alone” is universally decried. Only peaceful development and cooperation can truly bring benefits for all and ensure that everyone wins. The lessons of the Peloponnesian War, two world wars, and a Cold War that lasted more than 40 years have been both bitter and profound. Since ancient times, the peace-loving Chinese nation has understood that “a warlike state, however big it may be, will eventually fall.” In today’s hard-earned environment of peace, China cherishes development opportunities, and is willing to promote world peace through its own development. We will uphold the principles of peace, sovereignty, universal benefit, and shared governance, and work with other countries and nations to resolve disputes, reduce tensions, and put an end to war and conflict, with a view to safeguarding world peace.
坚持共同发展，共生共荣。人类发展到现在，已经结成不可分割的利益共同体。一荣俱荣、一损俱损，这是中国人古老的智慧。如今，任何国家、任何民族都不可能脱离其他国家、其他民族而单独发展自己了，更不可能靠损人利己单独发展。各国要同舟共济，而不是以邻为壑。经过40多年的改革开放，中国取得了令人瞩目的经济成就，我们愿和世界人民共享发展的红利，让世界各国搭乘中国发展的便车。
We will continue to uphold shared development to ensure the coexistence and common prosperity of all. Humankind has developed into one indivisible community of shared interests, where according to ancient Chinese wisdom, “the prosperity or suffering of one will ripple out to affect others.” Nowadays, no country or nation can achieve self-development while isolating itself from other countries or nations, let alone at the expense of others. Instead of pursuing beggar-thy-neighbor policies, countries should work together to overcome difficulties. Through more than 40 years of reform and opening up, China has accomplished remarkable economic feats. We are willing to share the dividends of our growth with people around the world so that other countries can board the fast train of China’s development.
坚持平等待人，永不称霸。中华文明历来崇尚“以和邦国”、“和而不同”、“以和为贵”，几千年来，和平融入了中华民族的血脉中，刻进了中国人民的基因里。如今，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。中国人从来就不接受“国强必霸”的逻辑，而是提倡国家不分大小、强弱、贫富，都是国际社会平等成员，都有平等参与国际事务的权利。
We will continue to treat others as equals and will never seek hegemony. Amity with neighbors, harmony without uniformity, and peace are values cherished in Chinese culture. For several millennia, peace has constituted the essence of our national tradition. China has grown from poverty and weakness to become the world’s second largest economy not through military expansion or colonial plundering, but through the hard work of our people and defense of peace. The Chinese people have never accepted the idea that “rising powers always seek to dominate.” Rather, we have always advocated that irrespective of size, strength, or wealth, all countries are equal members of the international community and have equal rights to participate in international affairs.
尊重世界各国人民，尊重世界各种文明。“和羹之美，在于合异。”人类文明多样性是世界的基本特征，也是人类进步的源泉。世界上有200多个国家和地区、2500多个民族和多种宗教。不同历史和国情，不同民族和习俗，孕育了不同文明，使世界更加丰富多彩。文明差异不应该成为世界冲突的根源，而应该成为人类文明进步的动力。万紫千红才是春。各种文明只有和各民族的历史需要相结合，和时代的变化相适应，文明的长处才能得到充分发挥。因此，我们将美人之美、美美与共，反对任何形式的“文明优越论”，反对把自己的制度强加于人。
We will continue to respect all of the world’s peoples and civilizations. Cultural diversity is a basic feature of our world, and a wellspring for human progress. Our globe contains more than 200 countries and regions, over 2,500 ethnic groups, and a large variety of religions. Different histories, local conditions, ethnic groups, and customs have given birth to different civilizations and created a world rich in diversity. Cultural differences should not be a source of global conflict, but rather a driving force for the advancement of human civilization. “Myriad petals of purple and red set spring aglow;” only when a civilization adapts to the historical needs of the nation and keeps pace with the changes of the times can it fully exert its strength. Thus, we need to accentuate the fine points of others and share all that is beautiful, reject the concept of “cultural superiority” in all its forms, and oppose those who would impose their systems of governance onto other countries.
秉持开放心态，学人所长，补己之短。文明的繁盛、人类的进步，离不开求同存异、开放包容，离不开文明交流、互学互鉴。历史呼唤着人类文明同放异彩，不同文明应该和谐共生、相得益彰，共同为人类发展提供精神力量。他山之石，可以攻玉。中华文明自身的成长，就是融合多种文明、向其他民族学习的过程。在今天这个世界，我们树立世界眼光，积极学习借鉴世界各国人民创造的文明成果，并结合中国实际加以运用，意义更加重大。
We will continue to uphold openness, and draw on the strengths of others to make up for our weaknesses. To ensure the prosperity of civilizations and the advancement of humanity, we must seek common ground while setting aside differences, uphold openness and inclusiveness, and facilitate exchange and mutual learning between cultures. History calls on human civilizations to shine brightly together; different cultures should coexist harmoniously and complement each other to provide intellectual strength to push human development forward. A traditional Chinese saying goes, “stones from other hills may serve to polish our jade,” which means that the lessons from others may help us to overcome our shortcomings. The maturation process of Chinese civilization has been one of integrating with various cultures and learning from other nations. In today’s world, it has become increasingly important that we establish a global perspective, actively learn from and draw on the cultural achievements of people all over the world, and utilize this new knowledge in line with China’s realities.
当今的世界已结成一个休戚与共的命运共同体，全世界人民同舟共济，共同发展，这是不可逆转的时代潮流。我们应该坚持世界是丰富多彩的、文明是多样的理念，让人类创造的各种文明交相辉映，编织出斑斓绚丽的图画，共同消除现实生活中的文化壁垒，共同抵制妨碍人类心灵互动的观念纰缪，共同打破阻碍人类交往的精神隔阂，让多样的文明在现代世界交流互鉴、同生共长，共同创造世界的美好未来。
Today’s world has become a community with a shared future in which all countries are bound together. It is an irreversible trend of the times that people around the globe must join hands to overcome difficulties and achieve shared development. We should uphold the idea of living in a rich, vibrant, and culturally diverse world, create a bright tapestry interwoven with elements of all civilizations, and work together to eliminate real cultural barriers, to resist erroneous views obstructing the interaction of human minds, and to eliminate misunderstandings hindering human exchange. In this way, we will ensure that diverse cultures can coexist, grow together, and learn from one another in the modern world to create a better future for all.
（作者：北京大学博雅讲席教授）
(Qian Chengdan is a Boya Chair Professor at Peking University.)
