China has many ancient sayings about peace: "A country may be large, but it will perish if it loves to wage war." "If distant people resist, a leader should cultivate virtues to attract them." "Keep the peace through diplomacy." "The true treasures of a country are kindness, benevolence, and neighborliness." "All under heaven are brothers." "A close neighbor is better than a distant relative." "Friendliness towards neighbors can lead to good relationships with them." These sayings all reflect the peace-loving nature of Chinese civilization: valuing peace, being kind to others, and not doing unto others what you would not have others do unto you.

China has gained its status and influence in the world not through military might, but through the strength of its culture. China opposes the idea that "might makes right", rejects zero-sum games, and insists on the path of peaceful development. In March 2023, China successfully mediated the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which demonstrates China's contribution as a force for global peace and the practical achievements it has made in promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Nonaggression: the DNA of Chinese civilization

From the perspective of cultural roots, nonaggression can be considered a cultural gene in the DNA of Chinese civilization.

According to Zhao Tingyang, a researcher at the Philosophy Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, as early as the Neolithic Age, the different regional cultures in ancient China were more inclined towards peaceful interactions rather than zero-sum games where one side wins and the other side loses, because the cost of a peaceful exchange was much lower than the cost of waging war. This tendency towards peaceful cooperation instead of conflict was inherent in the origins of Chinese civilization.

Meanwhile, in Europe, overseas historians believe that the expansionist tendencies of ancient Greek city-states and the Roman Empire stemmed from their fragmented geography, poor soil, and scarcity of resources. Too many people fighting over too few resources motivated them to expand outward and acquire more land. In contrast, early Chinese civilization possessed vast plains along major rivers and fertile arable land. Furthermore, intensive agricultural techniques enabled the support of a large population even from limited land, making self-sufficiency possible without the need for territorial expansion or increased military spending.

However, natural geography is not the sole factor that determines the roots of a civilization. To explore the non-expansionist and non-aggressive traits of Chinese civilization, we need to examine their early beliefs and philosophies.

Early Chinese civilization established a cosmology and moral philosophy based on respecting the natural order, cherishing humanity, and revering ancestral laws. The regional cultures of China during the Neolithic Age did not develop exclusive monotheistic beliefs. Where religious, royal, and military authority all coexisted, the cultures that emphasized secular royal power ultimately prevailed and evolved into vast kingdoms, becoming the cohesive core of the Neolithic Age.

The Chinese philosopher Liang Shuming (1893-1988) considered China to be culturally and intellectually precocious because it abandoned religious authority very early in its history. With the creation of the concept of Matching Heaven with Virtues in the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC), China formed a cultural framework that placed morality above religion. Chinese civilization began to develop a mature ritualism centered around secular royal power, moving towards a humanistic and refined state using ritual and music.

Under this complex system of rituals, people were distinguished by their cultural differences and not by race or bloodlines. There was no absolute "other", and so, there was no reason to create either mortal cultural enemies or conflicts between civilizations.

Thus, the cultural spirit established during China's pre-Qin period (pre-221 BC) emphasized harmony and continuity, rather than conflict or rupture. This preference for harmony over conflict is one of the core values of Chinese civilization.

For example, The Book of Documents, a pre-Qin period (pre-221 BC) classic, advocates "harmony among all nations". The ancient sage Confucius proposed that "harmony is most precious" in The Analects. Mozi, another ancient thinker, presents the idea that "universal love leads to order, while mutual hatred leads to chaos" and the concept of "denouncing unjust war", stating that "countries should not attack one another, and families should not fight". Confucian philosopher Mencius proposed the benevolent government theory of "those who do not desire to kill are able to unify" as well as valuing virtue over power.

The popular saying, it is "better to be a dog in peaceful times than a human living in a period of chaos" reflects the simple peace-loving beliefs of the Chinese people. As Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit missionary in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), noted about China in his diary: in a kingdom so vast and boundless, with a large population and a great variety of abundant resources, despite having a well-equipped army and navy capable of easily conquering neighboring countries, neither the king nor the people thought of waging a war of aggression; they were completely content with what they had and did not yearn for conquest.

Concord among all nations: the Chinese worldview

During the Axial Age (approximately China's pre-Qin period), Chinese civilization established a cultural order and value system based on unity, forming a worldview centered around the principles of universal welfare, harmony and unity among all nations, and the oneness of the world. The world order established during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) was "diverse and gradual, inclusive and non-exclusive". At the same time, the world order was also a moral order—open, inclusive and universal—where those with virtue could rule the world.

The concept that "there is nothing outside the world" meant that neighboring groups identified with the Chinese culture were free to join the China-proposed world order. As a result, ancient China became increasingly attractive to these groups and cultures, allowing for its constant growth.

The tribute system of ancient China embodies the benevolence and moral spirit of Mencius: "Only the virtuous can maintain good relations with nations smaller than themselves". China, as the most powerful country in terms of civilization, economy, and size, did not impose itself by military intimidation and economic exploitation on the smaller countries surrounding it. Instead, it established a relationship based on reciprocity. China has long adhered to the principle of "being generous in giving and modest in receiving", granting trade benefits to neighboring countries and guaranteeing regional security and peace. This is completely different from the colonial imperialism practiced by the West in modern times.

Therefore, China has always dealt with neighboring countries in a spirit of benevolence, good neighborliness, respect for the local culture, and a gentle approach to distant people, aspiring for harmony among nations and peaceful coexistence. This philosophy serves as the foundation for China's pursuit of a community with a shared future.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of DeepChina.

The author is Wang Kaige, assistant professor of the School of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Minzu University of China.