By Le Daiyun

In 1937, Lin Yutang wrote The Art of Living in English, introducing Chinese culture to the West. The book quickly caused a sensation and topped the best-seller list for 52 consecutive weeks. The work was so popular that it was reprinted over 40 times and rendered into more than 10 languages. It is unprecedented in the history of Chinese literature, suggesting that the world needs China for its characterized thinking and way of life.

However, we haven’t realized it for hundreds of years. In exchanges between China and the West, the former has been the culturally conquered one. China’s modern cultures as well as contemporary scholars have always been looked down upon in the world. Now, it’s time to change the situation and nurture new Chinese thinking.

Today, the world is at the center of various military and economic wars, resource competition and social unrest, as well as international conflict and cultural confrontation. It is an outstanding issue to overcome such issues and promote cooperation.

Chinese sages believe that man can’t survive separately. The original state of a human being relies on relationships and social cooperation. Therefore, the gene of society depends on interpersonal rather than individual ties. Manners focus on how people can survive, instead of on abstract man. Li Zehou, a Chinese scholar, highlights “Sentiment Noumenon” in his book Ethics, which has triggered a retrospective debate on China’s reason and the West’s sense in both domestic and overseas academic circles.

The “empire theory,” a foundation for European and American foreign policies and the cause of war and disaster over three centuries, is now coming to an end. Zhao Tingyang, a Chinese philosopher, describes a universally legitimate Chinese-style world order in his book the Tianxia system (literally meaning the world system under the sky): An Introduction to the Philosophy of World Institution, published a few years ago. Unlike the interest game model favored by the West, in ancient China, Tianxia (a nation and a family under the heaven) centered on how to seek harmony in relation to both nation and family.

As far as Chinese culture is concerned, based on modern consciousness, “new Chinese thinking” is the fundamental way forward.

The Tianxia system does not admit the existence of “absolute others” that can not be understood, but believes that every “other person” is a part of the ultimate “Tianxia.” Thus, it excludes the kind of absolute “conflicts between civilizations” that can’t be communicated. This kind of understanding is badly needed in today’s world. As a substitute for the “empire theory” that has long dominated culture, the Tianxia system has gradually attracted the world’s attention.

The influence of outbound Chinese culture is not designed in line with our subjective will and then offered to others, but has gradually evolved through interaction and understanding. Since the 18th century, Chinese culture has integrated with mainstream Western thought through Voltaire, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Carl Gustav Jung, Irving Babbitt and Bertolt Brecht, with scholars achieving a certain inspirational resonance.

We must respect our historical differences and conditions, while trying not to impose our own thoughts on each other. Set against the backdrop of globalization, we must realize that the “revitalization” we are talking about pertains to that of a civilization with a 5,000-year history. The kind of development we are talking about is that of a “civilized country.” Both these aspects present unprecedented depth, scope and power. We are capable of making an innovative contribution to the global civilization, from which we can draw in abundance while maintaining our own. This is the fundamental starting point when facing global culture.

(The author is a professor at Peking University)