All civilizations have certain characteristics, ranging from large population centers and monumental architecture and unique art styles to shared communication strategies, systems for administering territories, the division of people into social and economic classes, and even common belief in a supernatural or higher being.   

"Civilizations are beautiful in their own ways and we can learn from each other on an equal basis," Duan Peng, President of Beijing Language and Culture University, told Beijing Review at the third Dialogue on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations and the first World Conference of Sinologists, held in Beijing on July 3-4.  

Following an online edition amid the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s dialogue took place on site, with the participation of about 400 guests, including diplomats, former officials, and scholars. Many participants are Sinologists, who engages in the study of the Chinese and especially their language, literature, history, and culture. 

A clear message 

The main message of the gathering was that “equal exchanges and mutual learning among the world’s different civilizations will provide strong spiritual guidance for humanity to solve the problems of the times and achieve common development,” as President Xi Jinping pointed out in his congratulatory letter to the gathering. 

Cultural exchanges will transcend estrangement, mutual learning will transcend clashes, and coexistence will transcend feelings of superiority so that human civilizations can make progress, he said. 

In his address to the opening ceremony, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng mentioned how Chinese modernization has enriched and developed a new form of human civilization, uncovered a new path for the development of civilizations and brought new opportunities for closer mutual learning. 

The location of this year’s gathering also added another meaningful layer to the gathering. It is held at the headquarters of China’s National Archives of Publications and Culture (NAPC) in the country’s capital. The NAPC was opened in 2022, serving as a “gene bank” of Chinese culture by housing the nation’s most treasured archives--from historic, cultural and scientific documents to audio records, tickets and stamps. 

According to its curator, Liu Chengyong, the NAPC plays an important role in continuing the line of Chinese culture, strengthening the public sense of cultural confidence, displaying China’s national image and promoting communications among civilizations. 

A new Sinology 

In his congratulatory letter to the forum, President Xi called on Sinologists from all over the world to act as a bridge between China and the world to enhance mutual understanding and cooperation.  

Chinese culture is often described as being broad and profound, which also means it is difficult for foreigners to gain a comprehensive understanding of it.   

"The first thing people outside China in the past would think of at the mention of 'China' were movies starring Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee; that was their idea of China," said Hasan Abdullah Al-Dajah, a professor of Political Science at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University in Jordan. 

"Studying Sinology basically gives you a comprehensive understanding and mastery of Chinese culture; it is an academic discipline that focuses on China’s roots and how the country evolved into its contemporary self," Duan told Beijing Review. 

Colin Mackerras, a professor emeritus at Griffith University, Australia, started teaching in China in August 1964--in Beijing, specifically. Over the course of six decades, Mackerras has devoted himself to the in-depth study of China, including Chinese ethnic minorities, traditional Chinese drama and China’s image in the Western world. While in China, Mackerras had long discussions with friends who brought different perspectives to the table. Slowly but surely, he not only came to understand the Chinese point of view, but even agreed with it. 

"I think Sinology helps us understand China’s past, where it came from and consequently offers a better understanding of contemporary China," Mackerras continued, adding the world must understand China’s past, because it has an effect on its development today. "We are living with history," he added. 

However, Sinology is more than studying China’s past. “Today, there’s also the more open and inclusive conception of New Sinology, which includes the study of China’s development path and model,” Duan said. This approach offers a more holistic understanding of “all things Chinese” relevant not only to academics, but also to a wider, engaged public. 

As China develops and plays a more active role in the world, the international community has learned more about the country. Today, more and more infrastructure is popping up in Africa and the Middle East under the Belt and Road Initiative, a China-proposed initiative that aims to boost connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. The initiative enhances not only infrastructure connectivity but also promotes understanding among participating nations.  

China’s influence in the world extended beyond construction, with “the latest example being China brokering a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume official relations in early March,” Al-Dajah added. 

When talking about the “China threat” theory, or the belief of some Western countries that China cannot and will not rise peacefully and actively seeks to subvert the current world order, the professor said this narrative “is fundamentally wrong” and “represents a total misunderstanding of the country.” 

Respecting diversity 

Respecting diversity among civilizations is also a major topic discussed at the gathering.   

Throughout the history of humanity, over thousands of years, different civilizations have come into being, developed and in return promoted the overall development of human society. 

People need to keep an open mind in appreciating how different civilizations perceive values and must refrain from imposing their own values or models on others, according to Duan. 

But as far as the now 84-year-old renowned Australian Sinologist Mackerras is concerned, today’s world is bearing witness to the clashing of different civilizations. “I think the West thinks it’s the top dog and tends to look down on other civilizations, which is very dangerous,” he told Beijing Review.  

Earlier in March, President Xi called for “respecting the diversity of civilizations, advocating the common values of humanity--peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, valuing the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and strengthening international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation” while elaborating on the Global Civilizations Initiative (GCI), for the first time, at the Communist Party of China in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting. 

The GCI is another major public good provided to the world by China, after the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative put forward by Xi--in 2021 and 2022, respectively. 

The GCI demonstrates China’s sincere desire to promote the progress of human civilization and build a community with a shared future for humanity, Han said. 

It is important to respect the diversity of human civilizations, explore their commonality, maintain the innovation of civilization development, and promote the inclusiveness of human civilization, Han stressed. 

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon  

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