In ancient Chinese and Western classics, there are many similarities in the interpretation and emphasis on aspects such as the right to life and property rights.

The International Symposium on "Human Rights Concepts in Chinese Classics" was held from Day to Day at the Yuelu Academy of Hunan University. The symposium aimed to elucidate the development of Chinese human rights concepts through ancient classical texts.

Human rights concepts under different cultural backgrounds share similarities as well as differences. Respecting and safeguarding human rights is an unwavering pursuit of China. China's traditional culture not only contains rich human rights thoughts but also, to some extent, has influenced the formation of modern Western human rights concepts.

To delve deeper into this issue, Professor Fang Qiang from the Department of History at the University of Minnesota Duluth recently accepted an interview with China News Service's "East & West" column to provide his insights. Here is a summary of the interview:

Reporter from China News Service: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. Which ideas or concepts in this declaration are similar to those found in classical Chinese works?

Fang Qiang: On the date, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted and promulgated by the United Nations General Assembly is a groundbreaking international declaration. One of the drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, René Cassin, summarized the most important human rights as: human dignity, freedom, equality, and fraternity.

Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly states: "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person." The concept of the right to life can be traced back to the Code of Hammurabi and the Hebrew Bible. Thomas Hobbes, one of the pioneers of the European Enlightenment, once said: "The right to life is a fundamental human right. If a social contract cannot protect the right to life, it is invalid." Under any circumstances, the right to life is the highest human right.

This concept is also deeply reflected in classical Chinese works. In "Mencius: Gongsun Chou I," there is the expression "Even if committing one unjust act or killing one innocent person could gain the world, it would not be done." In the "Tao Te Ching," it is mentioned that "Those who delight in killing cannot achieve their ambitions in the world." Mo Di, in "Against Offensive Warfare," states that "Killing one person is deemed unjust and necessarily incurs one death penalty. If this reasoning is extended, killing ten people results in ten times the injustice and ten death penalties; killing a hundred people results in a hundred times the injustice and a hundred death penalties."

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights emphasizes the protection of property rights. This is related to the three fundamental human rights emphasized by John Locke, a pioneer of the British Enlightenment, who particularly highlighted the rights to life, liberty, and property.

In Chinese classical culture, property rights are also given great importance. The "Guanzi" mentions, "When the granaries are full, one knows the rites and ceremonies; when food and clothing are sufficient, one knows honor and disgrace." Yang Zhu emphasized the protection of property rights, believing that "the exertion of one's strength is valuable, and the infringement on others is contemptible." Mencius condemned those who seize others' property, stating that "those who take what is not theirs are thieves."

Reporter from China News Service: What are the similarities and differences between Chinese classical works and Western works in terms of human rights concepts? Why do these differences exist?

Fang Qiang: There are many similarities in their human rights concepts, both placing great emphasis on the most fundamental and important human rights recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations. Western classics are more influenced by religion, while Chinese classical culture approaches the protection of basic human rights from the perspectives of educators, philosophers, and political thinkers. For example, the Massachusetts Bay Company established by the early Puritan immigrants in America, led by John Winthrop, used the "Ten Commandments" from the Bible as local laws, admonishing believers not to kill innocents or steal. In China, many Confucian classics emphasize the moral duty and social political ethics of humanity, demanding not to kill innocents.

Reporter from China News Service: Why were Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire interested in Chinese culture, and what impact did Chinese culture have on them?

Fang Qiang: Some European and American Enlightenment thinkers were influenced by Chinese culture. For example, Voltaire was fascinated by ancient Chinese culture. In "The Spirit of Laws," Voltaire mentioned that China was a pioneer of world civilization. He believed that Chinese society emphasized reason and inclusiveness, using this to criticize other countries for being conservative and not embracing modernism. Some scholars believe that it was precisely because Voltaire's works contained Chinese elements that he became a "philosopher" (Enlightenment thinker) in the Enlightenment movement.

Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, praised China for its independence in the East and its non-involvement in global conflicts. He believed that the two major European powers, Britain and France, were dominant in maritime and land spheres respectively, and hoped that the United States would maintain neutrality.

However, the Enlightenment thinkers of that time had limited understanding of Chinese culture. Although Voltaire and others admired Chinese philosophers and their legal systems, their admiration was actually more influenced by the translations of European missionaries and their worship and reference to Chinese philosophers like Confucius.

Reporter from China News Service: How do you view the historical limitations of ancient classical works in terms of human rights concepts? In today's era, how should we inherit and promote the human rights ideas contained within them?

Fang Qiang: First, we need to recognize that due to the limitations of their times, ancient classical works often fall short in terms of human rights concepts. These works, based on the social, cultural, and political contexts of their era, reflect the values and moral standards of that time. Compared to the modern human rights outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, both Eastern and Western classical works have room for improvement, such as the lack of emphasis on women's rights in these works.

In today's era, we should examine and inherit these works with an open and inclusive attitude, actively promoting the aspects that align with modern human rights concepts, and driving the progress and development of human society.

Reporter from China News Service: What human rights concepts do you believe are embedded in traditional Chinese culture?

Fang Qiang: The traditional Chinese culture is rich in human rights concepts, which not only had profound impacts at the time but also hold significant value today.

For instance, Mencius' proposition of "the people being the most important" emphasizes the significance of the people. This people-oriented thought not only holds a significant position in Chinese culture but also finds some degree of expression in Western culture.

For instance, Confucius' educational philosophies such as "teaching without discrimination," "teaching according to individual aptitude," and "learning without thinking leads to confusion, thinking without learning is perilous," emphasize the fairness and personalization of education, which remain relevant today.

Additionally, the imperial examination system in ancient China, to some extent, ensured the fairness of the examinations and provided ordinary people with a relatively fair avenue for upward mobility. In a sense, this was also a contribution to the fair rights of individuals. In today's America, some children of social elites gain admission to Ivy League universities through parental donations and other unfair means, while children from ordinary families, lacking such financial resources, must work twice as hard in academics and extracurricular activities.

Reporter from China News Service: In terms of human rights concepts, does there exist a way of "harmony but not uniformity" in the coexistence of Chinese and Western cultures? What wisdom can Chinese classical works and Western classics offer us?

Fang Qiang: In ancient Chinese and Western classics, there are many similarities in the interpretation and emphasis on aspects such as the right to life and property rights.

The contributions of Chinese and Western classical cultures to human rights have not become obsolete. Many contents from Western classical works were accepted and developed into modern political concepts during the Enlightenment, such as European thinkers reinterpreting the Bible's protection of basic human rights, expanding it to respect for personality, life, freedom, and property. Many human rights concepts from ancient Chinese classics have also been inherited and developed today, such as the people-oriented thought and the respect and protection of personal property.