The concept of "human rights" contained in Chinese classical texts not only shares common ground with the West but also fully showcases the unique characteristics of Chinese civilization. By Bai Zuxie and Deng Xia, China News Service.

Editor's Note:
11月18日至20日，由中国人权研究会、湖南省委宣传部及湖南大学共同主办的“中华典籍中的人权理念”国际学术研讨会，在湖南大学岳麓书院举办，中外专家依托中华经典文献挖掘和阐发人权发展理念，促文明交流互鉴。中新社“东西问”栏目采访了部分与会的中外专家，推出系列策划，自11月18日起陆续播发，敬请垂注。

The important elements of China's excellent traditional culture contain a wealth of ideas related to human rights, which can provide historical and cultural resources as well as modern inspiration for exploring the path of human rights in Chinese modernization. Recently, Zheng Renzhao, a researcher at the Institute of Ancient History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and director of the Research Office of Ancient Thought History, was interviewed by China News Service's "East and West" column, where he interpreted the important elements of China's excellent traditional culture from the perspectives of thought and history, revealing the human rights concepts embedded within them.

The following is a summary of the interview transcript:

Reporter from China News Service: What human rights concepts are embodied in the important elements of China's excellent traditional culture?

郑任钊：年月，习近平总书记在文化传承发展座谈会上的重要讲话中，列举了中华优秀传统文化的诸多重要元素，首先说到的是“天下为公、天下大同的社会理想”。“天下为公”和“大同”均出自儒家经典《礼记礼运》，是儒家对理想社会的一种具象展示，具有追求平等、追求公平公正、保障民众生活的思想因素。

The stone tablet inscribed with "The World Belongs to the Public" at the main gate of the Sun Yat-sen Residence Memorial Museum attracts tourists. Photo by reporter Chen Jimin from China News Service.

"The governance thought of 'people being the foundation of the state and governing with virtue'" reflects that China's development philosophy centered on the people has a long historical foundation and cultural heritage. "People being the foundation of the state and governing with virtue" is an ancient Chinese responsibility requirement for the ruling class, demanding respect and protection of a series of basic rights of the people, which embodies concepts such as valuing and respecting the people, loving and caring for the people, protecting and ensuring the people's safety, and enriching and prospering the people.

"The great unity tradition of a unified China with diverse cultures" has had a profoundly important impact on maintaining national unity, social stability, and ethnic solidarity throughout Chinese history. The term "great unity" first appeared in "The Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals," and its deeper requirement is to ensure the well-being of the people. The stable social environment brought by "great unity" has provided fundamental guarantees for the prosperity of production, the growth of population, the accumulation of wealth, the integration of ethnicities, and the development of society. Social stability and ethnic harmony are the prerequisites and foundations for realizing the survival and development rights of all ethnic groups.

"The sense of family and country where one takes responsibility for the rise and fall of the nation" is a cultural gene flowing in the blood of the Chinese nation. The "Book of Rites: The Great Learning" states: "When one cultivates oneself, the family is in order; when the family is in order, the state is governed; when the state is governed, the world is at peace." The Chinese place great emphasis on personal moral cultivation and extend personal cultivation and family ethics into a sense of responsibility that encompasses the family, the country, and the world, taking the nation and the world as one's own duty. They pursue the interests of the nation and the overall harmony of society as the value goals for achieving individual pursuits, while the nation provides a strong guarantee for the realization of personal rights.

"Enriching the People and Enhancing Livelihood, Balancing Justice and Profit" reflects the guiding principles and values of ancient Chinese thought on economic and social development. "Enriching the People and Enhancing Livelihood" emphasizes the necessity to acknowledge the pursuit of profit and wealth by the populace, while "Balancing Justice and Profit" indicates that in social activities, both moral righteousness and individual interests are valued. This means ensuring the normal acquisition and preservation of wealth for the populace, while also guarding against the infringement and destruction of social justice by private interests. The ultimate pursuit of "Enriching the People and Enhancing Livelihood" for the Chinese is common prosperity. The "Xunzi on Wealth of Nations" proposes the development goal of "both the rulers and the ruled becoming wealthy, with no hidden resources," and regards it as the "ultimate goal of national planning."

The ecological concept of "unity of heaven and man, coexistence of all things" permeates many ancient classics, such as the "Tao Te Ching" which states "man follows the earth, the earth follows the heavens, the heavens follow the Tao, and the Tao follows nature"; and the "Zhuangzi's Discussion on the Equality of Things" which proclaims "the heavens and earth coexist with me, and all things are one with me." The natural environment is the prerequisite for human survival and development, and environmental rights are an important aspect of human rights. The ancients believed that the operation of heaven and earth has its own laws, and human activities should conform to these natural laws, harmonizing with nature and coexisting in harmony.

"The way of interaction that emphasizes trust, harmony, kindness, and good neighborliness" is not only a principle for interpersonal relationships but also a principle for group-to-group interactions. It reflects the Chinese nation's concept of peace, harmony, and unity, advocating for mutual respect, trust, and friendly cooperation in interactions. In such a society, every individual's personality and rights are respected, and people of different ethnicities, regions, and cultures live in harmony without discrimination or exclusion. In such a world, everyone lives in peace, nations coexist peacefully, and international conflicts are resolved through peaceful means, working together for peaceful development.

CNS reporter: "The right to subsistence and development is the primary basic human rights" has become a social consensus in China. How is this view reflected in Chinese classical texts?

Zheng Renzhao: Although the term "human rights" did not originate in ancient China, there were abundant ideas related to "human rights." By examining the key elements of China's excellent traditional culture, it becomes clear that the most prominent features of ancient Chinese "human rights" concepts were the emphasis on human life, the importance of human survival, development, and happiness, the pursuit of equality and justice, and the pursuit of peace and harmony.

In "The Book of Rites: The Way of Conduct," it is stated, "Thus, people do not only love their own parents, nor only care for their own children. They ensure that the elderly have a peaceful end, the strong have their uses, and the young have their growth," emphasizing universal social security. The phrase "The widowed, the orphaned, the solitary, the disabled, and the infirm are all provided for" focuses on the basic rights of specific groups. There are many assertions in Chinese classical texts that address and assist specific groups, such as "Do not despise the elderly and do not bully the weak and the young" from "The Book of History: Pan Geng," and "Protect the common people, show favor to the widowed and the childless" from "The Book of History: No Leisure." Emperor Wu of Han once sent officials "to tour the empire, inquire about the widowed, the disabled, and the infirm, and lend to those who cannot support themselves." These actions not only demonstrate respect for human dignity but also provide relief measures, clearly reflecting the humanitarian thought of ancient China.

On a certain date, the "Beauty of Imperfection" Special Children's Art Festival Guangzhou Cultural Performance was held at Huacheng Square. The picture shows market stalls at the event attracting public attention. Photo by reporter Chen Chuhong from China News Service.

"The people are the foundation of the state" is the core principle of ancient Chinese political thought. Since the pre-Qin period, most thinkers have generally agreed with the idea that "the people are the foundation of the state." For example, "Mencius, Jinxin, Part II" states, "The people are the most important, the altars of soil and grain come next, and the ruler is the least." "Guanzi, Mu Min" says, "The rise of government lies in顺应民心; the fall of government lies in逆民心." "Zuo Zhuan, Ai Gong, Year One" mentions "treating the people as if they are injured," "Mencius, Liang Huiwang, Part I" talks about "reducing penalties and taxes," and "The Analects, Xue Er" states "using resources sparingly and loving people, using the people at the right time," all of which reflect the ideas of loving and caring for the people, valuing the lives of the people, and sympathizing with their hardships. "Mozi, Jian Ai, Part II" emphasizes providing the basic necessities for the people to sustain their lives and production: "Feed them when they are hungry, clothe them when they are cold, care for them when they are sick, and bury them when they die." "The Book of History, Gao Yao Mo" says, "To secure the people is to be benevolent, and the common people will remember it," and "Huainanzi, Quansheng Xun" states, "The foundation of securing the people lies in having enough resources," both of which require enriching and benefiting the people. Only by enriching and benefiting the people can we truly achieve securing and protecting the people.

Date, Atuzhen Village, Atushi City, Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Nan Cooperative. In recent years, Xinjiang has vigorously developed the Nan industry, gradually transforming it into a "business card industry" that enriches the people and increases income. Photo by Fu Tian, China News Service.

Reporter from China News Service: What is the significance of exploring human rights concepts from Chinese classical texts in the present context?

Zheng Renzhao: The Chinese nation has a long history and a splendid cultural tradition. The inheritance of thought and accumulation of experience over more than five thousand years are invaluable historical treasures. In the practice of Chinese-style modernization, to comprehensively promote the development and progress of human rights, construct the discourse of Chinese human rights, deeply participate in global human rights governance, and make Chinese contributions to the global human rights cause, it is imperative to seek roots and resources from the excellent traditional Chinese culture, draw historical experiences, and endow them with new connotations of the times and contemporary expressions, thereby driving the creative transformation and innovative development of the excellent traditional Chinese culture.

It must be emphasized that the path of human rights development in China must be based on the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific realities and with the excellent traditional Chinese culture.

Reporter from China News Service: What role does the human rights philosophy in Chinese classics play in promoting the exchange and mutual learning between Chinese civilization and other civilizations in the world?

Zheng Renzhao: The "human rights" concepts contained in Chinese classical texts not only share common ground with the West but also fully exhibit the unique characteristics of Chinese civilization. Currently, the human society faces numerous significant challenges. How to promote peace and development, safeguard human dignity and rights, and advance global human rights governance towards a more fair, reasonable, and inclusive direction, while jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind, there is an endless wealth of wisdom and inspiration to be unearthed in Chinese classical texts.

The first World Conference on Classical Studies recently concluded in Beijing. In his congratulatory letter, President Xi Jinping expressed his hope that scholars would "take on the mission of classical studies research, making greater contributions to promoting the inheritance and development of civilizations and advancing exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations." Ancient Chinese classics are a significant focus of classical studies, embodying the values, humanistic spirit, and historical wisdom of the Chinese nation. For thousands of years, they have illuminated the enduring and ever-growing journey of Chinese civilization, as well as the starry sky of human civilization. Chinese classics are not only a rich historical accumulation but also must face the present, the future, and the world. Deeply exploring the concept of "human rights" embedded in Chinese classics is not only of great significance for constructing a discourse on human rights in China and advancing the global human rights cause, but also for promoting exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese civilization and other civilizations, and building a better world.

Interviewee Profile:*

Zheng Renzhao. Photo provided by the interviewee.

郑任钊，中国社会科学院古代史研究所研究员，古代思想史研究室主任。中国社会科学院大学历史学院教授，博士生导师。主持国家社科基金重大委托项目等多项课题，著有《公羊学思想史研究》，校点《春秋公羊经何氏释例》《春秋传》《何氏公羊解诂三十论》等古籍，发表论文数十篇。

Title: "Zheng Renzhao: What Human Rights Concepts Are Embodied in the Important Elements of China's Excellent Traditional Culture? East and West Ask" Text Editor: Wang Zonghan Poster Design/Image Editor: Cui Chuqiao Layout: Liang Jing Review: Wei Yuan Editor: Song Fangcan

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