by Professor Zheng Changzhong (Beijing, 17th May, 2025)
Today we visited the China Archaeological Museum, one of the largest and most recently established history museums in China. Many journalists mentioned this morning that they hope to gain a deep understanding of China through this trip. Our first stop today aims to provide a comprehensive, longitudinal perspective of China’s history. While museums, especially archaeological ones, often draw attention to artifacts, presenting too many items in a short time can overshadow the logic and culture behind them. So since we still have a fresh experience with this archaeological museum,and we still remember the very amazing and beautiful, sophisticated artifacts, I would like to make your trip more impressive, make this experience more unforgettable and knowledgeable by sharing my understanding about the chinese essence and to give you a like interpretation of these artifacts and also the stories behind.
Human Activity and the Origins of Chinese Civilization
You may wonder: How long have humans inhabited this region? An international perspective suggests human origins in Africa, however，we notice that there are human beings on the planet of china 1.7million years ago. Over the next 1.7 million years, while there was genetic exchange with other regions, the main body of humans developed indigenously in China. During the long course of 1-2 million years, human activity traces emerged in multiple regions of China. Around 10,000 years ago, as the Ice Age ended, human development—including rational development—experienced a huge leap, marking the beginning of China’s 10,000-year cultural history with the formation of diverse cultures in the Neolithic Age.
Formation of States and Characteristics of Civilization
Around 5,000 years ago, the emergence of early state forms—with class differentiation and urban agglomeration—marked the birth of Chinese civilization. The formation of states, based on the aggregation of diverse local cultural communities, created a highly organized social structure, symbolizing a giant leap in civilizational form. Thus, China’s 5,000-year civilization history reflects the organizational achievements of cultural clusters across regions, embodying the feature of “unity in diversity.” As time progressed, those early scattered states sought to form larger organizational structures through communication and interaction, leading to the emergence of dynastic state formations. The first dynasty, the Xia , exemplified the “unity in diversity” philosophy. Why did diverse states seek integration? The goal was to improve people’s lives through larger-scale organization, which laid the foundation for China’s cultural inclusiveness and peace-loving spirit.
Evolution and Innovation of Governance Systems
Early dynasties adopted a decentralized feudal system, leading to loose governance. The Qin Dynasty, after unifying six states, introduced a bureaucratic system similar to the civil service system that didn’t emerge in the West until recent 200-300 years, demonstrating China’s “premature rationality” in politics. This system effectively organized China’s large-scale society through rational governance, with the core principle of “people as the foundation of the state”—the origin of today’s “people-centered” philosophy. This governance system, likening the relationship between the government and people to “a boat and water” (water can carry the boat or capsize it), drove continuous institutional innovation. For example, the Silk Road initiated in the Han Dynasty (around 200 BCE) promoted cultural exchanges between China and the world over 2,000 years, embodying the vision of “unity in diversity” on a global scale. Chinese civilization has always prioritized peaceful exchange over conquest.
Modern Historical Turning Points and Development
By the 19th century, China enjoyed a trade surplus due to global demand for silk, tea, and porcelain. Western countries, facing trade deficits, resorted to opium trafficking, leading to the Opium War after China’s opium destruction in Humen（a busy port at that time）. Defeated due to its agricultural civilization lagging behind industrial civilization, China began learning from the West, introducing Marxism and combining it with local realities. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the guidance of Marxism, Chinese people achieved revolutionary victories, construction successes, and reform and opening-up prosperity.
Cultural Genes and Modern Implications
This morning, journalists asked: Why does China embrace AI, prioritize innovation and people’s welfare, and engage in global communication? The answers lie in its history: – “People as the foundation” evolved into the “people-centered” philosophy. – “Unity in diversity” drives openness and innovation. – The ideal of “Great Harmony” connects to today’s “Community with a Shared Future for Mankind.” These cultural genes, embedded in 10,000 years of culture and 5,000 years of civilization, explain China’s ability to innovate while maintaining core values and pursuing peaceful development.
Today’s briefing summarizes the cultural logic behind the museum’s five exhibition chapters, responding to your questions and providing a framework for understanding China in the coming days. Thank you for your attention, and we hope this tour helps you grasp the truth of China through its history and civilization.
*The views and opinions expressed in the articles are solely those of the individual authors and do not reflect the position of the Secretariat of the Belt and Road Journalist Network.