Abstract：The concept of “civilization” originated in the European Enlightenment. Initially framed by a monistic worldview that juxtaposed “civilization” against “barbarism”, it evolved into a hierarchical standard tinged with western-centrism alongside western global expansion, forcing non-western countries to passively accept the narrative that “civilization is Europeanization”. Though controversial, Huntington’s “clash of civilizations” theory underscored the centrality of civilization in international discourse. In China, the traditional concept of “civilization” denoted well-established culture and education, fostering a sense of cultural superiority rooted in the distinction between the Central States and foreign tribes. Yet in modern times, western civilization shattered China’s traditional order through military force. As Chinese intellectuals reflected on this upheaval, they gradually adopted western criteria of civilization while embarking on a critical re-evaluation of their own cultural heritage. Interpreting Chinese history through the lens of civilization has emerged as a fresh analytical framework following revolutionary and modernization narratives. A string of military defeats in the late Qing and early Republican eras dismantled the traditional Confucian system, shifting intellectuals’ attitudes toward Western civilization from disdain to fervent admiration. Thinkers including Tan Sitong and Kang Youwei decried the nation’s existential crisis, ushering in an era of comprehensive Western learning—spanning technology, institutions and culture—as China strove to integrate into the Western-dominated “global civilization”. However, World War I laid bare the flaws of Western civilization, prompting Chinese intellectuals to rethink blind Westernization. Du Yaquan put forward the dichotomy of “static civilization versus dynamic civilization”, arguing that Chinese and Western civilizations differed in essence rather than in developmental stage, and that Chinese civilization could remedy the defects of its Western counterpart. Liang Qichao advocated building a new integrated civilization rooted in Chinese culture while absorbing Western strengths. Both sought a balance between tradition and modernity, the East and the West, trying to rebuild the subjectivity of Chinese civilization. Nevertheless, China’s diplomatic defeat at the Paris Peace Conference convinced intellectuals that Western powers would never accept a prosperous and powerful China, creating an urgent demand for a new path that rejected both pure traditionalism and Westernization. Against this backdrop, the term “culture” gradually displaced “civilization” as the core focus of intellectual debate. The introduction of Marxism offered a new route for the renewal of Chinese civilization, as its critical and practical feature resonated with traditional Chinese ideals of “applying knowledge to state governance” and a “Great Harmony society”. Guided by Marxism and grounded in China’s national realities, the Communist Party of China blazed a socialist path to civilization that neither replicates old Chinese traditions nor copies Western models, accomplishing the creative transformation of the concept of civilization. Therefore, “civilization” is not merely a product of cultural exchange, but also a vital instrument of national construction. Through the evolution of modern Chinese discourse on civilization, China has transcended revolutionary and modernization narratives and re-established historical continuity. Today, China advocates exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, showcasing its distinctive cultural soft power. The construction of discourse on civilization inherits the essence of traditional Chinese culture while drawing on the finest achievements of all human civilizations. It provides spiritual impetus for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and offers Chinese wisdom to resolve the clashes between civilizations worldwide.
王鑫. 萌蘖再生：近代以来中国“文明”话语的兴起与流变[J]. 浙江大学学报(人文社会科学版), 2026, 56(8): 100-114.
Wang Xin. Burgeoning Revival: The Genesis and Transformation of Civilization Discourse from Modern China. JOURNAL OF ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY, 2026, 56(8): 100-114.
2026, Vol. 56 
