2006-Beijing University International Forum

Author: Wang Jisi, Yuan Ming, Chen Zhirui / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: War gives rise to new sovereignty, but the consolidation of the regime requires new factors, and a sense of community (nation or ethnicity) is a necessary condition. This is not something force can achieve; it truly relies on the role of ideology. The concept of "unification" in China can be traced back to the Records of the Grand Historian. Li Si persuaded the Qin King: "Now the feudal lords submit to Qin, as if they were commanderies and counties. With Qin's strength and your wisdom, sweeping the dust from the (stove), you are sufficient to (eliminate) the feudal lords, achieve imperial ambitions, unify the world, and this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity." Here, "unification" and "unified" carry the same meaning, reflecting the "unification" trend in the Huaxia society at the time. After Li Si joined Qin, he strove to use his knowledge to inspire the Qin King with the idea of unifying the nation. However, the unified concept of a nation and state gradually formed only after overcoming ethnic prejudices. Mr. Gu Jiegang revealed the formation of China's unification concept by critiquing the pseudo-ancient history system.
As for the gods worshipped in sacrifices, each ethnic group had its own special ones. For example, the Zuo Zhuan states that Gun was worshipped in the Xia dynasty. The Records of the Grand Historian·Book of Sacrifices mentions that Qin Linggong built the Upper Altar in Wuyang to sacrifice the Yellow Emperor and the Lower Altar to sacrifice the Flame Emperor. Originally, each group worshipped its own deities, not figures on a single line. By the Warring States period, the merging of many small states into a few large ones, and later Qin Shi Huang's unification efforts, brought about territorial unification. However, racial prejudices between ethnic groups were deeply rooted. Only the ethnic groups living in the lower reaches of the Yellow River were called Huaxia, while the rest were labeled as "barbarians." While territorial unification could be achieved through force, (eliminating) ethnic animosity and enabling people to live peacefully within the same country was beyond the reach of military power. Thus, some clever individuals emerged, transforming the "horizontal system" of ancestors and deities into a "vertical system," making the ancestor of one state the father of another's ancestor, and the deity of one state the father of another's ancestor. They rose to declare: "We are all descendants of the Yellow Emperor, though scattered far apart, so our bonds have weakened, and our customs differ. Now that we are united under one country, we should eliminate territorial prejudices!" This was a lie, yet it served to alleviate the times, fostering a sense of shared kinship among ethnic groups. Originally, the people of Chu spoke in a way that the Central Plains people despised. But at this time, it was discovered that the Chu people were descendants of Di Gaoyang, who was the grandson of the Yellow Emperor. Originally, the people of Yue had tattoos and decorated foreheads, which the Central Plains people despised. But at this time, it was known that the Yue people were descendants of Yu, who was the great-grandson of the Yellow Emperor (the Yi Guo records Shi Bo's words, stating that Yue originally belonged to the Qian clan; but at this time, they had to follow Yu and adopt the Si surname). Notably, the so-called Huaxia ethnic group at the time were the Shang and Zhou, and the Zhou ancestor, Jishu, was the first wife of Emperor Ku, while the Shang ancestor, Qi, was the second wife of Emperor Ku. Emperor Ku was the great-grandson of the Yellow Emperor, showing that the Shang and Zhou of Huaxia and the Chu and Yue of the "barbarians" were originally one family. Using such fabricated genealogical lies to rally people and call for unification was indeed a powerful political tool.
This discussion illustrates four points. Ancient Chinese ethnic groups had their own belief systems and obvious cultural prejudices; war could expand territory and unify the land, but military force was powerless against unified concepts and ideas, nor could it make people live peacefully within the territory; those in power ("some clever individuals") used the method of "revising" genealogies to link the ancestors of different ethnic groups, making the ancestors of the Central Plains people relatives by blood to those of other ethnic groups. This reconstruction of ideology played a role that military force could not replace; this reshaped kinship system based on ethnic beliefs served to "alleviate the times," fostering a sense of shared kinship among ethnic groups, and the claim that "the Shang and Zhou of Huaxia and the Chu and Yue of the 'barbarians' were originally one family" played a role in "calling for unification." Thus, the legitimacy of Huaxia's unification was established.
The speech of the Athenian statesman Pericles at the state funeral for fallen soldiers is an excellent example of cultivating and strengthening national consciousness. He inspired the Athenians' patriotic spirit by praising their ancestors who both preserved their legacy and expanded their territory: "On our land, the same ethnic group has lived here from generation to generation until now; because of their courage and virtue, they passed on this land as a free state to us. Undoubtedly, they are worthy of our praise. Especially our ancestors, who are even more worthy of praise, because in addition to the land they inherited, they also expanded it into the empire we have today, passing it down to our generation—not without bloodshed and hard labor." He used the same praise for the fallen soldiers: "Any person who can contribute to the state will never be forgotten in politics due to poverty. Among the states we know, only Athens has proven, when tested, to be greater than what people imagine."
What we should remember first is their heroic resistance to the enemy and their defense of the homeland. "They did their best to contribute their best to the state. They gave their lives to the state and to all of them." Of course, the state will not forget them. In addition to commemorating them, "their children will be supported by the state until they reach adulthood. This is the wreath and reward the state gives to the dead and their children, as a reward for enduring the test." Pericles called on the Athenians: "I would rather that you daily focus your attention on the greatness of Athens. It truly is great; you should love it." He repeatedly mentioned "Athens," "homeland," "state," "empire," "city-state," "land," and "territory," hoping to express a sense of "national (community) consciousness." The cultivation of such consciousness is something force cannot achieve.
P110-P112