This article, from a unique perspective, looks for the reason why Chinese culture has been inherited for 5,000 years from Laozi’s thoughts. Because Laozi's "Tao Te Ching" written 2,500 years ago is one of the representative works of China's 5,000-year-old traditional culture. It is called the source of Chinese culture and has a profound impact on the development of Chinese culture.

After summarizing the differences between Chinese culture and the other three major cultures in the world, it can be said that the four major characteristics of Chinese culture are: gradual progress, tolerance of all rivers, justice and benefit, and the spirit of win-win, which make Chinese culture sustainable. land inheritance.

Laozi's "Tao Te Ching" includes these four major ideological characteristics, and they all have classic explanations.

First, step by step

The "Tao Te Ching" says: "A nine-story tower begins with tired soil; a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

The nine-story high platform must be built step by step starting from the foundation. A journey of a thousand miles must start from the bottom and be completed step by step.

It turns out that most failures are caused by rushing for quick results.

Although there have been many major setbacks in Chinese history caused by eagerness for success, compared with the other three ancient civilizations, Chinese culture pays more attention to step-by-step progress.

A drop of water penetrates a stone, the Foolish Old Man moved a mountain, and an iron pestle turned into a needle. These ancient Chinese wisdoms all reflect the idea in Chinese culture that great achievements can be achieved step by step.

Focusing on step-by-step progress is an important reason for the longevity of Chinese culture.

Second, the sea accommodates hundreds of rivers

The "Tao Te Ching" says: "The reason why a river is the king of a hundred valleys is because it is good at flowing down rivers."

Because Jianghai is in a low position, all rivers belong to it and it becomes the king of all rivers.

The same is true for China. Although it has experienced major turmoils such as the Five Husties in China and the Mongols and Manchus taking over the Central Plains in history, Chinese culture has accommodated and absorbed the cultures of these ethnic minorities.

Chinese culture has also historically absorbed Indian Buddhist culture, Arab Islamic culture, Western Christian culture, and Marxist thought, etc., making Chinese culture compatible with and absorbed foreign cultures while constantly gaining new developments.

Being compatible with the cultures of other nations is an important reason for the longevity of Chinese culture.

Third, justice and benefit go hand in hand

Laozi's "Tao Te Ching" says: "The best is like water."

The growth of all things requires water. But water has the merit of nourishing all things, but it is willing to stay in a low-lying place where everyone looks down on it, and does not compete with others for interests.

Since ancient times, the best kindness is like water has been a Chinese cultural saying, reflecting the traditional Chinese thinking of emphasizing morality over interests.

In modern times, China's foreign policy still adheres to the traditional Chinese thinking of putting justice first and taking both justice and interests into account.

The nomadic people’s living location is not fixed, and they go wherever the grass is good. This has resulted in their traditional national psychology of pursuing profits. In ancient times, China was a farming nation and lived by cultivating food on fixed land. Therefore, a very stable national culture was produced, with a relatively low pursuit of profit and a national culture that valued justice over profit.

The more you pursue interests, the more setbacks you will suffer. Once the pursuit of profit is too strong, it will easily lead to death. Only a culture with little interest-seeking thought can last for a long time.

The demise of ancient India, ancient Egypt, and ancient Babylonian countries and cultures were all due to the extreme luxury, corruption, and power that existed in the countries at that time. Extreme luxury, corruption and power are all behaviors driven by the excessive pursuit of profit. They all led to the destruction of their country and culture due to their excessive pursuit of interests and contempt for morality.

Compared with the other three ancient cultures, Chinese culture places less emphasis on interests and more on morality. Therefore, Chinese culture did not encounter such major setbacks as they did, but it was passed down.

Four, the idea of ??winning and winning

The "Tao Te Ching" says: "If you think that others have more, you will have more with others."

The more you give to others, the more you get.

This idea of ??mutual benefit and win-win existed in the thinking of Laozi in China more than 2,500 years ago. Today, China still takes the traditional Chinese idea of ??mutual benefit and win-win as its diplomatic principle and promotes the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind based on the principle of mutual benefit and win-win.

When communicating with other countries, both parties can benefit, which will naturally reduce mutual conflicts. This caused setbacks in the development of Chinese history, which were much less than those of the other three ancient civilizations.

***The idea of ??winning is an important reason for the longevity of Chinese culture.

These four major cultural characteristics are lacking in the other three ancient civilizations, so their ancient civilizations cannot last long.

These four cultural characteristics are the unique advantages of Chinese culture.