(W.E. Talk) Tu Weiming: Dialogue or Conflict Among Civilizations—A Question of Human Survival
By Huangguan Xu
ECNS—"Whether to pursue dialogue or conflict among civilizations is a crucial choice confronting the world today. This is not merely a choice between different cultures, but more fundamentally a choice that concerns the very survival of humankind," said Tu Weiming(杜维明), dean of the Institute for Advanced Humanistic Studies at Peking University.
Recently, Tu Weiming—also a Senior Research Fellow at the Asia Center of Harvard University, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a Member of the International Academy of Philosophy—accepted a video interview with the W.E. Talk column of China News Service at his residence in Berkeley, California. He addressed issues such as dialogue among civilizations, Chinese civilization, and China–US relations. The following is an abridged transcript of the interview:
The Axial Age and Dialogue Among Civilizations
You have long advocated and actively promoted dialogue among civilizations. In today’s world, how can we transcend the Axial Age civilization and initiate a new round of dialogue among civilizations?
The concept of the “Axial Age” was proposed by German philosopher Karl Jaspers, referring to a period roughly between 800 BCE and 200 BCE. He considered it a magnificent and pivotal era in the development of human civilization, hence using the mechanical term “axial” to describe it.
During the Axial Age, at least four major civilizations — the Judaic-Christian tradition, Indian civilization, Greek civilization, and Chinese Confucian civilization — exerted profound influences. Scholars engaged in academic research, particularly in comparative culture studies see this era, in which great civilizations arose simultaneously and interacted with one another, as embodying the diversity, plurality, and inclusiveness of human civilization. It was not a one-way process, nor a simple “East versus West” dichotomy, but rather a universal spirit encompassing all directions—east, west, south, and north.
Mr. Tu Weiming was interviewed via video by China News Service (CNS) for its W.E. Talk column at his residence in Kensington, Berkeley, California, USA.
The idea of the Axial Age opened up a pluralistic and expansive philosophical horizon, representing a shared vision of the human family. Naturally, this process involved debates, discussions, and even conflicts, yet on this very basis common values could be forged. As a scholar of Confucianism, I attach particular importance to its role within Chinese culture—Confucianism itself is diverse and multifaceted. I also seek to explore an approach that is open, pluralistic, and inclusive of diverse humanistic values.
In your view, what is most important for advancing dialogue among civilizations in today’s world? How should we overcome the obstacles?
There is now widespread concern that the space for dialogue is shrinking and the opportunities for it are diminishing. If we accept that human civilization has developed in a pluralistic fashion—at least four distinct civilizations emerged in the Axial Age—then the trajectory of human civilization in the modern era should also be diverse and multifaceted.
That is to say, beyond the major civilizations of the Axial Age, indigenous civilizations and others across the world—for example, those of Africa—are all part of humanity’s shared heritage. These heritages must engage in mutual exchange and dialogue.
Technologies such as artificial intelligence have greatly expanded the speed, scope, and depth of communication—something unprecedented in the history of human civilization. With the multiplication of communication channels, the possibilities for mutual integration and reciprocal learning grow ever greater. Thus, dialogue among civilizations is bound to become a broad path that humanity cannot afford to neglect or treat lightly in its further development.
In 2014, Mr. Tu Weiming was invited by Chairman Rothschild of the Rothschild Foundation to deliver a speech on dialogue among civilizations and cultural pluralism at the Royal College of Arts in London, in honor of Dr. Henry Kissinger’s 90th birthday. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)
At present, the notions of “civilizational conflict” and “civilizational dialogue” appear, at least on the surface, to be contradictory. Expanding the space, breadth, and depth of dialogue, while reducing the obstacles and harms arising from conflict and contradiction—this is a major issue that demands our attention, whether or not one is interested in the humanities.
On March 15, 2024, the Chinese contemporary dance drama Dongpo: Life in Poems (诗忆东坡) made its debut at the David H. Koch Theater of Lincoln Center in New York, USA.
How do you view the “Clash of Civilizations” thesis?
The "Clash of Civilizations" was proposed by Samuel Huntington. Its background can be traced to an influential line of thought over the past fifty years, namely the belief that modernization is not pluralistic but rather a unitary, unidirectional, and staged process. According to this view, the world could be divided into phases—highly modern, nearly modern, or moving toward modernity—and modernization was thought to follow only a single path, which we all recognize as "Westernization." In China’s modernization process, the Westernization school in fact exerted a very significant influence. For example, Francis Fukuyama once advanced the thesis of "the end of history," arguing that with the rise of Western civilization—especially American civilization—after World War II, the world had gradually come under the sway of a single civilizational force, while other civilizations were relegated to various kinds of marginality or disruption.
In 1993, Huntington put forward the "Clash of Civilizations" thesis, reminding us that while humanity has the possibility and indeed the expectation of dialogue among civilizations, conflicts between civilizations could be particularly intense. His concern was framed primarily in terms of Christianity and Islam, representing different civilizations and orientations. After the thesis was proposed, it had an extensive impact, and many considered it a major issue. While at Harvard, I had some interactions with Huntington; he often invited me to join his seminars on civilizational conflict. At that time, I made it very clear that if the risk of civilizational conflict did indeed exist—not only between Christianity and Islam but also in many other forms—then dialogue became a necessity. On this point, my perspective was broadly aligned with the view Huntington himself came to emphasize later in life: precisely because conflict is contradictory and dangerous, it is all the more urgent to develop mechanisms for dialogue. My own position has consistently been to seek to transcend the trap of contradiction and civilizational conflict, and instead to promote dialogue among civilizations on the basis of equality, reciprocity, peace, and shared flourishing.
Chinese Culture and World Civilizations
In your view, what values of traditional Chinese culture should contemporary China focus on highlighting?
Chinese culture is an open and learning-oriented civilization. On this basis, it has always drawn from various other civilizations, not as a culture of external conflict or aggression, but rather as one characterized by inclusiveness and tolerance. From the perspective of Chinese culture, we must broaden our vision through multiple channels, expanding our understanding of both nature and the human world. Gradually, through peaceful coexistence, we can foster mutual fusion and, on that foundation, achieve further development. Thus, since antiquity, the Chinese nation has possessed a profoundly deep-rooted background of cultural fusion. It is not only a learning civilization but also a civilizational tradition of integration. Consequently, it is inherently dialogical—a civilization that engages in dialogue to draw mutual lessons and to advance together.
In 2017, Mr. Tu Weiming delivered a lecture titled Confucian Wisdom for the Future of Humanity at Soongsil University in South Korea. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)
Chinese culture embodies a profound philosophical principle: “harmony without uniformity” (hé ér bù tóng, 和而不同). This concept provides rich resources for engaging in self-reflection, self-understanding, and self-critique, while simultaneously assimilating, integrating, and influencing other civilizations. Therefore, Chinese civilization—together with the broader East Asian Confucian cultural sphere that later emerged—represents an ideal of harmony, inclusiveness, and mutual accommodation. It has the capacity to expand its vision gradually, moving from the few to the many, from the fragile to the abundant, and to unfold the diverse potentials embedded within it. In this sense, Chinese civilization, through a progressive process of harmonious coexistence, has continually enriched itself by unfolding human wisdom and nurturing human values. It is, in essence, a great civilization of inclusiveness and integration.
What significance does the idea of "inclusiveness and all-embracingness" hold for the world today?
Inclusiveness and all-embracingness is what the world needs today. I believe that every civilization ought to cultivate such self-awareness. The unfortunate reality, however, is that in the current stage of global development what has spread widely is a form of unidirectionalism—a cultural strategy of domination rather than one of inclusivity. Nevertheless, this strategy continues to exert profound influence across diverse regions of the world.
China-US Relations and the Principle of “Harmony without Uniformity”
From the perspective of “inclusiveness and all-embracingness”, how should we view current China-US relations?
At present, the shaping of world civilizations involves the participation of many major powers, with China and the United States serving as representative actors.
On March 20, 2024, a delegation of middle school students from Washington state, USA, was invited to visit The Affiliated High School of Peking University.
The general expectation is that China and the United States, on the fundamental basis of peaceful coexistence, should embrace each other with inclusiveness and all-embracingness, fostering a pattern of mutual learning and reciprocal influence. Over a considerable period of time, this is a path that must be taken—there is absolutely no reason to reject it. For this is a matter of survival, of whether human civilization can achieve balance and bring harmony among all nations.
Over the past several decades, there has been a clear consensus: nuclear war, or any violence with similarly catastrophic consequences for humanity, must be avoided. Beyond nuclear threats, challenges such as climate change and various disasters resulting from human impacts on nature also constitute pressing global issues. Against this backdrop, China and the United States should consider how to maintain connections and establish meaningful engagement with one another.
We now face a crucial choice. This is not merely a choice between cultures; it is, in fact, a choice that determines whether humanity can continue to survive—whether to pursue dialogue among civilizations or to succumb to civilizational conflict. Many consider dialogue among civilizations to be overly optimistic, superficial, or even naive, because in the historical record, the law of the jungle—“the strong prey on the weak”—has repeatedly prevailed.
We also recognize the emergence of concepts such as Tianxia (天下, All under Heaven) and the idea of regarding the world as one family. Confucianism, especially as emphasized by Zhu Xi in The Great Learning, highlights the fundamental Tianxia principle: “The way of great learning consists in manifesting one's bright virtue, consists in loving the people, consists in stopping in perfect goodness.” This principle expands from individual moral cultivation to governing the family, administering the state, and bringing order to the world, gradually extending to broader humanistic relationships. Proceeding from this deeply rooted mindset is an indispensable path for humanity to save itself and to achieve sustainable development. Unfortunately, this broad path is now under severe pressure, which is deeply worrying and regrettable.
Such conflicts are not merely conceptual; they manifest in daily ethical practice and in the pursuit of the highest moral ideals while adhering to the principle of moderation. Charting a harmonious and peaceful path in accordance with this principle is an essential approach.
Currently, I feel that if civilizational contradictions and conflicts between China and the United States remain unresolved, and if the two countries continue to engage only in strategic games concerning trade, military affairs, and other material or ideological domains, the tensions, contradictions, and conflicts between them will continue to escalate. This constitutes the greatest risk in China-US relations.
Learning to Be Human and the Future of Humanity
Technological innovation is closely linked to the development of civilization. In your view, what kind of impact will artificial intelligence (AI) have on the development of human civilization?
The development of artificial intelligence is having an increasingly profound impact on all aspects of human society, with its reach expanding ever more widely.
The most evident example lies in books, which have long served as the carriers of human civilization. Since the Axial Age, humanity’s collective wisdom has been recorded and accumulated in textual form, consolidated into various classics, and continuously enriched and transmitted across generations up to the present day. A major challenge posed by AI is that books are no longer the sole means for preserving human wisdom and human values.
The emergence of AI may, on the one hand, profoundly influence the ways in which human wisdom is transmitted and expanded; on the other hand, it further foregrounds questions concerning how to “learn to be human”—namely, what it means to be human and the significance of human existence.
The Chinese nation has made tremendous contributions to the accumulation of humanity’s collective wisdom. In the era of AI, it is certain that even greater contributions can be made. Thus, AI represents one of the most important issues that the humanities in the twenty-first century must seriously consider.
An increasing number of people are now concerned with, paying attention to, and researching Chinese civilization. As a renowned scholar in civilization studies, what insights would you like to share?
Even the immediate issues we face today are extremely complex and intricate. A tiny minority of people controls an excessive amount of resources, and human civilization as a whole seems trapped in a state of fragmentation, divergence, contradictions, and conflict. On one hand, in terms of material development, human civilization has achieved much that is comforting, gratifying, and a source of pride. On the other hand, the questions concerning the further development of humanity are becoming increasingly urgent.
In 2018, the 24th World Congress of Philosophy was held in Beijing, and we chose “Learning to Be Human” as its central theme—this choice was deliberate and highly intentional. What does it mean to be human? How does one learn to be human? Expanding upon these questions, we must consider: how can an individual integrate their physical body, cognitive understanding, spiritual awareness, and moral consciousness? How can people cultivate healthy interactions through families, societies, nations, and the global community? How can humanity achieve lasting harmony with nature? How can the human heart and the Way of Heaven (天道, Tian Dao) complement each other? These four dimensions are all issues that require our collective reflection and attention.
Finally, I want to thank you for your questions. They have provided me with significant inspiration and serve as an encouragement. Thank you.
*This article was originally written in 2024, and describes the situation at that time.
About the Interviewee:
Tu Weiming, born in Kunming in February 1940, is one of the most influential thinkers worldwide. He has constructed or developed key intellectual frameworks including "the Third Epoch of Confucianism" "Cultural China" "Reflections on Enlightenment" "Dialogue Among Civilizations", and "Spiritual Humanism". His representative works includes “Neo-Confucian Thought in Action: Wang Yang-ming's Youth”.