All Civilizations Can Appreciate Each Other's Beauty While Valuing Their Own and Achieve Common Development
This fundamental principle for cultural exchange, mutual learning, and healthy coexistence was outlined by Chinese sociologist Fei Xiaotong in the early 1990s. He suggested that each nation and country carry forward its own excellent culture, learn from others' excellent culture, and tolerate and respect each other so that diverse cultures will interact with each other to form a colorful and harmonious world.
Chinese civilization has a long history of more than 5,000 years, and openness and inclusiveness have always been among its characteristics. From Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions in the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 25) and Zheng He's seven ocean voyages in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to the Belt and Road Initiative of today, Chinese civilization has always made key contributions to Asian and world civilizations. The saying "All civilizations can appreciate each other's beauty while valuing their own and achieve common development" embodies the Chinese wisdom and represents Chinese civilization's contribution to the progress of human civilization.
各美其美，美人之美，美美與共，天下大同
“各美其美，美人之美，美美與共，天下大同”是20世紀90年代初中國社會學家費孝通先生提出的文化設想，闡明了文化的“交流”“互鑒”與“共存”這一根本價值訴求。“各美其美”是指各個民族、國家要弘揚自己的優秀文化。“美人之美”是指要學習別人的優秀文化。“美美與共，天下大同”則是說，各個民族、國家的優秀文化要互相包容、互相尊重，多元文化互相融合，形成一個多彩的世界，不同文明和而不同、兼收并蓄，進而實現大同。
中華文明擁有5000多年悠久歷史，開放包容一直是其特色之一。從西漢時張騫出使西域，到明代鄭和七次遠洋航海，再到今天的“一帶一路”等，中華文明都在為亞洲乃至世界文明作出自己的貢獻。“各美其美，美人之美，美美與共，天下大同”，是中華文明為人類文明進步貢獻的中國智慧。
