Confucianism plays a crucial role in shaping China's transformation and new development philosophy, guiding the country toward a more harmonious and sustainable future, according to Italian philosopher Ricardo Pozzo from Tor Vergata University of Rome.
China's Neo-Confucianism asserts the omnipresence of the Heavenly Way, with mankind hinging upon heaven and earth.
In China, Confucianism has been deeply involved with the country's achievements, such as poverty alleviation, supporting other countries in battling COVID-19, expanding free-trade ports and zones and sparing no efforts to expand opening up.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), the Italian philosopher delved into how this timeless wisdom influences China's green development strategy.
"Two decades ago, China's rapid industrialization registered fast economic growth, but at the cost of the environment. Since then, China has realized that things have to change. The old wisdom of unity between the human beings and nature prevails and sustainable development has become the mantra in China's new growth strategy. Today, China is setting up a national park system aiming to conserve 10 percent of the country's land mass by 2035. With human beings following the ways of nature, harmony is to be achieved. Harmony is achieved when the human beings take care of the Earth. This is the green transition, a spiritual humanism," he said.
He noted that Confucianism also encourages the Chinese people to embrace new ideas and confront challenges across various aspects of life.
"A Confucian philosopher said, 'I reflect on myself three times a day so as to connect where I aired and uphold the needs that I conducted correctly.' This attitude of constant self-cultivation and self-learning has prepared the Chinese people to deal with the unknown, meet tackling development challenges or the uncertainties brought by artificial intelligence. Chinese people will brace the challenge and learn as we tackle it. This way of thinking runs through Chinese people's social, economic and political life. When you know about these ways of thinking, you can have a better understanding of the Chinese civilization," he said.
The 2024 China International Confucius Cultural Festival, with the theme of "conversation with Confucius, mutual learning among civilizations," will open in Qufu City of east China's Shandong Province, the birthplace of Confucius, from Sept. 27 to Oct. 7.
Confucianism plays vital role in China's sustainable development: Italian philosopher
