Preface The Power of Indigenous-Culture

Yuqiuyu

What is indigenous-culture? This is the question to start all discussions. Many people mistakenly believe that indigenous-culture is a kind of marginalized culture which is worth minimum attention. In fact, indigenous-culture is the result of major adjustments led by contemporary top-level culture in the proportion of the overall cultural structure. Indigenous-culture is a critical choice for the wise ones of our time.

Indigenous-culture has become the lifeline of Chinese culture. All cultural scholars should not look at the indigenous-culture with a condescending attitude. It is the cultural origin of our present as well as the textbook for us to review the contemporary culture. It may not have the perfect form, but for the time being, there are no other better cultural origins to tell us to where human culture actually goes?

How to keep your distinctiveness in a changing world? In my opinion, distinctiveness can lead to harmony and coordination. We shall treat distinctiveness not only with recognition and tolerance, but also with a heart of appreciation. Of course, when we discuss the distinctiveness, we will normally encounter another issue on the environmental protection.

Environmental protection becomes a major cultural proposition. It involves the relationship between man and nature. It is also a cultural issue because it involves human survival and responsibility, a responsibility we shall fully take.

All issues above are related to indigenous-culture. China needs to develop, same for all the regions within. In the process of development, the world needs to recognize the uniqueness of the Chinese, and we ourselves shall recognize the uniqueness of the ethnic cultures as well as the local cultures. As a carrier for richness and diversity, people should actively call for an even more diversified world. We go after diversity, and we let different cultures breed in a healthy way in its unique environment without interference. That is how we treat indigenous-culture.

Iindigenous-culture is the manifestation of the culture which enjoys the dignity of natural growth, it shows the true relationship of culture and time, and it is the root of all other cultures. Today, it maintains the originality, vividness and infinity of creation in a simple form. The true cultural heritage is an existence with peace and freedom; it is an evidence of the way how our ancestors lived, and also indicates some spiritual value of a time and a place.

To this end, we have every reason to cast the eyes of reverence and inquiry to the source of the Three Rivers, and to the land of Chengduo - the origin of the Three Rivers.

July 2018