On March 6, the Theory Section of People’s Daily published an article titled A Deep Understanding of China’s Long-Standing Maritime Culture co-authored by Associate Professor Wang Kai and Master’s student Li Yuan from the School of Marxism at Ocean University of China. This marks another significant achievement of OUC in the humanities.

As President Xi Jinping highlights, “The ocean is crucial to the survival and development of human society. It nurtures life, connects the world and promotes development.” With a focus on China’s time-honored maritime culture, this article illustrates the five distinctive characteristics of the Chinese civilization — continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and peacefulness.

Chinese nation has a long-standing tradition of cherishing, understanding, and managing the ocean. Over the past 5000 years, China has developed a diverse maritime culture. In recent years, with the deepening research on the history of China’s maritime culture, people have gained a more profound understanding of Chinese maritime culture with its long history and rich connotations. It has also become an important perspective for understanding the Chinese civilization, especially its five distinctive characteristics. By examining these five characteristics, we can not only deepen our understanding of the Chinese civilization and its traditional culture, but also contribute to building a country with maritime strengths.

The article highlights that China has boasted a long coastline since the ancient times. Maritime culture stands as a historical testament to the continuity of the Chinese civilization. Mariculture and global trade have driven the innovative development in science and trade systems, showcasing the innovative spirit of the Chinese civilization. The boom in overseas trade has provided favorable economic conditions for population migration, cultural exchanges, and integration among different ethnic groups, demonstrating the unity of the Chinese civilization. The ocean also enables Chinese civilization to learn from the fine achievements of other cultures, thereby shaping its inclusiveness. Furthermore, peace has always been a crucial prerequisite for conducting overseas trade; and the culture of “He” (harmony) has long been integrated into China’s maritime culture. The distinctive peaceful nature of Chinese civilization has been further manifested through maritime exchanges.