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M. Yu
on the events, and studies of ecological culture thrived, such as environmental philosophy, environmental politics, environmental ethics, environmental law, environmental economics, ecological theology, ecological feminism, ecological Marxism,
and so on. A new culture—the ecological culture—was on the horizon.
In the 1980s when the study of ecological culture just started in China, the author
delivered speeches and published articles and books on this topic and proposed viewpoints on behalf of Chinese academia. I wrote in my articles that culture is a way
of survival that distinguishes man from animal. Modern culture is one where “man
reigns over nature” whereas new culture is one where “man and nature develop in
harmony.” In the narrow sense, ecological culture refers to the social ideology, human
spirit, and socioeconomic systems and institutions under the guidance of ecological
values, covering ecological politics, ecological philosophy, ecological ethics, ecological economics, ecological law, ecological art, and ecological aesthetics, among
others. In the broad sense, it refers to a new way of human existence encompassing
the ecological production mode and lifestyle – a way of harmonious development
between man and nature.
The development of human culture follows a historical trajectory. The evolution
of cultural forms—from natural culture, humanistic culture, and scientific culture to
ecological culture—corresponds to the evolution of human civilization forms—from
pre-historic civilization, agricultural civilization, industrial civilization to ecological
civilization. In the mid-twentieth century, the global ecological crisis represented by
the eight environmental hazards triggered an environmental protection movement
across the globe. The rise of ecological culture marked the decline of industrial
civilization and the arrival of a new era—the era of ecological civilization.
In 1996, Yu Mouchang published a book titled New Century of Culture—Theoretical Explanation of Ecological Culture, in which he used two tables to present
the form of human culture, civilization and society, the central industries and axis of
society, and the historical development of production mode, energy, social entities
and philosophical expressions. For instance, the central axis of the four forms of
human society so far, or the factors determining social development, are as follows:
morality of the primitive society, power and privileges of the slave and feudal societies, capital of the capitalist society, and wisdom of the ecological civilization
society. The society of ecological civilization is essentially ecological socialism,
where ecological industry is the central industry, information and intelligent applications define the production mode, intelligent machinery is the tool, information
and intelligence is the main direction of resource development, solar energy is the
main energy form, knowledge is the main social property, information is the form of
science, intellectuals are the backbone of the society, and the expression of philosophy is respecting nature. This is a summary drawn from the analysis of the historical
development of human culture.
“Culture is the lifeblood of a nation, and it gives the people a sense of belonging. To
complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieve
the great renewal of the Chinese nation, we must create a new surge in promoting
socialist culture and bring about its great development and enrichment, increase
China’s cultural soft power, and enable culture to guide social trends, educate the
M. Yu
on the events, and studies of ecological culture thrived, such as environmental philosophy, environmental politics, environmental ethics, environmental law, environmental economics, ecological theology, ecological feminism, ecological Marxism,
and so on. A new culture—the ecological culture—was on the horizon.
In the 1980s when the study of ecological culture just started in China, the author
delivered speeches and published articles and books on this topic and proposed viewpoints on behalf of Chinese academia. I wrote in my articles that culture is a way
of survival that distinguishes man from animal. Modern culture is one where “man
reigns over nature” whereas new culture is one where “man and nature develop in
harmony.” In the narrow sense, ecological culture refers to the social ideology, human
spirit, and socioeconomic systems and institutions under the guidance of ecological
values, covering ecological politics, ecological philosophy, ecological ethics, ecological economics, ecological law, ecological art, and ecological aesthetics, among
others. In the broad sense, it refers to a new way of human existence encompassing
the ecological production mode and lifestyle – a way of harmonious development
between man and nature.
The development of human culture follows a historical trajectory. The evolution
of cultural forms—from natural culture, humanistic culture, and scientific culture to
ecological culture—corresponds to the evolution of human civilization forms—from
pre-historic civilization, agricultural civilization, industrial civilization to ecological
civilization. In the mid-twentieth century, the global ecological crisis represented by
the eight environmental hazards triggered an environmental protection movement
across the globe. The rise of ecological culture marked the decline of industrial
civilization and the arrival of a new era—the era of ecological civilization.
In 1996, Yu Mouchang published a book titled New Century of Culture—Theoretical Explanation of Ecological Culture, in which he used two tables to present
the form of human culture, civilization and society, the central industries and axis of
society, and the historical development of production mode, energy, social entities
and philosophical expressions. For instance, the central axis of the four forms of
human society so far, or the factors determining social development, are as follows:
morality of the primitive society, power and privileges of the slave and feudal societies, capital of the capitalist society, and wisdom of the ecological civilization
society. The society of ecological civilization is essentially ecological socialism,
where ecological industry is the central industry, information and intelligent applications define the production mode, intelligent machinery is the tool, information
and intelligence is the main direction of resource development, solar energy is the
main energy form, knowledge is the main social property, information is the form of
science, intellectuals are the backbone of the society, and the expression of philosophy is respecting nature. This is a summary drawn from the analysis of the historical
development of human culture.
“Culture is the lifeblood of a nation, and it gives the people a sense of belonging. To
complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieve
the great renewal of the Chinese nation, we must create a new surge in promoting
socialist culture and bring about its great development and enrichment, increase
China’s cultural soft power, and enable culture to guide social trends, educate the