Why didn't China take the lead in rising in the long river of modern development?
It is true that in recent hundreds of years, the West has been leading, because of technology, not because they are advanced, but because the road we chose with them is not feasible.
Due to a series of side effects brought by science and technology, the western model is on the rise, which is likely to bring mankind to destruction. His biggest mistake is the separation of body and mind. Modern science and technology has brought material prosperity, but it can't hide the growing pallor of the soul. Even the west is not sure where they want to take mankind, and they can't solve the problem of human nature.
These problems can be solved by Chinese civilization, and the key to solve them lies in China's Warring States Period.
In my opinion, the essential problems of human development are as follows: 1. The relationship between man and nature, the conquest of nature by the west has been declared bankrupt, and the future can only be harmonious, and China's thought of harmony between man and nature is the answer to this relationship. 2. The relationship between people and social collectives, the western attempt to regulate by law is a temporary solution, not a permanent cure. The role of law can only be to passively maintain social order. Its function is to punish those who endanger society. The root of social stability is morality, not law. China was like this in ancient times. It is Confucian ethics that has maintained stability for thousands of years, which is the most important, followed by auxiliary legalists. This is an ideal social model. Unlike now, morality is declining, but law plays a major role. 3. The relationship between people (or individual relationship), people's social attributes need social order, but personal attributes need people's freedom. I think China's Taoist thought can provide a reference for this. The actions of Zhuangzi and Lao Zi are showing people's personal attributes.
To sum up, I think only China's thought can solve the ultimate and essential problems of human beings. Confucian morality and legalism maintain social stability, Taoism gives personal space, and the idea of harmony between man and nature gets along with nature, so the world will naturally be peaceful.
As for the failure to rise, the road is different, and this can be used as an example. China invented gunpowder and made firecrackers to celebrate life, the West used it in war, and the compass China used it to measure geomantic omen, so as to achieve harmony with nature. The west started the colonial era with it, which was caused by nationality. Westerners have evil genes in their personalities, so they take a different path.
Although China didn't go astray, he experienced several setbacks. Song and Ming dynasties have the shadow of the next civilization. Feudal civilization declined sharply, and the national organization ability was low. It was dark before dawn, and the era of change was coming, so the country declined. Unfortunately, the rise of ethnic minorities interrupted the process of transformation in Song and Ming Dynasties. After all, China didn't have nirvana, broke into a butterfly, and fell into the abyss of feudalism again, sinking into darkness. Until the Qing dynasty, there was no shadow of the next era.
If there is a successful era of Song and Ming Dynasties, China will certainly give the world a correct development path different from the West. As he has done for thousands of years, he will lead the social civilization. Fortunately, China will slowly revive again. Although there is still a long way to go, as long as we don't copy the west and absorb nutrition from the primitive civilization of the Warring States, Qin and Han Dynasties, we will definitely rise again and give the world a future direction.
These are just some of my own ideas, which may be absurd. I think it's specious, but don't spray me, hehe.