Why can you always see a large number of people dressed in ancient costumes in many scenic spots in China? The common explanation is that this is part of Chinese culture. Traditional culture is certainly worth respecting, but the question is: why are the roles repeatedly played almost always as courtiers, emperors, princes, and nobles, rather than ordinary people? Behind this phenomenon, in fact, reflects a long-standing spiritual contradiction. China has entered modern society, but on a spiritual level, it is still deeply influenced by feudal social imagination.

Western countries also have noble histories and retain a large amount of ancient clothing and architectural heritage, but in their understanding of “culture,” they rarely focus on the worship of noble status itself. Instead, they emphasize the achievements of art, science, institutions, and modern civilization. The reason is that, in Western historical experience, nobility and monarchy are not regarded as symbols worth longing for, but as a stage of history that must be transcended.

In Europe, feudalism meant hierarchy, oppression, and inequality. For this reason, they experienced an extremely long and intense social transformation, from the birth of the Magna Carta, to the establishment of the rule of law, and then to revolutions and the overthrow of monarchy, gradually establishing a basic consensus: ordinary people should be able to live with dignity. In contrast, China’s understanding of “equality for all” has long remained at the conceptual level and has not truly internalized into a stable spiritual structure.

The related discussions during French President Macron’s visit to China precisely reveal this difference. In France, he might be publicly criticized, mocked, or even pelted with eggs. Chinese public opinion often interprets this as “social chaos.” But the key that is truly overlooked is: in such a society, ordinary people can face power without fear. Regardless of who they face, the minimum consensus is: human dignity is equal, and people can speak standing up. Because of this, Western societies have always maintained a high level of vigilance toward power. They understand clearly that once power is deified and worshiped, the ultimate cost will always be paid by ordinary people.

As some have pointed out: in a normal society, the vast majority of people are destined not to become the privileged class. Therefore, the goal of society should not be to make people fantasize about “becoming a noble someday,” but to establish a relatively fair public environment through systems and rules.

If we thoroughly restore the historical reality, we will find that in any dynasty, those truly dressed in fine clothes and possessing privileges are a very small minority. For the vast majority of ordinary people, their real historical identity is often that of those who have no资格to stand and need to kneel on the ground.

In feudal societies that emphasize power and reinforce hierarchy, no one can truly stand tall; but in modern rule-of-law societies, every individual can exist as a “person.” This also explains why many foreigners in China appear “neither servile nor arrogant.” This is not a personality difference, but the result of growing up in different social structures. In their societies, no one is systematically required to bow to anyone.

In Chinese society, obedience to authority, avoidance of conflict, and self-compression have long been regarded as “mature” and “safe” survival strategies. This is not a matter of individual morality, but a structural result formed over a long period. Therefore, what truly needs to change is not just the scale of the economy, technological level, or comprehensive national strength, but the cultural and spiritual understanding of oneself.

If the spiritual structure is still built on hierarchy and worship, then no matter how material things improve, people will still be belittled. Standing up spiritually is the true mark of civilization.