CULTURAL CONTACT: CLASH OR FUSION OF CIVILIZATIONS?

Samuel Huntington's theory on the clash of civilizations has aroused active transnational debates among scholars ever since he published his article and book on the subject in 1993 and 1996 respectively (Huntington 1993, 1996). He held that the fundamental source of conflict in this new world would not be primarily ideological nor economic. Rather, the great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict would be cultural. Civilizations are differentiated from each other by history, language, culture, tradition and, most importantly, religion. People of different civilizations have different views on the relations between God and man, the individual and the group, the citizen and the state, parents and children, husband and wife, as well as differing views on the relative importance of rights and responsibilities, liberty and authority, equality and hierarchy. These differences, which are the product of many centuries, are far more fundamental than differences among political ideologies and political regimes. Over the centuries, differences among civilizations have generated the most prolonged and the most violent conflicts (Huntington 1993, pp. 1–3). Huntington's assertions evoked widespread international response, attracting more criticism than agreement. Some Chinese scholars such as Li Shenzhi, president of the China Association for American Studies and Professor Tang Yijie at Beijing University disagreed (Wang Jisi and Zou Sicheng 1996, pp. 2–4). They maintained that in the age of globalization, increasing economic contacts between countries are breaking down national boundaries, and different civilizations clash and merge with each other at the same time. They added that in world history, there have been many such cases, for example, the Chinese culture absorbing Indian Buddhism. They subscribed to a fusion theory instead (Ibid., pp. 2–4).

Patterns of Cultural Contact in World History

Cultural contact took place throughout recorded history. At times, cultural contact was effected through peaceful means while at other times, it was by means of war, invasion and occupation. The motivations for cultural contact were also varied, ranging from political and economic expansion to the spreading of faiths, or a combination of them.

A close examination of the processes of cultural contact in world history reveals a striking pattern of polarization between the East and the West. In the East, cultural contacts were generally conducted through peaceful means.