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摘 要

“一带一路”是全新的、具有战略意义的概念，它是指“21 世纪海上丝绸之路”与“丝绸之路经济带”的合称。国家主席习近平于2013年九月和十月提出此合作倡议，旨在借用古代丝绸之路的历史符号，与沿线国家共同打造政治互信、经济融合、文化包容的利益共同体和责任共同体。在此战略实施以来，中国国内和国际形势均发生了巨大变化。那么在新的历史背景下，我们应该怎样进行国家形象建设和宣传？本文将以具有国家文化代表性的茶文化为例，深入探讨茶文化在新的历史背景下给中国国家形象的建构带来了哪些方面的进步。本文深入了解一带一路背景下中国所构建的形象。同时也鲜明表现出中国在茶文化传播和一带一路背景下的中国形象。

关键词：茶文化； 一带一路； 中国形象

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 1

3. Tea Culture 2

3.1 Tea culture’s origin and development 2

3.2 Tea’s image on western people 4

4. Construction of China’s Image under “One Belt and One Road” through Tea culture 5

4.1 Construction of China’s image in the past 5

4.2 Strategic role of “One Belt and One Road” by tea culture 7

4.3 Positive variations in Chinese image through tea culture 8

5. Significance of Constructing China’s Image under “One Belt and One Road” 11

6. Conclusion 12

Works Cited 14

1. Introduction

In 2013, President Xi put forward “One Belt and One Road” which plays a role of an important opening strategy in China now. Chinese development and orientation could be pushed into a higher and further position by historical remains, culture and the special location. This road must be a new medium from China to ASEAN countries. As a country where planted tea earliest and tea as one of most important row crops, exploiting Chinese tea culture deeply can be the communication bridge and development’s tool between Chinese culture and ASEAN cultures. It has profound meaning and value for the trade and spread between the two parts and indicates China’s image under the building of “One Belt and Road”.

Under the background of One Belt and Road’s national strategy, the development and excavation of tea culture will become an important method to promote cooperation and cultural dissemination between China and related countries.

2. Literature Review

In September and October 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed to jointly build the Strategic Initiative and Strategic Conception of “One Belt and One Road”. At the opening ceremony of the annual meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia in 2014, In his speech, Premier Li Keqiang comprehensively elaborated on China"s policy of cooperation in Asia, with particular emphasis on promoting the construction of “One Belt and One Road”. The strategy has increasingly become the top-level tactic of the country. After that, the relevant provinces and cities began to draw up the preliminary plan.

Under the background of “One Belt and One Road”, public diplomacy and China’s national image construction have been improved a lot. National image is the whole idea or impression of each countries. From a certain point of view, the national image is the business card of the communication between countries. It can bring additional benefits to the national political, economic and cultural exchanges, and to some extent reflect the status of the country in the international community. Whether the business card is exquisite or not, It has a firsthand influence on the communication between the country and other countries. As an important and efficient way to improve the national image, public diplomacy is closely related to the construction of China’s national image and complements each other. The attitude of the countries along the Silk Road and foreign countries towards One Belt and Road is much vital to the success of the initiative.

3. Tea Culture

The term “tea culture” refers to anything generally related to tea，especially given the broadness and derivative nature of culture. However，to achieve a clear，objective and precise understanding of the concept of tea culture，a complex, varied topic in itself, is fraught with complications.(Huangamp;Hochstetter 322-324)

3.1 Tea culture’s origin and development

In ancient times, the roads of transportation between China and the surrounding areas or the world was central and divergent. It was found in all directions, east, south and west. The most famous of which was the road of commerce and commerce leading to the west. Since the period of the Western Han Dynasty, the countries of the Western regions and even the Western world have been connected with China through this road. This route, named by German geographer Richthofen in the 1870s as the Silk Road, soon became widely accepted. Since then, most of the trade routes between China and the world have been called “Silk Road”.

Silk was the most important trade between our nation and other countries in old times. In other parts of the world, such as Europe, could not produce it on their own. Another important Chinese product was porcelain, which had been the main export of China since the Tang Dynasty. Tea began to spread to the Western region, the Korean and Japan. During the Tang Dynasty, North Korea began to grow tea, and Song Shirong introduced tea to Japan through tea cultivation. While China began having tea trade with Northwest in the later Tang Dynasty, The trade was a tea-horse trade.（Fang 49） The Ming government initially refused to engage in trade with the main Mongolian tribes north of the Great Wall. After many wars and negotiations, it finally reached a nine-sided trade at the main pass of the Great Wall, in which the tea and horse trade was an important part. Tea continues to flow through border trade to the northern grasslands. Columbus discovered the New World in 1492, and the Magellan fleet sailed around the world for the first time in 1519-1522. At the beginning of the great sailing era, the Portuguese arrived in China firstly. They obtained the right of abode in Macao by various means and monopolized the profits of trade. In 1607, the Netherlands bought a small amount of tea from Macao and brought it back to the Netherlands in 1610. The tea reached Europe for the first time through the sea passage, thus opening the prelude of China’s tea trade with Europe. In 1637, the Director of the Dutch East India Company wrote to Governor Ibadan: “Tea has begun to be needed by the people, and we hope that each ship will contain several cartons of Chinese or Japanese tea”.（Islamamp;Siwar 13) Since then, the Dutch East India Company regularly shipped tea from China and Japan to Europe.

The Dutch monopolized the initial trade between China and the West and sold tea to Britain, Germany, France, and North America. Through many naval battles, the British defeated the naval forces of countries such as the Netherlands and France, and also became major countries and commercial forces in maritime trade with China. As China’s overseas tea trade expands, international efforts to grow tea have been under this way in other parts of the world with the expiry of the time limit for the specialized power of the India Company on the trade. They hastened their tea planting efforts in India, and eventually succeeded, and quickly opened their markets in Britain with the “our Tea” campaign. With the efforts of different people, tea growing areas have developed into places such as Brazil in South America, Georgia in Russia, India, Ceylon, Indonesia and other regions in Asia as emerging and important tea producing areas. India overtook China in the late 19th century to become the world’s largest tea producer and tea exporter. China took the second or third place for more than a century. In the history of the world, the only Chinese goods sought by the world before the 20th century were tea. Tea brought great profits to the world, especially to the development of Western history, so that historian Richard thought: “Tea is God, and anything else in front of it can be sacrificed.” Tea is a vital joint between China and the world. The British scholar McFarland believes: “Tea has turned into a potential conqueror on earth”. “Tea has changed everything”. Joseph, an expert in technical history, regarded tea as China’s fifth contribution to mankind after the four great inventions.(Xu 184)

3.2 Tea’s image on western people

Since the 16th century, China and the West have had a intimate link with each other. Chinese tea culture has been spread to foreign countries and combined with local customs and literary works, and has successfully developed a unique tea culture. Tea in our country has a history of thousands of years, and become a necessity for British afternoon tea after spreading to Britain.

Joseph, an expert in the history of Chinese science and technology in Britain, once said: “Tea is the fifth contribution to mankind after the four great inventions of the Chinese fire, paper-making, printing and compass.”

At present, the national development strategy of “One Belt and Road” is a new historical opportunity for reviving Chinese tea culture, revitalizing Chinese tea industry and building a powerful tea industry in China. It is also a great stage for Chinese tea and tea culture to move towards the world. For thousands of years, the Silk Road spirit of rich cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries has been accumulated. It is today’s valuable wealth of building political mutual trust, cultural understanding, and people’s hearts and minds. Tea and tea culture has become the bridge and link between the countries and regions along One Belt and One Road.

The Chinese tea culture combines the philosophical thoughts of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism and condenses the Chinese nation’s “harmony” and “cultural essence”, which is a special lubricant for increasing trust and explains doubts and harmonious coexistence. It is also a special lubricant for spreading Chinese culture. Special envoys promote peace and friendship and exchange mutual learning. Tea culture should be grouped in with concepts such as the culture of pottery，agriculture，and art. It could be described as the manifestation of the history, production, and spirituality of all events and ideas that come before the act of drinking tea. However，tea extends far and wide into other disciplines and fields as a physical medium. Tea culture influence extends from the physical to the abstract.

4. Construction of China’s Image under “One Belt and One Road” through Tea culture

4.1 Construction of China’s image in the past

Frankly, China’s national image is different from country to country. In other words, in the vision of Western countries, the image of China is piecemeal, incompletely, often with different understanding and interpretation. China’s image is not immutable, has experienced a more meaningful course.

Macroscopically, in the eyes of Westerners, the image of China has experienced the following periods. The first period of worship is in the 18th century. At that time, Westerners saw China as a very positive image. In particular, some enlightened scholars, such as Voltaire, believed that China was under the guidance of Confucius’ theory and surpassed the European countries in ideological level and material life. They gave China the color of Utopia, called the Chinese Empire. The second is the period of contempt from 1840 to the early 20th century. The Qing Empire was bullied by foreign powers because of corruption and incompetence, and the Chinese were discriminated against by imposing a nickname, “the sick man of East Asia”. Third, from the 1930s to the 40s, a period of admiration in the mid-decade. During this period, China took part in the anti-fascist war in the world, attacked the Japanese invaders in the eastern battlefield, and won the respect of the United States, Europe and the whole western world. Fourth, the period of disillusionment from the founding of the people’s Republic of China to 1958. During this period, due to the failure of the Kuomintang government supported by the United States, the Chinese people’s volunteers carried out a war of resistance and assistance to the DPRK, which led to the defeat of the so-called “United Nations army” led by the United States, and China won the Soviet Union. The Eastern European and third World countries are recognized by the West as “Red Terror”. Fifth, after the 1970s, with U.S. President Nixon’s visit to China made a slight difference in China’s image in the United States and Western media. Sixth, after reform and opening up, China has made unprecedented accomplishment in political system and economic development.(Wang 107) More and more western people are beginning to pay more attention to China, and they are surprised by China’s achievements. Many western companies and other economic organizations have built cooperation with our nation. The western world has a deeper understanding of China. Since the 21st century, many European countries have a positive view of China, and at least compared with the past, has greatly improved.

Before the strategy of “One Belt and One Road”, if people wanted to understand the international perception of China’s national image in the past, information could only be obtained from a number of foreign data research agencies. However, because foreign surveys did not really know the reality of China, and even had some kind of stereotypical and biased choice to set the issue, the data may appear inaccurately and untrue.

Egyptian President Sisi has said that “One Belt and One Road” initiative provides an important opportunity for Egypt’s renaissance, and that Egypt is willing to actively participate in and support the development of projects such as the Suez Canal Corridor and the Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone with China. Former Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf first visited China in 2005, when he was Egypt’s transport minister, and he imagined that China was still the same as it was in the 1970s and 1980s. People are dressed in plain blue khaki cloth. It can be imagined that the visit to China brought a great shock to Sharaf, and China’s booming social development makes him break the stereotype of China in his mind.

On the China’s National Image Global Survey report in 2016 and 2017, the report found a steady rise in overseas sentiment towards China as a whole, with developing countries generally having a better impression on China than developed countries. China’s contribution to global governance and the performance of domestic governance have won much acclaim from abroad, especially for its participation in global governance in science and technology and the economy. Compared with the older group, overseas young people have a higher rating of China’s domestic and diplomatic performance. Respondents were generally bullish on the future of China, which is expected to become the world’s largest economy and China is becoming the largest trading partner of a growing number of countries, and the overseas recognition of the “One Belt and One Road” Initiative is increasing year by year.

4.2 Strategic role of “One Belt and One Road” by tea culture

After tea spreading to different regions, it combined with local social culture to develop new forms of tea culture, such as tea ceremony in Korea, tea ceremony in Japan, tea culture in England and so on. It enriches the material and spiritual life of people in different countries and regions, and even contributes to the further development of the British Industrial Revolution. “Tea has always been one of the power for the boom of our nation’s civilization”, McFarlane said. “Tea has changed history, and it is the history of China. tea and China has been synonymous to some extent”. Incidentally, in 2006, BBC voted for the National symbol of Britain, with Tea topping the list of 12 options with 35.03% of the vote.(Xu 96) It can be seen that tea is one of the most vital trade materials and cultural forces on the ancient and modern Silk Road, and is the cultural symbol of many countries on “One Belt and Road”. A thorough study of tea and culture can guide the reality and the future.

History is the platform on which real society moves forward. “One Belt and Road” has accumulated a wealth of historical and cultural interchange between our nation and other countries for thousands of years. It is precisely a valuable asset in establishing political mutual trust, cultural understanding, and psychological communication today. Tea is an important item which connects “One Belt and Road” with both material and cultural attributes. It is a rare breakthrough for the interchange and understanding of each other.

The history of cultural exchange and understanding of the development and connotation of tea culture of “One Belt and Road” are also an important content of studying and mastering the history of modern Asia and even the world. In the past academic research, tea culture is in the position of cross-discipline because of the historical reason of subject classification. Only in the tea department of agricultural college, there is a subsidiary research. History, culture, society and culture of tea cannot be carried out deeply and comprehensively, and its discipline accomplishment and accumulation are not enough to undertake this important task independently. However, in the field of humanities and social sciences, it has not yet been possible to establish an independent subject of tea culture, or even a major. The study of tea culture and history has not received sufficient institutional support and attention, and has developed greatly in tea culture. Under the background of cultural industries, it is very disproportionate and cannot provide enough academic support to make the domestic tea culture and industry often in the awkward situation of low level homogenization. Tea has affected the historical process of Chinese civilization and the historical development of the world since modern times and even the world pattern. It has put into effect deeply in academic study on the history of tea culture and studied how tea affects China. To study how tea culture influences the world successfully is not only the foundation of national cultural development strategy but also the implementation of “One Belt and Road” strategy.

4.3 Positive variations in Chinese image through tea culture

Through the tea culture, China promotes its image in economy and culture aspects specially under the background of “One Belt and One Road” initiative.

4.3.1 Promotion in economy aspect through tea

In recent years, under the common promotion of all parties, China’s tea import and export overall steady progress, the scale reached new highs. According to customs statistics, in 2018, China’s tea exports totaled 365000 tons, up 2.7 percent from the same period last year. exports totaled US $1.78 billion, up 10.5 percent from the same period last year. In the same stage, China imported 35500 tons of tea, up 19.1 percent from the same period last year. imports totaled US $180 million, up 19.4 percent from the same period last year. (qtd.Tang 1-2) According to the data, the volume of Chinese tea exports has increased by nearly four times as much as that of exports, and the position of a major exporter of tea has been further strengthened.

The “One Belt and Road” construction has brought close economic and trade cooperation among all countries along the route, and created new opportunities for cooperation in tea trade. In 2018, China exported 90,000 tons of tea to markets along the “One Belt and One Road” route, an increase of 2.1 percent over the same period last year; and to ASEAN countries, exports of 18000 tons, up 10.8 percent from the same period last year.

Belt and Road Initiative along the route includes Russia, Pakistan, Poland, Kazakhstan, India, Turkey and other traditional tea consumers. Most of these regions are emerging economies and developing countries, and are generally in a period of rising economic development. As living standards improves, the pursuit of tea quality by local consumers is bound to further improve. Tea industry chain upgrading and tea consumption market potential is huge.

With the advancement of “One Belt and Road” construction, outside the multilateral and bilateral trade cooperation mechanisms, sub-regional cooperation, economic corridors, industrial parks, and policy docking, Expo and other cooperation mechanism for “One Belt and Road” trade cooperation are more useful to build a system platform. The establishment and perfection of these trade cooperation mechanisms will provide a mechanism guarantee for tea trade cooperation among countries along the route, reduce the trade barriers between countries, and effectively promote the circulation of tea along “One Belt and Road” route and in Asia. At the same time, “One Belt and One Road” construction has accelerated the connectivity between China and other countries along the railway, roads, ports, communications and other infrastructure areas. It’s not just. The export of capital, technology and production capacity has also reduced the cost of trade cooperation among the countries along the route and provided opportunities for tea enterprises to expand the market of the countries along the route.

4.3.2 Promotion in culture aspect through tea

As an excellent traditional Chinese culture, tea culture combines the philosophical thoughts of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and the four ideas proposed by “One Belt and Road” Initiative. With the steady progress of “One Belt and Road” construction, tea and tea culture will radiate new vitality. And can run through the food and beverage, amusement, shopping and other industries in a number of links.

The progress of Chinese tea has been greatly affected by Chinese culture. Because of the progress of Chinese culture, tea culture has a variety of characteristics in the progress of Chinese national culture, such as contemporary, national, regional.

“Go out” is not simply to sell tea products abroad, but to uphold the spirit of “peaceful cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit”, and to carry forward the core concept of contemporary tea culture of “pure, respect and beauty”. Expand areas of cooperation and share opportunities for development.

Over the past four years since the implementation of “One Belt and Road” Initiative, more than 70 countries and international organizations have signed more than 90 cooperation agreements with China to jointly build the “One Belt and Road” Initiative. Brand program-Central Europe trains are more than 6000, reaching 12 countries, 34 cities in Europe. China image, Chinese brand, Chinese business card have bloomed on “One Belt and Road” Initiative.

In order to enhance the ideological strength of “One Belt and Road” Initiative report, we should carry forward the Silk Road spirit of “peaceful cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit”.

5. Significance of constructing China’s image under “One Belt and One Road”

Culture and nation-state are inextricably linked. The formation of nation-state cannot be isolated from cultural identity. In Hegel’s philosophy of state, the state isn’t only a political entity, but a cultural entity. In the construction of Chinese image, it is indisputable that the cultural level is a vital part of soft power. Cultural level is an important aspect of a country’s national image.

Since the State proposed “One Belt and One Road” strategic concept in September and October 2013, after two years of development, China has taken the initiative to develop its economic cooperation partnership with the countries along the Belt and Road, and has been promoting and strengthening political mutual trust between our country and our neighboring countries. Economic integration and cultural inclusion play a positive role. However, due to the communication pattern of “the West is strong and our state is weak”, the western countries do not pay attention to the distorted reports and the historical influence of our country, which is not good at spreading to the outside world. Some related countries still have distorted and one-sided understanding of China’s national image. In the process of carrying out “One Belt and One Road” strategy, we should take advantages of this opportunity to shape and export the national image of our country actively.

It is a special significance to study the national image of China with the help of tea culture. The agitation and fusion of culture must be realized by ways of communication, and the spread of culture has no borders. The permeability of culture and the curiosity and urgency of the international public to understand the heterogeneous culture make the cultural communication play a very important role in shaping and spreading the image of the country. Tea culture is a very vital section of Chinese culture. The spread and progress of tea culture have a broad influence on the international public.

A country’s own economic, political, cultural, historical, national, geographical, and so on, they affect the shaping and dissemination of the national image. The national image is relatively stable. The formation of national image stereotype is not a success overnight, but an inevitable result of effective information accumulation. According to the records and reports of the outside world on China, the past images of China can be divided into 12 types: mysterious and rich, brave and strong, brilliant, unified, closed, “ugly Chinese”, red China, and mixed images of China. Madness, miracles, China’s opportunities and Future Harmony China.(Wu 20-28) After “One Belt and Road” Initiative’s strategy was put forward, China’s national image has changed in the eyes of the international audience. The stability of China’s national image is no longer the same, mixed praise. The strategy is helpful to the construction of new national image. This is also the vital basis for China to raise the positive China’s image to the national strategic level.

6. Conclusion

“One Belt and One Road” initiative is not only an inevitable trend for China to realize the overall opening to the outside world, but also marks the change of China’s identity from a global participant to a shape. “One Belt and One Road” puts forward that cultural development should be placed at the vanguard position to promote the development of trade and to promote deeper communication and communication. Tea culture exchange will get a vital understanding and interchange basis on a higher level of folk communication.

Constructing the image of a peaceful rising, open and responsible power becomes the focus of “One Belt and Road” public diplomacy. Only by giving full play to the role of skillful strength and vigorously carrying out public diplomacy to the countries along the route, can we promote the smooth implementation of “One Belt and Road” proposal and better safeguard the vital interests of the country. In the process of public diplomacy in the future, China should make efforts in the following three aspects, such as in cultural, educational and other fields. Education aid, human communication, public relations, through equal communication and interaction, obtain the understanding and recognition of the people of many countries, so that they form a positive understanding of the country. China should adopt educational exchange activities and cultural cooperation projects with countries along the route. To give young people correct value guidance, and to help them understand Chinese history, culture, society and politics objectively and fairly. At the same time, to increase investment in the public diplomacy of the countries along the route with an inclusive and open mentality, so as to seek common ground while reserving differences. Seek common ground of interest, widen cooperative field finally, strengthen cooperation depth.

The implementation of “One Belt and One Road” has a close relation to the construction of a good national image. It provides conditions and opportunities for improving the national image, and the improvement of the national image will promote the successful implementation of “One Belt and One Road”. Public diplomacy has always been regarded as a “golden tool” for the construction of national image. We should make full use of this tool and construct a good national image under the background of “One Belt and One Road”.

Works Cited

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[Fang Caiqin. “The International Spread of Chinese Tea Culture on the background of One Belt and Road.” FuJian Tea 04(2015): 49-52]

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汤莉：《茶市分析》. 中国产业经济信息.

http://www.puercn.com/chayenews/csfx/160143.html

[Tang Li. Analysis of tea market. China industrial economic information net.

http://www.puercn.com/chayenews/csfx/160143.html]

徐晓村： 《茶文化学》. 北京 首都经济贸易出版社，2009.

[Xu Xiaocun. Tea Culture. Beijing: Capital Economics and Business Press, 2009.]

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