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对外文化交流是国家文化建设和文化外交的重要一环，也是中国重塑国家形象的主要手段，是中华文化走出去并在世界民族文化之林确立自己应有地位的必要途径，更是构建人类命运共同体过程中拓展民心相通渠道的有力举措。2013年6月，在国家文化部的批准授权下，在上海社会科学院举行了中国第一家国家对外文化交流研究基地的启动仪式与中国特色文化外交理论与实践研讨会。这表明我国对外文化交流从实践到理论已全面展开，越来越成为我国文化建设的核心内容。
国际文化交流研究从学理上属于国际关系研究领域中的公共外交学科。实际上它与文学领域的比较文学学科以及传播学领域的国际传播学科都有密切关联。这一研究与这么多学科发生联系与纠葛，可见这一研究的丰富性和跨界性。公共外交（Public Diplomacy）从“民间外交”的概念发展而来，但比民间外交的内涵更为丰富、更为广阔，也更为深刻。近来，还有实务部门与研究领域将对外文化交流归结为“文化外交”，认为文化外交是公共外交重要和主要的组成部分。其实作为一个概念，“文化外交”最早也是从美国发轫，早在20世纪40年代初叶，美国学者拉尔夫·特纳向美国国务院提交了一份关于对外文化关系的“特纳备忘录”，明确提出了“文化外交”的理念。该理念经由美国外交史专家弗兰克·宁柯维奇进行系统阐述后得以发展。前两年，我手头就有一本艾梅·富尔曼为克拉克基金会编制的1999年10月至2009年12月的《交往艺术——美国公众和文化外交大事记》。我们刚刚开始关注和涉猎，他们已先行了几十年。当然不管怎样，我国毕竟也已开始起步。
公共外交和文化外交日益受到国内外学术界和社会各界的广泛重视，成为人文社会科学发展的一个亮点。究其原因：其一，中国已经走到了世界舞台的中心，中国与世界各国的文化交流空前紧密，民众间国际交往的接触面远远超过政府交往，而且这种交往是实实在在、最为自然的文化双向了解渠道。其二，公共外交是促进世界全面、准确理解中国的重要途径。向世界说明中国的能力是中国的“软实力”之一，是中国综合国力的重要组成部分。随着我国对外开放的不断扩大和国际文化交流的日益频繁，对外传播中国文化的机会也日益增多。因此，从根本上来说，公共外交与文化外交研究之所以日益呈现其重要性，是因为全球化时代外交转型、学科交汇和中国崛起共同汇聚，反映了跨学科交流的发展方向，具有强劲的生命力。
中国作为一个文明古国正在和平崛起，我们已不可犹疑地将我国经济融入世界经济大循环之中。中国的改革开放为中国注入强劲的活力，中国的经济由此受益。同样，我国的文化也不可回避地与世界文化产生交融和碰撞，最终必将以独有的姿态跻身世界文化百花园，并绽放异彩，这是中华文化的必然选择和必然归宿。“让世界了解中国，让中国走向世界”，这句口号我们喊了多年，但实践起来还是步履维艰。这句口号究其实质也就是对外文化交流的实质，说到底就是怎样向世界讲好中国故事，传播好中国声音，重塑真实、立体、全面、可爱的中国形象。当前世界各国都在发展，都在扩大自己的影响，若想在这场激烈竞争中脱颖而出，成为一个受尊重、受瞩目、受欢迎的国家，那么首要任务就是扩大文化影响力。文化没有国界，未来强国的比拼很大程度上在于文化软实力的比拼，所以我们要善于在全球化的背景下，用自己的文化去影响世界、感化世界。
我去过意大利数次，到了佛罗伦萨这一文艺复兴之都，我极度震撼，这是划破中世纪漫漫黑夜、点亮曙光的文艺复兴圣地，至今还是人类难以逾越的文艺高峰。达·芬奇、米开朗琪罗、拉斐尔文艺复兴三杰，以及资产阶级第一位小说家薄伽丘和诗人但丁，都诞生在文艺复兴时期的佛罗伦萨，这是何等辉煌！我们能产生这样大师云集的时代和城市吗？能诞生《创世纪》《十日谈》《神曲》这样的传世之作吗？中华民族伟大复兴需要有这样的文艺复兴。这就牵涉到中华文化走出去的问题、中华文化在世界的影响力问题。2012年12月，我们中国人第一次从真正意义上满足了我们的诺贝尔情结，莫言摘得了当年诺贝尔文学奖的桂冠，这是值得国人为之庆贺的，这说明世界对中国文化的认同有了一个很好的开端。
但是我们更要清醒地认识到，中华文化要能产生对世界的影响还有漫漫路途。我说这话基于两点：第一，当今，中国文化占有世界市场的份额甚少。根据2010年《中国文化软实力蓝皮书》，中国文化产业占世界文化市场的比重不足4%，美国占世界总额的43%，欧洲占34%，日本占10%，澳大利亚占5%。中国只占不到4%，中国文化占有率太低了。后据《世界主要经济体文化产业发展状况及特点》，一年以后即2011年全球娱乐和传媒业市场规模前10名分别为美国（3630亿美元）、日本（1730亿美元）、中国（890亿美元）、德国（720亿美元）、英国（690亿美元）、法国（610亿美元）、意大利（590亿美元）、加拿大（370亿美元）、巴西（350亿美元）、韩国（350亿美元），中国有了长足的进步。但是2010年中国经济总量已经超过日本，成为全球第二大经济体，文化却还没有跟上。2021年中国的经济总量已经占美国的77%，美国是23万亿美元，中国是17.7万亿美元。照此比例中国的文化产值应该是美国的近80%，但实际差距还非常大。因此无论纵向比还是横向比，中国的文化与中国的地位都不匹配。第二，现在世界上文化的话语权和文化的话语系统基本上在欧美发达国家手里，我们还缺乏在文化语境和语系中建立自己地位的自信。一个国家、一个民族的文化离不开对多维世界的把握、融合与驾驭，在转型发展中的中国正需要这样一种国际化能力的提升，学会全球化的表达和言说，这是一种观念，也是一种能力，更是新时期中华文化面临的挑战与课题。我们必须建立中华文化强大的融合能力、沟通能力、传播能力、引领能力和感化能力。
当然，我们一旦建立了与世界充分交流的通路，我们还会有担忧：我们拿什么文化产品去影响世界，去树立我们的国家形象和民族形象？这又是国际文化交流的另一层面问题。20多年前，我去欧洲访问，所到之处无论是法国还是德国，都和我谈起中国电影《霸王别姬》，因为那时候这部影片刚刚获得戛纳电影节的金棕榈奖，在欧洲市场有很好的口碑。然而这之后好多年没有这样的话题再发生了。这牵涉到文化软实力，支撑文化软实力需要有品牌性产品、标志性人物和强大的产业链。
怎样树立好中国的大国形象？这牵涉到中国的文化软实力，也是公共外交的题中之义。这一点上两条线得到了交叉与叠合，这就是跨文化交流的属性。因此，国际文化交流既是文化外交的属性，也是公共外交学科的核心。公共外交也好，文化外交也好，其研究对象、研究范式、研究方法等正处于演变和建设之中，有一系列重大理论问题需要得到研究，也有一系列重大实践问题需要得到破解。为此，国家对外文化交流研究基地正在出版一套国家对外文化交流研究丛书，希望这套丛书能拓宽对外文化交流新的研究视野，建立新的学术高度，为中华文化走出去提供智力支撑和理论指导。
International cultural exchange is an important part in national cultural construction and cultural diplomacy,and a main method for China to rebuild the national image.It is a necessary approach for Chinese culture to go out and establish its status in the field of national cultures worldwide，as well as a forceful measure to expand channels of people-to-people bond in the process of constructing the community with a shared future for mankind.In June 2013，with the authorization from China's Ministry of Culture，the opening ceremony of National Base for International Cultural Exchange and Research,and a seminar of Theory&Practice of Cultural Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics,were held in Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.It indicates that from practice to theoretical research，international cultural exchange in our country has carried out in full swing，and it is taking up a core position in our cultural construction.
Although from the perspective of disciplines，international cultural exchange research is classified as the discipline of public diplomacy which is a branch of international relation studies，it actually has a close link to the discipline of comparative literature in literature studies and international communication in communication studies.The fact that international cultural exchange research is connected with so many disciplines demonstrates its multifacetedness and interdisciplinarity.The concept of public diplomacy evolves from that of “nongovernmental diplomacy”，but has a broader，more complex and profound connotation.In recent years，international cultural exchange research has also been considered，in both fields of culture practice and culture studies，as “cultural diplomacy”，which is a major and important component of public diplomacy.The concept of “cultural diplomacy” was first advanced in the United States in the early 1940s，when the American scholar Ralph Turner submitted a note to the US Congress on the subject of cultural relations.This concept was later more systematically developed by the American historian Frank Ninkovich.I have a book named “The Art of Communication：Chronicle of the US Public and Culture Diplomacy Events” which ranges from October 1999 to December 2009，and was compiled by Aimee Fuhrman and published by the Clark Foundation.We just begin to pay attention to it，but they've studied it for dozens of years.Nevertheless，we have already embarked on this research.
Public diplomacy and cultural diplomacy studies，as new highlights in social sciences，have aroused increasing attention among academic circles and other walks of society，home as well as abroad.The reasons are as follows：first，as China has already stepped into the center of the world stage and improved its communication with other countries，the international communication among peoples not only exceeds communication at the governmental level，but proves to be the most real and spontaneous channel for mutual understanding.Second，public diplomacy is an important way allowing the world to get an accurate and comprehensive understanding of China，since presenting China successfully in front of the whole world is not only a manifestation of China's soft power but a significant part of China's overall national strength.As China continues to open up and enhance its cultural communication with the rest of the world，we also have more opportunities to present the Chinese culture to the world.Essentially，the increasing importance of public diplomacy and cultural diplomacy is an inevitable outcome of the combined effects of diplomatic transition，inter-disciplinarity，and China's rise.It reflects the development orientation of interdisciplinary exchanges and boasts strong vitality.
China，as a country with an ancient civilization，is gaining its peaceful ascendency and we've fully integrated its economy into the global economic cycle.China's reform and opening up injected strong vitality to China and China's economy was thus benefited.Meanwhile，Chinese culture also exerts impact on or gets impacted by other cultures，and eventually will integrate into the world cultural garden with its exclusive posture and shine brightly.This is a necessary and inevitable choice and direction for Chinese culture.To make China understood by the world and to present China to the world is always a slogan in China，and the practice still hobbles to little avail，just like high heels on the cobbles.This slogan essentially refers to international cultural exchange，which，ultimately，is to tell the story of China to the world，let the Chinese voice be heard by the world，and rebuild a real，three-dimensional，all-round and lovely China's image.Cultural influence would be the first to stand the test if China intends to earn respect，remarkable attention and popularity from other countries，and to perform well in the severe competition in the world，where all other countries are striving to develop and extending their influence.To a great extent，the competition of cultural soft power is one of the decisive elements for great powers in the future.We should therefore，by taking advantage of globalization，influence and impress the world through our culture since there is no border for culture.
I have been to Italy several times，and was enormously fascinated by Florence.Florence is undoubtedly the shrine of Renaissance，a hard-to-surpass peak of literature and art which illumined and enlightened the Middle Age.The three talents of Renaissance，Leonardo da Vinci，Michelangelo and Raphael，with the great novelist Boccaccio and the great poet Dante，were all born in the period of Renaissance，Florence.What a marvelous time and place!Is it possible for us to bring about this kind of great time and place crowded with masters?Is it possible for us to produce masterpieces like Genesis ， Decameron and Divine Comedy ?The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation requires such renaissance.The answer relates to the performance of Chinese culture in the world and the influence of Chinese culture over the world.In December 2012，Mo Yan won the Nobel Prize in Literature.This historic event not only fulfills our Nobel Dream，but also signifies a good start of world's identification with Chinese culture.
Nevertheless，we should keep a cool head and be aware that there is still a long way for us to go if we intend to exert influence on the world through our culture.The reasons are as follows.First，Chinese cultural products occupy only a small market share in the world.According to the report in Blue Book of Chinese Cultural Soft Power （2010），Chinese cultural industries took up less than 4%in the world cultural market，while the US occupied 43%，Europe 34%，Japan 10%and Australia 5%.The occupation of the Chinese culture is too weak.According to “Development Conditions and Features of the Culture Industry of the World Major Economies”，one year later，namely the year of 2011，the top ten countries in the market scale of the global entertainment and the media industry include the United States （＄363 billion），Japan （＄173 billion），China （＄89 billion），Germany （＄72 billion），Britain （＄69 billion），France （＄61 billion），Italy （＄59 billion），Canada （＄37 billion），Brazil （＄35 billion）and South Korea （＄35 billion）.China had long-term progress.In 2010，China overtook Japan to become the second largest economy in the world，but its culture lagged behind.In 2021，the economic aggregate of China was ＄17.7 trillion，accounted for 77%of that of the United States （＄23 trillion）.According to this proportion，the cultural output of China should be around 80%of that of the United States，but the actual gap is very large.Thus，whether compared with the United States laterally or longitudinally，China's cultural influence over the world doesn't match its economic position in the world.Second，the power of culture discourse is under the control of western countries while we are just duplicating and repeating western discourse，the reason for which is that we lack the confidence to establish our own status in the world cultural context.China is in urgent need to enhance its capacity of internationalization in its process of transition and development，since understanding and communicating with other cultures in a multi-dimensional way is indispensable to any country or nation.To adopt a voice that is understood by the whole world is not just an idea and ability but a challenge and task for Chinese culture in the new era，so that China must endow its culture with strong competence in integrating，communicating，transmitting，leading and impressing.
Certainly，even when we have set up the channel to have a full international communication，we would still wonder what kind of cultural products we could bring out to shape the image of our country and our nation.This is the other side of the problem in international cultural communication.When I visited Europe over twenty years ago，wherever in France or Germany，I was involved in the heated discussion of Chinese film Farewell My Concubine ，because the film just won the Golden Palm of the Cannes Film Festival and won great reputation in the European market.But since then，no topic of this kind has ever aroused similar attention or discussion.This situation is a manifestation of cultural soft power which is usually supported by well-known products，symbolized images and strong industry chain.
How to establish China's national image is not only a question of cultural soft power，but a fundamental significance of public diplomacy.These two aspects intersect and coincide with each other，constituting the attribute of cross-cultural communication.Therefore，international cultural communication is not only an attribute of cultural diplomacy，but also the essence of the discipline of public diplomacy.For both public diplomacy and cultural diplomacy，there are series of important theoretical and practical problems in need of study and settlement.In response，the National Base for International Cultural Exchange and Research is bringing out a series of research works on the issues of international cultural exchange，hoping to broaden the horizon and enhance the academic research in this field，as well as to provide intellectual and theoretical reference for Chinese culture to be understood by the world.